❌

Normale Ansicht

Published — 13. Februar 2026 ⏭ Shelfside

After 2 years , I finally share my John Company 2nd Edition thoughts

✇Shelfside
Von: Shelfside
13. Februar 2026 um 19:32

💾

I unveil my personal score for John Company 2nd Edition, one of the heaviest board games I’ve ever played. This popular game about the East India Company on the Indian subcontinent has fans galore, yet how do I feel about the portrayal of such an environment in a tabletop experience? After all, despite all of the praise on BGG, this isn’t a Cole Werhle game for just anyone. Does pretending to be a greedy British imperialist entertain me during game night? Or do I need more area control within my negotiation games? It’s a game that is extremely educational and requires a certain level of commitment to steer this dysfunctional company.

Games mentioned: Twilight Imperium 4, Bohnanza, Chinatown, Arcs, Root, Oath, Sidereal Confluence

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Links to our other stuff:
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Daniel's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/doyduh2

#boardgames #tabletop #review
Published — 12. Februar 2026 ⏭ Shelfside

John Company: A Game of Administering Atrocities

✇Shelfside
Von: Shelfside
12. Februar 2026 um 16:30

💾

Cole Wehrle’s John Company has players taking on the roles of powerful English families utilizing the East India Company for personal gain, using its state sponsored monopoly to secure power to further their own greed. This extensively revised 2nd edition has new rules and components to better represent the Company’s insidious growth into the Indian subcontinent, and its highly dysfunctional modes of operation, requiring heavy amounts of negotiation and bribes. To get victory points, players retire family member pieces from their office cards, paying exorbitant amounts of money gained from unscrupulous exploitation. This satirical yet frank portrayal of British imperialism and globalization explores a deep involvement in horrific structures by making the players understand the processes of how the English involvement worked and why such pillaging was so blatantly done by these powerful interests.

Articles:
Luke Winkie’s “Board but Not Boring”
https://slate.com/human-interest/2024/01/best-board-games-root-cole-wehrle-john-company-molly-house.html
Cole Wehrle’s “Going into Empire”
https://wehrlegig.com/blogs/essays/going-into-empire
Cole Wehrle’s “Affective Networks At Play: Catan, COIN, And The Quiet Year”
https://analoggamestudies.org/2016/05/affective-networks-at-play-catan-coin-and-the-quiet-year/

Table of Contents:
Preamble (0:00)
How to Play (4:31)
An Empire’s Historical Process (11:19)
Not Really a Review (32:15)

Support us:
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Purchase Games We’ve Reviewed! (Paid Link)
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Shelfside Social Media:
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Links to our other stuff:
Ashton's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ashtonwu
Daniel's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/doyduh2

#boardgames #tabletop #tabletopgames
Published — 03. Februar 2026 ⏭ Shelfside

How Instagram Changed Board Gaming

✇Shelfside
Von: Shelfside
03. Februar 2026 um 20:29

💾

Social media has had a real impact on board game design! We’ve been 3 major trends throughout the last decade or so, whether or not a game has been kickstarted or not. From feels good outcomes, to drawing a lot of cards and seeing new information, instagram has definitely made things have better accuracy, or better first impressions. We can see this in many popular BGG games, whether or not they’re Euros, as this applies to campaign and Ameritrash games too! Even the 4x genre is left changed. But this isn’t a bad thing, it just means that the tabletop experience is changing, with the cream of the crop strategy gaming tending to rise to the top.

Table of Contents:
Intro - (0:00)
Insta-Plussing - (1:05)
Feels Good Gaming - (8:19)
Design Considerations - (15:03)
Discovery vs. Mastery Discussion w/BrotherMing - (17:01)
Aesthetics over Depth? - (20:32)
Final Thoughts - (22:08)
Quick word about TCGs - (26:18)

Games featured: Earth, Wingspan, Root, War of the Ring, Twilight Struggle, Thunder’s Edge, Twilight Imperium, Dune Imperium, Everdell, Wyrmspan, Finspan, Chess, Boop, Lords of Waterdeep, Splendor, Carcassone, El Grande, Yugioh, Sid Meier’s 2010 Civilization Revolution, Re;ACT, Dead of Winter, Hive, Shogu, Scythe, Puerto Rico, Nemesis Retaliation, Fate of the Fellowship, Terraforming Mars

Research: https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/memory-replay-prioritizes-high-reward-memories

Support us:
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Our Website!
https://www.shelfside.co/

Purchase Games We’ve Reviewed! (Paid Link)
https://amazon.com/shop/shelfside

Shelfside Social Media:
https://twitter.com/ShelfSideYT
https://www.instagram.com/shelfsideboardgames/
https://www.facebook.com/ShelfsideYT/
https://discord.gg/U7QQKqYT62

Links to our other stuff:
Ashton's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ashtonwu
Daniel's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/doyduh2

#boardgames #tabletop #tabletopgames
Published — 28. Januar 2026 ⏭ Shelfside

Race to Kepler Prototype Review — Accessible Deckbuilding meets Bidding!

✇Shelfside
Von: Shelfside
28. Januar 2026 um 16:30

💾

We review this upcoming sci-fi deck builder that features multiplayer bids for some central cards! In Race to Kepler, you construct and eject from your deck of initially 10 cards, ultimately trying to get to Kepler first to win. There’s plenty of tried and true deckbuilding tabletop mechanics, like trashing cards and combo-ing hard off of money cards. By mixing in these special titan cards with the bidding dynamic, Race to Kepler is trying to smooth over problems like multiplayer solitaire. But are there trade-offs from having a bid? Players also get to play a specific city, each with asymmetric abilities to spend your energy on. There’s not much take-that, and with open drafting, so this game is readily accessible to many!

Play Race to Kepler: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/conduitgames/race-to-kepler?ref=96q6hu

Games featured: Dune Imperium, Lost Ruins of Arnak, Aeon’s End, Tyrants of the Underdark, Dominion (1st and 2nd Edition)

Table of Contents:
Overview - (0:00)
How to Play - (1:38)
Pros - (3:43)
Cons - (14:11)
Recommender Score - (18:24)
Ashton's Personal Score - (21:28)

Support us:
https://www.patreon.com/shelfside
https://ko-fi.com/shelfside

Our Website!
https://www.shelfside.co/

Purchase Games We’ve Reviewed! (Paid Link)
https://amazon.com/shop/shelfside

Shelfside Social Media:
https://twitter.com/ShelfSideYT
https://www.instagram.com/shelfsideboardgames/
https://www.facebook.com/ShelfsideYT/
https://discord.gg/U7QQKqYT62

Links to our other stuff:
Ashton's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ashtonwu
Daniel's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/doyduh2

#boardgames #tabletop #review
Published — 22. Januar 2026 ⏭ Shelfside

Vantage | Shelfside Review

✇Shelfside
Von: Shelfside
22. Januar 2026 um 16:30

💾

We review the latest Stonemaier Game, Vantage! It is simultaneously not a campaign game but also one! It is also a tabletop game but also not in some ways! In Vantage, you play as an asymmetric character to explore an uncharted planet, attempting to complete your team’s mission. You will roll challenge dice and assign them to cards, in a bit of a Euro-style. You have narrative choices by opening the storybooks and discovering what happens to your character. The world of Vantage has many secrets, and a ridiculous amount of cards/art. But how does it hold up after many plays, like how it was intended to played? How does this compare to other cooperative games, or ones with a singular story?

Games featured: Eldritch Horror, Gloomhaven Jaws of the Lion, Gloomhaven Buttons and Bugs, Tainted Grail, Tainted Grail: Kings of Ruin, Mansions of Madness, Arkham Horror the Dunwich Legacy, Oath, The Elder Scrolls Betrayal of the Second Era

Table of Contents:
Overview - (0:00)
How to Play - (2:19)
Pros - (5:12)
SPOILER Pros - (14:17)
Cons - (18:11)
SPOILER Cons - (30:42)
Recommender Score - (45:18)
Alexander''s Personal Score - (55:09)
Ashton's Personal Score - (1:02:45)

Support us:
https://www.patreon.com/shelfside
https://ko-fi.com/shelfside

Our Website!
https://www.shelfside.co/

Purchase Games We’ve Reviewed! (Paid Link)
https://amazon.com/shop/shelfside

Shelfside Social Media:
https://twitter.com/ShelfSideYT
https://www.instagram.com/shelfsideboardgames/
https://www.facebook.com/ShelfsideYT/
https://discord.gg/U7QQKqYT62

Links to our other stuff:
Ashton's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ashtonwu
Daniel's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/doyduh2

#boardgames #tabletop #tabletopgames
Published — 17. Januar 2026 ⏭ Shelfside

The Star Wars: Rebellion Expansion is AMAZING

✇Shelfside
Von: Shelfside
17. Januar 2026 um 16:30

💾

We finally got around to playing Rise of the Empire! This expansion for Star Wars: Rebellion took our enjoyment of base game and propelled it even further. The game still has the initial cat and mouse with the highly asymmetrical play, but the ameritrash combat system has been altered with tactic cards! You also get to do worker placement as some of the new leaders from Rogue One (the movie). In our two games, did the rebels win, or was the empire successful with the looming threat of the Death Star miniature?

Table of Contents:
Intro - (0:00)
Talking about new stuff - (3:57)
Talking about things we don't like - (8:51)
Scoring - (13:15)
Extras - (14:38)

Support us:
https://www.patreon.com/shelfside
https://ko-fi.com/shelfside

Our Website!
https://www.shelfside.co/

Purchase Games We’ve Reviewed! (Paid Link)
https://amazon.com/shop/shelfside

Shelfside Social Media:
https://twitter.com/ShelfSideYT
https://www.instagram.com/shelfsideboardgames/
https://www.facebook.com/ShelfsideYT/
https://discord.gg/U7QQKqYT62

Links to our other stuff:
Ashton's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ashtonwu
Daniel's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/doyduh2

#boardgames #tabletop #tabletopgames
Published — 08. Januar 2026 ⏭ Shelfside

If American Psycho was about Card Game Players

✇Shelfside
Von: Shelfside
08. Januar 2026 um 16:30

💾

During a very important meeting, a bunch of players discuss some differences on sleeve choice. Perhaps some preferences get in the way. They're also known as TCG (trading card game) players.

Games mentioned: Magic the Gathering, Grand Archive

Sleeves used: Ultra Pro, Dragonsleeve, Player's Choice, Ultimate Katana Guard

Support us:
https://www.patreon.com/shelfside
https://ko-fi.com/shelfside

Our Website!
https://www.shelfside.co/

Purchase Games We’ve Reviewed! (Paid Link)
https://amazon.com/shop/shelfside

Shelfside Social Media:
https://twitter.com/ShelfSideYT
https://www.instagram.com/shelfsideboardgames/
https://www.facebook.com/ShelfsideYT/
https://discord.gg/U7QQKqYT62

Links to our other stuff:
Ashton's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ashtonwu
Daniel's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/doyduh2

#boardgames #tabletop #tabletopgames
Published — 05. Januar 2026 ⏭ Shelfside

Shelfside's Best (and Worst) Board Gaming of 2025

✇Shelfside
Von: Shelfside
05. Januar 2026 um 16:30

💾

Here’s Shelfside’s best and worst games of 2025, and we got to play TI4 almost every month! We go through honorable mentions like the war game Firelock all the way to GMT games like Twilight Struggle. During this 2025, we didn't get to play too many Euros but leaned more towards Ameritrash. This is not a review, but we cover covers Europa Universalis: The Price of Power with some worst gaming mentions as well. Will there be Euros admits all of the living card game selections? This is not a top 10 list, but ultimately covers multiple rising games on boardgamegeek and big gamefound launches.

Other games mentioned: Incan Gold, Thunder's Edge, Prophecy of Kings, Nemesis: Retaliation, Arkham Horror, That's Wizard, Frosthaven, Star Wars: Rebellion Rise of the Empire

Table of Contents:
Hello and Announcements! - (0:00)
Ashton's Worst Gaming of 2025 - (1:51)
Most Surprising Game - (4:12)
Alexander's Honorable Mentions - (5:18)
Alexander's Worst Gaming of 2025 - (5:57)
Alexander's Best Gaming of 2025 - (8:21)
Ashton's Best Gaming of 2025 - (11:41)
What's next in 2026 - (20:47)

Support us:
https://www.patreon.com/shelfside
https://ko-fi.com/shelfside

Our Website!
https://www.shelfside.co/

Purchase Games We’ve Reviewed! (Paid Link)
https://amazon.com/shop/shelfside

Shelfside Social Media:
https://twitter.com/ShelfSideYT
https://www.instagram.com/shelfsideboardgames/
https://www.facebook.com/ShelfsideYT/
https://discord.gg/U7QQKqYT62

Links to our other stuff:
Ashton's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ashtonwu
Daniel's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/doyduh2

#boardgames #tabletop #tabletopgames
Published — 29. Dezember 2025 ⏭ Shelfside

Heat: Pedal to the Metal Review — Fast, but thematically limited?

✇Shelfside
Von: Shelfside
29. Dezember 2025 um 21:56

💾

We review the most popular racing game! Heat took BGG by storm a couple years back, promising deckbuilding with streamlined gameplay that only takes about an hour. With 6 players! By combining the Heat card into a penalty and a resource, the gameplay has lots of hand management to ensure you round corners without spinning out. There’s even slipstreaming as a comeback mechanic! But could there be issues with taking the high-octane idea of racing and simplifying it so much? There could be some push-your-luck ideas with the stress cards, and you can easily play this game too with the legend variant! This game is also extremely popular on BoardGameArena, so let’s see if the programmed movement lets this hybrid party-board game feel like a race!

Games featured: Twilight Imperium, Dune: A Game of Conquest & Diplomacy, Gaia Project, Mario Kart, Crash: Nitro Kart, Catan, Camel Up, Ready Set Bet, Dominion 2nd Edition

Table of Contents:
Overview - (0:00)
How to Play - (0:52)
Pros - (2:38)
Cons - (10:46)
Recommender Score - (21:04)
Ashton's Personal Score - (26:30)

Support us:
https://www.patreon.com/shelfside
https://ko-fi.com/shelfside

Our Website!
https://www.shelfside.co/

Purchase Games We’ve Reviewed! (Paid Link)
https://amazon.com/shop/shelfside

Shelfside Social Media:
https://twitter.com/ShelfSideYT
https://www.instagram.com/shelfsideboardgames/
https://www.facebook.com/ShelfsideYT/
https://discord.gg/U7QQKqYT62

Links to our other stuff:
Ashton's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ashtonwu
Daniel's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/doyduh2

#boardgames #tabletop #review
Published — 17. Dezember 2025 ⏭ Shelfside

7 Steps to Get Rich QUICK From Board Games

✇Shelfside
Von: Shelfside
17. Dezember 2025 um 16:30

💾

Board games are fun to play, but did you also know you could turn a profit through 7 easy steps? Follow this satirical guide to make some real cash, and maybe even run a company of your own one day! Works for Ameritrash OR Euro games, FFG is best.

Games mentioned: Battlestar Galactica, Campaign for North Africa, Tigris and Euphrates, Star Wars: Queens’ Gambit, Twilight Imperium, Thunder’s Edge, Prophecy of Kings, Grimcoven, Catacombs, Winds of Numa Sera, Brass Birmingham, Nemesis: Retaliation, Monopoly, Taboo, Catan, Cosmic Encounter, Sid Meier’s Civilization (2010), Descent, Mansions of Madness, Throw Throw Burrito

Support us:
https://www.patreon.com/shelfside
https://ko-fi.com/shelfside

Our Website!
https://www.shelfside.co/

Purchase Games We’ve Reviewed! (Paid Link)
https://amazon.com/shop/shelfside

Shelfside Social Media:
https://twitter.com/ShelfSideYT
https://www.instagram.com/shelfsideboardgames/
https://www.facebook.com/ShelfsideYT/
https://discord.gg/U7QQKqYT62

Links to our other stuff:
Ashton's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ashtonwu
Daniel's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/doyduh2

Upbeat Funk Vintage Cooking by Infraction [No Copyright Music] / Motor City

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uzOjqXjrQI&list=RD1uzOjqXjrQI

Upbeat Funk Retro by Infraction [No Copyright Music] / Funk Up
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpjl8ybe2aQ&list=RDtpjl8ybe2aQ

Sascha Ende — Time is Now
https://ende.app/en/song/395-time-is-now

#boardgames #tabletop #tabletopgames
Published — 12. Dezember 2025 ⏭ Shelfside

TI4: Twilight's Fall Review — The Fuh?

✇Shelfside
Von: Shelfside
12. Dezember 2025 um 16:30

💾

We review this game mode from TI4: Thunder's Edge!

Visit http://plankmattress.com/shelfside to get 30% off your order with code SHELFSIDE

Twilight's Fall features the same great space opera gameplay, just with asymmetry vastly changed! Now players will draft their technologies/faction specialties throughout the game. And you can use the Prophecy of Kings mech abilities of multiple factions! The galactic ameritrash conquest still stays with strategy cards and area control. You'll still do King of the Hill with holding Mecatol Rex. However the tech tree is removed, where you activate splices to draft all sorts of cards! Is this more or less Euro friendly now? Does this reward veteran Twilight Imperium players after countless matches of direct conflict?

Table of Contents:
Overview - (0:00)
What is Twilight's Fall - (0:52)
Pros - (4:27)
Cons - (15:55)
Recommender Score - (18:31)
Alexander's Personal Score - (23:31)
Ashton's Personal Score - (23:48)

Support us:
https://www.patreon.com/shelfside
https://ko-fi.com/shelfside

Our Website!
https://www.shelfside.co/

Purchase Games We’ve Reviewed! (Paid Link)
https://amazon.com/shop/shelfside

Shelfside Social Media:
https://twitter.com/ShelfSideYT
https://www.instagram.com/shelfsideboardgames/
https://www.facebook.com/ShelfsideYT/
https://discord.gg/U7QQKqYT62

Links to our other stuff:
Ashton's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ashtonwu
Daniel's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/doyduh2

#boardgames #tabletop #tabletopgames

Support us:
https://www.patreon.com/shelfside
https://ko-fi.com/shelfside

Our Website!
https://www.shelfside.co/

Purchase Games We’ve Reviewed! (Paid Link)
https://amazon.com/shop/shelfside

Shelfside Social Media:
https://twitter.com/ShelfSideYT
https://www.instagram.com/shelfsideboardgames/
https://www.facebook.com/ShelfsideYT/
https://discord.gg/U7QQKqYT62

Links to our other stuff:
Ashton's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ashtonwu
Daniel's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/doyduh2

#boardgames #tabletop #review
Published — 10. Dezember 2025 ⏭ Shelfside

Dune: Imperium — Bloodlines QUICK Review

✇Shelfside
Von: Shelfside
10. Dezember 2025 um 16:30

💾

We quickly review the newest Dune Imperium expansion! This expansion with its multiple piles of cards and Sardaukar seems to be the most popular when combined with Dune Uprising. It's the same overall gameplay with deckbuilding meets worker placement with the end of round conflict. Now there can be sandworms fighting Sardaukar commanders with abilities! But how does it fare with the other BGG Euro expansions like Rise of Ix and Immortality? Is this worth the money at $40 MSRP, or should you just wait, if you're not too concerned about balance? Or maybe you just NEED the 8 new player sheets! We played it multiplayer and solo.

GET PLAYSYSTEMS: https://playmodeofficial.com/

Table of Contents:
Overview - (0:00)
Pros - (1:34)
Cons - (5:54)
Recommender Score - (6:10)
Ashton's Personal Score - (8:41)

Other games featured: Twilight Imperium 4

Support us:
https://www.patreon.com/shelfside
https://ko-fi.com/shelfside

Our Website!
https://www.shelfside.co/

Purchase Games We’ve Reviewed! (Paid Link)
https://amazon.com/shop/shelfside

Shelfside Social Media:
https://twitter.com/ShelfSideYT
https://www.instagram.com/shelfsideboardgames/
https://www.facebook.com/ShelfsideYT/
https://discord.gg/U7QQKqYT62

Links to our other stuff:
Ashton's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ashtonwu
Daniel's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/doyduh2

#boardgames #tabletop #review
Published — 05. Dezember 2025 ⏭ Shelfside

No that Catan game didn’t count because…

✇Shelfside
Von: Shelfside
05. Dezember 2025 um 16:30

💾

Hey, wait a second, that Catan game totally didn’t count! Here are all of the reasons why: ranging from mechanics, to expansions, to just poor dumb rng. Or maybe I’m just too used to Twilight Imperium and its amertirash + Euro tendencies?

Support us:
https://www.patreon.com/shelfside
https://ko-fi.com/shelfside

Our Website!
https://www.shelfside.co/

Purchase Games We’ve Reviewed! (Paid Link)
https://amazon.com/shop/shelfside

Shelfside Social Media:
https://twitter.com/ShelfSideYT
https://www.instagram.com/shelfsideboardgames/
https://www.facebook.com/ShelfsideYT/
https://discord.gg/U7QQKqYT62

Links to our other stuff:
Ashton's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ashtonwu
Daniel's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/doyduh2

Stuff Used:
Kevin MacLeod — Marty Gots a Plan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhRNWAbeBpE&list=RDRhRNWAbeBpE&start_radio=1

Sascha Ende — Time is Now
https://ende.app/en/song/395-time-is-now

Sascha Ende — Stranded
https://ende.app/en/song/10375-stranded

Kevin MacLeod — Derp Nugget
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmN63-3SUAA&list=RDLmN63-3SUAA&start_radio=1

#boardgames #tabletop #tabletopgames
Published — 02. Dezember 2025 ⏭ Shelfside

How’s a Metal Board Game Shelf - The GameKeep

✇Shelfside
Von: Shelfside
02. Dezember 2025 um 16:30

💾

We take a dive into a board game bookshelf made out of metal! This will store all sorts of games with its adjustable shelves, with a focus on bigger types of games, like Gloomhaven or Heroquest. But will it fit all types of games, like our beloved FFG titles such as Cosmic Encounter or Dune Imperium? How does this compare to the previous Boxthrone, which we previously touted as a nice replacement for Ikea Kallax? Is this worth the cost of spending a bit more, and is the assembly worth it?

Games featured: Santorini, Brass Birmingham, Pandemic, Camel Up, Dominion, Twilight Imperium 4, Prophecy of Kings, Thunder’s Edge, Catan, Threshold

Table of Contents:
Overview - (0:00)
Assembly - (1:12)
The Good - (5:57)
Not so Good - (9:50)
Final Thoughts - (12:32)

THE GAMEKEEP: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/516189404/gamekeep-storage-shelves-ironside-hex-table

Support us:
https://www.patreon.com/shelfside
https://ko-fi.com/shelfside

Our Website!
https://www.shelfside.co/

Purchase Games We’ve Reviewed! (Paid Link)
https://amazon.com/shop/shelfside

Shelfside Social Media:
https://twitter.com/ShelfSideYT
https://www.instagram.com/shelfsideboardgames/
https://www.facebook.com/ShelfsideYT/
https://discord.gg/U7QQKqYT62

Links to our other stuff:
Ashton's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ashtonwu
Daniel's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/doyduh2

Stuff Used:

Sascha Ende - Rooftop Solitude
https://ende.app/en/song/11994-rooftop-solitude

Sascha Ende - Chill VLOG Beats 4
https://ende.app/en/song/12900-chill-vlog-beats-4

#boardgames #tabletop #tabletopgames
Published — 26. November 2025 ⏭ Shelfside

Cosmic Encounter Review — A decade later, I bought this Anti-Euro again

✇Shelfside
Von: Shelfside
26. November 2025 um 22:31

💾

Download RAID ios/android/PC ➡️ https://t2m.io/Shelfside_Nov25 to unlock a new free mystery Legendary Champion inspired by an iconic franchise and get 2 free Epics 🎉 Available after downloading through this link only
✅ 1 - Epic Ultimate Galek from the start
✅ 2 - Epic Zargala after reaching level 15
✅ 3 - Promo codes for a Legendary Champion of your choice ⚡️
➡️ UDKING / DESERTQUEEN / DEMONSLAYER / TREEHUGGER / GETALICE / MONKEYKING
Available only for new players. Redeem within 48 hours after registration.

We review one of the most famous and influential board games of all time, with the Fantasy Flight Games reprint! Cosmic Encounter is a political sci-fi party game with tons of asymmetric variable alien powers and take-that. With shifting alliances and lots of hand management, games are rightfully swingy and memorable. There’s prisoner’s dilemmas abound with interrupts on other player’s turns! This negotiation game really isn’t for everyone, and as stated the game negates a lot of modern design (unintentionally). Is it worth buying in the kickstarter fueled landscape of 2025? Or should you return to a more normal area control of less fiddly party game?

Games featured: Eclipse 2nd Edition, Twilight Imperium 4th Edition, Cosmic Encounter Duel, Munchkin, Coup

Table of Contents:
Overview/Backstory - (0:00)
How to Play - (3:46)
Pros - (5:53)
Cons - (21:44)
Recommender Score - (29:27)
Ashton's Personal Score - (35:04)

Support us:
https://www.patreon.com/shelfside
https://ko-fi.com/shelfside

Our Website!
https://www.shelfside.co/

Purchase Games We’ve Reviewed! (Paid Link)
https://amazon.com/shop/shelfside

Shelfside Social Media:
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Links to our other stuff:
Ashton's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ashtonwu
Daniel's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/doyduh2

#boardgames #tabletop #review
Published — 21. November 2025 ⏭ Shelfside

Primal Just Got Even Better

✇Shelfside
Von: Shelfside
21. November 2025 um 14:01

💾

Primal the Awakening expansion pre-orders just dropped! Reggie Games hit us with more peak campaign board game content in the form of extra player characters who use a spear and wardrum, 10 new biome playmat maps that can modify your boss battles, and the nightmare variation cards of the last 13 monsters without them! There's so many new combos and strategies to deck build with, plus challenges to take on! And of course, there's new organizers to avoid any tabletop clutter to support the new components.

Check out Primal here: https://reggiegames.com/

Support us:
https://www.patreon.com/shelfside
https://ko-fi.com/shelfside

Our Website!
https://www.shelfside.co/

Purchase Games We’ve Reviewed! (Paid Link)
https://amazon.com/shop/shelfside

Table of Contents:
What this is - 0:00
New Hunters - 1:52
Nightmares & Biomes - 14:06
Buyer's Guide - 19:15

Shelfside Social Media:
https://twitter.com/ShelfSideYT
https://www.instagram.com/shelfsideboardgames/
https://www.facebook.com/ShelfsideYT/
https://discord.gg/U7QQKqYT62

Links to our other stuff:
Ashton's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ashtonwu
Daniel's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/doyduh2

#boardgames #tabletop #tabletopgames
Published — 20. November 2025 ⏭ Shelfside

Shallow Sea Review — Immaculate Tile Laying

✇Shelfside
Von: Shelfside
20. November 2025 um 16:30

💾

We review Shallow Sea, a tile-laying Euro with incredible design, no kidding! This 1-4 player low-conflict game has players managing their own coral reef, juggling fish tokens and coral/Sealife to get the most victory points come end game. There are some objectives to pursue (rewarding set collection), but it’s mostly about just building the best reef with lots of biodiversity! You tackle grid coverage in the pattern building of tiles every turn. Also the solo mode is incredibly clean with no automa needed! Is this game too solitaire, or does Bad Comet truly have another gem on their hands?

Other games featured: Wondrous Creatures, Earth, Splendor, Brass Birmingham

Table of Contents:
Overview - (0:00)
How to Play - (0:53)
Pros - (2:15)
Cons - (13:34)
Recommender Score - (15:32)
Ashton's Personal Score - (18:18)

Support us:
https://www.patreon.com/shelfside
https://ko-fi.com/shelfside

Our Website!
https://www.shelfside.co/

Purchase Games We’ve Reviewed! (Paid Link)
https://amazon.com/shop/shelfside

Shelfside Social Media:
https://twitter.com/ShelfSideYT
https://www.instagram.com/shelfsideboardgames/
https://www.facebook.com/ShelfsideYT/
https://discord.gg/U7QQKqYT62

Links to our other stuff:
Ashton's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ashtonwu
Daniel's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/doyduh2

#boardgames #tabletop #review
Published — 10. November 2025 ⏭ Shelfside

Haggleoff Review — Avoid Taxes in a Trading Game

✇Shelfside
Von: Shelfside
10. November 2025 um 16:30

💾

We review a negotiation game filled with trading opportunities! In Haggleoff, you try to get the most money by set collecting and hand management, a bit like the popular bohnanza. However, with the introduction of power cards and timed turns, there’s a lot of chaos happening! You’re essentially investing cards into diverse industries, cashing out as an action to try to get points. Cards are also multi-use with the donation pile, to make this game feel like a TCG at times. It even has a fake online tax program for bookkeeping, called Tax404! Though perhaps this tabletop game doesn’t quite have enough components, even though it could be considered party-esq? Though it may have lots of educational aspects for even middle schoolers!

Use promo code SHELFSIDE at checkout (not affiliate): https://haggleoff.com/discount/SHELFSIDE?redirect=%2Fproducts%2Fhaggleoff-card-game

Table of Contents:
Overview - (0:00)
How to Play - (1:05)
Pros - (3:28)
Cons - (10:40)
Recommender Score - (15:34)
Ashton's Personal Score - (18:36)

Support us:
https://www.patreon.com/shelfside
https://ko-fi.com/shelfside

Our Website!
https://www.shelfside.co/

Purchase Games We’ve Reviewed! (Paid Link)
https://amazon.com/shop/shelfside

Shelfside Social Media:
https://twitter.com/ShelfSideYT
https://www.instagram.com/shelfsideboardgames/
https://www.facebook.com/ShelfsideYT/
https://discord.gg/U7QQKqYT62

Links to our other stuff:
Ashton's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ashtonwu
Daniel's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/doyduh2

#boardgames #tabletop #review
Published — 05. November 2025 ⏭ Shelfside

Twilight Imperium 4: Thunder's Edge | Shelfside Review

✇Shelfside
Von: Shelfside
05. November 2025 um 16:30

💾

We review the latest Ti4 expansion, after playing it four times! Well technically, we played Codex 4 3 times, then this once, but there’s a lot of crossover! This 2nd expansion for the top BGG game, Ti4 (with Pok) includes more asymmetric factions all the way to new 4x mechanics (Thunder’s edge + fracture). Explore the fracture and invest into the new legendary planets! Or play an entire new game mode with drafting, in Twilight’s Fall! There are patched cards from the codexes and cardboard pieces like the strategy cards. With the 20 galactic events, you can fix voting or even introduce RTS-isms with the Monuments to the Ages! Will this be the definitive first expansion to get, even with Prophecy of Kings already being out? How do the 6 new factions fare? What has become of the massive product Twilight Imperium, as maybe there could be a Ti5 one day?

Table of Contents
Overview - (0:00)
What’s New - (1:50)
Pros - (2:37)
Cons - (18:15)
Recommender Score - (20:36)
Alexander’s Personal Score - (26:21)
Ashton’s Personal Score - (28:42)

Support us:
https://www.patreon.com/shelfside
https://ko-fi.com/shelfside

Our Website!
https://www.shelfside.co/

Purchase Games We’ve Reviewed! (Paid Link)
https://amazon.com/shop/shelfside

Shelfside Social Media:
https://twitter.com/ShelfSideYT
https://www.instagram.com/shelfsideboardgames/
https://www.facebook.com/ShelfsideYT/
https://discord.gg/U7QQKqYT62

Links to our other stuff:
Ashton's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ashtonwu
Daniel's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/doyduh2

Stuff Used:
Spirit of the Law — Everything You’ve Wondered About Wonders
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBEkT92YjC4

#boardgames #tabletop #review
Published — 04. November 2025 ⏭ Shelfside

Arydia Exceeds All Expectations!

✇Shelfside
Von: Shelfside
04. November 2025 um 15:23

💾

Shelfside's thoughts and impressions after reaching level 4 in Arydia: The Paths We Dare Tread! A campaign board game heavily inspired by ttrpg's like dnd, players will create characters to adventure and roleplay with a d20 checks system and pre-painted minis! With by far the BEST components we've ever seen coming out of massive kickstarter projects alongside incredibly smooth story and tactical gameplay using 2 standard and 1 minor actions from your loadout of equipment and abilities.

Arydia gets a reprint soon! https://gamefound.com/en/projects/far-off-games/arydia-2nd-printing

Support us:
https://www.patreon.com/shelfside
https://ko-fi.com/shelfside

Our Website!
https://www.shelfside.co/

Purchase Games We’ve Reviewed! (Paid Link)
https://amazon.com/shop/shelfside

Table of Contents:
Preamble - 0:00
Game Overview - 3:34
Why Components Are Amazing - 5:43
Combat Simple Yet Thoughtful - 10:34
Very Smooth Experience - 13:10
Wrap Up - 16:20

Shelfside Social Media:
https://twitter.com/ShelfSideYT
https://www.instagram.com/shelfsideboardgames/
https://www.facebook.com/ShelfsideYT/
https://discord.gg/U7QQKqYT62

Links to our other stuff:
Ashton's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ashtonwu
Daniel's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/doyduh2

#boardgames #tabletop #tabletopgames
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