Tabletop Games Blog

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Tabletop Games Blog podcast explores board games, card games, dexterity games, and modern hobby games, delivering in-depth reviews,…

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About Tabletop Games Blog

Tabletop Games Blog podcast explores board games, card games, dexterity games, and modern hobby games, delivering in-depth reviews, thought pieces, and audio articles for all types of players. Since 2018 it has covered strategy games, family favourites, party games, and indie…

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Episodes

New episodes come out several times a week.Latest 200 episodes in the feed

Oct 27, 2026 · 13 min

Small World - the business behind the board game boom (Topic Discussion)

Board games have grown into a rather substantial global business, with established publishers selling games around the world and new releases reaching audiences far beyond your friendly local game store. Yet, behind the scenes, you find an industry that is made up of small companies, independent designers, and project-specific contractors. The industry has grown, but its businesses and careers have not necessarily…
Oct 24, 2026 · 12 min

Wayfarers of the South Tigris (Digital Eyes)

Beyond the bustling streets of Baghdad lie ancient landscapes, winding waterways, and a night sky filled with shining stars. A cartographer prepares for the journey, gathering supplies and equipment before setting out to explore the world beyond the city walls. Each discovery adds to a growing body of knowledge, but the journey requires careful planning. Resources must be managed, observations recorded, and…
Oct 20, 2026 · 11 min

Teaching Matters - designing games for the first play (Topic Discussion)

A board game designer can spend years refining a game. They know the game inside out and understand every rule intimately. Yet, when you open a game for the first time, you don't have access to their knowledge. Players have to learn how a game works all by themselves. A game design can be sound, yet it's still difficult to learn and teach. A clear rulebook certainly helps, but often it all begins with the design…
Oct 17, 2026 · 8 min

Fourth Wing: Rise of the Wingleader (Saturday Review)

At Basgiath War College , ambition is as dangerous as the skies. You face trials where strength alone will not secure your place among the dragon riders. Allies matter, but so does knowing when to press an advantage and when to hold back. Every challenge tests your nerve, every decision risks your standing, and every rival is a potential threat. You must seize opportunities, outmanoeuvre your opponents, and prove…
Oct 13, 2026 · 10 min

Costly Complexity - the limits of complexity in board games (Topic Discussion)

There comes a time when you look at the rules for a new board game, when it suddenly stops feeling exciting and starts feeling intimidating. The rules are too long and convoluted, the main game board is cluttered, and every mechanism seems to have another exception. Complexity itself can be very appealing when it creates meaningful choices and rewards repeated play. However, complexity is also a kind of burden for…

Earlier episodes (195)

Oct 10, 2026 Wingspan Pocket (Saturday Review)
The early morning air is filled with birdsong. Colourful feathers catch the first rays of sunlight, while movement in the undergrowth reveals birds searching for food, possibly for the early worm. As a patient observer, you see a world of remarkable diversity, where every bird adds something unique to the landscape. Your trusty guide helps you identify every bird you see and every song you hear. It's like having a…
Oct 6, 2026 Pristine Neoprene - the pros and cons of neoprene (Topic Discussion)
A board game can feel very different depending on what surface it is played on. Cards slide differently across different surfaces, dice make different noises, and even picking up a small wooden token can become either effortless or frustratingly fiddly. A kitchen or dining room table has been doing the job perfectly well for generations, but a soft, printed mat can make the same game feel rather more special.…
Oct 3, 2026 Reforest (Saturday Review)
The mountain was bare in places, green in others, but it was slowly filling with life. Small plants pushed through the soil, adventurously spreading across the lower slopes before taller growth began reaching upwards. Every new plant was different. While some thrived in sun, others lived in dappled shade. Rebuilding the mountain fauna was never going to be easy, but it was time to Reforest by Sébastien Bernier-Wong…
Sep 29, 2026 Reality Realisation - how board games represent reality (Topic Discussion)
Board games that represent real historical events face a problem that fiction can largely avoid. The designer can't start with a blank page. Players are going to expect that the game somehow mirrors what actually happened in the past. Yet, a board game can't faithfully reproduce an entire historical period. The designer has to select and simplify, turning the subject into rules and mechanisms. A historical board…
Sep 26, 2026 Russian Railroads (Digital Eyes)
The rails started in Moscow, carrying workers and materials towards St Petersburg on one line and to Kiev on the other. A third railway was the most ambitious project, pushing across the vastness of Siberia, with its countless obstacles before the track would eventually reach Vladivostok. Building these tracks was a monumental undertaking, demanding workers, materials, money and, above all, patience. Progress was…
Sep 22, 2026 Political Correction - why we forgive problematic games (Topic Discussion)
As we all know, there are a good number of board games that haven't aged well, if I may put it like that. In the past, games happily made colonialism their central setting and gameplay, gave women little or no place in their worlds, or treated cultures through the eyes of the oppressor. Yet, these games remain in people's collections and come back to the table. In this article, rather than asking whether we should…
Sep 19, 2026 Go Big (Saturday Review)
Three 7s have just landed on the table, worth a potential 21 points - if they survive, that is. Their owner already looks like the victory is in the bag. Yet, they're a bit too sure of themselves. Of course, somebody plays three 6s and wipes their 7s off the table and their smile off their face. Yet, the 6s are also short-lived and replaced by a triple 5. So it continues until someone lands a safe triple 1.…
Sep 15, 2026 Downtime Chat - allowing for social interaction in board games (Topic Discussion)
Waiting for your turn is very common in board games. One person has all the fun while everyone else just watches. Too much waiting is often described as a flaw in game design, particularly when players have nothing useful to do and gradually lose interest in what's happening. Modern board games tend to avoid downtime, yet waiting isn't necessarily wasted time. Sometimes it gives us something to think about,…
Sep 12, 2026 Bus & Stop (Saturday Review)
The morning rush is already gathering. Passengers wait patiently at the stop, each with somewhere to be, while your little bus rolls into position. You have room for ten, perhaps eleven if you are feeling optimistic, although optimism has consequences when every seat matters. A group of passengers heads for the tennis courts, another bunch has somewhere else to go, and the temptation to wait for one more traveller…
Sep 8, 2026 Artistic Board Games - how board games are more than visually pleasing (Topic Discussion)
Art is often something we look at, listen to or watch, while board games are discussed in terms of entertainment, strategy and social interaction. Yet, board games are created through imagination, skill and deliberate choices. Board game designers can shape emotions, represent ideas and create systems that shape how players experience a perspective. Of course, the artwork in a board game is art in the traditional…
Sep 5, 2026 Obsession (Digital Eyes)
The morning begins with the sound of servants moving furniture. The dining room needs preparing, invitations need sending, and someone has decided that the garden requires attention before our guests arrive. Money is finally coming into the estate again, although there never seems to be quite enough of it. Reputation is returning too, slowly, helped along by carefully chosen gatherings and the right people at the…
Sep 1, 2026 Striving for Achievements - the difference between achievement play and striving play (Topic Discussion)
When I play a board game with my friends, I know that they have the same intention: to win. Yet, they actually all want quite different things. One friend is happiest when they find a strategy that works and keeps working. Another wants to take a game apart until they understand the most efficient route to victory. I want to win too, but as a reviewer, I am usually more interested in understanding what a game is…
Aug 29, 2026 Let's Make a Bus Route: The Dice Game (Saturday Review)
Bus headquarters was busy. We were still trying to figure out the best route to pick up passengers and deliver them to their destinations. The job was made harder because our competitors were vying for the same customers. We were the only two bus operators to serve this town, and we both wanted to be the best. We were also both making up the route as we went along. All I could do was tell my team: Let's Make a Bus…
Aug 25, 2026 Magic Tricks - what makes trick-taking games great (Topic Discussion)
Trick-taking games have been around for centuries, and they continue to inspire new designs. Everyone has their own idea of what makes for a great trick-taking game, but mine was shaped by growing up in Germany playing Skat and, especially, Doppelkopf . Those games use mechanisms that still appear in modern games, yet designers keep finding new ways to create new twists on them. So in this article, I want to look…
Aug 22, 2026 Korpi (Saturday Review)
The forest seems to close behind you with every step. Pine needles soften your footsteps, branches catch at your clothes, and the trail you followed an hour ago has somehow disappeared. You have been searching for the lake all morning, following fragments of an old story about something that lives beyond the trees. The deeper you go, the quieter the forest becomes. Then the trees thin, revealing dark water between…
Aug 18, 2026 The New Old - classic games vs the cult of the new (Topic Discussion)
Like a lot of people, the board game hotness excites me because it potentially offers new mechanisms or clever twists on something familiar. Sometimes a new game draws me in because it has my favourite setting. When I finally hold the new game in my hands, the excitement continues when I read the rulebook, set up the game and pull levers or push buttons to see what happens. Yet, as amazing as new games often feel,…
Aug 15, 2026 Meow Tiles (Saturday Review)
The first pair of hands reached the table before the pattern card had settled. Nine cardboard cats were flipped, swapped and turned over in a frantic blur, followed by an excited slap that brought everything to a sudden halt. One tiny mistake was all it took for groans to turn into laughter before everyone eagerly reset their tiles for another attempt. Every new challenge promised to be straightforward, yet somehow…
Aug 11, 2026 Score! - in-game vs end-game scoring (Topic Discussion)
Imagine playing your very first indoor bowls game, but there is no jack. Everyone simply rolls a bowl towards an imaginary target. Somehow, your experienced opponent seems remarkably confident, while you try to copy what they do and hope for the best. At the end of the first end, someone reveals where the jack had been all along and awards the points accordingly. Then the second end goes in the same fashion, with a…
Aug 8, 2026 Borealis: Arctic Expeditions (Saturday Review)
Snow muffled every footstep until the only sounds were distant birds and the steady crunch beneath our boots. The silence stretched in every direction: left to right, ahead and behind, as well as all the way up into the thermosphere. We were far away from anywhere. Yet, we knew we were safe. As the darkness settled all around us, we could finally see it: the Borealis: Arctic Expeditions by Dariusz Mindur from Lucky…
Aug 4, 2026 Back in Time - the draw of history in board games (Topic Discussion)
I never enjoyed history at school. I understood why it mattered as a subject, but learning names, dates and events off by rote simply didn't work for me, no matter how hard I tried. Events were never taught in their chronological or geopolitical context. Things just didn't make sense to me. So it seems ironic that historical board games are now one of my favourite genres. Of course, they've not made me any better…
Aug 1, 2026 Risk It For A Biscuit (Saturday Review)
A small hand reaches into the tin, fingers excitedly hovering over the treats inside. The choice should be simple: take a biscuit, any biscuit. But no: two biscuits are better than one, and three better than two. Yet, if the little hand takes too long to make up its mind, the little burglar will be discovered. Well, it's time to Risk It For A Biscuit by Jessica Metheringham from Dissent Games . Read the full review…
Jul 28, 2026 Tabletop Democracy - what board games can teach us about democracy (Topic Discussion)
At a time when many people feel democratic culture is under strain, it is worth looking at our own everyday behaviours that allow democracy to function. Elections, laws and political institutions are all important, but democracy also depends on how people treat one another every day. Listening to different opinions, accepting compromise, respecting agreed-upon rules and recognising opponents as people rather than…
Jul 25, 2026 Take Cat (Saturday Review)
You put down a bowl of soft food, and moments later, you hear the jingle of her collar. Here she comes! First, she pauses at the conservatory door and watches you for a while. You eagerly point at the wonderfully fresh food, enticing her to come in and eat. She turns away to look out into her domain, our back garden. Eventually, she strolls over - in her own time. Of course, whether she's ready for her lunch, when…
Jul 21, 2026 Kaleidoscopic Games - the history of colours in board games (Topic Discussion)
Colour is one of the first things I notice when opening a new board game. Bright player pieces, colourful resources and beautiful illustrations immediately grab my attention. Colours tell me where to look and how the game is organised. Yet, like around 1% of men, I have protanomaly, a mild form of red-green colour vision deficiency. I often see pink or purple flowers as blue, and when driving in fog, I see a car's…
Jul 18, 2026 Vantage (Saturday Review)
The escape pod rattles violently as it tears through the atmosphere, before the noise suddenly fades away. A rough landing throws you against the restraints, leaving only silence until the hatch finally creaks open and fresh air rushes in with a long hiss. After you take off your helmet, you can smell unfamiliar scents. As you climb out of the pod, you can see a landscape unlike anything you have ever seen before.…
Jul 14, 2026 The Two Body Problem - design challenges of two-player only games (Topic Discussion)
Designing a board game that works well for exactly two players is a very different challenge from designing one that supports a range of player counts. Many games include a two-player mode, but board games such as Patchwork and Jaipur show that a dedicated head-to-head experience can be unique and not simply an adapted and reduced version of a game that is really aimed at larger player counts. In this article, I…
Jul 11, 2026 Grab Bag: Jungle (Saturday Review)
The early morning mist hangs beneath a canopy of dark green waxy leaves, while distant calls echo through the jungle from animals who have lost their way. You're following their footprints until you eventually glimpse a tail disappearing into the undergrowth. Working together, you manage to rescue one animal after another, but the falling grains of sand remind you that time is against you. So off you go deeper into…
Jul 7, 2026 Spiel des Jahres - the 2026 nominations and the mission behind them (Topic Discussion)
Over the previous four articles in this series , I have explored the history of Spiel des Jahres , the purpose behind its awards, the way its jury works, and the wider activities funded through its income. Together, those articles painted a picture of an organisation that sees its annual awards as a means rather than an end. Promoting games as a cultural asset, encouraging people to play board games together and…
Jul 4, 2026 Eternal Decks (Saturday Review)
Mist drifts between towering trees where forgotten shrines stand undisturbed, their silent guardians waiting with quiet patience. Strange creatures emerge one by one, each offering hope while demanding sacrifice before another cautious step may be taken. Ancient legends promise a way to restore what has been lost, although every answer seems hidden behind another trial. The journey will be endless, as we discover…
Jun 30, 2026 Spiel des Jahres - following the money (Topic Discussion)
Awards often attract attention because of the games they recognise. Far less attention is usually paid to how the organisations behind those awards operate. In the case of Spiel des Jahres , the financial side of the story is particularly interesting because it helps explain how the association funds its activities while maintaining the independence that it considers central to its mission. The famous Red Pawn…
Jun 27, 2026 Rascally Rabbits (Saturday Review)
A little rabbit peeked cautiously over the edge of a vegetable patch, before it hopped inside and helped itself to a crunchy carrot. Soon, another rabbit joined in, nibbling happily on a radish, while a third disappeared behind broad broccoli leaves, and a fourth emerged triumphantly with an aubergine. Soon enough, mushrooms vanished as well, leaving only tiny paw prints behind. In less than a minute, the whole…
Jun 23, 2026 Spiel des Jahres - beyond the Red Pawn (Topic Discussion)
For many people, Spiel des Jahres is something they encounter only once a year. A list of nominees appears, winners are announced, and the familiar Red Pawn finds its way onto board game boxes that in turn appear on shop shelves. Yet, the award itself is only the most visible part of the organisation's work. Behind the annual announcements sits an association that funds projects, supports research, encourages new…
Jun 20, 2026 Rattlesnake (Saturday Review)
The saloon doors suddenly burst open behind you as your boots skid across the dusty wooden boards of the sidewalk. A split-second later, gunfire cracks through the afternoon air, the bullet ricocheting off a pail of water, sending startled townsfolk diving for cover. Diving behind an old barrel offers you a moment of shelter, although the sound of heavy footsteps suggests your pursuer is closing in on you. Then,…
Jun 16, 2026 Spiel des Jahres - how the jury chooses games (Topic Discussion)
Every year, the announcement of the Spiel des Jahres nominations leads to a lot of discussion across our hobby. Some people agree with the choices, others question why certain games were not included, and many try to predict the eventual winners. What most people don't realise when they discuss the nominations is that the jury does not gather for a single weekend to decide the best game of the year. No, jurors…
Jun 13, 2026 Roller Disco (Saturday Review)
Electric-blue leg warmers stretched over striped socks, sequins sparkling beneath a giant mirror ball, while clouds of hairspray drifted through the air. Synth-pop booms from oversized speakers as skaters practise one last spin, one last shuffle, one last gravity-defying move before the judges arrive. It's November 1983, and the biggest competition of the year is about to begin. Jam skaters from around the world…
Jun 9, 2026 Spiel des Jahres - the award that was never really about awards (Topic Discussion)
For many board gamers, Spiel des Jahres is simply the little red pawn on a game box. Spotting it on a shelf often suggests that a game is worth paying attention to. That's not only true in the German-speaking board game world, but also in many other countries, including the UK. Over the years, winners such as The Settlers of Catan , Carcassonne, and Ticket to Ride have helped establish the award as one of the most…
Jun 6, 2026 UK Games Expo 2026 (Saturday Review)
A little after 9am on Thursday, I boarded my first train of a journey that has become increasingly familiar over the years. It was my sixth visit to the convention, having first attended in 2019 before COVID forced a break, but I returned in 2022. It was also my fourth time making the journey by train. The first leg carried me from the South Coast to London Victoria , followed by a tube trip to London Euston and a…
Jun 2, 2026 Tabletop Games for 2 Players (Especially Couples) (Topic Discussion)
Hi, it’s Joe Slack here. Oliver was kind enough to allow me to write another guest blog. In this article, I thought it would be interesting to discuss board games for two and the gaming experience for two people (especially couples). Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2026/06/02/tabletop-games-for-2-players-especially-couples-topic-discussion/ Useful Links Sky Team :…
May 30, 2026 First Tracks (Saturday Review)
Snow drifted from the pine branches as the last chairlift carried us slowly, but steadily, towards the summit. As we looked back, the mountain below was being draped in silver moonlight and covered in fresh powder snow. We couldn't see it, but we knew that, back in the village, steam curled from bowls of ramen waiting for our return. Yet, nobody was ready to leave the silence of the peaks just yet. We all wanted to…
May 26, 2026 Intentional Experience - designer intent and player experience (Topic Discussion)
Designers don't like it when players criticise their board game, and the response often is that the game was intentionally designed that way. Players complain that a strategy feels unfair, a mechanism is frustrating, or a game simply isn't very clear. Designers reply that that just misses the point. Similar disagreements exist in films, novels, and art, yet board games seem to have them more often, and they are…
May 23, 2026 Crisps! (Saturday Review)
The pub was quiet after the lunchtime rush. It was a chilly autumn afternoon, so the hearty lunch just hit the spot. Now we were sitting there, playing a card game, with a pint each by our sides. While the meal had filled us up, we still fancied something savoury. We just needed a small snack that the two of us could share. Nothing fancy. Something simple would do. Of course, it had to be Crisps! by Shreesh Bhat…
May 19, 2026 Clearly Uncertain - the role of uncertainty in board games (Topic Discussion)
Many of us play board games because they offer us some certainty. There are rules, objectives, specific actions, and so on that define how a game is played. These things provide a clear, well-defined framework. We know what is possible, what is not allowed and what we are trying to achieve. At the same time, board games also contain uncertainty. It is uncertainty that creates tension, excitement and a range of…
May 16, 2026 UK Games Expo 2026 (Preview)
Yes, it's that time of year again when everyone starts to panic, because the biggest UK board game event is just around the corner. There is a scramble for train tickets, hotel rooms (mind you, you're probably too late, if you haven't booked one yet), on-site parking, visitor passes, water bottles, comfortable shoes and lots of other bits and pieces that you need to attend UK Games Expo 2026 . Read the full preview…
May 12, 2026 Expressive Entertainment - board games and social commentary (Topic Discussion)
Throughout human history, stories have been a way for people to share the concerns and ideas of their time. I think we can all agree that books and films are often shaped by the social, political, and cultural contexts in which they were created, whether deliberately or not. Readers and viewers will usually be able to see reflections of real-world anxieties, hopes, and tensions within them. Board games, while also…
May 9, 2026 Agricola (Digital Eyes)
The low sun drapes itself across uneven fields, gilding half‑finished fences and soil still warm from the plough as hands move with quiet urgency, gathering wood, shaping clay, urging reluctant earth to yield before the season slips away. Your family waits with hunger and hope intertwined, their future resting on each small choice made in the dirt. Buried in this hard labour, there is a deep, steady satisfaction, a…
May 5, 2026 Player Roles - who we are in board games (Topic Discussion)
A recent episode of the Game Design Deep Dive , featuring the podcast host, Dan Bullock , in conversation with prolific board game designer of many historical and storytelling games, Cole Wehrle , got me thinking about something I had never really questioned before: who we actually are when we play board games. Player roles are often afterthoughts, taken for granted as part of the theme or setting. However, the…
May 2, 2026 Singapore Showdown (Saturday Review)
The humidity clings to your skin as neon reflections shimmer across rain-slick streets. The city is strangely alive with quiet ambition and louder dreams. Towering skylines loom above bustling districts, each corner a promise of profit, each landmark a prize waiting to be claimed. Deals are struck with uneasy confidence, plans unfold behind knowing smiles, and every move carries the weight of opportunity. In this…
Apr 28, 2026 Throwaway Legacy - legacy games as a symbol of our throwaway society (Topic Discussion)
Legacy games have probably had their golden days. They were something new that hadn't been done before in our hobby. They promised a unique experience of a game that would change as you played it. Not only that, the change would be permanent, requiring you not to only remove components, but actually destroy them, or put stickers into the rulebook, onto the main game board or otherwise apply them to make an…
Apr 25, 2026 Escape Comics: The Alien Ship (Saturday Review)
You've been woken from hypersleep. You're still a bit groggy, but it is clear something has happened. Something important. As the captain, you can't waste too much time. You have to get up to speed quickly. As your crewmate gives you a sitrep, it becomes clear that you have to act quickly. It's time to Escape Comics: The Alien Ship by Douglas Beech and Evan Duxbury from Jumping High Five Games with art by Maria…
Apr 21, 2026 Gatekeeping the Gatekeepers - discussing standards in our hobby (Topic Discussion)
Gatekeeping has long been a concern within the board game hobby. For decades, our hobby was shaped by small communities, often dominated by white men of a certain age. They decided who was allowed to call themselves a board gamer and who couldn't. However, as the hobby grew, it also became more diverse. Nowadays, welcoming newcomers and making the hobby accessible to a wider audience has become a highly important…
Apr 18, 2026 Peranakan: Tiles and Tactics (Saturday Review)
A pair of mirrored birds lean towards one another, their colours bright, but soft. If you look closely, you can see that their bodies are forming a heart. Nearby, Kueh, delicate sweets, sit arranged with care. Judging by their colours and shapes, they promise wonderful flavours. Each one tells a story of ancient traditions and of the practised hands that shaped them. It is a quiet celebration of heritage and…
Apr 14, 2026 29-Year-Old Navy Captain Turned Board Game Designer (Topic Discussion)
Hello everyone! I'm Eugene , founder of Genie Games and creator of Rats to Riches , Peranakan: Tiles and Tactics , and Singapore Showdown . This is my first time ever writing a guest blog, and I'm incredibly honoured to be given this opportunity by Oliver to share my story with you. As the title states, I'm 29 years old as of writing this. Nine months ago, I quit my job as a Singaporean Navy Officer, to start my…
Apr 11, 2026 Threaded: A Game of Needles and Points (Saturday Review)
Bargello designs are built from vertical stitches, laid in sequence so that colours rise and fall, creating flowing waves, shifting flames, or soft gradients that almost seem to move across the fabric. Used in ornate upholstery in 17th-century Italy and applied to chairs and other furniture, these patterns require precision and concentration. Even a single misplaced stitch will completely break the rhythm. As a…
Apr 4, 2026 The White Castle (Digital Eyes)
The inner courtyard goes completely quiet as dusk falls. Lantern light flickers softly against white walls and dark timbers. Servants move soundlessly like a gentle breeze, tending to gravel paths and manicured trees. Deeper inside the fortress, careful whispers of politics and ambition drift through the great halls. Everything feels deliberate, and every offering is carefully chosen to seek favour in a world where…
Mar 28, 2026 Islebound: Emerald Edition (Saturday Review)
The salty air filled our lungs as gulls circled above the quayside. The harbour was alive with excited voices and the clinking of coins. Ships came and went, their hulls heavy with stories of distant islands and dangerous encounters. Somewhere beyond the horizon lay our opportunity to make our fortune through trade, charm, or even force. As we stood at the edge of the dock, we mapped our routes as we were…
Mar 21, 2026 Legion of the Necromancer (Saturday Review)
A cold wind carried the smell of ash across the fields as the last light of day faded behind the hills. Villages that once echoed with laughter now stood silent, their streets empty. Travellers spoke of strange sights on gloomy roads, shapes moving in the mist, and friends who no longer recognised each other. Somewhere in the land of Aelrathia , a dark mind gathered strength, raising the fallen and bending the…
Mar 14, 2026 Flip Pick Towers (Saturday Review)
In the kingdom of Pilipalod , a wild, evil magic had erased the royal castle, leaving only the foundations visible. Queen Blodwen , King Llew , and Princess Dillie surveyed the empty hill where their home once was with some despair, but mostly patient resolve. Word of the disaster spread, and soon magical creatures gathered to offer their help, and the finest designers of the Magical Architect Alliance arrived,…
Mar 10, 2026 Killing Me Softly - a look at player elimination (Topic Discussion)
The last time I played 1860: Railways on the Isle of Wight , I found myself in the lead from fairly early on. As the game progressed, that lead only kept growing. Each round, the gap widened until it was clear that nobody had a realistic way to catch up with me. The game carried on, turns were taken, but the excitement and tension had gone. The game had become a fight for second place. I call this soft elimination…
Mar 7, 2026 Big Wave (Saturday Review)
Surf was up. We had already checked out Mavericks, Praia do Norte and Mullaghmore Head. All that was left was to ride the big breakers at Pipeline. We couldn't wait to show off our best tricks and compete with each other to score the most admiration. It was time to swim out and get on the next Big Wave by Daniel Kenel from Little Dog Games with art by Justin Santora . Read the full review here:…
Mar 3, 2026 ChatGPT as a board game designer? (Topic Discussion)
The following is an English translation of board game designer Peer Sylvester's German article "Chat GPT als Brettspielautor? " , which was originally published 22 February 2026 on the Spielbar website, here: https://www.spielbar.com/wordpress/2026/02/22/26916/ Ryan Dancey was, until last Wednesday, the Chief Operating Officer at Alderac Entertainment Group ( AEG ). On LinkedIn , the self-help site for managers who…
Feb 28, 2026 Tricky Landing (Saturday Review)
Cards were wildly flying through the air. People were taking turns aiming their cards at the target in the middle of the table. It all looked frightfully confusing, but everyone was happy. Choosing the best card was hard enough as it was, but flicking it correctly seemed impossible. For the cards, it was certainly a Tricky Landing by Mike Petchey from Huff No More with illustrations by Edie Petchey . Read the full…
Feb 24, 2026 No Man's Land - historical board games' position between entertainment and education (Topic Discussion)
Historical board games occupy an awkward space in our hobby. They are usually not designed to teach history in any formal sense, and they are also not entertaining in the sense of being fun. These games stop short of education, offering no syllabus, no claims of being a detailed treatise of their setting, and no obligation to explain themselves. The subject matter historical board games draw on, war, exploitation,…
Feb 21, 2026 Through Ice and Snow (Saturday Review)
The sea relentlessly froze around our convoy, tightly squeezing the ships' hulls, as if it was testing our resolve. The other ships were holding formation, their tall masts and limp sails dark against the brooding grey sky. We had been entrusted with mapping new shores and documenting new species, financed by men who expected their names to be remembered forever, with ours only featuring as footnotes. Yet, our…
Feb 17, 2026 Finding the Finish Line - fixed rounds vs end game triggers (Topic Discussion)
Finding the time to play board games can be difficult. Working out which games to play in the time you've got together is often even harder. Mostly, that's down to what games players are in the mood for. Sometimes they want a very deep, thinky game that requires a lot of attention. At other times, a lighter game might be preferred. Setting can also play a role. Yet, what is often the ultimate decider is game…
Feb 14, 2026 Tranquility: The Ascent (Saturday Review)
The air thins with each step, and talking becomes almost impossible without a rest. The mountain is relentless, and so are those intent on beating it. Reaching the peak requires patience and knowing which route to take and what to leave behind. No one climbs alone, and no one fails alone either. The summit awaits and promises unmatched Tranquility: The Ascent by James Emmerson from Lucky Duck Games with art by…
Feb 10, 2026 Anti-Good - there is no such thing as a good game (Topic Discussion)
Let me be clear from the start: there is no such thing as a "good game". I know, it sounds controversial. After all, at the end of every year and often many times during the year, lots of people publish lists of the best games and regale you with how "good" these games are. If you're seen as the board game expert in your family circle or friendship group, you will be asked what "good game" they should buy or play…
Feb 7, 2026 The Vibe (Saturday Review)
Staring at the art in front of them, next to a number of words, the group was trying to figure out which noun fit the paintings best. Someone read out a single word and explained their theory. Suddenly, everyone wanted to share their own opinion, some confident, some cautious. I listened to what everyone had to say. Only I knew which word was the right answer. After all, I had chosen it, based on The Vibe by Jacob…
Feb 3, 2026 Historical Humanity - the human element in modern historical board games (Topic Discussion)
I have long been fascinated by historical board games. I was never very good at history in school, but whenever I play a board game with a historical setting, I feel I learn something. Often, I feel compelled to find out more about the events that took place back then. No class in school ever evoked that curiosity in me. These days, I look at historical board games from an additional angle: the human element. While…
Jan 31, 2026 Eternitium (Saturday Review)
We were looking for a very special gem, a gem that, according to rumours, promised eternity. Nobody knew exactly where it could be found - or rather, when, because this gem was lost in time. We opened portals like doors in a chronological corridor, using our technology to help us speed up our search, but to no avail - we are always a heartbeat too late. We were in a battle, chasing each other through ancient eras,…
Jan 24, 2026 Frank's Zoo (Saturday Review)
On a lovely sunny summer's day, we decided to go out together as a family. We wanted to see mice, shrimp, hedgehogs, fish, foxes, seals, lions, polar bears, crocodiles, elephants and orcas, but we wanted to avoid mosquitoes. So we all went to Frank's Zoo by Frank Nestel from Heidelbä r Games with art by Doris Matthäus . Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2026/01/24/franks-zoo-saturday-review/…
Jan 17, 2026 Hasami Shogi (Saturday Review)
The sun rises over the misty fields near Nagashino, glinting off armour and steel. The Takeda banners flap in the wind, a warning to the Tokugawa warriors holding the hilltops. Every decision counts, every step could tip the balance of power. As the leader of your clan, Takeda, you are seeking to reclaim glory and lead your samurai through the chaos. Now is the time to win this sandwich chess, this Hasami Shogi…
Jan 10, 2026 This Game is Killer: Alien on Board (Saturday Review)
After realising that they had not only inadvertently brought an alien lifeform onto their freighter, but that the alien was a vicious and terrifying predator, the crew had only one choice. Armed with whatever they could find on their commercial vessel, they started sweeping the ship one section at a time. Yet, their fear and terror led to rash decisions, which meant a crew member got sucked out into the vacuum, and…
Jan 3, 2026 Top Table Award 2025 (Saturday Review)
Another year has passed, and it's once more time to announce the winner of Tabletop Games Blog 's highly sought-after and extremely prestigious Top Table Award of 2025. The top slot for this year will join the hall of fame alongside previous years' board games that made it to the number 1 spot on the podium. The winner of the 2025 award will be in the company of Charms , Enemy Anemone , Pax Pamir: Second Edition…
Dec 30, 2025 Socially Afflicted - how people affect gameplay experience (Topic Discussion)
As I was listening to an episode of the Ludology podcast recently, one focused on games and health, I started to think about how much the people we play with influence our gameplay experience. Selecting board games based on the audience is much more important than we may like to believe. Get it wrong, and you have one player rebelling and playing opposite to expectations, another disengaging completely, and the…
Dec 27, 2025 2025 - A Year in Review (Saturday Review)
As another year draws to a close, it's time to pause, look back, and take stock. As has become something of a tradition, this article shares with you my 2025 gameplay experience, some stats about the blog, my event attendance, a summary of the blog's finances and a brief look ahead to 2026. It's as much for my own record as it is for anyone who wants to know more about what 2025 has been like for me and the blog.…
Dec 23, 2025 Regular Games - benefits of playing the same game with the same people (Topic Discussion)
As my board game collection grows, the chances of the same game being played regularly decrease. As a reviewer, that's fine, because I'm here to play new games and critically evaluate them. However, it's also sad that more and more of my games just sit there on the shelves unplayed, while the latest, shiny game barely lands before it makes it to the table. For many of us, playing board games isn't just about the…
Dec 20, 2025 Wyrmspan (Saturday Review)
Lantern lifted, I stepped into the Crimson Cavern where a Tawny Steppe Wyvern crouched over a cache of meat and a single gleaming amethyst. It watched me calmly, dust motes swirling around its tawny wings. In the Golden Grotto , a Bellicose Firevern crackled with heat, sparks skittering across piles of scorched stone as it let out a low rumble. Finally, in the Amethyst Abyss , a Subterranean Basilisk hatchling…
Dec 16, 2025 Mini Magic - the human side of miniatures games (Topic Discussion)
This is a guest post by Glenn Ford from Man O' Kent Games . As an independent games designer and producer, a lot of my time involves visiting conventions to meet gamers and, ideally, sell my games to them. When I do so, it’s always a surprise how little crossover there is between people who play board games, roleplaying games and miniatures games, which is a pity since I think all of them have something special to…
Dec 13, 2025 Yokai Septet (Saturday Review)
Long ago, spirits and demons stirred in the land of the rising sun, wreaking havoc upon crops, rivers, and villages, unseen and unstoppable. As an Onmyoji , a practitioner of ancient cosmology, you learned to capture these restless entities, restoring balance where others faltered. Yet word came that your own village suffered, and another Onmyoji had been called to intervene, an affront to your duty and skill. With…
Dec 6, 2025 Boop (Saturday Review)
It was like herding cats. As soon as you put one kitten down, the two nearest to it moved further away. The same when you tried to add a cat to the bundle of feline fluff. Some of the cats and kittens even decided to jump off the quilt completely. It was impossible to get everyone on there at the same time. What was cute though, was how each cat and kitten tapped their noses together and went Boop by Scott Brady…
Dec 2, 2025 Losing Balance - the role of balance in board games (Topic Discussion)
Balance in board games is one of those much-talked-about topics that keeps cropping up. Some people want games to be perfectly balanced, so that players' only advantage comes from their skill and hours of practice and graft. Others relish highly unbalanced games, where it's nigh-impossible to win, but when you do win, it feels amazing. Yet, balance in board games is much more complex and subtle than that. In this…
Nov 29, 2025 Umami (Saturday Review)
Under the glow of the moon, the forest stalls sizzled and steamed. Ramen bowls, takoyaki, and miso soup filled the air with rich, savoury aromas. Woodland chefs scurried between stoves, each eager to cook the most delicious dishes, only to be outdone by competitors who stole their patrons right from under their noses. The question is whether you have what it takes to serve up the best culinary creations that burst…
Nov 25, 2025 Games as Lingua Franca - how board games can overcome language barriers (Topic Discussion)
Board games are often seen as a way to bring people together. They're a social activity, even for solo gamers. When we sit down to play, we fall into familiar rhythms of turns, actions and mechanisms. We don't even need to share the same language. Playing board games is a time when gestures, shared goals, and the actions within the magic circle of the game itself act as a way for us to communicate. Board games…
Nov 22, 2025 Ayar: Children of the Sun (Saturday Review)
From the mist of Lake Titicaca, eight children of Inti and Mama Quilla stepped onto the high plains, their feet brushing the grass and waking the land itself. As their journey continued, the mountains claimed some of them, caves swallowed others, until only one final pair held the golden rods. By then, they had taught the first clans who had accompanied them to weave, shape clay, carve terraces into the…
Nov 18, 2025 The Hidden Language of Co-op Gaming - how board games build communication skills (Topic Discussion)
This is a guest post by Abdel Mounim Bouazzaoui from The Cardboard Crew . Most people see board games as entertainment. Roll some dice, move some pieces, maybe argue about house rules. But I've noticed something else happening at my weekly game nights over the past few years - we're all getting better at talking to each other. Read the full article here:…
Nov 15, 2025 The Druids of Edora (Saturday Review)
Mist coiled between the ancient stones, whispering secrets of powers wielded by only a few. The forest waited, still and patient, as cloaked figures approached with burning torches. As they began to chant, the flickering flames stretched and twisted until fires flared in silent circles. Moving from shrine to shrine, they connected dolmens, built runestones and standing stones, and weaved their magic through leaf…
Nov 11, 2025 Demonstrative Board Gaming - my approach to demoing games (Topic Discussion)
Over the years, I have demoed quite a lot of games at a few different locations. It all started back in 2019 at Essen Spiel , where I demoed Fog of Love to the German audience. More recently, I have been demoing for Asmodee at UK Games Expo, as well as at my local board game cafe. With every demo, I have honed my skills, learned new tricks and generally fine-tuned my approach. So in this article, I want to share my…
Nov 8, 2025 Doomlings: Legends of Enderas (Saturday Review)
The ground trembled as the horizon flickered with violet light. Tribes gathered in small clusters, clutching relics that glowed faintly or fizzed with a strange energy. Some hoarded scraps of parchment filled with incomprehensible runes, others carried fragments of forgotten technology bolted hastily to their frames. Yet despite the looming end, laughter filled the twilight air. Every choice felt urgent, every move…
Nov 4, 2025 Shelves of Stories - how games and books reflect who we are (Topic Discussion)
Some people enjoy running their fingers along a row of books, looking for one that catches their eye. Others love wandering past shelves filled with board games, drawn to the artwork or the imaginative setting. Book lovers love the smell of paper and ink, while board gamers relish the scent of a new box. Flicking through pages or rifling through components is part of the thrill. Collections are more than mere…
Nov 1, 2025 General Orders: Sengoku Jidai (Saturday Review)
The land was divided, its provinces fractured by ambition and betrayal. Armies marched through rice fields, emissaries whispered in candlelit halls, and the people looked to their daimyo for guidance and protection. Every order carried the weight of loyalty and the promise of power. It was a time when each decision could tilt the balance of history, and so the samurai sent out their General Orders: Sengoku Jidai by…
Oct 25, 2025 Horrified (Saturday Review)
Night had fallen over the village of Bodega Bay . Most people were at home, because they knew there were terrible creatures roaming the streets. Only a few brave heroes had ventured out into the cold, dimly lit streets to protect the inhabitants from the horrors that were lurking in the shadows. It didn't take them long to come across the first fiendish creature. As they looked upon the muddy Creature from the…
Oct 18, 2025 Tranquility: The Descent (Saturday Review)
It all began with a voyage across calm seas, as we boarded the ship and searched for a paradise of our own. From there, the path rose skyward, climbing a mountain one careful step at a time until the summit finally revealed itself above the clouds. Now the journey turns in a different direction, leaving sunlight behind and slipping beneath the surface, into the shadows of the deep. The silence is thicker here, the…
Oct 11, 2025 Escape the Dark Castle (Saturday Review)
The candlelight flickers across the damp stone walls, casting long shadows that stretch and twist. You huddle closer to the table, scanning the cards laid out like pages from a forbidden story, the musky scent of ink and paper mixing with the chill in the air. Every dice roll echoes forebodingly in the quiet room, a tiny heartbeat of suspense. Each time you put pencil to paper, you mark the fate of you and your…
Oct 7, 2025 Keeping the Fun - a reply to Dan Thurot's "Anti-Fun" article (Topic Discussion)
I was reading Dan Thurot’s most recent article, titled "Anti-Fun" , when, as so often with his writing, I found myself challenged in the best possible way. Few people in board game criticism can cut to the heart of a topic like Dan can. That is why his work is so valuable and important. So, as I say, I felt challenged. His argument that the word "fun" has no real use in criticism struck me as too dismissive. To my…
Oct 4, 2025 The Night Cage (Saturday Review)
Your skin is cold as you awaken in the dark. You have nothing but a flickering candle. A terrifying foreboding is constricting your throat, just like the narrow passageway is squashing your body. You know you are trapped in the tightest, most claustrophobic tunnel labyrinth imaginable. Yet, you must find keys and gates that may vanish at any moment, your only path to freedom. You must press on and escape The Night…
Sep 30, 2025 Size Matters - board games' table space requirements (Topic Discussion)
As board gamers, we are obsessed with size. We love sharing shelfies to show off the size of our giant board game collection. Board games that come in a giant box that could double up as a garage for a small car are appealing to us. We love giant miniatures that we could use for weight training. War games that come with thousands of chits and other little tokens are standard. So, this article obsesses over how much…
Sep 27, 2025 Fetching Feathers (Saturday Review)
The wind rustled gently through the trees. Dappled sunshine bathed the garden in a warm yellow tint, catching on the edges of the leaves and shimmering on the glass of a small bird bath. A hummingbird flitted from branch to branch, pausing briefly to inspect a cluster of flowers. Further away, a woodpecker drilled purposefully into the thick trunk of an old oak. The seasons were starting to change though. The time…
Sep 23, 2025 To the Bitter End - board games don't have to finish (Topic Discussion)
We are all so very conditioned to play board games to the end. Most games have some sort of end game trigger and a form of end game scoring. They want us to play them all the way through. Yet, when a player’s win is all but guaranteed, continuing to the end seems pointless. The enjoyment of a game often matters more than strictly following the rules. Adapting play to the situation and the group’s mood can keep…
Sep 20, 2025 D.O.T (Saturday Review)
It was like there were pixels: red ones, blue ones and black ones. There was one, two, three or four for each, sometimes none, in all sorts of combinations. You could combine them to give you five, six, seven or eight in the different colours. It was a real puzzle. You wanted to create the lowest or highest difference between the numbers in the centre and those in your hand. That difference changed over time. It…
Sep 16, 2025 Abstract Imagination - thematic and abstract games (Topic Discussion)
Sometimes I want to become the character on my player board, living out their adventure and experiencing a dramatic story filled with excitement and suspense. Other times, I just want to move some wooden pieces across a plain board, while I am deep in thought, and a giant decision tree that’s unfolding further with every turn fills my mind. Sometimes I yearn for a thematic experience, other times I crave something…
Sep 13, 2025 Boitas (Saturday Review)
The sun had just begun its slow climb over the horizon, casting molten gold across the waves. In the harbour of Puri , the scent of salt and spices mingled as the Sadhabas prepared for the season’s voyage. Families murmured blessings, drums echoed from the shore, and the rhythm of the sea promised both peril and fortune. Odisha’s maritime heritage would continue when the sailors left in their Pattachitra -patterned…
Sep 6, 2025 Loose in the Library (Saturday Review)
Working by candlelight, we carefully stepped between endless shelves of books, books whose vivid imagination and terrible thoughts had become real and had entered our world. There were giant kraken, the frightful Fenrir and other monsters, as well as infamous characters, such as Count Dracula or Grendel’s Mother, prowling in the shadows. However, luckily, wonderful women, such as Marie Curie, Anne of Green Gables…
Aug 30, 2025 Doomlings: Imaginary Ends (Saturday Review)
There is something fascinating about making things up that could never exist. The mind wanders. Ideas that go against all logic are conjured up. Taken to the edge of existence, to a time when everything ceases to exist, it creates a sense of weird foreboding. Ultimately, we all know that there is no escaping the grand finale. All we can do is watch the Doomlings: Imaginary Ends by Justus Meyer and Andrew Meyer from…
Aug 26, 2025 Ethics and Reviews Revisited - my personal stance (Topic Discussion)
Most of us have heard of situations in our hobby where someone has behaved in a toxic way. Some of us have even experienced this directly. We can often name at least one bad actor who is still around in our community. We may have also seen publishers releasing games with an IP that is linked to a person whose behaviour has been widely condemned. As a reviewer, my instinct has always been not to review games linked…
Aug 23, 2025 Cat in the Box (Digital Eyes)
It started as a thought experiment, sealed away from the certainty of observation. We sat at the table, hands of cards like particles suspended in probability. No suit existed until declared, collapsing the wave of potential into a single, immutable state. Every choice rewrote the shape of the universe we shared, while paradoxes loomed like black holes at the edge of play. The research board became our map of…
Aug 19, 2025 Historical Hubris – the draw of history, politics, and purpose (Topic Discussion)
I think board games aren't just entertainment. They're not just a way to spend time with friends or family, or even alone. I think board games can be thought-provoking. They can tease our interest in a topic that we want to investigate further. Some board games can even carry an important message that is shared as we play them. These are games that I have always felt drawn to. This article is an ode to them. Read…
Aug 16, 2025 The Bears and the Bees (Saturday Review)
A great, furry creature once stumbled upon a golden treasure hidden within an old, hollowed-out tree trunk. Tempted by its sweetness, its giant paws struck without thought, only to be driven back by the stinging guardians, who fought to their deaths to protect their home. So goes the story of The Bears and the Bees by Jeffery Beck from Grandpa Beck’s Games with art by David Bock and Apryl Stott . Read the full…
Aug 12, 2025 Critical Products - product reviews vs critical reviews (Topic Discussion)
I love Hegemony: Lead Your Class to Victory . It's an amazing economic simulation with huge ambitions. And yet, it rarely comes to the table. The reason is simple. It takes about half an hour to set up. You have to separate card decks, shuffle them, put a number of different components into different locations and do various other things before you can start playing. While Hegemony is a heavy game, it's not its…
Aug 9, 2025 Godzilla: Tokyo Clash (Saturday Review)
The skyline cracked open in a bright flash. Buildings around us collapsed into dust. There was no way out. Sirens wailed, the air stank of ozone, and there was a huge, deep roar that shook the ground around us. Then came another roar and another. Suddenly, we saw Mothra through the smoke. There was also King Ghidorah looming over the skyline. Then Megalon burst from the rubble. Finally, we saw the king of monsters.…
Aug 5, 2025 Shelf to Soil - how board games are getting greener (Topic Discussion)
Seeing a paper belly band, instead of plastic shrink wrap, around the decks of cards in Isle of Night from Red Raven Games made me realise that now might be the time to write again about sustainability and eco-friendliness in the board game hobby. Thinking back over the last few months, it feels as if publishers and players alike have started thinking more about making games greener. So in this article, I am…
Aug 2, 2025 Club of Cthulhu (Saturday Review)
As the green candlelight flickered lower and lower, a group of tireless paranormal researchers who had gathered around a reconstructed ritual circle were casting ancient manuscripts into the flames. Whispers rose with the smoke, and strange omens shimmered where the veil between reality and the land of the Ancient Ones had thinned. They knew the risks. They knew they were slowly losing their minds. Yet, they…
Jul 29, 2025 Atmospheric Anxiety - how board games create tense emotions (Topic Discussion)
Atmosphere in board games is one of those things that is felt. It is not just about how a game looks or sounds, nor simply the story it tells. Instead, atmosphere is the subtle, almost elusive quality that emerges from the right mixture of art and illustrations, sound, gameplay and a player's imagination. It is what remains with us when all the noise fades and we are left with a sense of immersion and feeling…
Jul 26, 2025 Fled (Saturday Review)
There was no way out. The cell door was locked, the corridor quiet, and the warders had already done their rounds. A smuggled spoon pressed cold against the palm of my hand, a comb tucked into a loose floorboard, a stamp in my sock and a muffin hidden in the mess. None of it made sense yet, but I would figure it out. I had to. I was going to escape Spike Island , and when I did, my captors would shout: "He Fled !"…
Jul 19, 2025 Isle of Night (Saturday Review)
When the locals told you the ancient tales of a mysterious island that was said to be strewn with gold, gems and many other treasures, you knew you had to go and discover the island's secrets for yourself. Even when they warned you that it was home to countless ferocious dragons and that the waters around it were infested with dangerous serpents, you weren't swayed. So you set off at night, the only time when the…
Jul 12, 2025 Mars Expedition: Sol 43 (Saturday Review)
It was the first day of our project. It was also the first day on Mars. There were another forty-two days ahead of us, and every day, including today, we were faced with a different mission. These missions were going to get more challenging as we progressed. Our team consisted of a cryptographer, a navigator, a geologist, a mineralogist, a geochemist, a physicist, and even a futurist. So we were hopeful that we…
Jul 8, 2025 Hate at First Sight - the trap of first impressions (Topic Discussion)
I am sure many of us have been there. I know I certainly have. There are some games you simply overlook and don't give a fair chance. Maybe it’s the box art that doesn’t speak to you, or the components that look dull or too childish. Whatever it is, you just don't give it another thought. You have already formed an opinion of what the game is in your mind. Of course, that mental image is sometimes completely wrong.…
Jul 5, 2025 A Gentle Rain (Saturday Review)
The lake was very peaceful and still. Its surface was covered by countless lily pads from eight different varieties. These lilies were extremely rare. Seeing all of them bloom at once was a very special moment. It only ever happened when there was A Gentle Rain by Kevin Wilson from Incredible Dream Studios with art by Chris Bilheimer and Wiktor Kozyra . Read the full review here:…
Jun 28, 2025 1860: Railways on the Isle of Wight (Digital Eyes)
In response to Queen Victoria's love of Osborne House, railways were built that ran from Cowes to Newport and from Ryde to Ventnor. As if to underline the significance of the project, two rival companies, the LSWR and LBSC , collaborated to create a train network that was soon hailed as a triumph of public service over profitability and that ran from Ryde to Ventnor, Freshwater to Newport, Cowes to Ryde via…
Jun 21, 2025 Duck & Cover (Saturday Review)
You just wanted to take a quiet and relaxing bath, but your plastic companions had other ideas. Instead of peacefully bobbing on the water, they turned into mad mallards. Water started to splash everywhere. Argh! You had only one choice. You had to Duck & Cover by Oussama Khelifati from Captain Games with art by Adrien Journel . Read the full review here:…
Jun 14, 2025 Booted! (Saturday Review)
The goal is super simple. Get all of your four pawns from one end of the nine-by-nine grid to the other. It seems like a long way and as your opponent has the same goal, you need to be clever and outmanoeuvre them. Choose the right card to move your pawns in a pattern that allows you to get around your opponent's pawns and get closer to your goal. However, if you're not careful, one of your pawns will get…
Jun 7, 2025 UK Games Expo 2025 (Saturday Review)
The first time I covered this massive board game event was back in 2018. It was well-established at the Birmingham NEC by then, sprawling across halls 1, 2, 3 and 3A. During the COVID pandemic in 2021 and 2022, I skipped the show, but since 2023, I have attended again every year. So, technically speaking, this is my 6th UK Games Expo . Read the full review here:…
May 31, 2025 Crimson Keep (Saturday Review)
On a remote island in the middle of the Boiling Sea , two factions build their fortresses, facing each other at opposite ends of the battlefield. They suppress their enemy while searching for two ancient crystals which promise great power. Whoever can find the crystals first will be able to summon an almighty dragon and launch their final attack and obliterate their mortal enemy's Crimson Keep a self-published…
May 24, 2025 Molly House (Saturday Review)
Georgian England saw London quickly growing into one of the largest cities in Europe. As the city grew, coffee houses equally gained importance in society. For a mere penny, customers could purchase a cup of coffee and gain admission to these new spaces where they could learn the news of the day and perhaps meet other local residents and discuss mutual concerns. At the same time, some of these establishments were…
May 20, 2025 UK Games Expo 2025 - looking ahead (Topic Discussion)
I don't know how many times I have now attended, but during my first visit, I was walking the halls hoping to speak to publishers about my blog and praying that I might get a review copy or two. I attended for a single day, driving up all the way and back again by myself, trying to cram it all on. That's all changed over the years. So let me tell you my plans for UK Games Expo 2025 . Read the full topic discussion…
May 10, 2025 Ofrenda (Saturday Review)
It is time for the Day of the Dead , the Día de los Muertos . It is also time to prepare our altar of family portraits with beautiful marigolds and candles to remember those who have passed away. Soon, we will make offerings of the things they loved, to guide their spirits back to us. At the same time, we have to be very careful how we arrange the photos. Like in any family, not everyone is happy to be right next…
May 3, 2025 Star Wars Villainous: Power of the Dark Side (Saturday Review)
Deep within the ruins of an ancient Sith temple, Kylo Ren stood with his unstable blade crackling, caught between admiration and resentment, as Darth Vader emerged, his presence suffocating, the air itself recoiling. Then Moff Gideon entered, while Asajj Ventress prowled the edges, twin sabres igniting, her gaze calculating. A metallic rasp followed as General Grievous stepped forward, stolen lightsabres humming in…
Apr 26, 2025 Hickory Dickory (Saturday Review)
Welcome to the Royal Scavenger Hunt of Tockton Clock. You are cordially invited. It is time to gather your team. Hop onto the big hand and journey around the clock face, pushing other mice off in the process. Don't waste any time though, because when the clock strikes midnight, the hunt is over. So be quick and line up your crew alongside Hickory Dickory by Sawyer West from Plaid Hat Games with illustrations by…
Apr 12, 2025 Disney Villainous: The Worst Takes it All (Saturday Review)
Six scoundrels had gathered: Captain Hook was plotting his revenge, Jafar envisioned ruling unopposed, Maleficent smiled at the thought of thorns engulfing the kingdom, Prince John was devising new taxes to fill his coffers, the Queen of Hearts brooded over her next decree of decapitation, while Ursula lounged with a sly grin, imagining helpless souls entangled in her tentacles. Each was driven to prove their…
Apr 5, 2025 Malus Hortus (Saturday Review)
Suddenly, you come to. You've woken from a deep dream - or maybe it was a nightmare. You're lying on the cold ground. Your immediate thought is to check for injuries, but you only have some light bruises and scratches. Your memory seems worse though. Everything is a bit muddled. You can’t remember where you are or why you are here. You dimly recall the scent of flowers. Yes, that's it. The flowers were what made…
Mar 29, 2025 Katmai: The Bears of Brooks River (Saturday Review)
As the long, dark winter looms, bears gather along the river, drawn by the promise of a feast. They fight for the best fishing spots, where leaping salmon offer a chance at survival. The strongest dominate the prime locations, while others perfect their own hunting techniques. Each catch is a battle, each meal a lifeline. Only those who have feasted well will endure in the wild heart of Katmai: The Bears of Brooks…
Mar 22, 2025 Pueblo (Saturday Review)
The sun beats down as you and the other craftsmen raise the walls, just like your ancestors once built their great stone villages. Be careful though, because if the Chieftain spots your signature stones, you will be penalised. As space runs out, only the most cunning will earn the Chieftain’s favour and successfully build their Pueblo by Michael Kiesling and Wolfgang Kramer from Mojito Studios with art from…
Mar 15, 2025 Radlands (Saturday Review)
The sun blazes over the wasteland as your tribe fights for survival, its fate tied to three fragile camps and its lifeblood measured in precious drops of water. A single rival warband looms on the horizon, ready to strike. You need to be ready to fight and unleash chaos. Every drop of water spent is a gamble, a step toward victory or ruin. When the dust settles, only one tribe will remain in the desolate Radlands…
Mar 1, 2025 Heroes of Timeline (Saturday Review)
In the grand arena, two teams stepped onto the sacred battlefield, chosen by fate to clash in a relentless battle. The indomitable Dragon Hunters , descendants of war heroes who once battled the Dark Flame dragons, faced the elusive ninjas of the Hidden Temple , protectors of the grand Gang Port , who in turn would fight either the unyielding Guards of Witgat , heirs of a mountain tribe that endured the Celestial…
Feb 22, 2025 Biathlon Blast (Saturday Review)
The skiers were lined up at the starting line, rifles strapped across their backs, ski sticks in hand. They proudly represented their nations and each represented a different mix of skills. Some were faster going cross-country, others had better endurance and there were some with precision shooting skills. It would be a tense race. It would be a Biathlon Blast by Lars Max Jensen and Carl Tenland from carlMax with…
Feb 15, 2025 Neon Hope (Saturday Review)
It seemed like a normal day until you listened to the voice message from your friend. It sounded urgent and like their life was in danger. They wanted to meet you at this club. You tried to call them back to find out more, but nobody answered. You started to worry and fear the worst, but you plucked up your courage. You just wished there still was Neon Hope by Francesco Grothe and Dominik Schönleben from Hopeful…
Feb 8, 2025 Trick of the Rails (Digital Eyes)
It is the golden age of American railways. Rail stocks are all the rage, with new companies flooding the stock market all the time. The stakes are high, but you want to have a slice of the pie. The returns look great and investors get a say on a company's track-laying. To make it big, you have to be clever and know the Trick of the Rails by Hisashi Hayashi from Grok Games with illustrations from Ann-Sophie De Steu…
Feb 1, 2025 Death Valley: Highs & Lows (Saturday Review)
We were on a road trip. As our car was eating the miles, our journals and scrapbooks were filling up with photos, postcards and other souvenirs that would later remind us of the wonderful time we had. We were exploring towering peaks and massive canyons as we were making our way through this amazing desert, always being mindful of hazards. We loved every moment as we traversed Death Valley: Highs & Lows by…
Jan 25, 2025 Senjutsu: Battle for Japan (Saturday Review)
Feudal Japan is in turmoil. The collapse of the ancient authority of the Ashikaga Shogunate has plunged the country into a brutal civil war, known to history as the Sengoku Jidai . Clans clash in a relentless struggle for power and prestige. Now it is your turn to enter this bloody conflict as a great warrior. This is Senjutsu: Battle for Japan by Paul D. Allen and James Faulkner from Lucky Duck Games with…
Jan 18, 2025 Creature Caravan (Saturday Review)
The land of Arzium is facing a new threat. Ember Zombies have left their volcanic lands to the north and are walking through the previously peaceful lands that we call our home. You can easily recognise them with their charcoal bodies. Yet, there is hope. The city of Eastrey offers a safe haven for the creatures that are threatened by the malicious fire fairies. Everyone must make their way across deserts and…
Jan 11, 2025 Golem Run (Saturday Review)
In a distant future, giant clay figures are pitted against each other in a race through a desolate terrain. They are controlled by racers who have secretly bet on a specific creature to cross the finish line first. However, all racers have control over all of the creatures and can change their bets during the race. The locals call this chaotic contest Golem Run by Tony Cotterill and Ren Multamäki from Dragon Dawn…
Jan 4, 2025 Top Table Award 2024 (Saturday Review)
With 2024 now being officially over, it's time for me to crown the top game of the year. However, in a slight change to the usual proceedings, this time around I am going to announce a total of four awards. After all, one game is never enough. So, here goes... Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2025/01/04/top-table-award-2024-saturday-review/ Useful Links Knarr review:…
Dec 28, 2024 2024 - A Year in Review (and a look ahead…) (Saturday Review)
As another year draws to a close, it's time to look back, take stock and also glimpse ahead. So let me share how 2024 was for me and give you an idea of what 2025 has in store. Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2024/12/28/2024-a-year-in-review-and-a-look-ahead-saturday-review/ Useful Links 10x10 Challenge :…
Dec 21, 2024 Dungeon Champs (Saturday Review)
In the dark and damp tunnels, creatures lurked. Brave heroes dared to venture deep into the labyrinth, hoping to defeat fiends and undead creatures, while avoiding spells. It was a battle to the death and whoever came out victorious would enter the annals of the Dungeon Champs by Matt Garbutt from Outland Entertainment . Read the full review here:…
Dec 14, 2024 Haggis (Saturday Review)
Take some sheep's heart, liver and lungs, mince them together with some chopped onion, oatmeal, suet, spices and salt, mix in some stock and cook it all together in the animal's stomach for about an hour. Add some neeps and tatties and enjoy your Haggis by Sean Ross from Portland Game Collective . Read the full review here: ⁠⁠⁠https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2024/12/14/haggis-saturday-review/ Useful Links…
Dec 7, 2024 The Six of VIII (Saturday Review)
Passions flamed and power waned. Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived. First Catherine of Aragon, who had the most time to establish loyal supporters and powerful allies, then Anne Boleyn, queen for less than a year. They were followed by Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and Katherine Parr. These were The Six of VIII by Carol LaGrow from New Mill Industries . Read the full review…
Dec 3, 2024 Immersive Thematics - board games that draw you in (Topic Discussion)
I love a good game with an atmospheric setting. I want to feel the cold as my meeples climb up the mountain, hear the bees as I place my apple tree hexes in my cider orchard, smell the smoke and the grease when my trains operate or see the next station that my underground train enters. A game that whisks you away and fully immerses you in another world for an hour or two or three is truly awesome. In this article,…
Nov 30, 2024 Mysticana: A Foundation Deck (Saturday Review)
The elements are alive in our realm. The water element can douse the deadly flames of the fire element that would otherwise leave behind deeply scorched earth, while the earth element itself has the power to consume the waters of a dozen seas. The three elements are in constant battle, balancing each other out at times in infinite variations of their eternal cycles. Yet none of the three elements can ever reign…
Nov 26, 2024 Box Clever - board games where the box is integral (Topic Discussion)
I am a hater of air and a lover of compact design. What I mean by that is that I don't like games where most of the box is empty, with components just floating around. I prefer it when the product design is clever and either has a good insert or otherwise makes everything compact. If a game goes the extra step and makes the box itself an integral component, then I'm super impressed. So in this article, I…
Nov 23, 2024 Doomlings: Upgrade Pack (Saturday Review)
Space: an endless void with countless stars, some of which capable of harbouring a planet that can support life. Yadda, yadda, yadda. You already know the spiel. So, without further ado let me introduce the Doomlings: Upgrade Pack by Justus and Andrew Meyer from Doomlings . Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2024/11/23/doomlings-upgrade-pack-saturday-review/ Useful Links Doomlings: Upgrade…
Nov 19, 2024 Thematic Mismatch - how board game themes can help or hinder (Topic Discussion)
I have always felt that the theme or setting of a game can really help with learning it. In a game about the Spice Routes, for example, it will be instinctively clear why there are mechanisms to exchange resources of different types with each other or for money. After all, that's what the spice trade was mainly about. However, a game's theme or setting isn't necessarily useful. Sometimes it can be a…
Nov 16, 2024 Stamp Swap (Saturday Review)
Rejoice, my friends! It’s time for our annual convention, where collectors from around the world gather to trade their tiny postal treasures. We must prepare our most beautiful and best-arranged collection and show it to the expert crowd. If we do well, we may walk away with the top prize at this year’s Stamp Swap by Paul Salomon from Stonemaier Games . Read the full review here:…
Nov 9, 2024 Star Trek: Away Missions - Commander Scotty: Federation Expansion (Saturday Review)
Aye, let me tell ye, it's nae just another day in the engine room! There we were, mindin' our own business, when a ripple in time itself plucks me and three of me trusted crewmates right out of our own century! Next thing ye know, we're smack dab in the aftermath of the Battle of Wolf 359 . We've got to deal w' snarlin' Klingon warriors, Romulan spies and these strange…
Nov 5, 2024 Give and Take - games with interesting player interaction (Topic Discussion)
I know that some people hate player interaction. They prefer a multi-player solitaire experience, where they are in full control of their destiny. If they win, it's down to how well they played. However, I quite like player interaction, both negative and positive. Being able to form temporary alliances that are eventually broken or having a way of stopping another player from getting too far ahead can be fun…
Nov 2, 2024 Arcs (Saturday Review)
The spacefaring cultures were moving their forces through the gates and across the systems, changing the control in the clusters in the Reach . The balance of the court was also no longer guaranteed. Agents were making their influence known and securing their positions. It didn't take long for the first battles to start, damaging cities and spaceports and leading to captives and trophies. Maneuvering was…
Oct 29, 2024 Climbing High - from Scout to Odin (Topic Discussion)
I am a big fan of card games. Having grown up in Germany, a deck of cards was usually not far away. Playing trick-taking games was part of my youth, whether with the family or friends. I love card games in general and my love was rekindled when I was introduced to the modern hobby with games such as Citadels or Love Letter . I also found many new trick-taking games, but a genre that was new to me was so-called…
Oct 26, 2024 Rolling Realms Redux (Saturday Review)
The seemingly endless lands lay in front of us. Ahead of us, we could see a small village where cute little dragons were tending stores. To our left, people were playing cards, closely watched by a row of playing cards and a rather angry-looking queen. Above us floated different spaceships, some delivering their wares to the small village, while others were expanding the land with new sections. What we saw were the…
Oct 22, 2024 Massively Multiplayer - from Quacks of Quedlinburg to Dragon vs Kingdom (Topic Discussion)
One of the things that most competitive and many cooperative games have in common is some sort of turn order. You go first, then comes Bob and then it's my turn. Turn order might change throughout the game, but there is always someone whose turn it is. The more players there are, the more of an issue it can be, because the longer you have to wait for the round to come back to you. Yet, there is an interesting…
Oct 19, 2024 Looot (Saturday Review)
Our longships were ready to sail. The crew had just completed stowing all provisions and supplies for the long voyage ahead. We needed resources and building materials to develop our fjord and complete our port, altar and Jarl palace. But we were not alone. Vikings from other fjords had the same ambition to store up the most riches and be crowned Jarl of the Vikings! It was a race, but we were ready! We were ready…
Oct 15, 2024 Choo Choo My Friend - from Shikoku 1889 to 1880: China (Topic Discussion)
If you know me, you'll know that I love economic simulation games. I love trading stocks and shares. It feels great when I buy into someone else's company and ride their success to profit. It feels even better when my own company does well and I can take all the gains for myself, because nobody else believed it would do so well. Add to that my love for playing with toy trains and you can see why I'm…
Oct 12, 2024 Dragon vs Kingdom (Saturday Review)
The new town was going to be glorious. Here in this wasteland that had seen many battles, it was important to create defenses, while also ensuring there were enough shops and houses for the people. It was going to take some time and our initial focus was on building towers that would allow us to see invaders far into the distance. The towers would also allow us to protect ourselves, because in these lands it was a…
Oct 8, 2024 Pattern Matching Pleasure - from Carcassonne to Looot (Topic Discussion)
There are certain categories of games that I absolutely love. You will have heard about my recent escapades in the world of 18xx games and the excitement these types of games create for me. They offer me a good dose of brain training, while also being thematically enjoyable. Yet, there is another genre of games that I love: tile-laying games. So, in this article, I want to talk about these games a bit more and…
Oct 5, 2024 Ultramassive (Saturday Review)
A black hole is a region of spacetime where gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape. Black holes are enormous and entirely ungovernable. They form when massive stars collapse on themselves at the end of their life. They grow by absorbing mass from their surroundings and if they absorb other stars or merge with other black holes, they become supermassive, millions of solar masses in size. Yet,…
Sep 28, 2024 Vrahode: Age of Prophecy (Saturday Review)
The Age of Inception is all but over. People are starting to forget the stories that were passed down. Tabuhl's Tail , a sign of things to come, will soon return. While our memories fade, that most ancient of omens is ready to lighten the night sky once again. It is time for a few of us, whose memories are more vivid, to get ready for a new age, when Tabuhl's Tail returns and reigns supreme in Vrahode: Age of…
Sep 21, 2024 Mischief (Saturday Review)
In Tir na-Nog , ethereal Queen Titania and Lord Oberon have finally decided to not only end their age-old rivalry, but also to get married. For the big day, they have invited delegations from all the vassal faeries to come together and celebrate the grand occasion. As a faerie noble yourself, you also received one of these invitations, but which role your folk will play in this new combined kingdom is unclear. It…
Sep 14, 2024 Sakana Stack (Saturday Review)
You have risen early to prepare your stall at Tsukiji Market . It won't be long until the doors open and the aisles become a sea of people wanting to sample the wares. It's going to be tough. The quality and variety of fish and shellfish on your stand are outstanding and should speak for themselves, but you can't be sure until you have sold your whole Sakana Stack by Mike Petchey from Huff No More . Read the full…
Sep 10, 2024 Objective Bias - why reviews are always subjective (Topic Discussion)
If you have spent a number of years reviewing board games, you will have seen how people keep bringing up the topic of how reviewers should not be biased and remain as objective as possible. Of course, reviewers, like all people, are always going to have biases and a review will never be objective. As this topic was recently discussed yet again, I wanted to share my thoughts on bias and subjectivity in my writing.…
Sep 7, 2024 Loot Dispute (Saturday Review)
The band of brave adventurers had finally arrived back in our town. They had returned jubilantly after clearing the local dungeons of the many monsters that had lurked in the deep caverns and tunnels. We celebrated with them because we no longer faced the threat of attacks. Not only that, now that the dungeons were clear of all dangers, we were able to scour them for treasure. The only problem was how to divide the…
Aug 31, 2024 Star Trek: Away Missions - Captain Kirk: Federation Expansion (Saturday Review)
Captain's Log - Stardate... well, nobody is really sure. After having been drawn into some sort of temporal disturbance, the Enterprise is now floating helplessly in space without thrust and only minimal power. Our viewscreens show the presence of another vessel. It isn't completely clear, but it looks like we have been transported into the aftermath of a massive battle. To find out what we are dealing with, Spock…
Aug 27, 2024 Joint Excitement - discovering games together (Topic Discussion)
I love my game group. We've been playing board games for many. many years now. Over the years we learned many new ones and slowly established favourites, which would eventually get replaced by new favourites. It's very special to have a consistent group of people to play games with. One of the really special things I found is how we discover games together and I want to write about it in this article. Read the full…
Aug 24, 2024 Charms (Saturday Review)
Whether it is coins, keys, clover or rabbit feet, there are many items that, according to ancient superstitions, bring you luck and maybe even protect you from evil. You merely need to wear them around your neck or on a bracelet and their magic becomes active. Collectively, these items are known as Charms by Taiki Shinzawa from New Mill Industries . Read the full review here:…
Aug 20, 2024 In Between Games - quick games while you wait (Topic Discussion)
I think many of us like games that take an hour or two to play, maybe even longer. I guess that's at least true when you've got a game group you play regularly with. I love longer games, but I also love those quick games that take less than half an hour to learn and play. They're ideal to play before, after or even in between other games. They're also perfect for game groups, because you can play them while you…
Aug 17, 2024 Prey Another Day (Saturday Review)
The forest is dark and eerie. A cold wind whistles through the branches and makes them creak and groan. The rustling of the leaves goes some way to hiding the noise of your prowling through the undergrowth. You have your prey in sight, but suddenly, at the same time as you break cover, other hunters reveal themselves. There is a moment of confusion which our shared victim uses to their advantage to escape to…
Aug 10, 2024 Pixies (Saturday Review)
As we were walking through the forest on a mild, damp spring morning, with the mist still rising and the trees and other plants slowly waking up as the sun was peeking over the horizon, we saw, to our great surprise, little creatures emerging from flowers and the hollows of the trees. Some wore cupule hats, while others had slung oak leaf ponchos over their bodies. We even spotted some with little string…
Aug 6, 2024 Not for the Win - games aren't necessarily about winning (Topic Discussion)
If you're a competitive person, you want to win. If you're a really competitive person, winning is your absolute goal. Competitive games will probably be your favourite, but even when you play cooperative games, you probably still try to do everything in your power to beat the game and take the win for the team. However, I don't think playing games is necessarily about winning. There are many other benefits of…
Aug 3, 2024 Hidden Agendas (Saturday Review)
We all had our different plans. Getting the right bills through the Senate was never easy. There would always be compromises and endless debates. We all wanted to further our own goals. The odd promise of a bribe, digging up dirt on the other parties' representatives and some last-minute voting changes all helped to get what your party wanted. At the end of the day, we all had our own Hidden Agendas by Josh Rossman…
Jul 30, 2024 Cultural Games - board games as cultural assets (Topic Discussion)
The term Kulturgut is very hard to translate into English. In fact, I don't think there is a similar concept in the UK. "Cultural asset" doesn't really do it justice, because the term describes things that have a cultural value and need to be preserved. Literature is a type of Kulturgut for example. As a British person, you can easily see how the works of Shakespeare have a cultural value and require to be…
Jul 27, 2024 Berlin Brettspiel Con 2024 (Saturday Review)
Over the weekend during a hot July in Germany at a different, but much cooler location compared to last year, around 16,000 people attended the "big summer board game festival for gamers, geeks and the whole family", as the event describes itself. Located in my home city, the convention I am talking about is, of course, Berlin Brettspiel Con 2024 . Read the full review here:…
Jul 20, 2024 Knarr (Digital Eyes)
Vikings were known for plundering, but what many people forget is that they also did a lot of trade. In fact, the Viking Era saw an increase in trade in the English Channel, the North Sea and the Baltic. There was one vessel that was specifically made for the exchange of large quantities of goods. It was a cargo ship with a shorter hull than the commonly known longships, which were mainly warships, and that had…
Jul 13, 2024 Flamme Rouge (Saturday Review)
We had started in Florence when everyone was still fresh and raring to go. An endless sea of bicycles with teams sticking closely together had lined up at the starting line. The support teams had only done their last checks minutes before and everything was shiny and gleaming. Now, several thousand kilometres later, everyone started to show signs of slowing down. Yet, at the horizon a welcome sign became visible.…
Jul 9, 2024 Early Finish - why we don't always have to finish games (Topic Discussion)
There is an unwritten social contract that, when you choose to play a board game, you agree to play it to its conclusion. Everyone around the table expects to finish the game. Everyone wants to have an equal chance of winning. People want to be able to come back from behind and snatch their victory right on their last turn. I think that expectation is perpetuated by how games are designed. So in this article, I…
Jul 6, 2024 Shikoku 1889 (Saturday Review)
The period of sakoku has only recently ended, and now with the Meiji Restoration in full swing, the country is investing heavily in new technologies. Locomotives have become the leading symbol of the nation's modernization. Across all four islands, new railway operations are created and entrepreneurs attempt to profit from the money being injected into the economy. Our small island is no different. It's the same…
Jul 2, 2024 Round and Refined - when games are perfectly designed (Topic Discussion)
Games come in all shapes and sizes. Designers create them in different ways and with different intentions. Some games are an interesting mix of mechanisms, others are a passion project that tries to evoke certain emotions when people play them. Games can have simple rules with deep emergent gameplay or they can be rules-heavy. While some games take minutes to play, others can take hours to complete. However games…
Jun 29, 2024 Mayan Curse (Saturday Review)
We made it! We finally decoded a very important ancient Mayan manuscript and found the temple described in the old document deep in the jungles of El Salvador. As we were standing at the entrance, we saw in front of us a very long paved road, leading to a circular pyramid. Each paving slab had a different symbol on it and we knew from the manuscript that we had to align them to make our way safely across. As keen…
Jun 25, 2024 Rule Breakers - when breaking the game rules is more fun (Topic Discussion)
Good games will have had a lot of time put into them to ensure they create the experience that the designer wanted. The rules will have been created with intent and purpose. Rules are the skeleton around which the muscles, sinews, skin and the whole living body of the game grows. Games are meant to be played by their rules, or at least that's what we're being told. In this article, I want to look at why…
Jun 22, 2024 Undermined! Pairadice City (Saturday Review)
Howdy partner. Welcome to the Wild West, where there is gold to be found in them there hills. Only the most daring souls will find the riches. Mining is dangerous work. So helping your fellow human is the right thing to do, but getting repaid for your kindness is not guaranteed. I'll start you off with a pick-axe, some safety gear and a few sticks of dynamite. It's on the house, because I'm sure you'll soon be back…
Jun 15, 2024 UK Games Expo 2024 (Saturday Review)
It is always a pleasure to arrive by train at Birmingham International train station, which not only gives you access to West Midland's main airport, but also to the amazing NEC . It is in this huge exhibition complex that the UK's largest hobby games convention takes place every year. The event welcomes tens of thousands of visitors over three days who explore the three main halls of the NEC as well as a number of…
Jun 8, 2024 Abandon All Artichokes (Saturday Review)
Artichokes come in two main forms: globe and Jerusalem. Both are lovely vegetables with many health benefits. As culinary ingredients, some love their wonderful flavour, while others hate them for the same reason. However, we want to talk about globe artichokes specifically here. So while you might love these wonderful green plants, as relatives of thistles it is no surprise why one might be desperate to Abandon…
Jun 1, 2024 Doomlings (Saturday Review)
Space: an endless void with countless stars, some of which capable of harbouring a planet that can support life. On one of these Goldilocks planets far away from our own, life has indeed emerged. Yet, nothing is ever allowed to last. One day, the inevitable end will come. So in the meantime, life on this planet is competing for supremacy. They do not know it yet, but they are the Doomlings by Justus Meyer and…
May 28, 2024 UK Games Expo 2024 - looking ahead (Topic Discussion)
Another year has gone by in a flash and it's time again for me to start another convention season. Well, I say "season", but that's exaggerating it. I'm actually only attending two board game shows this year. I just can't afford to fly everywhere and spend time away from home. So I chose two events that I really enjoyed last year and that won't cost me the world. The first of these is, of course, UK Games Expo 2024…
May 25, 2024 Sea of Thieves: Voyage of Legends (Saturday Review)
Build your reputation, they said. Complete voyages, defeat foes and gather treasures, they said. Visit the outpost to sell cargo and make repairs, they said. Having two sloops under my command was supposed to make this easy, but the truth was far from it. A pirate's life for me, my barnacle. It was a huge challenge from the start. It was almost impossible to safely navigate this Sea of Thieves: Voyage of Legends by…
May 18, 2024 Paper App Dungeon (Saturday Review)
Welcome, adventurer. You are about to embark on a very unique dungeon crawl. Sharpen your pencil and be brave. You are about to face an almost endless cave system stuffed to the brim with coins, treasure chests, spiders' webs, enemies and even the odd portal. So off you go, brave fellow, and descend the stairs into the amazing Paper App Dungeon by Tom Brinton from Lucky Duck Games . Read the full review here:…
May 14, 2024 Boiling Point - why tension and escalation matters in games (Topic Discussion)
Hi, it’s Joe Slack here. I’ve written a few guest posts for Oliver in the past and I was delighted when he requested another guest blog, so here we go! Something I think about a lot as a game designer is how to create tension in a game as well as ensure that players feel a sense of progression as they play. Read the full article here:…
May 11, 2024 Star Trek: Away Missions (Saturday Review)
After the battle of Wolf 359 , the team consisting of Commander Riker , Lieutenant Commanders Data and Shelby and Lieutenant Worf on board the U.S.S. Enterprise were doing all they could to protect the ship against the invading Borg , led by Locutus of Borg , formerly Captain Picard of the Federation . It was a strange situation. The alien drones seemed oblivious to the starship's crew as both sides went about…
May 7, 2024 Get Inspired for Your Wedding with Board Games (Topic Discussion)
Feeling stressed about your upcoming wedding? Why not sit down and relax, and maybe even get some inspiration from these wedding-themed board games! Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2024/05/07/get-inspired-for-your-wedding-with-board-games-topic-discussion/ Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (…
May 4, 2024 Like Cain and Abel (Saturday Review)
As the first two sons of Adam and Eve, a lot of responsibility had been laid upon our shoulders. We were a farmer and a shepherd who had to offer our harvested grains and livestock to God. We were never sure if either of us was in His favour. So we carried on and made wilder and wilder boasts about our gifts to Our Lord until it was too much and one of us struck down the other. We were Like Cain and Abel by J.L.…

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Episodes

Small World - the business behind the board game boom (Topic Discussion)

Wayfarers of the South Tigris (Digital Eyes)

Teaching Matters - designing games for the first play (Topic Discussion)

Fourth Wing: Rise of the Wingleader (Saturday Review)

Costly Complexity - the limits of complexity in board games (Topic Discussion)

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