FunkoDisney The Haunted Mansion – Call of The Spirits Board Game

This is now our MOST requested game for game night! Our first time with four players we opened it, read the rules, and immediately started to play. We didn't need any video to figure it out. Since then we've had people request it and we play multiple times in a row. Even with 2 players it is still fun without any rule modifications required."But the Other Reviews Say-":The rules can seem confusing to people who are not used to the newer style of board games, especially card drafting ones. I suggest trying a game like Trash Pandas or Sushi Go first to get that game mechanic under your belt.Your goal is to collect "sets" of ghosts to gain the most points and win. However, the hitchhiking ghosts are in your way. If they travel through the room you are in, you get a haunt card with points on it, or if you try to take ghosts from a room the hitch hiking ghosts are in. If you have the most "haunt points" at the end of the game, you lose your set of ghosts that would have given you the most points. This is the most nerve-wracking part of the game - trying to keep your haunt points down! You can get them discarded, so it's a constant battle to keep the score down.You'll want to keep the rulebook out so you can reference the ghost sets, but by the third game my partner and I weren't using it anymore. The cards are very clear pictographs about how the sets work.Replay Value:High! Very High if you're Disney fans like us. We've played it back to back many times - there's SO many ghost cards that each game is unique - you don't get through half the stack in one game. You can't plan the same point gathering strategy each time because you don't know what ghosts will appear. Also, the special conditions for each round changes and are randomly chosen, so it keeps everyone on their toes!Disney Value:FANTASTICALLY HIGH. All family friendly ghosts here! The art is very cartoony and goofy while still recognizable.It's fun to play "Oh I know that one!" with the ghosts from the ride (like the drunk ghost under the feast table) If you know the ride there is nothing surprising in the game. And with most of the cards being pictographs, kids can play too if they understand how to collect card sets.

When I read that Funko was releasing this game, I was extremely excited (so were my gaming friends). I assumed it would include big Funko figures like the Harry Potter and other Funko games, but it doesn't. And it is so much better than those games! I've read all the negative reviews that say the directions are terrible and this game is impossible to learn, but that was not my experience at all. Perhaps because my gaming group tends to play very complex games (Mansions of Madness, Betrayal at House on the Hill, certain mystery box games, etc.) we found the rules extremely clear and the game mechanics simple yet enjoyable. Collecting card sets is fun and can be challenging depending on how everyone employs strategy throughout the game. Once you realize that the Haunt cards are based on the Hitchhiking Ghosts movement, it's easy to work/understand. The only game mechanic that we didn't think worked well was the Duel mechanic, but we may houserule that a bit to make it more compelling for us. I've played with 3 players, 5, and 6 players, and it is definitely more challenging and fun the more players there are. Additionally, as everyone is saying, the component and box design is gorgeous. Even the inside lid of the box is amazing--clearly a great deal of thought and care went into this game. I highly, highly recommend it! It has quickly become a favorite with my gaming friends and in my household!

I am a sort of connoisseur of board games; I collect them like an old woman collects porcelain figurines. I am also a big fan of the Haunted Mansion, having spent most of my career in the Magic Kingdom. This is not to say that this review is on their payroll, as I could say much in the way of the Jungle Cruise board game that the "Mouse" may not like.Regardless, I must say this particular game is a delight. With roughly 65 unique character artworks(On the non-repeating "Ghost Cards"), the game's accessories alone have more to offer than most board games, and show a wonderful attention to detail in relating to it's inspiring attraction. The gameplay itself is unique, easy to learn, and fun to play. I've played dozens of tabletop games in my day, and this is certainly a breath of fresh air in a world of tiresome rip-offs. There isn't anything I feel I can easily compare it to, and, while being different, it isn't at all complicated. I love a game where you can really make your opponents squirm, and there is plenty of opportunity to get ahead yourself, play it safe, or make things difficult for others. The game offers variety by changing the rules ever so slightly each round(as displayed on that rounds "Event Card", and offers balance by alternating the player that goes first in a round.The gameplay is far from predictable, and I can't imagine two games going precisely the same, making it difficult to get old. The game takes roughly 30 minutes to play, with about 2-6 minutes of setup, depending on how organized you are(I like to keep my cards in good condition, so I'm a very slow shuffler). A truly sufficient game takes 3-6 players, making it one of the better mid-size party games. It doesn't seem to drag, in fact, the last four rounds are a mystery as to which will end the game, making them a mad-dash for points. In addition, the more players, the less time it takes, and the more points become available on the game board. Overall, this is, no doubt, one of the best board games I've played in decades.For those fans of the Haunted Mansion who care a little too much; it should be noted that the fan-favorite "Hatbox Ghost" does not appear in this game. I myself despise the tacky California exclusive, so that's a plus in my book.

We’ve played once so far, and the instructions are quite complicated! I wouldn’t recommend for kids due to this, but it’s a creative gameplay and we had fun once we (kind of) figured out what to do. There is quite a bit of strategy that can make the game interesting, so we look forward to our next game.