Attacktix Review

Attacktix is a mini-figure based game, featuring familiar faces from StarWars, Transformers and Marvel

Back in 2005 Hasbro released a mini-figure based franchise called Attacktix Battle Figure Game, featuring characters from Star Wars,Transformers and Marvel Comics. I remember playing with these figures when I was younger, and felt like reviewing them for the nostalgia value.

The aim of the game is to knock down your opponents figures. This is done by using two different types of figures: melee figures and projectile-using long range figures. After building and setting up their teams in opposing rows, the players take turns to first move all of their figures, followed by attacking with up to two of them. The movement is done by pushing the figures along the floor, which create audible “clicks”. These clicks determined how far the character can move. After moving, it’s time to attack. For ranged figures, attacking is done by pushing a button which launches the character’s projectile. With melee figures, you pull back their weapon and release, delivering a swing.

The information on the pedestal states the character’s power (40), class (Leader), name and faction

The number that shows how many “clicks” a character can move per turn.

The game is very flexible when it comes to preparations. Team creation is based on power levels of characters, but it is up to the players to decide what the maximum allowed team strength is. Higher max team power results in bigger teams, which in turn results in longer games. The distance between the teams at the start of the match is also up to the players: while the standard distance is one meter, the players are free to change that if they want. In addition to these choices, the players can also choose whether they are going to use the special powers of the figures or not. Using these powers adds another layer to the game.

The special power of Darth Vader.

While the game is usually fun to play, there is also a major flaw in the game: game balance. Some figures just are better than others, even if their character power (which should indicate the quality of the figure) is the same: for example, the Stormtrooper figure is much easier to knock down than Han Solo, even though both of them have a character power of 20. The attacking capabilities are also not consistent, especially with the melee figures. While it is nearly impossible to knock someone down with Wolverine (30 power), it is a relatively easy task with Sabertooth (20 power). This means that the winner is usually determined by the figures used and not skills.

To summarize, Attacktix is a fun little figure based war game that also has some issues, the biggest one being the balance issues between figures. These balance issues mean that Attacktix is not suitable for serious contests of skill, but if one takes a more casual approach it can be very entertaining.