In Search of Identity

"An Exciting Way to Discover Black Heritage!" This is a well-produced game that tests the players' knowledge of famous black people, black history, and black culture, with a predominantly American focus. The primary goal of the game is to score points by answering questions on the above subjects, with individual turn actions keyed by a basic roll-and-move mechanic. The significant twist in the game is that each player takes one of twenty cards sets, each set consisting of 11 cards. Ten are clue cards related to a single black historical figure or celebrity. Another card in each set has the person's name and picture. During the game, the other players have the opportunity privately or publicly hear the clues and try to guess the character. The clues are divulged based on the players answers to toss-up questions on cards ("Words of Wisdom" and "Go Back to your Roots"), drawn when they land on the corresponding squares. Other squares allow free guessing of secret identities, answering questions for additional points, and other more typical roll-and-move actions. Points for answers/guesses are tallied on paper for as the game progresses. This game appears to have a good balance between movement, deduction, and trivia mechanics. An unfortunate rule is that players who have their secret identities guessed are then out of the game, so it would help to have the most obscure figure possible. (There were two of twenty I was completely unfamiliar with, and a couple more I needed a clue to recognize.) There will not be much replay after all the IDs have been used...but if that happens the game will have largely succeeded in it primary educational goal.