A tour of Montreal’s board-game convention—demos, prototypes, friendly chaos—and a tense showdown against a world champion. Drop your guess before you hit the reveal chapter!
Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:30 What Is Ludicon?
04:23 Asmodee Correction: the Lego game is Brick Like This)
07:16 Randolph & Scorpion Masqué
11:32 Mystery Challenge (no spoilers)
12:25 The Match vs. a World Champion
17:57 Contact & Socials
Highlights & Notes
• Packed demo tables and a welcoming learn-to-play crews.
• Friendly tournament energy and lots of casual games all weekend.
• The match against the champion was my highlight of the con.
First-Timer Tips
• Book demos early; popular tables fill fast, but there are multiple copies of many games.
• Bring a small daypack: water bottle and protein bar or other snacks (no food or drinks are available on-site)
• Schedule “walk the floor” laps between games to discover hidden gems.
• Budget time for social games—you’ll meet great people.
Credits
• Event: Ludicon 2025 (Montreal, QC)
• Big thanks to Alain Fragman and all of the organizers, volunteers, and the designers/publishers who taught games on camera.
• World Champion: name withheld here to avoid spoilers—check the pinned comment after you’ve watched!
Filming Gear
Shot handheld on iPhone 17 Pro Max and DJI Osmo Pocket 3 with DJI Mic 3.
Work With Me
Brains On Games reviews how play builds thinking skills. For review inquiries or previews: brian@brainsongames.ca
Get ready to duel without the danger! In Let’s Hit Each Other With Fake Swords from Exploding Kittens, players grab foam swords, draw action cards, and swing for hilarious victory. It’s fast, physical, and full of laughter — the perfect party game for families and friends who don’t mind looking ridiculous.
In this quick review, I’ll show how the game plays, what makes it so funny, and why it’s one of the most absurd games Exploding Kittens has ever made.
In Origin Story from Stonemaier Games, players craft their own superheroes in a clever blend of trick-taking and engine-building gameplay. Over five rounds, you’ll develop powers, reveal your backstory, and decide whether to play as a hero or villain—each with its own scoring twist.
Whether you’re a fan of superhero board games, innovative card mechanics, or just love Stonemaier’s elegant designs, Origin Story offers a fast, thematic experience packed with smart decisions.
Step into the vibrant world of the 1960s art scene with Pop Art — the fast, colorful card game from Road to Infamy Games!
In this video, Brian from Brains On Games reviews Pop Art, where players layer Foregrounds and Backgrounds to create a stunning 3x3 gallery of prints. Every combination of color and composition earns you Pop points, and only the most visually harmonious artist will impress the critics!
Learn how this drafting and placement game blends strategy, creativity, and color theory into a clever experience that plays fast and looks fantastic on the table.
👀 In this video:
00:00 Intro
00:15 Play Count & Complexity
01:04 Victory Conditions & How to Play
05:09 One Turn
05:34 Skills
06:52 Final Thoughts
11:07 Contact & Socials
Whether you’re a fan of Sushi Go!, Calico, or just love games that look gorgeous while flexing your brain, Pop Art is worth hanging in your collection.
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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.
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
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
Support the channel:
Subscribe for more board game reviews focused on how games build skills through play.
Think you can draw under pressure? 🎨 In Doodle Disaster by Bulldozer Games, players try to sketch prompts while everyone else guesses what on earth it’s supposed to be! 😂 Fast, frantic, and full of bad art and big laughs — the perfect party game for families and friends!
Cats, chaos, and clever strategy collide in Cat in 8 from Ghetti Games! 🐾 In this board game, players battle to line up 8 cats in a row while navigating shifting tiles and unpredictable Chaos Cards like Cat Fights, Cat ‘Nados, and Zoomies.
In this review, I’ll cover:
• How the game plays (tile-laying, tokens, and chaos twists)
• Victory conditions and scoring
• The unique mix of strategy and silly fun
• Skills kids and families practice while playing
If you enjoy chaotic strategy games, abstract puzzles, or just love cats, this one might be for you.
In this fast and silly card game, players try to find matching cards by creating weird combos. I’ll show you how this quirky game plays and why it might be the perfect fit for your table.
If you’re into lighthearted memory games with a dash of silliness, Banana Boy vs Uni-Cone is one to check out.
In this video, I review Stalk Exchange, a light strategy and family-friendly board game about planting flowers, trading in the market, and growing your fortune. I’ll walk through the victory conditions, show how a turn works, and highlight the skills players practice while playing.
This game is fast, fun, and clever—perfect for family nights or players looking for a short but strategic experience. It’s designed by Christopher Chan, who just joined KTBG!
Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:23 Play Count & Complexity
00:49 Victory Conditions & Gameplay
04:38 Skills
06:06 One Turn
07:12 Final Thoughts
11:00 Contact & Socials
Who it’s for
Families, kids, and strategy fans who want a quick market game with plenty of laughs.
Who should skip
Heavy gamers looking for complex engines, or players who prefer long, deep economic simulations.
In this video, I explore Gems of Iridescia, a fast-paced family strategy game about mining gems, timing the market, and beating your rivals to the best trades. I’ll walk you through the victory conditions, show a full turn example, and highlight the skills players practice while playing.
You’ll see why this game shines for families and light-to-mid strategy fans: quick turns, tight choices, and plenty of player interaction.
Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:27 Play Count & Complexity
01:26 Victory Conditions
02:30 Full Turn Example & Gameplay
05:01 Skills
06:18 Final Thoughts
11:22 Contact & Socials
Who it’s for:
Families who enjoy quick turns and clever strategy. Fans of light Eurogames with tactical resource management and market timing.
Who should skip:
Heavy gamers looking for complex engines, or players who dislike fast, interactive markets.
Step into the world of Lands of Galzyr, a story-driven board game where your choices echo across sessions in a persistent adventure. In this review, I’ll explore how the game blends open-world exploration, skill checks, and branching stories with gorgeous production and a digital storybook. Whether you’re playing solo, co-operatively, or competitively, Lands of Galzyr offers an immersive experience that keeps you coming back for more.
If you’re curious about storytelling board games, legacy-style mechanics, or just want to know if this epic adventure is right for your table, this review is for you.
Crash & Grab is the brand-new board game from Pull the Pin Games, where flying saucers collide, aliens get snatched, and chaos rules the table! In this fast-paced preview, I’ll show you how players zip around the modular board, crash into opponents, and race to collect their full alien crew before blasting off to victory.
With simultaneous movement, chain-reaction crashes, and clever energy upgrades, Crash & Grab is a mix of bumper cars in space and tactical chaos. If you love games that combine laugh-out-loud moments with sharp decision-making, this one belongs on your radar.
👾 What’s Inside:
• How to move, crash, and grab crew
• Why upgrades matter for strategy
• The skills you’ll practice while playing
• Final thoughts on this zippy, chaotic preview
00:00 Intro
00:19 Play Count, Complexity, Victory Conditions
00:59 One Full Round of Gameplay
05:27 Skills
06:41 Final Thoughts
09:45 Contact & Socials
Sweet game, sweet sound! In this short, I take a quick look at Happy Mochi while testing out the DJI Mic 3 for the first time. 🍡🎤 Board games meet crisp audio—perfect combo!
Thanks to the folks at #Asmodee for sending Happy Mochi for review.
Lunar Rush Innovations Preview – See everything that’s new in the expansion for my 2023 Game of the Year! This video covers all the new modules, player powers, and strategic twists that make the Lunar Rush board game even better. Whether you’re a fan of space-themed strategy games, racing games, or economic board games, this is your complete look at the Lunar Rush Innovations expansion and why it’s a must-have for 2025.
In this board game preview, you’ll see:
• What’s included in the Lunar Rush Innovations expansion
• How the new modules work and change your strategy
• Why this could be one of the best board game expansions of 2025
• Whether fans of the base game should grab it on day one
Perfect for fans of: Lunar Rush board game, space board games, racing games, economic strategy games, and anyone hunting for their next great expansion.
Timestamps:
0:00 – Introduction
0:40 – Quick Recap of Lunar Rush
2:05 – What’s New in Innovations
5:15 – How the Modules Change the Game
8:05 – My First Impressions
10:05 – Final Thoughts
Cosmic horror, pocket-sized. In Lovecraft Letter, you’ll draw 1, play 1, and decide whether to stay sane for steady powers or go insane for wild effects—and risk elimination. Quick turn demo shows how sanity vs. insanity changes your choices.