Acquire is a re-release of a classical strategic boardgame concerned with the foundation and enlargement of corporations.

At the beginning of the game, each player receives a number of company-tokens, and each of the tokens corresponds to a specific position of the gameboard. These tokens are placed on the gameboard, and they each symbolise small companies. During the game, the players always draw additional company-tokens from a random stock, so that at the end of the game more and more tokens are on the board.

Whenever a company-token is placed horizontally or vertically adjacent to an already placed company token, a new corporation is founded, and a corporation-building is placed on one of the companies. Whenever a token is placed in a way that it connects two corporations, a fusion of these corporations takes place and the smaller corporation becomes part of the bigger one. Only a corporation consisting of 11 or more tokens is immune against this kind of takeover.

The most important strategic element of the game is the buying and selling of stocks. Players can buy shares in the companies on the board, and, depending on the size of each corporation, these can be sold a different prices. Furthermore, majority-shareholders of companies which are victim to a takeover receive a bonus.

The rules of the game are astonishingly simple, considering that the game offers a big variety of tactical choices. It is easy to learn, although it takes a game or two to fully understand the tactical implications connected with takeovers and the buying and selling of shares. The game can definately be recommended to all players who like games with a financial / strategic background - players of more adventurous games might find Acquire a bit dry.

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Copyright © 2011 Frank Schulte-Kulkmann, Essen, Germany