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Absolute WBG Score: 7.5 Player Count: 2-6 You’ll like this if you like:  Published by: Nonymous Games Designed by:  Tony Diaz This is a review copy. See our review policy here I love a little card game with a clever scoring mechanism, and Absolute pulled me in with exactly this. It looks mathy, clever, intriguing, and fun, and one I could enjoy with my friends and family both for entertainment but also education, for my kids that is, not my friends. Although, some could benefit! But now I have my hands on a copy and have enjoyed it for a lot of plays (and I've only had it a short while). Is it any fun? Let's get it to the table and find out! How To Set Up Absolute Shuffle the deck and deal five cards to each player, and then place the remaining deck face down in the centre of the table. Take one card from the top and place it face up as a discard pile. You are now ready to play! How To Play Absolute Players take it in turns, using their cards to try and create three sets of cards. On their turn, they will draw one card from the deck and then use their cards to try and create sets of at least three cards (but can be more) of cards that add up to zero combined. The deck is made up of cards numbered one to ten in both positive and negative. So, you could combine a positive five and positive two with a negative seven for a set of three cards that total zero. Make sense? Examples of cards in the game The idea is you are looking to create three sets and go out using all your cards. You can use zeros as wild cards, so they can help with most sums. But you can also take cards from other players' played sets (so long as they are not out of the game yet) and replace a zero another player used with a card you hold that matches what they were using the zero for. For example, if another player was using a zero as a seven you could take this and replace it with a seven of your own, to use however you wish. The game ends when the first player has discarded their final card and played at least three sets. Everyone else gets one more turn to make it equal turns, and then final scoring happens. You will score points for the highest card played in each set, plus an extra point for every card over three in a set, so two bonus points for a set of five cards. You also gain a bonus for any card in a run of three or more, so a set that has a two, three, and four in it would score three points extra for this run of three consecutive cards. And then you will double any set made up of four of the same number or four of the same suit! Such as the below example. Where you would score seven point for seven being the highest card in the set. Then an extra point for having one more card than the minimum of three, so eight in total now. And then double that as every card was the same, so 16 points for this set. How you may score a group of four cards One final thing to note is how open the game is when it comes to building sets. Sets can be made freely using any combination of suits, and on your turn you may lay down as many sets as you are able to create. Suits do not restrict play during the game and only really come into focus at scoring, where they can increase the value of a set. This keeps the gameplay flexible and tactical, letting players focus on clever card use and timing rather than rigid constraints. Is It Fun? Absolute Card Game Review Absolute will really appeal to players who enjoy small card games with clever scoring and lots of little moments of satisfaction. If you like spotting patterns, nudging numbers into place, and squeezing extra value out of a set, there is plenty here to enjoy. It is also a great fit for families, as the math is simple enough to grasp but rewarding enough to stay interesting and potentially even informative for the right ages. 8-13 I would suggest being the sweet spot for academic purposes, way beyond that for simple fun. It feels like the kind of game that can be fun on a casual evening but also quietly educational, especially for kids who like numbers and problem-solving. Sets must equal Zero, like here That said, Absolute will not be for everyone. Players who prefer high interaction, constant drama, or big swingy moments may find it a little too calm and thoughtful. While there is some interaction through upgrading other players’ sets, most of the game is spent focusing on your own hand and planning ahead. If mental arithmetic or careful optimisation puts you off, this may not be the card game that wins you over. What makes Absolute stand out is how open and flexible it feels. Sets can be built freely, turns can be explosive when everything lines up, and the scoring system constantly tempts you to push a little further. Do you lock in a safe set, or do you add one more card to chase bonus points? The way runs, extra cards, and matching numbers or suits all layer together gives the game a satisfying puzzle-like feel that rewards smart play without becoming overwhelming. Pros Clever, layered scoring system Flexible set building with meaningful choices Easy to teach but rewarding to master Works well for families and mixed-age groups Cons Limited player interaction during most turns Can feel quite maths-focused for some players Less exciting for those who prefer high-chaos card games In the end, Absolute is a small card game with a big brain and a gentle charm. It looks mathy, clever, intriguing, and fun, and it delivers on all four. It is the sort of game that invites repeat plays, encourages improvement, and quietly rewards smart thinking. If you enjoy compact card games with elegant rules and satisfying decisions, Absolute is well worth getting to the table.

This is a preview copy sent to us for our early opinions. No money exchanged hands. Some art, rules or components will change in the final game. Proving Grounds is a new trick-taking game (with a twist) from the people that have brought us many other trick-taking games (with twists!) Such as Justice , which incorporates deduction, Tolerance , which uses a historical background to make every card played in a trick available to be used by the player who wins the trick; and my personal favourite, White Hat . A trick-taking game set in a hacking universe, which incorporates a board that you move along, alongside the usual trick-taking mechanic. So these peeps have pedigree! But what have they cooked up for us this time? Well, Proving Grounds is an intriguing trick-taker that incorporates a clever card playing mechanic that simulates a fight between rival clans. There are six suits in total, but across three colours. Two colours have two sub-suits you see. These six suits all linked in a circle, like the hexboard below. And when you lead with a suit, players can follow with the same suit, or either one of the suits that reside next to it on the hexboard. Twist number one. All the cards are multi-purpose too, and you can flip then round to any orientation, and use each card for either one of the two suits and value it shows on either end. Twist number two. As such, when players play a card, they must make it clear which side they are using, and then all other players must follow with either the same suit, or one that is adjacent to the lead suit on the Hexboard. If you do not want to do this, or cannot do this, you must pass. When play returns to the lead player, that does not end the trick. They can decide to play another card if they wish. Maybe they are no longer winning the trick and they want to change that! Play does not stop until two consecutive players pass. Twist number three. At the end of the trick, if any player has not played at card, they must then discard a card from their hand and take a penalty token. If ever any player has seven penalties, the game immediately ends. Penalties will score you minus one point at the end of the game. player that ended the game with seven penalties will come last no matter what the scores were. The winner of the trick then places a white marker into a space within the hexboard either to their left or to their right. They must place this into a space matching the card they just won with. Then at the end of the round, when the first player runs out of cards, all players score both hexboard's to their left and right. This way, players share each board with one different player but score the cumulative score of both boards on either side of them. The way you score is by seeing which side, the red or blue, has the most white markers in it. Then you will place down a score marker on the centre of the hexboard with the plus two oriented towards the side with the most white markers. You then score two points for each marker on this side. The white markers on the other side lose you a point for each one. This way, as you play the tricks, you are not just thinking about how you may win, but how the card you are trying to win with may either help or hinder your scoring at the end of the round. Will it be placed on a side where you already have a majority and thus increase the chance that side gets the plus two over the minus one? Or could it do the opposite of that? You have two choices of hexboard to use each time you do this, and other players will, of course, affect them when they win tricks too. Twist number four! The game works like this, over three rounds. After each round, all white markers are replaced with orange ones, which block spaces but do not score for the next round. So, as you continue into later rounds, you need to find ways to manipulate the game and your two hexboard's so you can win tricks with new cards from new suits. All the while, tracking how your neighbours are scoring on their other hexboard that they don't share with you, so you can monitor who is ahead of you, which side hexboard you need to focus on, and how you can best put yourself into a position to win the game. All this combines to create a trick-taking game, where every hand matters. Every card is important. And every card can be one of two things, and you have so many options of how and when you should pay each card, and then how, if you win the trick, you score that card. It keeps your focused and in the game at all times. And considering this is just three rounds, this is a quick game. But you are fully engrossed at all points. It never fails to impress me when people come up with new ways to use old mechanics. And this is not just the fusion of a few mechanics into one new experience. It feels more like the development of a new mechanic. I am not sure what that would be called. I suppose it is the combination of multi-use cards in a trick-taking game, with multi-score zones, in a semi-cooperative, hand management card game? If that sounds like fun to you, then check out the upcoming crowdfunding for this game. I will add the link when it goes live. I believe it will be some time in 2026.

This is a preview copy sent to us for our early opinions. No money exchanged hands. Some art, rules or components will change in the final game. If you have played Factory 42 or Mine 77 then this game's theme may ring a few Dwarf shaped bells! Like those games, the 15th Stamp takes place in the grand Halls of Bureaucracy in Odrixia. A flood of documents covers the desks of overwhelmed government officials, each needing to be stamped and authorised according to set procedures. And it's your job to sort them... by playing a trick-taking game! But here, you don't follow suit. There are no trumps. You can play whatever you want! How is there order in that? Well stick around and find out. How To Set Up 15th Stamp To start a Round, the lead player, known as the Administrator takes all cards from the same numbers as suits as there are players, plus one. There are eight suits in the game, so this plays up to seven players. They will shuffles the deck of chosen suits, and deals all the cards evenly among the players. If there are leftover cards that cannot be dealt evenly, these are set aside for the Round, unseen, and will not be used. You should never start playing a Round with more than 12 cards per player. In a three-player game, you will have 13 cards each, so each player must choose one card to discard without revealing it. The Lead player is always the player to the left of the Administrator. How To Play 15th Stamp Each Round is made up of multiple Tricks. For each Trick, play proceeds clockwise, beginning with the Lead player. On your turn, you play one card at a time into the Trick. You do not need to follow suit; any card of any Suit and Rank can be played. The Trick continues until the total combined Rank value of all cards played reaches or exceeds the Target Value of 15. The Trick ends immediately once 15 is reached. This means that players may have played a different number of cards into the Trick, and some players may not have played any cards at all. When playing your cards, make sure to keep them separate from other players’ cards so you can easily retrieve your own later. Ideally, play them in front of you, not into a shared trick pile as usual with these sort of games. Now, calculate the total Rank value of cards played for each Suit that participated in the Trick. If two or more Suits tie for the highest total value, the Suit containing the last card played becomes the scoring Suit for that Trick. All players who played cards of the scoring Suit now retrieve the cards they played. The player who played the highest Rank card of the scoring Suit places that card face up in front of them. This will be worth two points at the end of the game. If there are two or more cards of equal highest Rank, the last one played takes precedence and becomes the face-up card. Other players who contributed to the scoring Suit place one of their cards face down in front of them. These are worth one point. Any remaining cards in the Trick are discarded. The player to the immediate left of the player who caused the Trick to reach 15 becomes the new Lead player and starts the next Trick. The Round ends when any player plays their last card. The current Trick then becomes the last Trick of the Round. It is played out as usual until either the total reaches 15 or all players run out of cards. Any remaining cards left in players’ hands at the end of the Round are discarded. Once the Round is complete, record Victory Points for each player on the Scorepad. Remember, each face-up card scores two points and each face-down card scores one point. If any player has reached the End Game score on 20 or more points, the game ends and a winner is determined. Otherwise, the first player to run out of cards becomes the Administrator, and the game continues with a new Round starting at the Deal. The game continues in Rounds until one or more players reach 20 Victory Points. The player with the most Victory Points at that time is the winner. Of course, if players want a longer game, they may agree to increase the winning total before the game starts. If two or more players tie with the highest Victory Points, the game is considered a joint win. Is It Fun? 15th Stamp Card Game Preview What makes this game fun is the constant tension around the number 15. Every card played pushes the trick closer to an abrupt end, and you are never quite sure how many cards you or your opponents will get to contribute before it stops, if any! That creates a push-your-luck feeling that is easy to grasp but surprisingly tense, especially as hands get smaller and every decision matters more. You can play higher cards to stop other players from having a chance to contribute, but then you may want to play a few cards into it if you have a lot of a certain suit, as you may have a chance to score them all. This also sets the game apart from more traditional trick-taking games. You are not following suit, you are not playing exactly one card per Trick, and you are not even guaranteed to take part in every Trick. Instead, scoring is driven by timing, suit totals, and who plays the decisive card at the right moment. Tricks end suddenly, scoring can swing on a single play, and the usual rhythms of trick taking are turned on their head. Its ridiculous fun! Players who enjoy clever card games with simple rules and lots of table talk should definitely keep an eye on this one. It will appeal to trick-taking fans looking for something fresh, as well as players who like tactical games that reward reading the table rather than memorising conventions. If you enjoy games that are quick to teach but hard to master, this is one worth watching when it comes out.

This is a preview copy sent to us for our early opinions. No money exchanged hands. Some art, rules or components will change in the final game. First Published July 5th 2025. Updated 10th Jan 2026. Below are the words at the start of the rule book. I will leave this here for you to read, word for word. Quantum Tricks supports 3-5 players and plays similarly to many other Trick taking games, making it simple to learn. But there area few twists which make it very difficult to master. Instead of just one Trick, you will be playing to up to three Tricks at any one time, requiring considerable hand strategy. And, oh yes, you’re not actually trying to win the most Tricks. Intrigued? Well, yes! I am intrigued in fact! What a brilliant opening. This game is coming to Kickstarter soon. I will add a link when I have one. How To Set Up Quantum Tricks Card Game To set up, place the three Trick markers on the table, spaced out so there’s plenty of room to lay cards around each one. I don't have these with the preview copy but its essentially like a four sided dice, with four colours either side to signify the different players. These are used to identify who owns each card placed on the table in three separate areas. You'll find out why soon! Build the deck based on how many are playing. If there are three players, take out all cards ranked four, five, six and seven. If there are four players, just remove cards ranked four and five. If there are five of you, keep the whole deck as it is. Each player picks one of the coloured edges or numbered sides on the Trick markers to use as their player identifier. This helps everyone see whose cards belong to whom. And then simply, you are left with the task of picking first player. The game very helpfully suggests you do this by picking the last person who has been into space which my buddy Buzz loves. How To Play Quantum Tricks The dealer shuffles the whole deck and deals everyone the same number of cards. If there are any leftover cards, put them aside unseen. They will not be used this round. On your turn, play a single card next to your player marker on one of the trick slots. You can either add your card to an existing trick, (if you do this, you must follow the suit that has already been led in that trick) or, you can start a new trick in an empty slot using a suit currently not in play. There can be three tricks running at once you see! Three trick markers, three tricks at once! Cool huh! But that isn't the end of the twists o this game. When you start a new trick, you must choose a suit that is not already in use in any current trick. If you cannot follow suit in any trick and cannot legally start a new trick, then you must play a card face down as space debris. When you do, you can place your debris in any trick. The debris still counts as a card towards finishing that trick. But it's not good for you! In a three player game, the lowest player count, then anyone can play a second card into the fourth slot. A very interesting twist! As soon as a fourth card is played into a trick, that trick is resolved. Space debris cards count towards the four. The player who played the most powerful card wins that trick. Remember to check for special effects from the lowest cards when you decide who wins. The are called Spacial anomalies. More on that soon! When you win a trick, take all the face-up cards and keep them in a single pile in front of you. This pile shows you have won one trick. Keep each trick you win in its own separate pile. Any space debris cards from that trick go back, still face down, to the players who played them. Those players keep them as penalties points at the end of the round. Tricks will finish at different times, so new empty slots will open up and close as the round goes on. The round ends when all cards have been played. If there are unfinished tricks left, give them to the player who has the strongest card in each trick at that moment. Then it is time to score. When you score, first look at how many tricks everyone won. The player who won the most tricks went over budget and gets zero points. If there is a tie for the most tricks, all those players get zero. Everyone else scores one point for every trick they won. Then take off one point for each piece of space debris you played. There is a special rule too. If you win exactly five tricks, you make a historic discovery. In that round only, players who also have exactly five tricks get to score their points and avoid space debris penalties. It is possible to have a negative score in a round, but your total score for the whole game cannot go below zero. At the end of each round, the next player clockwise becomes the new dealer. You will play as many rounds as there are players. At the end, the player with the most points is the winner. Now for the anomalies! When working out who played the most powerful card, the three lowest cards in each suit have special effects. You can see these on the cards. If you play a zero, you must remove the highest printed face value card currently in that trick. This happens straight away as you play the zero, so the trick still keeps the same number of cards. If you play a one, it normally counts as one. But if there is an eleven in the same trick, your one beats the eleven. If you play a two, it normally counts as two. But if there is a ten in the same trick, your two beats the ten. These again are shown on the card in a clear way so you wont forget as you play them. Is It Fun? Quantum Tricks Card Game Preview What makes this game feel different and fun is how it runs several tricks at the same time. Instead of waiting around for one trick to finish before starting the next, you are juggling up to three at once. It keeps everyone involved every turn because the shape of the game changes so quickly. One trick might be almost done while another has just started, so you are always rethinking where to put your cards and what might happen next. Another clever touch is the idea of space debris. You cannot always play what you want, so sometimes you are forced to dump a card face down as rubbish. It feels a bit like a last resort, but even that has weight because it still helps push a trick towards finishing if you playing in a three player. And if you have the most powerful card this would be a good thing! But it does cost you points. It is a simple rule, and a clever way to keep the tricks moving even when you cannot follow suit, but it creates tension in ways throwing a dead card away in other trick-taking games does not do. But we haven't even mentioned the special low cards that can flip everything yet! Playing a zero and wiping out the highest card in the trick feels cheeky and clever, and everyone can see it coming but can rarely stop it. This makes playing higher cards early a huge risk, as a ten or 11 could be quickly usurped by a special card. You need to clock when those cards are out of the game and then strike with your higher cards that you have been holding since then. But what if the player with the Blue one is holding that and you are holding your blue 11 at the same time? What if you have both the one and 11 of the same card? What really brings it all together is the scoring twist. The fact that winning too many tricks can be bad forces you to hold back. You cannot just throw your best cards out every time or try to win every trick. Although the historic discovery rule where getting exactly five tricks wipes your penalties and scores points adds another layer if your hand is strong enough and there is a chance to go for that. But what if you do, and end with four, and that's the highest number! Zero for you. It keeps you thinking throughout! It becomes a real push and pull, trying to win but not win too much, and timing when to play those powerful cards. It feels quick, sharp, and just messy enough to be fun. How people keep reinventing trick-taking I do not know! But they have, and they continue to do so, and I am here for it.

Orbit WBG Score: 7.5 Player Count: 2-4 You’ll like this if you like:  Published by: Bitewing Games Designed by: Reiner Knizia This is a review copy. See our review policy here By Steve Godfrey An orbit is defined as a spacecraft or celestial object going round and round and round and round and round and round and round (checks minimum allowed word count) and round a star, planet, or moon. So with that in mind, let’s orbit my thoughts on this game as we go round and round and round and round and round and round. How to Orbit First, pick a side of the board, but for your first game, stick to the recommended side. Give each player a board and a planet token in each color except the same color as their ship. Place the planets on one of the spaces on each of their colored tracks. Then place the space station tokens randomly on the board in the assigned spaces. Shuffle the deck of cards and give three to each player.  On a player's turn, they play a card and then enact the actions on it in any order. The number on the card is the number of spaces you move your ship, and you can move up to that many spaces. Ships will move along the intersections on the triangles on the board.  If you end your move on a planet, then you collect that planet and remove it from your player board. Some planets will give you a special boost like upgrading your energy limit or hand size, and two will give you a special one-off movement ability. If a planet is moved and there are players' ships on it, then they move along with the planet. If you end your move on a space station, depending on what it is, you either take the token for its upgrade ability or use its one-off ability. The one-off abilities are either Hyper Jump, in which you can travel to another hyperjump portal on the board, or the Hyper Accelerator Cannon. This allows you to travel as far as you want across the board in a straight line.  The planets on the card will tell you which planets to move. Planets will move from space to space on their track in the direction they’re facing. You may also find special abilities on the card. Some will give you a certain amount of energy, and some will give you energy up to your maximum. Some will reverse the direction of the planets. All the actions on the card are optional except moving the planets.  You can spend energy cubes on your turn to add an extra movement for each one you spend. At the end of your turn, draw back up to your maximum hand size. This will carry on until one player has collected all of the unique planets and got back to their home planet.  Racing. In. Spaaaaaace. You know, I think there’s a reason that Reiner Knizia is the most prevalent designer in board games at the moment. It’s because he doesn’t always like to overcomplicate a lot of his games. Well, not the ones I’ve played. Take Orbit, for example. Play a card, it shows how you move, how a planet moves, and maybe a small bonus. Chuck in some special movement rules and done, print, onto the next one. It’s not a bad way to make a living, but more importantly, it works. The first time we played Orbit, my mate turned to me and said, ‘it’s nice to play something a bit old school,’ and that’s exactly how Orbit feels, old school. Everything about it screams classic game. The way movement works, the simplicity of the gameplay, heck, even the board has a classic look to it. If it wasn’t for Ian O'Toole's artwork all over the box and the rulebook, you’d think you were playing something from the 80s. All of this is quite ironic (don’t you think) when you realize that out of the three games in this recent space trilogy from Bitewing Games, this is the only original design. The other two are remakes of his previous designs. With so many racing games on the market these days, it must be all too easy to fall into that rabbit hole of trying to think of something new and complex and dynamic in its ruleset, something new that no one has seen before. I reckon Reiner Knizia saw that and simply said ‘nah,’ but probably not in an Essex accent. He probably just wrote two words on his notepad: Simple, Fun. And do you know what? He kinda nailed it. Just the simple act of playing a card, moving your ship, and a number of planets makes room for so much strategy that you probably don’t need anything else. (There obviously is, I’ll get to that later). I’ll say now that although this game is strategic, trying to forward plan that strategy is probably fruitless to a point. So much of this board state can shift so drastically by your next turn that any plans you did have probably aren’t going to be feasible when you get to go again unless by some miracle no one has interfered with your plan. This becomes even more miraculous as the player count goes up.  Half of the fun of this game is adapting to what’s laid out in front of you. Now, I know that won’t appeal to a lot of the planners out there, but being able to pull something out of the bag regardless of what state everyone else has left the board in is really satisfying. That said, the game gives you enough things to do even if you're not able to reach any planets on your turn. There are enough space stations scattered around the board that you’ve generally got something to go for that will help your game.  At the very least, you’ll be able to power up your ship for when you get energy or give yourself more cards in hand. Both of these go a long way to help mitigate the ever-changing board state.  It’s the hyper jump and the hyperspace accelerator cannons that are gonna be your biggest jump (literally) to victory. I love the fact that you have these extra ways to bounce around the board, which is a much-needed boost when you realize how much movement that would take normally. It's a clever way to keep people in the game on those occasions when things are bunched up on the other side of the board.  The planets align. On the face of it, this doesn't seem like a mean game, and it kinda isn't. However, there are ways you can mess with your opponents simply by doing the one thing that the game requires you to do: move planets. For the most part, you’ll want to move planets nearer to you, but the cards in your hand won't always help you with that. So if you can't help yourself in one way, then why not help in the other way and cheekily move planets away from other players. I’d be lying if I said that I didn't find it fun to watch someone be on the cusp of a planet only to shift it away from them at the last minute and add in an “oh sorry, I had to play that card to get where I needed.” The hardest part of all is trying to hide the evil grin when you do it.  Does space need expanding? As I mentioned earlier, there are ways to change up the game in the box. First, there's an extra planet to go for. This replaces one of the space stations on the board and really just adds one more planet to make the game a bit longer and is especially recommended for two players. There is also a four-player team variant, which I haven’t personally felt the need to try, and finally, you have the variant side of the board. This side has diverging paths for the planets rather than the one set path on the regular side and is my preferred way to play the game. It adds that extra layer of strategy without overcomplicating the game, and yes, I do think you could even teach the game using this side of the board. Plus, seeing someone set themselves up on a course to reach a planet and then you slam it off course will never get old for me.  Be aware that the spaces for player movement won’t be all that clear. From the close-ups in the photos, it looks fine, but on a table at a distance, they’re not as clear as I would have liked. Although I appreciate that there's a balancing act of looks and form at play here. Orbit feels like a classic-style board game. It doesn’t do anything to reinvent the wheel, but the simple, fun gameplay goes to prove that you don’t necessarily need to. Games don’t need to go out of their way to do something different to stand out. They just need to be fun, and this game is absolutely that.  Right, I’m getting dizzy now, so I’m off to circle the planet in the other direction to see if that helps. I’ll go round and round and round… you see where this is going.

Moon Colony Bloodbath WBG Score: 7 Player Count: 1-5 You’ll like this if you like: Galaxy Trucker Published by: Rio Grande Games Designed by: Donald X. Vaccarino This is a review copy. See our review policy here By Steve Godfrey This is a game where humans are colonizing the moon when all of a sudden things start going wrong; robots are fighting back, and people are dying! I mean, if that doesn't sound like the cold open of a Doctor Who episode, I don't know what does! How to colonise the moon (don't worry it’ll be fine) Give each player their board, deck of perk cards, 4 building cards, and starting resources, including 30 colonists. (Don't get too attached to them.) Now build the starting deck by shuffling the four Work cards and the two Trouble cards together along with two random twist cards. The game is run using this shared deck, which will have cards added to it throughout the game. One player simply flips over the top card, and players will simultaneously play it out, after which the next card is flipped, and it happens again. When the deck runs out, it's reshuffled, and you go again. This will keep happening until one player has lost all of their colonists, at which point the player with the most colonists left wins.  When a Work card is flipped, players can take one of the actions on their player board. Mine will get you 4 money, Farm gets 4 food, and Research gets you 2 building cards. Restock will let you put a crate on cards you’ve played into your colony. Build will let you play a building card. Pay the cost in the top left corner and play it in front of you. The number on the top right is how many colonists inhabit that building. (Seriously, don't even think about naming any of them.) Some cards are color-coded and will add to your actions when you take them. Some will also give you ongoing abilities. Some will also have a "when played" ability. Some of these buildings will let you add development cards or perk cards into the shared deck. There are cards that are generally helpful in some way. Perk cards are character-specific, while development cards can be used by all players. When a Trouble card is flipped, you put the next event card into the deck. There is a deck of 13 event cards in number order. Whenever you are instructed to add any card to the deck, it goes immediately on the top of the deck so it's drawn next. Since this is simultaneous play, if many cards get added in the same turn, they are shuffled together and added to the top of the deck. Event cards are bad, and you’re going to have two added to the deck each round. You can always see what the next event is before it gets added to the deck, so you can have some time to prepare… maybe. Events will generally have you discarding cards, losing colonists, and adding robots to the deck. Robots who have broken their programming and not in a Kryten from Red Dwarf kind of way. I mean in the screaming and death kind of way.  Like I said, eventually you’ll start to lose colonists (see, I told you not to name them), and when you do, you’ll take them first from your supply on your board. When you’ve run out of those, you need to start destroying your buildings to pay the cost. Don't worry, though, some may make it out alive… but don't expect them to last that much longer. Once one player has no more colonists and buildings left, the game is over. The player with the most colonists left wins.  This is all going to be fine. If there was ever a game that is the definition of the phrase “well, that escalated quickly,” then Moon Colony Bloodbath may be it. As much as you can prepare people for the absolute chaos that is going to ensue, you can never really prepare them for just how quickly things will escalate. In fact, it’ll be about round two when the first delightful robot will be added to the deck, but it'll be about round three that the true panic will start to set in and people really start to see the bloodbath and the running and the screaming… It's such a delightful theme.  The game is essentially an engine builder, and for a little bit, you may be fooled into thinking that this engine-building lark is pretty simple. You build your buildings, you get your perks (sometimes literally), and you carry on, and at first, it’s alright. You've got four work cards coming out and actions aplenty, and if you can manage to get a couple of cards built that combo off each other, it turns out to be a really delightful time on the moon. Until it isn’t. Now, I’m not one to start getting into odds (mainly because I’m terrible at math), but at the start of the game, you’ll have a 50/50 chance of getting a work card and taking an action, and at that point, the game just runs like a standard game. As the game goes on, however, and more cards are added to the deck, those odds get smaller and smaller. As they get smaller, the tension and the panic start to rise. Sooner or later, you’ll start getting desperate for those work actions. Colonists start to get lost, so you need to play a building, and good news! You have one you can play, but you just need that work action to come out before anything happens that makes you discard a card. Now every card flip is preceded by each player praying desperately that the next card is something that will help them pull themselves back from the brink of total loss.  If there's one piece of advice I can give you for this game, then it's this: manage people's expectations before the game. This is one of those games that I can easily see rubbing some people up the wrong way, doubly so if they don’t know what they're in for. If you tell them, “Oh, it's just a quick, kinda light engine builder,” and they get excited by that, then you can't blame them if they get annoyed by what this game actually turns out to be. Let people know that it can get chaotic and silly and that you’re essentially just lining up dominos only for them to immediately be knocked down again. The game is like a depressing version of the Chumbawamba song. They get knocked down, but they probably ain't getting back up again. If you explain the game to people properly, they can choose to embrace the silliness, and they’ll most certainly have a much better time with it.  In respect to the engine-building aspect of the game, it works pretty well. Yes, it’s pretty much luck-driven on the cards you draw, but if you can get a good combo of cards that play off of each other, it can feel really satisfying. As you can tell, anyone who may have a problem with the rampant destruction aspect of this isn't going to be a fan of this one, and that's fine. This sits in a weird niche with the likes of Galaxy Trucker and is certainly one of those Marmite-style games. Although I’d say that this will probably appeal more than Galaxy Trucker due to it being far less chaotic and actually quite measured by comparison.  On the subject of silliness, the theme, the art, and, well, let’s face it, the title goes a long way to embrace that and not lull you into a false sense of security. Unlike the lapsed security on your moon base, of course.  “I’m afraid I can’t do that Dave” I enjoyed my first few plays of this. As I’ve played it more and more, though, I’ve found the highs of those first few games dropping off. Not a massive amount. I still enjoy the game, but it’s just not captured me as much as those early plays. After a while, the game starts to feel a bit procedural. Because the makeup of the event deck doesn’t change from game to game, it gives it a predictability. Now, for some people, this’ll be perfect since they can challenge themselves to beat the event deck while having some foreknowledge. Personally, I found it toned down the randomness and the potential chaos that makes the game what it is. I get that it’s done that way for balance, and don’t get me wrong, there is still some randomness in regards to the twists, development cards, and robots, but how many of these appear in a given game can vary wildly. So for me, the thing that makes this game is the people I’m playing with. It needs the right group to really play into the silliness and really interact with the theme, which then heightens the fun factor for me and brings the game to life. It’s not essential to play the game, of course, but it really upped the enjoyment for me. As I said earlier, the engine building can work really well, but again, luck can play a crucial factor, and those who manage to get a decent set of cards that combo well are certainly going to fare better than those who don’t. I know this isn’t a game I’m overly fussed about winning, but I do like to at least try, and not having that chance because of a bad card draw doesn’t feel great.  Moon Colony Bloodbath is what happens when an efficiency puzzle and a party game have a baby, and it turns out it births a fully fledged teenager of a board game. Thoughtful and brilliant one minute, and chaotic and devastating the next. Most of all, this is bound to bring a smile to the face of those who take it in the spirit that it's presented, and look, if the title of the game doesn't clue you into what’s in store when you open this box, then I don't know what will.  Right, I’m off to check on the robots on that new moon colony. I just found a part from their processing units that I missed putting in. It’s just one little thing, though, what could possibly go wrong? I’m sure it's all absolutely fine.

By Steve Godfrey I've been doing one of these top ten lists for the last three years, so hopefully, you know the drill by now. These are my ten favorite games that I played for the first time this year and not necessarily released this year. I’ll leave a link to any review we already have on the site. Keep checking back, though, because I am planning to review a lot of those that haven’t been reviewed in the future. This was another really hard top ten to put together. I did my usual and used Pub Meeple to hone down my choices, but even then, I wasn’t sure. I was half tempted to put the games into a randomizer and use the list that it spit out. Aside from number 1, I could easily make an argument for any of them being in a different position. But, I made the commitment and ranked them, and I’m happy with where they all are, and I definitely don’t feel like I want to rearrange them… at all… not again… ever… right, give me a sec, I just need to do something. Honourable Mentions Yep, this is the part of the list that’s basically an excuse for me to have 12 games on my list and still call it a top ten. Because let’s face it, whittling a list down to just ten suggests I’m disciplined. Ready, Set, Bet - A fantastic game that I was absolutely spoiled by on my first play with the deluxe edition. A fun and frantic horse racing game that will have you cheering and shouting with your mates. The only reason it’s not in the top ten is because it’s not been as easy to get to the table as I would have liked.  Star Wars: Battle of Hoth - This sits in the pantheon of great Star Wars games, but the reason it hasn't quite hit the 10 spot is because it’s essentially Memoir ‘44. I love that game and this is just as great, but I need more time with it to appreciate that it's more than just Memoir ‘44 with a Star Wars skin. I’m sure it will rise with more plays, especially once I’ve properly played that campaign mode. If I ever do a retrospective of this list, then I’m sure I’ll be berating past me for not putting it on the list of my Top Ten Games of 2025. Top Ten Games of 2025 10. Cretaceous Rails (Spielcraft Games) Iiiiiiin 10 (there’s my British TV reference for this list), Cretaceous Rails won me over with its clever action system. Each round, you take the action tiles, shuffle them, and lay them out in a grid. To take an action, place your pawn between two of the tiles and take both actions. It’s unique, and the fact that the grid changes each round keeps the game fresh. Couple that with its fun decision space and cool look and theme, and we have one of the better dinosaur park games. It’s currently at number 10 purely because I’ve only had one play, but I can easily see this rising with more.  Check out Jim’s review here 9. Trio (Cocktail Games) Trio clocked in as my most played game last year, and there’s a reason. It’s a quick, easy-to-learn card game in which players try to get sets of cards by asking players what their highest and lowest cards are, similar to something like Go Fish. It’s easy to throw into the bag on game nights and is great to throw in at any point of the night. Like a lot of the great card games, it’s easy to get caught in the “one more game” loop. 8. The Mystery Agency: The Bookshop Murder (The Mystery Agency) The first book in this brilliant series was number three on my list last year, but don’t let its position on this year's list lead you into thinking that the quality has dropped. This brilliant mix of single puzzles interwoven into an overarching story is still just as wonderful as its predecessor and a worthy follow-up that leaves you begging for the next one.   7. Thunder Road Vendetta (Restoration Games) This is another one that, with a few more plays, I can see being higher because it’s utter, chaotic fun. This is a “race” game in which the race aspect feels more like an alternative way to end the game, more like a suggestion, if you will. We all know, though, that the best way to win the game is by wiping out your opponents' cars by shooting them or crashing into them and watching the beautiful chaos play out. I was lucky enough to grab a copy when it came back into stock on one site for a split second, and now I’m just looking forward to how much chaos I can cause in the future. 6. Wyrmspan (Stonemaier Games) I’ll admit to being a bit sceptical when this was first announced. I wasn’t sure if it would be different enough from Wingspan to warrant owning it just for the different theme. Then I played it, and oh boy, was I wrong. The changes made give this game more bite and more of that combo-tastic gameplay, and that makes it all the more satisfying. I love the flexibility in how many actions you can have. I even wondered if the guild board would do much when I first saw it, but I found myself planning a lot of turns around it. I’ve certainly been enjoying it even more than its avian predecessor. It’s not in the collection yet, but I’ve got a feeling it may just make its way in at some point.  Check out Jim’s review here 5. Castle Combo (Hachette, Catch Up Games) A satisfying combo is one of my favorite things in games, so a game with "Combo" in the title has got to be a shoo-in for a top games list. It’s a game that has consequences from the very first card you play. Even though it feels like you have the freedom to play your cards anywhere in your 3x3 grid at the start, you really need to be thinking a few steps ahead to be truly competitive. It also has a lovely little nod to The Princess Bride in the artwork, and that alone would earn it a place in this list. It's just a bonus that the gameplay is also brilliant.  4. General Orders: Sengoku Jidai (Osprey Games) The first General Orders game was a brilliant mix of war game and worker placement game and served as a brilliant, tight, and tense two-player game. This new edition takes that core gameplay and manages to improve upon it simply by taking the fight to the seas as well. This simple change really opens the game up strategically. I love the artwork and the new theme, which I think will appeal more to those who don’t like game themes around the world wars. Just like the Undaunted series (by the same designers), this series is one to watch in the future. 3. Galileo Galilei (Pink Troubadour) I've been trying to not get caught up in the Instagram hype with games until I’ve played them because I’ve been stung before. This was in that category……and then I played it and saw why it was getting the love and why this designer may be one to put on my watch list because (spoiler) he may be appearing in this list later. I love the rondel which is ever changing and the fact that you can update the actions to make them more powerful. I love that as the game goes on you can really get some great chaining going on with your actions. The difficult decisions come into their own with the addition of the inquisitors. Because a lot of actions include taking them and moving them (which can get you negative points) it can really make those bigger chains risky, but a fun risk. 2. Joyride Turbo (Rebellion Unplugged) How do you truly know that a game has won you over? Well, when you are given a review copy for the two-player version and almost immediately go and order the big box with everything! While Thunder Road is mostly chaos, Joyride sets out to bring some balance and a bit of strategy to the fold while also being a bit more forgiving. The way the dice are used gives you some control of your turns, but the freedom of the open “track” means that there’s always a chance to come back from catastrophe. To top it off, they’ve now got a version that plays six players, and it’s all compatible with everything else! Check out my review of Joyride Next Gen here . 1  SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (Czech Games Edition) Well, here we are at number one Top Ten Games of 2025, and this is my once-per-year cheat for this list. I technically played this at the back end of December in 2024, but it was a two-handed learning game, so I’m not counting it. This is the game that put Tomas Holek on the board gaming map, and what a way to do it. SETI throws in everything I want in a game: multi-use cards, combo tactic turns, and lots of paths to victory. It’s like the folks at CGE had abducted me and scanned my brain for my board game wishlist. I did offer to send it to them, but they have their own methods, I suppose. I’m currently eagerly awaiting my pre-order of the space agencies expansion, which could see this game rocket into my top ten (if it isn’t already). Check out my SETI review here

This is a free preview copy of the game. See our review policy here . Some components and art may change in the final version of the game. You can find out more here . OK, this is an interesting one. This is not the sort of game we usually cover here on WBG. But the designer of the game, Nathan, sent me a personalized video message, asking for help with the game, where he seemed genuinely excited about the game and how it may land with us. I am a sucker for that kind of thing! Nathan pitched it to me as Exploding Kittens meets UNO but with monkeys. Which does not really get me going, other than the monkeys bit, but he went on to say that you never really wait for your turn to play, due to some always-play cards, and told me that the art was hand-drawn by a former Disney artist. OK, fine. You got me, Nathan, I'm in. But is it any good? Let's get it to the table and find out. How To Set Up Bananarchy Card Game Separate the different decks, and then give each player a single point Banana card. Then shuffle the rest of the Banana cards, and place them face down in a stack showing the rotten side. Then, shuffle the Monkey cards and deal each player five face-down cards to form their starting hand. Place the remaining Monkey cards into a separate face-down deck. Give the Active player card to the player who last ate a banana. You are now ready to play. So far, so simple! How To Play Bananarchy Card Game Play now moves around, starting with the active player. They will draw one Monkey card into their hand, and then play one Action card. They can play as many ANYTIME cards as they wish, so long as they read it out loud so everyone knows its effect and how it is being played too. Other players can play ANYTIME cards whenever they wish too, and also, they can play REACTION cards to counter the effects of cards being played onto them. It is quite frantic! Hence, you must read out the powers of the cards you are playing. The active player will then end their turn by declaring this out loud, so everyone knows the play has moved on. They will re-draw their hand back up to five cards and pass the active player card on one turn. Before you draw on your turn, instead of playing cards, you can choose to discard all your cards and refill your hand. Or, stash a previously gained Banana card by turning it horizontal, but when you do this, you must discard and refill your entire hand as well, and you can only stash one card at a time. It's important, though, as there are a lot of ways to steal other players' un-stashed banana cards. And bananas in this game are points! How Do You Win Bananarchy? The game continues until the final Banana card is drawn. At that point, all players will score the Banana cards they managed to keep to the end of the game. There are a few scoring cards in the game that you may draw from the Monkey card pile; these can act as multipliers to gain extra points. Any banana cards you have had flipped over will score you negative one. The player with the most points wins! Is It Fun? Bananarchy Card Game Review Now, if you like Take That in games, and enjoyed card games like UNO and Exploding Kittens, as this game was pitched to me, then I think you will love this! And this could well become a huge family favourite for you. It has that same type of chaos, random exchange, and constant state of fluctuation in who is winning. It is hard to run away with this, and older players won't necessarily be able to use strategy to outwit other players. Meaning families of all ages can enjoy the chaotic nature of this game on an equal playing ground. That said, if you don't enjoy this sort of chaos, random play and take that, then this won't be for you. Hence my score. For a Take That card game, this is great. A wonderful game. If you don't like Take That, then this will be terrible for you. So, it's hard to score. As one mechanic leans so heavily into your potential enjoyment. Why it’s fun Bananarchy leans hard into fast, chaotic, always-on card play, and that’s exactly where its appeal lies. The ANYTIME and REACTION cards mean you are rarely sitting back waiting for your turn, with the table constantly shifting as players interrupt, counter, steal, and sabotage in real time. Add in the scramble to protect and stash your bananas, plus the ever-present threat of them being flipped or stolen, and you get a game that stays loud, lively, and unpredictable right through to the final draw. Why it’s not That same chaos will be a deal-breaker for some. Strategy takes a back seat to timing, luck, and opportunism, and players who like to build careful plans or feel in control of their fate may find it frustrating. The game is deliberately swingy, and just when you think you’re safe, someone can pull the rug out from under you, which is fun for the right group but exhausting for the wrong one. Pros Constant interaction with very little downtime Easy to learn and quick to get going Works well for families and mixed-age groups Strong “take that” energy and dramatic moments Thematic, playful presentation Cons Very random and swingy Little room for long-term strategy Can feel overwhelming for quieter players Not suited to those who dislike direct player conflict Bananarchy knows exactly what it is: a loud, chaotic, take-that card game that thrives on unpredictability and shared table moments. If you enjoy the energy of games like UNO  or Exploding Kittens , this will feel right at home and could easily become a family favourite. If you don’t, it will bounce right off you. It is a niche, but within that niche, it delivers exactly what it promises. You can check it out for yourself here .

The Vibe WBG Score: 7.5/10 Player Count: 2-6 You’ll like this if you like: Party games that create fun discussions Published by: Uloomi Designed by: Jacob Jaskov This is a free review copy of the game. See our review policy here . The Vibe is a game that merges art with cooperative board game fun. It's a game about opinion, decision, and trying to understand how other players think. It has been designed with the idea of developing discussions about social ideas, equality, tyranny, and democracy. Big ambitions! But it works. And instantly. This is a game you can learn in under a minute, teach in less, and get playing with your friends right away. But is it any fun? Let's get it to the table and find out. How To Set Up The Vibe Start by shuffling the cards. They are postcard-sized, so this is not easy, but they are bendy enough to make it manageable. Then deal out five cards face up in a line, and place cards face down in a line above this. You are now ready to play. How To Play The Vibe One person will act as the Vibe. They will choose one of the five words shown on the five cards that best fit the five paintings. They will then rearrange the five paintings in order of which one best and least suits the word they have chosen. The rightmost picture will best suit the chosen word, and the leftmost picture will be the least suitable. The other players then need to guess which word was chosen by looking at the new order of the pictures. They will make their guess. If they are right, the team gains a point. Either way, the player acting as the Vibe should explain their thinking at this point, and players can discuss their thoughts either way. The idea of the game is to win three in a row. But of course, play however you see fit. Let's play now. Look at the five words above and the five pictures underneath. I will choose one word as the Vibe and rearrange the pictures. OK... They are now in a new order. Can you guess which word I chose? (Answers at the bottom) Is It Fun? The Vibe Party Game Review Why It Works? The Vibe  succeeds because it strips a cooperative experience down to its most human element: interpretation. By asking one player to connect abstract art with a single word, then explain that thinking, the game naturally creates conversation, curiosity, and moments of genuine insight. It works almost instantly, with no rules overhead to get in the way, and delivers exactly what it promises: meaningful discussion driven by differing perspectives. Why it might not That same openness will not be for everyone. The Vibe  has no hidden systems, no optimisation, and very little in the way of traditional game structure. If your group prefers clear objectives, mechanical depth, or competitive tension, this may feel more like a guided conversation than a game. The scoring condition is deliberately light, and for some players it may feel almost incidental. Who will and won’t enjoy it The Vibe  is an excellent fit for groups that enjoy discussion-heavy games, creative interpretation, or social experiences where talking is the point. It works particularly well with mixed-experience groups, non-gamers, classrooms, or as an opener or closer to a game night. Players who dislike ambiguity, abstract art, or games without clear “right answers” may struggle to connect with it. Pros Extremely fast to learn and teach Encourages discussion and shared understanding Cooperative and inclusive by design Strong thematic link between art, words, and interpretation Flexible win condition that suits different groups Cons Very light on traditional game mechanics Scoring may feel unimportant Relies heavily on group engagement and conversation Abstract art will not appeal to everyone The Vibe  is less about winning and more about listening, interpreting, and understanding how others see the world. It delivers on its ambitious goals by creating space for discussion without overcomplicating the experience. While it will not suit groups looking for depth or competition, it shines as a thoughtful, accessible, and genuinely social game that does something refreshingly different at the table. Oh, and I picked Tradition. Did you guess right? I felt the picture on the far right best suited this with its depiction of two women in traditional Japanese clothing. Then I felt there was a religious image, showing the traditions respected in most religions. Then a traditional family unit, a less traditional workplace, and finally some carts! Does this make sense to you? Well, either way, you have now played this game! Go log it on BGG quick!

This is a preview copy sent to us for our early opinions. No money exchanged hands. Some art, rules or components will change in the final game. Roller Disco comes from husband and wife team Joss & Mike, based in the UK. They successfully crowdfunded their first game, Sakana Stack , back in October 2024. And are now back for another spin! Roller Disco  throws players headfirst into the dizzy world of roller skating and card play. It’s a fast, light, ladder-climbing card-shedding game where the goal is simple: be the first to get rid of all your cards. The game begins by dealing eight cards face up around the central disco ball. All remaining cards are then dealt evenly to the players, with certain cards removed at lower player counts to ensure everyone always starts with a similar-sized hand. Each player also receives one wild Jam card, while the remaining Jam cards form a separate draw pile. Before play begins, each player has a single opportunity to swap one card from their hand with one of the eight face-up cards around the table. The dealer then places the roller skate boot standee, choosing both its position and the direction it faces. The card next to the boot is discarded, creating the first empty space. On your turn, you must choose one of two actions: Pass  or Skate . If you pass, you draw one Jam card into your hand. If you skate, you decide whether you’re Moving On Up or Getting On Down, meaning you’ll be playing cards that are either higher or lower than those already in play. Starting from the boot and following its direction, you place a card into the first space. You may then continue placing cards on top of existing ones, as long as they match the suit and are strictly higher or lower, depending on your chosen play. You can keep skating until you can no longer legally play a card. When that happens, you take the next card from the track into your hand and move the boot standee to that position, setting up the next player’s turn. The first player to empty their hand wins. Simple, speedy, and full of disco momentum. Why this works Roller Disco succeeds because it blends familiar ladder-climbing mechanics with a strong sense of movement and table presence. The rotating boot, shared central track, and choice between playing higher or lower give players meaningful decisions without slowing the game down. Turns are quick, interaction is constant, and the satisfaction of skating “just one more card” creates natural tension and excitement, with players never quite knowing when the game will end. Players can have an elongating turn and end the game quickly, without your awareness or pre-planning, which can be frustrating, but great fun when you do it yourself. Why it might not Players looking for deep strategy or long-term planning may find Roller Disco  too light. Much of the experience is driven by hand management and timing rather than complex combos or tactical engines. As with many card-shedding games, the luck of the draw can occasionally swing momentum, which may frustrate those who prefer tighter control. Who will like it This is a great fit for families, casual gamers, and groups who enjoy fast-paced, interactive card games. Fans of similar games like Scout will feel right at home. It also works well as a filler or opener, especially for groups that enjoy lively table talk and shared moments. Who may not Heavier strategy gamers, or players who dislike hand-shedding games altogether, may bounce off it quickly. Groups that prefer low interaction or purely multiplayer-solitaire experiences may also find the constant competition for table space less appealing. Pros Fast to learn and play High player interaction Clear decisions with high end-game tension Strong theme that comes through in the gameplay Scales well across player counts Cons Limited depth for repeated plays in quick succession Some swinginess from card draw May feel too light for strategy-focused groups Roller Disco  is a lively, approachable card game that does exactly what it sets out to do. It’s quick, interactive, and full of momentum, making it an easy recommendation for casual groups and families. While it won’t replace deeper card games in a regular rotation, it earns its place as a fun, energetic filler that keeps everyone engaged from start to finish.

Board game lovers know the thrill of finding that perfect game to add to their collection or passing on a favourite title to someone new. Yet, hunting for second-hand board games often means scrolling endlessly through Facebook groups or juggling multiple platforms that don’t quite fit the bill. Enter Tabletop Junkie , a fresh website designed to make buying and selling used board games easier, faster, and more fun. Developed by Joe, a software developer with a passion for board games, this platform aims to solve the common frustrations players face when trading games online. WBG has nothing to do with this site or Joe. We were simply asked to provide access to our back catalogue of reviews so that games being sold could have a review section. We accepted, got intrigued by the idea, so asked for an interview. Joe’s Journey from Player to Platform Creator Joe’s story starts far from the board game industry. Originally from Bristol in the UK, he moved to a quiet village in the south of France seeking a slower pace of life. Though not an industry insider, Joe has always been a dedicated player and an avid reader about board games. His love for the hobby sparked an idea that had been brewing for years: a dedicated platform for trading second-hand board games that actually works. He noticed that despite the popularity of Facebook groups for buying and selling games, these groups often fell short. They were easy to use but lacked features that could make trading smoother and more reliable. Joe even pitched the idea during a job interview three years ago, showing how long he had been thinking about this problem. Why Tabletop Junkie Stands Out Many platforms exist for trading second-hand items, but few cater specifically to board games. Joe saw that most people in the UK still defaulted to Facebook groups because they were local, familiar, and felt personal. Yet, these groups have clear downsides: Hunting for specific games means scrolling through multiple groups every night. Posts get buried quickly, forcing sellers to repost constantly. Lack of essential features like easy search filters, notifications, and secure messaging. Tabletop Junkie was built to address these issues directly. It offers a clean, user-friendly interface focused solely on board games. Users can list games with detailed descriptions, photos, and prices. Buyers can search by game title, category, or location, making it easier to find exactly what they want without endless scrolling. Features That Make Trading Easier Here are some of the key features that Tabletop Junkie brings to the table: Local Focus: Users can filter listings by location to find games nearby, reducing shipping hassles and encouraging face-to-face exchanges. Smart Search: Advanced filters help buyers narrow down options by game type, player count, and condition. Notifications: Sellers get alerts when someone shows interest, so they don’t miss potential buyers. Secure Messaging: Built-in chat keeps communication safe and organized within the platform. No Clutter: Unlike Facebook groups, there are no unrelated posts or distractions, just board games. Joe’s goal was to create a platform that feels as easy and personal as Facebook groups but with the added benefits of a dedicated marketplace. How Tabletop Junkie Benefits the Board Game Community The board game community thrives on sharing and discovery. Tabletop Junkie supports this by making it simple to: Find rare or out-of-print games without endless searching. Sell games quickly without worrying about posts getting lost. Connect with local players who share your interests. Save money by buying second-hand games in good condition. For example, a player looking for a specific expansion pack can set up alerts and get notified as soon as it appears. Sellers can track interest and respond promptly, increasing the chances of a sale. Getting Started with Tabletop Junkie Signing up is straightforward. After creating an account, users can start browsing or listing games immediately. The platform encourages clear photos and honest descriptions to build trust among buyers and sellers. Joe plans to keep improving the site based on user feedback, adding features like wish lists and trade offers in the future. The community-driven approach means Tabletop Junkie will evolve to meet the needs of board gamers everywhere. So, lets sit down and talk with Joe...   How would you describe the site to someone completely new to it? How can they benefit from what it offers?   It's  community-driven marketplace for buying and selling second-hand board games, with zero fees.   It’s designed to make selling as fast and low-effort as Facebook groups, but with proper structure and features built specifically for board gamers. You can bulk-list dozens of games from a single photo. Just add the titles and prices, and the system takes care of the rest. It creates individual listings automatically, fills in game specs, remembers your seller preferences, and adds BGG links and third-party reviews where available.   As a seller, it means you can get your listings up quickly with minimal effort. As a buyer, everything you need is right there: game specs, links to the BGG page, third party reviews, and filters that let you browse by genre, mechanic, theme, feature and more.   The fine-grained filters let you narrow in on exactly what you’re after - search for Kickstarter editions, filter by player count or playtime, or limit results to accessories and expansions for a specific game. If you’d rather not check the site every day, you can import your BGG wishlist and get an email the moment something on it pops up at your target price.   And if you prefer to keep things local, you can filter and sort listings by distance to skip postage entirely.   At its core, everything is built to be fast, presentable, intuitive, and highly automated, giving users maximum control and precision without friction or clutter.   What have you learned so far from this project?   I regularly ask for feedback on Reddit and elsewhere. I'm particularly interested in why people stick with their current platforms and what would actually make them switch. One of the biggest lessons is the realisation that the majority of people prefer familiar friction over unknown ease. Loss aversion often outweighs improvement, even when an alternative is objectively better.   I'm in a minority of people who obsess over finding the best possible solution. I will spend an unhealthy amount of time analysing and comparing until I am convinced something is genuinely superior. Whether that's time spent optimising my game collection, finding the right platform for a specific task or buying a pair of socks. Seriously.   But most people aren’t like that. It doesn’t matter how smooth or easy to use Tabletop Junkie is - just clicking the link and registering takes effort. For the average person to bother, it can’t just be slightly better. It has to be significantly better. It has to offer things people actually want and can’t get anywhere else.   What are your hopes for the future of the site?   The initial goal is to reach a liquidity tipping point where the marketplace starts growing organically within a single country. The platform works anywhere, but for now the focus is on building traction in the UK. Once that’s happening consistently, I’ll shift the focus to other English-speaking markets.   In some countries, such as France and Brazil, there are already well-established second-hand board game platforms that are extremely popular. I want to replicate that kind of success in English-speaking countries.   As the userbase grows, local selling on the platform will naturally become a bigger focus, so you can expect new features to support and enhance that experience.   Beyond that, the aim is to keep improving the site by listening to what users actually want. Most of the features so far have come directly from user feedback, and that’s how I plan to keep building it. It’s a long-term project, and I’ve got a backlog full of ideas and plenty more I want to refine and improve.   What are your own personal favourite games?    None of my friends play games, so I almost always play with my wife. We tend to gravitate towards highly competitive head-to-head games.   Inis was the first game I really fell in love with. It’s elegant, quick to get to the table, and simple on the surface, but super tight and crunchy. I much prefer it at two players, it’s far more predictable and cutthroat that way. It also made me far less tolerant of over-engineered fiddliness and gave me a real appreciation for elegant game designs.   Brass: Birmingham is another favourite for similar reasons. I haven’t played Lancashire yet, but from everything I’ve heard, I might like it even more since it’s meant to be a bit harsher.   That said, I’ve been really enjoying 6: Siege, which contradicts everything I just said. It’s fiddly, with lots of edge-case rules, a long setup, and takes over the entire kitchen table. Despite that, I can't keep away from it.   I’m also into duelling games like Unmatched and Exceed, but my favourite of the bunch is Battlecon.   Any to look out for in the future you have your eye on for 2026?   Rather than chase shiny new things, in 2026 I’ll be digging through what 2025 left behind. I usually spend more time reading about games than playing them, and tend to cherry-pick once the dust has settled and the consensus is in.   Company of Heroes: Second Edition has been on my shelf for a month, and Ironwood is set up on the table, still waiting for its first play. I'm looking forward to diving into both. I’ll also be grabbing The Old King’s Crown once it’s available again.   I want to say Brass: Pittsburgh as well, but that depends entirely on how well it holds up at two. Head here to check it out for yourself. - https://tabletopjunkie.com/

Meteor Shower WBG Score: 7.5/10 Player Count: 2 You’ll like this if you like: Two Play tactical strategy games Published by: Queensell This is a free review copy of the game. See our review policy here . Meteor Shower promises a sharp, energetic play experience that leans into clever positioning, shifting plans, and the kind of surprises that can flip a game on its head. With meteorites crashing down as the game unfolds, no two plays ever look the same. You are constantly reacting, adapting, and trying to stay one step ahead of everyone else as the board evolves in real time. Players are racing to be the first to create a continuous path of meteorites from their starting edge to the far side of the board. That path can bend, curve, or run straight, as long as it stays unbroken. The twist is that the board begins completely empty. Meteorites are not placed upfront but arrive throughout the game, forcing players to reposition stones already in play and rethink their plans as new opportunities and obstacles appear. It sounds tense, tactical, and just unpredictable enough to keep things interesting. But does Meteor Shower really deliver once the pieces start falling? Let's get it to the table and find out How To Set Up Meteor Shower To set up, place the board in the middle of the table and give each player their stones. The board is double-sided, so pick the game length you want, and choose the appropriate side. With the larger board, take the two D12 dice and place them down by the board. With the smaller board, use the two D6. That is the only difference: the size of the board, and thus, the time it takes to play a full game. The board begins completely empty. There are no meteorites in play at the start. Each player also claims a starting edge of the board, placing their chosen Rover into the shown starting position. Finally, place the provided container down, with the three different coloured meteorites in it. Your goal is to connect a continuous line of meteors from your side to the opposite edge. That line can be straight, curved, or angled, as long as it stays connected the whole way through. You are now ready to play. How To Play Meteor Shower On your turn, you will have two choices. Roll the dice to place new meteors on the board, or move your Rover. When you roll the dice, meteorites fall into the game at the coordinates based on your dice roll. One die will show a letter, the other a number. Simply place the meteorite (black) into that space. They can fall into spaces already occupied by existing meteors, but now that space is blocked off as you cannot move into a space with more than one meteor. They cannot fall into spaces occupied by one of the two Rovers. If that happens, simply roll the dice again. When you move, you can follow either of the four paths shown on the side of the board. As shown above, you can see you always move four spaces, but in different patterns. You will be moving to do one of two things: pick up a meteor or drop off one. You cannot move over meteors or other rovers. When you move into a space that contains a meteor, you will immediately pick it up. Then, when you move to the space you want to drop it off, you can immediately drop it off and exchange it now for a meteor of your colour. Turns move quickly, decisions feel meaningful, and the board never stays the same for long. Meteor Shower is all about spotting opportunities, disrupting your opponents, and knowing when to push your luck or play it safe. But what do I mean by disrupting your opponent? Well, the third thing you can do, other than roll the dice to create more meteors on the board, or move to pick up or drop off a meteor, is place a meteor in the way of your opponent. You can place these strategically to block the line your opponent is making. Such as above, where the Green player has placed a green meteor in the way of the red line, and run away! The red player now needs to build a path circling around this, making their task longer and harder. But of course, when the green player did this, they stopped working on their line, and instead moved over to disrupt their opponent. And this is the game of cat and mouse that constantly happens in this game. You are always deciding what to do: build up your own path, or try to slow down the other player. This is a race game after all. Who can build their line first? And I find most games are very tight, and the decisions as to when to build and when to disrupt are crucial! Is It Fun? Meteor Shower Board Game Review Meteor Shower shines because it keeps players engaged from the very first turn. The board never feels static, and the constant arrival of new meteorites means you are always reassessing your plan. Building your own path feels satisfying, but knowing when to pause that plan to interfere with your opponent is where the game really comes alive. Most matches stay close, and the finish often feels earned rather than lucky. The push and pull between progress and disruption creates tension without ever feeling overwhelming. That said, Meteor Shower will not land perfectly for everyone. The randomness of the dice can sometimes feel frustrating, especially if meteorites drop in awkward places or accidentally help your opponent. While there is plenty of tactical depth, the game is very focused on spatial thinking and forward planning. If you dislike games where blocking and interference are central, this one may feel a bit mean at times. Meteor Shower is best suited for players who enjoy head to head strategy, quick turns, and games that reward smart positioning. Fans of abstract games and tactical races will likely have a great time here. On the flip side, players who prefer low conflict experiences or more thematic storytelling might struggle to connect with what the game is doing. This is a sharp, competitive puzzle first and foremost. The components are lush, especially those Rovers. Just look at them! This brings a real toy factor to the game. But the game is far from a toy. It is a smart tactical battle that will fully engross you throughout. Whether or not you come back to it over and over again will depend on your own play styles. Pros Quick setup and fast turns Strong tension from constant interaction High replayability due to changing board states Simple rules with meaningful decisions Cons Dice rolls can feel swingy at times High player interaction may frustrate some players Very abstract, with limited theme beyond mechanics Meteor Shower is a tight, clever race that rewards smart timing and bold decisions. It is easy to learn, tough to master, and full of moments where one move can change everything. If you enjoy tactical duels and games that keep you thinking right up to the final turn, Meteor Shower is well worth your time.