Using Other Figures For Heroquest Part 2 - DarkWorld
DarkWorld was produced by Mattel, and like DragonStrike is now out of print. The game comes with 25 figures. The monsters include 8 Orcs, 4 Skeletons, 4 Ogres, 2 Mummies, 1 Haunter, 1 Manticore, and Korak, the Cobra Nemisis. The Heroes are 1 Barbarian, 1 Knight, 1 Ranger, and 1 Dwarf.
The figures are of good quality, but not sculpted with quite as much detail as the ones from HQ. The Orcs and Ogres are almost, but not quite, duplicates of the ones from HQ. The Skeletons and Mummies are similar but in different poses. The Skeletons have swords instead of sickles. The bases of all the figures are different - each figure has a small horizontal rod at the bottom which fits into a slot on a round base. This is similar to the 'slotta base' used by Games Workshop. In fact, the figures appear to have been produced by Games Workshop, just like the ones from HeroQuest.
The fact that the figures are almost like the ones from HQ might turn some people off, but this may actually be a plus. Many of the alternate monsters that people use in HQ are suped-up Orcs, Skeletons, and Mummies. The Orcs in DarkWorld are smaller than the ones in HQ; this makes them excellent choices for things like Orc Mages. The Mummies and Skeletons are in different poses
so you can use them as 'alternate' monsters with no additions or painting to the figures. The Heroes look nothing like the ones from HQ and can make enemies or NPC's without confusing the players.
The Ogres are similar to the ones found in the Elf Quest Pack, but are slightly thinner. If you need some Ogres but are having a hard time finding the Elf Quest Pack, or the even harder to find Against the Ogre Horde, you may want to consider this game. Right now there seem to be plenty of copies floating around if you look.
The best figures, though, are the ones that have no relation to previous HQ figures. The Haunter, the Manticore, and Korak. The Haunter looks wraith-like, a cross between a ghost and a skeleton. A Manticore is suppose to be a cross between a lion, a man, and a scorpion. This one looks more like a cross
between a lion, a scorpion, and an alien from one of the Alien movies. Korak is quite different from other figures found in HQ or similar games. Instead of a standard evil Wizard, Korak is a cross between a man and a cobra. He would make a good choice for a recurring villian.
I have not yet used the game board in a HQ game. The board is different enough from the one in HQ to make it more difficult to use than the ones in DragonStrike. There are several 3-D plastic board pieces that might be usable, but squares would have to be put on them either with paint or stickers.
Recommendation: Since it has duplicates of many of the HQ pieces, it may not be as useful as DragonStrike. The Orcs and Ogres look the same and have duplicate poses of the ones from HQ, but are different enough in size that it might make integration difficult without turning them into some alternate type. If this makes no difference to you, then the figures very
good and the Haunter, Manticore, and Korak are definately figures worth getting. If you are in need of Ogres, this may be the place to get them. If you see the the game for sale I would consider buying it.