Number of Players: 4
Time: Variable
Age: 6+
Gamer Type: Anyone
Game Type: Battle
Complexity: 2
A few years ago, Starlux Games revolutionized one of everyone’s favorite childhood outdoor games, capture the flag. The review of it was an epic 33 out of 50, one of the highest outdoor game scores we have seen. What makes Starlux Games so exciting is that they help empower the physical activity of the children (or adults) playing, in addition to their imagination. Glow Battle is no less exciting and is a game you may want to look for as the outdoor season is only a few months away.
Story
So what kind of story does an outdoor battle game with sabers made of light (and foam) inspire? That is really, honestly up to the mind of the person holding the baton. The theme of the game, from the box, is ninja – but we can see how you could use this to role-play your favorite Disney+ series if you wanted. While there is no “story” per se, give a kid a glowing stick and tell them that you can sword fight with it and the realms of imagination that you have just opened up are amazing. On this alone, the story gets a 6 out of 10.
Artwork
The artwork for the game is not bad, but it does not stand out either. The game pieces are cool, there are the glow rods and the Dojo markers, all of which glow. The box is longer to accommodate the rods, which makes it tricky to get on the bench. The box art is a scene of people playing the game. Overall, the artwork is average so it earns a 5 out of 10 for the artwork.
Mechanics
If you read this column, then you know that I am a Zen of simplicity guy. Well, no I am actually not, but I do understand the appeal of it. This game is very simple: hit your opponent with the sword. If you get hit, you go back to your Dojo and hit the recharge button, then get back in the battle. If you are hit two times, then you are out till the next round. The suggested time is 20-60 minutes, but Starlux must have some certified ninjas working there if they can keep the game going for 20 minutes without finishing it. However, we can see how that can be for a play session of multiple games. 7 of 10.
Strategy
For the 4 player game (which is what we reviewed) the strategy is offense or defense. There is no rush or engine building here, just offense and defense. This means you have to understand your sword skills and how you go about it. Honestly, it is more about the fun of whacking your family with foam rods, but if you are good with sword, jo, or any other stick like object, some of the battles can be fun. Since they are so soft, you do have to realize that they are not the most effective guard. If they released a shield expansion, this would be epic. 7 of 10.
Novelty and Overall
“Go get the game and you and your brother go out in the yard and fight!” Parents do not get to say this very often. While a “lot” of experts argue that fight play in children leads to bad adult behavior, there is really no evidence of this. Many studies have shown that play fighting actually reduces violence in children; look at the rise in violence in schools since zero tolerance became a thing. I think it is nice to see kids playing out in yards and running around. I think foam swords are vastly more elegant than kids sitting at a console shooting each other. This brings me back to when I was a kid, though I wish we had foam swords rather than Wiffle bats. 8 of 10 to tick off the woke people that think kids with foam swords are a bad idea.
Overall, this is a great engaging game that anyone can play. Like I said, glowing foam shields would be a great expansion and change up the strategy a lot. Outdoor games are all about kids having fun, and the kids that tested this loved it. They loved it so much I am giving it a much sought-after bonus point, bringing the total score to 32 of 50, making this a monster of an outdoor game. I hope this spring you will take the time to take a look at this game and see if your kids (or you and your spouse) need it.
- Ace Magic Press Release - March 3, 2024
- Outdoor Game Review: Defenders Expansion for Capture the Flag Redux - March 3, 2024
- Review: Startlux’s Cobra Strike - February 23, 2024
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