New York City board game related stores, we’re coming to eat! We visit some FLGS and cafes, which feature popular BGG games, but also food/drink! We check out their offerings besides tabletop, like in some places Golf and Arcade! We go through the various places, including in Hoboken New Jersey all the way to Manhattan Upper East side. We can show which places have rentals and their open play policy, or do they just do MTG commander? Perhaps TTRPGs are more your style? Can you play big space operas or just simple 2 player games at these areas?
Table of Contents:
Intro - (0:00)
Conquest for the Capital - (1:00)
1. Hoboken Game Lounge - (1:49)
2. Silk Road Gaming - (8:15)
3. Gamestoria - (10:55)
4. Hex & Co - (14:15)
5. Chaotic good - (17:34)
Favorite Experiences - (20:50)
Games featured: Dune Imperium, Cosmic Encounter, That’s Not My Hat, Mahjong, Poker, Exploding Kittens, Monopoly, Magic: The Gathering, Battle of Hoth, Star Wars Rebellion, Dungeons and Dragons, Karen the Game, Twilight Imperium 4
Dans cette vidéo, je vous emmène à Rambouillet pour découvrir la toute première Convention du Roi de Rome, un nouvel événement consacré aux jeux d’histoire et aux wargames.
J’y rencontre les organisateurs ainsi que plusieurs auteurs emblématiques du jeu d’histoire francophone :
In Jisogi you'll take on the role of running an anime studio, and take on all of the challenges that come with it; saving enough money to pay wages, trying to stay on trend, hiring new talent and trying to get your merch generating income. This game from Tokyo Game Market (and about to hit Essen) was a delight to get to our table and one that people keep asking about...! We hope this gives you a sense of it!
Timestamps:
00:00 🎲 Introduction
00:50 🎨Theme
02:43 ⚙️Mechanics
04:21 ☁️How it Feels to Play
09:20 🎯What Surprised Us
13:30 🛠 What We'd Change
14:56 ✅ Is it Shelfworthy?
Thanks for stopping by! We're Amy & Maggie aka ThinkerThemer. We're an Australian couple with two very different perspectives of what makes a great board game - Amy (Thinker) is all about the mechanics and enjoys tight, competitive games, and Maggie (Themer) is all about the storytelling and the theme of the game, and the 'world' that the designer is trying to create. Subscribe to our channel to hear us talk about these two elements of a game, and how well integrated we feel these are in delivering a cohesive and wonderful game experience.
#boardgames #tabletopgames #thinkerthemer ❤🏳️🌈🇦🇺
We review this tactical 1v1 fight between the Rebels and Empire! Battle of Hoth is an asymmetrical hex based war game that only takes 30 minutes too! You'll manage your hand and battlefield to get the most medals, rolling dice to resolve combats. With simple line of sight rules and a great presentation, does this have what it takes to be popular on BGG in 2025? After all, many of the old Memoir 44 rules are here, just tweaked to make the game even more streamlined. There's also a TON of replayability and depth with the campaigns and mini-campaigns! Did Days of Wonder do it again, or is this game simply not innovative enough?
Other games mentioned: Star Wars: Rebellion, Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game, Star Wars Unlimited, War for the Ring, Undaunted: Normandy
Table of Contents:
Overview - (0:00)
Conquest for the Capital - (1:00)
How to Play - (1:47)
Pros - (2:54)
Cons - (9:08)
Recommender Score - (15:13)
Ashton's Personal Score - (18:45)
We engage in a 1v1 card duel to the death! This TCG by Archon Studios has players using their asymmetric decks (Castle vs Necropolis) to drop the enemy hero to 0 HP. Players will manage their hands of cards but also manage units on a grid battlefield, vying for control of locations that can give special abilities. There's powerful spells/artifacts and fun unit nuance including stacking! With Ashton controlling Adela the Cleric and Alex controlling Isra the Death Knight, who will win with these sample packs?
Command your forces in Feudal Japan! In General Orders: Sengoku Jidai from Osprey Games, two rival generals face off in a tense, tactical battle of positioning and timing. Designed by David Thompson and Trevor Benjamin (the duo behind Undaunted), this compact strategy game delivers deep decisions in a small package.
Each turn is a mind game — will you seize key locations, control supply lines, or outguess your opponent’s next move? General Orders: Sengoku Jidai combines area control, worker placement, and bluffing into a beautifully streamlined wargame experience.
🎲 Publisher: Osprey Games
🕒 Play Time: Around 30 minutes
👥 Players: 2
💡 Complexity: Medium-light strategy
If you enjoy tight two-player strategy games with elegant mechanics and historical flavor, General Orders: Sengoku Jidai deserves a spot on your radar.
In this new episode of Wargame Archaeology, I’m joined by Liz Davidson from Beyond Solitaire and special guest Matthew Kirschenbaum, one of the authors of Zones of Control: Perspectives on Wargaming, for a deep dive into the origins and evolution of miniature wargaming.
While Liz and I come from the world of board wargames, Matthew will guide us through the fascinating history of figurine wargaming from its 19th-century roots to its modern tabletop communities. Together, we’ll look at how miniature wargaming and board wargaming grew into two parallel traditions, what the miniatures scene looks like today, and how it grapples with questions of accessibility, tradition, and renewal. We’ll also discuss how the creative energy and design innovations of recent years have reshaped both sides of the hobby, and how the conversations sparked by Zones of Control continue to echo through today’s wargame design culture.
Karma Games is back! Discover Clans of Caledonia: Industria, Thiefdom, and Millenia: Tracks of Time — three new strategy hits from the creators of Clans of Caledonia.
🏭 Build your empire in Industria
🗝️ Master stealth in Thiefdom
⏳ Shape history in Millenia
Some board games don’t just entertain—they change everything. In this video, we’re counting down 10 board games that changed the world, shaping the way we play, think, and connect. From timeless classics that brought families together to modern masterpieces that redefined strategy and storytelling, these games left a permanent mark on culture and gaming history.
🎲 Discover how these iconic designs revolutionized the hobby, inspired generations of players, and set the stage for the board gaming renaissance we enjoy today.
NB: Cosmic Encounter was first published by Eon Games and not Avalon Hill 👍🏻
If you love exploring the evolution of games and the stories behind them, this one’s for you!
👇 Let us know in the comments which game you think had the biggest impact!
The designer of Pictionary has apparently also made this disaster of a game. Thinkblot is a party board game where you're guessing shapes, then convincing others to also see it... but the mechanics are all completely off! Mattel published this game that looks exactly like a Rorschach test. In fact, the point scoring works in a way where the game just might not end sometimes. With pencil and paper, you're not even working in teams, and the specialization of rounds/turns are off. You might as well play another party game like Dixit or Telestrations! Even Last Word, with its vague rules, is better than this. Tom Vasel from the Dice Tower seems to agree a bit too.
Table of Contents:
Intro/Overview - (0:00)
Conquest for the Capital - (1:00)
How to Play - (1:47)
Pros - (2:50)
Cons - (2:58)
Recommender Score - (9:05)
Ashton's Personal Score - (12:55)
This Game Is Killer is a social deduction board game where players must uncover the hidden killer among them while avoiding the alien. Each round involves discussion, bluffing, and deduction as players try to stay alive and identify who can be trusted. With a mix of strategy and social interaction, the game offers a tense and engaging experience for groups of 3-10 players.
🎲 Game: This Game Is Killer
👥 Players: 3-10
⏱️ Play Time: 30–60 minutes
🏷️ Genre: Social Deduction / Party Game
Balance the Sun and Moon in Ayar: Children of the Sun (Osprey Games) — a myth-driven euro where your final score is the lower of two tracks. In this review, I cover how Ayar works, what makes its Day/Night rhythm sing, and where the strategy lives.
What’s inside
• Overview
• How turns flow: Step → Move Ayar → Place Tambo → Perform Activity → End-of-turn checks
• The 4 activities
• Timing
• Final thoughts: who will love it, who won’t
Why it stands out
• Dual-track tension: Suns accrue; Moons pop — balance or bust
• Interlocking spatial and timing puzzles (weaving grid, lake islands, temple rows)
• Strong production by Ian O’Toole and a ruleset that rewards planning
Credits
Publisher: Osprey Games
Designers: Fabio Lopiano & Mandela Fernández-Grandon
Artist: Ian O’Toole
Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:20 Play Count & Complexity
01:13 Victory Conditions & Gameplay
05:49 One Turn
06:37 Skills
08:23 Final Thoughts
17:48 Contact & Socials
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Woooow! We would need to bring extra suitcases if we were going to Essen Spiel 2025... there are SO many great choices that it was hard to settle on our top 10 (and only two crossovers!) These are the picks that we would be excited to line up and buy if we were there - but remember, we haven't played any of these so this is entirely speculation! If you're headed to the con have a fantastic time, and we hope to see you back there one day!
A&M
Thanks for stopping by! We're Amy & Maggie aka ThinkerThemer. We're an Australian couple with two very different perspectives of what makes a great board game - Amy (Thinker) is all about the mechanics and enjoys tight, competitive games, and Maggie (Themer) is all about the storytelling and the theme of the game, and the 'world' that the designer is trying to create. Subscribe to our channel to hear us talk about these two elements of a game, and how well integrated we feel these are in delivering a cohesive and wonderful game experience.
#board games #tabletop games #thinkerthemer ❤🏳️🌈🇦🇺
Countless copies of the classic Colovini Cartagena! In this video I compare side-by-slide, with commentary, the 2000, 2006, 2017 and 2023 editions. (I think I said 2025 in the video, apologies.)
Board Gems highlights older board and card games that are still great games today, and deserve to not be forgotten!