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The
Next Logical Step In Action Figure Gaming...
Anybody
who reads the site with some regularity knows we're hooked
on HeroClix. And now, WizKids has announced they're releasing
a game that I've dreamed of since I was a little kid.
Not the
characters involved, necessarily, but just the idea of actually
pitting action figures against each other. Here's the news
straight from WizKids:
WizKids,
LLC, makers of the top-selling Mage Knight(tm), MechWarrior(r)
and HeroClix(tm) collectable miniatures games, today announced
the release of a new game that is the first ever of its kind.
Shadowrun(r) Duels is the world's first "action figure
game," a new genre that combines action role playing
with the imaginative play possibilities of poseable figures.
"This
isn't your daddy's G.I. Joe or your mama's Barbie," said
Jordan Weisman, WizKids founder. "Shadowrun offers action
figures that spark the imagination and rules that help direct
play. It's the best of both worlds."
Like
other WizKids offerings, the new game is based on an imaginary
universe that provides a backdrop for play. Shadowrun takes
place in a future run by megacorporations and populated by
the fantastical creatures, cyborgs and humanoids they employ.
The
game pieces are 5.5" action figures representing personalities
in the Shadowrun universe. They are fully articulated and
completely poseable, with a variety of weapons, magical spells,
medical kits and food rations. Each figure includes its own
accessories, which are interchangeable among figures. Equipping
figures with different combinations of gear changes the way
they're played in the game. Each figure is also assigned special
abilities that allow it to excel in the use of particular
gear. Combining abilities, gear and articulating poses allows
for nearly infinite play possibilities.
The
game was developed to fill what Weisman perceives as a gap
in the current toy market. "As kids get older they still
enjoy action figures, but their minds are expanding beyond
the purely imaginary," he said. "They're starting
to play games with more complex rules, and learning to follow
or bend those rules. But many still want to play with action
figures. Now, it's all in one game."
The
Shadowrun Duels rules are designed to be simple to understand,
but flexible enough to accommodate even sophisticated play
by adults, who are also seen as a large potential audience.
The Shadowrun universe also includes more than 40 licensed
science/fantasy novels, as well as best-selling console games
for the Sega and Nintendo game systems.
Shadowrun
figures will be sold individually, and each figure will include
the dice, rules and other items needed to play it. The figures
will retail for around $15 each. You can learn more about
the Shadowrun Duels game online at www.wizkidsgames.com.
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