UNTIL last night, Santa’s Rooftop Scramble ranked incredibly low on my list of family pastimes, writes Andy Simms.
My previous two attempts at filling the considerable boots of Saint Nicholas and delivering presents to a list of expectant children had been frustrating to say the least; ending in abject failure and cross words from this competitive dad.
This poor run of form looked set to continue when, having been persuaded to return to the board, the elves took an eternity to load my sleigh and I routinely overshot my stops.
Thankfully, my festive mood and goodwill towards the game’s developers (Ravensburger) were restored by a miraculous swing in fortunes that saw victory snatched from the jaws of defeat with a few quick throws of the die.
Heroic comeback aside, the fact I was strong armed into a third Advent assault on a third successive evening is testament to this family board game’s considerable appeal. Put simply, my two sons – Harry (8) and Jack (6) – love it.
While I acknowledge children need little encouragement to engage in Christmas-related activities, Santa’s Rooftop Scramble is pitched perfectly and owes much to its simplicity.
Straightforward rules, traditional turn-based gameplay and an all-important element of chance combine to make the race to deliver presents to the correct addresses an enjoyable one.
Of course, the nature of a seasonal game means Santa’s Rooftop Scramble will be consigned to the back of a cupboard when the decorations come down but, just like the ever increasing number of rattan reindeer in the Simms household, I can guarantee it will feature heavily again next Christmas.