And Then There Were None - The Board Game!
RolandoCastillo
Florida, United States
Hello! Just wanted to pass along this information -- In 2014 Peka Editorial, a game company based in Spain, released a game based on Dame Agatha Christie's classic mystery story. Currently available in Spanish only, the game's creators are waiting on final approval from Dame Christie's estate to make the game available in English. Here's a picture of the Spanish edition, titled "10 Negritos". The English version will carry the title "And Then There Were None". This game looks fantastic and I'm waiting for it to be available soon!
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Thanks for the news!
10 Negritos (translated as And Then There Were None) is a cooperative board game based on the Agatha Christie novel of the same name. In this game, players take control of a group of characters isolated in a mansion on a lonely island. The characters start getting murdered one after another, and players need to make groups with the characters and send them to different locations, either in the mansion or on the island, in order to discover clues and disclose the identity of the murderer.
Players decide when to take advantage of each character's ability and cards, in addition to guessing who is necessary and who is dispensable. Ideally you'll reveal the killer's identity before time runs out — but not all of the players are what they seem to be and the murderer may have an unsuspected accomplice amongst your group.
Will you be able to cooperate and unmask the killer and his accomplice before the last of the characters dies?
Good morning.
I wish I had better news but unfortunately it now appears that the English version will not be made -- at least not now and not by Peka Editorial. Frustrated at the lack of information on the English version of this game I posted a comment on Peka Editorial's website last night:
This is a very difficult letter to write but I must say how disappointed I am with your handling of the English version of "10 Negritos"." From the United States to South America, England to Australia, fans of Agatha Christie's most famous novel have been patiently waiting for the English version of this game. However, trying to get solid information from you about the status of this game is almost impossible. The last piece of non-information that was received in December (see my post below). Since then, nothing. I was so sure that we would have received news when the new adaptation of "And Then There Were None" was broadcast by the BBC in December. But once again, nothing. Unfortunately, I've decided it's not worth the wait - a tragedy since I would have gladly supported the game through Kickstarter or any other funding site you would have chosen. Finally, the only thing I can do is wish Peka Editorial the best of luck in 2016 because if this is a indication of how you do business you are going to need it.
This morning I received their response. Apologies in advance for the stilted language as it was translated from Spanish using an online translator:
Hi Rolando. Unfortunately for us this journey has been very difficult as well . Finally we have not been able to pull off the game with the license and we'll have to find alternatives if we can. Although this probably means that, Peka as such, it will continue in 2016.
There are many problems, logistical and personal behind, as you say, the "disinformation" that we could give you, and we hope that you understand.
Who knows, maybe the project ends up in the right hands and get to the international market with a solid foundation in another company that already has his renown in these matters.
The problem of not having all the information, is that your letter is understandable, but does not cover the reality of the events that have occurred.
I wish you the best as well.
So there you have it. It appears that the license will revert back to the Agatha Christie estate (if it hasn't already done so) where hopefully a larger -- and better-run -- game company will succeed where Peka Editorial failed.
There's also a Murder on the Orient Express board game from 1967, but it stars Sherlock Holmes instead of Hercule Poirot! https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/4767/murder-orient-express
Those two games were part of a four-part collection called "Famous Mystery Classic Series" put out by Ideal Toys in the late 60's. The other two were "The Case of the Elusive Assassin" that had Ellery Queen and "Fu Manchu's Hidden Hoard."
As you've noticed, Ideal took a lot of liberties with the games. My brother had the Ellery Queen one years ago and I had "And Then There Were None". Sadly, the game was not very good (I ended putting it up on ebay when I moved to California). Numbered cards were dealt out to the players and you had to find out who held what cards. The strange thing was that card numbered "1" had the picture of the novel's murderer -- so if you hadn't read the book the game pretty much spoiled it for you!