Risk (game)
In 1957, French film director Albert Lamorisse created a board game originally titled La Conquête du Monde. The project emerged from his background in cinema rather than traditional gaming design. Parker Brothers purchased the rights to the game two years later and released it in the United States under the name Risk: The Continental Game in 1959. This initial American release included minor modifications to the original rules established by Lamorisse. The game quickly gained popularity among families and strategy enthusiasts worldwide. It became one of the most successful board games in history, inspiring titles like Axis & Allies and Settlers of Catan. Hasbro continues to produce the game today with numerous editions and variants.
The first new version of Risk appeared in 1986 as Castle Risk. This edition featured a map depicting 18th-century European castles instead of a world map. Despite its innovative concept, Castle Risk was a financial disappointment for the publisher. A limited special-edition release called Risk: Édition Napoléon arrived in France in 1999 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Napoleonic era. Hasbro's Avalon Hill division published Risk: 2210 A.D. in 2001, introducing futuristic themes with moon territories and commander units. Starting in 2002, themed versions based on media franchises such as The Lord of the Rings and Star Wars began appearing. Some years saw as many as six different editions released simultaneously. In 2008, Winning Moves introduced a reproduction of the original 1959 Parker Brothers version with wooden playing pieces and original artwork. Many themed versions remain in publication today with new themes continuing to be introduced regularly.
A standard Risk board depicts a political map divided into forty-two territories grouped into six continents by color. Each territory represents a real-life geographical or political region though some borders differ from actual geography. Antarctica, the Caribbean, New Zealand, and the Philippines are not represented on the board. The game includes five or six sets of colored tokens denoting troops. Early versions used wooden cubes representing one troop each and rounded triangular prisms for ten troops. Later versions changed these pieces to plastic shapes resembling Roman numerals I, III, V, and X. The 1993 edition introduced plastic infantry tokens, cavalry pieces, and artillery units. Equipment also includes a deck of territory cards comprising forty-two cards plus two wild cards. Players receive one card at the end of each turn if they conquer at least one territory. Collecting three matching symbols allows players to trade them in for reinforcements. Standard equipment includes five or six dice in red and white colors for attacking and defending respectively. In 2022, the iconic Risk logo underwent rebranding conducted by Toronto-based creative agency Quake.
The official rulebook recommends controlling entire continents to gain bonus reinforcement armies. Australia is often targeted early because it can be defended by fortifying just one country like Siam or Indonesia. Continents with fewer access routes prove easier to defend since they possess fewer territories open to attack. South America has only two access points while Asia offers five entry routes. Holding Risk cards until maximum reinforcement value provides significant advantages especially during early gameplay phases. Eliminating weak players who hold many cards transfers those resources to the victor. A defensive strategy called turtling involves becoming too expensive to remove while remaining a threat to harass opponents. This approach aims to avoid early defeat and mount attacks on weaker players later in the game. Alliances form unofficially between players to safeguard borders or eliminate growing threats. These agreements are not enforceable by rules so they frequently break down during play. Alliance making and breaking adds human interaction to what remains fundamentally a probabilistic system.
Risk received induction into Games magazine's Hall of Fame in 1984. The Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design honored the title in 1995 for its lasting impact on gaming culture. In 2021, the National Toy Hall of Fame added Risk to its collection recognizing its enduring appeal across generations. Games magazine included Risk in their Top 100 Games series three consecutive years from 1980 through 1982. Critics praised the attractive playing equipment and seesawing battles that characterize standard play. Reviewers noted the limitless opportunities for changing rules and creating new variations as key strengths. Even peace-loving individuals tend to grow aggressive when engaging in this global conquest experience. The game maintains recognition for its ability to generate endless strategic possibilities within a simple framework.
Several video game versions of Risk have been released starting with the Commodore 64 edition in 1988. A Macintosh version followed shortly after in 1989. Various other editions appeared for platforms including PC, Amiga, Sega Genesis, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch. Hasbro Interactive released a PC version called Ultimate Risk in 1996 which eliminated dice in favor of forts and generals. Risk II arrived in 2000 offering both classic board gameplay and digital variations. Pogo.com added a licensed online version to its library in 2010. An Xbox Live Arcade release called Risk: Factions launched on the 23rd of June 2010 featuring unique factions like Zombies and Yetis. Hasbro partnered with Ubisoft to produce versions for PS4 and Xbox One released in February 2015. Electronic Arts developed an iOS app available on iPhone and iPad since the 16th of July 2010 allowing up to six players via local link-up or pass-and-play modes. RISK: Global Domination reached iOS, Android, Windows, and Nintendo Switch platforms by the 30th of October 2018. On the 11th of January 2021, reports confirmed a television series adaptation was in development from House of Cards creator Beau Willimon.
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Common questions
Who created the board game Risk in 1957?
French film director Albert Lamorisse created the board game originally titled La Conquête du Monde in 1957. The project emerged from his background in cinema rather than traditional gaming design.
When was the first edition of Risk released in the United States by Parker Brothers?
Parker Brothers purchased the rights to the game two years later and released it in the United States under the name Risk: The Continental Game in 1959. This initial American release included minor modifications to the original rules established by Lamorisse.
What territories are not represented on a standard Risk board map?
Antarctica, the Caribbean, New Zealand, and the Philippines are not represented on the board. A standard Risk board depicts a political map divided into forty-two territories grouped into six continents by color.
Which year did Risk receive induction into the National Toy Hall of Fame?
In 2021, the National Toy Hall of Fame added Risk to its collection recognizing its enduring appeal across generations. The title also received induction into Games magazine's Hall of Fame in 1984 and was honored by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design in 1995.
On what date did RISK Global Domination reach iOS Android Windows and Nintendo Switch platforms?
RISK: Global Domination reached iOS, Android, Windows, and Nintendo Switch platforms by the 30th of October 2018. Electronic Arts developed an earlier iOS app available on iPhone and iPad since the 16th of July 2010 allowing up to six players via local link-up or pass-and-play modes.