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Nippon: Zaibatsu Review | The Perfect Euro?

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games

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Is Nippon: Zaibatsu the perfect euro game? In this review, I break down why this industrial strategy game might be one of the most satisfying combinations of engine building, player interaction, and tough decision-making available today.

From managing your workforce and timing consolidation, to building factories, producing goods, and competing for influence across regions, Nippon: Zaibatsu delivers constant meaningful choices—and punishes mistakes in the best way possible.

If you love medium-heavy euro games with tight economies, clever systems, and real interaction, this might be exactly what you’re looking for.

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What You’ll Learn in This Review:

* How the worker system and consolidation timing drive the entire game
* Why the engine building feels so rewarding
* How player interaction sets it apart from other euros
* The biggest strengths and potential downsides
* Whether it’s worth adding to your collection

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Who This Game Is For:

* Fans of engine-building euro games
* Players who enjoy strategic depth and planning
* Groups that want interaction without chaos

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If you enjoy board game reviews that focus on the skills you build through play, consider subscribing!

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00:00 Intro
00:56 Play Count
02:11 Complexity & How It Plays
06:50 Skills
08:25 Final Thoughts

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#boardgames #eurogames #BrainsOnGames #boardgamereview #enginebuilding #tabletopgames #strategygames
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Threaded Preview | A Clever Tapestry Puzzle Full of Color and Strategy

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games

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Threaded is an upcoming strategy game from Osprey Games that combines gorgeous Bargello-inspired visuals with a smart, satisfying puzzle. In this preview, I take a look at how players collect thread, manage assistants, line up patterns, and create tapestries while chasing commissions and points.

What stood out to me right away is how Threaded blends cozy crafting vibes with sharp decision-making. The worker placement system has a fun queue element, the thread management is delightfully thinky, and the whole game is built around timing, planning, and making the most of limited resources.

If you enjoy puzzle-driven board games, beautiful production, and strategy wrapped in a fresh theme, Threaded is definitely one to watch.


00:00 Intro
00:24 Complexity, Play Count & How It Plays
07:33 Skills
08:25 Final Thoughts


#boardgames #boardgamereview #BrainsOnGames #tabletopgames #boardgamepreview #strategygames #workplacement #abstractstrategy #ospreygames
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Frosted Blooms Preview | A Gorgeous Tile-Laying Garden Puzzle

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games

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Discover Frosted Blooms, a gorgeous tile-laying board game about building the most beautiful and valuable tulip garden. In this preview, I take a look at how the game works, what makes its drafting and placement systems interesting, and why its mix of cozy presentation and sharp decisions makes it stand out.

From clever tile drafting with the flower token to creating enclosed spaces for workers, barns, and windmills, Frosted Blooms looks like a thoughtful garden puzzle with plenty of tactical depth. If you enjoy tile-laying games, spatial puzzles, and board games with beautiful table presence, this is one to watch.

00:00 Intro
00:30 Play Count & Rules Walkthrough
07:51 Skills
10:59 Final Thoughts

#boardgames #boardgamepreview #BrainsOnGames #tilelaying #boardgamereview #frostedblooms #tabletopgames #strategygames #boardgaming
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Cloudspire: Harbinger Review | What’s New in This Massive Expansion?

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games

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Cloudspire: Harbinger is a massive expansion for Cloudspire, and in this review I’m breaking down what’s new. I keep the overview of the base game quick and focus mainly on the Harbinger expansion itself, including the new solo scenarios, new upgrade chips, new market and landmark content, and the new neoprene map tiles.

If you’ve been wondering whether Cloudspire: Harbinger is worth adding to your collection, this review covers the expansion’s biggest ideas, what makes it interesting, and who it’s really for. Harbinger adds a lot for experienced Cloudspire players, especially if you enjoy solo play, faction variety, and deeper tactical puzzles.

In this video:
00:00 Intro
01:16 Quick overview of Cloudspire
03:24 What Harbinger adds
04:35 New upgrades and gameplay twists
07:25 Skills
10:01 Final thoughts on whether this expansion is worth it
15:27 Contact & Socials

Cloudspire is one of the deepest and most unique strategy board games out there, and Harbinger pushes that even further. If you enjoy heavy board games, solo board games, asymmetrical strategy games, and tactical combat games, this expansion has a lot to offer.

#Cloudspire #BoardGames #BrainsOnGames #ChipTheoryGames #SoloBoardGames #BoardGameReview #StrategyGames #TabletopGames
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Treeline Preview | Christopher Chan Breaks Down His Upcoming Game (Breakout Game Con)

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games

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Get an early look at Treeline, an upcoming board game from Christopher Chan, in this interview filmed at Breakout 2026. Christopher breaks down the game, talks about the new things happening at #KTBG and Burnt Island Games, and shares insight into what players can expect. We also talk about Familiar Spirits, including an early preview of that game as well.

If you like designer interviews, board game previews, and behind-the-scenes discussions about new tabletop games, this one’s for you.

I sometimes refer to Christopher as “Chris” during our chat - I was at the conference with another Chris, and my brother-in-law is also a Chris, so all Christophers become Chris to me over time. Sorry Christopher!

00:00 Intro
00:55 Treeline
11:28 Familiar Spirits
16:15 Contact & Socials


#boardgames #boardgamepreview #BrainsOnGames #breakout2026 #treeline #familiarspirits #christopherchan #KTBG #Burntislandgames
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Roll’n Bump Duel Preview | The Designer Explains This Smart 2-Player Dice Battler

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games

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In this preview of Roll’n Bump Duel, I sit down with designer Louis-Nicolas Dozois to talk about a clever 2-player game where dice rolling, card collection, and tactical grid building all collide. Players roll up to five dice, claim cards from a shared river, and build a 4x4 grid to maximize scoring through rows, colors, and point values.  

What helps Roll’n Bump Duel stand out is the way it mixes efficiency and disruption. You are not only trying to make the right dice combinations to claim cards, but also bump your opponent off cards they were targeting. Claims can come from matching faces or building sequences, which gives the game a blend of tactical flexibility and direct interaction.  

The scoring system also looks surprisingly interesting for a compact duel. Each row scores based on the total points multiplied by the number of different colors present, while bonus cards can either be used for powers during the game or saved for endgame points. That gives the game some fun little “use it now or keep it later” tension, which is delicious cardboard mischief.  

Thanks again to the designer for joining me to talk about the game and the ideas behind it.

Note: Louis and I have known each other for years, so I can’t be unbiased about his games.


00:00 Intro
01:22 The Game
04:11 How It Plays
05:00 The Bonus Deck
10:45 The River& Strategic Choices
23:50 Contact & Socials


#boardgames #boardgamereview #BrainsOnGames #twoplayergames #dicegame #tabletopgames #boardgamepreview
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All In: Predictions Preview | A Clever Poker-Inspired Prediction Game

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games

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Can poker-style hand building become a clever prediction game? In this preview of All In: Predictions, I take a look at a fast card game that mixes familiar poker-style hands with table reading, timing, and smart predictions. If you enjoy accessible card games with a fun social layer, this one has a neat hook.

In this video, I talk about how All In: Predictions works, what makes it interesting, and why its mix of hand management, deduction, and predicting the winner helps it stand out.

00:00 Intro
00:39 Play Count & Complexity
01:00 Victory Conditions & Actions
06:01 Skills
07:40 Final Thoughts
11:20 Contact & Socials



#boardgames #boardgamereview #BrainsOnGames #cardgames #tabletopgames
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Birds of Play Preview | The New Perch Expansion Takes Flight

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games

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Birds of Play Preview! Today I’m checking out Birds of Play, the new Perch expansion from Inside Up Games. This Kickstarter features a reprint plus 3 mix-and-match expansions for Perch, adding new ways for players to jump into this sharp, interactive bird battle game. 

In this video, I talk about why Perch is such a standout game and why Birds of Play looks like an exciting expansion for fans of tactical board games, interactive gameplay, and clever player conflict. The campaign runs through March 13, 2026. Find the campaign here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/insideupgames/perch-birds-of-play

In this video, I talk about why Perch is such a standout game and why Birds of Play looks like an exciting expansion for fans of tactical board games, interactive gameplay, and clever player conflict. The campaign runs through March 13, 2026. 

#boardgames #kickstarter #BrainsOnGames #Perch #InsideUpGames #boardgamepreview #boardgamereview #tabletopgames #crowdfunding #strategygames


00:00 Intro
00:53 Module 1 - Seeds The Day
01:40 Module 2 - Points In The Sky
02:21 Module 3 - Pondemonium
04:17 New Creatures!
04:53 Thoughts About the Additions
06:55 Contact & Socials

#boardgames #kickstarter #BrainsOnGames #Perch #InsideUpGames #boardgamepreview #boardgamereview #tabletopgames #crowdfunding #strategygames
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Burgle Bros 3 Review | The Best Co-op Board Game Series Ever?

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games

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Burgle Bros 3 is a tense, strategic co-op board game that blends teamwork, planning, and a clever heist theme into one of the most exciting cooperative board game experiences I’ve played.

In this Burgle Bros 3 review, I break down the gameplay, complexity, strengths, and weaknesses of this sci-fi board game, and explain why the Burgle Bros series may be the best co-op board game series of all time. If you enjoy strategy board games, teamwork games, and high-tension tabletop games, this is one to watch.

This review covers:
- what’s new in Burgle Bros 3
- strengths and downsides
- why the Burgle Bros games stand out among the best cooperative board games

What’s your favourite co-op board game?


00:00 Intro
00:50 Complexity & Victory Conditions
01:36 How It Plays
06:03 Skills
07:46 Final Thoughts & Why This Is The Best
17:35 Contact & Socials


#boardgames #boardgamereview #BrainsOnGames #cooperativeboardgames #burglebros #strategyboardgames #tabletopgames
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Tenby Review | A Cozy Town Builder With a Brilliant Turn Order Twist

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games

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In this Tenby board game review, I take a look at Tenby, a cozy town-building board game with a brilliantly clever action selection system and a smart turn order mechanism. If you enjoy games with charming themes and meaningful decisions, Tenby has a lot to like.

What really stood out to me is how your action choices affect turn order. That means every round becomes a timing puzzle: you’re not just choosing the best action, you’re choosing when to act now and how that may affect your position next round.


00:00 Into
00:36 Complexity & Play Count
01:40 Victory Conditions & The Point Salad
05:47 The Turn-Order Puzzle
07:06 Skills
09:22 Final Thoughts

Tenby looks cozy on the table, but it has a surprisingly sharp strategic core. If you like board games with hidden depth, drafting decisions, and clever timing, this one is worth checking out.

#boardgames #boardgamereview #BrainsOnGames #Tenby #tabletopgames #bgg

Thanks for watching!
If you enjoyed the video, please like, subscribe, and let me know in the comments:
Do you prefer cozy board games with hidden depth, or heavier strategy games right from the start?
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The Two Towers Trick-Taking Game Review | A Trick-Taker With a Story

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games

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In today’s review, I’m talking about The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – Trick-Taking Game (Office Dog). This trick-taker doesn’t just ask “can you win the hand?”… it asks “can you survive the chapter?”

This one blends classic trick-taking with a story-driven structure, where the rules and goals can shift as you play. If you like card games with tight decisions, teamwork (or at least table-read skills), and that “one more hand” momentum, this might be your next obsession.

In this video, I cover:
• What the gameplay feels like (and how the story element works)
• Who this game is best for
• The upsides, downsides, and whether it’s worth adding to your shelf

If you’ve played it, drop a comment: did it feel more like a clever trick-taker, or more like a proper Middle-Earth adventure?

Subscribe for more board game reviews and the cognitive skills practiced through play.

#BoardGames #CardGames #BrainsOnGames #TrickTaking #LordOfTheRings #TheTwoTowers #OfficeDog #TabletopGames #BoardGameReview #CoopGames
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Dewan Review | Quick to Play, Hard to Master

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games

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Dewan is one of those rare strategy games that plays fast but still feels genuinely clever. On your turn you’re drafting terrain cards or spending them to move across a shared map, place Camps, grab Berries, and complete Story objectives for points. It’s simple to teach, quick to play, and surprisingly deep once you start planning routes, timing your objectives, and deciding when (or whether) to cross other players’ paths.

In this review, I’ll cover how Dewan plays, what makes it so satisfying, who it’s best for, and the biggest pros and cons after multiple plays.

If you like quick strategy games with meaningful decisions, route planning, hand management, and tactical interaction, this one is worth a look.


00:00 Intro
00:27 Complexity & Play Count
01:16 Victory Conditions & How It Plays
07:56 Skills
10:25 Final Thoughts
17:42 Contact & Socials

#Dewan #BoardGameReview #BrainsOnGames #StrategyGames #BoardGames #TabletopGames #SpaceCowboys #Asmodee #GameReview #Eurogame #RoutePlanning #HandManagement #CardDrafting #QuickGames #GameNight
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Toy Battle Review: Paolo Mori’s Best Game Yet?

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games

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Would adults enjoy a quick strategy game that looks like it’s for kids?

In this video, we answer that exact question. While Toy Battle (by legendary designers Paolo Mori and Alessandro Zucchini) might look like a childhood fever dream, underneath the fire-breathing T-Rexes lies a surprisingly cutthroat tactical experience. We dive into whether this 15-minute clash has enough "crunch" for the hobbyist table. 

Paolo also designed Ethnos , Libertalia , and Fall of Rome!

SUBSCRIBE for more Board Game Reviews: https://www.youtube.com/@UCvLEP32Q6Ix4H0T_gMaEuGA?sub_confirmation=1


THE ADULT PERSPECTIVE:
Don't let the 8+ age rating fool you. We break down why the mechanics are more "Chess" than "Candy Land":
• The Connection Rule: Why your entire strategy can collapse if you don't maintain a path from your H.Q. 
• Tactical Overtaking: Using Troop Strength (1–7 and Jokers) to bury your opponent's units. 
• Region Control: The spatial puzzle of surrounding closed zones to snatch Medals. 


CHAPTERS:
00:00 Intro
00:23 Complexity & Play Count
01:04 Victory Conditions & How It Plays
02:46 Skills
04:00 Final Thoughts: Does it belong on an adult's shelf?
07:38 Contact & Socials

JOIN THE COMMUNITY:
Do you think a "kid-friendly" aesthetic keeps you away from great games, or do you love the contrast? Let’s discuss in the comments!




#ToyBattle #BoardGameReview #brainsongames #StrategyGames #PaoloMori #AlessandroZucchini #AdultGaming #TabletopTactics #ReposProduction
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Hot Streak Review | The “One More Race” Party Game

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games

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Hot Streak is the kind of party game where you place a couple of bets… and then immediately start yelling like you’re courtside at the Mascot Olympics. It’s fast, chaotic, and dangerously good at creating that “OK, one more race” feeling.

In this review, I cover:
• How the betting works (safe vs risky picks)
• How the race plays out (movement, collisions, wipeouts, surprises)
• What makes it so funny at the table
• Who it’s best for (and who should skip)
• Final thoughts: biggest upsides + downsides

If you’ve played Hot Streak, tell me: do you play it safe, or do you risk it all?


00:00 Intro
00:37 Play Count & Complexity
01:03 Victory Conditions & How it Plays
07:35 Skills
08:57 Final Thoughts & Who It’s For
14:10 Contact & Socials



#BoardGames #TabletopGames #BrainsOnGames #PartyGames #GameNight #CMYK
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Formaggio Review | The Expansion to My 2024 Game of the Year (Worth It?)

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games

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Formaggio is the standalone expansion to Fromage, my 2024 Game of the Year. In this review I break down what it adds, how it changes the experience, and the big question: is it worth it?

In this video, I cover:
• What’s new in Formaggio (modules, components, and how it integrates with Fromage)
• How it affects strategy and replayability
• Whether it smooths out the base game or makes it more complicated
• Final verdict: Essential upgrade or optional add-on?

If you love Fromage, or you’re curious whether Formaggio is the “more cheese!” you’ve been craving (or a topping you don’t actually need), this review will help you decide.

Chapters
00:00 Intro
02:29 What changes vs Fromage
05:51 How it plays + rules overview
13:41 Final thoughts
16:49 Contact & Socials

#BoardGames #TabletopGames #BrainsOnGames #BoardGameReview #BoardGameExpansion
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The 5 Best Board Games of 2025 — Ranked!

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games

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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:
Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvLEP32Q6Ix4H0T_gMaEuGA

📌 Follow Brains On Games:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brainsongames/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brainsongames/

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#BoardGames #TabletopGames #BrainsOnGames #BoardGameReview #BoardGameOfTheYear #Top5BoardGames #StrategyGames #BoardGameRanking #2025BoardGames #perch #fellowshipofthering #taketime #unconsciousmind #kinfirecouncil #emberleaf #ayarchildrenofthesun #saltfjord
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Things In Rings Review | The Venn Diagram Party Game That Makes You Feel Smart

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games

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

✇Brains On Games
Von: Brains On Games

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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
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