Search Results

Want to know what game to buy for your next family game night? WBG presents our top three party games, each catering to very specific preferences. Whether you enjoy deduction, crave a more creative experience, or wish to challenge your memory, What Board Game has you covered for all your gaming needs. Best Party Game for a CREATIVE group who like to be LOUD Scrawl WBG Score: 7 Player Count: 4-8 You’ll like this if you like: Pictionary, Broken Telephone, Terrible drawings and ridiculous guess. The clue was on the box! Published by: Big Potato Games Designed by: Uncreditied Scrawl stands out as the game that has generated more laughter than any other in my gaming experiences. While it may not be a perfect fit for every group or situation, given the right environment, this game becomes utterly hilarious. The game mechanics are straightforward. Each player receives a card with a funny phrase on it. Simultaneously, all players draw their respective phrases without any specific rules—just the restriction of not using words. The drawings are then passed to the right, and players try to describe the drawing they receive. This process repeats, with drawings and descriptions circulating until each player gets back their original drawing, now accompanied by a comical mix of you firends attempts at art! Players then share the story of how their phrase evolved, typically resulting in bursts of laughter. If the concept sounds entertaining to you, it's almost guaranteed to be a fun experience! Scrawl is an excellent game for laid-back settings, requiring no table. It adapts well to various group sizes, and you can play for as long as you want without the need for scoring—just pure, lighthearted fun. There is also a Disney version if you want something more suitable for younger children called Disney Sketchy Tales. Best Party Game for a STRATEGIC group who like DEDUCTION Night of the Ninja WBG Score: 9 Player Count: 4-11 You’ll like this if you like: Werewolf, The Resistance Published by: Brotherwise Games Designed by: Justin Gary Night of the Ninja not only plays exceptionally well but also boasts stunning visual appeal. The cards, crafted from cut paper and captured for the game, are mesmerising. The mechanics and overall flow of the game are brilliantly designed, providing an accessible yet strategic party gaming experience. The gameplay involves all players receiving a card indicating their allegiance to either the red or blue team. In certain player counts, there may also be a Ronin playing independently. Players then engage in a card-drafting phase, choosing one card from three and passing the other two to the player on their right. They then select one from the two handed to them, with the final card being discarded, leaving each player with two cards. These cards are played at various stages of the unfolding phases that follow this. Early cards allow players to gather information about others' cards or allegiances, while later cards enable players to interfere with opponents and eliminate them from the round. However, it's crucial to question whether they are truly your opponents before you strike and knock over their player stand. The game concludes when all cards are played, revealing all players' allegiances. The team with the highest-value remaining player wins. Each player from the winning side then draws a point token from the bag, and the game continues until one player reaches ten or more points. The gameplay is thoroughly absorbing, immersing players in the art of second-guessing every move. Night of the Ninja is a delightful deduction game that involves everyone, eliminating the need for a game master or a designated leader. The rules are simple enough for anyone to grasp within minutes. While the game can be played in a relaxed environment, having a table is beneficial for providing each player with a designated space for their player stand bu not crucial. Highly reccomend. Best Party Game for a PLAYFUL group who like test their MEMORY That's Not A Hat WBG Score: 9 Player Count: 3-8 You’ll like this if you like: Hanabi, Remembering stuff! Published by: Ravensburger Designed by: Kasper Lapp Some party games thrive on sheer silliness and a unique hook, and That's Not A Hat is undoubtedly one of those gems. The premise is simple: each player is dealt a card face up. The starting player draws an additional card, flipping over the first one and passing it to the player indicated on the card, either to their right or left. As they hand over the card, they declare what it is, saying, "This is a Ball." If, indeed it is a ball. This process repeats, with each player flipping over their initially dealt card and passing it to the next person in the direction indicated. Eventually, all cards end up face down, and players must now pass cards that are in front of them, facing down. Players also pass the card they've had the longest, not the one just given to them, and now have to try to remember what on earth it was! At any time, players can call out someone they suspect of misidentifying a card. If the accuser is correct, the person passing the card takes it as a negative point, drawing another card to continue the game. The first player to accumulate negative three points loses, while the others emerge victorious. The game unfolds in a riot of laughter, highlighting how quickly our brains forget the most common objects just moments after being declared. With cards depicting mundane and basic items, it's astonishing how swiftly they vanish from memory. Every play for me so far has led to someone immediately seeking to purchase their own copy – such is the impact of the game. Whether you excel at memory games or provide amusement for others with your forgetfulness, That's Not A Hat promises a delightful experience. If this sounds like a fun experience to you I would encourage you to not hesitate and grab this game!

Seeker Chronicles WBG Score: 8 Player Count: 2 Published by: One Stone Studios Designed by: Fulvio Flamini, Hendrik Poulsen Nautrup, Lea M. Trenkwalder This is a final version copy as sold at Essen 2023. A wider reprint is coming to Kickstarter soon with additional content. You can find out more about the game here. This is a free review copy. See our review policy here Seeker Chronicles is a fascinating card game developed by a team of scientists and game developers who love games, STEM, and science. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The team behind this game states, 'We believe in the power of science and of games beyond gaming.' However, this is not a game that feels like you are doing school work. Rather, it's a game that plays fast and fun, but you may just learn something as you go. Let's get it to the table and see how it plays. How To Set up Seeker Chronicles Separate the deck of cards into the 6 Seekers and their 6 associated Chronicles. Each card is identifiable by the symbol in the top left of the card. Each Seeker has 10 cards linked to it. Roll a die, and the person with the highest roll then picks one of the six piles. Alternate picks until both players now have three piles each: three Seekers and 30 Modules. Each player then identifies their three Seeker Module cards, one for each Seeker. This is identified by the Seeker Chronicles logo in the top left of the card. Place each Seeker Module with their relevant Seeker and leave two of these to the side. Place the other one, of your choice, face up in front of you with the Seeker placed above the Seeker Chronicle so the bottom of the Seeker Chronicle cards is visible under the main Seeker card. Shuffle the rest of your deck of Chronicles and place them next to this in a face-down deck. The player that picked Seekers first draws three cards to form their starting hand. The other player draws two cards and becomes the starting player. You are now ready to play. How To Play Seeker Chronicles Players will now take turns. First, draw a card from your deck. In later rounds, if you have any exhausted Modules, you can flip them from horizontal to vertical to ready them again for this round. Next comes the main round where you can play one module from your hand to your Memory. This means placing a card on the table face up in front of you, ready to be used as a resource, or ready to be linked to a Seeker. Players can then Link or Hyperlink as many cards as they like, paying the resource cost to do so. Cards in your Memory can be Linked, while cards in your hand can be Hyperlinked, typically at a slightly higher cost as it is a shortcut avoiding the need to be played to the table first. When you Link or Hyperlink a card, you need to pay the resource cost, shown on the top left of the card by rotating previously played Modules to exhaust them. Then, you must slide the card you are activating under the Seeker card you are adding it to, keeping the bottom part of the card visible to show its power when Linked. Now, resolve this ability. Doing this also increases the Power of each of your Seekers. Linking Modules to Seekers in this way adds the Module's power, shown on the bottom right of the card, to the Seeker. This is important for the next phase. But also for adding new Seekers. When a current Seeker reaches a power of seven or more, you can add another Seeker into your display of cards. When you add another Seeker this way, their Seeker Module card goes into your hand. Not tucked underneath the Seeker as in set-up for your first Seeker. Next is the Research phase. First, your opponent can Challenge you by producing resources to Link or Hyperlink Modules of their own. Players then calculate the differences in Power between their Seekers, combining their first Seeker with the other players first Seeker, then their second with their opponents second, and so on. Each researching Seeker with higher power than your opponents' Seekers allows you to Archive a number of cards equal to the difference. Players want to do this because the player who cycles through their deck three times by archiving cards in this way first is the winner. The idea is you are increasing your scientists' knowledge by enhancing their understanding of each Module of science. To Archive means simply taking the top card from your deck and flipping it face up in a separate Archive pile. Play then moves to the next player, who will go through these steps in turn until one player has cycled through their deck three times. That player is then declared the winner. Is It fun? Seeker Chronicles Card Game Review The game is much more of a race game than you first realise. Activating cards to power up your Seekers at first feels more of an Engine builder, with some clever Tableau building. And this is all true. But as you play through more rounds, you will realise this is actually a race game. Its not about who can build their Tableau the best. It's all about who can build it the fastest. Now of course, these are interlinked because you will not be able to build it the fastest if you have not also built it the best. But it will be this pressure and tension from the race that will encompass your as you play. The interplay between the cards is very clever. It feels like there are so many ways to combo certain cards together to create more powerful turns. Linking more cards, activating more powers, and archiving more cards each turn. It feels great. As only one card can be played as a Memory each round, you need to think carefully about the order you play cards. However, having the ability to Hyperlink cards directly from your hand means you can bypass this phase if you have the Resources to do so. And some cards have the Hyperlink cost set as the same as their Link cost. Efficiency in your card choices is very important. The game has a lovely arc to it. As you play more Modules, and build up your Seekers, you will feel a significant increase in the power of your turns. This increased power ramps up for both payers, and increases the feeling of tension in the race to archive your deck three times first. However, one card may be a little over powered in your first few games as you learn the deck. The Hawking Radiation card has a power of six, and a Linked power to triple that cards power that turn. There are other cards that allow you to unlink cards, so if you use this card a few times in a game, its pretty hard for anyone to catch you. In fact, every time I have played, the person who had this card won, and by a fair margin. It feels unbalanced in the early games as you learn how best to counter this sort of move. However, this is a real anomaly. The rest of the cards feel perfectly balanced and work well together, offering both players an equal opportunity to carry out exciting, varied, and powerful turns. I have enjoyed learning each scientist unique powers and how they can combine in different ways to work with each other to provide an entirety varied gaming experience. I would recommend this game to anyone who enjoys clever little card games, and who is either interested in the area of science it covers, or would enjoy discussing it as they play with their children. I have had some fascinating conversations with my son as we played this game. It has sparked his curiosity into what all these new words and things mean. Requiring a serious amount of googling from my part to answer accurately!

This is a preview for a game coming to Kickstarter soon. You can find more about the Kickstarter here. This is a free preview copy. See our review policy here High Noon Heist has been developed by first time designer Sam Barton from Table For Two Games. It is a fast-paced two-player only card game that offers a lot more than you first think. How To Set Up High Noon Heist The game works by pitting two players against each other, one playing as the Outlaws, the other as the Law enforcement. Players will take their eight character cards, a reference card detailing the power of the cards on their opponent's hand, and two Loot cards. One player then separates the 15 Heist cards into their three separate level one, two, and three piles. Shuffle each pile separately, then form a face-up deck with the level three cards on the bottom, and one on the top. Set this deck down below the two location cards. You are now ready to play. How To Play High Noon Heist Players will now look at the top Heist card and decide which card from their hand they want to play. There are 15 Heist cards to go through over the 15 rounds of the game. And you only have eight cards in your hand, so you need to decide which card to play for each round. Although, you will get all your available cards back when you play your zero powered No Show card. You need to assess the value of the current Heist and try to predict which card your opponent will play. Heists are either worth one, two, or three Loot, and they have their own unique Heist abilities too. For the three value Heists, players are likely to fight harder to win, and certain Heist powers will encourage certain cards to be played over others. You can also see which cards your opponent has played, so will always know what they have available to them in their current hand. It is a game of bluff and double bluff as some Heist will make you think your opponent will play a high card as they will be rewarded with Loot if they do. But they know you know this, so may then play a low card to avoid being trapped by the powers you have to hurt them when you play a high card. The lower power card generally attacks the higher power cards you see. Such as the Law players Bounty Hunter card, which is their One powered card. When you play this, if the the Outlaw player plays their Seven or Six card, their card is then placed into Jail, and the Law player earns a Loot card for this. They will then also win the Heist as they are the only card remaining. The Outlaw player has a similar level one card that places their opponent's six and seven card into the Doctor's Office when played on the same Heist. Cards placed into Jail or the Doctor's Office this way can only be retrieved by playing your No Show card on either the Jailbreak of Surgery Escape Heist. This of course, means you will lose that Heist though, and these two Heist cards are worth two Loot each. And if you have cards of value in the Surgery or Jail the time this Heist card comes up, your opponent will know you will most likely do this, and potentially win without having to play a good card. If both cards played remain after all affects have been taking into account, then the card with the highest power wins the Heist, and takes the Heist card and any associated win bonus. Some Heist cards have a lose affect too, such as the Shootout, where the losing player is placed into the Jail or Surgery, depending on if they are the Law player or Outlaw. Once all 15 Heists have been carried out, players count the Loot gained and the player with the most Loot wins. Is It Fun? High Noon Heist At first, the game comes across as very simple. But as you learn both character's decks a little more, you will realise the genius in this game. Will you double bluff play the obvious card, thinking your opponent will over think it and counter the wrong way, or bluff and play a card that doesn't work as well with the Heist, but could be safer to you and more dangerous to your opponent if they play the obvious card? Games last around 15 minutes, so you can race through each one. Typically meaning you will play more than once each sitting. I found we mostly played the game twice each time, trying both the Outlaws and the Law side each time. It's a fun way to play and a good way to learn both decks. You will need to play your No Show card at some point, in order to get your cards back. But doing so too early can be fatal. Ideally, you will play it when the Jailbreak or Surgery escape heist card is revealed. These are both in the second group so will be either the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th or 10th Heist card in the game. Obviously, if it comes out 9th or 10th, it will be too late, and you will have to play it sooner, either as well, or instead. If it comes out 5th, this may be too soon, and if you don't have any characters in Jail or the Doctor's office yet. you won't need it. Timing, as with most games, is everything. There are two heist cards with a value of three Loot in the first five Heists and the last five Heist. The middle five has just one card worth three Loot. Timing your cards so you have the right hand for the right Heists is also crucial. However, eight of the 15 Heist cards offers the players ways to gain Loot in ways other than winning that Heist. Guessing what card your opponent will play before they reveal it is an interest one. If the other player only has one card in their hand, this is obviously pretty easy. But they could also have all their cards if they played a No Show the previous round. Some luck is involved here, of course. Overall, I have had a lot of fun with this game and can see it dropping into fairly regular rotation when I am playing two-player games. Its perfect for the pub, or when travelling. It has a very small footprint in terms of the size needed to play. And is just a deck of cards in a single deck box. It's so easy to carry around as well. I would recommend this game to anyone who enjoys two-player cards game, and is looking for something to play either on the move, or as a quick filler at the beginning or end of the night.

Tapestry WBG Score: 8/10 Player Count: 1-5 You’ll like this if you like: Viscounts of the West Kingdom, Wingspan, Lost Ruins of Arnak Published by: Stonemaier Games Designed by: Jamey Stegmaier When Jamey Stegmaier of Stonemaier Games announced a few years back that he was making a Civilization game, I was about as excited as a 40 something year old can get (legally)! I certainly remember a few walls being bounced off! When the game itself was launched, my friend bought a copy and we played it on the day it arrived. We were both instantly absorbed in Jamey’s world. I loved the game and the experience, and now with my own well played copy, I thought it about time to talk about a few things on my mind regarding Tapestry. Tapestry is a fantastic game. The production is off the charts, the rules incredibly smooth, and the gameplay rewarding, challenging and variable. I enjoy playing this game immensely and think I will for many years to come. I love teaching new players this game. Especially players who are not quite as obsessed with games as I am! They see the large set up with multiple components, icons and images and can be intimidated. But within 5 minutes are relaxed into what is, a very simple game rules wise. It’s a great gateway for this reason. It's like Wingspan in this way, in that it gives new gamers a feel for what modern gaming is all about in an accessible and quickly understood manner. The rule book is only a few pages long, so it doesn’t take long to learn yourself. And once you realise there is only really two options on your turn, it does click into place quickly. Tapestry is a simple game at heart. You are given a Civilisation card at the start of the game with a unique asymmetric power. This is the heart of the game and a big part about what brings people back to the game over and over. There are more of these civilisation cards in the Plans & Ploys expansion too. In each turn, you will be given two choices. To advance your Civilisation to the next stage or try and develop your progress within this one. You will use resources to move up four different tracks. Advancing your powers in either Science, Technology, Military or Exploration. If you have the resources available, generally you will advance one of the four tracks, if you don’t, its time to advance to the next era. Seems simple enough right? But there can be occasions when this simple decision can be overwhelming for some. You can usually move on either of the four tracks. Each one will offer something of use and other players cannot block you from taking a certain route. So, it won’t always be obvious which is the right path for you. Based on you own tapestry card for the era and civilisation card for the game, players can be led in a certain direction. But deciding which track would be best for you to advance on is down to you. There are no bad choices, but you will find that your end games score can vary quite a lot. I have run from the mid 80s to the high 200’s so far. As such, players can sometimes suffer a little from analysis paralysis as they ponder their next move. However, as you can only do one thing on your tun, and you can’t do anything between turns except plan your next move, a well-oiled group can fly through this game. Saying that, one of the beauties of this game is the combo moves you can build as you advance your civilisations powers. Turns from the mid-point can start to become a lot more powerful and intricate. For example, advancing on the science track often allows you to roll the science dice to advance on another track. From the mid-point of era two, you can also claim the benefit of the other track you move on when you advance on two tracks like this. Also, many spaces offer bonus moves if you have the resources available. As such, this game is as much about resource management as anything else. Manipulating your moves to squeeze out extra turns is crucial to scoring well in Tapestry. This is something that I find highly enjoyable in any game, particularly here in the way it has been executed. Finishing a grid on your city board to get an extra resource to take one extra turn before you move to the next income phase is a beautifully satisfying thing. One of the most enjoyable things about Tapestry is the decisions the game asks you to make from the early stages. Alongside deciding which of the four tracks you can advance on, at most stages on each of these, you have a choice to make here too. Often this will be between taking a small building from your player mat and moving it to your capital city or taking an action akin to that track. On the exploration track for example, it will be the choice of a farm or explore action. On the military track, an armoury or conquer action. These choices make a big difference to your progression in the game beyond just the turn you take this move. Removing buildings from your personal player board and placing them on your own capital city mat unlocks hidden bonuses. This gives you the ability to earn extra resources and score more points in your next income phase. A player who focuses on placing more buildings early on can often find they can do more actions in the later part of the gam due to having more resources. However, in making this choice, you may find you fall behind in other areas on the main board. Trying to find a balance between these two areas is one key to success in this game. A key area in Tapestry that builds a lot of the enjoyment, engagement and replayability is the civilisation cards. There are 16 unique civilisations in the game. Each player is dealt two at the start and one is chosen to use. The powers given from each is quite different. So much so, that designer Jamey Stegmaier, a few months after release, issued a few start-up rules changes to level the playing field. Asymmetrical player powers are all the rage in the gaming community, but they must be so difficult to play test and any imbalance doesn’t land well with the community. Let’s be honest, no matter how much testing and maths you do in pre-production, play testing can never be as rigorous as the real-world environment of selling the game to thousands of gamers! After a few weeks of Tapestry being released, questions around the civilisations balance begun. Jamey listened to this and released the revised start up rules to equal this out. A few points here, a few resources there, and the civilisations can now be chosen without fear of disadvantage. Although many still question this. As such, for fans of asymmetry, there is a lot of enjoyment to come from this part of the game. The variation is huge, and as well as developing your sense of immersion into the game, it heavily affects your tactics too. For example, the Militants start with their eight outposts covering different spaces on their civilisation board. Each time you conquer a new part of the map you move one of these off to expose a new benefit that you will acquire on the income phase. This encourages players to advance more on the exploration and military track. A favourite civilisation card for many is the Futurists. At the start of the game, with the Futurists you can advance on each of the four tracks four spaces! You also gain one of each resource. Although, as part of the adjustments that Jamey released., you now must remove one of any resource and one culture, but it still feels like a huge head-start over any other player. Especially when it comes to progressing on the tracks quickest to get the building bonus available for each player that move to a new era on each track first. Which is a big part of the game for many people. Perhaps more as the pre-painted building miniatures are so beautifully made and tactile than the actual benefit to you as a player in the game. Moving through each of the four parts of the board becomes harder as you play. In era one you only need to give up one resource to move and gain the benefit. In era two, it is one specific resource and one extra of your choice. Then in era three it is three resources in total. As such, with the futurist civilisation, starting the game in era two with the number of resources available to you at the start of the game, it is hard to progress quickly. And of course, you have missed out on the benefits of the first era that you simply skipped. However, after this early jump, there is no other benefit from this civilisation. So, you can build your strategy however you like after this based on the cards your opponents have. There is no part of this civilisation that is pushing you in one direction. This can be beneficial, as players advancing on the same tracks at the same rate does not work out for all players equally. Moving up the tracks first offers more benefits due to the buildings that are on offer to the player that gets to the first spot on each new era first. As such, ideally players want to pick one to three tracks to try to advance on quickest depending on player count. And of course, it doesn’t always work out as smoothly as this. If all players choose the same tracks to move on based on the tapestry and era cards they are dealt pushing them in the same direction, someone will miss out. All of which can make Tapestry a very different experience each game. It can be a very solo exercise in trying to gain the most points possible through your own efficiency and strategic play. Or you could try to affect your opponent’s more by conquering their land tiles and moving up the same tracks as them. Some players complain about the game being solitaire but this is only the case if all players choose it to be. Tapestry is very much what you make it, and this is one of the reasons I love it. I like games that you can play how you like, rather than as the board dictates. Although I do concede that this can be frustrating for some players if they want to have one type of game and another player around the table is trying to play in a conflicting style. Finally, I want to talk about the theme of this game. Build as a civilisation game, some have said this does not shine through as you play. Admittedly, I do not feel like I am inventing tools or developing scientific elements as I play, and often overlook this part of the board. Each space has a specific development associated with it. Be that developing Mathematics, Ships or Tanks, I mostly ignore this part of the game. For me, the development in this game is less about one of a group of people advancing through different years and ages, and more the development of my own abilities in the game as a player. As such, this can become a little abstract. But immersion in a theme is down to the player as well as the game. If you want to delve into the idea of advancing a civilisation of people then you can. It is your choice to read the flavour text or not. But I would say, if you want a civilisation game alone, this may not deliver what you want. However, if you are looking for a beautifully made game that generates high levels of satisfaction as you traverse through the phases of the game, then you will love this. If you like the idea of developing your understanding and awareness of how best to score well with each different civilisation card over multiple plays, this could be a real winner at your gaming table. Tapestry is a very good game. There is no question of that. Those that attack it for its solitaire aspect or lack of immersive theme have valid points as discussed already. But I would say this does not make it a bad game. It just makes it a game that is not for them. If you are unsure if this is for you after reading this that I would say it probably isn’t. But if you are left intrigued and exited to see what this world could bring to you and your gaming group, then I would encourage you to give it a try, as I think you will be highly satisfied with your experience.

This is a free review copy. See our review policy here You can find out more about the platform here. The new online portal from Big Potato Games is amazing. I am not an avid fan of online board gaming. I don't use or like TTS or other such equivalents. But there is something special about Game City, and I will tell you why. How To Set Up Game City To set this up, simply connect your TV to your laptop or phone. Only one person needs to have paid for the games. You can buy one game for £7 to £10 each or packs of three for £17. Connecting is quite easy with most modern TVs or through Google Chromecast, your laptop's Connect feature, or a good old-fashioned HDMI. It's pretty simple, and once you are up and running, the rest is a breeze. Simply click 'Host game' and ask everyone else to click 'Join game.' People who join can vote on a game they want to play on their phones or tablets. The host can then choose a game based on the votes or just what they want, and away you go. The software does the rest for you. There are currently seven games set up in the system. I have access to six of them, four of which I also have the board game version of, and two that I had not seen before. Each offers its own little moment of magic. Here they are ranked in my own personal preference. Number One: Can Of Squirms This game came out in 2017 and passed me by. I sense that as a board game, it may come across as a little cheap and simple. However, as a video/mobile experience like this, it works incredibly well. This opens up a whole new debate about how this concept can develop and shows me why a party game publisher like Big Potato has done something like this over, say, CMON. It suits their catalogue a lot more. The game works by putting two players against each other with simple questions such as "Who is the best dressed?" or "Who is most likely to make you sick with their cooking?" The two players selected this round then have to choose if it is them or the other person that best fits this question. The players not playing that round have to guess who will get the most votes or if the two picked players will disagree with each other and get one vote each. All players then score points for right guesses, but let's face it. This game is about those brilliant, hilarious, potential friendship-ending moments when people disagree. Both players are incensed, and utter joy is created. This game works perfectly with the video-style game system, allowing players to see things on their own devices when other players should not, and revealing easily to all players when the time is right. This could be done with paper and pen, but who has that nowadays, and it feels wasteful to throw it away after each play. A brilliant rendition of an okay game that creates a fantastic experience. Number Two: Draw Along With Dave In 'Draw Along with Dave,' players take turns being Dave. When you're Dave, you're presented with something simple to draw on your device. As you draw each line or squiggle, you need to describe what you're doing so that the other players can try to replicate it. For example, 'I am drawing a vertical line in the middle of the screen from the top to bottom, with a small circle at the top...' and so on. This continues until the player acting as Dave finishes. They then hit 'finish,' giving the other players a few seconds to complete the last instruction. The player as Dave gets to see all the drawings sent to their device and chooses the best one. All drawings are displayed on the main screen for everyone to laugh at before revealing the winning drawing(s). This setup works exceptionally well. While paper and pen could also work, there's something slick about playing this game this way. It keeps everyone involved throughout, and the simple joy of having your works of art displayed on your TV feels special. Number Three: Scrawl Scrawl is a highly popular board game that has seen various versions. I recommend it as a party game all the time. Initially, playing it on the TV seemed superfluous to me. How wrong I was. While it's a bit trickier to draw on a phone than on a card with a pen, there's no clean up or wiping afterward. Plus, you can simply hit a button to send it to the next person rather than passing it physically or, heaven forbid, having to actually get up and move! The game works simply, with all players active simultaneously, selecting something to draw from two options. Each player then draws what they choose. This picture is sent to the next person chosen at random, who must describe with words written on their phone what they think the picture is of. This description is then sent to the next person, who now, without seeing the initial picture, has to draw, as best they can, the description they have been sent. This continues so that each player is involved in everyone else's sequence, either drawing a description or describing a drawing. When it gets back to the initial player, they can then, with their device, share the process of their initial picture and then each subsequent description and drawing on the main TV screen for all to see. They then choose their favorite drawing or description to award a point to, and the next player takes the group through their sequence. That's it. It's so simple, but hilarious fun and can work with most ages. Number Four: Herd Mentality Herd Mentality here works much like the board game version where all players are presented with a question on their device that they have to type an answer for. The idea is to give an answer that you think at least one other player will also give. If you provide a unique answer within your group, you'll be given the Pink Cow, and you don't want that. It works very well, is a slick conversion, but I do miss the physical pink cow foam toy that comes with the hard copy. Throwing that around and giving it to the losing player each round is hilarious. Now, you can still do this if you have the hard copy too, which we did! But I appreciate not everyone has that on hand, and you will miss out if that is the case. Of course, you could substitute this for something else, and I would encourage you to do so. A physical punishment for picking a unique answer makes this so much funnier! Number Five: The Chameleon I love The Chameleon. It works so well and is one of my favourite party games. This version is so slick and works even better than the original board game version, as players can hide a little more when they are the Chameleon. There's something about everyone hiding their faces in a device for a short period as they input their answers that allows you to conceal your emotions when you are selected as The Chameleon. This is something that can sometimes give the game away when playing in person with a tell-tale blush! However, there is one other significant change based on turn order that I'll get to. The game works by each player being told the answer from a grid of 16 possible answers, all coming from the same theme (e.g., types of food, U.S. states). However, only one answer is correct. All but one player will know the correct answer and must type in a clue that proves to the other players they know the correct answer. The clues cannot be so obvious that the Chameleon, who doesn't know the correct answer but can see all the options, could guess the right answer from them. The Chameleon needs to type in their own clue. The clues are then shown on the screen for all players to decide who they think is the Chameleon. The group can discuss this, and as the Chameleon, you try to deflect and divert attention to another player. In the board game version, players say their answers out loud in turn, and if you are the Chameleon and are picked to reveal your answer last in the round, you have the opportunity to listen to everyone else's answer before you give your own. Quick thinkers can use this as an opportunity to try and guess the right answer before they give their clue, subsequently providing a better, more informed clue. However, you could also be the Chameleon and be picked to give your clue first, leaving you with nothing to go on, making it a lot harder. In this Game City version, all players type their clues on their devices at the same time, never hearing other players' clues beforehand. It makes the game more fair and less random, but at times, harder for the Chameleon. Players then vote on their devices for the player they think is the Chameleon. If the correct player receives the most votes, the player acting as the Chameleon must try to guess the word for that round. If they are correct, they still win, which is why other players try not to give too obvious a clue at that stage of the game. However, if the player acting as the Chameleon does not receive the most votes, they do not need to go through this process and still win. Although we still like to ask the player acting as the Chameleon if they have figured out the word by this point. It is a fun part of the game that, although pointless, adds something to the experience. Number Six: Colour Brain This works just as well as the physical version of the game, but there is just less choice and chance to adapt the questions to suit your audience. With the hard copy, you can simply discard a card if it doesn't work for your group. Whereas here, you are served up questions you cannot affect. I hope they adapt this and offer a child-friendly version or at least a way to choose what type or level of questions you want because the game is so fun and works so well here. Players are simply asked a question, the answer to which can be given with a colour or colours. Players then tap the colours on their device to give their answers, and then all player results are shown. You can take away another player's choices of colours at random once per game, which I always find to be odd. Forcing someone to potentially have to choose from a group of wrong colours seems odd to me. But I suppose it can help level it out a bit if there is a question one person doesn't know the answer to, but they know another player does.

This is a preview for a game coming to Kickstarter soon. You can find more about the Kickstarter here. Chroma Arcana is a new card game coming out in 2024 from new publisher Roc Nest Games. It has been designed by Mo Shawwa who is also new to the board game world. Who doesn't like new stuff! Chroma Arcana is competitive duel-focused card game designed for two players. With the addition of the Tyrant Hunt expansion, the game transforms into a cooperative experience accommodating 1-6 players. Featuring Trading Card Game like gameplay, Chroma Arcana offers a lot of interesting mechanics. But as it includes all the required cards in the box, there is no need to purchase boosters. This is the concept - without the chase. The game unfolds in the enchanting fantasy realm of Alqarr, where the narrative centres around the desert city of Aredhel. In this immersive odyssey, powerful mages compete for control. The game's rich lore attempts to come to life through stunning full-art cards meticulously painted by three talented artists. Check them out, they are stunning! In the preview box I have, I have access to cards that allowed me to play an introductory game and try out a more exciting deck-building experience with two of the characters. I can assume the role of either Nuri the Pyromancer or Zaria the Archdruid. The complete game boasts a roster of over 20 diverse playable characters, each with their unique backstories. The designers have worked to make this as inclusive as possible. Approximately 30% of these characters identify as LGBT+, and another 30% represent non-white backgrounds (excluding characters without defined skin tones, such as Grimoire, the magical book!). And the artwork on all these cards is nothing short of stunning! Throughout the game, mages alternate turns to position Spells in their Spellbook, energize them, and unleash these charged spells for powerful and devastating effects. The game is a duelling one, where you are looking to reduce your opponents health to zero before they do the same to you. This is done through four phases. First, the Focus step where players will charge active spells by adding charge tokens to one Spell in their Spellbook. These are cards that have been placed in front of them in previous turns that are not fully ready yet. You can add one charge token to one spell this way, per active spells in your active row. Active spells are spells that have been fully charged and moved forward from your spell book to your active area above. Players then move to the Prepare step where cards can be added to players Spellbook from their hand as often as they like, so long as players do not have more than four cards here. During this phase, players can also discard cards from their hand to add more charge tokens to matching coloured cards in their Spellbook. The third phase is the Casting phase, where all fully charged spell cards in your Spellbook are now moved into your active area. Any immediate effect is then carried out. You can recall a spell if you prefer. Plans can change after all. Once this is done, players move to the fourth and final phase where players discards their hand, two cards can be kept if players wish, and draw back up to their hand size, usually six cards. This is how the game flows until one players loses all their health. The game works very smoothly in this way, and relies on its cards to bring the strategy. And oh my, does it do that well. The way the cards interact with each other, and can help you to form powerful turns is very clever. I would not say it is the most intuitive game to learn in this way, but when it clicks after a game or three, you will start to really enjoy the things you can do. Some spells simply do not work that well together but others really do. Learning how best to do this feels great. The proposed date for the Kickstarter launch is currently the 27th February 2024, you can find out more about that here. The final game will contain four more colours, plenty more Egos, proper playmats, and a larger (but still very portable) box to contain all the components. The publishers will also be releasing the Tyrant Hunt expansion at the same time, adding a co-operative 1-6 player game. The publishers have done a recent series of YouTube shorts (a total of 2 minutes in length) that cover the basics. Check that out here and find more about the publishers at Roc Nest Games, Mo & Alice here @rocnestgames and here on their website.

Surfosaurus Max WBG Score: 8 Player Count: 2-6 Published by: Loosey Goosey Games Designed by: Ikhwan Kwon This is a the reviewers own copy, paid for with our own money. See our review policy here When I was looking at games to check out for Essen 2023, there was one game that stood out, more for my curiosity than anything else. I did not know much about the designer, publisher, or indeed anything about the game itself. I honestly didn't even know it was a card game. I just saw the name and box art on the BGG hotlist (a website that lists all games released at Essen, then ranks them by users' thumbs up), and that was enough! A surfing T-Rex! Come on. That's got to be enough for anyone, right? Fast-forward a few months, and I have now played the game many times and realized that, it seems, by pure fluke, this game is ace! Let's get it to the table and see how it plays. How To Set Up Surfosaurus Max Based on player count, hand out the handy-dandy player aids so everyone can see at least one. This provides clear and succinct visual aids on how to win a trick in the game. It will also tell you how many cards to remove from the game based on your player count. Once this is done, deal seven cards to each player. Each player takes one Surfboard card, along with one full and half-full coconut card. Finally, determine who will be the starting player. There is no advantage to this, as all players will get to be the first player an equal number of times. Give them the dinosaur meeple and tell them to place this onto their surf board card, and you are now ready to begin. Although, it is recommended everyone has a little play with the cool dino meeple at this point to avoid later distractions. How To Play Surfosaurus Max Starting with the first player, each player now plays one card face up in front of them, then draws back to seven cards. When it gets back to the first player, a second card is then played. This continues until all players have played two cards, or three in a two or three-player game. All players will then compare the cards played to see which is the collective best combination of four cards played, or five cards in a five or six-player game. The best combination would be a sequential run of cards in the same colour, then four or five cards of the same number, followed by cards of the same colour. If you don't have any group of cards, the focus then moves to a sequential group of cards using any colour before finally picking the highest numbered cards. The cards in the highest group are then taken by the players who laid them and placed under their full coconut card to be scored at the end of the game. If there were any ties, the tied cards are placed under the half coconut and score half points at the end of the game. Half points can score for a few reasons, for example, if a straight was made running six to nine, but multiple people played a six, all duplicates would be included at half points. In a two-player game, you will play six rounds with each player starting three rounds each. Four rounds are played with three or four players. With five or six players, you will play one round per person. When the game is over, count up all your points, and unsurprisingly, the most points win. Is It Fun? Surfosaurus Max Card Game Review This game is so much fun with three players. With two, it's okay but feels more functional. But in a four or higher, oh my! This game really sings. You will be surprised at just how much fun you can have with this game. Considering all that you are doing on your turn is playing a card and then picking it back up, it's amazing how you will become so invested in this game. And how much satisfaction you will get from scoring cards as you play. As you are only ever scoring the top four or five cards (based on player count), trying to get your cards to be one or two of the chosen ones feels important. There is a constant competitive edge but all the way, mixed with a real sense of camaraderie. Your cards can only ever form part of the top group; you need other players to play cards that work with yours. If you play two tens and then someone else plays a ten, that feels exciting. You feel a sense of teamwork as the round progresses. But then if someone else starts laying a colour sequence to trump your same number sequence, this feeling is quickly replaced with one of competitiveness again. The state of the game changes with every card being laid. New potential "best hands" are being formed all the time. And what once was, may not ever be again. Who said that? Surfosaurus Max is a great filler game. It works perfectly in the pub. It's an ideal game for families to take on holidays or play after dinner. It works in so many environments, and I would recommend it to anyone, so long as you are not relying on playing it solely at two players. It's fine in two; it just loses most of what makes it fun. It has quickly become a firm family favorite for us, and I can see us playing this for years to come. I am so glad I was pulled to the quirky cover at Essen. The theme is largely pasted on, and the giant first player dino is pointless. The surf cards to place the dino on serve for almost nothing, and the artwork is distracting more than thematic. But none of this matters when you are having fun.

The gaming landscape in 2023 has been truly remarkable. This year has seen the release of a few titles that have secured spots in my new top 10 games of all time. Notably, one of my all-time favorite cooperative games and my favouite solo experience of all time also come from this years' top 10. Without further ado, here are my top 10 games of 2023. For my full reviews on each game click the link in the title of the game. Unsung Hero Award - Narrowly missing the cut at Number 11 Zhanguo WBG Score: 8.5 Player Count: 1-4 You’ll like this if you like: Iki, Brass: Birmingham Published by: Sorry We Are French Designed by: Marco Canetta, Stefania Niccolini This game is a re-release of a title originally introduced in 2014. Despite its 2023 reissue, it appears to have garnered limited attention, possibly due to its substantial weight on BGG or its somewhat lackluster artwork. The reasons are unclear, but this game deserves more recognition because it is truly outstanding. Boasting an abundance of combos to an almost extreme degree, Zhanguo provides numerous captivating scoring possibilities and presents a very intereting perspective on multi-card-use euros. If you enjoy games of this nature, it is certainly worth your consideration and so I anted to include on this list, dispite not quite making the cut, just to shine a light on it. Best Cooperative Experience - Number 10 Daybreak WBG Score: 8.5 Player Count: 1-4 You’ll like this if you like: Pandemic, Arkham Horror LCG (Mechanically speaking!). Published by: CMYK Designed by: Matt Leacock, Matteo Menapace The theme of this game is exceptionally intriguing. As you play, you gain a wealth of knowledge about the potential solutions to the climate crisis which when added to the gradually intensifying tension adds to the overall experience. If you appreciate challenging yet ultimately attainable cooperative games, Daybreak has the potential to become one of your all-time favorites. Picture Pandemic with the intensity of a Green Party conference. The game merits awards not only for the extensive research behind it but also for achieving mathematical perfection in its gameplay balance. Best Two Player - Number 9 Ancient Knowledge WBG Score: 8.5/10 Player Count: 2-4 You’ll like this if you like: Tapestry, 51st State. Published by: IELLO Designed by: Rémi Mathieu Yet another game that seems to have slipped under the radar a bit. It's puzzling, considering the delightful artwork, accessible box and weight, and the intriguing gameplay that brings something a bit different to the table. Maybe it got overshadowed by the buzz surrounding some larger box games released released around the same time, or the it could be challenges in higher player counts. Regardless, the immense joy I've found while playing this, especially in a two-player setting, makes it well deserving of your attention if you're on the lookout for a compelling two-player game. Biggest Suprise of the year - Number 8 3 Ring Circus WBG Score: 8.5 Player Count: 1-4 You’ll like this if you like: Tribes of the Wind,The Red Cathedral, Great Western Trail. Published by: Devir Designed by: Remo Conzadori, Fabio Lopiano I'm beginning to realize how many games on my top 10 didn't receive the buzz they deserved in 2023. It seems that the abundance of great game released this year might have contributed to this oversight. However, one game that undoubtedly deserves recognition and is likely to stand the test of time is this charming masterpiece from Devir. It immerses you in a captivating competition to establish the most successful circus, set in America at the turn of the 19th century. With its unique theme, seamlessly executed flow, and intriguing strategy that invites multiple plays, this game brings joy in every session and is well worth your consideration. Best Campaign Game - Number 7 (Not technically a 2023 game!) Mind MGMT WBG Score: 8.5 Player Count: 1-5 You’ll like this if you like: Beast, Scotland Yard, Fury of Dracula. Published by: Off the Page Games Designed by: Jay Cormier, Sen-Foong Lim This game is exceptionally clever. It's the ideal choice to bring out during a long weekend or holiday: set it up, play a session, break for lunch, play another round, take a break, and resume the next day. The richness of the campaign experience is truly impressive. The catch-up mechanism between games is remarkably unique, and the actual gameplay itself is brimming with tension, laughter, and captivating strategy. Although the game initially debuted in 2021, I only had the chance to play it early this year, earning it a spot on the list by default. For those who also missed it upon its initial release, I strongly encourage you to explore this if you appreciate sprawling, campaign-based deduction games with twists and turns that promise to delight and captivate you. Biggest 'Contraversy' of the Year - Number 6 Apiary WBG Score: 9/10 Player Count: 1-5 You’ll like this if you like: Viscounts of the West Kingdom, Viticulture Lost Ruins of Arnak Published by: Stonemaier Games Designed by: Connie Vogelmann When I mention controversy, I'm referring to concerns raised about the pricing strategy at Essen, the mixed reviews the game has received since its launch, and the challenges related to balancing found in the game. I don't have any issues with the aforementioned points. I opted not to purchase at Essen due to what I perceived as inflated prices, and instead, I waited. Mixed reviews for big games are quite common—some are overhyped due to insufficient playtesting, while others may receive overly negative critiques from individuals discontent with certain aspects of the publisher involved, the industry or the game itself. Regarding balancing issues, yes, there are a few tiles that offer more significant rewards than others, but if that bothers you, you can simply remove them from the game. In my view, the primary balancing factor revolves around one specific Carve tile. Carve tiles are prominently displayed from the start for everyone to see. Every player has an equal opportunity to accumulate the required resources to purchase them. If this one Carve tile is present in your game, and someone manages to obtain it first on the rare occasions it appears (assuming you haven't removed it from the game), credit is due to them for reaching it first. In reality, it's less of a controversy and more a collection of opinions—a fundamental aspect of this hobby, wouldn't you agree? My personal opinion is that this game is immensely enjoyable. It not only rewards multiple plays but also boasts a visually stunning design that has captivated me since my initial play and fuly deserves its spot on this top ten list. Best Small Box - Number 5 Bamboo WBG Score: 8.5 Player Count: 2-4 You’ll like this if you like: Bitoku, KanaGawa,The Red Cathedral. Published by: Devir Designed by: Germán P. Millán This game might just be an unexpected hit for 2023, flying somewhat under the radar. There hasn't been much buzz surrounding it, with the attention at Essen this year largely captured by The White Castle, perhaps rightfully so. However, since I haven't had the chance to play that game yet, it won't make it onto my list. In contrast, Bamboo secures its spot at the 5th position, thanks to its impeccably designed gameplay that exudes sophistication. Every playthrough has been a delight, and the strategic unfolding of turns in this game is simply glorious. Its appealing aesthetics certainly contribute to its charm. But what sets Bamboo apart from many other games of 2023 is the sheer joy derived from implementing the cascading strategy required for success. Navigating through the intricate process, thinking multiple turns ahead, is a gratifying experience that makes me eager to return to this game time after time. Most Interesting Theme - Number 4 Ierusalem WBG Score: 9 Player Count: 1-4 You’ll like this if you like: Dune Imperium, Orleans, Tiletum Published by: Devir Designed by: Carmen García Jiménez I strongly dislike the fact that this game spells "Jerusalem" with an 'I.' I understand the reasoning behind it, but I find it unnecessary. It seems like a case of being clever just for the sake of cleverness, which is the exact opposite of what the game embodies. The game itself streamlines the fundamental mechanics of set collection, hand management, and grid coverage into a mathematical euro delight. While the theme may feel somewhat pasted on, they opted for an interesting and, admittedly, unique one that, in my opinion, complements the mechanics well and aligns with every decision I make during gameplay. The board may appear busy, the art somewhat biblical, and the setting potentially not appealing to everyone based on religious or political beliefs. However, beneath these aspects, the core structure of the game is ingenious, delivering a seamless euro experience that presents meaningful decisions, rewarding players throughout each game. Best Euro Game - Number 3 Nucleum WBG Score: 9 Player Count: 1-4 You’ll like this if you like: Brass: Birmingham, Tiletum, Barrage. Published by: Board&Dice Designed by: Simone Luciani, Dávid Turczi This game is the most recent addition to my list, jumping straight in at the number three spot. It comes in a sizable box, packed with components, and the rule book isn't the most user-friendly I have seen recently. And when compared to similar games, it might not reign as the king of its own little hill, but once you peel away those layers, what remains is a highly enjoyable game. If given the space to breathe, it can offer hours of entertainment, and that's just from the first playthrough! Joking aside, contrary to some claims, it doesn't take as long as some say to play, and after a few sessions, I've even found myself wishing the game didn't conclude so quickly, yearning for a few more turns. This realisation tells me two things: one, I need to improve my skills in this game, and two, this game consistently leaves me craving more. The fact that it occupies my thoughts for days after each session is reason enough to earn it such a high position on my list for 2023. Best 'Dice' Game - Number 2 Circadians: First Light Specialists Expansion WBG Score: 9.5 Player Count: 1-4 You’ll like this if you like: Alien Frontiers, Euphoria. Published by: Garphill Games Designed by: S J Macdonald I've yet to encounter a Garphill game that doesn't captivate me. Each one ingeniously explores unique ways to look at popular mechanics, and the same holds true for Circadians, which employs a captivating dice worker placement mechanism. Although the base game debuted in 2019, it didn't grace my table until 2023 when this expansion landed, and oh my, did it elevate the game to greatness. I initially rated the base game a 9, but this expansion nudges it close to perfection at 9.5 for me. There's an incredibly satisfying feeling to performing well in this game. The mental processes I undergo as I plan my turns each round, and the surge of endorphins when everything unfolds according to plan, are experiences only games like this can deliver. If you revel in orchestrating well-structured turns in complex strategy games with numerous moving parts and variables, this could easily become one of your all-time favorites. For me, it swiftly claimed a spot in my top 5 of all time with the addition of this fantastic expansion. Best Solo Game - Number 1 Legacy of Yu WBG Score: 9.5 Player Count: 1 You’ll like this if you like: Hadrian's Wall, Ganz Schon Clever, Robinson Crusoe. Published by: Garphill Games Designed by: Shem Phillips Occupying both the number one and two spots on my list for 2023, Garphil Games has had a great year for sure. With Legacy of Yu they have crafted a remarkable masterpiece that deserves the umber one spot. What's intriguing about this games position for me is that, despite not being a solo gamer, and currnelty not wanting to play it, it was an easy choice for first place. After playing through the solo campaign multiple times in a concentrated burst earlier this year, I find myself not craving an immediate return. It's not that I won't play it again; I know I will, and I'll love it. However, I'm content with the extensive time I spent immersed in it—27 games over an almost continuous three-day marathon. I undeniably got my money's worth, and the fact that it currently sits as my number one game of the year despite my current reluctance to replay it says a lot. The context matters here. Legacy of Yu is a campaign game, and replaying an entire campaign multiple times is a substantial commitment. Three times is already quite a lot for any campaign game. Furthermore, considering that this is a solo game, and I'm not particularly a solo gamer, I initially approached it more for reviewing purposes than personal enjoyment. Yet, I found myself captivated by the process of workig through the campaign. Which I now know pretty much all parts too. I need some time to forget the story! Looking ahead, I would love to see Garphil explore new avenues with this game—perhaps a sequel, a second campaign expansion, or even a mini-expansion introducing a new chapter. Breathing new life into it would be a welcome prospect because, while the experience is phenomenal, it needs to find a way to remain relevant given its inherent nature of having a full stop . Reflecting on those 27 games and comparing them to all the other new games I played this year, Legacy of Yu stands out as the best gaming experience I had in 2023. I strongly encourage anyone with even a slight inclination to try a solo game to give this one a whirl—it won't disappoint.

Forks WBG Score: 7.5 Player Count: 2-4 You’ll like this if you like: Hanamikoji Published by: Radical 8 Games Designed by: Mark Stockton-Pitt This is a free review copy. See our review policy here. This is the scond edition of a popular card game made by designer Mark Stockton-Pitt who also runs his own publishing company. They were the team who brought the fantastic Die of the Dead to market. The first edition used a more simple art style, whereas with this second edition that also tweaks a few rules, looks gorgous with the new Tourism theme. It is coming to Kickstarter in early 2024 but this is a finished copy of the game, hence this being a review, not preview. Let's get it to the table and see how it plays. How To Set Up Forks Game Setting up Forks is a straightforward process. Utilise the provided setup card to remove a specified number of cards based on your player count. For a two-player game, you must also exclude the Ten, Eleven, and Twelve cards. Next, deal the top three cards face up on the table, visible to all players. If any cards of the same suit are revealed at this point, create a cascading pile, ensuring the values of all the cards are visible while keeping them grouped by suit. Place the remaining cards in a face-down deck at the center of the table. With these steps completed, you're now prepared to start playing. How to Play Forks Card Game The initial player starts by drawing three cards. From these three cards, they select one to keep, a process termed as Embezzling in the game. Subsequently, they pass the remaining two cards to the player on their left. The second player then picks one card from the received two, keeping it, and places the third card into the central pile, referred to as Investing. The player performing this action then draws the top three cards from the deck, repeating the same process of choosing one to keep and passing the other two to the next player. In a two-player game, after the second player completes this sequence each time, the top card from the deck is immediately Invested before continuing with the regular game. This cycle continues until the deck is depleted. At that juncture, all card groups in the middle are tallied and arranged in order of value. The top three groups are distinguished from the bottom two, and any ties are resolved by consulting the back of the setup card, which provides clear instructions on how to handle such situations. Participants then total the cards in their Embezzle pile derived from the three highest groups and record those as positive points. Conversely, they subtract the cards in their Embezzle pile from the two lower groups. The player amassing the highest number of points emerges as the victor. Is It Fun? Frks Card Game Review Forks is an exceptionally easy game to grasp, explain, and engage with, yet it falls into the category of those simple card games that prove to be incredibly addictive. A single round is seldom sufficient, and every time this little deck of joy is brought to the table I have a lot of fun. This edition represents the second iteration of the game, with the initial version featuring a business-oriented theme. The current rendition is centered around tourism, with each of the five suits representing distinct locations. While the artwork on the cards is stunning, it remains consistent across all cards within each of the five suits which is a shame. It would be nice to see some differneces over each number. As the game unfolds, you'll come to appreciate the captivating elements Forks constantly brings to the table. It's incredible how much strategy the straightforward "I cut, you choose" mechanism brings to such a simple decision. Each card you retain will either earn you positive or negative points when the game ends. However, keeping a card reduces the likelihood that its suit will rank among the top three suits, increasing the chances it will end up in the bottom two and yield negative points. So, avoiding this card seems like the logical choice, right? Well, yes, but then you'll have to select one of the remaining cards, putting you in the same predicament with that card. It's a delicate yet delightful dilemma. Another delightful aspect of this finely tuned decision when you're the first player, is that the card you opt not to take presents the subsequent player with the option to select one and invest in another. What choices do you want to leave for them? Which two cards do you prefer not to embezzle, knowing that the other player will invest in one and embezzle the other? Sometimes you might want all three cards, occasionally you'll want to invest in all three, but more often than not, you'll want to pass none to the other player. It's a joyous experience every turn, offering a wealth of strategic choices consistently, throughout the entire game, approximately every twenty seconds or so. Hit after hot of endorphines. But also, fear. Did you make the right choice? I would reccomd this game to anyone. Anyone at all. It's so simple. So quick to play. And I would imagine, universally appreciated due to its simplistic rule set but highlly enjoyable strategy. One to keep an eye on when its hits the crowd funding shlves in 2024. I will add a link here when it comes live.

Within my social circle of friends and family, I am very much known as Jim the Gamer. It seems to be a popular topic of conversation when I am with them. I think it is a novelty for them. Something out of the ordinary. This more than fully grown, rather hairy man likes toys?! I do often try and steer the conversation away to other people where possible. I was brought up right by my mum after all! But, this line of chat does often lead to the question, "Shall we play a game then?" And then I panic. Now, I don't want to sound ungrateful. But I have learnt something about myself over the last 43 years of my life. I am somewhat grumpy, and like things a certain way. I score quite high on the Autism spectrum, and although I enjoy social situations, I do struggle in groups when I am in unfamiliar territory, especially when there are lots of conflicting noises or I am away from my wife who does a good job at offering me some perspective and calming me down. I am working on these issues, but feel being aware of them at least is a start. And I have got noticeably better over the last few years thanks to multiple rounds of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). Which is amazing, and I would highly recommend to anyone. But back to the point, oh yes. I am not a fan of playing games with non gamers! There, I said it. OK, let me try and explain myself. But first, let's put it into context. Would someone who really enjoys playing Tennis for example enjoy playing Tennis with anyone? Anyone at all? No matter their level of ability or importantly, enthusiasm for the sport? It seems that everyone wants to play a game with me, and at first I embraced and welcomed this. However, I have come out of quite a few gaming experiences thinking to myself that firstly, I did not really enjoy the game. But secondly, and most importantly, I didn't really like who I was when we played. With non-gamers I can become quickly irritated and impatient. Like the Tennis example above, I may be hitting forehands to the other player, only for every shot returned to me to hit the net. That's not a lot of fun for the tennis player, and it's not a lot of fun for me either. But stick with me here! This is not the full story. Now, don't get me wrong. I have taught hundreds of games to hundreds of people. Most of the time, I love it! And the people I am playing with don't need to be gamers, or good at games. But I do prefer it when they are at least engaged with the process. It is not necessarily the fact that the ball is never returned to the tennis player in the above analogy that is frustrating to the tennis player. But it's more the fact that as this tennis player watched the other player struggle to do as well, they also notice them not really wanting to play the game in the first place, and subsequently assume they are not trying their best to do well. When people want to play with me, it seems that part of this is because they think that this is what I want to do. I am sure that they fancy a quick game too. But generally speaking, it seems that most people don't really want to commit to anything more than 20-30 minutes, or anything that requires any significant listening to long rules or figuring out complex strategy. People rarely go from zero to hundred in their interest in anything, and I don't expect that in games. This is one reason why we have so many popular games we all politely refer to as gateway games. Games that are good for new players. Simple rules. Quick to setup, teach and play. And mostly fun. Mostly. But let's be truthful about this. Some of us gamers don't really want to play gateway games all the time. We want to play the games we like. For me, I love a long complex euro. Something you can really sink your teeth into. Would you take someone who loves French classic cinema to a new Marvel film? And if you did, would you be offended if they didn't love it? We, as gamers, seem to be expected to want to play any game, with anyone, all of the time. And obviously this is not the case. As such, I have taken this very firm, and constant stance. I will never ask anyone I that I consider to be a non-gamer if they want to play game. It will never be initiated by me. And if they ask me, I will reply "if you like." Then, if we do actually get to playing a game, I will do my best to find something fun, fast, and simple. I have plenty to choose from. Downforce being a current favorite for this. But the trick for me, is to have constantly updated gateway games to reach for, so I don't get sick of Ticket to Ride or Carcassonne over and over! If I am going to play a simple game, for me, at least let it be relativity new and exciting for me to play as well. I fully understand I sound very grumpy here. And also quite a bit privileged in all the games I have access too. But having spoken to a number of other people, I sense maybe some other people feel the same way. But as gamers ourselves, we seem to never want to turn down the opportunity to play a game. No matter who we are playing. But cast your minds back. Have you ever been in a situation where you are playing a game with someone you know is not really into it? Maybe they are getting distracted by their phone or other people, or even the TV? Or just by the simple fact that they don't really want to be playing the game in the first place. How did it make you feel when you were playing that game? I would never personally implement rules, but am a big fan of a no phones when playing a game, which is hard with instgramers! ;) But taking the odd picture isn't really the issue. It's more the sense that they are just not into this game. I don't mean less into that I am. That's fine. I get I'm obsessive with games. I mean more that they are not really into the experience at all. Perhaps they started playing as they thought it would be nice for me? Maybe they thought they may like it more than they are now realsiing, as they sort of like Connect Four, and are now regretting it! This is way more complex than Connect Four! What is Jim doing to me? And on top of the issue of 'if they are having fun', am I having fun? I am playing a game, I don't really want to play, with someone who doesn't really want to play it. Simply it seems, because they think I want to play games all the time. No matter the game. No matter the person. It's a bit of a vicious circle. I think a lot of this is because non-gamers don't really understand the gaming world. The scale and majesty we have around us. Part of that is our fault as gamers. When I play games with non-gamers it is generally either a gateway game or a party game that I will reach for and bring out as I say. They may well have a much better experience with Scythe or The Castle of Burgundy if only I just suggested it. But I don't! So, maybe this is all our fault as gamers. Another viscous circle. We under estimate the non-gamers, suggest average games we don't want to play as much, and then bemoan the experience. One such experience for me was when a group of colleagues asked me to organise a game night in the office one evening after work. I happily agreed! I brought in so many games and made so much prep! I recognised that I needed to have low expectations, but one of them is a proper gamer, another had played and enjoyed a few proper games with me recently. And one had been buying a few games based on my recommendation and seemingly enjoying them. I wasn't starting from scratch! I laid out 6 Nimmt to start of light and then quickly realised that 'game night' means something very different to some people! To me, it means playing games, for a good few hours, with a lot of laughter and fun, with the odd drink and snack. To them, it meant getting blind drunk and playing one game. We struggled through 6 Nimmt, in their drunken state, the concept seem to escape them all. The vibe seemed to be more about how hard it was and how abstract the concept was, more than actually trying to figure out a repetitively simple game. But I stayed calm (ish) Packed away this game and also the game I had set up to play next as I quickly realised I had reached far too high with that as well, and suggested we play Werewolf instead. Surely anyone can play this? After a few rounds, they all got it and we played about ten games. I think a relative success in the end. But I hated it. It just wasn't fun for me. It was a chore. I felt like a school teacher trying to encourage a group of unruly students to do something they didn't want to do. I don't want to feel like that ever. Let alone when I am playing a game. Especially when I have been asked to arrange the night in the first place. I later realised though this is down to me and my expectations. Not them. They just wanted a fun night and thought that I and the games could facilitate this. But like the Tennis analogy, (admittedly, now over used!) would you ever ask to play a game of Tennis with someone who really likes Tennis, turn up in a swimming costume and no racket, and then just get drunk? I do understand that Tennis is different to games, and you can play and enjoy games with a few drinks. But for me, games are not a once in a while novelty. They are something I love. I play pretty much every day. I don't really have the same interests as others to mess around with a game whilst getting drunk. I want to actually play the game. But as I say, this is on me. My expectations for that night were wildly off. If it were to happen again, I would polity decline. If I couldn't get out of it, I would bring one game. It would be a very simple one that could be played by anyone in any situation. And I wouldn't have any expectations of how many times or how successfully we would play it. Again, I know this makes me sound grumpy. But as I say, I play games most days. I don't need to force new or extra gaming experiences into my life. I would rather be selective with who and how I play games. If I don't enjoy something like this, and seemingly, others don't either, why make it happen? I am hpapy just playing with my son in truth. He is amazing at games, mostly wins, but loves all the same games as me. I am very blessed. He is a joy. There is a funny relationship between games and the people that play them. Perhaps we are all seen as fun, lively people and in a social situation, a simple thing to suggest is "shall we play a game?" But I like playing games in relative quiet. Sure, there can be chat and laughter. But mainly it's about the game. And I do like when all players are engaged. Most other gamers I have played with has shared this attitude. 90% of non gamers I have played with have not. I am not trying to make any specific point in this. Or put any expectations or judgment on anyone else. Nor am I trying to cast any blame or shame in anyone's direction. It is simply a statement of my mental state when playing games with different types of people. I thought it may be useful for others who have experienced this and thought they were alone. But I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

Bamboo WBG Score: 8.5 Player Count: 2-4 You’ll like this if you like: Bitoku, KanaGawa,The Red Cathedral. Published by: Devir Designed by: Germán P. Millán This is a free review copy. See our review policy here. Back in 2021 Bitoku was released. It was a massive hit winning numerous awards. I myself chased after it like a lunatic at Essen, eventually getting a copy just after the show had ended. It excited people, I think, because it was a Euro game that looks pretty. It baffles me that so few good euro games look good. But we are where we are. German designers seem to love brown. Anyway, Bitoku was a fantastic game, and exists within a beautiful world, similar to the movies of Studio Ghibli. After it success, and the plaudits the game got for the art and universe it created, it would be strange if the designer and publisher left it at that. And, thankfully, they didn't. Bitoku is all part of the Kemushi Saga. As well as Bitoku, we had 2018 release Silk. And now, Bamboo. But what is this world? Well, the rule book suggests that "this is the story of a world, about the struggle between natural chaos and artificial order. A story that stretches over thousands of years." The games are linked by nothing more than the art style and some of the theming, but the idea is interesting. And if you like one, you may well like the others. So, let's get it to the table and see how it plays. How To Set Up Bamboo First time out the box, sit tight make yourself a cuppa. You got work to do! There are a couple of little tile holders to build, a whole heap of tiles and coins to punch out, and then all the coins need their middle separately popped out. How does all this stuff fit in this tiny box? But once that is done, the subsequent set up is quite simple and can be one in under six minutes. I know, I have timed it! It is especially simple if you put all the individually player components and specific Bamboo pieces into their own separate bags. You will need a few separate baggies for this. There are plenty in the box, but they are all tiny. I also separated the parts used for a three or four player to aid set-up based on player count. Doing all this will save you a lot of time. It makes me wonder why designers don't think of these things themselves and suggest it and create bags specific for it? To set up, place the main board down on the table and give each player their own player mat. There are two sides, make sure all players choose the same one. The day side is the same for all players, the night side has some icons marked already in the home area for some variation. Give each player all the pieces in their colour (hopefully now all in one bag), and add the coins and tile trays by the main board. It's best to place the tile trays above the areas they are going to be put into in the game. It looks nicer and aids the gameplay. See them as a conveyor belt above the board, ready to feed the empty slots. Add the balance and home tiles from these trays to fill the slots on the board. Next, mix up the spirit of the forest tiles and create four groups of four. Place these into the four temple spaces on the main board and put the left over tiles back into the box. Four a two player game there is one extra step here. Mix up the four temple tiles and place them on each of the four temples. Then get the brown incense pieces and add the shown amounts on the temple tiles into each temple. This will act as a dummy player in the area control battle for these four temples. The next step is to place the round tracker into the top left space of the board, representing Spring, and then to place the four gift from the forest tiles into the top middle section. These show icons for each of the four main actions. Place these face down. Each player will add one of their incense sticks into each of the four positions next to this, representing the four rounds of the game. Then place the 12 Bamboo pieces with diamond icon into random places on face up into the bottom left of the main board. Finally for the main board, add the food tokens into the space at the bottom of the board, all face down, bar five that you will place into the specified places face up. All players will then ready their own player mat. To do this, you need to place your remaining three incense sticks onto the bottom left of the mat, the action marker off the side of the board, then your happiness counter which tracks your points onto the fifth space on the points tracker on the main board. Next, take one of the central balance tiles from the tray and place this into the one of the two central spaces on your player mat. These tiles represent the ways you can score points in the game from your items as you place them, and each player starts with one to give them some early direction. Each player will then take three coins to add to their mat. The final thing to do is to set up the Bamboo. You will notice some of the Bamboo has a pot icon on the bottom. These are the bamboo that start on your player mat. Each player receives one piece (again, hopefully from your own player bag) in each colour with this symbol on, and places it into the matching coloured temple space on their mat. Any remaining shoots with this symbol are placed back into the game box, although they should by now be in the other player colours own bags ready for a later game. Finally, mix up any remaining shoots and choose two per player. Players will then draft in turn one of these pieces until all players have two extra Bamboo pieces to add to their board. A random player is assigned the first player marker and you are now ready to play. How To Play Bamboo Playing, or at least explaining how to play, is simpler that the set up! The game runs across four rounds, clearly labelled on the main board. And each round has four seasons. Starting with Spring. In Spring players will receive one extra stick of incense and 'gifts from the forest'. The four gifts from the forest tiles are shuffled and then one is placed face up for each player. Players will then in turn choose one of these each. They show the four main actions in the game, which players can now carry out their chosen one. The four main actions are: 1. Gain two extra coins. 2. Take one face up food token. 3. Perform a balance action which means to gain one point, or to take two balance tiles and add them to your main board, or score two balance tiles already on your board, or one of each. 4. Improve your home, which means to gain one coin, or buy one item from the market. This will come at a cost shown on the board, but also score you instant points, also clearly displayed on the board. The balance tokens create placement challenges for your home. Rewarding you with instant points when you have achieved them, and on a later turn, take the Balance action in order to score it. The challenges are about the placement of the items in your house. The items need to be placed either on the left, right, or in the middle, based on the balance token requirements, and/or next to other specific items. Players will want food to feed their family in the Winter, one food per item in their home. Coins help players buy new items for their home and refresh the Spirits when they have been used. In Summer, the main part of the game, players will take it in turns to take these main actions until they run out of incense at which point they must pass. When all players have passed the next season begins. To take a turn, players will move their action marker to any of the empty spaces on the four temples on their player mat. In later turns, you must move it to one of the other three spaces. You cannot stay at the same temple twice in a row. The Temple must also have at least one Bamboo piece present. Players will then place an equal amount of incense pieces into the matching coloured temple on the main board as they have bamboo on this Temple on their player mat. If they want to place them into another Temple they may do so at the cost of one coin per Incense. And herein begins the reason why you will either love or just tolerate this game. No one hates games right? The choices here are delicious. Which Temple do you want to place your incense in? Which actions do you want to take? Which actions will you need to take later? If you do not have as many incense as you had Bamboo, just place as much as you can. But if you have an equal or higher amount, you must place the same. You cannot ever choose to place less but you can if you don't have enough, but you can only carry out the number of actions equal to the amount of incense you offered that turn. This was previously incorrectly explained by me but now edited to be correct. Thanks to Brian Bord (what an awesome name for a board game fan by the way!) for correcting my mistake. The Bamboo in each Temple is a mini area control game to win the Spirits in the next phase. The Spirits grant you special powers and big end game points. Choosing which Spirit you want and which one you think you can win is a large part of why you will do what you do each turn. But this is not even half of the picture. The Bamboo in the Temple on your player mat that you carry your action out in each turn now transfers to the main board. You can choose which of the four rows to place the bamboo in and split them across multiple rows if you wish, but you must place all the Bamboo in your temple that you are activating, no matter how much incense you just used. The Bamboo you place then dictates what actions you take this round. On the Bamboo you will notice the four main action symbols. There is also a star, which acts as a wild representing any of the four actions. This is the second most important part of your turn, deciding which actions you can benefit the most from. Once you have taken your action, you will then move the Bamboo you placed up, pushing the other three pieces along with it, and then take out the bamboo you displace from the top, and add this back into your Temple on your player mat, based on the colour of this Bamboo. Deciding which actions you will want for later turns is the final part of decided how and what you will do each turn. Remember, the Bamboo you add back to your board will dictate the actions you are able to take in later turns. So, the Temple you choose to place your action marker dictates which Temple you move your incense too, which Spirit you can potentially win, which Bamboo you remove from your board, which actions you can take that round, and which Bamboo you will add to your board, which in turn affects which Temple you can visit in future turns and what actions you can do. It's a lot to think about! Juicy huh? In Autumn players will take the Spirits from the main board and add them to their play area, based on whomever has the most incense in each temple. In the case of a tie, the tied player with the most recently and thus highest placed incense takes the Spirit. In a two-player game, if the dummy player wins the Spirit, it is simply discarded. The Spirits have various powers that players can use at their discretion through the game. They allow players to take extra basic actions, add extra food to their stores, treat any Bamboo placed as a wild Bamboo, or place Incense into any temple at no extra cost. When they are used, they must be turned 90 degrees to show they cannot be used again until refreshed. Players will then remove their incense from the Temples on the main board and place them back to their own player mat ready for the next round. In Winter players may awaken any previously used Spirits. This is done by paying the cost shown on the tile, most often one coin, although Kitsune has no cost. All players must then feed their family, one food per item in their house. For any food that you cannot pay, you will lose a point. The bottom row of the balance and home items on the main board are removed and the middle and top rows move down, and the top row is replenished from the trays. Fill any empty spaces and finally pass the first player marker one space clockwise. If this is the final round, move to final scoring otherwise advance to the next round and run through the four seasons again. After the fourth round players will score two points for each unique Spirit they have attracted and half the points for each completed balance tile in their possession that they have not scored in the game. However, players will also lose points for any imbalance in their house. To do this, each player must work out the value on the items in their house (shown on the icon on the tile) for all the tiles on the left and the right of their house. They will then lose two points for every point of difference between either side. Total your points, and unsurprisingly, the most points wins! Is It Fun? Bamboo Board Game Review If you enjoy strategising in games this this could well be for you. It is not the most complex game to learn and play. And on your turn you only really have a few options. But the cascading effect of what you do, and the result of each turn on later turns is massive and I take a lot of pleasure from puzzling this out. It could leave you thinking for a moment or two. Don't worry though, this is not a problem, as the game plays naturally at a more relaxed sedate pace. Helped by the gorgeous art that you can see above. I took the tiles off so you can get a proper look. But I am not talking huge pauses for thought. More those delightful moments when your brain starts thinking that you want this specific action to get this specific thing, and you can get it if you place that Incense into this Temple, but this other Temple has a Spirit that you want more, and are more likely to win the area control for. But that will result in a turn that is less than optimal, so I will go for plan A and try and make use of this Spirit if I win it, but accept I probably wont and go for the other Spirit later. Whilst other players wait they will be thinking the same thing, along with the added thought of, so long as the person before me doesn't change anything significant! The game plays pretty quickly too. It has the same energy as The Red Cathedral. Another small box game from Devir that also packs a lot of game and strategy into a small box. Similarly to The Red Cathedral, Bamboo offers simple turn structure, but big strategy. As you play Bamboo you will feel like you are in a bigger game, both in terms of the size, weight, and length. but it will all be over within an hour, less with fewer players, but your thirst for playing a "proper" game will most likely be quenched. For now. There are many ways to score in the game, and you will progress a long way in your score as you play, but there are a large amount of points up for garbs in final scoring. I like games that offer both in game and end game scoring. It gives you a reward as you play but also keeps the final winner a mystery as players will not know exactly how the final scoring will play out until they get there. Thinking about which actions you want to do, how to fulfil each balance goal by getting the right items into the right place, whilst also keeping your house in balance overall and still competing in the area control battle for the Spirits is a lot to think about. But it is not overwhelming, just crunchy. The game offers a delicious balance between a relaxed and calming theme and look with thoughtful and genuinely meaningful turns that affect your overall ability to do well or not. There is no real luck in this game, other than the tiles you flip and have access too, but generally you can make any tiles work for you when you understand the game. The only thing I don't like about this game is the size. A bigger box and bigger board would have been better for me. And the tile holders are very annoying. As they begin to empty, the remaining tiles start to slip and it starts to get hard to take them out in the right order or not see the ones that are coming up. A vertical stand would have been a lot better. But these are minor aesthetical quibbles. The game itself is sound. I would recommend this game to anyone who enjoys the other games in the "series" of similar games from Devir. They have created a lovely collection of small-box, big-strategy games that I hope continues over the years. It will be exciting to see what comes out next.

Curious about the ideal midweight game for a seven to twelve -year-old? Well, here are three options worth considering that have proven to be adored by children in this age range. Bunny Kingdom WBG Score: 8/10 Player Count: 2-4 Complexity rating: 5/10 Time to learn: 25 minutes Time to set up: 10 minutes Time to play: 45 minutes You’ll like this if you like: Building an army of bunnies to control the land. Published by: IELLO Designed by: Richard Garfield To read my review on the expanion for this game, head here. Every game on this list shares a common thread—they not only boast appealing aesthetics for younger gamers but also deliver a substantive experience that requires strategic thinking and meaningful decision-making all gamers can enjoy. Bunny Kingdom encapsulates this essence, presenting a charming facade paired with profound strategic depth. The gameplay revolves around a card-drafting mechanism, involving a substantial deck. Players are dealt a bundle of cards, choosing one to play immediately. Most cards allow the placement of a bunny on a specific grid location, while others offer point-scoring opportunities and enhanced powers. After playing a card, players pass the remaining cards to the next person, receiving a set from the opposite side to repeat the process. This continues until all cards are drafted, culminating in scoring based on your grouped bunny collections. With multiple rounds and potentially intricate scoring, particularly as the board becomes densely populated, the game promises a lot of fun. The average duration is around 45 minutes, edging closer to an hour with more players. While the scoring may present a visual challenge, the rest of the game remains fairly straightforward. The goal is to strategically position bunnies by selecting cards with grid references near existing placements. An additional educational benefit lies in Bunny Kingdom, serving as an effective tool for teaching multiplication, as scoring is intricately tied to the multiplication of bunnies within each group by the number of towers among them. Each game maintains a familiar feel, yet the abundance of cards and diverse strategies ensures that different players will attempt varied approaches in each session. The expansion further enriches the experience, providing additional reasons to bring this game to the table throughout the year. Although Bunny Kingdom may be prominently featured on social media during Easter, its appeal and enjoyment merit its presence year-round. Unicorn Fever WBG Score: 8/10 Player Count: 2-6 Complexity rating: 5/10 Time to learn: 25 minutes Time to set up: 10 minutes Time to play: 45 minutes You’ll like this if you like: Racing unicorns and betting on the results. Published by: Horrible Guild Designed by: Lorenzo Silva, Lorenzo Tucci Sorrentino To read my feature on Horrible Guild, the publiser of this game along with more thoughts on the game istelf, head here. Unicorn Fever is a betting game but often feels more of a race game when played by children. Over the course of four seperate races your goal is to correctly predict and bet on the winners or top three finishers. You can also play magic cards to either help or hinder specific Unicorns you want to affect in some way, which children seem to love. The betting phase comes before the race, where through the simple flip of a card and roll of two dice the Unicorns will race to the finish. Children will enjoy this seperate phase of the game. It feels like an event and breaks up the game. Game last between 40-60 minutes depending on the number of players and how often each player has played it. The game can be learnt in 20 minutes and taught in 5 minutes, but it does appear complicated at first. There are six phases across four races, but if you have one adult who understands the game, you can just get playing and only really explain the first few phases and then explain the rest as you go. But this is pribably the most complex game of the list. Each game feels completeley differnet and children will love the instant reward of multiplying their small wager for potential big returns. This game is probably better suited to children more used to modern board games, but could be enjoyed by any child with one adult willing to supervise, play along, or lead the process. Toy Story: Obstacles & Adventures WBG Score: 7.5/10 Player Count: 2-5 Complexity rating: 4/10 Time to learn: 15 minutes Time to set up: 10 minutes Time to play: 30 minutes You’ll like this if you like: Building a powerful deck of cards to complete missions. Published by: The Op Designed by: Prospero Hall, Kami Mandell To read my full review on this game, head here. This game serves as a reimplementation of a Harry Potter deck-building game. If your children have a preference for the Harry Potter franchise, both versions offer a comparable gaming experience and are highly recommended by WBG. In both iterations, the game concept revolves around navigating through the storiline from movies, offering highly thematic and accurate renditions of key events and characters. Starting with a standard hand of cards, players have the opportunity each round to acquire new and more potent cards, enhancing the strength of their decks. This process, known as deck-building, is a thoroughly satisfying and enjoyable mechanism employed in numerous board games. If you find pleasure in this game, a quick search using the website's search bar with the term "Deck Building" will reveal a plethora of other games that utilise this engaging mechanic. The game unfolds as a campaign, featuring distinct levels akin to a video game. Progression involves successfully completing one level before advancing to the next. With each victorious level, new cards, rules, and components are introduced, enriching the game. This campaign-style structure enhances the overall experience, creating an anticipation to explore the contents of the little boxes opened at the start of each new round. Game sessions typically last between 25 to 45 minutes, based on your performance, and are relatively straightforward to comprehend. The initial rounds are designed to be accessible and easy to win, facilitating a smooth entry into the game. As players become more adept, the complexity intensifies toward the end, aligning with the expectation that their decks are now primed for more challenging tasks.