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Published — 06. Januar 2026 ⏭ Brains On Games

The 5 Best Board Games of 2025 — Ranked!

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games
06. Januar 2026 um 18:00

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It’s time: my Top 5 board games of 2025, counted down and ranked from #5 to my Game of the Year, with some honourable mentions for good measure. These are the games that hit my table the most, lived rent-free in my brain, and kept me thinking about better plays long after the box closed.

In this video, I’ll cover:
• What each game is about
• Why it made my list
• What makes my #1 pick my Game of the Year

👇 Drop your list in the comments:
What were your top games of 2025… and what should I play next?

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✅ Chapters
00:00 Intro
01:36 Honourable Mention 1
04:16 Honourable Mentions 2 & 3
09:14 #5
13:16 #4
17:13 #3
21:33 #2
26:48 #1 (Game of the Year)
32:19 Contact & Socials

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🎥 More board game reviews and gaming talk here:
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#BoardGames #TabletopGames #BrainsOnGames #BoardGameReview #BoardGameOfTheYear #Top5BoardGames #StrategyGames #BoardGameRanking #2025BoardGames #perch #fellowshipofthering #taketime #unconsciousmind #kinfirecouncil #emberleaf #ayarchildrenofthesun #saltfjord
Published — 30. Dezember 2025 ⏭ Brains On Games

Things In Rings Review | The Venn Diagram Party Game That Makes You Feel Smart

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games
30. Dezember 2025 um 18:01

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Things In Rings turns a Venn diagram into a surprisingly spicy deduction party game. One player knows the secret rules for each ring, everyone else tests ideas by placing “things” into the diagram, and the table slowly reverse-engineers what’s really going on. It’s quick to teach, easy to scale in difficulty, and it delivers that “I am a genius (briefly)” feeling when your hypothesis finally clicks.

In this review, I cover:
• How it plays (Knower vs Finders + the Venn diagram puzzle)
• How difficulty scales (1 ring vs 2 vs 3)
• Who it’s best for (families, casual gamers, logic-lovers)
• Upsides & downsides

If you’ve played Things In Rings, drop your favorite ring or tell me what difficulty you prefer.

Chapters (optional)
0:00 Intro
01:19 Complexity & Play Count
02:25 Victory Conditions & How It Plays
07:20 Cognitive Skills Practiced
09:50 Final Thoughts



#BoardGames #TabletopGames #BrainsOnGames #PartyGames #DeductionGame #Allplay
Published — 23. Dezember 2025 ⏭ Brains On Games

Ducks in a Row Review | Build Your Row, Sabotage the Shared Pond

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games
23. Dezember 2025 um 18:00

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Build your row. Guard your pond. Politely ruin everyone else’s plans. 🦆💥

Ducks in a Row is a clever card game where you’re balancing ducks between your personal row and a shared pond, trying to score big while other players keep sticking their beaks into your business. It’s fast, interactive, and just the right amount of “I can’t believe you did that” for game night.

In this review, I’ll cover:
• How the row + shared pond scoring tension works
• The kind of player interaction (read: sabotage) you should expect
• Who this game is best for (and who might waddle away mad)

Game Info
2–6 players | ~40 minutes | Ages 14+

👍 If you enjoyed the review, please like, subscribe, and tell me: what’s your favourite “cute game with mean decisions” ?

00:00 Intro
00:44 Play Count & Complexity
01:06 Victory Conditions & How It Plays
05:42 Skills
07:56 Final Thoughts
12:20 Contact & Socials

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#BoardGames #CardGames #BrainsOnGames #BoardGameReview #TabletopGames #GameNight
Published — 16. Dezember 2025 ⏭ Brains On Games

Take Time Board Game Review | Smart, Silent, and Surprisingly Tense

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games
16. Dezember 2025 um 18:00

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Time to test your teamwork… in total silence.

In Take Time, you and your team are placing numbered cards around a six-segment clock, trying to keep the totals climbing without going over 24—all while obeying weird scenario rules and not talking during the crucial placement phase. You’ll discuss a plan, go silent, place cards, then reveal everything and see whether your beautiful strategy survived contact with reality.

In this review, I walk through how Take Time works, what makes the 40-scenario campaign feel so compelling, and why the “talk, then silence, then reveal” structure creates some of the most tense cooperative moments I’ve had in a puzzle game.

If you enjoy cooperative puzzles, quiet tension, and those “we were SO CLOSE!” table groans, Take Time might be one to add to your list.

00:00 Intro
00:24 Complexity & Play Count
01:20 How It Plays
07:26 Skills
10:09 Final Thoughts
17:15 contact & Socials

#boardgames #boardgamereview #BrainsOnGames #TakeTime #Libellud #cooperativegames #puzzlegames #tabletopgames #familygames #boardgamekids #strategygames
Published — 13. Dezember 2025 ⏭ Brains On Games

Brick Like This! | Real-Time LEGO Panic

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games
13. Dezember 2025 um 18:01

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Can you build a mystery shape out of LEGO bricks… using only your teammate’s words? In Brick Like This!, one player describes, one player builds, and everyone races to shout “DONE!” before their opponents.

In this short, you’ll see how fast this game turns from “easy party game” into pure real-time LEGO panic, with teams scrambling to stack bricks, follow the rules, and actually recognize what they just built.

#boardgames #LEGO #BrainsOnGames #familygames #tabletop #BoardGameShorts #partygames #boardgamekids #shorts
Published — 08. Dezember 2025 ⏭ Brains On Games

Nokosu Dice Review | The Trick-Taking Grail I’ve Chased for Years

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games
08. Dezember 2025 um 01:58

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I’ve been chasing Nokosu Dice for years—and it finally hit the table. This clever trick-taking game blends cards and dice in a way that feels instantly familiar, then hits you with a delicious twist: you’re not just trying to win tricks… you’re trying to win the right number of tricks, but your bid might change as the round progresses. In this review, I’ll explain how it plays, what makes it special, and whether this long-time grail game was actually worth the hype.

If you love trick-taking games, quirky Japanese designs, and tense “just one more point” decisions, Nokosu Dice is a fascinating little gem.

00:00 Intro
00:28 Play Count & Complexity
00:43 Victory Conditions & How It Plays
05:20 Skills
07:27 Final Thoughts
13:07 Contact & Socials



#BoardGames #TrickTaking #BrainsOnGames #BoardGameReview #TabletopGames #CardGames #DiceGames #JapaneseBoardGames #Engames #GrailGame
Published — 02. Dezember 2025 ⏭ Brains On Games

Tag Team Review | No-Shuffle Deckbuilding Meets Auto-Battler Chaos

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games
02. Dezember 2025 um 18:01

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Tag Team is a fast, feisty 2-player dueling game from Le Scorpion Masqué that mashes up deckbuilding with an auto-battler twist: you never shuffle your Fight Deck. Instead, you draft cards and slot them into exact positions, trying to engineer the perfect sequence while your tag-team fighters trade blows automatically. In this review, I’ll cover how it plays, what makes the no-shuffle system so clever, who it’s best for, and the skills it flexes at the table.

If you’ve been looking for a quick head-to-head game with big “Aha!” moments, sneaky timing, and satisfying counterplay, Tag Team brings the chaos in about 15 minutes.

00:00 Intro
00:23 Play Count & Complexity
00:38 Victory Conditions & How It’s Played
05:10 Skills
06:45 Final Thoughts
13:32 Contact & Socials


#BoardGames #TabletopGaming #BrainsOnGames #BoardGameReview #TwoPlayerGames #CardGames #Deckbuilding #StrategyGames #LeScorpionMasque #AutoBattler
Published — 25. November 2025 ⏭ Brains On Games

Saltfjord Board Game Review | Dice-Driven Fishing Euro in 3 Tight Rounds

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games
25. November 2025 um 18:00

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In this video, I review Saltfjord, a medium-heavy Euro from Aporta Games where you’re running a Norwegian fishing village in the late 19th century. You’ll be drafting dice to fire off powerful row/column actions on your player board, upgrading resources, completing crate orders, investing in technology tracks, and pushing your fishing boat deeper into the fjord for big points.

I’ll walk through how Saltfjord plays, what the dice-driven grid system feels like at the table. I’ll also talk about complexity, who this game is best for, and the kinds of cognitive skills it can help players practice.

In this video:
• Overview of the theme
• How the dice drafting and grid activation work
• Crates, tech tracks, fishing, and retiring to taverns
• Final thoughts: who will love Saltfjord and who might bounce off it

Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
00:30 Complexity & Victory Conditions
00:50 Play Count
01:33 How It’s Played
05:55 Cognitive Skills Practiced
08:11 Final Thoughts
14:09 Contact & Socials

If you enjoy board game reviews that focus on both gameplay and the skills practiced through play, consider subscribing and checking out the other videos on the channel.

#Saltfjord #BoardGames #BrainsOnGames #Tabletop #BoardGameReview #AportaGames #EuroGame #FishingGame #DiceDrafting #EngineBuilding
Published — 18. November 2025 ⏭ Brains On Games

Ink Board Game Review | A Gorgeous Tile-Laying Puzzle of Color & Combos

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games
18. November 2025 um 18:00

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Dive into Ink, a stunning tile-laying board game where colour, creativity, and clever timing collide. In this review, I take a close look at how Ink blends strategic placement, area building, and cascading objectives into one of the most visually striking puzzle games of the year.

If you enjoy games like Cascadia, Azul, or Calico, Ink might be your next favourite. With its growing “painting,” smart bottle-management system, and powerful bonus actions, this one delivers huge combo moments and a ton of replay value.

00:00 Intro
00:29 Complexity & Play Count
02:10 Victory Conditions & How It Plays
07:46 Skills
08:35 Final Thoughts
14:30 Contact & Socials



#BoardGames #TabletopGaming #BrainsOnGames #InkBoardGame #BoardGameReview #KasperLapp #FinalScoreGames #TileLaying #StrategyGames #AbstractGames #FamilyBoardGames #PuzzleGames #BoardGameCommunity #LearnToPlay
Published — 15. November 2025 ⏭ Brains On Games
Published — 11. November 2025 ⏭ Brains On Games

Ludicon 2025 Recap: I Challenged a World Champion … Guess the Game!

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games
11. November 2025 um 18:00

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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


#Ludicon2025 #MontrealBoardGames #BrainsOnGames #BoardGameConvention #BoardGameVlog #WorldChampion #MysteryGame #Tabletop #BoardGamesCanada
Published — 05. November 2025 ⏭ Brains On Games

Exploding Kittens Made a Sword-Fighting Game?! #boardgames #brainsongames #podcast

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games
05. November 2025 um 21:00

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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.

#ExplodingKittens #BrainsOnGames #BoardGames #PartyGame #TabletopGames #FunnyGames #CardGames #FamilyGameNight #QuickReview #GameShorts
Published — 03. November 2025 ⏭ Brains On Games

Origin Story Review | Superhero Trick-Taking with an Engine-Building Twist

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games
03. November 2025 um 18:01

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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.

🎲 Publisher: Stonemaier Games
👥 Players: 1–5 | ⏱️ 45 minutes | 👶 Ages 14+

00:00 Intro
00:27 Complexity & Play Count
01:16 Victory Conditions
01:32 Trick-Taking + Engine-Building
04:33 Skills
05:58 Final Thoughts
12:40 Contact & Socials

#OriginStory #BoardGameReview #BrainsOnGames #StonemaierGames #TrickTakingGame #EngineBuilding #SuperheroBoardGame #CardGame #TabletopGames #BoardGameCommunity
Published — 27. Oktober 2025 ⏭ Brains On Games

Pop Art Board Game Review | Build a Masterpiece of Color and Strategy

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games
27. Oktober 2025 um 17:00

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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.

The campaign: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/roadtoinfamy/popart

👀 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.

👉 Subscribe for more board game reviews and insights on the skills practiced through play.



#PopArt #BoardGameReview #BrainsOnGames #RoadToInfamyGames #CardGame #BoardGames #TabletopGaming #ColorStrategy #FamilyGames #DraftingGame #PatternBuilding #ArtGame
Published — 21. Oktober 2025 ⏭ Brains On Games

General Orders: Sengoku Jidai Review | Osprey Games Brings Elegant Strategy to Feudal Japan

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games
21. Oktober 2025 um 18:00

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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.

00:00 Intro
00:08 Play Count & Complexity
00:46 Victory Conditions & Gameplay
04:50 Skills
07:02 Final Thoughts
12:32 Contact & Socials

#GeneralOrders #SengokuJidai #OspreyGames #BoardGames #StrategyGames #Wargames #BrainsOnGames #DavidThompson #TrevorBenjamin #FeudalJapan #TabletopGaming #BoardGameReview #eurogames
Published — 18. Oktober 2025 ⏭ Brains On Games

New Releases from #KarmaGames, the Clans of Caledonia People! #boardgames

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games
18. Oktober 2025 um 18:01

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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

#ClansOfCaledonia #Thiefdom #BrainsOnGames #Millenia #KarmaGames #BoardGames #StrategyGames #EuroGames

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Audio comes from the #djimic3 , with Strong noise cancelling. My neighbour was mowing his lawn during the recording!
Published — 14. Oktober 2025 ⏭ Brains On Games

Ayar: Children of the Sun Review | Osprey Games

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games
14. Oktober 2025 um 18:01

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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.

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#AyarChildrenOfTheSun #BoardGameReview #BrainsOnGames #OspreyGames #BoardGames #Eurogame #HowToPlay #SoloBoardGames #IanOToole #FabioLopiano #Merv #Sankoré #Inca #StrategyBoardGames
Published — 10. Oktober 2025 ⏭ Brains On Games

Doodle Disaster: The Wildest Drawing Game You Didn’t Know You Needed 🎨😂 #boardgames

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games
10. Oktober 2025 um 18:01

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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!

More info here: https://fulltilttoys.com

#DoodleDisaster #BrainsOnGames #DrawingGame #PartyGame #FamilyBoardGame #BoardGames
Published — 06. Oktober 2025 ⏭ Brains On Games

Cat in 8 Review | Strategic Chaos in a Tile-Laying Board Game

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games
06. Oktober 2025 um 18:00

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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.

More info here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ghettigames/cat-in-8-the-board-game-of-cute-cats-and-crazy-chaos?ref=duiyfm

👉 Let me know in the comments if you’ve tried Cat in 8 — would your cats approve of this game?

#CatIn8 #GhettiGames #BrainsOnGames #BoardGameReview #BoardGames #TabletopGames #TileLaying #FamilyBoardGames #StrategyGames #familygames
Published — 02. Oktober 2025 ⏭ Brains On Games

Banana Boy vs Uni-Cone | Quick Card Game Review #boardgames #brainsongames #familygames

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games
02. Oktober 2025 um 18:01

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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.

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#BananaBoyvsUniCone #CardGame #BrainsOnGames #BoardGames #TabletopGaming #GameReview #BoardGameShorts
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