Board Game Reviews

It's hard to disprove a conspiracy. Present factual evidence that there are no lizard men, no UFOs, the Earth isn't flat, or that jet contrails are not, in fact, dropping psychotropic drugs on an unsuspecting populace, and the believer responds "of course they want...

We're back in the Middle Ages and you're lucky to be one of the merchant class in a tough, resource constrained era. Being an entrepreneur, you also enjoy constructing various types of buildings and, of course, what merchant doesn't have an entourage of fellow...

Let's start by going back to the Bible. In the Book of Esther, we learn that Persian King Ahashverosh married Esther without knowing that she was Jewish. Her cousin Mordechai was also an advisor to the King, and things went well in the kingdom. Except there was...

The British Special Air Services were a rogue military unit formed in North Africa during World War II. Ben Macintyre has an excellent book on the history of the SAS that's also been made into a fantastic and gritty BBC series, the former called "Rogue Heroes" and the...

Anyone who's owned a pet knows that they have a psychic ability to detect when you're heading to the vet and suddenly be scarce or need to go outside for an extended period. With cats, it's even more fun because you need to get them into a cat carrier so they're safe...

Humanity has split into four tribes based on the four elements: Earth, Fire, Air, and Water. A small group of people in each tribe, called "benders", have the ability to manipulate a specific element. A firebender can command fire, a waterbender controls water, and so...

There's something enjoyable about having a board game with tons of miniatures and a complex board to set up, and many modern board gamers love titles like Gloomhaven, Twilight Imperium, or Railways of the World because of the immersive nature of having a 4'x8' table...

Jurassic Park was a blockbuster movie that instantly made dinosaurs cool again. Who wouldn't want to visit Isla Nublar, enjoy the Disneyland-esque facility and gawk at actual living dinosaurs? Okay, it didn't work out too well for the first group of visitors in the...

"Congratulations on your promotion to junior biologist. We know that it's a bit disappointing to start out at the bottom of the ladder, but your job as a field biologist is critically important to the ecosystem, and while we're going to start out at the local park,...

You're savvy and know that you don't make money selling products, you make money buying products for cheap in one place and selling them dearly in another. The most successful merchants are also explorers, seeking new trade routes and exotic goods. Imagine being the...

It's not easy being a carpet weaver in the bustling Persian market city of Tabriz, but you're determined to overcome the odds and have your rugs in the royal palace. You've got your three faithful apprentices poised and ready to run from shop to shop collecting...

The latest finding from astronomers is that the planet Jupiter has 79 moons. Seventy-nine moons! Fortunately, you're only sending robots to mine four of Jupiter's biggest moons in the terrific game "Galilean Moons" from Lukus Adams and Fantasy Workhouse Games. The...

I have spent quite a few hours of my life playing Monopoly, starting with the basic game with street names from Atlantic City, (the original, as designed by Charles Darrow) then the English edition with London street names, then any of a dozen subsequent variants....

Those darn Weavlings. They eat everything, so when Zadarra, a Fate Weaver who's fed up feeding the little critters, puts them on a restricted eating plan, they break out and head into the Tender Wilds. Free feedings, woot! Problem is, the Tender Wilds is a pretty...

Placing tiles one by one from a pool is a cornerstone of lots of games, from dungeon crawlers to train and terrain exploration games, and much more. Carcassonne wouldn't work without tiles, nor would Betrayal at House on the Hill. Tsuro relies on tiles, as does...

You and your crew have been in space for years. R&R at nearby planets doesn't count for much, and you're all fed up with space and ready to head home. But no. Just as you think it's safe to head back, a distress call comes over the sub-space ether: The S.S. Omega...

There are some classic themes in the board gaming world, including road trips. Think Monopoly: You're literally just driving in circles around Atlantic City hoping to acquire and develop property before your opponents do so. Another theme that's been a part of board...

You don't need to head to a National Park with your favorite outdoor gear in the back of your SUV to appreciate an ingeniously planned interlocking series of hiking, biking, and kayaking trails. These are the three activities front and center in the card-laying puzzle...

You don't have to remember the Electric Slide, the Boogaloo, the Bus Stop, and the Hustle to enjoy the new family-focused card game Kangaroo Disco Mania, but it might help just a little bit. Actually busting out a move is optional, but this fun pattern-matching game...

While we humans were telling each other about the rocks and dust on the moon, the rats were sharing different stories late at night. Stories about a moon made of cheese far from those dangerous humans. And then one little rat found a comic book that showed just how to...

Every gamer is at heart an explorer and adventurer. Venturing into the unknown, sword in hand, ready to take on whatever they may encounter. Study the earliest maps of the world and anywhere the cartographers weren't sure about they'd include pictures of sea monsters...