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Normale Ansicht

Published — 03. September 2025 ⏭ Board Gems

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

✇Board Gems
Von: Board Gems
03. September 2025 um 19:15

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Warring Italian city-states! Send your mercenaries out to claim land, the more and closer together, the better for winning. The bigger the army, the better, of course, but it is easy to over-commit to a single battle. Your cards have to last multiple conflicts, so pick and choose your battles — literally!

This classic Dominique Ehrhard game, originally published in 1995 and with lovely period-style art, has been updated in the late-00s with new/different rules. I haven't played the new rules, maybe they're fine. This video is my love letter to classic Condottiere.

00:00 Intro ▶️
04:51 How to Play 🎲
12:31 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/112/condottiere

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

#boardgames #tabletop #vancouver #ludica
Published — 01. September 2025 ⏭ Board Gems

Downforce — Side-by-Slide Board Game Comparison 👥

✇Board Gems
Von: Board Gems
01. September 2025 um 08:08

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I've heard that the first printing (2017) of Kramer & Restoration's Downforce is better quality than their 2021 second printing. Well, I somehow ended up with both, so I checked them out and hey, may as well record my thoughts while I'm at it.

Consider this an extra bonus side-by-slideshow. The two editions are, really, very similar and this video is probably not worth watching!


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/215311/downforce

Music provided by Chillhop Music
HM Surf - Horse Betting
https://chll.to/01e920fa

#boardgames #tabletop #vancouver #ludica
Published — 23. August 2025 ⏭ Board Gems

Condottiere — Side-by-Slide Board Game Comparison 👥

✇Board Gems
Von: Board Gems
23. August 2025 um 19:15

💾

In this video I compare side-by-slide, with commentary, two editions of the classic Dominique Ehrhard game Condottiere: The Eurogames/Descartes edition from the late 90s or early 00s (not sure exactly) and the most recent edition, Z-Man from 2018.

There are a number of editions floating around, and probably the most common one to find used in English is the 2007 edition from Fantasy Flight. I'd strongly suggest avoiding that as it changed the rules. The rules of Z-Man are also changed, but at least it comes with a way to play the classic way out of the box.


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/112/condottiere

Music provided by Chillhop Music
Sleepy Fish - Winter Winter
https://chll.to/87c9237a

#boardgames #tabletop #vancouver #ludica
Published — 13. August 2025 ⏭ Board Gems

Mailbag 2024(!) 📬 #4 of 4

✇Board Gems
Von: Board Gems
13. August 2025 um 19:15

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This time last year I went to a friend's cottage, and recorded one of three mailbag episodes. This year, as I prepared to visit that same cottage again, I realised that I never finished answering all the questions I received! So, here they are: The last Q&A of 2024. Only eight-plus months late. 😔

00:00 Intro ▶️
00:53 Most intriguing gem? 🤔
02:45 Most wanted but hard to find gem? 🔎
05:22 What designer deserves more recognition? 📣
08:06 What designer you wish still made games? 🔚
10:56 Games from only one designer for rest of life? 🧓
12:15 Most want to see on virtualtabletop.io? 🛜
15:55 Heavy game? Small-box game? Unexpectedly good game? 🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒


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
Published — 03. August 2025 ⏭ Board Gems

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

✇Board Gems
Von: Board Gems
03. August 2025 um 19:15

💾

In Patrician, by Michael Schacht, players play cards to place tower pieces, hoping to have the most and highest pieces in the tallest towers. Where they play determines what card they get next, leading to a do-this-to-get-that-to-play-there kind of process. A game in which planning in advance, but not too far in advance, is necessary. Easy to learn and play, with quick turns and a nice flow.

Patrician first appeared from Amigo in 2007 — an OG-style game released a bit outside the OG era. Calliope re-released it in 2024 with some QOL improvements and a smaller box, at a very reasonable price.

00:00 Intro ▶️
03:32 How to Play 🎲
10:32 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 Listings:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/30241/patrician
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/392767/patrician-towers-of-influence

Background Music provided by Chillhop Music
Blue Wednesday, Shopan - Home Court
https://chll.to/b245973f

#boardgames #tabletop #vancouver #ludica
Published — 23. Juli 2025 ⏭ Board Gems

Gold West — Side-by-Slide Board Game Comparison 👥

✇Board Gems
Von: Board Gems
23. Juli 2025 um 19:15

💾

In this video I compare, with commentary, the two editions of the J. Alex Kevern board game Gold West: 2015 Tasty Minstrel vs 2024 Trick or Treat.



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/154086/gold-west/

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

#boardgames #tabletop #vancouver #ludica
Published — 13. Juli 2025 ⏭ Board Gems

Goldland / Donald Duck in Happy Camper — Side-by-Slide Board Game Comparison 👥

✇Board Gems
Von: Board Gems
13. Juli 2025 um 19:15

💾

Goldland was a German-only exploration board game by Wolfgang Kramer and Goldsieber, originally published in 2002. Old, but not forgotten! Daryl Andrews has re-worked the game into a new 2025 edition, Donald Duck in Happy Camper, published by Maestro.

This new development is significantly different from the original, so they maybe could have gotten away with not giving any recognition to the original designer. But Andrews and Maestro did the right thing and co-credited Kramer. Class acts!


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/3139/goldland
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/426476/donald-duck-in-happy-camper

Music provided by Chillhop Music
Smile High, Teddy Roxpin - Lake Winnipesaukee
https://chll.to/af0f7c7e

#boardgames #tabletop #vancouver #ludica
Published — 03. Juli 2025 ⏭ Board Gems

Foundations of Rome and of Metropolis — Are They Gems? 💎

✇Board Gems
Von: Board Gems
03. Juli 2025 um 19:15

💾

I usually talk about older games, and many of those older games are (of course) of an older style. My style. What about new games in that style? Enter Foundations of Rome (Emerson Matsuuchi & Arcane Wonders 2022), a luxe plastic-mini-filled city-building experience. The same game re-appeared in a more sensible retail edition in 2024 as Foundations of Metropolis.

Since these are pretty new, there are I'm sure already lots of videos out there about these games. You probably don't need yet another How to Play video for it. If you're here, maybe you're here for my opinion, I'm guessing. So that's what you get!

Old mic died, new mic seems a bit muffled? We'll get through this, together.


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/284189/foundations-of-rome
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/412865/foundations-of-metropolis

#boardgames #tabletop #vancouver #ludica
Published — 23. Juni 2025 ⏭ Board Gems

Orongo AKA Nyakuza — Side-by-Slide Board Game Comparison 👥

✇Board Gems
Von: Board Gems
23. Juni 2025 um 19:15

💾

In this side-by-slide comparison I compare, with commentary, old and new versions of the same great Reiner Knizia board game: Orongo (Ravensburger 2014) and Nyakuza (CMON 2025).


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/165556/nyakuza

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

#boardgames #tabletop #vancouver #ludica
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