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

Nestled between hills and blanketed with beautiful fields of grass, where cows grazed happily, our village was in the perfect place. Country life was slow and relaxed, because nobody had anywhere urgent to get to. However, that was all going to change soon. Metal tracks were soon going to crisscross between hills and along rivers. They would connect our sleepy corner of the world. They were the Village Rails by Matthew Dunstan and Brett J. Gilbert from Osprey Games. Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2023/03/11/village-rails-saturday-review/ Useful Links Village Rails: https://ospreypublishing.com/uk/village-rails-9781472853967/ Osprey Games: https://ospreypublishing.com/uk/osprey-games/ BGG listing: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/358085/village-rails Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) Sound Effects: bbc.co.uk – © copyright 2023 BBC The following music was used for this media project: Music: Sounds by Alexander Nakarada Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/5877-sounds License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/ 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/

I normally don't win, at least not when I play with my games group. That's not a problem and I still have a lot of fun, whatever the outcome. In fact, I sometimes create some extra excitement by not playing it too safe. I actually really like games where you can gamble and create huge point swings. However, I know many people who play to win and who will always play it safe. So in this article, I thought I'd compare the different approaches. Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2023/03/07/risky-games-playing-to-win-vs-taking-risks-topic-discussion/ Useful Links Mystic Vale review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2018/12/08/mystic-vale/ Deep Sea Adventure review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2020/04/11/deep-sea-adventure-saturday-review/ Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Buzzkiller by Alexander Nakarada Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/5820-buzzkiller License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopgamesblog Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/TabletopGamesBlog Website: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/ (Photo by Eyestetix Studio on Unsplash)

We had been called out in the middle of the night. A major disaster had been declared. It was all hands on deck. After a swift site rep, we were dispatched to various locations around the oil platform. As we approached by helicopter, which was going to lower us onto the deck of our assigned rescue boats, we could see the extent of The Spill by Andy Kim from Smirk & Dagger Games. Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2023/03/04/the-spill-saturday-review/ Useful Links The Spill: https://www.smirkandlaughter.com/the-spill Rulebook: https://www.smirkandlaughter.com/_files/ugd/693f33_96269c0a08db4f2aa86c354b7107a122.pdf Smirk & Dagger Games: https://www.smirkandlaughter.com/ BGG listing: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/338479/spill Pandemic review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2020/01/18/pandemic-saturday-review/ Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) Sound Effects: bbc.co.uk – © copyright 2023 BBC The following music was used for this media project: Music: Mermaids by Rafael Krux Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6403-mermaids License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://www.orchestralis.net/ The following music was used for this media project: Music: Glory Hunters by Rafael Krux Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/5654-glory-hunters License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://www.orchestralis.net/ 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/

An interesting question Phil Gross recently asked is why low-interaction games are so popular these days. Even though I'm not really sure whether these types of games are actually popular nowadays, I do wonder why people like games with very little player interaction. So in this article, I want to look at the attraction of games that are either completely multiplayer solitaire or provide very little opportunity for players to interfere with each other's game. Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2023/02/28/solitary-happiness-multiplayer-solitaire-games-popularity-topic-discussion/ Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Epic Intro 2017 by Sascha Ende Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/558-epic-intro-2017 License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://www.sascha-ende.de Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopgamesblog Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/TabletopGamesBlog Website: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/ (Photo by Brendan Church on Unsplash)

It was time to take over Earth. We had cunning plans, but then, we were also all trying to sabotage each other at the same time. We knew we had to convince a couple of different regions to be loyal to us and the rest would happen automatically. We also had a super secret weapon. We were going to bribe the Earthlings with Cake of Doom by Amar Chandarana and Pearl Ho from Rainy Day Games. Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2023/02/25/cake-of-doom-saturday-review/ Useful Links Cake of Doom: https://www.cakeofdoom.com/ BGG listing: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/343312/cake-doom Kickstarter page: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cakeofdoom/cake-of-doom Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) Sound Effects: bbc.co.uk – © copyright 2023 BBC The following music was used for this media project: Music: Orbitalmelody by Lilo Sound Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/5577-orbitalmelody License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://electronicmoods.com/ 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/

A "hobby", as defined by Merriam-Webster's online dictionary, is "a pursuit outside one's regular occupation engaged in especially for relaxation." So hobby games are all about doing something different to what we usually do and doing it to relax. The definition of "serious", on the other hand, is a bit more complex. One option I found in Merriam-Webster's online dictionary defines it as "requiring much thought or work" or "not joking or trifling." So a serious gamer invests a lot of thought and work into their hobby and doesn't want people to make fun of it. It's all a bit confusing and that's why I want to look at the idea of a "serious hobby gamer" in more detail in this article. I also want to look at how hobby games have entered the mainstream and how that relates to the "seriousness" of the hobby. Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2023/02/21/serious-hobbies-serious-gamers-and-the-mainstream-topic-discussion/ Useful Links Merriam-Webster definition of "hobby": https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hobby Merriam-Webster definition of "serious": https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/serious Pandemic review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2020/01/18/pandemic-saturday-review/ Wingspan review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/03/16/wingspan/ Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Afternoon by DreamHeaven Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6242-afternoon License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://www.patreon.com/dreamheaven Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopgamesblog Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/TabletopGamesBlog Website: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/ (Photo by Jay Bhadreshwara on Unsplash)

It was time to prove myself as a favoured crusader once again. My goal was to kill the devious Spider, while being very careful to avoid the Skeletons. Both of these enemies were out to kill me. I had my Fury and my Light, representing my devotion to my divine goals and I knew I could use these to powerful effect. Ultimately though, it was Grit that would increase my capabilities as a hero. I took a deep breath and then entered Vast: The Mysterious Manor by Patrick Leder from Leder Games. Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2023/02/18/vast-the-mysterious-manor-saturday-review/ Useful Links Vast: The Mysterious Manor: https://ledergames.com/collections/full-catalog/products/vast-the-mysterious-manor Leder Games: https://ledergames.com/ Rulebook: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0106/0162/7706/files/TMM_Rulebook__Nov_6_2019.pdf?v=1594699333 BGG listing: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/252399/vast-mysterious-manor Root review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/02/12/root-a-game-of-woodland-might-and-right-saturday-review/ Oath review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2021/11/27/oath-chronicles-of-empire-and-exile-saturday-review/ Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Bugbears Be Approaching by Tim Kulig Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/8518-bugbears-be-approaching License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license 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/

I recently asked for some suggestions for board game topics I could write about. Phil Gross answered my plea and suggested I write about the best game to play with your in-laws. I loved the idea, but I wanted to open it up a bit wider and talk about games that are great for all the family, young and old, blood relatives and in-laws alike. Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2023/02/14/family-game-time-games-that-are-great-for-all-the-family-topic-discussion/ Useful Links DreamWorks: https://www.dreamworks.com/ Monopoly: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1406/monopoly Mouse Trap: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2679/mouse-trap Carcassonne: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/822/carcassonne Ticket to Ride: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/9209/ticket-ride Yahtzee: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2243/yahtzee Aquamarine review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/07/16/aquamarine-saturday-review/ Deep Sea Adventure review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2020/04/11/deep-sea-adventure-saturday-review/ Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Chill Lofi by Ramol Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6788-chill-lofi License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopgamesblog Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/TabletopGamesBlog Website: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/ (Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash)

Look at the market. There are potions, vessels, artefacts and rings. Some are too expensive and others just don't let me mix up powerful concoctions. The Finger Ring of the Additional Pinkie looks useful and the Ghost Beaker is also a promising start. So let me buy both, add them to my deck and then see if, on my next turn, they would allow me to join the league of PotionSlingers by Anthony Fasano. Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2023/02/11/potionslingers-saturday-review/ Useful Links PotionSlingers: https://www.potionslingers.com/ Rulebook: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c00880ff93fd43015c11d68/t/616b9630f50fef5de02d0dd6/1634440763355/Potionslingers+Full+Rules.pdf BGG listing: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/349488/potionslingers Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) Music: https://www.purple-planet.com 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/

Mixing digital tools with analogue games isn't for everyone. Many of us in the modern hobby games community prefer to switch off our smartphones, get away from our computer monitors or otherwise "disconnect" and instead spend some quality time with people face-to-face, playing together. Some of us are happy to compromise and allow apps or other digital tools to take part in game nights, at least to some extent. In this article, I want to look at some of this new technology and what it can add to the playing experience. Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2023/02/07/digital-supplements-a-look-at-digital-accessories-for-board-games-topic-discussion/ Useful Links BG Stats: https://www.bgstatsapp.com/ Board Game Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/ Melodice: https://melodice.org/ Dized: https://dized.com/ Teburu: https://teburu.net/ Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Afternoon by DreamHeaven Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6242-afternoon License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://www.patreon.com/dreamheaven Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopgamesblog Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/TabletopGamesBlog Website: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/ (Photo by Goran Ivos on Unsplash)

You have been tasked with building the sustainable energy network of the future. Your goal is to connect wind farms, hydro-energy plants and other green power sources to each other, as well as different cities. You have to decide which part of the network needs attention first and what can wait until later. Take care though and make sure you don't spread your workforce too thinly, but also avoid putting all of your light bulbs into one circuit. You want to end up making the best use of each and every Powerline by Dirk Henn from Queen Games. Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2023/02/04/powerline-saturday-review/ Useful Links Powerline: https://new.queen-games.com/en/powerline/ Rulebook: https://rules.queen-games.com/powerline_en.pdf Queen Games: https://new.queen-games.com/en/start/ BGG listing: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/367295/powerline Future Energy Kickstarter page: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1082720051/green-planet-powerline-and-future-energy Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Broken by DreamHeaven Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6475-broken License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license 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 concepts of replayability and variety are often considered to be one and the same. I have previously looked at whether replayability and variety are linked. My article "Variable replayability" came to the conclusion that those two concepts are not necessarily related. A game can offer a lot of variety, but little replayability and vice versa, a game can be very replayable without much variety. However, in this article, I want to look at whether variety should be important to players or whether we should focus more on replayability. Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2023/01/31/repetitive-variety-a-game-doesnt-have-to-be-different-every-time-topic-discussion/ Useful Links Variable replayability article: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/02/15/variable-replayability-topic-discussion/ Tapestry review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/11/09/tapestry-saturday-review/ Clans of Caledonia review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/03/02/clans-of-caledonia/ Scythe review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/01/19/scythe/ Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Relaxing Piano Improvisation by Alexander Nakarada Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/5978-relaxing-piano-improvisation License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopgamesblog Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/TabletopGamesBlog Website: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/ (Photo by Jeffrey Betts on Unsplash)

As a member of the lowest caste in our colour-coded society, I worked extremely hard every day. I believed that my blood and sweat would create a better world for my children. I prayed that one day, Mars' surface would become habitable. However, my caste and I had been betrayed. I and others like me were nothing more than slaves to a decadent ruling class. So now was the time for my caste to revolt. It was time for the Red Rising by Jamey Stegmaier and Alexander Schmidt from Stonemaier Games. Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2023/01/28/red-rising-saturday-review/ Useful Links Red Rising: https://stonemaiergames.com/games/red-rising/ Rulebook: https://stonemaiergames.com/games/red-rising/rules/ Stonemaier Games: https://stonemaiergames.com/ BGG listing: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/329465/red-rising Pierce Brown: https://www.piercebrown.com/ Euphoria review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2020/07/18/euphoria-build-a-better-dystopia-digital-eyes/ Mystic Vale review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2018/12/08/mystic-vale/ Scythe review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/01/19/scythe/ Wingspan review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/03/16/wingspan/ Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) Song: Max Brhon - Redemption [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/MB_Redemption Watch: http://youtu.be/ Song: Jim Yosef - Volcano (feat. Scarlett) [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/Volcano Watch: http://youtu.be/ Song: Aero Chord & Anuka - Incomplete [NCS Release] Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds Free Download/Stream: http://ncs.io/Incomplete Watch: http://youtu.be/UaiqX2syHT4 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/

There seems to be quite an overlap between people who love playing board games and those who love playing video games. Many actually enjoy playing both. There also seems to be a growing overlap between the hobby and video game industries themselves. So in this article, I want to look at what synergies there might be between the two and how both can benefit from each other. Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2023/01/24/digital-analogues-synergies-between-board-and-video-games-topic-discussion/ Useful Links Embracer Group: https://embracer.com/ Asmodee: https://www.asmodee.co.uk/ Video games tax relief: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claiming-video-games-tax-relief-for-corporation-tax Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) Background Music: Inspirational Flight by AShamaluevMusic Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopgamesblog Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/TabletopGamesBlog Website: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/

In the Qing dynasty, camels were one of the main means of transport. People would travel for days to cross deserts, wilderness and plains to reach the city of Pingyao, where they would trade their wares to increase their wealth. So an agency of bankers was established to help grow the economy and slowly build up a financial network. Soon, wealth began to accumulate in the city of Pingyao: First Banks of China by Wu Shuang from Jing Studio. Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2023/01/21/pingyao-first-banks-of-china-saturday-review/ Useful Links Pingyao: First Banks of China: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jingstudio/pingyao-first-chinese-banks/description Rulebook: https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/211862/pre-kickstarter-english-rules Jing Studio: https://www.facebook.com/jingstudio/ BGG listing: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/303263/pingyao-first-chinese-banks Brass: Birmingham review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2020/10/03/brass-birmingham-saturday-review/ Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Wanderer by Alexander Nakarada Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/4772-wanderer License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license 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 following article was written by Filip Redelius, designer of Fog of Adventures. As a tabletop game enthusiast, I've always been fascinated by the endless possibilities of creating new and exciting gameplay experiences. So when I set out to design my own game, Fog of Adventures, I knew I wanted to push the boundaries and explore the role of AI in the development process. Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2023/01/17/creating-a-tabletop-game-with-ai-topic-discussion/ Useful Links Fog of Adventures: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fogofadventure/fog-of-adventure-a-unique-card-game-for-strategy-lovers Magic: The Gathering: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/463/magic-gathering Talisman: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/714/talisman Rimworld: https://store.steampowered.com/app/294100/RimWorld/ Dall-E 2: https://openai.com/dall-e-2/ 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/

You had received a mysterious invitation to the old mansion on top of the hill, which had lain empty for decades - if not centuries. You were about to throw the letter in the bin, along with the junk mail, when you hesitated. It could be interesting to see who else would turn up. After all, there was this old story linking your ancestors to a Betrayal at House on the Hill: 3rd Edition by Dave Chalker, Banana Chan, Noah Cohen, Bruce Glassco, Brian Neff, Will Sobel and Jabari Weathers from Avalon Hill. Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2023/01/14/betrayal-at-house-on-the-hill-3rd-edition-saturday-review/ Useful Links Betrayal at House on the Hill: https://www.avalonhill.com/en-us/product/avalon-hill-betrayal-at-house-on-the-hill-3-rd-edition-cooperative-board-game-for-ages-12-and-up-for-3-6-players:ED896E92-3AFB-45C9-A7B6-95CF37579449 Avalon Hill: https://www.avalonhill.com/en-us BGG listing: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/358504/betrayal-house-hill-3rd-edition Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Halloween Atmosphere by Sascha Ende Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/87-halloween-atmosphere License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license 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/

War games are often seen as controversial. Replaying the atrocities that occurred during a large-scale conflict seems completely inappropriate. Condensing the huge amount of suffering, death and destruction into a game of pushing tiles around a board and rolling dice or playing cards seems perverse. So in this article, I try to put everything into a bit more context and tease out the pros and cons of war games and how controversial they really are when compared to some of the other games in our vast hobby. Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2023/01/10/serious-war-games-controversial-or-not-topic-discussion/ Useful Links Undaunted: Normandy review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/07/23/undaunted-normandy-saturday-review/ March on the Drina review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2021/08/21/march-on-the-drina-saturday-review/ Twilight Struggle BGG listing: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/12333/twilight-struggle Pax Pamir: Second Edition review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/08/27/pax-pamir-second-edition-saturday-review/ This War of Mine BGG listing: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/188920/war-mine-board-game Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Battle For Honor by Michal Mojzykiewicz Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10053-battle-for-honor License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license The following music was used for this media project: Music: Hoplites In Battle by Euan Ford Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6936-hoplites-in-battle License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license 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/ (Photo by Omar Sotillo Franco on Unsplash)

Yes, it's time for my annual list of the best games of the year. As has become tradition, I also announce which game won the accolade of the Top Table Award, which is now in its fourth year. However, you have to be patient for a little while longer, while I list the best five board games of 2022 in reverse order. Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2023/01/07/top-table-award-2022-the-best-board-games-of-the-year-saturday-review/ Useful Links Town 66: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/08/13/town-66-saturday-review/ Gaslands: Refuelled: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/11/26/gaslands-refuelled-saturday-review/ Crescent Moon: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/05/21/crescent-moon-saturday-review/ Nemesis: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/06/18/nemesis-saturday-review/ Pingyao: First Chinese Banks: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/303263/pingyao-first-chinese-banks Brass: Birmingham: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2020/10/03/brass-birmingham-saturday-review/ Pax Pamir: Second Edition: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/08/27/pax-pamir-second-edition-saturday-review/ Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) Sound Effects: bbc.co.uk – © copyright 2002 BBC The following music was used for this media project: Lo-Fi Hip-Hop 03 by WinnieTheMoog (https://filmmusic.io/song/7848-lo-fi-hip-hop-03 - License (CC BY 4.0) - https://linktr.ee/taigasoundprod) Glory Hunters by Rafael Krux (https://filmmusic.io/song/5654-glory-hunters - License (CC BY 4.0) - https://www.orchestralis.net/) Bugbears Be Approaching by Tim Kulig (https://filmmusic.io/song/8518-bugbears-be-approaching - License (CC BY 4.0) - https://timkulig.com/albums) Lofi Chill Hip-Hop by WinnieTheMoog (https://filmmusic.io/song/6347-lofi-chill-hip-hop - License (CC BY 4.0) - https://linktr.ee/taigasoundprod) Epic Intro 2017 by Sascha Ende (https://filmmusic.io/song/558-epic-intro-2017 - License (CC BY 4.0) - https://www.sascha-ende.de) In Pursuit Of A Pirate by Tim Kulig (https://filmmusic.io/song/8520-in-pursuit-of-a-pirate - License (CC BY 4.0) - https://timkulig.com/albums) 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/

In a slight change to our usual schedule, I thought I'd write a quick update and release it outside the normal Tuesday and Saturday slots. I already spoke about some of the highlights from last year in my article "2022 - A Year in Review", including costs and expenses. So in this article, I want to talk about how the Tabletop Games Blog itself performed in 2022, including the time I spent on it as well as how many visitors and views the blog got. Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2023/01/05/tabletop-games-blog-statistics-for-2022-announcement/ Useful Links 2022 - A Year in Review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/12/31/2022-a-year-in-review-saturday-review/ 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/ (Photo by Pietro Jeng on Unsplash)

Even if you're not a particularly competitive player, trying to win the game is what you should aim for. You may not care if you do eventually win and prefer to focus on doing better than previously. That's fine and at the end of the day, playing games is about having fun. However, if you do have even a small competitive streak in you, then this article may help you become a better player and win more often. Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2023/01/03/winning-strategies-ideas-to-help-you-win-topic-discussion/ Useful Links Article about learning from computer players: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/11/29/digital-cheats-practising-against-ais-topic-discussion/ Scythe review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/01/19/scythe/ Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Buzzkiller by Alexander Nakarada Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/5820-buzzkiller License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/ 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/ (Photo by AbsolutVision on Unsplash)

Another year has gone by and a lot has happened, both, in the world at large as well as in the board game hobby. Exhibitions were attended, games were played, articles were written, podcasts were recorded and plenty of other exciting things happened. So let me share with you some of the highlights for me from 2022 and also give you an update on the financial situation of the blog. Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/12/31/2022-a-year-in-review-saturday-review/ Useful Links Naylor Games: https://naylorgames.com/ Gaming Rules: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvIWBOfYGXYQQQORhjAJKCQ Ruined Sky: https://www.ruinedsky.com/ Jones Family Games Night: https://linktr.ee/jonesfamilygamesnight Brainwaves podcast: https://giantbrain.co.uk/tag/brainwaves/ Make My Game Travel: https://makemygametravel.com/ Games I have for sale: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/mygames/#games-for-sale Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopgamesblog Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/tabletopgamesblog Sir Meeple: https://sirmeeple.com/collections/tabletop-games-blog Support me: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/support/ Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) Background Music: The Long View and The Coffee Lounge by Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com) Moda and Corporation by AShamaluevMusic (https://www.ashamaluevmusic.com/) 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/ (Photo by Eyestetix Studio on Unsplash)

Inspired by a Twitter post from Matt at Lost My Meeples, I wanted to talk about what I think a publisher's responsibilities are when it comes to replacing board game components. I think there are some things we will all agree on that a publisher should replace and others where we probably all agree that a publisher doesn't have to send replacements. There will also be plenty of things somewhere in between, that sit in a grey area somewhere and aren't so clear-cut. Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/12/27/dented-replacements-the-issue-with-replacement-parts-for-board-games-topic-discussion/ Useful Links Twitter post from Matt of Lost My Meeples that inspired this article: https://twitter.com/lostmymeeples/status/1601299663784931328 Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Sincerely by Kevin MacLeod Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/5033-sincerely License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://incompetech.com 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/ (Photo by Guillaume de Germain on Unsplash)

It was 2100 and the construction of our gigantic project had begun. We were trying to tackle overpopulation and rising sea levels. Recent advances in technology had enabled us to build higher and stronger buildings that could house more people. We were also able to build on the water, using immense floating platforms as foundations for these wonderful structures. It would take time, but eventually, we would be able to complete our first MegaCity: Oceania by Jordan Draper and Michael Fox from Hub Games. Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/12/24/megacity-oceania-saturday-review/ Useful Links Hub Games: https://www.instagram.com/wearehubgames/ Rulebook: https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/177632/megacity-oceania-rulebook BGG listing: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/266304/megacity-oceania Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Cyberpolis by Michal Mojzykiewicz Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10057-cyberpolis License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://soundcloud.com/michaldrums 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/

I always say that not everyone will like every board game, but there is a board game for everyone. I suppose, I should concede that some people don't like board games at all. Our hobby isn't for everyone and that's fine, of course. However, in this article, I want to look at the sort of games that should suit most people. Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/12/20/everyone-can-play-games-that-should-suit-most-people-topic-discussion/ Useful Links Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/11/12/libertalia-winds-of-galecrest-saturday-review/ Colt Express review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/01/01/colt-express-saturday-review/ Pandemic review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2020/01/18/pandemic-saturday-review/ Forbidden Island review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2020/05/02/forbidden-island-saturday-review/ Jaws review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2020/10/10/jaws-saturday-review/ Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Sincerely by Kevin MacLeod Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/5033-sincerely License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://incompetech.com 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/

It was going to be a real spectacle. The crowds had gathered to watch the masters at work and battle to the bitter end. Only one of them would survive. Then, as the match was about to begin, everyone hushed and an eerie silence filled the arena. It was time for the combatants to throw their dice and Str!ke by Dieter Nüßle from Ravensburger. Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/12/17/strike-saturday-review/ Useful Links Str!ke: https://www.ravensburger.us/products/games/family-games/strike-26840/index.html Ravensburger: https://www.ravensburger.co.uk/en-GB Rulebook: https://www.ravensburger.us/spielanleitungen/ecm/Spielanleitungen/26840%20anl%202050897.pdf?ossl=pds_text_Spielanleitung BGG listing: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/123570/strike Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Here Be Dragons by Tim Kulig Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/8523-here-be-dragons License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://timkulig.com/albums 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/ (Photo courtesy of Ravensburger)

Noah (“Nomich”) Johnson started his family games company, Nomich Games, back in 2020 and he wears many other hats, such as: game design, graphic and web design, customer service, marketing, networking and sales. Nomich Games' mission is to promote community through simple, quick-to-learn, addictively-fun games that get people interacting and laughing together. Read the audio transcript here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/12/14/noah-johnson-let-me-illustrate/ 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 PayPal: https://paypal.me/pools/c/8hovaYouKD Website: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/

In digital games, the idea of a high score table dates back to the 1970s and 80s. Yes, you would eventually run out of lives or credits and therefore lose a console game, but beating your own or someone else's highest point score was much more important. Finishing a game and beating the last boss monster was not really a thing. Many digital games didn't even have an ending as such. They just got more and more difficult. So the question is, if something similar is also possible for analogue games. Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/12/13/victorious-losses-games-without-loss-or-victory-condition-topic-discussion/ Useful Links Elizabeth LaPensée: http://www.elizabethlapensee.com/ Thunderbird Strike: https://www.thunderbirdstrike.com/ 7th Continent: https://the7thcontinent.seriouspoulp.com/ Hamlet review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/12/03/hamlet-the-village-building-game-saturday-review/ Autismo: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/349394/autismo-autism-challenge Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Relaxing Piano Improvisation by Alexander Nakarada Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/5978-relaxing-piano-improvisation License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/ 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/ (Photo by Vince Fleming on Unsplash)

Yes, it is that time of year again when I release a list of games that I think are ideal for you to play over the holidays. My list of Christmas games is not ordered in any particular way. Instead, I am trying to offer five different types of games that will hopefully provide you with one or two choices that suit your taste in games and are a great fit for the festive period. Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/12/10/5-great-christmas-games-saturday-review/ Useful Links Town 66 review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/08/13/town-66-saturday-review/ Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/11/12/libertalia-winds-of-galecrest-saturday-review/ Aquamarine review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/07/16/aquamarine-saturday-review/ Suspects review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/04/09/suspects-saturday-review/ Brian Boru: High King of Ireland review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/04/16/brian-boru-high-king-of-ireland-saturday-review/ Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Wundervolle Weihnacht [instrumental] (feat. Klangkommune) by Sascha Ende Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/7169-wundervolle-weihnacht-instrumental-feat-klangkommune License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://www.sascha-ende.de The following music was used for this media project: Music: Snowflakes by Agnese Valmaggia Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/8701-snowflakes License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://soundcloud.com/user-801147991 The following music was used for this media project: Music: Cinematic Angelical Upeat Ambient by MusicLFiles Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/7213-cinematic-angelical-upeat-ambient License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://cemmusicproject.wixsite.com/musiclibraryfiles 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/ (Photo by freestocks.org on Unsplash)

There is one genre of games that really stands out for me: economic simulations. These types of games scratch a very specific itch, right in the middle of my back, that other games just can't reach. I get an immense feeling of bliss when the tingling finally subsides as I invest money to make more money. In this article, I want to explain in a bit more in detail why this genre makes me feel so good. Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/12/06/economic-simulations-why-i-love-them-so-much-topic-discussion/ Useful Links Brass: Birmingham review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2020/10/03/brass-birmingham-saturday-review/ Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Epic Intro 2017 by Sascha Ende Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/558-epic-intro-2017 License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://www.sascha-ende.de 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/ (Photo by Adeolu Eletu on Unsplash)

It was a sleepy village in the middle of the countryside. The residents were hard-working, cutting down trees for wood and digging up rocks to construct new buildings and planting and harvesting grains to feed the population. Over time, more people were attracted to the village as it grew and grew. Eventually, it was time to build a church in this little Hamlet: The Village Building Game by David Chircop from Mighty Boards. Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/12/03/hamlet-the-village-building-game-saturday-review/ Useful Links Hamlet: The Village Building Game: https://www.mighty-boards.com/11/47/products/Hamlet Mighty Boards: https://www.mighty-boards.com/ Rulebook: https://www.mighty-boards.com/images/user_files/32/Hamlet-Rulebook-Founders-062022.pdf First game scenario: https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/247131/hamlet-first-game-scenario Tutorial and Play-Through video: https://youtu.be/tqFxQpbum90 BGG listing: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/276086/hamlet-village-building-game Brass: Birmingham review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2020/10/03/brass-birmingham-saturday-review/ Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) Sound Effects: bbc.co.uk – © copyright 2002 BBC The following music was used for this media project: Music: Afternoon by DreamHeaven Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6242-afternoon License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://www.patreon.com/dreamheaven 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/

Since the lockdown, many board games have now also been released in digital format. Some of these implementations are just a representation of the physical game on your screen. You still have to move everything by hand and do all the housekeeping. Other solutions enforce rules and carry out all the actions for you. You just need to point and click. Some games also come with AI opponents, allowing you to create a competitive game even when you're by yourself or add additional, digital players to a multiplayer game. In this article, I want to look at using these computer players to help you improve your game. Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/11/29/digital-cheats-practising-against-ais-topic-discussion/ Useful Links Learning digital article: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2021/02/23/learning-digital-topic-discussion/ Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Buzzkiller by Alexander Nakarada Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/5820-buzzkiller License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/ 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/ (Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash)

The apocalypse has finally come. After the breakdown of society, survivors have formed gangs of motorheads, that scour the wasteland for rare and very precious petrol reserves. Their vehicles are highly tricked-out, finely tuned, heavily reinforced and equipped with a wide range of weapons. They will stop at nothing, which is exactly why a small number of the surviving rich elite have organised deadly races, where the gangs are pitted against each other to be the first to reach the finishing line and claim their prize - or be the last survivor in the arena of these Gaslands: Refuelled by Mike Hutchinson from Osprey Games. Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/11/26/gaslands-refuelled-saturday-review/ Useful Links Gaslands: Refuelled: https://ospreypublishing.com/uk/gaslands-refuelled-9781472838834/ Osprey Games: https://ospreypublishing.com/uk/osprey-games/ Quick reference sheet: https://ospreypublishing.com/media/ynedioak/gaslands-refuelled-quick-reference-sheet-v3.pdf BGG listing: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/274428/gaslands-refuelled Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Lyrical Fantasy Trailer by Rafael Krux Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/5684-lyrical-fantasy-trailer License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://www.orchestralis.net/ 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/

I enjoy games with quite a wide range of playing times. I like long games that take a couple of hours or more to play, up to a certain point at least. Anything above three hours is probably going to be too long for me. I also love quick games that take 15 minutes to half an hour, but I'm definitely not a fan of real-time games. In this article, I want to look at how timekeeping affects the gameplay experience. Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/11/22/keeping-time-how-time-limits-can-speed-up-games-topic-discussion/ Useful Links The final round article: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/03/15/the-final-round-topic-discussion/ Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Lofi Chill Hip-Hop by WinnieTheMoog Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6347-lofi-chill-hip-hop License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://linktr.ee/taigasoundprod 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/ (Photo by Pierre Bamin on Unsplash)

A great fire engulfed the Whelming Matches factory. All the water in the world couldn't put it out, so hot it burned. When the flames eventually died down many hours later, one artefact was found among the glowing embers. It was cold to the touch and nobody knew what it was. Maybe it was one of the Matches by Daniel McKinley from Thing 12 Games. Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/11/19/matches-saturday-review/ Useful Links Matches: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thing12games/matches-1 Thing 12 Games: https://thing12games.com/ BGG listing: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/361311/matches Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) Sound Effects: bbc.co.uk – © copyright 2002 BBC The following music was used for this media project: Music: Moving Clouds by Rafael Krux Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/5690-moving-clouds License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://www.orchestralis.net/ 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/

Yota Suzuki is a board game artist and UI designer. He created Tactical Games in 2017 and loves working with other artists to create the best results possible. Read the audio transcript here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/11/16/yota-suzuki-let-me-illustrate/ 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 PayPal: https://paypal.me/pools/c/8hovaYouKD Website: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/

I have often heard that board game reviews should talk about the price of games. If a review tries to help people make a buying decision, then that makes perfect sense. After all, the best game in the world may still just be too expensive and a game that's free may still not be worth it. Of course, there are many steps in between. So how much a game costs is clearly something people consider. Yet, I never mention the price of a game in any of my reviews and I don't plan on doing so in the future. Let me explain... Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/11/15/pricey-games-how-we-value-games-topic-discussion/ Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Afternoon by DreamHeaven Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6242-afternoon License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://www.patreon.com/dreamheaven 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/ (Photo by Terrillo Walls on Unsplash)

Sailing the winds in your sky pirate ship, you and your crew land on a different island each day, looking for treasure, adventure and glory. You need to be fast though, because you're not alone. Other ships in the fleet have followed the same course and they want their share of the varied loot. If the crew member you send to the island is too slow, they will not come back with valuable treasure, but with a terrible curse or worse, they will not return at all. Only the best pirate will make it in Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest by Paolo Mori from Stonemaier Games. Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/11/12/libertalia-winds-of-galecrest-saturday-review/ Useful Links Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest: https://stonemaiergames.com/games/libertalia/ Stonemaier Games: https://stonemaiergames.com/ BGG listing: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/356033/libertalia-winds-galecrest Rulebook: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/4ij2wutuvyvfmmw/AADFVDF35NtqsQbsfPFtVyZ8a?dl=0 The original Libertalia: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/125618/libertalia Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: In Pursuit Of A Pirate by Tim Kulig Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/8520-in-pursuit-of-a-pirate License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://timkulig.com/albums The following music was used for this media project: Music: Bugbears Be Approaching by Tim Kulig Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/8518-bugbears-be-approaching License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://timkulig.com/albums 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/

As many of you probably know, I am a very visual person. I love it when rulebooks are well laid out and have helpful photos that show how something works. The graphic design of game and player boards is also something I think is very important. A good choice of clear icons can really help with understanding how a game works and speed up the flow of a turn. Top it all off with beautiful board game art and you have the complete package, if you ask me. Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/11/08/the-art-of-board-games-topic-discussion/ Useful Links Let me illustrate podcast series: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/let-me-illustrate/ Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Epic Intro 2017 by Sascha Ende Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/558-epic-intro-2017 License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://www.sascha-ende.de 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/

History was an interesting place for all of us. We recognized a number of famous figures, while some were new to us. As we travelled through the ages, we encountered new people and learned about different events. Some eras were more familiar than others. Our aim was to be the first to reach the present day. We all took part in A Race in Time from History Heroes. Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/11/05/a-race-in-time-saturday-review Useful Links A Race in Time: https://www.historyheroes.co.uk/product/board-game-a-race-in-time/ History Heroes: https://www.historyheroes.co.uk/ 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/

Everyone in our hobby loves playing board games. That's by definition, of course. Additionally, there are a lot of board game adjacent hobbies that many of us enjoy, such as miniature painting, card collecting or trading, finding wonderful and usual dice and so much more. However, I think there is something else that many of us really enjoy doing and that is to do with the game before the game - but let me explain. Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/11/01/the-game-before-the-game-topic-discussion/ Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Afternoon by DreamHeaven Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6242-afternoon License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://www.patreon.com/dreamheaven 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/

It was soon time for the most anticipated festival at Death School, whose motto was "Soul to win". According to legend, there was an accident at the school many years ago. Somehow numerous souls had been able to escape, and the teachers and students raced to recapture them all. Every year hence, Papa Death, Osiris, Hei and Bai Wuchang lead the students into a race of reaping souls, the Soulaween by Shi Chen from Play With Us Design. Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/10/29/soulaween-saturday-review/ Useful Links Soulaween: https://pwud.ga/en/product/soulaween_en/ Play with Us Design: https://pwud.ga/en/ BGG listing: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/269766/soulaween Deathigner's animation: https://youtu.be/Mptpw8fQ-lw Deathinger's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/Deathigners Soulaween short comic: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1d8moxx8uq2k_WBEMzvb39bFoTEkhrldf Nine Men's Morris: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3886/nine-mens-morris Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Ghost Story by Kevin MacLeod Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/3805-ghost-story License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://incompetech.com 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 following article was written by Joe Slack from the Board Game Design Course. Hey there. It's Joe Slack from the Board Game Design Course. Oliver was kind enough to let me return and write another guest post on his blog, this time about realtime games and the experience that they deliver. I hope you enjoy the article! Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/10/25/how-realtime-games-deliver-excitement-topic-discussion/ Useful Links Board Game Design Course: https://boardgamedesigncourse.com/ Escape: Curse of the Temple: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/113294/escape-curse-temple Magic Maze: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/209778/magic-maze Fuse: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/171273/fuse Boggle: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1293/boggle 14 Frantic Minutes: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/362865/14-frantic-minutes 14 Frantic Minutes crowdfunding campaign: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/crazylikeabox/14-frantic-minutes Pendulum: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/312804/pendulum Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Perls by MusicParadise Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/5066-perls License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: http://www.music-paradise.de 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/ (Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash)

The Nostromo was returning to Earth with a seven-member crew in stasis. Detecting a transmission from a nearby moon, the ship's computer awakens the crew and they land on the moon. While one part of the crew tracks down the source of the signal, the rest decipher part of the transmission and discover it's a warning - but it's too late! Despite protestations, the returning crew brings with them an Alien: Fate of the Nostromo by Scott Rogers from Ravensburger. Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/10/22/alien-fate-of-the-nostromo-saturday-review/ Useful Links Alien: Fate of the Nostromo: https://www.ravensburger.co.uk/en-GB/products/games/strategy-games/alien-the-game-27029 Ravensburger: https://www.ravensburger.co.uk/en-GB BGG listing: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/332321/alien-fate-nostromo Back to the Future: Dice Through Time review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2020/07/04/back-to-the-future-dice-through-time-saturday-review/ Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) Background Music: Main Title and The Alien Planet from the Alien soundtrack by Jerry Goldsmith, copyright 2007 The Island Def Jam Music Group 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/

Growing up in Germany, I started playing traditional trick-taking games like Skat or Doppelkopf from a relatively young age. I'm used to the idea of suits, trump, following suit, taking tricks, gleaning information from what cards others play and much more. Traditional trick-taking games sort of have their own language. So I love to see modern games developing this mechanism further and incorporating it into other mechanisms, creating completely new game experiences. Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/10/18/tricky-tricks-trick-taking-and-other-games-topic-discussion/ Useful Links Skat: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/6819/skat Doppelkopf: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/9364/doppelkopf The Crew review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2020/12/05/the-crew-the-quest-for-planet-nine-saturday-review/ Fox in the Forest: Duet review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/04/30/the-fox-in-the-forest-duet-saturday-review/ Vivaldi review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/11/23/vivaldi-saturday-review/ Skull King review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2020/01/04/skull-king-saturday-review/ Brian Boru review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/04/16/brian-boru-high-king-of-ireland-saturday-review/ Scout review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/07/02/scout-saturday-review/ Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Lofi by DreamHeaven Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6148-lofi License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://www.patreon.com/dreamheaven 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/ (Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash)

Natural resources had long been depleted on Earth, but the asteroid belt was rich in ion and ore. The battle for control of these invaluable commodities had begun. We were part of this fight and were operating from our own Outpost 18 by Adam Wilk. Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/10/15/outpost-18-saturday-review/  Useful Links Outpost 18 on PNPArcade: https://www.pnparcade.com/products/outpost-18 BGG listing: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/278142/outpost-18 Star Realms: https://www.starrealms.com/ Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Time To 808 by MusicParadise Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/5069-time-to-808 License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: http://www.music-paradise.de 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/

I often play games with my wife. We have a fair few two-player-only games, but mostly we play games that were designed for two people or more. Some games do it really well and the experience is no different to higher player counts. Other games introduce two-player-specific setup or other rules and that can work too. In this article, I want to look at how games, that weren't specifically designed for two people, change, or don't change, when played with two people. Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/10/11/two-players-how-games-change-in-2-player-modes-topic-discussion/ Useful Links Condottiere review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/03/12/condottiere-saturday-review/ Condottiere rulebook: https://images.zmangames.com/filer_public/4f/7a/4f7a025d-9de0-4984-ba1a-f57e81464886/condottiere_rules.pdf Stonemaier Games: https://stonemaiergames.com/ Scythe review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/01/19/scythe/ The Crew review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2020/12/05/the-crew-the-quest-for-planet-nine-saturday-review/ Brass: Birmingham review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2020/10/03/brass-birmingham-saturday-review/ Face-off – interactions in two-player games: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/06/28/face-off-interactions-in-two-player-games-topic-discussion/ Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Lofi Chill Hip-Hop by WinnieTheMoog Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/6347-lofi-chill-hip-hop License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://linktr.ee/taigasoundprod 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/ (Photo by Possessed Photography on Unsplash)

Changing your plumage from pure white to a rainbow of colours wasn't easy. It took time and patience. It was the fruit from the rainbow tree that contained the necessary pigment. Unfortunately, the fruit wasn't always in season and when it was, other birds were quick to eat it before I had a chance to get to it. It was a race, be it a slow and thoughtful one, to become Aves by Shi Chen from Play With Us Design. Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/10/08/aves-saturday-review/ Useful Links Aves: https://pwud.ga/en/product/aves_en/ Play With Us Design: https://pwud.ga/en/ BGG listing: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/224122/aves 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/

So sometimes you play a game and you just don't get on with it. That's understandable, because not every game is for everyone. At the same time, I do think there is a game for everyone. I also think that games deserve a second chance. In this article, I want to look at why we might bounce off games and why the game experience is a lot better when we play the game again at some point later. Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/10/04/second-chance-giving-games-another-try-topic-discussion/ Useful Links Terra Mystica review: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2019/06/01/terra-mystica/ Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Summer Ambient Piano by Rafael Krux Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/5504-summer-ambient-piano License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://www.orchestralis.net/ 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/ (Photo by Becca McHaffie on Unsplash)

The Great Plague was slowly becoming a thing of the past and you had decided to move into the country and start a new village. You had found the perfect location that was big enough to build new houses, workshops and other structures, while also being close enough to farmable land, a large wooded area and there were indications that coal could be mined nearby. It had everything to support a growing community of craftspeople and labourers. Now all you had to do was find Villagers by Haakon Gaarder from Sinister Fish Games. Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2022/10/01/villagers-saturday-review/ Useful Links Villagers: https://sinisterfish.com/product/villagers/ Sinister Fish Games: https://sinisterfish.com/ BGG listing: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/241724/villagers Intro Music: Bomber (Sting) by Riot (https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/) The following music was used for this media project: Music: Cold Journey by Alexander Nakarada Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/4760-cold-journey License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Artist website: https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com/ 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/