So, each year (well, nearly each year) since 2000, I have been able to attend the Gathering of Friends – an invitational event which is unlike any other that I go to.  The Friends all meet at a hotel, and … Continue reading →

    Flip 7 with a Vengeance Designers: Eric Olsen and Alyssa Swatek Publisher: The Op  Players: 3+ Age: 8+ Time: 20 minutes Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/4vaZLFd Played with review copy provided by publisher Flip 7 is back – With … Continue reading →

    Cucumber Catastrophe Designer: Michael Feldkoetter Publisher: dv Games Players: 3-6 Age: 8+ Time: 20 mins Played with review copy provided by publisher Players compete over four hands of ten rounds each. A round is a trick where all … Continue reading →

    Frosted Blooms Designer: Bruno Cathala, Ludovic Maublanc Publisher: Synapses Games Players: 1-4 Age: 8+ Time: 25-40 mins Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/4rPnrfm Played with review copy provided by publisher Welcome to Frosted Blooms – In the soft dawn of … Continue reading →

    Tembo Designers: Dan Halstad, Daniel Skjold Pedersen, Mads Floe, Asger Harding Granerud  Publisher: The Op Games / Sidekick Games Players: 1-4 Age: 10+ Time: 30-45 minutes Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/4s8Pzet Played with review copy provided by publisher TEMBO … Continue reading →

Well, the 2026 game awards season has finally begun. The American Tabletop Awards have been around since 2019 and they feature an interesting division of games into four categories. The winner in the Complex category is Molly House, designed by … Continue reading →

    All In: Predictions Designer: Phil Walker-Harding Publisher: Next Move Players: 2-5 Age: 10+ Time: 30 minutes Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/4t6Vu3R Played with review copy provided by publisher In All In: Predictions, players become gifted foretellers vying to shape … Continue reading →

  Yotei Designer: Huy Pham Publisher: Mighty Boards Players: 2-4 Age: 8+ Time: 30-60 minutes Kickstarter link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mightyboards/yotei  Played with review copy provided by publisher Create the most charming town at the foot of Mt Yotei, also known as Ezo … Continue reading →

Well, I guess it’s that time of year again.  I’ve been writing Designer of the Year (DotY) articles for over 20 years, but for those of you who are new to the series (or who suffer from temporary amnesia), let … Continue reading →

    Castle Nightingale Designers: Bruno Cathala, Eliette Fraile, Jeremy Fraile  Publisher: Sand Castle Games Players: 2 Age: 10+ Time: 20-30 minutes Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/4aUdBDB Played with review copy provided by publisher Castle Nightingale looms out of the night, … Continue reading →

March 2026 Games I played for the first time this month, from worst to best, along with my ratings and comments.­ ­ Paint the Roses – 5/10­ Paint the Roses is a co-operative deduction game with a light Alice in … Continue reading →

I sat here at my computer for a long time, trying to come up with a creative name for this review. I mulled over pop culture references (“SETI: The Truth Is Out There” and “You Can’t Spell SETI Without E.T.”) … Continue reading →

    Fortunes of Scoundrel Bay Designers: Eilif Svensson, Asmund Svensson, Vergard Eliassen Stillerud Publisher: Chilifox Players: 1-4 Age: 14+ Time: 90-120 min Played with review copy provided by publisher You have finally reached the archipelago of Scoundrel Bay! Here, … Continue reading →

    EXIT: Venice Conspiracy Designers: Inka and Markus Brand Publisher: Kosmos Players: 1-4 Age: 12+ Time: 1-2 hours Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/4809sft The EXIT series was one of the original puzzle-game franchises to hit the market when the escape … Continue reading →

    Thebai Designer: David Turczi Publisher: Board&Dice Players: 1-4 Age: 14+ Time: 90-150 min Played with review copy provided by publisher Dark times loom over the kingdom of Thebes. The blind, old king Oedipus left the throne in disgrace … Continue reading →

    New-to-me games played recently include … DEWAN (2025): Rank 2780, Rating 7.4 A classic Euro feel. Collect terrain cards from the draft and then spend them to branch out from your start camp to build camps on terrain … Continue reading →

    EGO (Extraterrestrial Greeting Organization) Designer: Reiner Knizia Publisher: Bitewing Games Players: 2-5 Age: 14+ Time: 40-80 minutes Amazon affiliate link:  https://amzn.to/4nnnGgn Played with review copy provided by publisher We are not alone! It is the 23rd century, and … Continue reading →

    Level 10 Designer: Hisashi Hayashi Publisher: Grail Games Players: 1-5 Ages: 14+ Time: 15-30 minutes (box says 16-32) Times played: 4, with review copy provided by Matagot/Grail   In the co-operative card game Level 10 — which was … Continue reading →

    Cities USA Designer: Phil Walker-Harding and Steve Finn Publisher: DEVIR Players: 1-4 Age: 10+ Time: 45 minutes Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/4uTmiWZ Played with review copy provided by publisher A great American city awaits your vision! Step into the … Continue reading →

Thanks to the evil machinations of Doctor Mindbender, a hole has been ripped in the space/time continuum and both the G.I. Joes and their arch enemies (COBRA) have been sucked into Valhalla. In real life terms, that means that the … Continue reading →