Tabletop Games Blog - board game reviews and discussions with a personal touch

Release Date: 2019 Players: 1-4 Designer: Scott Almes Length: 30-60 minutes Artist: Roland MacDonald, Benjamin Shulman Age: 10+ Publisher: Gamelyn Games Complexity: 2.5 / 5 In the year 3030, mankind has developed the technology to hold epic real-life battle events where daring fighters skilled in direct combat and with hundreds of hours of experience piloting the latest advancement in […]Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/08/03/tiny-epic-mechs-saturday-review/Links Tiny Epic Mechs: https://www.gamelyngames.com/tiny-epic/tiny-epic-mechs-deluxe Tiny Epic series: https://www.gamelyngames.com/tiny-epic Gamelyn Games: https://www.gamelyngames.com/ Unboxing video: https://youtu.be/HJDaLR8zb84 If you want to support this podcast financially, please check out the links below:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopgamesblogKo-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/TabletopGamesBlogPayPal: https://paypal.me/pools/c/8hovaYouKDWebsite: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/

In a future where mankind has resolved to abandon war and replace it with virtual battles, teams of nine elite fighters selected by their nations face each other in pairs to win a precious new energy source that promises to bring the world back from the ashes. You have the opportunity to lead one of these teams out onto the 3 by 3 grid, where you take turns with your opponent and carefully occupy key positions in the hope that you win battle after battle to become a hero of the Vector Wars.Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/07/27/vector-wars-saturday-review/Links Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/VectorWarsTheBoardGame/ Board Game Geek entry: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/274717/vector-wars If you want to support this podcast financially, please check out the links below:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopgamesblogKo-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/TabletopGamesBlogPayPal: https://paypal.me/pools/c/8hovaYouKDWebsite: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/

Clans of Caledonia by Karma Games comes with a lot of wooden pieces, cardboard tokens, player boards and the modular game board. Fitting everything in the box, while keeping things organized, isn't easy. It's a very tight fit, if you separate all the different pieces into baggies or small plastic containers. However, the insert from Folded Space sorts everything neatly into separate boxes.Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/07/06/clans-of-caledonia-insert-by-folded-space-saturday-review/Links Folded Space: https://www.foldedspace.net/ Clans of Caledonia Insert: https://www.foldedspace.net/store/clans-of-caledonia/#cc-m-product-14383635130 Karma Games: https://karma-games.com/ Clans of Caledonia review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/03/02/clans-of-caledonia/ Podcast review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/folded-spcae-clans-of-caledonia-insert-saturday-review-podcast.mp3 Review video: https://youtu.be/3VmpHfmjHA8 Unboxing video: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/05/13/folded-space-clans-of-caledonia-insert-unboxing/ Keeping it in article: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2018/08/09/keeping-it-in/ If you want to support this podcast financially, please check out the links below:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopgamesblogKo-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/TabletopGamesBlogPayPal: https://paypal.me/pools/c/8hovaYouKDWebsite: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/

Inside the brewery, the mash and lauter tuns hum away happily on one side, as the brew kettle bubbles silently on the other. Outside, the fermentation vessels slowly turn the malt's wonderful sugars into delicious alcohol. On the other side of the yard is the bottling line, where the beer is filled into bottles, and then it's finally ready to be sold. It is your job to create the right balance of malts to create the best beer for your micro brewery's customers, eagerly waiting in your bar. The whole process takes time and patience, but is worth it, when the number of loyal customers grows in appreciation of your effort.Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/06/22/microbrew-saturday-review/Links Microbrew: https://www.onefreeelephant.co.uk/Microbrew/ One Free Elephant: https://www.onefreeelephant.co.uk/ Podcast review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/microbrew-podcast-review.mp3 Review video: https://youtu.be/3OcrgHv50cU Unboxing video: https://youtu.be/PuahVpDF0qA Slickerdrips playthrough video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTWcnzyhjA8 If you want to support this podcast financially, please check out the links below:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopgamesblogKo-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/TabletopGamesBlogPayPal: https://paypal.me/pools/c/8hovaYouKDWebsite: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/

The sun is high in the sky, shining directly down onto Main Street in this ramshackle town of wooden buildings. The heat is almost unbearable, if it wasn't for a light breeze that is creating small swirls of sand and dust. You have to squint in the bright light, as you stand outside the saloon waiting for the clock to strike twelve. A speck of dust makes you blink, which doesn't bode well. You need to be able to see your opponent clearly, so this won't do. You step away from the saloon and try and position yourself in a more sheltered spot, where dust will be less of an issue and there is more shade, making it easier to see. Yet, this duel is different. You actually have to face off several people in this Six Gun Showdown, and you also have to play your cards right to make sure you come out victorious.Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/06/15/six-gun-showdown/Links Kickstarter page: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/redwellgames/six-gun-showdown Redwell Games: http://redwellgames.com/ Podcast review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/six-gun-showdown-podcast-review.wav Review video: https://youtu.be/XvfUDDfDGOI Unboxing video: https://youtu.be/IVZg2UfT8MA If you want to support this podcast financially, please check out the links below:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopgamesblogKo-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/TabletopGamesBlogPayPal: https://paypal.me/pools/c/8hovaYouKDWebsite: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/

Strolling along the parterres, taking in the view of the stepped garden to one side and the water garden on the other, you relax and try to fully appreciate the immensity of this Wonder of the world. The whole arrangement is cleverly emphasized by carefully placed temples. The huge amount of work and dedication that has gone into this expansive and exquisitely manicured design, the countless shrubs, hedges and flowering plants, all add to the feeling that you are but a small creature in this giant world. Suddenly the zen-like peace is rudely interrupted by deafening noises, as you watch in disbelief as the water garden is bulldozed to the ground to make room for more parterres. Welcome to The Hanging Gardens by Hans im Glück, which are in constant change to score the gardener as many points as possible. Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/05/25/the-hanging-gardens/ Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) If you want to support this podcast financially, please check out the links below: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopgamesblog Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/TabletopGamesBlog Website: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/

The rain is relentless, pouring down in heavy sheets, making the city outside your office window appear like it is behind net curtains. The James River appears to be bubbling, but you haven't noticed any of it. You have spent the last few hours staring at your computer, checking various databases and cross-referencing intel. You drank at least six coffees, yet you're no further. Welcome to Detective by Portal Games where you're an officer in the recently created special unit of Antares. Your task is to solve curious cold cases, following up leads and doing other detective work, all against a mercilessly ticking clock.Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/05/18/detective-a-modern-crime-board-game/Links Portal Games: https://portalgames.pl/en/ Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game: https://detectiveboardgame.com/ Detective: L.A. Crimes: https://detectiveboardgame.com/la-crimes/ Review video: https://youtu.be/D8RspWJYXTo Unboxing video: https://youtu.be/6Xsr9zzqUFo Podcast review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/detective-a-modern-crime-board-game-saturday-review-podcast.wav Watch It Played video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q9lWB5qffs Portal Games rules video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdQCPCmjtvk If you want to support this podcast financially, please check out the links below:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopgamesblogKo-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/TabletopGamesBlogPayPal: https://paypal.me/pools/c/8hovaYouKDWebsite: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/

Imagine the asteroid field scene from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, where our heroes risk their lives to try to get away by entering an asteroid field, then add the AI HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey, which has gone mad and taken over the spaceship, forcing the crew to try and outwit it - and you basically end up with the gameplay of Sensor Ghosts, the new game by Wren Games, due to launch on Kickstarter on 28 May.Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/05/11/sensor-ghosts/Links Wren Games: http://wrengames.co.uk/main Kickstarter for Sensor Ghosts: https://ks.wrengames.co.uk/ Review video: https://youtu.be/zWk-FENnLFw Unboxing video: https://youtu.be/ktL0z5AE7kY If you want to support this podcast financially, please check out the links below:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopgamesblogKo-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/TabletopGamesBlogPayPal: https://paypal.me/pools/c/8hovaYouKDWebsite: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/

As you can tell from my previous reviews of subQuark's games (Mint Tin Mini Skulduggery, Mint Tin Mini Apocalypse and Mint Tin Aliens), I love mint tin games. The love and effort Kate Beckett and David René Miller put into every game makes them very special indeed, and Mint Tin Pirates is no exception of course. It offers lots of pirate fun in a small tin that you can easily take with you, that is easy to learn, quick to play and has a small footprint, so can be played virtually anywhere. I believe Mint Tin Pirates was subQuark's first game, and it already showed that it is possible to squeeze a lot of fun into a small package, something that the whole line of subQuark games shares.Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/04/13/mint-tin-pirates/LinksReview video: https://youtu.be/xBUJtwIotvQUnboxing video: https://youtu.be/q1J8NjKymN0subQuark run through video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O01PcmkecNAIf you want to support this podcast financially, please check out the links below:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopgamesblogKo-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/TabletopGamesBlogPayPal: https://paypal.me/pools/c/8hovaYouKDWebsite: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/

It might be time to call me the Mint Tin Man, à la The Wizard of Oz, given how many of subQuark's mint tin games I have now reviewed and made videos about. However, there is just so much fun in these small packages that I just have to write about them. Of course, games that last only 5 to 15 minutes won't satisfy everyone's needs - but then, few games do. Also, being only two player limits who these games are for. Yet, it is exactly the length, player count and box size that make these games perfect for taking with you and playing with anyone, including people who may not otherwise be much into modern games. Of course, Mint Tin Aliens is no exceptionRead the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/03/30/mint-tin-aliens/LinksReview video: https://youtu.be/1CcLW3Pacc8Unboxing video: https://youtu.be/S4Ccqm3zNz8If you want to support this podcast financially, please check out the links below:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopgamesblogKo-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/TabletopGamesBlogPayPal: https://paypal.me/pools/c/8hovaYouKDWebsite: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/

I've been saying it for a while now: Wingspan by Elizabeth Hargrave and Stonemaier Games is an amazingly beautiful game. The great physical table presence created by the dice tower and eggs, the gorgeous illustrations on the player mats and cards, the sheer number of different birds on the cards, all with their latin name and a brief description of what they are, and the high quality of all the components and parts make it very special. The artists, Ana Maria Martinez Jaramillo, Natalia Rojas and Beth Sobel, have done an amazing job, and Stonemaier Games has ensured that the product meets, if not exceeds, everyone's expectations. However, the beauty and quality are only one part of what makes this game so outstanding. For me, it is the gameplay that lifts Wignspan to the next level.Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/03/16/wingspan/LinksReview video: https://youtu.be/jk9zv17bhQgUnboxing video: https://youtu.be/OBG3s-BsYDIBrief impressions video: https://youtu.be/Fn-MBwoVhYMWatch It Played rules video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgDgcLI2B0UJon Gets Games rules and play through video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDJ5WwpV3SgIf you want to support this podcast financially, please check out the links below:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopgamesblogKo-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/TabletopGamesBlogPayPal: https://paypal.me/pools/c/8hovaYouKDWebsite: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/

I absolutely love mint tin games, and Mint Tin Mini Skulduggery by subQuark fits this bill perfectly, as it comes in a properly small, rectangular mint tin, rather than the larger format that many other mint tin games come in. That means it fits perfectly into your coat pocket, so you can have it with you at all time. After all, you never know when the opportunity arises to play a game when you're out and about.Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/03/09/mint-tin-mini-skulduggery/LinksKickstarter page: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/subquark/mint-tin-mini-skulduggeryReview video: https://youtu.be/JVwS2PE3h-gUnboxing video: https://youtu.be/vRA7ZquQ7bcIf you want to support this podcast financially, please check out the links below:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopgamesblogKo-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/TabletopGamesBlogPayPal: https://paypal.me/pools/c/8hovaYouKDWebsite: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/

In Project Dreamscape by Undine Studios your aim is to chain together as many of the same dream types as possible to get the most points. However, building those chains is a lot harder than it looks. Very quickly you realize that you have to plan a few cards in advance to make sure you get the longest chains, and if you're not careful, you can easily undo all that great planning. Project Dreamscape first draws you into a false sense of being a light game, and then pounces and makes your head hurt as you try and find the best order in which to build your dream sequence. The illustrations by Julie Okahara are beautifully dreamlike, adding to the sense that there is a lot more to the game than you might think.Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/02/16/project-dreamscape/LinksReview video: https://youtu.be/uJPHuzoUKmAUnboxing video: https://youtu.be/JmzWM0eYGfsRahdo Runthrough video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDFHKiC-lIYIf you want to support this podcast financially, please check out the links below:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopgamesblogKo-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/TabletopGamesBlogPayPal: https://paypal.me/pools/c/8hovaYouKDWebsite: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/

If you like dice action selection games where you slowly build up action combos, then Oaxaca: Crafts of a Culture by Undine Studios is for you. Now don't be put off by dice rolling, beause in this game you can easily mitigate bad luck and even bad rolls still give you plenty of opportunities. Oaxaca ("wa-ha-ka") is also beautifully illustrated, quick to learn and really quick to play, while still maintaining enough interest even for very "serious" gamers. So there is something for everyone and one of the few games that I can confidently recommend for family gaming as well as regular games night groups.Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/02/09/oaxaca-crafts-of-a-culture/Links Review video: https://youtu.be/m4rY25BFH7M Unboxing video: https://youtu.be/qBcweJNmyrs Rahdo Runthrough video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McTFzyr8B7g If you want to support this podcast financially, please check out the links below:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopgamesblogKo-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/TabletopGamesBlogPayPal: https://paypal.me/pools/c/8hovaYouKDWebsite: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/

GoodCritters by Arcane Wonders is an i-cut-you-choose sort of game with a twist. Players are members of a very successful gang of burglars and take turns to be the boss who divvies up the loot amongst everyone in whichever way they see fit. There is plenty of opportunity to be selfish or favour some players over others. Yet, it is up to the whole gang to vote on whether to accept the split or not. It's a bit like being a pirate really - but that's a different story.Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/02/02/goodcritters/Links Video review: https://youtu.be/GGGYCRw4o9k Unboxing video: https://youtu.be/7bhF5yQe7EE Brief impressions video: https://youtu.be/zPU7cJ7aR9E Podcast review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/goodcritters-saturday-review.wav If you want to support this podcast financially, please check out the links below:Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopgamesblogKo-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/TabletopGamesBlogPayPal: https://paypal.me/pools/c/8hovaYouKDWebsite: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/

I know, Scythe by Stonemaier Games has been out since 2016 and has had a couple of expansions released as well, including promo packs with additional encounter cards. So chances are you have already heard plenty of reviews about this game and maybe own  it yourself, but I still felt it’s worth reviewing, because I am sometimes surprised by how many people still don’t know Scythe. Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/01/19/scythe/ Links Video review: https://youtu.be/tKmqmUU_aTo Brief impressions video: https://youtu.be/PSWJrIprSfQ Brief impressions video: https://youtu.be/_gT4ojUdhVA Podcast review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/scythe-saturday-review.wav Watch It Played rules teach video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffMLIL5qGQg Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) If you want to support this podcast financially, please check out the links below: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopgamesblog Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/TabletopGamesBlog Website: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/

KeyForge: Call of the Archons by Fantasy Flight Games is the first Unique game – and the word “unique” has a very special meaning, but I will talk about this later. KeyForge, for short, is a competitive two-player-only card game where players aim to forge three keys, each costing six Æmber. As players draw and play cards, they can attack their opponent and collect Æmber. The player to first forge their third key is the winner. So far it’s very much like any other card game of their kind, but it is the uniqueness of the decks that is new and is what interests me about this game. Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/01/12/keyforge-call-of-the-archons/ Links Video review: https://youtu.be/L82U1j5lDZA Brief impressions video: https://youtu.be/h1ExoCniLec Unboxing video: https://youtu.be/9HsyYwVcev8 Unboxing video: https://youtu.be/Hd9m1aZ7fMk Unboxing video: https://youtu.be/Q_M3I5PuAYI Podcast review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/keyforge-saturday-review.wav Gaming Rules teach and play through video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dt46ityLdk Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) If you want to support this podcast financially, please check out the links below: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopgamesblog Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/TabletopGamesBlog Website: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/

If you are looking for an easy-to-teach, easy-to-carry, quick, fun, co-operative card game, then The Mind by Coiledspring Games is the right game for you. However, let’s start at the beginning. The game is really simply: there is a deck of cards numbered 1 to 100, every players is dealt a certain number randomly from the deck, there is no turn order and everyone plays when they feel the time is right, without co-ordinating with each other, and as long as all cards are played in ascending order everyone wins. That’s pretty much all there is to it. Sounds easy enough – but it’s actually really hard – and that’s what makes this game so interesting in my view, as it creates a new gameplay mechanism that I have not come across before. Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/01/05/the-mind/ Links Review video: https://youtu.be/6NmGIyUNjoA Unboxing video: https://youtu.be/UyLfbYqeMEY Podcast review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/the-mind-saturday-review.wav Watch It Played rules teach video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXl8MC0GMYE Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) If you want to support this podcast financially, please check out the links below: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopgamesblog Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/TabletopGamesBlog Website: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/

Haspelknecht: The Story of Early Coal Mining, to give it its full title, is a kind of action selection game by Quined Games set in the Ruhr region of Germany. The game is set at a time when the area was still covered by forests and coal was first discovered close to the surface. During the game your task is to dig up that coal until its depleted and you have to start digging deep pits to get to this precious resource. The great mechanism in this game is the action selection element, where you draw all tokens of one colour from one of a number of common pools at the start of each round. These tokens are then used to activate your workforce and develop new technologies. It sounds simple, but it creates a really complex, interesting game with lots of options and very few player interaction. Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2018/12/01/haspelknecht/ Links Video review: https://youtu.be/DVzfQ_v-Gz8 Brief impressions video: https://youtu.be/5p29yZ8PNUY Podcast review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/haspelknecht-review-final.wav Rahdo Runthrough video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBoQ0PN2CGs Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) If you want to support this podcast financially, please check out the links below: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopgamesblog Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/TabletopGamesBlog Website: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/