Normale Ansicht

Hellas – Side-by-Side Board Game Comparison 👥

13. September 2026 um 19:15

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An under-the-radar board game from ten years ago, Hellas from Stefan Dorra is a cult hit for gamers who are a fan of those old-school German-style games. It's been hard to find lately, but we have a new edition this year, so let's compare: the original 2016 edition from White Goblin vs the 2026 edition from Playte.


Board Gems highlights older board and card games that are still great games today, and deserve to not be forgotten!

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BGG Blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/10011

BGG Listing:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/207330/hellas

Music provided by Chillhop Music
Middle School, Aso, Aviino - Beaver Creek
https://chll.to/8dbee61d

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Airships — How to Play 🎲 and Is It a Gem? 💎

03. September 2026 um 19:15

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You start with two low-value dice. With these, you aim to get bonuses to those dice, maybe better dice, with the ultimate goal of building airships for points. Well, the ULTIMATE ultimate goal is that great big Hindenburg, which is worth a tonne of points. Will you get a crack at starting on it before the game ends? Dare you even entertain the dream of finishing it?

Airships is one of the lightest "engine builder" board games out there. Simple to learn, turns are *crazy* fast – it's just a pleasant experience. Except, maybe, for that Hindenburg. What a tease.

00:00 Intro ▶️
02:16 How to Play 🎲
15:14 Is It a Gem? 💎


Board Gems highlights older board and card games that are still great games today, and deserve to not be forgotten!

Join & Support: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX9Ab6egkU1ru3sgP8TUI2A/join
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgems.com
BGG Blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/10011

BGG Listing:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/32116/airships

Music provided by Chillhop Music
Almøst Silent, Dotlights - Assembly
https://chll.to/7bfa6912

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Die Macher — Side-by-Slide Board Game Comparison 👥

23. August 2026 um 19:15

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Die Macher, the previously-five-hour board game of German politics by Karl-Heinz Schmiel, is one of the most epic Eurogames of all time! Here's a comparison of three editions: The 1997 German-only edition from Hans im Glück, the 2006 multilingual edition from defunct Canadian publisher Valley, and the heavily-edited and -shortened 2019/2025 edition (they're basically the same) from Spielworxx.

This video is much longer than my normal comparison vids! But that's somehow fitting for Die Macher.


Board Gems highlights older board and card games that are still great games today, and deserve to not be forgotten!

Join & Support: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX9Ab6egkU1ru3sgP8TUI2A/join
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgems.com
BGG Blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/10011

BGG Listing:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1/die-macher

Music provided by Chillhop Music
Almøst Silent, Dotlights - Assembly
https://chll.to/7bfa6912

#boardgames #tabletop #vancouver

Voodoo Prince AKA Marshmallow Test AKA Piñatas — Side-by-Slide Card Game Comparison 👥

13. August 2026 um 19:15

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In less than 10 years we have three versions of what is essentially the same Reiner Knizia trick-taking card game! Let's compare them: Voodoo Prince (2017 Schmidt) vs Marshmallow Test (2020 Gamewright) vs Piñatas (2025 Allplay).


Board Gems highlights older board and card games that are still great games today, and deserve to not be forgotten!

Join & Support: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX9Ab6egkU1ru3sgP8TUI2A/join
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgems.com
BGG Blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/10011

BGG Listings:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/234248/voodoo-prince
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/302270/marshmallow-test
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/446249/pinatas

Music provided by Chillhop Music
sadtoi, L'Indécis - Les Mouvements d'Hiver
https://chll.to/7476044e

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Bridges of Shangri-La — How to Play 🎲 and Is It a Gem? 💎

03. August 2026 um 19:15

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In Leo Colovini's Bridges of Shangri-La, you want to enlighten the people, by having masters train students who then venture out to bring your wisdom to nearby villages. Other players are doing this too, but they aren't NEARLY as enlightened as you! The nerve! It'd be best to displace their existing scholars, and destroy the connecting bridges to ensure the people recognise your truth as the truthiest! The people are going to get enlightened, damn it, if they know what's good for them!

Bridges of Shangri-La was originally published in 2003 by Kosmos in Germany. We haven't seen a new edition in over 20 years, but Play for Keeps has a new version coming out on Kickstarter. Same great rules, with an improved presentation and components that don't sacrifice readability.

00:00 Intro ▶️
05:18 How to Play 🎲
12:01 Is It a Gem? 💎


Board Gems highlights older board and card games that are still great games today, and deserve to not be forgotten!

Join & Support: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX9Ab6egkU1ru3sgP8TUI2A/join
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgems.com
BGG Blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/10011

BGG Listing:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/8190/the-bridges-of-shangri-la

Music provided by Chillhop Music
C4C, Tesk - Misty
https://chll.to/882771bd

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Carpe Diem — Side-by-Slide Board Game Comparison 👥

23. Juli 2026 um 19:15

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I'm not normally the biggest fan of Stefan Feld's style of board games, but I like Carpe Diem more than most! Here is a comparison of two editions: The last in Alea's old big-box line (2018, 1st printing) vs the remake in their new big-box line (2021).

Both have printing issues, mistakes that don't really break the game but are unfortunate nonetheless. Apparently there is a second printing of the 2018 edition that addresses some issues with the first one, but I haven't seen that one and can't compare.



Board Gems highlights older board and card games that are still great games today, and deserve to not be forgotten!

Join & Support: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX9Ab6egkU1ru3sgP8TUI2A/join
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgems.com
BGG Blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/10011

BGG Listing:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/245934/carpe-diem

Music provided by Chillhop Music
Aviino - Deeper
https://chll.to/f615dc8d

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Bridges of Shangri-La — Side-by-Slide Board Game Comparison 👥

13. Juli 2026 um 19:15

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There's a new version of the classic Leo Colovini board game Bridges of Shangri-La, coming soon to Kickstarter! The new publisher, Play For Keeps, has graciously provided a preview copy, so let's compare to the old version (2003 Kosmos).

Please note that the Play For Keeps edition shown is a preview copy and some things are likely to change in the final product.


Board Gems highlights older board and card games that are still great games today, and deserve to not be forgotten!

Join & Support: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX9Ab6egkU1ru3sgP8TUI2A/join
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgems.com
BGG Blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/10011

BGG Listing:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/8190/the-bridges-of-shangri-la

Music provided by Chillhop Music
Dotlights - Zen Headbutt
https://chll.to/ebec816f

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Soccero — How to Play 🎲 and Is It a Gem? 💎

03. Juli 2026 um 19:15

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Lots of soccer/football on TV right now. Why not get into it as a board game, too? In Soccero, the player with the ball tries to create open lanes for moving and passing, and their opponent will try to block those lanes and position for a steal. The game is all about positioning, playing the odds, and capitalising on opportunities when they arise.

Soccero was the single release of a Finnish company and pair of designers. The second edition came out in 2012 and it's probably hard to find a reasonably-priced copy now. Sorry...

Canadian soccer fan! Support your local Canadian league team!
Mens: https://www.cplsoccer.com (Go Eagles!)
Womens: https://www.nsl.ca (Go Rise!)

00:00 Intro ▶️
02:29 How to Play 🎲
15:51 Is It a Gem? 💎


Board Gems highlights older board and card games that are still great games today, and deserve to not be forgotten!

Join & Support: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX9Ab6egkU1ru3sgP8TUI2A/join
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BGG Blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/10011

BGG Listing:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/131581/soccero-second-edition

Music provided by Chillhop Music
invention_ - igloo palace
https://chll.to/9cddf625

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Junk Drawer & Tipperary — Rough Cuts 🪨

23. Juni 2026 um 19:15

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I enjoy some polyomino games, and I don't mind everyone-does-their-own-thing sort of games so long as we all can go at the same time. I've recently played two games, both from 2023, that fit those profiles: Junk Drawer from 25th Century, and Tipperary from Lookout.

I don't really get into much as to if they're gems or not. Just chatting about my thoughts on them and noting in particular their key difference: one has randomised goals, one doesn't. One fits me, one doesn't. My thoughts on this difference is at the end.

00:00 Intro ▶️
00:51 Junk Drawer 🔋
09:00 Tipperary 🐑
17:04 Related Ruminations 💭


Board Gems highlights older board and card games that are still great games today, and deserve to not be forgotten!

Join & Support: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX9Ab6egkU1ru3sgP8TUI2A/join
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgems.com
BGG Blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/10011

BGG Listings:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/362366/junk-drawer
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/378983/tipperary

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Tutankhamun — Side-by-Slide Board Game Comparison 👥

13. Juni 2026 um 19:15

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The Reiner Knizia board game Tutanchamun first came out in 1993 in Germany. It's a bit of an oldie! In this video I compare the two English versions: Tutankhamen (2004 Out of the Box) and Tutankhamun (2021 25th Century).


Board Gems highlights older board and card games that are still great games today, and deserve to not be forgotten!

Join & Support: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX9Ab6egkU1ru3sgP8TUI2A/join
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BGG Blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/10011

BGG Listings:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/300/tutankhamen
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/286667/tutankhamun

Music provided by Chillhop Music
Arbour, Aarigod - Sundown
https://chll.to/2ec2d8ff

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Intrigue — How to Play 🫰 and Is It a Gem? 💎

03. Juni 2026 um 19:15

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Intrigue is Nepo Baby: The Board Game. You're the head of a wealthy patrician household, and your goal is to have EVEN MORE money for The Family. You have to help your heirs secure well-paying jobs, at places that might be disinclined to hire them — unless, of course, you offer something in return. Maybe you can (coincidentally) hire their offspring too, or perhaps slip them a few bucks (for an entirely unrelated purpose of course). All brib— ahem, "donations", are welcome and accepted, but no guarantees!

This Dorra negotiation game from the 90s gets new editions every decade or so. Few games have a simpler setup and premise. Things can get heated, but it's a game! No need for bad vibes or hard feelings.

00:00 Intro ▶️
03:19 How to Play 🫰
11:57 Is It a Gem? 💎


Board Gems highlights older board and card games that are still great games today, and deserve to not be forgotten!

Join & Support: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX9Ab6egkU1ru3sgP8TUI2A/join
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgems.com
BGG Blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/10011

BGG Listing:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/265/intrigue

Music provided by Chillhop Music
Smoke Trees - Takondwa
https://chll.to/0cec2d18

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Rating Old Gems 5 — BG Gibber 🗣️

23. Mai 2026 um 19:15

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Continuing my march through games I covered yesteryear, I'm returning to them to assign star ratings to them, based on how much I want to keep them in my collection. 0 stars, get this outta my face! 4 stars, you'll have to pry this game from my cold, dead fingers.

This video features my first ZERO star game! Ooh, which of the following could it be?

00:00 Intro ▶️
01:22 Explaining Star Ratings ⭐️
04:40 Auf Achse 🚛
07:41 Fjords 🏔️
10:35 Triumvirate 🏛️
14:34 Cities (2008) 🏙️
18:29 Long Shot 🏇
21:14 Cartagena 1 & 2 🚣
24:53 Medici vs Strozzi 🪙
27:49 Cottage Garden 🌼
31:35 Indian Summer 🍁
33:52 Spring Meadow ⛄️

Board Gems highlights older board and card games that are still great games today, and deserve to not be forgotten!

Join & Support: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX9Ab6egkU1ru3sgP8TUI2A/join
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgems.com
BGG Blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/10011

#boardgames #tabletop #vancouver

Qin / Gazebo — Side-by-Slide Comparison 👥

13. Mai 2026 um 19:15

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Here I compare! The Reiner Knizia tile-laying board game Qin (2012 Eggert) and its recent re-development Gazebo (2025 Bitewing).


Board Gems highlights older board and card games that are still great games today, and deserve to not be forgotten!

Join & Support: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX9Ab6egkU1ru3sgP8TUI2A/join
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgems.com
BGG Blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/10011

BGG Listings:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/127997/qin
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/440023/gazebo

Music provided by Chillhop Music
Smile High, Teddy Roxpin - Deja
https://chll.to/ca6ff089

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My favouritest worst best joke to pull in #boardgames

03. Mai 2026 um 19:15

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Skills can be important in Tales of the Arabian Nights, especially if you want to do one particularly stupid joke.


Board Gems highlights older board and card games that are still great games today, and deserve to not be forgotten!

Join & Support: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX9Ab6egkU1ru3sgP8TUI2A/join
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgems.com
BGG Blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/10011

BGG Listings:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/432392/tales-of-the-arabian-nights-40th-anniversary
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/34119/tales-of-the-arabian-nights

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Intrigue — Side-by-Slide Comparison 👥

23. April 2026 um 19:15

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Short of time, I'm giving a side-by-slide comparison, with commentary, of the Stefan Dorra friendship-risking game of bribery, Intrigue. 1994 FX Schmid, 2005 Mayfair (via Amigo), and 2016 Igiari. (I think I mistakenly said in the video that that one was from the early 2020s. And how do you pronounce Igiari, anyway?)


Board Gems highlights older board and card games that are still great games today, and deserve to not be forgotten!

Join & Support: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX9Ab6egkU1ru3sgP8TUI2A/join
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgems.com
BGG Blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/10011

Brought to you by Pizzeria Ludica! https://www.ludica.ca/

BGG Listing:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/265/intrigue

Music provided by Chillhop Music
Aarigod - Splendour
https://chll.to/a428f18f

#boardgames #tabletop #vancouver #ludica

Tales of the Arabian Nights — Side-by-Slide Comparison 👥

13. April 2026 um 19:15

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I don't have the original West End edition from the 1980s, but I have both the Z-Man edition from the '00s and the brand-new crowdfunded Play to Z edition of the wondrous Eric Goldberg storytelling game Tales of the Arabian Nights. Let's compare!


Board Gems highlights older board and card games that are still great games today, and deserve to not be forgotten!

Join & Support: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX9Ab6egkU1ru3sgP8TUI2A/join
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgems.com
BGG Blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/10011

Brought to you by Pizzeria Ludica! https://www.ludica.ca/

BGG Listings:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/34119/tales-of-the-arabian-nights
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/432392/tales-of-the-arabian-nights-40th-anniversary

Music provided by Chillhop Music
Sleepy Fish - The Shore and You
https://chll.to/9ba73c35

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Joraku — How to Play 🎲 and Is It a Gem? 💎

03. April 2026 um 19:30

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March to Kyoto! That's what "Joraku" means, and in this game of the same name (Iori Tsukinami & Moaideas), players will gradually move their samurai west to the capital. Eastern regions score more early but nothing later, so over the course of three rounds, players will try to close in on the western-most, highest-scoring region.

I love peanut-butter-and-chocolate board games. "You got trick-taking in my area-majority game!" "Well, YOU got area majority in my trick-taker!" There've been other attempts at this combination — Brian Boru is another that comes to mind — but I prefer Joraku for its simplicity, and in particular this Tasty Minstrel English edition for its size.

00:00 Intro ▶️
03:54 How to Play 🎲
15:10 Is It a Gem? 💎


Board Gems highlights older board and card games that are still great games today, and deserve to not be forgotten!

Join & Support: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX9Ab6egkU1ru3sgP8TUI2A/join
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgems.com
BGG Blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/10011

Brought to you by Pizzeria Ludica! https://www.ludica.ca/

BGG Listing:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/180901/joraku

Music provided by Chillhop Music
Dotlights - Zen Headbutt
https://chll.to/ebec816f

#boardgames #tabletop #vancouver #ludica

Rating Old Gems #4 — Board Game Gibber 🗣️

23. März 2026 um 18:15

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I continue my run through board games I've covered in old videos, attaching my ratings to each of them. But my rating system might be unique, I'm not sure. Most people would rate a game based on how good they think it is; BoardGameGeek's system is based on how much you want to play it. Me, I rate games based on how much I want to keep them in my collection.

(no stars) — I definitely don't want to keep this game and will actively try to get rid of it, and quickly.
⭐ — I can tell it's not for me and don't want to keep it, so I will actively try to trade or sell it. I probably wouldn't re-acquire it.
⭐⭐ — I like the game fine and don't mind to own it. I may or may not trade or sell it, for fair value, and if I do, I might or might not re-acquire it someday.
⭐⭐⭐ — I like this game quite a bit and would like to keep it. I wouldn't actively try to get rid of it, but would consider a generous offer to trade or sell it.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ — I (or someone in my family) adores this game. I wouldn't consider getting rid of it, and expect it'll be in my collection a long, long time.

00:00 Intro ▶️
00:27 My Rating System ⭐
02:23 Santiago 🚰
03:53 On the Underground 🚇
06:08 Tinners' Trail ⛏️
08:54 Pueblo 🧱
11:53 Mystery of the Abbey 🔔
14:00 Métro Ⓜ️
16:15 Mississippi Queen ⛴️
18:01 R-Eco ♻️
19:17 La Strada 🛣️
21:39 Igel Ärgern 🦔
23:27 Dream Factory (among many other names) 🎬
27:10 The Gardens of the Alhambra 🌳

Board Gems highlights older board and card games that are still great games today, and deserve to not be forgotten!

Join & Support: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX9Ab6egkU1ru3sgP8TUI2A/join
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgems.com
BGG Blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/10011

Brought to you by Pizzeria Ludica! https://www.ludica.ca/

#boardgames #tabletop #vancouver #ludica

Volt — Side-by-Slide Comparison 👥

13. März 2026 um 18:15

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In this side-by-slideshow I compare, with commentary, the two editions of Emerson Matsuuchi's robot battler Volt: 2015 Nazca (Matsuuchi's own company) vs 2018 Heidelbär.


Board Gems highlights older board and card games that are still great games today, and deserve to not be forgotten!

Join & Support: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX9Ab6egkU1ru3sgP8TUI2A/join
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgems.com
BGG Blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/10011

Brought to you by Pizzeria Ludica! https://www.ludica.ca/

BGG Listings:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/143981/volt-robot-battle-arena
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/211454/volt

Music provided by Chillhop Music
Delayde - Downtime
https://chll.to/ec7fc2c3

#boardgames #tabletop #vancouver #ludica

Wizard & Skull King — Are They Gems? 💎

03. März 2026 um 19:15

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So busy, so busy. I'll have to put off my next "how to play, etc" video, and instead take the opportunity to chat about my two favourite trick-taking games.

Oh Hell — which I actually have never played! — is an exact-bid trick-taker using a standard French-suited deck of cards. These two games add special cards to this excellent formula:
— Wizard adds special cards that (basically) guarantee to win or lose a trick
— Skull King adds more special cards, including ones that score points for catching other cards in the trick, and tweaks other things like making bids simultaneous for maximum casualness and chaos!

Both are classic, both are great.
(Hmm, seems I gave away the ending there.)

00:00 Intro ▶️
01:33 Trick-Taking (and Oh Hell in particular) 🃏
04:23 Wizard 🧙‍♂️
13:45 Skull King 🏴‍☠️


Board Gems highlights older board and card games that are still great games today, and deserve to not be forgotten!

Join & Support: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX9Ab6egkU1ru3sgP8TUI2A/join
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgems.com
BGG Blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/10011

Brought to you by Pizzeria Ludica! https://www.ludica.ca/

BGG Listings:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1465/wizard
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/150145/skull-king

#boardgames #tabletop #vancouver #ludica
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