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Storyfold: Wildwoods WBG Score: 7.5 Player Count 2-4 You’ll like this if you like: A game that is more about the story than the mechanics Published by:   Open Owl Studios Designed by:   Sjoerd van der Linde This is a free review copy of the game. See our review policy here This will be a SPOILER FREE review Storyfold: Wildwoods is from a new designer who has hit the ground running with this ambitious project. Launched on Kickstarter, this game successfully attracted 4,455 backers to put their trust and faith in this unique project. Pitched as a "solo narrative adventure game with dynamic card play," I can see why so many people got excited about this game. But in truth, I think it was the art style, aesthetic, and vibe that really won people over. I may be wrong, but this game screams sit down and chill to me. And I feel a lot of people want that from their gaming experiences right now, especially with solo games. Cosy is the current buzzword of the hobby, right? But does that all add up to fun and engaging? Let's get this to the table and see how this plays. How To Set Up Storyfold: Wildwood There is no rule book as such with this game. You just open up the box and start playing, and the prologue will talk you through the main rules and structure of the game. To set up, just open the book and start reading. It really is that simple. It will walk you through an introduction to the characters and setting. Then have you place your character cards on the space for them on the left of the main board, then the action cards on the river spaces at the bottom of the main board. The story deck will be placed on the left side, with the shadow card placed into its own space face up, then the two Explore cards that you get int he prologue are put into the explore slots. All these cards come from the top of the action deck and are in order, so are right there when you need them and the cards tell you to take them. It is all very intuitive. You move them as and when the prologue cards tell you to. Next, take the creature cards out and place them once shuffled face down onto their space on the right. Now place out the crystals, location markers, dice, and stun tokens into their space on the right. Now place the spirit marker and wildwoods markers out in the spaces as directed by the prologue cards. You are now ready to start your game in earnest. How To Play Storyfold: Wildwood You will now be looking at the Crossing the River story on the main page. This tells you that you will win if you can meet the scene's required conditions, which is moving the light marker to the centre space and resolving all "Onwards" locations on the main board. On your turn, you will run through two phases. The Luna phase where you take your actions and then the Shadow phase where the game fights back! As you play through these phases in the Crossing the River chapter, you will be taught the final mechanics and rules of the game as you play. During the Luna phase, you will take all the available dice and then decide how you want to use them. There are four actions available at the start, and these are the action cards you placed into the river during setup. These are Explore, Light, Help, and Heal. When you look at the main board, there will be a set piece Scene visually displayed. On the Scene , there are various prompts related to things you see there, that indicate things you can do in this Scene , Cross , Untangle , and Onward . The prompts have colours on them that match the Action cards, so you can see which actions can be done where. For example, in this first learning game, you can use the Purple on the Cross or Onward prompt actions, and the Explore action is Purple. So, to attempt these actions, you must use the Explore card. Cross means to cross the river in the picture. Onward means to move onto the next scene. Remember, you must resolve all Onward locations to complete this Scene. There is an arrow connecting the Cross prompt to the Onward one. This means that you must complete the Cross action first. There are also two purple circles under this action, meaning that you need two successes to complete this. The Explore card was initially placed in the river under the 3+ space, meaning to get one success you need to roll a three or higher. Each space in the river has a different success rate targets, going up one by one as it moves to the right, up to a maximum of 6+. Don't worry, the dice you roll are D8s. And it's up to you how many you want to roll to get the successes you need each time. But if you fail, those dice are all wasted, so you will want to hedge your bets! And when all your dice are used, that's your Luna (action) phase complete. And as this is a timed game, in that you have a limited number of turns before the game will eventually beat you, (not timed as in it's on the clock!) you need to be mindful about every decision, and every roll. So, see your dice as your resources to carry out actions. Treat them well. Look after them. When you roll your chosen amount, if you get the required number of successes, you can take a location marker from the right side of the board and place it under the action you just completed on the main board to mark it as complete. However, in this prologue, the instructions tell you how many dice to use, and that you have free re-rolls while you get used to the game. That will not be the case after this first chapter. Don't get used to it. The purple actions are all about advancing the story. Many of the locations on the scene you complete will show an action to take, such as drawing more cards or gaining more tokens. Cards may have other effects, like drawing Creatures cards or other events. Everything here connects and advances the story. When you draw a Creature card you must add it to the River, the cards at the bottom of the deck. Many Creatures have an on-play effect that comes into affect as soon as you bring them into the game. The Creature will be placed at the end of the river, the far right space, or where its card text shows. As you use action cards, they move to the end of the river, and as such, everything else shuffles down one place to the left. So now, after your Explore action, you will move your Explore action card that you just used to the far right, meaning the Creature card you just placed as a result of all this, will move one space to the left just behind this Explore card. This of course means that action cards will have a different success rate based on where they are in the river when you choose to use them; and Creatures move towards you after every action that you take! This is bad, as we will learn shortly. The other three main actions allow you to Light, Help, or Heal. Here in this opening scene, you have one other Purple Explore action and one other Blue Help action. They all work the same, and it is simply a choice of what Actions you want to do, and the order you do things. You will make these choice based on the position of the Action card in the river, the required successes needed, and what you think is your current priority. All cards have a top and bottom effect. You can use the bottom effect if you fail the roll but get at least one success. The top action of Light also lets you stun Creatures in your River, meaning they don't activate that round. A temporary respite from their attack. Each Creature will show a number of red and yellow circles on the bottom of the card. The number of yellow circles represents the number of successes you need to stun them from a Light action. Place a Stun token on the Creature you stunned to remind you, and move them to the end of the river to also slow their progress. Or you could use the Heal card to remove the card from the River entirely. Check the number of red symbols on the bottom of the card, much like in stun, and this shows the number of successes needed to heal them. If you are successful, the Heal action means you can remove them from the River, moving them to the Creature discard pile. On the bottom right of the Creature card, you will see symbols showing your reward, which would often be Crystals. The bottom affect of Light is how you advance the Light marker, one of this scenario's win conditions. Help's bottom affect gains you a Crystal, which can be treated as successes on later rolls. When you do this, take a crystal from the supply and add it to one of the four Action cards. Then, the next time you take one of these actions, you can use these crystals as a guaranteed additional success, so long as you get at least one success from your dice. The Heal action lets you move the Light marker in your favour. When you run out of dice, you then move to the Shadow phase. Here, any Creatures in the river are activated, in turn order, starting with the ones closest to the left space. Each Creature will have a symbol on the top right showing how much Spirit you lose at this phase. Some also have an Activate prompt on the card and generally do bad things. Hence, you not wanting them in your river. When you move the spirit track, move it back one space on the track on left side of the board. When this reaches the end, it simply refreshes back to the start, but you must then draw a Shadow card, and these are always bad! If ever you cannot draw a Shadow card when you have to as you have run out, this is another way to lose the chapter. However, the Brom card you placed during set up can help here by giving you essential one get out of jail free card, and you gain one more turn. But if you have used that up, its game over. After all Creatures have activated, you then move the Shadow marker on the right side of the middle board one space to the left. If this ever makes it to the middle, then you lose the scenario. Remember, this is a timed game. When you move the Shadow token, look out for symbols above it in its new space; many of the locations require you to activate different things as you move into them, such as drawing extra Creature cards. You can see how things can really escalate in this game! You will then move back into the next Luna phase with all your dice refreshed. You keep playing until you either meet that scenarios win or lose conditions. If you win, you can move on to the next round. If you lose, you can try again. The game plays over various scenes and chapters, with a continuing narrative running throughout. There are various places where you may die and have to reset and start that chapter again. You can save your progress at any point, but it is easiest at the end of each chapter. Or you can play through continuously. Each chapter takes about 45 minutes to an hour, depending on your play style and luck with the dice. As you continue through the game, you will gain new powers (cards and dice), build up your deck of Explore cards to be either better or worse, depending on your performance in previous scenes, and uncover the story that unfolds in the game. There are five chapters in total, with multiple scenes in each chapter, and more than one path to take as you play, based on your decisions and performance. And there is more than one ending, plus some ways to adjust the difficulty once you have finished the game and want to try again. Plenty to enjoy! Is It Fun? Storyfold: Wildwoods Board Game Review What is good About Storyfold: Wildwoods? Storyfold: Wildwoods delivers a relaxing solo experience that feels fresh, warm, and inviting. The game drops you straight into its world with no rulebook and lets the prologue teach you as you play. This creates a smooth opening chapter that feels natural, almost automatic, as you discover how the system works. The art and production carry a huge amount of charm. Everything feels designed to help you settle in, breathe out, and enjoy the journey. Another highlight is how well the game blends narrative with mechanisms. The river system is simple but clever, creating a constant flow of tension as creatures drift closer while your action cards shift in value. The story moments connect cleanly to what happens on the board, and small rewards like crystals, new cards, or even new dice make progression feel meaningful. It gives you that pleasant sense of moving through an unfolding tale while still making small, satisfying choices along the way. You feel in control, if somewhat lacking complete agency due to the dice rolls. What is not good About Storyfold: Wildwoods The gameplay can feel repetitive once you understand the rhythm. You are rolling dice, managing the river, and reacting to creatures in a loop that does not always evolve as quickly as the story suggests. Some players may also find the luck from the dice rolls too influential on the overall experience. You have some mitigation with the crystals and the order in which you take your actions, but mostly, your choices will feel pre-scripted and a little railroaded, and if you roll well, then great! But if not, things can be demoralising. And Wildwoods uses dice heavily. A critical fail at the wrong time can undo careful planning or force you into a reset that feels more annoying than dramatic. I am not a fan of having to re-do levels because I failed, especially if nothing really changes on the second attempt. Who will like Storyfold: Wildwoods and who will not If you enjoy narrative driven solo adventures with gentle pressure, you will love what Wildwoods offers. It rewards players who like atmospheric games, intuitive systems, and the feeling of playing through a storybook. However, players who want strategic crunch or deep mechanical variety may not connect with it. Wildwoods is built to be soothing, not sharp. If you are looking for big twists or tough tactical demands, this will not be the right fit. Pros Stunning art and production Smooth onboarding with prologue tutorial Relaxing and atmospheric solo experience Clear card based system that teaches itself Nice sense of progression across chapters Multiple endings and replay value Cons Early chapters feel slow and guided Dice driven outcomes can feel repetitive Limited strategic depth River movement can become predictable Not ideal for players wanting strong mechanical challenge Storyfold: Wildwoods is a gentle solo adventure that leans into mood, immersion, and a relaxing pace. It shines when you embrace the narrative and enjoy the cosy atmosphere. It stumbles a little when you look for deeper strategy or fast escalation. For players who want a calm and story heavy experience with beautiful production and a clever onboarding system, this will feel like a welcome escape. For players who want crunch, tension, or variety, it may feel too light. Overall, it is a charming and thoughtful solo journey that knows exactly what it wants to be. It's up to you if you want to be a part of this world or not. I certainly enjoyed my time with it and found the sense of discovery, both for the story and advancing mechanics with new cards and dice, exciting to discover the first time. I may not come back to it for a while, but I logged plenty of games with this first run through, so I certainly feel you would get your money's worth.

There’s something magical about gathering around a table, laughing, strategising, and just enjoying each other’s company. Whether it’s a rainy evening, a festive family get together, or a weekend treat, a well-planned family game night can turn an ordinary day into a memorable one. But how do you create that perfect vibe? How do you pick games that everyone loves, keep the energy high, and make sure no one’s stuck feeling left out or staring at their phone? Let’s dive into some fantastic family game ideas and tips that will have you looking forward to your next game night like never before. Picking the Right Family Game Ideas for Everyone Choosing the right games is the heart of a successful evening. You want something that’s easy enough for the little ones but still engaging for the adults. Here’s a quick guide to help you find that sweet spot: Cooperative games : These are brilliant because everyone works together to beat the game, not each other. It’s less about competition and more about teamwork. For something classic with card, and for fans of Poker, think of games like T he Gang or for something a little more strategic, try Daybreak . Classic board games : You can’t go wrong with modern favourites like Qwirkle for some abstract fun, 221b Baker Street , to get your Cluedo vibes on! Or Downforce , if you are in the mood to race! They’re familiar, easy to learn, and often spark hilarious memories of old favourites. Quick party games : If you want something fast-paced and for a larger group, try games like Hitster , anything from Big Potato Games , or for something a little more studios, Codenames . They’re perfect for keeping the energy up and the laughs coming in any situation. Creative and storytelling games : Games like Cartaventura or Masters of Crime encourage imagination and can lead to some truly unforgettable moments. Don’t be afraid to mix it up. Sometimes, the best nights come from trying something new or combining a few different styles. And if you’re looking for some top-notch cooperative options, check out this list of family game night favourites that bring everyone together. Setting the Scene: Creating a Cozy and Inviting Atmosphere for the Perfect Family Game Night Now that you’ve got your games, it’s time to think about the setting. The right atmosphere can make all the difference between a good night and a great one. Here are some tips to set the mood: Lighting : Soft, warm lighting is your friend. Avoid harsh overhead lights. Fairy lights or a few candles (battery-operated if you want to be safe) add a cosy touch. Comfort : Make sure there’s enough seating for everyone. Cushions, bean bags, or even a blanket fort can make the space feel inviting and fun. Snacks and drinks : Keep it simple but tasty. Popcorn, fruit slices, and a few sweet treats go down well. Don’t forget drinks – maybe some hot chocolate or a fun mocktail for the kids. Music : Background music can fill any awkward silences. Choose something light and upbeat, but keep the volume low enough so everyone can chat and hear the game. Remember, the goal is to create a space where everyone feels relaxed and ready to have fun. It’s not about perfection but about togetherness. Tips for Keeping Everyone Engaged and Having Fun Let’s be honest, sometimes, game night can hit a lull. Maybe someone’s losing interest, or the rules get confusing. Here’s how to keep the fun rolling: Explain the rules clearly and simply : No one likes to feel lost. Take your time and maybe do a quick practice round. And make sure you know the rules inside out so you can explain it simply, and answer any questions! Rotate game choices : Let everyone pick a game at some point. It keeps things fair and exciting. Encourage teamwork and positive vibes : Celebrate good moves and funny moments. Avoid harsh competition or criticism. This about fun, not rules! Keep sessions short and sweet : If a game is dragging, it’s okay to switch gears or call it a night. Not everything will work for you, that's fine. Include everyone : Adapt games if needed so younger kids or less experienced players can join in. Remember, the goal is laughter and connection, not just winning. Adding a Personal Touch: Customising Your Game Night Want to make your game night truly special? Here are some ideas to personalise the experience: Create themed nights : Maybe a pirate adventure, a mystery night, or a retro games evening. Make your own game : Get creative and design a simple game together. It’s a fantastic way to bond and unleash your inner game designer. Use personalised scoreboards or trophies : A little friendly competition with a homemade prize can add excitement. Invite friends or neighbours : Sometimes mixing up the group brings fresh energy and new game ideas. These little touches turn a regular game night into a cherished tradition everyone looks forward to. What If I want Something A Little More Complex? Well, check this out! Top 3 Best Board Games for Kids Ages 7-12: Perfect for Midweight Fun Top 3 Best Board Games for Kids Ages 5-8: Perfect for Light and Midweight Fun So, next time you’re planning a cosy evening, why not give these family game ideas a whirl? With the right games, a comfy setup, and a sprinkle of creativity, you’ll be creating memories that last long after the dice have stopped rolling.

This is a preview copy sent to us for our early opinions. No money exchanged hands. Some art, rules or components will change in the final game. Pipe Down comes from designer Colin Webster, who also made Club Manager, another game I am reviewing for WBG. He reached out to me and told me about a tile-laying game he was also working on. He was keen to let me know it was in its early stages of development and homemade. He asked that I didn't let that affect my thoughts. Well, he needn't have worried, because I adore this little tile layer. It is full of strategy and surprising depth. At first, you think it will be over in moments, but then you realise the clever little layers in this simple ruleset and. oh my - it's a wonderful experience. Don't get me wrong, it is still just a simple ten-minute game, but that works perfectly for this type of thing. But it feels instantly more interesting than you first think when you play it. So, without further ado, let's talk about how it plays. How To Set Up Pipe Down Find the starting tile with the pressure gauge in the middle and place it in the middle of the playing area. Shuffle the rest of the tiles and place them all face down in various piles to the side. Flip one tile over and give each player a playing counter of their chosen color. Ideally, players should then sit orthogonally from this tile, above, below, or to the left or right. I will explain why in a bit! That's it, you're ready to play. How To Play Pipe Down On your turn, you can either take the face-up tile or draw blindly from any other tile. If you take the face-up tile, be sure to flip another face-up for the next player. You must now place your tile next to any other previously placed tile. Your goal is to create a path of connected pipes through five tiles moving towards the direction in which you are seated at the table. This is why where and how you are seated is important during setup! This is five levels away from the central tile, not five tiles. It may take more than five tiles if you need to weave in and out. In this crude example, the green token is one space to the right of the central tile using one tile to get there, whereas the red tile is two spaces to the right or top of the central tile, even though it uses four tiles to get there. Make sense? Tiles must be placed to continue a path, next to an existing tile. You must place the tile even if it doesn't help your course. You can plan for future developments, such as the top left of this example where all tiles are placed legally, but there is a bit of future planning/hope here to connect these remote pipes to the central tile to make them relevant! After all players have placed their second tile (or third in a four player game), all players can now use their Repair crew. This is your coloured marker which can be placed on any tile, other than the one you just laid, to stop anyone else placing any tiles next to the tile with your marker. At the start of your next turn, before you place your next tile, you must now move the token back to the central tile. You can place it out again after you have laid your next tile, but not on the tile you lay now, or the tile it was on before. This way, you can slow down other players paths, but not stop the game entirely. Wrinkle number one! There are also these tiles with the plus sign as seen above. When laid, these can be placed as usual, or on top of other previously placed tiles. You must still match the placement rules, and they cannot go over the central waterworks tile, but this is another wonderful little wrinkle that lets you subvert other players' plans and fix your own little pathway concerns! Been blocked by another player? No worries, cover it with a new path that opens up in the way you need! Or, is another player about to win? Well, block their path with a dead end! There are also these tiles below, with colour caps on. When these are placed, if you later want to connect to them with another tile, you must use a similar tile with a connecting cap to continue this path. This won't stop other players, but it may slow them down waiting for the right tile. And all the other tiles have interesting twists and turns to keep the options available to you interesting and the pathway never obvious or as you first expect! Which is exactly what you want in this simple, but elegant race to the finish. Is It Fun? Pipe Down Board Game Preview Pipe Down looks like a light, simple tile-laying game at first glance, but it’s actually a smart little tactical challenge. You’re connecting pipes from the central pressure gauge out toward your side of the play area, and while it starts as you would imagine, the subversions to your plans come quickly. You’ll soon find yourself juggling awkward connections, managing scarce tiles, and trying to outthink your opponents’ routes. Then the Repair Crew enters the mix, a tiny but genius mechanic that lets you block others, forcing creative detours and a healthy dose of sabotage. Add in tiles that stack and others that demand matching color caps, and suddenly this quick ten-minute filler becomes a surprisingly rich spatial duel. Still ten minutes. Still very much a filler. But one with a bit more crunch than you first think. Pros Simple to learn but offers satisfying depth Fast, portable, and ideal for quick play sessions Works equally well at two or four players Special tiles add variety and tactical choices Repair Crew mechanic introduces fun player interaction Has a charming, homemade feel with strong potential Cons Luck of the draw can heavily influence outcomes Might feel too light for fans of heavier puzzle games Occasionally forces players into weak or random moves Pipe Down is a delightful surprise, a ten-minute burst of clever design that balances puzzly planning with light-hearted player interaction. It’s easy to teach, fun to replay, and full of “just one more go” energy. The mix of luck, strategy, and mild mischief hits a perfect sweet spot for a filler game. Whether you’re laying pipes in serious silence or laughing as you block your friends’ perfect routes, Pipe Down delivers exactly what its name suggests, a quick, satisfying flow of fun that never outstays its welcome. I cannot wait to see how this protype develops.

Hitster Guilty Pleasures WBG Score: 7.5/10 Player Count: 2-10 You’ll like this if you like: Cheesy pop songs! Published by:   Jumbo Designed by: Marcus Carleson This is a free review copy. See our review policy here . I have covered the main game of Hitster here , where you can also read my how-to-play guide if you want to check out the rules. So, here we will just cover what's new with this version of the game and discuss if it is for you or not. But what's a guilty pleasure I hear you cry? Well, it's those songs you pretend to hate but actually love! They are not cool. They are not from fashionable artists. But they are catchy, fun, sing-along-able, and will make you smile. So long as no one else is looking! So, strap in, put on your glad rags, and let's get dancing to some of the greatest guilty pleasures of all time! How To Set Up And Play Hitster Guilty Pleasures Party Game There is a full set up guide and how to play in my original review, you can see here , but here is a brief overview. Shuffle the deck and deal one card face up to each player as their starting song and year. Give everyone two Hitster tokens. Then open the free Hitster app and sync it with your Spotify account, premium works best, but the free version also connects automatically. On your turn, scan the QR code on the top card of the deck using the Hitster app. The song will start playing automatically. Don’t flip the card yet. Decide if the song came out before  or after  the song in your row. If you think it’s older, place it to the left of your row. If it’s newer, place it to the right. Then flip the card to reveal the year. If you’re correct, it stays. If you’re wrong, discard it. Play then passes to the next player. As the game continues, you’ll build a timeline of songs. When you place a new card, slot it exactly where you think it belongs in your row before flipping it over. Songs released close together can make this tricky! Before the active player flips their card, others may play a Hitster token if they think the card has been placed incorrectly. If they’re right, they steal the card for their own row. You can earn more Hitster tokens by correctly naming the song title and artist before flipping the card. Three tokens can also be traded for a free card from the top of the deck. You can even use a token to skip your turn if you’re unsure. The first player to collect 10 correct cards wins, or you can just play for fun. You can also play in teams, starting with five Hitster tokens each (fewer for a tougher game). For added difficulty, require players to name the artist and song to keep a card, or even the exact year for a real challenge. Is It Fun? Hitster Guilty Pleasures Party Game Review OK, so this is just the same game, just with a load more cards. And they are all themed, like the other expansions/versions of this game, to one specific type of song. Here, guilty pleasures. Bangers from all decades, all eras, all types of artists, but always those cheeky ones you know you shouldn't really love, but you just do! I adore this game and find that every time I play it, I have a great time. I like party games. I like music. I like large group activities. This ticks all the boxes. I rarely use the tokens or play by the rules. We just have fun with the cards, usually splitting into two or three teams, trying to get people of all music tastes into each team, and then go at it! Who can get the most cards by the time we get bored? That's how I like to play, and it always works. Will this work for you and your group? Well, do you like these types of songs? If not, I would suggest it may drive you and a few of your friends and family crazy. I have a few people in my family who are a little snobby when it comes to their taste and will pretend to hate every song that is played! But then the drinks start to flow, the songs continue to bang out, and people are suddenly all singing to "In the Air Tonight" like it's the greatest song of all time! I would suggest most would therefore adore this in the right mindset. But others will detest the music in this game when not! You need to judge based on the taste of music your group has. If you want more classic choices, try the base game. There is then a Summer edition, covered also on WBG; you can check that out here . There is also a movies one, a Christmas one, and many, many more. More to come too, I'm sure. Just pick the one that works for you! Here is what the app looks like, its well worth downloading! Pros: Instantly fun, accessible, and social gameplay Brilliant song selection that sparks laughter and nostalgia Works perfectly with large groups and parties Smooth app integration with Spotify Flexible rules that allow for casual or competitive play Cons: Music selection won’t appeal to everyone Limited variety if you already own multiple Hitster sets Rules are simple, so long-term replayability relies on group energy Hitster: Guilty Pleasures cranks up the karaoke chaos of the original game with a playlist of gloriously cheesy hits you’ll pretend to hate but secretly know every word to. It’s fast, funny, and perfect for players who don’t mind a bit of musical embarrassment as they guess when these pop gems were released. With simple setup, seamless Spotify integration, and a crowd-pleasing mix of trivia and sing-along madness, it’s a guaranteed hit at any party, unless your group takes music way  too seriously. For everyone else, it’s pure, joyful cringe in a box.

This is a preview copy sent to us for our opinions. No money exchanged hands. Some art, rules or components may change in the final game. You can follow the game more here . If you have ever played Rummy or Gin Rummy, or a card game of that nature, you know, where you are collecting sets and runs, this game will be familiar to you. Deal out some cards, in this case, 12 each. Players take it in turns to draw a card from the deck. They then play cards in sets or runs if they can or want to, and then discard a card. Players keep going until one player has played all their cards. Simple. Well, this game does to Rummy what the Gang did to Poker. And what Flip 7 did to Black Jack. It takes as simple and beloved card game, ramps it up to 11, and see if it can make it exponentially better for the 21st century. Does it work this time? Before we get into that, lets talk about what this game adds. On top of the usual Rummy rules, there are five major differences. Lets look at them all in turn. Power Cards: In this version of the game, there are a number of power cards. Added into the deck and shuffled together with the cards for four colour suits numbered one to 12 are five different power cards. Bypass cards that force players to skip a turn, crucial if one player is close to victory. Burden cards, that add extra challenges to one player in one round and score you 50 points if they fail to meet this challenge. But they will score 50 points if they manage to complete this challenge. Flex cards, that act as wild cards. Sabotage cards, that force all players to discard any Flex card they may have in their hand at that point and have them all shuffled back into the deck. And Block cards, that stop people from adding cards to your runs and sets, keeping them only for you. Discard Pile: When you discard a card, you do so by laying it partially over the previously discarded card so that you can see that card, and any others previously discarded as well. This way, when it comes to the next player's turn, they can either draw from the top of the deck or from the open discard pile; and indeed, any card previously discarded, not just the last one. When you take a card from the discard pile, you must use it this round, and also take any other cards on top of it. So, for example, if you discarded a two and the next player did not want it and discarded a four on top of your two. But then the next player wanted that two, they could take the two, but they would have to use it that turn, and take the four on top of it as well. Round Goals: Here is the main change in the game. To win, you do not need to simply play all your cards in runs and sets; you need to meet your specific round goal. At the start of the game, all players will be dealt a random round goal card with 12 round goals on them. Each card is different. The goals are the same, but all in different orders. So one card's round one could be another card's round six, for example. Each player will be aiming for a different goal each round, and they vary in difficulty a lot. The goals are a mix of creating a number of sets and runs in various numbers, as well as groups of same color cards in various numbers. If you complete your round goals, called a Sequence, then you can add your remaining cards in your hand to your own runs and sets, and any others laid down by other players. When you get rid of all your cards and you have completed your round goals, then you have won that round and can advance to the next round. You will score points for every card still in the other players' hands and be on the next round goal for the next hand. Any players who did not complete their round goals will have to repeat that round. So, in the next round, one player could be on round two, while others could still be on round one, repeating that for a second time. The Rummathon Royale!: If you feel you can complete more than one round's sequence in a hand, then you can declare Rummathon Royale and now aim to complete two rounds' sequences. If you manage this, then on the next round you will be on round three. If you fail, and only complete one, or even none, then you will have to repeat all those rounds again. You cannot call Rummathon Royale on a round after failing to complete a Rummathon Royale attempt the previous round. AND! If you call Rummathon Royale twice in the same round, and complete three sequences in one turn, well, then you win the game! Everything stops and you win! Normally you would play 12 rounds and see who completes the 12 rounds first. Or, you can play the first or last six rounds. Or just the odd rounds, or just the evens. But either way, it is a race to the end of the prescribed number of rounds. But a double Rummathon Royale trumps all that and ends the game immediately. That is pretty hard to do though. But possible, thanks to the final little wrinkle in this game. Buying Cards. Buying Cards: When you win a round by completing your sequence and playing all your other cards, you will score points for all the cards still held by the other players at that point. Cards score you five, ten, 15, 20, or 25 points, depending on what card it was. So you can ramp up your points tally pretty quickly. Then, in later rounds, you can spend these points to buy extra cards. For ten points, you can buy one more card to add to your 12, and you can buy up to 20 extra cards. This is how you may, on occasions, go for a Rummathon Royale. So, this is Rummy. But not quite as you know it. These five simple additions make what is a well-loved and well-established game ramp up to 11. But do you want Rummy to ramp up to 11? Or are you happy with it as it is? Well, that is up to you to decide. For me, I love this game. I love games like this that are based on traditional card games and bring something new to the table. They are easy to teach, less intimidating to non-gamers, but show people who play modern games a lot just what can be done with a bit of original thinking. The wild cards perhaps do not all quite work as I would like. The Block cards do not come into use that often. The Bypass just seems mean and lazy. And the Sabotage needs to be played very quickly to have any effect. But the other additions with the layered discard pile, round goals, and ability to buy extra cards make this game so much more interesting than normal Gin. It makes it strategic instead of being mostly luck-based. It turns the experience from a quiet, relaxed parlour game with your nan to something you could enjoy with everyone, including your nan, but now where you feel in control. You have some agency over your future in the game. And it feels great. I would recommend anyone who enjoys simple card games with a twist to check this one out. The rule book is a little hazy, but being developed. However, the cards are clear and obvious, and once you have played a round, you won't ever need the rule book again anyway. One to watch for sure. Download the mobile app to play for yourself now on iOS & Android More info here www.rummathonroyale.com

March Of The Ants Evolved Edition WBG Score: 8.5 Player Count:1-5 You’ll like this if you like: Your 4x games to be a little simpler and more Anty! Published by: Weird City Games Designed by: Tim Eisner , Ryan Swisher March of the Ants was first released in 2015. It was successfully launched on Kickstarter to 1,691 backers. There was a reprint and a couple of expansions launched to just under 3,000 backers in 2020, and then in 2025, a revised "Evolved" edition with new art, a streamlined rulebook, and some rebalanced mechanics found a home with just under 5,500 backers. The game sure is growing in popularity over time. And this final Evolved version is the one we are reviewing here. People like 4X games, but they can sometimes take up too much time and room on the table. 4X stands for games where you will explore (place and move into new tiles), exploit (gain resources from the tiles), exterminate (fight other ants), and finally, expand, grow your armies! They often have quite heavy themes, often around war. Whereas here, March of the Ants promises a streamlined 4X experience with ants. What's not to love? So, let's get it to the table and see how it plays. How To Set Up March of the Ants Evolved Edition Begin by placing The Great Tunnel in the centre of the table. This will be the heart of your colony and the focus of much of the action. Next, set up the Score and Round Track to one side of the play area, making sure the four round side is facing up. There is an option for a longer five round advanced variant when you become more au fait with the game but four is fine for your first game. Place the Round Marker on Round one and the Centipede Strength Marker on the space linked to your current player count, this is shown on the board itself. Next, shuffle the ten standard hex tiles with the blue borders and place two tiles per player face down in a stack beside The Great Tunnel. Now take the Beyond the Meadow hexes and choose two (three with a four or five player game) at random on top of the blue hexes. Place the starting hex on top of these and put all other hexes back into the box. Now, place the food, centipede, and wormhole tokens within easy reach of all players, then shuffle the Rest tiles and create a face-down stack near the score track. Reveal one Rest tile per player and lay them face up beneath the score track so everyone can see what’s available. For the Great Tunnel Reward tiles, randomly choose two of each type. Stack the level three tiles face down at the bottom, then place the level one and two tiles on top. Return any unused tiles to the box. Then reveal the top Great Tunnel Reward tile and place it face up in the centre of The Great Tunnel then finally shuffle the Ant card deck and place it near the play area. Now each player can set up their own player area, or nest. Take all the ant tokens of your chosen colour along with one Nest Mat. Be sure to place this with the Star side facing up. This is best for your first game as it shows the four phases of play at the top. The reverse side has a minor asymmetric power that you can choose in later games. Place four of your ants in your Larvae Chamber to start as larvae, and two more in The Great Tunnel. The remaining ants go beside your Nest Mat as eggs, waiting to hatch later. The Ant meeples obviously won't change, but can represent an egg, larvae, or an Ant depending on where they are on the mat/tile/table! Put your score marker on the starting space of the score track and add two food tokens to your Food Stores. Take the deck of Ant cards and deal three cards to each player. For a two player game, each player takes two unused starting tiles, picks on, discard the other, then places it down on the main board next to The Great Tunnel, and adds three of their own ants to this hex. You also need to get some Ants of a non-playing colour, and set them aside for later. Finally, randomly select a starting player and give them the Active Player Marker. The player sitting to their right gains one extra larva in their Larvae Chamber, giving them a slight early boost. You are now ready to play! How To Play March of the Ants Evolved Edition The game plays over four rounds with four phases each round; a Worker Phase, Soldier Phase, Queen Phase, and finally Slumber. Lets go through each one in turn. Worker Phase: This is the main phase of the game where players take turns to perform one of five actions. You can either Explore, Forage, March, Play a Card, or Rest. When you Explore , simply take the top Hex from the stack you created during setup and place it next to any other hex of The Great Tunnel, where you have at least one Ant present. You must connect at least one tunnel with this new Hex, but others can be blocked. You must then move in one Ant to this new Hex, but you can move in more if you wish. Each Hex has spaces on it to collect various resources during the Queen phase, but you can place Ants into other areas on the Hex if you wish, simply to have more Soldiers there. One of the resource spaces will be the Control site and marked accordingly. This will dictate who gets the points from this Hex in the Slumber phase. If the Hex you place has a Worm or Centipede on it, be sure to mark it with the appropriate tile or token, and if a Centipede, move the token on the Centipede strength tracker on the round tracker up one space. They get stronger as the game carries on! The wormhole will join up and form places from which you can move from and to when there are two or more across various hexes. Wormholes are all considered adjacent. The Centipedes will battle against you in the soldier phase. Whenever anyone explores, everyone else is then able to move one of their larvae from their Larvae Chamber to The Great Tunnel or hex, wherever they currently have at least one ant. The second option available to players on their turn is to Forage . Here, you will draw three cards from the deck, then discard one. Cards will either be upgrade cards used on your player mat, giving you instant benefits, ongoing powers, or scoring opportunities. Your head can be upgraded to increase your fighting ability in the Soldier phase. Your thorax can be upgraded to add extra reaction turns at the end of the Worker phase. And the abdomen can be upgraded to assist the feeding of your colony during the Queen phase. Cards can also offer instant power benefits in the form of Event cards or offer big points opportunities at the end of each Slumber phase. Whenever anyone takes the Forage action, each other player will gain one additional Larvae to add their their Larvae chamber. The third option is to March . Here you can take up to six actions of either moving larvae from the chamber onto any hex where you have an ant already, or the Great Tunnel, or move ants already on hexes or the Great Tunnel. You can move them from one hex to another, from hexes onto any available resource locations on hexes, or in or out of the Great Tunnel by any connected tunnel. Whenever anyone takes the March action, all other players can take one single March action themselves. These first three actions to Explore, Forage, or March, all cost one Food token. If you have no Food left, you cannot takes these actions. The fourth action is to play a card. Each card has an associated cost, as shown on the top left of the card. Generally, it will be a few ants or larvae being sacrificed, moved back into your egg storage. The card can then be added to the next board if it is an upgrade, placed to the right of the board if it is a colony goal, or played and discarded if it is an event. Whenever anyone plays a card, all other players can, if they choose, discard a card from their hand and replace it with the top card from the deck. The fifth and final action available to the player is to rest. Here, you must take one of the available Rest tiles placed during setup, immediately take that benefit as shown on the tile, and then place it face down, showing the rest icon above your player mat. On your next turn, if you have one, you must also rest, taking another tile. When the final rest tile is taken, that round is over. There is no reaction benefit to other players when one player rests. When the Worker phase ends, all players with at least one Thorax upgrade can then take one reaction action for each Thorax card they have played. This includes either adding a Larvae to a Hex as an Ant, adding a Larvae into their Chamber, Marching, or discarding and replacing a card. Soldier Phase: First, check any Head upgrade effects that may be applicable here, and then resolve all battles! Battles happen in any Hex where there are at least two different types of Ant, and at least one not on a collection site. The battles happen in The Great Tunnel first, then any other Hex where appropriate. You will then battle in Hexes where there are any Ants where Centipedes are present. Battles all work the same way. First, calculate each side's Ferocity rating. You can use the tracker board for this, placed during setup. Players gain one Ferocity rating for all Ants present in the battle and for all Head cards upgraded on their Nest. Players can then play one single card from their hand to add to this. Each card has a Ferocity of one to four as shown by a small symbol on the top left of the card under the cost. The player with the highest Ferocity after all this wins. The winner will then lose one ant for every two ants they faced in the battle. They must have at least one ant remaining after this. The loser will lose one ant for all ants in the winning team's army. If more than two people fought in the battle, the losers share the damage between them and cause damage to the winner collectively. In a Hex battle, the winning player gains one point and may, if they choose, move one extra Ant into the Control space of the Hex where the battle took place if it is still held by an opponent. If the battle took place in The Great Tunnel, assign rewards as shown by the round's reward tile. In a battle against a Centipede, the Centipede will gain its Ferocity based on the current position of the token on the round tracker. The Centipede will then add Ferocity from the top card of the deck. They draw first. The player fighting can then add a card if they need to. When defeated, the Centipede will reward you based on its current strength, again as shown on the round tracker. Remember, various upgrade cards that you can play could help in these battles. Queen Phase: Here, players will now collect resources for all locations where they have ants on collection sites. Each player can do this simultaneously. All players must then feed all ants, one food token to each four ants, unless you have upgraded your abdomen. If you have any unfed ants after this, lose one point per hungry ant. Then, all players can make a choice, to either generate two food, six larvae, or one food and three larvae. Slumber: Finally, players will now score one point for each Hex where they have an Ant on the control site, and for any Colony cards they may have played up to this point. One player will then refresh the Rest and Reward tile in The Great Tunnel, move the round tracker on one, and the next round will begin. Play will start with the player next to the player who took the final turn in the previous round. After four rounds, the game ends. Players will then score points for the player with the most larvae, the most food, and the most cards in hand. Most points wins! Is It Fun? March of the Ants Evolved Edition Board Game Review March of the Ants: Evolved Edition offers the kind of clever, compact 4X experience that’s rare in the genre. It keeps the key elements of exploration, expansion, exploitation, and extermination, but swaps the usual star ships and galaxies for tunnels and mandibles. What makes this version shine is how accessible it feels. Turns are snappy, actions have simple cause-and-effect clarity, and the “Evolved” tweaks make it far easier to learn than before. You’ll still get that satisfying sense of growth as your colony spreads and adapts, but without needing an entire weekend or a second table to fit it all like other popular 4x games. This game is ideal for players who love strategic planning and gradual engine building but don’t want the overhead of a heavyweight 4X. Fans of Root or Dune: Imperium will appreciate the tight balance between tactical aggression and efficient resource management, while more casual gamers will enjoy the unique theme, cute Ant meeples, and smooth flow of play. The asymmetric upgrades through faction powers give every colony a sense of identity, and the Centipedes provide a fun bit of chaos that keeps players on their toes. It’s the kind of game that rewards both careful thought and a willingness to take bold, ant-sized risks. That said, it’s not without its small frustrations. The rulebook, while streamlined and full of examples, still hide a few edge cases that might stump first-timers and is ordered and laid out out in a somewhat confusing way to me. Combat can swing sharply on a single card, which won’t be for everyone. And However joyously, because so much of the game’s rhythm comes from shared reactions to others’ turns, downtime is minimal, even in higher player counts. You are always involved and paying attention to other peoples turns. Overall, March of the Ants: Evolved Edition delivers a smart, engaging, and delightfully thematic 4X experience in under two hours, a feat that few games in the genre can claim. I still find I am discovering new strategies, cards, and ways to play after multiple games. I am eager to come back for more, and right now, simply refuse to get up from my gaming table because I just want to play it again and again! The options available on your turns always feel juicy. I always want to do more. And the tight balance between the available resources to me and my desired goals keeps this game tight, interesting, rewarding, engaging throughout, and quite simply, a lot of fun to play. Pros: Streamlined and approachable 4X gameplay in a compact format Unique ant colony theme that feels fresh and immersive Engaging upgrade system that encourages diverse strategies Strong production values and improved rulebook in the Evolved Edition Interactive turns with meaningful player reactions Cons: Occasional rule ambiguities and learning curve for new players Combat outcomes can feel swingy due to card draws Theme and pacing may not satisfy players seeking heavier 4X depth March of the Ants Review March of the Ants: Evolved Edition takes everything that made the original stand out and polishes it into a sharp, engaging, and highly replayable package. It’s a rare 4X that manages to feel big in scope but light on complexity, delivering strategic depth without overstaying its welcome. The blend of exploration, combat, and colony-building creates a rich sense of progression, while the Evolved updates bring clarity, balance, and visual charm. It won’t please those hunting for a sprawling epic, but for players who want a fast, thematic, and beautifully designed strategy game that still rewards smart play and adaptability, this is one colony well worth joining.

Cover Your Kingdom WBG Score: 8.5 Player Count: 2-8 You’ll like this if you like: Cover Your Assets , Goat Lords Published by: Grandpa Beck's Games Designed by: Jeffrey Beck This is the reviewer’s copy. See our review policy here By Steve Godfrey Take cover! It’s not safe in them there kingdoms. The lands are full of Leprechaun men trying to sell you dodgy insurance, Mob goblins rule the streets, Bragons won't stop talking about their six-figure job in the city, and the Hentaurs, well, they’re just clucking mad! How to cover your Kingdom. Each player takes a kingdom board and is then dealt six cards. Each kingdom board has two spaces on it, a mountain and a field. On a player's turn, they can do up to two actions, but they have to take at least one.  Discard a card and draw another. Settle by placing two identical creatures into its matching settlement. The creatures can either both be in your hand, or you can pair one from your hand with one from the top of the discard pile. Whenever you add a new clan, place it crossways to the previous one in the stack. Only clans on top of a stack are able to be targeted.  Add  a matching creature from your hand to the top of a matching clan. Recruit by taking a creature and placing it next to an opponent’s matching clan on top of one of their stacks, provided they have more than one stack in their kingdom. They then have the opportunity to counter this by playing a matching creature or a wild. This will go back and forth, and the player who played the last card wins. The played cards get added to the stack and either stay with the defender or go to the attacker, depending on who won.  Hire a creature with an ability. These don’t get added to clans but instead have special abilities that you can spend an action to use, then discard the card. Once the deck runs out, keep playing until all players have played their cards. It may be that you can’t do anything useful on your turn, at which point you just discard a card. Players then count up the points from all of their cards, and the player with the most points wins.  Should you cover your kingdom? To put it bluntly, yes, yes you should. That goes for actually covering your clans to protect them, and yes, you should play this game. One of the first card games I taught my two girls when getting into the hobby was Exploding Kittens, a game which also presents a similar take-that style element to it in which you can take pleasure in screwing over your friends, or in this case, their dad. While we will still happily get that one out and play, Cover Your Kingdom takes those elements we loved from that game and elevates them into something better and also takes away that element for more targeted meanness that a lot of games with a “take that” element often have. Which in this case means, if they're going after my clans, there’s a reason for it. You see, you can only really “recruit” from an opponent's clan if a) they have at least two clans, b) the clan is on top, and c) you’ve got a card matching one of those clans in your hand. So if you’re going to take that clan, it’s because the universe has aligned to give you that opportunity to do so, and let’s face it, it’d be rude to ignore the universe, especially if that clan is worth a tasty amount of points. This game is known in our group for easily eliciting a ton of raucous fun and laughter. Whenever someone tries to take a clan, there’s always an opportunity for it to escalate, and when it does, so does the reaction along with it. The more someone plays a card and is rebuffed by another, the louder the reactions it gets, and it’s honestly one of the great joys in the game. You see people's reactions change as they go from “haha victory” to “how have you got another card” and back again. It can be such a quick change in fortunes that the rest of us have nearly suffered from emotional whiplash. Of course, while the rest of us are enjoying the rally, we're also loving the fact that the points for that clan are shooting up and up, and chances are at least one of us is plotting on how we’re going to take that next turn. When Pigxies fly. Protecting your valuable clans is therefore a pretty important part of the game, so important in fact that they put it in the title as some form of frontloaded strategy tips (why don’t more games do this?) It's here that the strategy comes through. It’s easy to underestimate this as a simple, end-of-the-night party game, and in a lot of respects, it can absolutely be that, especially if you're in it for the laughs and not too bothered over scores. But, if you’re going to do well in this game, you need to think about when you're going to play certain cards and when you're going to keep some for the long game. Take the wild cards, for example. It’d be all too easy to just play them when someone goes to take a clan of yours, but ask yourself this. Is that pile that’s worth 15 points really worth throwing a big points card on to save it? Come to that, even if you do save it, can you protect it? Or is it better to let it go and save those cards for a pile that is really worth fighting over? The same goes for the special cards, where, if you can get a specific pair, could help you pull off an epic combo that could net you loads of points. On the other hand, if you’re feeling really childish and petty, in an epic display of “if I can’t have it, no one can” (which I sometimes encourage in this game), you could use the card that can take a stack out of the game altogether. The strategy really kicks in though when the deck runs out and all you're left with is the cards in your hand. Now it’s all about what people have left in their hands, and there’s this final tension of wondering which cards to discard and when to try and take something off someone, and also if you have enough to counteract someone else’s attack. It’s brilliant, especially when you consider that you're now on a countdown to the end of the game, and it’s those last cards in your hand that could stop any last-gasp attacks or nab you those last juicy clans. This is based on another Grandpa Becks game called Cover Your Assets, which I’ve not played, and while it sounds fun, I think the fact that you only have one pile and the theme means that Cover Your Kingdom is the one I’m sticking with. Although I’d still happily give Cover Your Assets a go. The theme is great and makes my geeky little heart happy. The parody kingdoms are a lot of fun, and I love the idea of having two clans exposed at any one time, which really opens up the decision space and ups the risk factor. The clans themselves are just great and make me smile every time I see them, from the names to the art on the cards. The Vulc-ents and the Sighclops being personal favourites of mine. Each clan has their own art, and while it’s basically the same on each card, there are subtle differences on each that make them a ton of fun to look through, and no doubt you’ll find something new each time.  There are also two gameplay variants in the box. One gives you bonus points for collecting types of clans, and the other one gives each player unique powers. We’ve not tried either of these since we’ve always felt that the base game is brilliant enough in itself and doesn’t need anything else. That’s obviously a personal choice, and for some groups, those variants may be the only way they’ll play the game. One day we may try them, but for now, we’re loving the game as is. I do like that they’re in there though. You can’t always cover your assets Even though the ‘take that’ element of it tries to steer away from that meanness, it doesn’t mean to say that you can’t have a bad game of this. If, say, you haven't got a way to cover those big point clans and someone comes for them and you’ve not got the cards to defend with, well, it’s gonna feel a bit crummy, especially if you can’t get that back. This could easily happen to anyone over the course of the game, and it’s kinda par for the course. However, if you’re not having much luck and this is happening a lot over the course of one game, then yeah, it’s not gonna feel great, and I can see people having a bit of a bitter taste in their mouth after a game like that. Trust me, I know it’s happened to me before and a few of the others I’ve played with. If that does happen, then let me know, and you could join us in the 10 point club, which is the lowest possible score you can get in this game. Not sure if I’ve ever seen a zero score before.  This is a game that plays well at three and really shines with a big group, and for that reason, I just want to take it everywhere and teach people because I know that ultimately whoever I’m with, we’re just gonna have a good old laugh with it, and if that’s not a great thing to bring to a game night, then I don’t know what is.  Right, I’m off to my neighbours because I hear they’ve got a pretty tasty high point clan of Vulc-ents ripe for the taking. Live long and GIVE ME YOUR CLAN!

Famous: Stage I WBG Score: 6.5 Player Count: 1-4 Published by: Electric Lute Designed by: Jared Lutes This is a free review copy. See our review policy here By Steve Godfrey I was in a band when I was younger, and I wrote the odd song here and there as well. So as a peek into my life, I’ll add an audio clip at the end of me singing a song I wrote back in the day... not really, can you imagine? People would boycott the site as punishment after hearing that... anyway, on with the review. How to get the band back together.  First, give everyone a player board. Each one has a different music genre, so give everyone their favourite or their least favourite; you never know, it may spark a love for a new music genre in them. Give everyone their hours dial and have them slot it satisfyingly into their player board. Then give everyone two leaders to choose from, keeping one.  On a player's turn, they can perform one of the four main actions as described on their player board. They pay the depicted amount of hours by rotating their dial (seriously, why is that thing so fun to play with?) and then moving up that track and taking the action. They may also perform one of the “other” actions on their board, again paying any hours if required. They may also discard cards from their hand for their discard bonus in the top left corner. The four main actions are: Write: This will be the main way to get song cards that you’ll need for endgame scoring and requirements to play certain levels of gigs. Rehearse : Rehearsing will level up a musician from your band. The total skill of your band will be important for endgame scoring and gigs.  Network: Here is where you get to take contract cards, which will give you a variety of things like private gigs, one-time bonuses, musicians to join your band, and ways to help you make actions cheaper and help manipulate endgame scoring.  Advertise:  This is how you get fans to come to your gigs, and as we’ll learn later, the more fans, the better. You also have a few “other” actions. These will let you play a card, go shopping, promote (this track is important in endgame scoring, and the higher up you are on it, the better), rest (this will get you a heart token), and exert. Exert lets you spend two heart tokens to gain an hour of time back.  At the end of a round, once everyone has passed, you move onto the weekend. Here you move your vans along the road/s you’ve set them on. If they reach a gig space, play that gig. Take all the fan dice you have next to the van and roll them. You can then manipulate them depending on what milestones you’ve reached on your street team/performance track. Total up the score and compare it to the gig card, then take the reward appropriate to your score. Once everyone has played any gigs, you can move vans to other tracks to head towards other gigs. The rest of the weekend is where you’ll resolve an event card, do some clean-up, and depending on which round you're in, score specific calendar events. These are just mini-scoring that will net you a few points depending on where you are on a specific track.  At the end of the final round, you do some endgame scoring. First, discard any contact cards in your hand for $100 each. Then divide your money by the number relating to your position on the promo track to get your score for your money. Score points for your musicians based on their personalities (each one has a different scoring condition). Now it’s time to make your album, your magnum opus, which will stand the test of time with novel titles like “Where did our printer ink go,” “This complicated latte,” and the hit single “Washer fluid warning”... that reminds me, I must top that up soon. First, pick up to five of the songs you collected in the game. Then add up the total skill levels of all of your band members and collect that many dice and allocate a number of dice to each of your five songs. Then roll the dice for each song and put the highest on that card. Each song has a multiplier number on it, so multiply that number by the dice you place on that card. Do this for each card, add the numbers together, and then multiply them by your place on the promo track to get your VP total. Add it to the points you gained from everything else, and the high score wins.  What You’re Proposing I generally don’t like tough decisions. Ranking my games on Pub Meeple often leaves me with some choices that are the equivalent of asking me to rank my two children. It takes a while, but eventually, I do it. After that, picking the games is easy. When it comes to playing games, though, I love it. Give me all the tough choices you can throw at me. Infamous clearly heard my plea and then subsequently said, “hold my dive bar beer” and gave me exactly that. All four main actions are important, and you’ll need to keep your hand in all of them if you want to keep in the mix (little recording joke for you all... ahem). It’d be all too easy to just say, “well, just keep an even balance between them then.” It’s a great plan, for a bit. That is until the game throws in a few twists. At any point, an event card could reward players for their progress on certain tracks. The calendar rewards will do the same as well, and no matter how hard you try, the competitive side of you will emerge, and you’ll want to make a break for those rewards. Everything is interconnected, and no matter how much you may want to advance on the writing track, there may be another part of the game that’s tempting you in another direction. Take gigs, for example. You may really want to focus on getting as many dice on your van as possible to get better rewards for a gig. To play a certain calibre of gigs, however, you’ll need particular skill levels and certain numbers of songs (You can’t expect your one cover of Zombie by The Cranberries to get you into the fancy places). So now you need to decide if you want the dice for now or set yourself up for potentially better rewards in the future. This goes to more than eleven. As the saying goes, “there just aren’t enough hours in the day,” and nowhere is that truer than in this game. First, let’s talk about the hours because my word is that thematic. Spending all of your time rehearsing, writing, and getting the word out takes the most precious resource a band has: time. But typically, you don’t have enough of it. For the majority of this game, you’ll find yourself performing two of the four main actions per round. Three if you plan well and/or manage to claw some time back, and that’s what makes all your decisions so much tougher. Fear not, though, because you've still got those extra actions, even though you can only do one per turn. Oddly enough, it’s the extra actions that throw in a lot of the variety. Shopping for clothes and gear is a great way to flaunt your cash to the other players as you go on a spending spree that would put the most extravagant of musicians to shame. At which point you’ll probably need some merch to sell to offset said spree, band back rub coupons anyone?  It’s the contract cards that will end up mixing your game up the most, though. In this admittedly large deck, you’ll find your artists for your band, service cards that will either make main actions cheaper or let you manipulate endgame scoring, and private gigs, which need specific requirements to play but will get you set rewards. Supporter cards will add to your street team track that will help you manipulate dice in the gig phase. Lastly, prospect cards will, for the cost of one hour, give you one-off bonuses. Speaking of bonuses, you can always just discard a card for its bonus found on the top left of the card. Something you’ll probably need to do just to keep to your hand limit. The cards themselves are a lot of fun with some interesting venues for private gigs. I love the artwork across all the characters, and all the musicians have their own unique art on them. The song cards each have unique song titles across them all, meaning that every album you go to craft will have a different track list every time.  This game is obviously a labour of love, and you can tell that this has been designed by someone who has lived this life, and I think that it will most likely resonate with someone who has had any kind of experience in a band, especially one that’s just starting out. It does enough to show you that starting a band ain’t easy and that yes, you will be playing for peanuts and probably selling merch out of the back of your car. I was in a band once, and so for me, this sparked a bit of a trip down memory lane. For example, I've played gigs in random places. I once played a gig in a library! Now, while I can’t say we ever got to even some of the heights that this game puts its bands in, it was still nice to have even a hint of recognition in there. Of course, you don’t need to know anything about that world to enjoy the game, but like a lot of other highly thematic games, how close you are to the theme will only help to boost your experience. Whoa, we’re halfway there. Strap yourself in for a game of this because it can be a long one. That’s not exactly a surprise if you read the box because the game even says that it's about 45 minutes per player, and I’d say that that’s about accurate, and for at least your first game, that’s sure to be longer.  You can certainly shave off some of that time with experience, but how much will depend on you and your fellow players.  As I mentioned earlier, those four main tracks are all important, and you’ll want to keep up on all of them, which can be great for all the reasons I mentioned above. But it also works against it. Having everything integral to endgame scoring and so interconnected means that you don’t really have any scope to explore different strategies each game. You can’t, for example, explore a song and band-heavy strategy because you’ll need cards to populate the band. You can’t go the gig-heavy path because you need the band members and songs to help you play the good gigs. They’re so tightly woven together that the game ultimately just becomes an efficiency puzzle of how you’re going to navigate all those tracks each game rather than giving you the choice of which ones you want to do. Don’t get me wrong, for a lot of people that may sound like their sort of game, and if it is, then I definitely recommend you try this game. Personally, I like to try different strategies and push different buttons each game, and I think the fact that there’s less of an opportunity to do that will ultimately end up hurting the replayability for me. If anything, I think the potential randomness of the endgame scoring will be the thing that will make or break this game for people, and I completely understand that. It can feel a bit disheartening putting all that work in to max things out as best you can only to have some poor dice rolls be your downfall. In a shorter game, this may not have been as big of a deal, but in a game of this length, it can really hurt the experience. Especially if someone else has managed to draw and buy a card to help manipulate their dice to give them a pretty big advantage. I can see a thematic element to it (you never know what song is going to catch people's attention), and I have seen some people say that they like this element, but for me, it's too much luck for a game like this. I certainly don’t fancy losing to poor dice rolls, and winning due to someone else's poor dice rolls doesn’t feel great to me either. Rockin’ all over the world Infamous: Stage 1 presents a thematic take on what it’s like to start a band and move them up the ranks to potential stardom. Not only that, but it portrays it with the knowledge of someone that’s been there and lived it, so the theme and the love for it really shine through.  The theme will certainly hit more with anyone who is even a little bit close to it, and for those that aren’t, this will be a fun look into that life. It manages to wrap it all up into a decently fun game with some good in-game choices. I do worry that certain elements, like scoring, coupled with the game length, will put people off. For me, I don’t think it’s got as much replayability as I'd normally like from this sort of game, but if it’s only being played now and again (as, let’s face it, a lot of games are these days), then it could well be enough for some people.  Right, this game has got me all nostalgic, and I’m gonna go and see if I can get the old band back together. I’ll probably have to change my guitar strings, though; it’s been that long... on second thought, perhaps I’ll leave it.

Joyride: Full Throttle Player Count: 2-6 You’ll like this if you like: Joyride , Gaslands , Thunder road Vendetta Published by: Rebellion Unplugged Designed by: Duncan Molloy , Pete Ward Duncan Molloy , Pete Ward This is a preview copy. See our review policy here This is a preview copy of the game and as such all components, rules and art are in prototype form and are subject to change.  The campaign goes live 28th October 2025 and you can find it here . By Steve Godfrey There’s nothing like the feeling (in gaming circles anyway) of knowing that you’ve finally got everything for a game. I’ve got it all for Joyride, the Turbo box, the upgraded wooden components, and it feels good knowing that I can sit back and relax knowing that a) it is neat and b) unlike a certain mermaid, my collection is indeed complete... What? What do you mean they’re releasing a new standalone expansion that can be mixed in with everything else? Oh, come on! Normally at this point I’d do a brief rules overview but I’m sure there will already be enough content on the Gamefound page on how to play. Alternatively I have a review of Joyride Duel: Next Gen in which I go over the rules here  The only thing I’ll touch on here are the new rules for this box. First is the new Pivot action (Friends fans, now’s your cue). It’s nice and simple, basically, move the back of your car round the number of spaces you're told to with the only caveat being it all has to be in the same direction. So no waggling your backside back and forth like you're trying to taunt your opponents. It's the same as the donut ability of the Junker in the core box. It's a great little addition to the rules that has helped me out of more than a few scrapes, and got me into a few as well. There is a new recharging rule for 5-6 player games. If you are in fifth place across the line, you get to recharge your abilities, repair a damage, and take a random item. Sixth place does the same as fifth place but instead gets to choose an item.  That's it for the new core rules changes. Everything else is game mode/track specific, so I'll get into those in a bit.  “On your left!” In this new box comes a double-sided board with two new maps: the beach and the mall. The boards are the same size as the base game, so you don’t have to worry that just because it’s a higher player count, it's not going to take up more of your table. Each map is designed to accommodate the higher player count, and each side has ten prebuilt scenarios across all player counts. Just as with the last iterations, though, you can feel free to create your own custom maps. We also get some new terrain to try and avoid/slam your opponents into. The tire barriers, while not as devastating as their solid wall counterparts, can still make life a bit difficult. When you hit one, take damage and steer once. It doesn’t use your steer for the turn. Not the most devastating, and the steer may actually help in some cases, but you’ve got to ask yourself if it’s worth damaging yourself just to bounce around the map like a pinball. Oooooh, a new pinball table map could be fun! Like most beaches and malls, you’ll find an abundance of trolleys in a variety of different states of wear. When you hit these, you treat them like cars in a collision, except in this case, sideswiping them reduces your speed by one. However, you treat head-on collisions as a rear-end rather than having the thing you're crashing into make a decision over how it resolves. This makes sense since trolleys aren’t sentient and can’t make decisions like humans can... yet!  And last but not least, Portals. Simply enter one as you would a checkpoint and then come out of the other one in another part of the board or across a multiple board setup. These are just great fun. It’s fun to use them as a shortcut across the board, but it’s even more fun to cheekily knock one of your opponent's cars into one, sending them even further from their next checkpoint… not that we at WhatBoardGame would ever condone that sort of nefarious behaviour… well, not all the time anyway. “If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball” With this box comes an abundance of new weapons, well six in fact, and I have to say this batch includes my now favorite weapon in the game. You have a Nitro 2.0, which penalizes you for rolling after moving. A nice little nod to all those “oh I forgot to roll my nitro, can I do it now” people. You know who you are. Marbles make fun use of the new pivot rule by throwing your back end out if you drive over them. Dumbbells reduce movement when you drive over them. The Thumper (not the bunny from Bambi) causes a one-move collision, good for annoying your opponent's plans with a little nudge. The wrench is a new type of item that can help or hinder by either shifting a car up a gear and healing a damage or shifting it down and taking a damage. This one always garnered confused looks at first until you mention that there’s a team mode. All of them are fun in their own right and are great to mix and match with the rest of the items. Here’s my favorite though. The Volleybomb. Normally, when an explosive item hits something, it explodes immediately, meaning that you need to have someone in your front sights to fire at. The Volleybomb can do the same; however, when it first hits a space, you can choose instead to fire it from that first space in any direction. It means you can ricochet off a wall and potentially hit someone behind you or around a corner, and it’s honestly a ton of fun. It makes it usable in a lot more situations than a lot of the fired items. Now, if the designers can make a pinball, multi-ball version to go with my pinball table map, that’d be awesome! I’ll take a full credit and all royalties by bank transfer for that, please and thank you.  More modes than Edna Mode Now it’s time to talk about the thing that I think we’re all really here for: the extended player count. Joyride has always felt like a game that should be played in a bigger group, and in fact, many people on the BGG forums have come up with their own ways of incorporating 5 & 6 player games. I’ve tried one myself, and it worked pretty well, but with the way the starting positions would have to work, it could potentially imbalance the game, if you care about such things. However, it’s great to have this version that is purpose-built for this player count and levels the playing field. Not only that, but there are a lot of people out there who won’t want to try customized setups and some that won’t even be aware of BGG and the fact that they're on there.  So what’s a game of Joyride like at those higher player counts? Well, it’s just chaos, isn’t it? But such beautiful chaos. The maps can accommodate more players, but since the size of the maps is the same, the extra cars on the board just make for more interaction, which means more collisions and more targets for those items. With more cars on the track, dropped items now have more victims, and more cars mean that there are potentially fewer opportunities to outright avoid them. Now you have to decide if it’s worth driving over something or just causing a collision. The extended player count also gives fired items more targets. Beforehand, fired items could be a bit more situational. You needed to have a straight shot, and with fewer cars, it could be difficult. Now, though, there are a lot more opportunities to score a hit and do some damage. What I love about this is that it just ramps everything up. It has the potential to make those collisions more impactful, obstacles (including cars) are now trickier to get around, near misses even nearer, and when you do manage to squeeze through a small gap in, say, a three-car obstruction, it makes it all the sweeter.  Teamwork make the dreamwork (if the dream is demolishing your friends cars) That level of chaos may not be for everyone, well maybe not in an all vs all game. But maybe team mode is more up your street. The base game had a team mode and the same goes for this version. The general team mode works the same as the base game but now there is a new way for teams to play. Set up the games as you normally would (I’m assuming a six player game here but it also works at other player counts.) Randomly give each player a fans token, there are two for each team. Players with matching tokens are on the same team. Place the Superfan tokens next to the first checkpoint. The game is then played normally with one major change. It’s the superfan that needs to complete the laps and go through the checkpoints, not the cars. The first player of each team to go though the first checkpoint picks up the super fan and carries them in an item slot. From now on you only keep track of which checkpoints and laps the super fan has completed, not the cars. At any point a car can drop the superfan in their rear arc and their team mate can pick them up by driving into that space. You can also pass them off to your team mate if they are in a space in your rear arc. I like to think of them leaping from car to car like something from, I’m assuming a fast and furious film (I’ve only seen the first one) I really like this mode. If you play a normal team setup then there’s a good chance that one of you would go for the win and the other would play demolition derby and distract the others and not worry about checkpoints.  Which is great fun, but if their teammate gets derailed then the other player may not be in a position to take over and win. Here though it doesn’t matter. You can still play that previous tactic but now both of you are able to pick up the slack should one of you get in trouble.  New cars, now with extra punny goodness. Last but not least, we have a new lineup of drivers, which now brings your total number of potential drivers up to 15! You have the Van Lifers, the Mall Cop, the Lowrider, the Food Truck, the Drifter, and the Delivery Van. All of them are great, but my favorites are definitely the Lowrider, who comes with a doggy companion that you can put on the track and makes people swerve off course; the Mall Cop, because the idea of what is essentially a golf buggy overtaking a sports car will never stop being amusing to me; and the Food Truck that has its own ketchup mechanic… what, did you expect me not to like a car with a dad joke? This one was practically made for me. The designers and publishers at Rebellion Unplugged are evil geniuses. Normally, I’d make a logical and well-thought-out argument as to who should and shouldn’t get this. But I’m having a hard time making an argument as to who shouldn’t. Well, let’s start with the easy one. If you don’t like Joyride in general, then don’t back this. It’s the same game; it doesn’t add anything that’ll make you change your mind. That’s it. Other than that, I’ve got nothing to say as to why you shouldn’t at least check this out. If you don’t own Joyride but want to, then this version is as perfect a place to start as any of the others, with the added bonus of the higher player count. If you already own at least one version of Joyride and love it and are happy with the player count, just treat this as a “more stuff” expansion. If you love Joyride but don’t own it yet, then this will work just as well as a first box. Again If you're interested in checking out the campaign then you can find it here . Right, I’m off to soundproof my house since I’m sure the endless shouts of PIVOT! is gonna start to disturb the neighbours.

I have a great fondness for card games. There's a unique pleasure in the simplicity of playing a game that revolves solely around cards. While I certainly appreciate a big box filled with components just like the next person, sometimes the desire for something more accessible arises. You want a game you can grab off the shelf and dive into right away. Card games fulfil this need with their straightforward rulesets and minimalist components. For this list, I specifically focused on games that consist primarily of cards, occasionally supplemented by tokens or chips for counting. It was crucial to me that these are not games just considered card games but then include boards or multiple components. In my view, those fall into the category of board games or tabletop games that happen to use cards. This is about pure card games. As with previous top-five lists on this site, I aim to provide more than just a ranking of games based on a specific mechanic. The intention isn't to merely present the top five games in a certain category, as you could easily just consult BGG rankings or skip to the number one game. The best game for you might not necessarily be the top-ranked one either. Instead, I'll select a mechanic and then explore the best five games within that mechanic, considering how each game works for different circumstances. This top five is presented without a specific order. These are five great games, each earning its place for distinct reasons. This approach allows you to make informed choices based on your preferred game style. Without further delay, here are my top five card games. ( I photographed the old Crew box as the other one was elsewhere!) The Classic Deck-Builder: Dominion And the best to play if you want to play something simple. Current BGG rank: 117 Published by: Rio Grande Games Designed by: Donald X. Vaccarino WBG Rating: 8 Several classic mechanics are employed in card games, and in this list, I aimed to include games that each utilise different core mechanics. Dominion stands out as the quintessential deck-building game, often referred to as the granddaddy of the genre. Its monumental success has inspired numerous designers to delve into the possibilities of this mechanic. With an extensive array of expansions (too numerous to count), Dominion has secured its place as a cornerstone in any board game collection. Originally released in 2008, Dominion has served as the gateway game of choice for many gaming groups. It boasts accessibility on all fronts—simple rules, an incredibly clear rule book, and minimal components. It basically cards! Despite its straightforward appearance, Dominion surprises newcomers to the hobby with its depth of gameplay. While seasoned board gamers have explored more strategic deck-building options, Dominion retains its unique appeal as a pure, historically significant game in the genre. And for people newer to the hobby offers something magical. The Revolutionary Co-op: Hanabi And the best to play if you want something clever but accessible. Current BGG rank: 507 Published by: ABACUSSPIELE Designed by: Antoine Bauza WBG Rating: 9 Alright, so here's the setup—it's a cooperative card game. We're in this together, cool? Our mission is to play these different suits in a specific order, from the lowest to the highest. Got it? Good. Now, here's the twist: you can't look at your own cards, but you can see everyone else's. I know, a bit weird, right? So, pick up your hand, but turn them outward away from you so you can't see them. Strange, isn't it? Okay, let's dive in and play. While there are a few games where you hold your cards the "wrong way," Hanabi was the one that truly nailed the concept. For many, it became the gateway game to introduce cooperative card games to their groups. The unique twist of not being able to see your own cards broadens the appeal to a wide range of players. When you can't see your own cards, the pressure is somewhat alleviated—it's tougher to play the right card if you don't know what's in your hand. However, this feeling is quickly replaced by the pressure to provide good information and remember the clues you've been given. Since you can't see your own cards, the primary actions in this game involve giving other players clues about their hands. With a limited number of turns before the game concludes, efficiency with your clues is crucial. Hanabi is incredibly addictive, offering a great sense of accomplishment when you do well. It never fails to elicit cries of joy, anguish, and happiness whenever I've played. It stands as one of my all-time favourite games, not just among card games, but an essential in my collection. The Highest Ranked Trick-Taker: The Crew: Mission Deep Sea And the best for getting non-gamers involved. Current BGG rank: 36 Published by: KOSMOS Designed by: Thomas Sing WBG Rating: 9 While it may not hold the title of the highest-ranked card game on BoardGameGeek, or even the highest-ranked card game in this list, The Crew claims its spot as the highest-ranked card game that I categorise as such, excluding Arkham Horror, which is featured in another category below. This game made waves in the board gaming scene in 2019 with the launch of The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine. It brought a revolutionary approach to cooperative trick-taking games, featuring exceptionally smooth gameplay, innovative takes on the mechanic, and a captivating story that unfolds seamlessly over a replayable campaign. Following the success of this release, a worthy follow-up quickly followed—Mission Deep Sea. This instalment pushed the genre even further by introducing a delightful method of incorporating randomised rules for each mission, that I just love. If you're a fan of playing card trick-taking games, The Crew might be right up your alley. While it may not shine as brightly in a two-player setup, it's certainly doable. However, with three players and more, this game truly comes alive. The game oozes class. You can feel the work that went into making this game. It is noticeably better than many other games in its class and I have had so many wonderful moments introducing people to this game. I am currently juggling three different campaigns, which is a breeze. There is minimal administration required. It's pure cooperative fun, and while some later rounds can pose a significant challenge, the sense of accomplishment upon overcoming them is truly gratifying. The Main Stream Hit: Monopoly Deal And the best to play with a more casual gamer. Current BGG rank: 2,451 Published b y : Hasbro Designed by: Katharine Chapman WBG Rating: 7 While this may not be my favourite game and wouldn't secure a spot in my personal top 50 card games, it undeniably earns a place as a mainstream hit that I couldn't overlook. It's a decent game, and I do enjoy playing it; however, I believe there are superior games out there. Yet, given its massive commercial success, I had to include it. If you're in search of a quick, light game for people not particularly into gaming, this is a solid choice. The familiar theme automatically puts people at ease, drawing on their past experiences with Monopoly. Even if they didn't enjoy the classic board game, the concepts in this card version are more accessible and easier to grasp. But don't worry, Monopoly Deal won't consume hours of your time, lead to arguments, and, surprisingly, it's quite enjoyable. If you're looking for a straightforward game to play with casual gamers, this could be the one. I would recommend exploring some of the other games on this list first, perhaps starting with The Crew or Hanabi. Still, there's no denying the commercial success of Monopoly Deal. The Solo: Arkham Horror: The Card Game And the best to play if you want a challenge. Current BGG rank: 27 Published by: Fantasy Flight Games Designed by: Nate French , Maxine Juniper Newman , Matthew J. Newman WBG Rating: 9 Alright, while this might have a higher ranking than The Crew, I wanted to feature both games. The reason this one made it into this category is that it excels in solo play compared to any other card game. But sure, it holds the top spot on BGG here too. Arkham Horror is an absolute delight. The narrative is dark, mysterious, and utterly captivating. The gameplay is intricate and fulfilling, completely absorbing me, making it perfect for a solo experience. While it offers a great cooperative experience if you prefer playing with others, I've mostly indulged in its solo mode, and it's been a love affair for me through out. Setting up can be a bit cumbersome, especially with the specific cards needed for each player that often get mixed up between plays due to my lazy packing away. If you plan on playing this multiple times, a better storage solution than what the box provides is recommended. The story is expansive, with numerous expansions available. However, a word of caution – don't dive into this if you have an addictive personality and are working within a budget; it might consume you! Although, recently, they've condensed the previous story arcs for each cycle into two boxes, making it easier to navigate the back catalogue, although the various versions available due to some retailers selling old stock might be a bit confusing. Regardless of the version you have, rest assured that you're in for a wonderfully immersive, exciting, and sometimes downright scary experience with this game. It stands as a masterpiece in the modern era of card games. Well there you have it. 5 great card games for different purposes. If you want more, you can check my insta here to find a run down on my top 31 pure card games based on my personal preference as pictured above. It ran for 31 days starting December 1st 2022.

Tokaido: Crossroads & Matsuri WBG Score: 9 Player Count: 1-5 You’ll like this if you like: Adding extra choices without complexity to the base game Published by: Stonemaier Games Designed by: Antoine Bauza This is a free review copy. See our review policy here . First published in 2012, Tokaido has a strong fanbase and has certainly stood the test of time. You read my thoughts on the base game here . There was then an expansion, Crossroads , that came out in 20113, and another, Matsuri , that was released in 2016. Stonemaier Games then took over the license and put out their own version of the base game, but not these two expansions. But now, have released these two great expansions in one simple box. They both offer a lot more choices without any extra complexity. It brings so much more to the table with this gorgeous game without removing the tension, adding any extra game length, or messing with what made the base game great. But it does remove the frustration from the original experience? Intrigued, read on! What's New In This Expansion? There are mainly two new things in this expansion, along with a few other smaller additions. First, there are 25 new Traveler tiles. 25! Some great new options and choices for which character you play as and the power that brings. Second, there is a new board that you add above the main board that offers a second choice for every stop along the way. How To Set Up Tokaido: Crossroads & Matsuri After setting up the base game, take out the new expansion board and place it above the main board. Add to it the six new decks face down, separated and placed on their matching spaces, as well as the dice into the final space on the right. There are four closed space tokens, add these next to this board. You may not use them in the game, it depends which cards come out. Finally, give each player one of the new Reference tiles, and then shuffle in the new Encounter and Traveler cards into their respective decks from the base game and you are now ready to play. How To Play Tokaido: Crossroads & Matsuri The game plays as usual, except that now, at every stop, there is a new second choice for each player to make. Lets go through them one by one. Panoramas : Now, when you reach one of these spots, you can either progress in the painting linked to the location you are at, or you can take one of the new Cherry Tree cards, which instantly gives you one coin and two points. Handy if you are not targeting the paintings, or have finished that particular painting, or just need some cash! Hot Springs: Your second choice here now is to take one of the Bathhouse cards, which awards four points every time. It will count as a Hot Spring card for the Bather achievement. Farms : This is an interesting one. You now have the option, if you can afford it, to bet two coins and then roll the dice. You can then double, triple, or even quadruple your money if you roll well! But you may also lose it all if you roll the X. Temples : Your second option here is to pay one coin to take an Amulet card. These new cards offer powerful, rule-bending powers that you can use on later turns. Shops : Here, you can now buy Legendary Objects. They can cost between one and three coins, but offer big powers and points! Encounters : Your second choice here is to pay a coin to take a Calligraphy card. They offer new end-game scoring opportunities that can unexpectedly shift the final scores in a big way! Inns : Finally, at the Inns, the first player to arrive will draw two of the new Matsuri cards. They will pick one, discard the other, then read it aloud. It will add new one-time or ongoing effects that will be relevant for all players. Is It Fun? Tokaido: Crossroads & Matsuri Expansion Board Game Review I like Tokaido a lot. I gave the base game a 7.5 rating. It can be a little too simple, though, and the choices a little light. And on occasion, well actually—most games can lead to some frustrating moments of getting blocked off by other players. Now, though, with every spot offering a secondary choice, missing something you really want is less frustrating. And you can no longer be forced to go to a place where you simply cannot do anything else. Turns can still be made more or less optimal by other players blocking you, of course, but the results are less catastrophic. But aside from just removing the frustration, they also add choice and intrigue. It makes your turns feel like they are full of a lot more agency. Your strategy needs to be more fine-tuned and thought out. Simply, it makes the game a lot better. And it does so with minimal changes to the rules, setup, teach, or game length. You could simply set up and start playing with someone who knows the base game and just give them the new player reference card. That should be enough to teach them! I love the fact that the designer and publisher decided to add in 25 new Traveler tiles too. The base game has a good selection. Ten, I believe. nd the original expansion brought 16 new tiles. So another 16 would have been nice. But no, they went for 25 new tiles! That's a lot of new choices. And some of them offer intriguing powers. I will leave you to find them out for yourself! Pros: A huge variety of new Traveler tiles adds tons of replayability Fresh powers and abilities keep each game feeling different A second choice on every spot keeps options open, and player strategy more varied Cons: The risk on the Farm betting option can be brutal. A swing from eight or zero coins is huge! The addition of 25 new Traveler tiles is an impressive and generous upgrade. It expands the game’s variety far beyond what I hoped for, offering fresh combinations and new tactical challenges every time you play. The new board and cards mean every spot has a second choice, which exponentially improves the game's strategy and agency without any lag to game time or rules. An impressive feat. A near-perfect expansion for me. Certainly improves the game from a 7.5 to an 8 overall for me now, and as a standalone product, this expansion is a 9 for me, for what it brings.

Origin Story WBG Score: 8.5 Player Count: 1-5 You’ll like this if you like: Trick-taking, with a theme, and a twist! Published by: Stonemaier Games Designed by: J amey Stegmaier , Pete Wissinger This is a review copy. See our review policy here Origin Story is a new trick-taking game from Stonemaier Games. To be a trick-taking game in the modern world, you need a twist. The are just so many of them. The advertised twist in this game is the blend of tableau-building with the base trick-taking. Players can develop their powers over the course of five games by playing Story cards to gain stronger abilities to gain more points, building their tableau as they go. And this, in turn, reveals the bigger twist: this is a trick-taking game with a theme. You develop your origin story as you play, and this really does come across. Your Story, or tableau, are how you become the hero you end the game as. And for a card game, theme is quite rare. So, with that said, let's get this game to the table and see how it plays. How To Set Up Origin Story First, place all stamina tokens within easy reach of everyone to form a shared supply. Shuffle the story cards and place them face down nearby in the general supply. Do the same with the event cards. Each player now takes a random player mat, which will act as their personal HQ for the game. Gain an alignment or victory point dial, set it to zero, and place it beside your mat. Either side up for now. Take one stamina token and place it in the stamina supply space on your mat. Draw two random superhero cards and place them with the reference cards face up on the space on the bottom right of your player mat. You can look at your final superhero choices now, but keep that secret from the other players. The player who most recently watched a superhero movie takes the dealer token and becomes the first player. If no one can remember or you all just finished a binge of crime dramas instead, assign it randomly. The dealer begins by gathering all 52 playing cards, giving them a good shuffle, and dealing eight cards face down to each player. You may look only at your own hand. Keep your poker face ready because, from here on, the trick-taking begins. In a two-player game, each player will have a “sidekick.” These sidekicks are not real players, but they will still take part in every trick. Deal each sidekick a hand of eight face-down cards, then flip two of their cards face up so everyone can see them. This gives a small glimpse into what chaos they might bring. In a solo game, deal eight face-up cards in a row from left to right next to two separate score trackers for two bot players. Place this next to five Vancardian cards, made up of either the easier single flash deck or the harder double flash deck, depending on how hard you want to make the game. The city is now ready, your heroes are gearing up, and it is time to play. How Play Up Origin Story The game is played over five rounds with eight tricks in each round. A trick is simply a round where all players play one card from their hand. The lead player plays first, then all other players must follow by playing one card in that suit if they can. If they cannot follow the lead suit, they can play whatever they like. The highest of the lead suit wins, unless any player plays a trump card, the Love suit. The highest led suit or trump card played wins the trick. The cards played that round are collected and placed in a face-down pile next to the player who won that trick, and that player leads the next trick. At the start of rounds one to four, each player gains one stamina from the general supply and draws three Story cards. Choose one to play face up onto your player mat over the space for the current round and discard the other two. These stories shape your character’s journey as the game progresses. You can do this after you have seen your eight cards for this round, so you can work with what you have this round. But the Story cards ideally will work together as well, over the rounds, to build up a functioning engine that all build towards your final Superhero choice. Players can choose their Story card for each round same time, as well as decided which ones they want to use this round. Just because you have the card, does not mean you can use it. You need to charge it up! To do this, simply place stamina tokens on the abilities you want to to charge. Each story card shows a stamina cost in the top left corner. Some have a single cost and then are permanent powers to be used all round, some have multiple spaces and allow you to choose how much to charge to use them multiple times as an when you choose. Abilities marked with the remove symbol mean when used, you must take the Stamina token from this apace, and place it back into your reserve. Meaning that power cannot be used again until charged again. Your character mat also shows a unique ability permanently printed on the board with its own stamina cost. This can be charged and used just like your Story card abilities. All charged abilities are open information for everyone to see. If you have any stamina left over, keep it on your mat for future rounds. You cannot add more after this phase ends. Once everyone is ready, each player simultaneously sets their alignment dial in front of them, revealing whether they are a hero or a villain this round. Heroes aim to win as many tricks as possible, earning one victory point per trick at the end of the round. Villains, on the other hand, are trying to lose every trick. If a villain wins none, they score four victory points. If they accidentally win one or more, that’s one trick too many - zero points! For both hero and villain, tricks are only counted at the end of the round. So if you use an ability during play to hand off a trick you previously won, it no longer counts as yours. Timing and trick management are key. As a Villain, you could win a trick, then give it to someone else, and still gain your four points for not winning any tricks! Each round ends after eight tricks have been played. When that happens, everyone follows a few simple steps to wrap things up. First, use any “End of Round” abilities shown on your charged story cards. In round five, you can also trigger those on your superhero card. If it’s the end of round three, make sure to resolve any “End of Round” abilities on the event card before discarding it. More on that in a bit! Next, score your points based on whether you were a hero or a villain that round. Then return all stamina from your abilities back to your stamina supply, ready for the next round. Pass the dealer token clockwise to the next player. For round three only, one player will reveal one random event card and follow its instructions. This will change the rules for this round, and this round only. This happens once per game. Even if the event introduces special scoring rules, players still earn points for their hero or villain alignment as usual. It is simply another twist in your heroic journey. When round five begins, the real drama unfolds. Starting with the player to the left of the dealer and going clockwise, each player chooses one of their two superhero cards given to them at the start of the game, which up to this point have only been reference cards. Reveal your chosen hero face up on your mat and gain its benefit. Discard the unchosen card. This is the moment you finally reveal who you truly are. This card will offer you extra powers and opportunities for final round points. After the fifth round, the game ends. The player with the most victory points wins. If there’s a tie, those players share the victory, because sometimes even heroes and villains have to call it a draw. But there will almost certainly be a sequel! Is It Fun? Origin Story Card Game Review Origin Story is Stonemaier Games’ bold leap into the trick-taking genre, and it lands with flair and a real sense of personality. The mix of classic card play with tableau-building and evolving powers is something fresh, breathing new life into a familiar format. Over the course of five rounds, you’re not just playing tricks, you’re crafting a character. It really does feel like that to me. Each story card builds your hero’s (or villain’s) journey, adding powers that make you feel stronger and more capable as the game goes on. The fact that you literally reveal your superhero identity in the final round is a brilliant thematic payoff, making the game’s title feel more than earned. The theme in this game is strong and it works so well entwinned with the mechanics. Mechanically, the game is tight and easy to grasp. It uses the standard 52-card deck, but layers in clever decisions around stamina management, story card choices, and how and when to use your abilities. The moment you secretly choose whether you’ll play as a hero or a villain each round adds delicious tension as all players reveal this simultaneously. You can’t just play the best card, you must play the best role. The pacing works well too, with the event in round three adding variety and a spicey mid-game twist, and the final reveal in round five creating a satisfying climax to a quick, but crunchy game. The two-player sidekick system is smart, keeping even smaller games feeling alive and unpredictable. It works so well and delivers a brilliant two-player trick-taking game. One of the best I have experienced. The art is gorgeous, the components are fantastic, and everything just oozes class throughout. As you play, the sense of discovery as your character develops in front of your eyes based on your choices is really quite something. Every game feels so different as each character you create feels so unique. There are 64 Story cards and you will use four each time, and 10 Superhero cards, and of course, you have just one each time. The combinations of engines that you can build from all this are huge. And finding one that works well, creating scoring combos is delightfully satisfying. That said, I am not a fan of the solo mode. It works fine and has a quick and easy flow, but it just feels "less." Less thematic. Less eventful. Less enjoyable. I hope others find more from this, but for me, this game is about the interaction between different players' choices and how their superheroes or villains evolve. Card play needs choices and player involvement. The Automa is brilliant in trying to recreate this in a solitaire mode, but it doesn't give me any warmth or personality. If you are desperate for a good solo trick-taker, then this may hit the spot, as it is solid. But if you are not desperate for that specific experience, do not expect this to be a solo option for you. That said, Origin Story may not click for everyone in multi-player either. The learning curve for mixing trick-taking with powers and stamina might be steeper than expected for more casual gamers, and it’s certainly not a simple game of Hearts or Spades. The theme is excellent, but it could feel a little light for players expecting a full superhero campaign, and of course, not everyone likes comic book style art or themes. But for me, when it clicks, it sings. It’s stylish, engaging, and clever; a rare combination. Pros: A genuinely thematic trick-taking experience Great sense of progression and payoff across the five rounds Clever hero/villain choice adds drama and tension Cons: A bit heavier than expected for a trick-taking game Can feel overcomplicated for casual players Theme may feel secondary to pure card play at times Origin Story delivers exactly what its name promises – the birth of something new. It’s a trick-taking game that manages to tell a story, make you care about your character, and keep the table buzzing with tension and laughter. It’s not for everyone, but for players who want their card play mixed with narrative flair and meaningful choices, this is a game worth suiting up and assembling your friends for.