- Original Release: 1966
- Developer: Milton Bradley
- Publisher: Milton Bradley
- Platform: Board Game
A lot of the charm of this game is in the physical component, it has a lot of neat 3D parts, a decoder and a fancy device which spins your movement number and has a soldier pop up if you’re unlucky. The Tabletop Simulator version is quite flat, with dice mimicking the effects of the main device.
In Message from M, you are trying to be the first agent to capture one of the four villains, who each have their separate sections: Largo, Goldfinger, Dr. No and Rosa Klebb. To do this, you have to consult the Letter from M Device.
You stat off with a hand of 5 cards, these depict one of the villains or Bond. You play one of these and you’ll be working on that villain’s section (if you play a Bond card, you can choose). You then consult the Message from M device, which will give you a movement number and a bonus (either equipment or a Message from M card). After this, you pull the trigger to see if the SMERSH soldier appears – if he pops up, you lose your turn.
If you get past the soldier, you first move the villain forwards or backwards – you want to get them to the last spot, but also want to block your opponents. You then move your piece forwards towards the villain, the aim to trap them in the last spot of their section. You can then push your luck to try again – although if the SMERSH soldier pops up now, you’ll be forced to move backwards. When moving the villain, if you can land exactly on an opponent, you can send them back to the start of the section – although equipment can be used to block this.
The Message from M cards look like nonsense, so you’ll need to use the plastic decoder to find the message – each card actually has two messages (although the rules don’t specify how you choose which one to use). These can help you move, make you miss turns, get you equipment and other random effects.
With the actual components, I can see this being a silly but fun game that will entertain kids.
Where to get James Bond 007 Message from M Game
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