Speed Circuit (1971)

Speed Circuit

Speed Circuit is a Formula I racing board game that was originally designed and published by 3M in 1971. It was later republished by Avalon Hill in 1977, and then again in 1989 with plastic cars replacing the original metal cars. The game is designed for 2-6 players, with an option to add up to twelve players by ordering extra cars from Avalon Hill. Players can also order additional tracks to supplement the three included in the game. The game tries to be realistic and requires players to use their racing skills to predict what other drivers will do while looking for openings in the pack.

Why is Speed Circuit Popular?

Speed Circuit is significant because it is one of the earliest racing board games that tried to be realistic. It has been praised for its focus on skill rather than luck. Games Magazine included Speed Circuit in its top 100 games of 1986, saying, “The tricky part is predicting what other drivers will do while you look for openings in the pack. Luck plays almost no role in this test of racing skills on three famous tracks”.

Game Components of Speed Circuit

– Game board
– Car tokens
– Track tiles
– Movement cards
– Speed cards
– Damage cards
– Pit stop cards
– Rulebook

Game Setup of Speed Circuit

– Choose a track and set up the track tiles according to the instructions in the rulebook.
– Each player chooses a car token and places it on the starting line.
– Shuffle the movement cards and deal them out to each player.
– Shuffle the speed cards and place them face down in a draw pile.
– Shuffle the damage cards and place them face down in a draw pile.
– Shuffle the pit stop cards and place them face down in a draw pile.

Gameplay Mechanics of Speed Circuit

– Each turn, players choose a movement card and a speed card from their hand.
– Players reveal their movement and speed cards simultaneously.
– Players move their car tokens according to the movement and speed cards they played.
– Players can play pit stop cards to repair damage to their cars.
– Players can play damage cards on other players’ cars to slow them down.
– The game ends when a player completes the required number of laps.

Game Objective of Speed Circuit

The objective of the game is to be the first player to complete the required number of laps around the track.

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