Pyramid Review
The Penguin Ultimatum
Published by Eight Foot Llama
Designed by Jim Doherty
Art by Scott Starkey, Rick Chamberlain
110 full-color cards, 12 wooden invitation markers, 8 glass scoring stones, color rules sheet; $19.95
If you've ever seen a nature documentary on the South Pole, you know what a bleak, white wasteland it can seem to the untrained eye. Penguins by the thousands mill about, all of them looking alike and waddling this way or that, seemingly without purpose. You may have thought to yourself, "What a boring existence that must be." The penguins couldn't agree more. They've had enough of this dull routine, so they have gone to their emperor (get it?) and laid down the law: Make this place livable -- or at least entertaining -- or there will be flightless trouble. In turn, the emperor comes to you and your fellow court jesters and demands that you throw one helluva penguin party. This is The Penguin Ultimatum.
The object of the game is to score the most points by entertaining more penguins than anyone else. Game play entails bringing out entertainers and surrounding them with an audience until they start their show. When the show starts, you want to make sure your guests are front-row center so you get all the credit.
The game is played using several different types of cards. The players (two to four of them) receive a hand of penguin cards, which show different colors and values, and depict penguins enjoying one of the four types of activity: acrobatics, dancing, . . .
This article originally appeared in the second volume of Pyramid. See the current Pyramid website for more information.
Article publication date: January 16, 2004
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