Formula D
Asmodee Editions
SRP: $59.99
ISBN-10: 2-9148-4964-8
UPC: 9-782914-849647
Components: 2 game boards circuit; 20 painted cars; 70 plastic parts (marker and gear sticks); 2 sets of playing instructions; 7 special dice; and 10 dashboards for the players.
Number of Players: 2 – 10 players
Playing Time: 60 minutes and more
Age Rating:  8 and up
ICv2 Stars: 4.5 (out of 5)

One doesn’t have to know anything about auto racing to enjoy Formula D, one of the newest titles from Asmodee Editions US.  Players race around the track, upshifting for increased speed on the straightaways and downshifting to spend the requisite number of turns working through a hairpin curve.  The player who crosses the finish line first wins, but rarely is it that simple!

Players roll a different die for higher gears, so first gear is a d4, while fourth gear allows the player to roll a d12.  The numbers on the dice also have a slightly different distribution than normal; first gear (d4) is only one or two spaces; in fourth gear (d12) the range is from seven to twelve spaces, and in sixth gear, players roll a d30, with a 21 to 30 range!

The primary limiting factors are curves; to represent how sharp the curve is, it has a number of stops marked next to it.  This means that the players must end their turn still within the marked area of the curve that many times before moving out.  If they don’t that player must mark off damage to various parts of the car (tires, engine, brakes) as he does everything possible to keep the car from going airborne or from leaving the track and crashing into a tree.  Players must keep an eye out for other drivers; ending a turn adjacent to another car, forces a collision test.

This is a fast-paced, easy to follow game.  Strategy becomes obvious after only one or two turns, and players must occasionally gamble with dangerously high speeds to catch up to the lead car.  Fortune favors the bold, but luck is a constant requirement in this game.  Formula D is actually a high-octane version of the classic Formula De, with greater customizing ability and street racing options now offered. This game is an excellent value, as it provides hours of grudge-match fun and can accommodate a larger group with ease.  Even if you aren’t a fan of racing, Formula D is worth taking for a test-drive.

- Bill Bodden