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

Welcome to the Royal Scavenger Hunt of Tockton Clock. You are cordially invited. It is time to gather your team. Hop onto the big hand and journey around the clock face, pushing other mice off in the process. Don't waste any time though, because when the clock strikes midnight, the hunt is over. So be quick and line up your crew alongside Hickory Dickory by Sawyer West from Plaid Hat Games wit...

Six scoundrels had gathered: Captain Hook was plotting his revenge, Jafar envisioned ruling unopposed, Maleficent smiled at the thought of thorns engulfing the kingdom, Prince John was devising new taxes to fill his coffers, the Queen of Hearts brooded over her next decree of decapitation, while Ursula lounged with a sly grin, imagining helpless souls entangled in her tentacles. Each was driven to...

Suddenly, you come to. You've woken from a deep dream - or maybe it was a nightmare. You're lying on the cold ground. Your immediate thought is to check for injuries, but you only have some light bruises and scratches. Your memory seems worse though. Everything is a bit muddled. You can’t remember where you are or why you are here. You dimly recall the scent of flowers. Yes, that's it....

As the long, dark winter looms, bears gather along the river, drawn by the promise of a feast. They fight for the best fishing spots, where leaping salmon offer a chance at survival. The strongest dominate the prime locations, while others perfect their own hunting techniques. Each catch is a battle, each meal a lifeline. Only those who have feasted well will endure in the wild heart of Katmai: Th...

The sun beats down as you and the other craftsmen raise the walls, just like your ancestors once built their great stone villages. Be careful though, because if the Chieftain spots your signature stones, you will be penalised. As space runs out, only the most cunning will earn the Chieftain’s favour and successfully build their Pueblo by Michael Kiesling and Wolfgang Kramer from Mojito Studios wit...

The sun blazes over the wasteland as your tribe fights for survival, its fate tied to three fragile camps and its lifeblood measured in precious drops of water. A single rival warband looms on the horizon, ready to strike. You need to be ready to fight and unleash chaos. Every drop of water spent is a gamble, a step toward victory or ruin. When the dust settles, only one tribe will remain in the d...

In the grand arena, two teams stepped onto the sacred battlefield, chosen by fate to clash in a relentless battle. The indomitable Dragon Hunters , descendants of war heroes who once battled the Dark Flame dragons, faced the elusive ninjas of the Hidden Temple , protectors of the grand Gang Port , who in turn would fight either the unyielding Guards of Witgat , heirs of a mountain tribe that endur...

The skiers were lined up at the starting line, rifles strapped across their backs, ski sticks in hand. They proudly represented their nations and each represented a different mix of skills. Some were faster going cross-country, others had better endurance and there were some with precision shooting skills. It would be a tense race. It would be a Biathlon Blast by Lars Max Jensen and Carl Tenland f...

It seemed like a normal day until you listened to the voice message from your friend. It sounded urgent and like their life was in danger. They wanted to meet you at this club. You tried to call them back to find out more, but nobody answered. You started to worry and fear the worst, but you plucked up your courage. You just wished there still was Neon Hope by Francesco Grothe and Dominik Schönleb...

It is the golden age of American railways. Rail stocks are all the rage, with new companies flooding the stock market all the time. The stakes are high, but you want to have a slice of the pie. The returns look great and investors get a say on a company's track-laying. To make it big, you have to be clever and know the Trick of the Rails by Hisashi Hayashi from Grok Games with illustrations fr...

We were on a road trip. As our car was eating the miles, our journals and scrapbooks were filling up with photos, postcards and other souvenirs that would later remind us of the wonderful time we had. We were exploring towering peaks and massive canyons as we were making our way through this amazing desert, always being mindful of hazards. We loved every moment as we traversed Death Valley: Highs...

Feudal Japan is in turmoil. The collapse of the ancient authority of the Ashikaga Shogunate has plunged the country into a brutal civil war, known to history as the Sengoku Jidai . Clans clash in a relentless struggle for power and prestige. Now it is your turn to enter this bloody conflict as a great warrior. This is Senjutsu: Battle for Japan by Paul D. Allen and James Faulkner from Lucky Duck G...

The land of Arzium is facing a new threat. Ember Zombies have left their volcanic lands to the north and are walking through the previously peaceful lands that we call our home. You can easily recognise them with their charcoal bodies. Yet, there is hope. The city of Eastrey offers a safe haven for the creatures that are threatened by the malicious fire fairies. Everyone must make their way across...

In a distant future, giant clay figures are pitted against each other in a race through a desolate terrain. They are controlled by racers who have secretly bet on a specific creature to cross the finish line first. However, all racers have control over all of the creatures and can change their bets during the race. The locals call this chaotic contest Golem Run by Tony Cotterill and Ren Multamäki...

With 2024 now being officially over, it's time for me to crown the top game of the year. However, in a slight change to the usual proceedings, this time around I am going to announce a total of four awards. After all, one game is never enough. So, here goes... Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2025/01/04/top-table-award-2024-saturday-review/ Useful Links Knarr review: https:...

As another year draws to a close, it's time to look back, take stock and also glimpse ahead. So let me share how 2024 was for me and give you an idea of what 2025 has in store. Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2024/12/28/2024-a-year-in-review-and-a-look-ahead-saturday-review/ Useful Links 10x10 Challenge : https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/166160/2014-challenge-play-10-gam...

In the dark and damp tunnels, creatures lurked. Brave heroes dared to venture deep into the labyrinth, hoping to defeat fiends and undead creatures, while avoiding spells. It was a battle to the death and whoever came out victorious would enter the annals of the Dungeon Champs by Matt Garbutt from Outland Entertainment . Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2024/12/21/dungeon-c...

Take some sheep's heart, liver and lungs, mince them together with some chopped onion, oatmeal, suet, spices and salt, mix in some stock and cook it all together in the animal's stomach for about an hour. Add some neeps and tatties and enjoy your Haggis by Sean Ross from Portland Game Collective . Read the full review here: ⁠⁠⁠https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2024/12/14/haggis-saturday-review/ Useful...

Passions flamed and power waned. Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived. First Catherine of Aragon, who had the most time to establish loyal supporters and powerful allies, then Anne Boleyn, queen for less than a year. They were followed by Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and Katherine Parr. These were The Six of VIII by Carol LaGrow from New Mill Industries . Read t...

I love a good game with an atmospheric setting. I want to feel the cold as my meeples climb up the mountain, hear the bees as I place my apple tree hexes in my cider orchard, smell the smoke and the grease when my trains operate or see the next station that my underground train enters. A game that whisks you away and fully immerses you in another world for an hour or two or three is truly awesome....

The elements are alive in our realm. The water element can douse the deadly flames of the fire element that would otherwise leave behind deeply scorched earth, while the earth element itself has the power to consume the waters of a dozen seas. The three elements are in constant battle, balancing each other out at times in infinite variations of their eternal cycles. Yet none of the three elements...

I am a hater of air and a lover of compact design. What I mean by that is that I don't like games where most of the box is empty, with components just floating around. I prefer it when the product design is clever and either has a good insert or otherwise makes everything compact. If a game goes the extra step and makes the box itself an integral component, then I'm super impressed. So in this art...

Space: an endless void with countless stars, some of which capable of harbouring a planet that can support life. Yadda, yadda, yadda. You already know the spiel. So, without further ado let me introduce the Doomlings: Upgrade Pack by Justus and Andrew Meyer from Doomlings . Read the full review here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2024/11/23/doomlings-upgrade-pack-saturday-review/ Useful Links Doom...

I have always felt that the theme or setting of a game can really help with learning it. In a game about the Spice Routes, for example, it will be instinctively clear why there are mechanisms to exchange resources of different types with each other or for money. After all, that's what the spice trade was mainly about. However, a game's theme or setting isn't necessarily useful. Sometimes it can be...

Rejoice, my friends! It’s time for our annual convention, where collectors from around the world gather to trade their tiny postal treasures. We must prepare our most beautiful and best-arranged collection and show it to the expert crowd. If we do well, we may walk away with the top prize at this year’s Stamp Swap by Paul Salomon from Stonemaier Games . Read the full review here: https://tabletopg...