In our family, we love board games. Ok, we actually just love games, period. I had a feeling Tumult Royale would be a hit, and I was right. This fun board game has provided us with hours of endless entertainment.

Tumult Royal is a new, award winning, game released in 2015 that is not only fun, but has an educational bonus. This game is Royals vs. Peasants where you play the Royals. Your job is to tax your peasant subjects to get money to build statues of yourself across the land. The only problem is the peasants are starving, and your taxing is causing a lot of heated tension. You must balance your greed with their need. If you get to greedy, they start a revolt and punish you. If you balance things just right, their needs are met and you have your statues. Everything you need for game play is included in the box.

My 10 year old son is really interested in taxation right now. He creates menus and price lists galore just so he can calculate tax. He has even created his entire continent system with three difference countries, each with their own tax codes! So you can imagine how much he has enjoyed playing this game. He is also a special needs child, but this did not hinder his game playing ability at all. If anything, this fact enhanced his game play due to his interest in the topic.

We first played this during one of our family game nights with just the three of us. We had a lot of fun, and decided it would make a great monthly game night addition to play with our friends. Game play is intended for 2-4 players who are aged 10+. We had more than 4 players, so we worked in teams. This was a simple tweak that allowed us all to play at the same time. Game play is relatively quick, and a game can be completed in 30 minutes or so. I would say the age is on par, as younger children may not be interested in the subject matter as much.

The game board is very well designed, colorful, and sturdy. The artwork is not overly realistic, but it is not overtly childish. All of the game pieces such as cards, spinner, and game squares are made from a thick, glossy card stock that hold up to game play nicely. The timer is light weight, but held up to frequent falls off of the table. Everything fits well in the box, with no struggle needed to repackage.

This game would be a great asset to an economics lesson, or any middle ages study. I could easily see this being used as a way to showcase the effects of high tax rates, inflation, and other economic issues. I can also see this fitting in nicely with any study of caste systems, monarchies, and peasant life. We have been studying the Middle Ages as of late, and frequently found ourselves references lessons we had just discussed during game play. This game would also fit nicely with any sociology course, especially studies involving the likes of Marx and Weber, both of whom wrote extensively on economics and the struggles between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. 

Overall, we have thoroughly enjoyed our time with Tumult Royale, and plan to include it frequently in both our family game nights and our monthly game sessions with friends and extended family.

-Product review by Missica Jenay Skeens, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, August, 2016