Twenty minutes, sixteen cards, and more decisions than you expect What Is Love Letter? Love Letter is a card game that fits in a small cloth bag and plays in about 20 minutes. It was designed by Seiji Kanai, first published in Japan in 2012, and has since sold millions of copies in dozens of … Read more
Wyrmspan is an engine-building game for 1 to 5 players in around 90 minutes. You are an amateur dracologist excavating underground caverns and attracting dragons to fill them. Three cavern rows form your sanctuary. Each dragon card has an ability that chains to others, building a more efficient engine as the game progresses. It plays … Read more
If you’re a fan of word games and party games, then Just One might just be your next favourite. It’s simple, social, and endlessly entertaining. Whether you’re playing with family, friends, or even a group of people you’ve just met, this game creates those hilarious ‘how did you not get that?!’ and the group face … Read more
Gather ’round, fellow gamers, as I share my experience with a gem from the tabletop world: Lords of Waterdeep. Lords of Waterdeep is the game I recommend most often to people who are interested in Dungeons and Dragons but want a board game rather than a full tabletop RPG session. It has the fantasy flavour, … Read more
The word game that turns every group into a team of brilliant idiots What Is the Codenames Board Game? Codenames is one of those rare games that works everywhere. I have played it at Christmas with relatives who don’t own a single board game. I have played it at game nights with people who have … Read more
The bean trading game that turns perfectly reasonable people into scheming farmers. What Is Bohnanza? I first played Bohnanza at UK Games Expo and immediately went to find a copy to buy. That says most of what needs saying. It is a card game about planting and harvesting beans, which sounds about as thrilling as … Read more
Star Realms is one of the most impressive small-box games in modern board gaming. It is a full deckbuilding game, two-player out of the box, that fits in a pack of cards, costs very little, and plays in about twenty minutes. The fact that it is also genuinely excellent is almost unfair. Designed by Robert … Read more
Azul is a visually stunning and engaging tile-laying game that has been a favourite among board gamers since its release. It’s simple to learn, yet packed with strategic depth, making it a fantastic choice for both newcomers and seasoned players. Over time, the Azul series has expanded, with each new game putting a fresh spin … Read more
Which One Should You Buy? & Which Ones Are Worth Your Time? There are now four Wingspan expansions, one more than existed when I last looked at this properly. If you love the base game and you are wondering where to go next, the options are genuinely good. But they are not all the same, … Read more
For a good few years, this was easily the most played game at Christmas with my family. It’s easy to learn but has loads of depth. You start out thinking it’s just about matching colours and shapes, but after a few rounds, you realise there’s plenty of strategy involved. If you’re looking for something that’s … Read more
