Avalon Hill HASC00960000 "Acquire" Game

Product Information

In 1995 Avalon Hill abandoned the “bookshelf” look and produced a bigger, flat board with cardboard tiles. It was a disappointing version in terms of the tiles being able to slide across the board, but it introduced the “Special Power Variants” to the United States.

Has inspired many computer versions such as “AcquireOnline” which revived interest in this classic game type again more recently (2004). Before play begins, the players must decide whether the numbers of players' shares will be public or private information. Keeping this information private can greatly extend the game since players will be less certain of their status, and therefore less willing to end the game. Guests will be allowed to participate in all Side Events (Open Gaming, Game Library, Exhibitor Hall, Ceremonies, etc.) Guests are NOT permitted to participate in any of the 16 Ring Games, or ORG Games (Outer Ring Games). Shelley, Bruce C. (2007). "Acquire". In Lowder, James (ed.). Hobby Games: The 100 Best. Green Ronin Publishing. pp.1–4. ISBN 978-1-932442-96-0.

Computer Acquire

The artwork design is similar to what Hasbro used in the 1999 edition, unimaginative. The artwork on these cards is actually non existent other than the simple names of the corporations which are also unimaginative. The game concludes under one of two conditions: either all active companies on the board reach a secure size of 11 or more, or a single company has 41 tiles. Shareholders receive their shareholder bonus payouts for the shares they hold, followed by a universal sale of shares. The player with the most money is the victor. In 1983, the editors commented "Adding to chains increases their value, but you must anticipate mergers, which occur when someone plays the right connecting tile at the right time." [7]

MEGAcquire increases the size of the game of ACQUIRE. With the hexagon configuration of the playing tiles, MEGAcquire also heightens the level of strategy. Opportunities to create, merge, and grow companies are 50% more likely for each tile, compared to the traditional square shape (six chances to connect instead of four). The size of the board and the number of available companies allows for an ebb and flow of power throughout the game.The tiles are a nice size, but the choice of font for the printing of the designations on the tiles makes them very cumbersome to use. It appears to be some type of italicized font and they chose to print the numbers smaller than the letters. The human brain can read two things together when they are the same size. When they are made as two different sizes, the human brain tends to have to process them separately. This causes a longer time to process what tile a player is looking at. Eskin, Blake, “Sold Separately,” The New Yorker, January 20, 2003, http://www.newyorker.com/printables/talk/030120ta_talk_eskin (accessed 1/4/2007).