Go For Broke Board Game Review

Reviewed by Helen Wyatt

We do like a board game in our family and have acquired several over the years, some of which have remained firm favourites while others got played once and then were shoved in the back of the cupboard, never to see the light of day again! It’s often hard to figure out which ones will be a hit with everyone in the family, and some that we think will be great turn out to be rubbish, and some that look awful are actually hidden gems.

We had the opportunity to try the Go for Broke board game recently, which has actually been around in various guises since 1965. Despite that I’ve never played it before, so I was keen to give it a go and see what the kids thought too. I was hopeful that this could be a new favourite, rather than a back of the cupboard relegation! The version we received is made by Ideal, and is suitable for 2-4 players, aged 8 plus. The idea behind Go for Broke is, unlike games like Monopoly, that you start with a million cash, and the winner is the first person to lose it all! Each player starts in a different corner of the board, and then takes it in turns to roll and find out if they get money, or lose it.

There are several ways to win and lose money in the game, which is laid out a bit like a racetrack that loop around the different elements such as the casino, the auction house, an actual racetrack, and the stock exchange. Each of these elements has moving parts so that you can interact with the game. At the casino you’ll find a slot machine which contains dice that pop out when you pull a lever, the stock exchange has a spinning top, the auction house has an auctioneer’s gavel that spins, and the racetrack has a spinning cylinder to show you how far to move the cars on the track. These are a great idea however we found that some of them were a little flimsy and could have done with being fixed better to the board; the spinning top is only held on the board by fitting into a little dip, so if you spin it a little too hard it scoots off across the board. We also found it hard to get the hang of spinning the gavel too, which either flew off the board or didn’t spin much at all.

Nonetheless, it is a fun game and got the thumbs up from both my kids which is rare! It is reasonably quick to play so doesn’t bore anyone, and the rules are not complicated. The instructions for much of the squares you land on are on the board too, so you can do away with the rule book if you want to, and still easily follow the game. Everything fits easily in the box to pack it away again after play, however we would have preferred some sections in the box to contain the money and cards, which would have helped keep it a bit tidier. We also spotted an unfortunate spelling mistake on the board for the racetrack – where it should say “Min” and “Max” bets, it actually says “Min” and “Min”!

This game would be a great Christmas gift idea for any kid, or for a family with kids as it appeals to all ages, it doesn’t take too long to set up and pack away, and it is quick to play. This would work well as a cosy Christmas afternoon bit of fun!

Rating: 4/5

RRP: £23.99

This product can be purchased from Smyths Toys UK here.