The Dark Tower electronic board game was created by Milton Bradley in 1981. This game combines a traditional board game with an electronic tower unit and can be played by up to four players. The object of the game is to journey around the board, build an army, collect the three magical keys and successfully attack the Brigands in the Dark Tower. Each gameboard move is accompanied by pressing the appropriate button on the tower’s keypad.

My family bought this game when it first came out, since I’m a big fan of RPGs. I can still remember when we first got it… Turning it on would start a self-diagnostic test. Then the lights would turn on and off to test the bulbs behind the display. Then the red LED lights would blink a bunch and then display the number 88. Then it was time to start your adventure!

The game instructions are easy to follow and there are lots of pieces to enjoy (and eventually loose). The best part of this game was the electronic Dark Tower unit. Just make sure to have two D batteries on hand. Also included are cardboard score charts and pegs that kept track of your inventory and keys, even though the tower serves this function too. The tower unit has a 12 button keypad, a red LED display, lights with different film cels behind a tinted display and a speaker that plays musical tunes for different events. The LED display showed numbers from 00 to 99.

This game is a blast to play and a feast for your eyes as well as your ears! If you can find one get it and let the fun begin! I can still hear the gears and motors of my old tower whirring and knocking around…

To play the game, setup the game board by attaching all the plastic sanctuaries, tombs, bazaars and ruins to the circular game board. Then each player chooses a kingdom to play and starts their own warrior pawn at their citadel. The board layout requires you to travel through four kingdoms. While traveling counter-clockwise through the kingdoms and frontiers, you’ll need to find, in order, a brass, silver and a gold key.

A player starts the game with a few warriors in their army. Choose the quickest route through the territories and around the board to collect the hidden keys and reach the Dark Tower in the center. While searching for the magical keys you’ll investigate mysterious ruins and tombs for gold and treasure, which includes swords. Stopping at sanctuaries will replenish you (if you are in need) and visiting bazaars will allow you to buy food, warriors, Beasts, and hire Scouts and Healers. Haggling at bazaars is expected if you want a lower price. Just don’t press your luck too much or they’ll close up shop.

While moving from territory to territory you are in continuous danger of randomly encountering bad-ol’ Brigands or even Dragons (then you better have a Sword!) Other random encounters include getting lost, getting the plague or even finding a helpful Scout or Healer. Occasionally you’ll find a Pegasus, which allows you to fly to another nearby territories, or a Wizard that allows you to curse other players. Ni!

Resource management, while tending to your inventory, is an important factor in the game. It is as important to you as building an army and hording gold. You need to have enough Warriors to fight Brigands as well as to carry gold and you better have enough food to feed your Warriors. Just try to accumulate as much as you can carry.

Only after a player has found all three keys and has a large enough army and supplies, should they journey to the Dark Tower. Once at the tower, you must break the “Riddle of the Keys” to enter and then defeat the Brigand forces within. The first player to do so wins the game and then victory is yours. After the victory, a score is generated and displayed based on how well you played. 1- 99 with 1=worst and 99=best. Doing a victory song and dance is optional.

The Dark Tower game was only produced for a short time by Milton Bradley and so it’s quite a rare find-Â esp. a working game in good condition. I lost mine many years ago- somewhere. If you want your own, your best bet is eBay (for a few hundred dollars) or you can play a Flash based version of the game. To learn more about this great game, you can check out these fine sites here, here or here.