| Taking over the world has always been a lofty | | | | many find enjoyable. The game first became |
| aspiration, yet one that many people secretly | | | | marketed in 1959 and grew to such heights |
| dream of. There're few people who haven't | | | | that it has been acknowledged as both John F. |
| made a declaration of, "When I rule the | | | | Kennedy and Henry Kissinger's favorite game. |
| world..." or secretly thought about what | | | | |
| changes they might make if they did. Very few | | | | The board is set on a map of the European |
| people in history have ever actually gained | | | | nations, with each of the players controlling |
| control of the known world, and by today's | | | | the armed forces of one of the major European |
| standards, it would probably be impossible to | | | | powers. Game play is centered around players |
| fully control the world due to others in it | | | | building alliances with each other and then |
| with power. However, that doesn't stop people | | | | the subsequent honoring or betraying of those |
| from living out buried fantasies and playing | | | | alliances. Each player aims to own certain |
| games to live them out. | | | | strategic cities and territories on the map |
| | | | which are designated as "Supply Centers." |
| There are a number of games available which | | | | These supply centers provide the player with |
| help players express their desires on a | | | | more units, giving them more power as the |
| global level. Risk is one of the most popular | | | | game continues. However, they also determine |
| world domination games, as it has one of the | | | | the fate of the game. Any player which loses |
| largest canvasses and some of the loftiest | | | | control of a supply center is removed from |
| goals. With Risk, between 2 to 6 players | | | | the game, and once any one player controls 18 |
| compete for control of the entire map of the | | | | of the 34 supply centers, they are declared |
| world. With this particular board game, the | | | | to be the winner of the game. |
| map of the world has been divided into 42 | | | | |
| different territories. Through the usage of | | | | Diplomacy offers players with an alternate |
| strategic maneuvers, careful planning, and a | | | | take to Risk, however, for much of the game |
| little luck, a player launches campaigns and | | | | relies on communicating with the other |
| goes into battle against all other players. | | | | players and building a strategy out of that. |
| The game is over when one player controls all | | | | It is also not turn-based, the game proceeds |
| of these territories, ensuring total world | | | | in phases. After a negotiation phase between |
| domination. While the game can be long, most | | | | each of the players, a movement phase occurs |
| players find it to be extremely satisfying, | | | | in which each player secretly writes down the |
| for the level of strategy needed to succeed | | | | movements they wish to enact. All movements |
| is high, meaning that players largely control | | | | are then revealed and simultaneously |
| their own fates. | | | | performed. This allows a more open, |
| | | | cooperative format of play which many players |
| Straight out war games are not the only | | | | enjoy. Either type of game, Risk or |
| options available for gamers interested in | | | | Diplomacy, offers players the chance to |
| world domination games, however. There is | | | | experience a form of world domination, but |
| quite a popular game called Diplomacy which | | | | through vastly different means. |