Land of the Lost Gameboard

I was a huge fan of the 1970s television show. So you can imagine two years ago when I found the DVD for all three seasons being offered online, I bought it. My kids and I will often sit and enjoy the show: I reliving my memories; they creating memories.

We would often play LotL with my children and their toys, but it wasn't the same. And, since there are no Land of the Lost games or toys based on the 1970s television show being offered in the stores anymore, I decided to make a game. We found some LotL crystals being offered on eBay, bought them and have made them part of the game. We also use different colored buttons for our characters.

Wanna play? You'll have to be familiar with the show in order to understand who the characters are.

The object of the game is to pick up all four crystals and make it to the end without getting stuck in the circular vortex, or captured by sleestaks. The catch is, no one gets left behind -- we have to move through the game like a family. Having all four crystals allows you to reenter our world.

The dice allows only one of four choices. Move one space ahead, move two spaces ahead, move three spaces ahead, and try again. Three try-agains in a row moves you four spaces forward.

The pylons allow you to move backwards in the game, but not forward. Unless you have the Enik card and happen to land on the red pylon. At which point you can go anywhere in the game. Enik also allows you to escape the sleestaks. Otherwise, you're stuck.

The Pakuni card allows you to take a short cut into the cavern, and gets you unstuck from the vortex -- theoretically by going for help and getting the mirror.

Each time you play the either the Enik, Pakuni, toothpick or torch card, you have to put them back. Unless of course you re-land on that space again that allows you to pick up the card.

The vortex: is like a turnabout. You go round and round unless you can land on the square that allows you to leave the vortex. There is another square that traps you with the vortexes lazer. To escape, you'll need to get the mirror. The mirror reflects the vortexes deadly lazer and allows you to escape, and if a family member is stuck you must retrieve the mirror, and then use one of the pylons to go backwards into the game and attempt to land on their space to rescue them. Once you have the mirror, you keep it.

Sometimes everyone gets stuck in LotL, but usually you can find your way out.

I had the kids draw up the cards. You'll need red, blue, yellow and green crystals, an Enik and Pakuni card, and you'll also need a toothpick, mirror and torch card. You might want to draw up some cards for the crystals too.

The gameboard is watercolor and ink.

(And, yes, I was very disappointed with the new LotL movie. When I saw that Will Ferrel was staring in it, I knew I couldn't take my children to it -- too raunchy and crude for my standards.)