Viking warriors cherish war. They bravely man their longships with healers, skalds, spies, seidmadrs, völva, hirdmen, berserker, a styrimader and maybe even the jarl. They go on long voyages to conquer far-away lands and fight the locals in glorious battles. Those Vikings who fall go to Valhalla , a majestic hall located in Asgard and presided over by the god of gods, Odin by Yohan Goh , Hope S. Hwang and Gary Kim from Helvetiq . Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2024/03/3...
Mar 30, 2024•7 min
Having been a part of our hobby now for a number of years, I have had the pleasure and honour to see a number of games go from early prototypes through to final products. I have also had the honour of being a judge and mentor in the Board Game Workshop Design Contest back in 2019 and 2020. So in this article, I thought I would share my experiences with the stages board games go through until they eventually reach hobbyists like you and me. Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.co...
Mar 26, 2024•9 min
The sun had set, but we still had a few hours before the main event. Our telescopes were set up and we had a flask of hot chocolate and a few biscuits ready to see us through the night. Our thick coats and thick socks were going to keep us warm and cosy. We were hopeful that tonight we would be able to discover new constellations. It was really exciting. Luckily, there were no clouds, so we stood a good chance to see the wonderful Starry Night Sky by Emma Larkins from Buffalo Games . Read the fu...
Mar 23, 2024•8 min
Fero City : a bustling metropolis that has become a battleground. There was little time to evacuate the millions of inhabitants before a horde of supervillains descended and started pulverizing iconic landmarks. Most people fled, but many had no chance. Now you have to get them out of there before it's too late and before the arrival of the worst supervillain of them all: Bad Trevor by Mark Hurdle from Fist Bump Games . Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2024/03/16/bad-trev...
Mar 16, 2024•8 min
It is sometimes nice to discuss semantics. It can get a bit abstract and more often than not rather nuanced, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. So while we all might be talking about the same thing in broad strokes, we are likely to have slightly different definitions in our heads. Therefore I want to look at how to define the term "board game" in this article and see where it takes me. Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2024/03/12/game-definitions-a-game-is-a-game-is...
Mar 12, 2024•7 min
Space - the final frontier. These are the adventures of space pirate Oliver, who is on a mission to catch bounty hunter Boba on the star Alpha Centauri. Bob knows where their towel is - at all times. Meanwhile, in an underwater base, crime lord Jabba has built their shrink ray using the data chip that Boba had stolen. And so, The Plot Thickens: Sci-Fi Edition by Mike Callahan , Brigette Indelicato and Thomas Rochelle from Bright Eye Games . Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.co...
Mar 09, 2024•7 min
Since the pandemic, many of us have started to explore the world of online board gaming. Even before we went into lockdown, there have been digital platforms allowing us to play games remotely. For me, these were really important, because it allowed my game group to carry on when we were all told to stay at home. Now that my friends have moved away, they continue to help us play together. Yet, in this article, I don't want to look at these platforms themselves, but focus on how the digital gamep...
Mar 05, 2024•8 min
Welcome, everyone. It is wonderful to see so many of you here today. The hour is near and the gaze of the Great Inky One is upon us. We have to be strong and stay true to the cause. It is time to show our dedication, fellow followers. It is time to hail the mighty Cosmoctopus by Henry Audubon from Lucky Duck Games . Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2024/03/02/cosmoctopus-saturday-review/ Useful Links Cosmoctopus : https://luckyduckgames.com/en/games/453-cosmoctopus Rulebo...
Mar 02, 2024•8 min
Historical simulation games, conflict simulation games or war games - call them what you will. There is certainly a huge following of this genre and there is an endless list of these games already on the market, with many more coming out each year. Many people are put off by the idea of replaying a real conflict from history, but of course, these types of games don't necessarily have to be about war, nor do they have to be set in history. In this article, I want to look at this genre of game and...
Feb 27, 2024•10 min
Once upon a time in a magical village where artisan dragons worked at the butcher's to sell meat, the ironmonger to make metalware or in enchanting shops to bake bread, it was your role, as a Flamekeeper, to find the perfect shop for each dragon. You would visit these shops to gain items or enchant the shops to grow your reputation. Only the best Flamekeeper could become master of the Flamecraft by Manny Vega from Lucky Duck Games . Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2024/0...
Feb 24, 2024•7 min
I keep hearing people talk about replayability in board games. I've talked about the topic a few times in the past . I've also clarified the difference between variability and replayability . However, as the topic keeps popping up from time to time, I thought I'd share some more of my thoughts. After all, I think replayability is an important criterion when it comes to buying board games. Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2024/02/20/repeatable-replay-the-importance-of-rep...
Feb 20, 2024•8 min
The mountains provided great vantage points for both sides. We could easily see what the enemy was doing, but so could they. Providing air support was going to be impossible because of the terrain, but we were still considering paradrops to get troops far into the enemy's territory. It would all come down to tactics, because we had only been given General Orders: World War II by Trevor Benjamin and David Thompson from Osprey Games . Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2024/0...
Feb 17, 2024•10 min
Anne Isaksson is a 2D/3D artist living in Stockholm, Sweden. She has a bachelor's degree in 3D graphics from the Luleå University of Technology and a degree in 2D game art from Future Games . She has worked in the 3D industry and as a freelance 2D artist. She is currently a full-time concept and board game artist at ION Game Design . Read the audio transcript here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2024/02/14/anne-isaksson-let-me-illustrate/ If you want to support this podcast financially, please ch...
Feb 14, 2024•19 min
I know it's not true for everyone and playing games by yourself is certainly something a lot of people really enjoy, but for me, playing board games with friends or family is very important. I always look forward to the next time I meet friends, be it online or in person, for game night. I get really excited when my wife or daughter says that they want to play board games with me. I always think carefully about what games to take when we go and meet family and it's wonderful that they enjoy the ...
Feb 13, 2024•8 min
The Women's Suffrage Movement in the US started small, very small in fact, in a tiny hamlet in New York State. Over time, it spread from state to state across the whole country as its following grew. Their fight for equal rights culminated in the ratification of the 19th Amendment after a seventy-year battle. However, while this monumental achievement was a vital step, it did not guarantee every woman access to the ballot. The story continues to this day across the globe and the fight is still f...
Feb 10, 2024•10 min
There is a type of board game that I absolutely love. In fact, I've always loved it. Economic simulations somehow activate a certain part of my brain that is really stimulating. These games not only activate my brain's reward centre, but their competitive nature and the element of bluffing all scratch the right itches for me. In this article, I want to look in a bit more detail at which games fall into this category of economic simulation and what it is about them that I enjoy so much. Read the ...
Feb 06, 2024•8 min
There. It was done. The mosaic was complete. It was tiny, about the size of a full stop. However, under the microscope, it glistened and glinted, it sparkled and shined. It was a wonderfully symmetric arrangement, forming the overall shape of a circle, intersected into various quadrants. Yet, it was more than just geometry and scientific fascination. It was art. There they were, the wonderful Diatoms by Sabrina Culyba from Ludoliminal . Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/20...
Feb 03, 2024•7 min
I know that many of us play board games to have fun. Whether we enjoy lighter or heavier games, it's all about spending time, either alone or with friends or family, getting away from the day-to-day worries and immersing yourself in another world for an hour or two or three. Yet, there are games that are set against the background of a very serious topic. These games want us, the players, to engage with the topic in a safe environment. They will never be perfect representations of the reality th...
Jan 23, 2024•8 min
We were on our way to the city's main station to board the bullet train to Kyoto. Travelling on the Asakusa underground line towards Ikebukuro, we had just passed through Kasumigaseki and arrived at Ginza station. We were nearly there. It was Next Station: Tokyo by Matthew Dunstan from Blue Orange . Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2024/01/20/next-station-tokyo-saturday-review/ Useful Links Next Station: Tokyo : https://blueorangegames.eu/en/games/next-station-tokyo/ Rule...
Jan 20, 2024•7 min
The snowshelf reached from horizon to horizon in all directions. We were in the Valley of the Ancient Ones, which was a frozen region, pounded by deadly storms, but which had made space for a single, lone city. It was summer and time for the guilds to go on their annual pilgrimage and explore this tundra. As one of the leaders, you were about to take your guild to look for vestiges of a civilization whose existence had been passed down through myths and stories. If you were successful, you would...
Jan 13, 2024•8 min
Let's be honest. Most of us in the hobby buy games that we play once or twice or in rare cases, three or four times. In fact, the term "shelf of shame" is a thing, describing games that people have bought but not yet played. The thing is, these games sit there unplayed for months on end and may never see the welcome sight of a table, let alone a board game table. So in this article, I want to look at this a bit further and investigate why we don't play the same games more than a handful of times...
Jan 09, 2024•9 min
Announcing the annual Top Table Award is always a pleasure and an honour at the same time. Choosing and deciding the order of the top 5 games I reviewed in 2023 is never easy. There usually isn't much between the games and they are all great for their own reasons. So, irrespective of which one won the coveted award, all of the games are worth a closer look. Here goes... Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2024/01/06/top-5-games-of-and-i-reviewed-in-2023-saturday-review/ Usef...
Jan 06, 2024•11 min
Some might argue that board games are basically just toys. Some games add to that argument when they play on the toy factor by including one or more components that are basically just a gimmick. These components could easily be replaced by something else without affecting gameplay. Yet, some games are accused of capitalising on the attraction of gimmicks when these playful components are actually an integral part without which the game wouldn't function. In this article, I want to look at this a...
Jan 02, 2024•7 min
Another year is almost over - and what an eventful year it has been. It is time to talk about everything that has happened, the events I attended and the games I played, give you all an update on the financial state of the blog and maybe share some sneak peeks for the year ahead. So, here goes... Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2023/12/30/2023-a-year-in-review-saturday-review/ Useful Links UK Games Expo 2023 review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2023/06/10/uk-games-expo-...
Dec 30, 2023•11 min
Whether we play competitive or cooperative games, we all expect someone to be the winner. Even if it's "the game" who wins in a cooperative game. In fact, there is usually a single winner or a team in team games. Most games will list one or multiple tie-breakers to decide who is the ultimate winner. So the idea of victory conditions has become second nature to most of us in the board game hobby. Yet, there are games that don't elect a winner and in this article, I want to talk about what this mi...
Dec 26, 2023•9 min
Ho, ho, ho and a bottle of rum! That was the song that accompanied the small boat being rowed by a motley crew of scallywags. We were heading to our secret pirate treasure island to retrieve the loot we had stashed over many, many years. The problem was, none of us knew exactly where we had buried our spoils. We had packed plenty of shovels though to make short work of this small patch of land. After we pulled up on shore and spread out on the island, it was time to dig for Gold n' Grog by Jake ...
Dec 23, 2023•6 min
In this latest guest post, Samuel Webb , an experienced news reporter and copywriter based in Coventry, discusses why some X-Wing Miniatures fans are unhappy with the company that they claim is ruining this beloved Star Wars tabletop skirmish game. Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2023/12/19/fear-leads-to-anger-x-wing-miniatures-fans-claim-company-is-ruining-tabletop-skirmish-game-topic-discussion/ Useful Links Samuel Webb : https://samwebbreporter.com/ Star Wars X-Wing ...
Dec 19, 2023•8 min
This week, Hope Thompson joins us on the blog with her review of a game about the fashion show held in 1973 in Versailles, France that pitted newcomer American designers such as Anne Klein , Halston , Oscar de la Renta , Stephen Burrows and Bill Blass against the stalwart French designers such as Yves Saint Laurent , Hubert de Givenchy , Emanuel Ungaro , Pierre Cardin and Christian Dior . In this article, Hope 's father, David Thompson , talks to her about her experience of playing The Battle of...
Dec 16, 2023•10 min
As you probably know by now, I absolutely love trick-taking games. I have long wanted to share this love with other people, but found it can be hard to teach trick-taking to people who have never come across it. Luckily, in recent months, I have found one or two games that are great for introducing people to trick-taking. They have allowed me to share my passion for this genre of card games. They are great stepping stones. I can start to draw on this giant collection of games that are often grea...
Dec 12, 2023•7 min
The 60s in England were a time of new music trends and dramatic changes in fashion and art. Celebrities from around the world would flock to the country's capital London to immerse themselves in this wave of cultural changes. From there, these superstars would travel the width and breadth of the country using a train line catering to the well-off. While the luxurious railway carriages were reserved only for the VIPs, the less fortunate had to jostle for space in cattle class and hope they would ...
Dec 09, 2023•7 min
