tabletopgaming.co.

uk September 2024 - Issue 94

BOARD GAMES | CARD GAMES | MINIATURES | RPGs

START PLAYING
DISNEY
The basic strategy
you need to play any
LORCANA trading card game

POSTER COMMUNITY
INSIDE WINS
Keeping a retired
card game alive

TRADING CARD ALL THE JAHRES

GAMES The return of our
The games you popular column on
never knew Spiel Des Jahres
existed!

by Ravensburger

EPIC INTERVIEWS AND STUNNING ART TO

CELEBRATE DISNEY LORCANA’S ANNIVERSARY
EXCITING REVIEWS OF THE LATEST GAMES
Display until 27/09/24
£6.99

EXPLODING KITTENS: GOOD VS EVIL I UNDAUNTED CALLISTO I PORT ARTHUR

MYCELIA I EXPEDITIONS: AROUND THE WORLD I SFYNX I CRITICAL FOUNDATION
PYRAMIDICE I MEDICI I BELRATTI I GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS I WAVE I SPARK RIDERS
 EDITORIAL
EDITOR
Charlie Pettit
[email protected]

CONTRIBUTORS
George Barker, George Chrysostomou,
elcome back to our exciting new issue of
Tim Clare, Jenny Cox, Christopher John
Eggett, Ross Gilbert, Emma Garrett,
Mae Funnell, Christopher Jarvis, Chris
Lowry, Chris Marling, David Parlett,
Adam Richards, Alexandra Sonechkina,
W Tabletop Gaming magazine! We’re wish-
ing a very merry birthday (or unbirthday
considering the exact date!) to Disney Lorcana. It’s
been a landmark trading card game, so we’ve been
Charlie Theel, James Wallis, Kim
Wellens, Chad Wilkinson, Dan York
celebrating with this epic cover, a full interview with
designer Ryan Miller, and a few extras too.
DESIGN It’s been a great excuse to talk about trading
Mike Carr cards this issue, but of course, that’s never all, as
COVER IMAGE there’s something for everyone. We’ve got a really
Disney Lorcana fun list on the trading card games you didn’t know
existed, and some pieces on getting started in
ADVERTISING
TO ADVERTISE PLEASE CONTACT
TCGs. We’ve a rundown of the best card games,
COMMERCIAL MANAGER and a look at the best game to start deckbuilding
Alex Lyon 01778 391 129 with. If you’re debating heading to Spiel Essen, we’ve
[email protected] got some top tips for your planning. Plus, I’m excited
to see the return of James Wallis, talking about the
PRODUCTION MANAGER
latest Spiel des Jahres win – a must-read feature.
Kay Cotterill 01778 395065
[email protected]
It’s also been a great month for games it seems,
with six must-play games. I think that’s a record!
MARKETING We’ve got a few themed issues left before we
MARKETING MANAGER look at the best games of the year, and then there’ll
Sophie Thornton 01778 395 085
[email protected] Get in touch be some new and exciting changes. Stay tuned, and
happy gaming in the meantime!
tabletopgaming.co.uk
MARKETING EXECUTIVE
Charlotte Bamford 01778 395 081 tabletopmag
[email protected]
tabletopgamingmagazine
PUBLISHED BY
PUBLISHER tabletop_gaming_magazine
Claire Ingram Charlie Pettit Editor
[email protected] tabletopgamingmag

Warners Group Publications PLC

The Maltings, West Street, Bourne,
Lincolnshire, PE10 9PH
Q U I C K S TA R T
01778 391 000 warnersgroup.co.uk When the cards All kinds of And that, I –
NEWSTRADE DISTRIBUTION fall in your favour cool things can and most other
Warners Group Publications PLC oh, how the happen that, Netrunner
01778 391 150
tables can turn against again, remind us that players – assumed,
PRINTING Aggro decks. we’re here for fun was that. Enter Null
primarily. Play to win, Signal.
but remember what
The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those
we’re here for.
of the publishers. Every care is taken to ensure that the content
of this magazine is accurate, but we assume no responsibility for
any effect from errors or omissions. While every care is taken
with unsolicited material submitted for publication, we cannot be
responsible for loss or damage. While every care is taken when
accepting advertisements, we are not responsible for the quality
and/or the performance of goods and/or services advertised in
this magazine. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) exists
to regulate the content of advertisements. Tel: 020 7429 2222 Ross Gilbert on trading card game Justin Gary on Soulforge: Fusion, Tim Clare on the community
© Warners Group Publications Plc, 2021 basics, p20 p28 revival of Netrunner, p30

tabletopgaming.co.uk 3
sue 94
TRADING CARD GAME
©Disney
 In this issue

06 A VERY MERRY
BIRTHDAY 26 SOLFORGE
FUSION

CARDS GALORE!
This month we’re looking at a staple part of 20 STICK TO THE BASICS 36 YOUR WORLD YOUR
tabletop gaming – the world of card games. There are some basic things to know in RULES
We’ve looked at the serious and the silly, with the TCG world, and our expert is sharing a The prompts for your next RPG.
card games and trading card games (TCG) few tips!
taking the stage. 38 TABLETOP GLOSSARY
22 FAMILIAR CHARACTERS, But what is deckbuilding?
ON THE COVER! NEW GAME
06 A VERY MERRY How franchises used trading card games. 39 GETTING STARTED WITH
BIRTHDAY DECKBUILDING
Or unbirthday, depending on when you 24 ON THE CARDS And why Star Realms should be your
read this –a huge interview with Disney Some updates on the world of TCGs. gateway to more.
Lorcana designer Ryan Miller, on how the
game went from secret project to it’s first 26 SOLFORGE FUSION 40 TEN OF THE BEST CARD
anniversary. When digital and card games collide. GAMES
We interview Justin Gary. Did your favourites make the list?
12 DISNEY LORCANA
Our regular news feature. 30 COMMUNITY WINS
The rise of Netrunner.
15 HOW TO READ A
TRADING CARD 32 CROUCHING TIGERS
Trading card games needn’t be AND HIDDEN BLADES IN
intimidating, we look at commonalities so AMSTERDAM
you can pick up any one of them. At the Pro Tour of Flesh and Blood.

16 WAIT, THAT GOT A 34 AN ODE TO FAMILY CARD

TRADING CARD GAME!? GAMING
From Japanese baseball to The Simpsons, A personal piece on why one game makes
these are the TCGs you didn’t know about! sense for the whole family.

18 WHAT IS TRADING CARD

GRADING ALL ABOUT?
And why you might want to.
35 TCG CUBES 101
An alternative way to play.
32 CROUCHING TIGERS
AND HIDDEN BLADES
IN AMSTERDAM

SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE UP TO 10%. PLUS RECEIVE EXCLUSIVE BENEFITS See page 13 for more details

4 September 2024
 PLAYED
OUR REVIEWS OF THE CARD
LATEST GAMES Be drawn to the latest
card games for your
FAMILY & PARTY GAMES consideration
Looking for fun for everyone?
Here’s where to start… 73 EXPLODING
KITTENS:
57 MYCELIA GOOD VS EVIL 74
58 CAUTION SIGNS 74 WAVE

48 BEGINNERS GUIDE
TO ESSEN SPIEL
59
61
62
SPARK RIDERS 3000
AKROPOLIS
BELRATTI
75 GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS

63 EXPEDITIONS: AROUND THE

REGULAR ROLLING WORLD
All of the exciting features you expect, plus a
few extras - find out more about the world of
tabletop gaming.

44 A TABLETOP TIMELINE: 77
DISNEY’S GOLDEN YEARS
The tabletop heritage that’s led to our ROLEPLAYING
front cover game. Want to walk in someone else’s shoes?
Beware, there may be dragons…
46 CARDBOARD MANIFESTO
Adam Richards has thoughts on games of 77 CRITICAL FOUNDATION
attrition.

48 BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO WARGAMES & MINIATURES

ATTENDING ESSEN SPIEL From small conflicts to all-out war, find out
Some convention(al) wisdom on getting to
the biggest gaming event in the calendar. 58 about the latest tabletop tussles with plastic
combatants

52 ALL THE JAHRES STRATEGY 79 BORDER REIVERS

Who won the Spiel Des Jahres, and what Looking for games that offer depth and challenge? 80 PORT ARTHUR
does that tell us about the industry? Form a plan from here

55 AROUND THE WORLD IN 65 UNDAUNTED 2200: CALLISTO

80 PLAYS 66 SFYNX
Our next stop? United Arab Emirates. 67 LUNAR RUSH
69 MEDICI
82 TABLETOP TIME 70 GALACTIC RENAISSANCE
MACHINE 71 PYRAMIDICE
The game of 64 Milestones

52 ALL THE
JAHRES

76
65
tabletopgaming.co.uk 5
 T R ADING C ARD GAMES
DISNEY LORCANA

A VERY MERRY

Disney Lorcana is hen Disney Lorcana with multiple sets, new products, a healthy

celebrating its birthday,

and we’re bringing out
the cake and party hats
W launched last year, many
of us were looking on
with curiosity. Trading
card games based on
franchises are certainly not new, but many
of us have seen the rise and fall of many a
game that relied too heavily on the draw of the
competitive and collector scene, and it’s
comfortably made its mark in the industry.
Celebrating its first year, we sat down with
Ryan Miller, who alongside Steve Warner is
responsible for the design of Disney Lorcana.

WHO IS RYAN?
with an interview with existing characters, and not enough on the Ryan Miller has been working in the game
designer Ryan Miller gameplay, or the community, which inevitably
leads to its end. Disney Lorcana represented
industry for 25 years, but the path to becoming
game designer and brand manager of Disney
Interview by Charlie Pettit a fantastic opportunity – a huge universe of Lorcana came more directly with The Princess
differing films, lore, and characters, a chance Bride Adventure Book Game. Ravensburger
to appeal to all ages and audience, and being was looking for designers for a Princess
headed by Ravensburger. Following its launch Bride game, and Ryan gave
at Gen Con, it’s gone from strength to strength, his pitch –

6 September 2024
 of relationship and conversation going
on with Disney fans and with Disney. I
slowly came to the realisation that not
only do I think Ravensburger can do this,
but they are the only company I think
that could really do it right. Okay, I’m on
I’m on board. Sign me up!”

EARLY DEVELOPMENT
‘You meet in a tavern’ might be the line
that launched a thousand RPGs, but
it’s also true of Disney Lorcana. Ryan
explained that following a licensee
summit, the team began their first talk of
a Disney trading card game, down at The
Famous, a bar in Glendale, California.
It was still a few years before Disney
Lorcana would come to life, but with
Steve

it completely falls flat. It’s just miserable

because like you feel completely at the whim
of the deck. I could have made my deck
half villain, half hero, and still not draw any
with a game that plays in the book itself. villains. So all your heroes are just running
While working on it, Ryan became aware of Warner on rampant and I can’t do anything about it.”
Project Famous, the secret name for what board and Ryan Miller joining the team, it “I remember early on, we had almost like
would become Disney Lorcana. grew. However, like any good adventure, there an engine-building version where you just
“Quite honestly, I was a bit sceptical,” Ryan was a complication, and in this case it was one lined up your cards. Every turn you would
admits. “I’ve been doing this a long time. I we’re all familiar with – COVID-19 lockdowns. go from left to right, resolving your engine,
worked at Wizards of the Coast as a game The pair moved to using a digital software your characters. And then you might add
designer for them, and I was a brand manager to plan and trial what the trading card game to your train. That just felt very clinical and
for them for a little bit as well. Trading card might look like. very procedural. At the end of the day, what
games are more complicated on every level “It took us about six months of trying do we want for this game? From a high level
than a board game, and board games are something, getting excited about it, and then it experience standpoint?
already a complicated product to make! So I fails miserably and we start all over again. It was I just want my favourite characters out on
was like, “I don’t know”. But then I got my first this roller coaster. We tried so many different the table, and doing fun things with them. And
designer’s copy of Princess Bride and I’ll never things. About five-ish months in, we really if I want to build a Princess deck or a Snow
forget that moment. This game is gorgeous. started to kind of crystallize what became the White and Seven Dwarves deck, we should be
They did such an amazing job. In my opinion, game.” Ryan explains. able to do that. If I want to build an all-villains
the ingredients to a great experience are love, We can’t help but ask, what concepts didn’t deck or if I want to build a Moana deck, we
attention to detail, and hard work. When I got make it? should allow for that.”
the box, I said, wow, the attention to detail “I had the bright idea: Villains could only Ryan mentions earlier in the interview that
here is amazing. Of course, I opened it. There challenge heroes, and heroes could only a great experience is “love, attention to detail,
are all sorts of great components – wow. Then challenge villains. Isn’t that nice and very and hard work”, and it’s infinitely clear he’s
I looked at Villainous. It’s outstanding and thematic and wonderful? I was so tickled poured all of that into Disney Lorcana. We
completely beautiful. That told me that with myself. [But] this is a very game designer discuss his favourite Disney films (Sword in
Ravensburger already has thing, you get this idea that [you think is] the Stone, and Princess and the Frog are right
this kind going to be fun. And then you play it and up there, which is why we’ve seen some epic

tabletopgaming.co.uk 7
 T R ADING C ARD GAMES
DISNEY LORCANA

can’t help but think Ryan was one of the right an interesting thing about multiplayer that is
people to bring it to life too. As for the hard maybe not obvious immediately is that I can
work? That’s clearly shown in the creation. advance the game state without interacting
“At the end of the day, we decided that we with my opponents. A lot of games, to advance
didn’t want to innovate with trading card game the game state, you have to interact with
design, but we wanted a system that could get opponent usually by attacking. But there’s a
out of the way of this wonderful theme and social cost to doing that. And in multiplayer,
these wonderful characters and these wonderful that’s a big part of the game – I’m a nice guy.
stories. So the system is built to elevate the Don’t keep me from winning, right? The game
theme. It’s not built to innovate trading card is continually going towards a conclusion
game design at all. That’s when it really started without that cost. And I think that makes
to speed up for us, so questing came out, and multiplayer a lot more fun, a lot more relaxing.”
challenging is kind of a natural because you
need a way to interact with your opponent in LAUNCH
some way to slow them down. Disney Lorcana officially launched at Gen
We knew fairly early on we wanted to be Con in 2023. It was a runaway success for the
a race to something. We had decided that show, with huge lines reaching out from the
confrontation is an important part of a trading demo area.
card game, but how it feels can be really “It was like any kind of medieval battle
Sword in the Stone cards), the experience and negative sometimes.” Ryan clarifies that doesn’t scene you see in a movie where two armies
feelings he wanted to invoke in playing Disney mean being non-competitive, but that the converge.” Ryan said of it, as their space was
Lorcana (like that moment of seeing the castle game isn’t about removing someone from situated between two entrances. “It was neat,
for the first time in a Disney park). He talks play. “I don’t win the game by interacting with but I wasn’t super happy with that because
about how Disney impacted his life, whilst my opponent. I win by questing. I slow my it was not a great experience for our players”.
wearing a fantastic Disney themed shirt. Much opponent down. If you’re playing a multiplayer With some quick collaboration with Gen Con
like his statement that Ravensburger were the game, you are never eliminated. Everyone’s in staff to create an overnight line (that wound
right company to launch Disney Lorcana, we the game until the very end. But I also think all the way down the street by opening), and a

8 September 2024
 games do that really, really well. I’m just the deck that they want to make. It’s a balance
lucky that I get to be a part of something that you have to strike and we’re not going to get it
generates that.” right every time. We’re doing our best based
on what we know and want for the game, and
REPRINTS AND BUCKY that’s lots of [Disney] Lorcana players.”
The first set – aptly named The First Chapter Speaking of which, we couldn’t resist asking
– was a huge success, and stocks sold out about Bucky. Bucky – Squirrel Squeak Tutor was
quickly. The rarer cards soared in value, a card that became a little notorious amongst
enjoyed by trading card collectors and Disney players. It came out in Rise of the Floodborn,
collectors alike. Ravensburger made the the second set, where it wasn’t a particularly
decision to offer another print run of The First rare card, and was cheap in game to play. It
whole lot of water, coffee, donuts and orange Chapter. It was a popular decision for most, forced players to choose and discard a card
juice for those in line to make the wait a more who would now be able to get the cards more every time a Floodborn character is played,
pleasant experience, they sold out of the freely for the decks they wanted to craft, but and it had Ward, which meant it could only
product they brought with them. some collectors were less pleased. be chosen to challenge. However, with later
“What was really fun there was to see the “I think it’s certainly a balance you have sets, combinations with Bucky emerged that
families. You know this isn’t a kid’s game, but to strike.” Ryan says when I raise it. “It’s a restricted opposing players considerably, leading
it certainly is a family’s game, right? We had collectable game. But if no one plays it, the many to call for a ban. Ravensburger chose to
hoped that families would play, but you just value of those cards will go down. We have errata the card instead (making changes to the
never know until a game launches like who to balance getting people into the game, but card’s abilities rather than removing it entirely),
actually is going to pick it up and play. To see also making sure that these are really cool increasing its cost, removing Ward, and changing
the families come together to see them play collectibles. Our job is to bring more people the ability, making it considerably less powerful.
one of the biggest compliments…One of my into the game and spread this wonderful game It’s been met with a mixed response, so we asked
favourite things is to bring people together. I out. Doesn’t mean we’re going to print the set about this decision.
think it’s just a wonderful thing, and I think into infinity – that’s ridiculous, right? But we “It was about his un-fun-ness” Is how
tabletop games do that better than just about just have a different job. We want to make sure Ryan explained it. “It wasn’t so much
anything else, and I’m sure I’m biased in this. that these cards are collectible and valuable about his power, [but that] he keeps your
But sitting down to make memories, I think and exciting to people. But we also want opponent from playing the game. To me, it’s
it’s just wonderful. I think people to come into the game and feel like a combination of un-fun and un-interactive.
tabletop they are welcome, they can come in and make Obviously, un-fun is a weird and subjective

tabletopgaming.co.uk 9
 T R ADING C ARD GAMES
DISNEY LORCANA

term, right? We obviously need cards THE GATEWAY

that mess with your opponent’s strategy. Whilst set releases have had a mostly usual
Otherwise, it’s a kind of solitaire. pattern on products, we’ve also seen the release
“Those kinds of things are just going to of a new cooperative and/or solo format with
happen. Balance is this interesting goal. What Ursula’s Return – Illumineers Quest, as well as
is it? Is it even possible? And my theory is it the launch of the organised play scene. The
is not. When you have a complex thing like recent set has changed things up further, with
a trading card game, there’s no way to make the release of Disney Lorcana: Gateway.
every card balanced. There are too many Playing your first trading card game isn’t
variables to control for. So right off the bat, it’s always easy – when you’ve played a few, you
kind of this impossible goal, but it’s still a good have certain concepts nailed, ink colour is like
goal because balance is what keeps a game the type of Pokémon, or ink into your inkwell is
alive. When a game gets wildly unbalanced, it like mana in Magic: the Gathering (these play
gets too chaotic. However, too much balance
can be bad as well because it makes for some
boring gameplay.
The most important thing for a trading card
gamer’s journey is to feel like ‘I’m getting better
at this game. I’m getting more understanding
of the nuances of this game’ So that’s really
important. And also, power being a spectrum
is more exciting, right? It’s just more exciting to
make cards or to find cards that are like, boy, ABOVE & LEFT: Just two of the
they didn’t think of this or I bet they missed exciting cards revealed ahead of their set
this one. Those are really fun moments. launching by Tabletop Gaming.
Sometimes we do miss them because we’re
a small team. We’re not thousands of players with a deck. Hopefully, at that point, you’ll be
that are playing thousands of thousands of confident enough to move on to some of the
games. I would rather live in a world where single-player decks that we have, or booster
we occasionally have to go to these measures packs or even like playing at a local event. My
of errata or even banning. I don’t like to do goal is to get as many people to play or to just
it, but I’d rather live in a world where that go to League nights because I think it’s just
is sometimes the consequence of this more a wonderful experience and I think for folks
exciting game style than to be so hyper- who’ve never played TCG before, it’s kind of
balanced that we don’t ever do that.” – to quote the song – it’s a whole new world.
On the flipside, this has meant that have You go to these stores and there’s people there
been some fantastically fun decks come out and they’re just excited for you to be there and
of play, whether especially competitive or just there’s lots of people to play and trade with,
thematically fun. you can get new cards and that sort of thing.
“From a competitive level, the person who It’s just a really fun experience that we’ve been
won the Atlanta challenge came out of nowhere differently but the concept of categorising play working hard on and we continue to work hard
with this Perdita deck that was just outstanding. styles and using cards as resources is familiar). to make it as fun as we can. But if they just
No one saw it coming. And I think it was a big Without these, the learning curve is much learn enough to play with their family? That’s
part of the strength that no one knew how to higher. Disney Lorcana has released pre-made wonderful too.”
play against it. I love when those moments decks for each set, which highlight any new card
happen because it really shows the breadth of types or actions but has gone one step further by CELEBRATING THE FUTURE
the tournament environment out there” Ryan now releasing Disney Lorcana: Gateway. Ryan can’t tell us much about what the
says of his favourites. He also brings up the “Especially for folks who’ve never played a future holds for Disney Lorcana (and you can
magic brooms, cards which combine together trade card game before, it’s a really great way bet we tried to get the secrets!), but they’re
really well. to get into it. You start with two decks that are certainly celebrating in style. There’s a D23
“The magic brooms was Steve’s baby. He small. As you play and progress, you open these collectors set that gives us a sneak peak of a
really loved the idea of the magic broom packs we call gates, and the gates add new card from the next set, with Oswald the Lucky
deck, and so he made that happen. I’m a big dimensions to the decks. Basically, it’s a way to Rabbit, a treat for fans of Disney history. It all
thematic guy, so I just love seeing the big fun learn the game in bits, so you start with just the comes with a promise of some fantastic gaming
thematic decks. I love the Princess decks. The very basics of questing, challenging and action to come, filled with all of our favourites. We
you know the pirate decks and things like cards, and then as you open the gates, it folds can’t wait to celebrate the next anniversary,
that. That’s been a lot of fun, but just to see the in more of the different concepts. By the time and every merry un-birthday in
creativity of the audience. It’s just wonderful.” you’ve gotten through all the gates, you end up between! *

10 September 2024
 FREE UK SHIPPING ON ORDERS OVER £20*

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 T R ADING C ARD GAMES
LATEST UPDATES

DISNEY LORCANA
The latest updates in Disney Lorcana
Written by Ross Gilbert

isney Lorcana might be one of the Shimmering Skies set

D the new kids on the block when

it comes to trading card games,
but with tournaments like the
Challenge in Bochum hitting
just shy of 2,000 competitors and a constant
stream of new sets and products to be excited
about it’s had about as good as a start as could
championships, this is
exactly what is happening!
This means that if you
make the cut, you’re

have been hoped for. This month though, we represented on

saw a change to their Set Championships that a card, we’ve even seen
a lot of people have been asking for, and some a change to card design
hard-to-get cards. with “5” written inside the
lore symbol to represent
EVERYONE’S A WINNER! this. Up until now, we
If you’re a Disney thought that no character
Lorcana player you would naturally quest for
probably have a schedule more than four lore but
on your fridge (or phone now the sky’s the limit.
if you’re young and
hip) showing all the Set QUITE THE
Championships within COLLECTION
easy travel distance of Finally this month,
your house. These are the Disney Lorcana
the store-level events Trading Card Game
that commemorate each D23 collection was
set and have proven very launched to celebrate
popular due to some D23, Disney’s yearly
rather lovely prizing. fan event.
For the set 3 and set 4 Retailing for
championships (these £94.99 this is clearly
did not start in time for a premium product
the first two sets) the top four players aimed at the more
at each event would get an exclusive enthusiastic Disney
enchanted print of an existing card that getting the Lorcana fans (hello!)
could only be won in this way. There promo, and but it strikes the balance
was also a matching playmat for the you can spend I always look for in that it’s great for collectors,
runner-up and a Champion-stamped your time worrying while also containing no mechanically-
playmat for the winner. about trying to win exclusive cards. You don’t need this to play the
One thing that did not feel great for one of those lovely game, but a lot of fans will be wanting to pick
a lot of Disney Lorcana players was that playmats. this up. I checked, it’s a lot of fans.
these tournaments would typically play As for the cards With Shimmering Skies on the horizon,
their Swiss rounds and then cut to a Top itself; Mirabel more Disney Lorcana challenges in
8 bracket. This meant that half of the Madrigal – Family Bologna, Toronto, Birmingham, Las
top cut players would lose in the first Gatherer is a Vegas and Seattle as well as the European
round of a cut and walk away empty- very noteworthy Championships at Disneyland Paris, World
handed. A frequent suggestion made by card as it is the Championships at Walt Disney World, and
players was to extend the promo cards first character eveything as yet unannounced, we’re in
to the top eight, and Ravensburger seem to to naturally gain five lore when they quest. for a fair few surprises
have been listening because starting with Given that four lore was the most that could be yet. *

12 September 2024
READING THE CARDS

HOWATO READ
TRADING CARD
New to the TCG world?
Here’s how to instantly
analyse the cards in
your hand
Written by George Chrysostomou

ny trading card game (TCG)

A player will know that the only

way to master the game is to
have a great understanding of
how to quickly assess a card.
Reading trading cards can be difficult, but
there are certain tropes and patterns that
you’ll find across multiple titles. If you’re
holding a card for the very first time and
feeling intimidated by the information, or
have never played a particular title before,
there are quick wins that will enhance your
analytical processes. to progress with. Occasionally, the cards will Start to build up your understanding of the
also be titled and arranged into their own best plays in a game, and which advantages
ILLUSTRATIONS category. Key stats will often be located in specifically suit your style. It’s also crucial to
The very first thing you’ll notice when you the corners, but some cards like to mix it up know whether an advantage has an opposite.
pick up any card is the illustration. These and hold all the need-to-know numbers in Is there a card that this particular hand works
are usually given to provide context to the those text boxes. Equally, these text boxes well against?
players so that they get an immediate sense of may contain flavour text, which add to
the type of card they are handling. They very the games lore or fun rather than being a DISADVANTAGES
rarely have a narrative purpose, but what they gameplay element. A fun example of this is Disadvantages are those weaknesses that
can do is give you immediate information that Disney Lorcana’s Little Mermaid, whose card a card might feature. There will be hands
may be useful. when she’s in human form reads “…”, as she out there that neutralise the threat of your
They might highlight that a card is rare has no voice! characters or weapons. Knowing what those
or valuable, thus meaning that it could be Whenever you play a game, get a good counterparts are is the key to fighting back
more powerful. They indicate whether it’s a sense of the format to know where to look for against them.
character, item, or even location that you’re the information you need the most. It’s almost Most cards should identify whether there’s
holding, which will impact the mechanics. certain that every card in a specific game will a specific weakness attached, whether it’s a
Pictures can also help us categorise cards. carry that same format, so it’s easy to replicate counter card or a flow of play that ultimately
For instance, players will come to learn that the process. Take note if there are other leads to defeat. Some cards might have too
a Charizard is a fire Pokémon, and so can identifying factors in the format, like the use of much risk attached to them and are best
identify that from sight – and then know the colours or shapes to convey niche facts. when disposed of. But, always weigh up the
benefits and drawbacks of that type. advantages and disadvantages; perhaps
ADVANTAGES there’s a reason a card can be knocked back so
FORMATTING Every card is going to point out the easily, as it may pose a surprising threat.
The other thing you have to get your advantages of using it. A Magic: the Gathering
head around is the formatting of a card. card, for example, will highlight the bonuses Look out for these cues and clues when
Traditionally, the picture will be at the top of gained from playing the card, alongside picking up a trading card for the first time,
the card, with a small description beneath it. instructions on how to weaponise those to instantly understand how the game plays,
These descriptions will identify whether abilities. It’s not just about understanding how a card might serve your interests, and
the card has an instant those advantages, but how they compare to ultimately, how it interacts with the rest of
action others in a pack. your hand. *

tabletopgaming.co.uk 15
 T R ADING C ARD GAMES
GAMES YOU DIDN’T KNOW

WAIT, THAT GOT A TRA

We’ve been reminiscing the golden years of trading card games, where if a
franchise breathed too loudly, it would be turned into a trading card game (TCG).
How many do you recognise?
Written by Ross Gilbert
Images supplied by the publisher, or Noble Knight should not come as a surprise. What IS a deck giving you access
Games surprise however is that the game lasted to one of the 12 NPB
exactly one set before Wizards of the Coast teams. One fantastic
withdrew support. The game was built around innovation however
five stars (Bart, Homer, Mr. Burns, Lisa and has been releasing
Krusty) with all but Krusty also getting a each expansion as a
starter deck. The game played differently from double set, one for
other TCGs in that you played characters the Pacific League
to complete scenes. Don’t feel bad if you’ve (featuring those six
never heard of this one, it was released in teams) and one for
2003. the Central League
(featuring the other
WCW NITRO six). This makes it
FIRE Wizards of the Coast easier to collect all of
EMBLEM 0 CIPHER WWE might be the my beloved Yokohama
Intelligent Systems big name in Wrestling DeNA Baystars. Two
Despite starting life as a very Japanese video but back in 2000 we expansions were
game series that struggled in the west, Fire had WCW as a real released with a full
Emblem has become one of Nintendo’s contender, for one line-up of traditional
premier franchises. It might surprise you then more year anyway TCG accessories and
to learn that there was a TCG released in 2015, until WWE bought events at Japanese
alongside Fire Emblem Fates, a video game them. Wizards of the baseball games, and this seems like a game
that sold over 3 million copies. Despite the Coast were continuing that could really have legs.
TCG releasing 22 expansions over five and a their franchised TCG No, it’s not getting an English release.
half years the game was officially cancelled in whirlwind, and that’s Obviously.
late-2020. It never saw an English-language how we ended up with an actual TCG based
release and, given that’s been gone for nearly on the number 2 wrestling promotion at the HARRY POTTER TRADING
four years now, we can safely assume it never time. The decision to use photographs rather CARD GAME
will. Of all the games on this list, this one hurts than new art in TCGs is rarely well-received Wizards of the Coast
me the most. and that was the case here as cards looked Another no-brainer for getting a TCG at some
rather uninspiring next to games like Pokémon point, Harry Potter did indeed get a card game
THE SIMPSONS TRADING and Magic: the Gathering (also made by WOTC of its very own way back in August 2001. Four
CARD GAME at the time). Another short-lived game it did more expansions would be released before the
Wizards of the actually receive a second expansion; WCW game was cancelled in 2003. Cards featured
Coast Nitro: Hardcore, which is more than we can all the Harry Potter staples such as Lessons,
The Simpsons say for The Simpsons TCG... Spells, Creatures and Characters and the aim
holds the title for
the longest-running DREAM ORDER
animated TV show Bushiroad
at 35 seasons The newest game on the list, and I would
and given that wager the one that nobody reading this would
the franchise has ever guess, Dream Order is a TGC based
crossed–over into around the Japanese Baseball league, Nippon
every other market, Professional Baseball. Unusually, it launched
the existence of with 12 starter decks (if you’re new to TCGs,
a Simpsons TCG anything more than four is a LOT) with each

16 September 2024
ADING CARD GAME!?
was to deck your opponent out (such that they
had 0 cards in their deck). NEOPETS TRADING CARD
It’s at this point in the list that you might be GAME
noticing that back in the early 2000s Wizards Wizards of the Coast
of the Coast were experimenting with a lot Neopets was the internet’s age Tamagotchi.
of new TCGs, based on very strong licenses, It was a virtual pet website where you
none of which were able to stick. In fact, of all personalised your pets, took care of them, and
the new games back then, Harry Potter, with taught them to… fight? Well,
a full five sets, did the best by some margin. It it made sense at the time. In
lives on in fan made expansions online. 2003 Wizards of the Coast
turned it into a trading card
TEKKEN 7 game aimed at a younger
Bandai audience, and it did well
Another more – well, when you compare
recent entry, and I it to earlier entries anyway.
am cheating a little The suggestion was that
here, is Tekken 7. The back in 1996. It was made by Topps but given Wizards of the Coast lost
reason I’m cheating that it predates the Japanese release of the interest, failing to publicise
is that Tekken 7 is Pokémon TCG by four months it actually the last few set releases
not a self-contained represents Nintendo’s first experiment with until it ended entirely in 2006 and was barely
TCG but instead an TCGs. Marred by artwork that was just low-res mentioned again.
expansion of the screenshots of the game it was unfortunately Early noughties are calling though, as
Japanese version of another short-lived TCG and also the most Upper Deck have just released the Neopets
the Union Arena card difficult game on this list to track down packs Battledome TCG.
game based on the of. Believe me, I’ve tried!
7th main entry of the TOP DECK MAGAZINE
popular fighting video X-MEN TRADING CARD Wizards of the Coast
game. GAME Not a TCG per se but I have to finish this
Like Weiss Schwarz Wizards of the Coast list with a nod to the excellent Top Deck
(and also Build Divide The X-Men are magazine. Given the number of TCGs released
if anyone’s heard of one of the most by WOTC in the early 2000s it’s perhaps not
that one) Union Arena popular super surprising that they actually made their own
is a game that uses hero groups magazine to share all the information you
different licenses for almost every set but the in the world need. They even included booster packs and
use of Tekken 7 was surprising as the set was and this is not exclusive promo cards which was awesome at
released in October 2023, just three months the only TCG the time but does make them rather expensive
before Tekken 8 video game would release on featuring them, to track down in 2024! Originally published in
home consoles. This game did use some video but back in December 1999 it unfortunately only lasted
game screenshots but also mixed that with 2000, Wizards until issue 15 in 2001.
some fantastic new art for a very impressive of the Coast
expansion. released a TCG
Union Arena is getting a western release to coincide with
in October, but with Tekken 8 long released the popular
I don’t think the Tekken 7 expansion will be movies, featuring
coming to these shores. characters from the movie and
art that reminded us all of the movies. Another
KILLER INSTINCT short-lived game that never received a second
Topps set, although one was planned. Promo cards
Sticking with the theme of fighting games were distributed at movie theatres and in
as TCGs, the lesser-known Killer Instinct magazines (see the next entry) and the game
franchise got a TCG release was set up in a way many on this list were not, Which ones did I
way it was just never meant to be. miss? *

tabletopgaming.co.uk 17
 T R ADING C ARD GAMES
CARD GRADING

WHAT IS TRADING CARD GRADING

ALL ABOUT?
Breaking down the card grading process for when you
pull an exciting card Written by George Chrysostomou
egardless of whether a

R collectable card is designed to

simply be kept as a personal
possession, or to be wielded
in the realms of competition,
its condition is of paramount importance
to the owner. No one wants to buy or swap
a damaged card, and it might be difficult to
prove the value of an item without outside
help. That’s where grading comes in. For
those who are involved in the TCG playing
community, or simply want to start collecting
cards for themselves, we’re going to run you
through the grading process.

THE WHAT: EXPLAINING

GRADING
In its simplest form, getting a card graded
essentially means getting its value ranked
based on the card’s physical condition.
There are experts around the world who are THE HOW: THIS ISN’T A DIY
trained to look for all the signs that a card has OPPORTUNITY
been kept in a pristine state. Graders take If this sounds like something you’ll be looking
particular note of the surface of the card, into in the future, there’s a little bit of work to
assessing whether it has been blemished in be done. You have to find a trusted source to
any capacity. They note how crisp the edges go to, that won’t overcharge for their services
are and whether the card has been printed and are proven experts in their field. You’ll also
correctly too. From water damage to the need to ensure your intended grader accepts
bending of corners, these eagle-eyed assessors cards graded really isn’t a priority. After all, the card types that you’re wanting to submit,
take everything into account and assign a fair it does cost money to send a card off and get as some will opt to cover only the biggest of the
and competent grade, before encasing it in professional advice, so this is not a decision TCGs, or perhaps only the core sets. Whilst the
hard protective plastic. to take lightly. It also doesn’t guarantee that more you see graded cards, the more you’ll get
The grades are from 1 to 10, and the higher a card’s value will be increased. In some an idea of what graders are looking for, having
the grade that a card is granted, the better instances, graders will pick up blemishes an independent confirmation of the condition
condition it is in, and therefore, the more it is or damage that the owner did not notice, of your card – or perhaps one you’re looking to
worth. Equally, some graders are considered significantly reducing the price they may be purchase – offers security and reassurance.
more prestigious than others, which will able to sell it for. Card grading is a natural part of the
increase their value further. A perfect 10 score But for those who wish to sell off their collecting side, and the professional process
from the likes of PSA for example, is to some cards, and believe that they may be able to can be a great way to help protect and sell off
the gold standard of card collecting. get an impressive price for them, grading is cards that you feel might be of value. But for
the way to go. It’s a bit like getting a surveyor those of us who like to hang on to our cards,
THE WHY: IS IT WORTH IT? to give your house the all-clear. Grading to continue to build the best decks regardless
This all sounds like a complicated process, comes with an official certificate and proof of the price they might fetch online, this isn’t
so you might be thinking, what’s the point? that it has been independently verified, a necessary process to follow. After all, you
Is it all worth it? If you’re interested in TCGs giving consumers the satisfaction and safety can’t play with a card encased in
purely for the gaming aspect, then getting your they are seeking. plastic! *

18 September 2024
 T R ADING C ARD GAMES
TIPS AND STRATEGIES

STICK TO
THE BASICS
On a journey to start playing trading card games? We’ve got some tips and
explanations to help you along the way
orgive me for being a little biased Written by Ross Gilbert by their style, meaning you can craft a deck

F when I say this but trading card

games (TCGs) are the jewels of the
tabletop gaming world and in 2024,
we are being absolutely spoiled.
There has never been a better time to be a TCG
fan. We have the old stalwarts in Pokémon,
Magic the Gathering and Yu-Gi-Oh but added to
FIGHT NOW,
OR SET-UP FIRST
One of the biggest decisions to be made when
picking your deck is deciding the way you
want to play. The main choices are playing
aggro, wherein you try and win the game
around this choice.
Equally, you can purchase pre-made decks
to get you started, and alter them along the
way as you figure out ideal combinations, and
how you like to play. If we look to the Pokémon
Trading Card Game, it offers us a great
explanation of the two styles in action.
that we have One Piece which is doing so much quickly before your opponent can establish
better than people realise, Disney Lorcana the board, or a set-up deck that will be slower AGGRO DECKS
managing to become a monster in competitive and build a much better board over time. A great available aggro deck is Miraidon ex.
play as much as in sales and strong showings There’s no right answer here, it all come down The deck plays primarily basic Pokémon
from Digimon, Dragon Ball Super, Star Wars: to the way you like to play. You’ll find that that can be used right away and
Unlimited and so many more. most trading card games will categorise cards Miraidon

20 September 2024
ex even has an ability that lets you search your your inkwell. Once per turn you can put a card attacking your opponent’s leader and taking
other Pokémon out quickly. All you’d then from your hand into your inkwell to use to away all their life). However, every character
need is energy with which to attack, and the pay for cards this turn and on all future turns. used to counter cannot be played. Maybe that
item card Electric Generator will potentially The issue is that only some cards are “inkable”. character has a blocker and can be sacrificed
help you out here. It attaches energy from This is shown by a circle around the cost and to stop an attack. Do you counter to stop this
the top five cards in your deck, so it’s not means a card can be put into the inkwell to be attack or play the character in a future turn to
guaranteed to work but can lead to some used as ink. There are a lot of good uninkable block a future attack?
explosive starts. However, you only get four cards in the game but if you have too many,
item cards in a deck so it can be worrying if you’ll struggle to add to your inkwell to pay for METAGAMING
you don’t build a big lead early. higher cost cards, and if your opponent plays Probably the most important skill in tournament
the game with more resources available, this success is also the hardest to master and can
SET UP DECKS might not end well for you. take an awful lot of luck. When players refer to
Compare this with the Gardevoir the metagame they are talking about the game
deck. This is a Stage 2 Pokémon LEFT & BELOW: within the game, or to be more precise, what
which means you play your basic, Not all powerful decks everyone is choosing to play.
evolve into a Stage 1 the following cards can be At the One Piece European championships
turn and then evolve into your Stage used as ink – see in January, everyone knew that the best deck
the circle around
2 Gardevoir on turn three. It’s a lot was Sakazuki. So, why did nobody play a
the number?
slower. You win in Pokémon by Managing your counter-deck and win? Because there wasn’t
taking six prizes and Miraidon could resources is a one! Every deck that could reliably beat
easily have taken two or three before careful balance. Sakazuki had too many other bad match-ups.
you’ve even set-up. There was a perfect mix of
However, as a Stage 2 Pokémon metagaming though when in the
Gardevoir has much higher HP, Pokémon World Championships
it’s much more difficult for your with Mega Audino EX in 2016.
opponent to remove. It also has an It wasn’t a good deck before
ability that attaches as much extra Worlds. It wasn’t a good deck
energy from your discard pile as you after Worlds. Nobody ever had
like. No limit of four copies of a card, a notable result with the deck at
no hoping you see energy when you any other tournament ever. But it
look at the top five cards of your deck, won the World Championships.
it always works. This means you can The reason? It did good damage
play Pokémon on the board and know to both the active and a bench
you will always have enough energy with CARD CAN Pokémon, taking double KOs
which to attack. Slower, but once you’re set BE MANY from the second turn onwards in
up, a lot more fun. When the cards fall in your THINGS a metagame where everyone else
favour oh, how the tables can turn against This might be one was playing decks with smaller
Aggro decks. of the most difficult Pokémon, or decks that played
skills to learn but smaller Pokémon and evolved
WE ALL NEED RESOURCES it applies to every them later. Audino made sure
Resources are another big decision that comes single TCG there there was no later. Genius!
into play when building your deck, as these is. In every game, a card can represent many Keeping an eye on the metagame is
are how you actually get to play your cards. In things. In Disney Lorcana a card could be used important for when you evolve into playing
Pokémon we have energy cards. Almost every to add to your inkwell as a resource but can competitively – pre-empting certain popular
Pokémon needs energy attached to attack but also be played. There will be games where you strategies and
this is often a specific type. You can play other ink a great card to give you a resource, but creating a deck to
Pokémon that need other energy but after are then left without an answer to one of your limit its effects can
a few lost games when you draw the wrong opponent’s characters, and others where you be a game changer.
energy, you might change your mind. The save it and the perfect opportunity to play it There’s a lot
number of energy is also a big concern, have never arises. more you need to
too many and you’ll draw too many energy We see a similar decision being made every know of course and
cards and not enough Pokémon or trainer turn in the One Piece TCG. Most character this is just some
cards, or play too few and you won’t have cards have either +1000 or +2000 counter. This examples, but
enough energy to attack. means you can discard the cards from your honestly, the most
We see a similar mechanic in Disney hand when being attacked to help you defend important decision
Lorcana with the concept of Ink. Every the attack and keep your characters on the to make is which
card has a cost to be paid in board or protect your leader and keep your life TCG to try first? (or
ink from where it should be (you win in One Piece by next!). *

tabletopgaming.co.uk 21
 T R ADING C ARD GAMES
FRANCHISE LED TCGs

FAMILIAR
CHARACTERS

Ever tried a franchise-led TCG? We have the lowdown the release of the initial
title. Launching mere
on some standouts from tabletop history months after the Game Boy
spectacle, Pokémon: the
Written by George Chrysostomou projects were developed Trading Card Game made
Images supplied by the Publisher, to fill that space and an instant splash thanks
or Noble Knight Games continue to cater to fans to Media Factory’s design.
who were upset about the Developed by Tsunekazu
ust like other areas of the tabletop cancellation. The Doctor Ishihara, Kouichi Ooyama,

J world, the brands and franchises of

other entertainment industries have
made their marks on Trading Card
Games (TCGs). Over the history of
this gaming style, multiple well-known names
have attempted to create a play experience
that promotes their characters and world,
Who Collectible Card Game
was one of those concepts,
and attempted to weave
the tropes of the TV show
into the title’s mechanics.
With the table divided into
past, present, and future
and Takumi Akabane,
the title would later come
under the leadership of
Wizards of the Coast. It’s a standout of the
genre, a calling card of what franchises can
do within this space, and boasts ever popular
global tournaments dedicated to competitive
while still delivering on gameplay mechanics. zones, and creature and Time Lord cards play almost 30 years after its launch.
It makes sense, as there’s potential for a TCG brought into play, the MMG Ltd game was
to continue to expand, with the collectable eventually brought to an end for its uninspired YU-GI-OH! TRADING CARD
aspect ensuring a constant audience for these design. It’s a relic of a bygone era, but one that GAME
universes. Some of the largest franchises in the boasted some gorgeous retro illustrations. Konami’s Yu-Gi-Oh TCG launched in 1999 and
world have tried their hand at producing TCGs has gone from strength
to mixed results. We’ve dived deep into the POKÉMON TRADING CARD to strength ever since.
long list of examples out there, to highlight the GAME Taking inspiration from
key titles from TCG history that have ultimately The very first Pokémon video game was Duel Monsters and the
made a mark for better or worse. released in 1996. The franchise has dominated manga series, the Yu-Gi-
Nintendo’s slate of titles and has become a pop Oh! franchise has fully
THE DOCTOR WHO culture phenomenon which the trading card embraced this title as a
COLLECTIBLE CARD GAME game has become a crucial part of. However, key part of its longevity.
In 1989, Doctor Who came to an end, and you might be surprised to learn that the game Featuring
would go on hiatus until 2005. Some unusual was developed incredibly quickly, to align with

22 September 2024
a complex set of rules and an endless line of the combat of the films. The title was popular reception it has received and now has a global
updates, Yu-Gi-Oh calls on players to embrace enough for a fan-led group to continue tournament to partake in. With features like
their strategic minds and navigate the six supporting it right up until today, but was still Crystal Points, Element Types, and multiple
phases of play with tactical prowess. This is largely derivative of material that had come formats to play in, this is far from a run-of-the-
one of the few titles that really built on the before. mill adaptation and serious thought has gone
original concepts and with specialised formats into creating a title that worked for fans of the
like Speed Duel and Rush Duel, the game just TRANSFORMERS 3D medium and brand alike.
keeps on evolving. BATTLE CARD GAME
Another project from DISNEY LORCANA
LOONEY TUNES TRADING Wizards of the Coast, As one of the most
CARD GAME Transformers 3D Battle recent additions to the
In 2000, Wizards of the Coast were asked to Card Game might TCG landscape, Disney
develop a Looney Tunes Trading Card Game be one of the most Lorcana has been an
inspired by the Warner Bros. characters. Its disappointing TCGs absolute revelation.
array of cards was hugely limited and were out there. Inspired by The title has grown
categorised into Characters, Scenes, and the live-action movie, exponentially since
Special Effects. With a streamlined set of rules the only memorable its 2023 release,
designed for younger players, this Looney part of this title catapulted off the
Tunes experience didn’t quite hit the ground was the cardboard back of the brand’s
Transformers that popularity coupled with the collectable aspect
players could create of the gorgeously designed cards themselves.
out of an add-on kit. But it’s not just about the illustrations, as Disney
The cards themselves Lorcana, from Ravensburger, stuck the landing
were designed with such simplicity that it with a set of mechanics focused around ink.
seemed the value was in the brand name as With tournaments already launching and a sixth
opposed to the gaming experience. Players expansion chapter on the way, Disney Lorcana
could collect cards representing their favourite promises to be here to stay for the foreseeable.
robots in disguise, and forge war between the
Autobots and Decepticons using the standard STAR WARS: UNLIMITED
stats they were equipped with. Strangely Disney’s leadership sees real value in the
enough, the same cards would sometimes trading card space, and
differ in those key numbers though, making for although the original
running. It’s aged poorly, partially due to a confusing state of play. The focus here was on Star Wars Trading Card
those restricted mechanics, but the cards the models more than the cards themselves, Game didn’t quite hit
themselves have become rare collectables that resulting in a missed opportunity. Like Star the mark, Lucasfilm and
celebrate these timeless characters. Wars above it, this was not the only foray for Fantasy Flight Games
this franchise into a trading card game! are hoping that Star
STAR WARS TRADING CARD Wars: Unlimited rights
GAME FINAL FANTASY TRADING those wrongs. Released
In 2002 designer Richard Garfield, of Magic: CARD GAME in 2024, it’s too early to
The Gathering fame, 2011 marked the debut of the Final Fantasy tell whether this will be a
created the Star Trading Card Game, a title that took long-term success, but with
Wars Trading Card inspiration from the video game saga, but truly three years already planned out for the title,
Game for Wizards delivered on an intriguing premise. Created by there are promising things ahead. Star Wars:
of the Coast and Square Enix and Tarou Kageyama, there was Unlimited has proven itself to be extremely
Lucasfilm. The a sense that the franchise and the mechanics accessible though, welcoming fans of the
two-player title of the title were working in tandem. The game franchise into a new gameplay style via a
was cancelled is still supported today due to the incredible familiar set of characters.
by 2005, despite
receiving booster These are just some of the standouts from
packs that years past, that are worth exploring again. While
represented every some of these titles might no longer receive the
single Star Wars movie support of modern hits, it’s still possible to find
that had been released to that point. an archive of old cards to enjoy all over again.
Players were tasked with taking control of an What we’ve learned here though is that the key
army and battling for arena supremacy, to a quality franchise TCG seems to be based on
in a run-of-play that tried to the uniqueness of the mechanics themselves as
emulate opposed to the size of the brand. *

tabletopgaming.co.uk 23
 We look ahead at some of the
THE biggest trading card game news of

C RDS the month and discover what’s on

the cards… Words by Ross ‘The Wossy’ Gilbert

THE BEST SET YET

Exciting news in the One Piece TCG this month as PRB-01 (One Piece Card The Best) released in Japan. A
brand-new type of set it features only one “new” card (a Sanji leader) but reprints a whole bunch of playable
cards and introduces a LOT of alternate-art versions of said cards.
Most excitingly of all are 30 new DON!! cards, each themed after one of the leader cards in the game.
All 30 of these are available as regular versions (one per pack), foil, textured, parallel versions (one per box)
and fantastic gold Super Parallel versions where they are limited to one per case of 10 boxes! Good luck to
anyone aiming to get a full set of 10 of their preferred Super Parallel DON!!.
The good news for Western One Piece TCG fans is that our sets are nearly-identical to Japanese sets
so we can have all this goodness when the set releases in November. One surprise in the set was the
existence of a Manga Rare “god pack” featuring reprints of all the Manga Rare’s from the first seven
expansions. Whether we will get this in the West however remains to be seen.

THE SMALLEST PACKS YET

The latest Magic: the Gathering expansion Bloomburrow launched with a fantastic woodland
theme and the usual assortment of products such as Play Boosters, Collector Boosters, a Starter
Kit, Bundles and Commander decks. However, it also offered a new type of product, the Value Booster.
Designed as a budget-friendly way to enjoy Magic: the Gathering, each booster contains three commons,
two uncommons, a wildcard of any rarity and a final card that could
be a land, traditional foil or Special Guests card. It will be interesting
to see if any TCGs decide to follow with their own version.

THE HARDEST CARDS TO FIND YET

Trading card games have a long history of releasing exclusive cards at conventions and Star Wars: Unlimited
has thrown its hat into this proverbial ring with the release of the 2024 Convention Exclusive product. Like
all the best convention-exclusives there are no mechanically unique cards, so not picking this set up will not
disadvantage players, but the six alternate art cards are causing quite a stir among fans of the game.
Excitingly, this set includes cards of Asajj Ventress and Darth Maul from Twilight of the Republic, the
third and as-of-yet unreleased expansion of Star Wars: Unlimited. The set is releasing at Gen Con, Spiel,
PAX West and PAX Unplugged but the initial release at San Diego Comic Con has led to stories of the set
selling out so fast that many fans have been left disappointed.

THE BIGGEST BONANZA YET

The Rarity Collection set for Yu-Gi-Oh may have been a great set to celebrate the 25th anniversary but with the
Quarter Century Bonanza expansion, Konami are carrying on with a bunch of new twists thrown in.
Like the Rarity Collection, there are five cards per pack but this time a Super Rare has been replaced with
a guaranteed Platinum or Quarter Century Secret Rare in every pack. This slot actually sees Quarter Century
Bonanza transform into two sets in one as this slot contains 1 of 200 cards from a nostalgia pool of cards only
available in this slot, separate from the regular 78-card set. This means a lot more cards will be available as
Quarter Century Secret Rare’s before the celebrations have to stop. The Quarter Century Bonanza is due for
release on November 8th.

24 September 2024
®

TM & © 2024 Wizards of the Coast LLC. III. Narendra Bintara Adi.
 T R ADING C ARD GAMES
SOLFORGE: FUSION

SOLFORGE:

What happens when you mix a Magic: the Gathering

Champion and game designer with the creator of
Magic: the Gathering? SolForge: Fusion!
s a 17 year old, Justin Gary Game. There’s a new expansion for that, but

A became the Magic: The Gathering

US National Champion, going on
to win a pro tour, grand prix, and
the World Team Championships.
After changing his mind on law school, he
went full time into game design, working
on everything from the Versus. System
that’s not the focus of our article today, rather,
the opportunity that it opened and that Justin
maximised…

BIGGEST FAN
“Ascension created a lot of opportunities for
me.” Justin says of it. “Not only was it a fun
trading card game, to the World of Warcraft game that I’m still making 15 years later, but I
Miniatures Game, later starting his own got to meet Richard Garfield when we did a
company with Stone Blade Entertainment, PAX dev conference in Seattle.
and launching Ascension: the Deck Building Of course,

26 September 2024
I went to go hear Richard talk because collection” - all the fun of a trading card game
it’s Richard Garfield - he’s the guy that but using new technology so that you actually
created Magic! He’s the guy that defined get that process of discovery.
the course of my life. And at the end of the
talk, somebody asked him a question. Hey, SOLFORGE FUSION
what’s your favorite game right now? And “We call it the world’s first hybrid
he said Ascension. I jumped up like a kid decking.” Justin says of his game. “Unlike a
in a candy store. Everybody laughed, but it traditional trading card game, every deck is
created an opportunity for me to go and have algorithmically generated, so they’re all one
a conversation with him. And so then he and of a kind. So every pack you open, you will
I started that conversation, and we talked for get decks that nobody else in the whole world
three hours about what we want to design has. And the way you play, is you shuffle any
next, what we’re excited about, and that was two decks together.” Each purchased pack,
the original version of SolForge”. SolForge digital or physical essentially comes with half
was the first digital trading card game, that a deck, and it’s your combination of two that
optimised early for mobiles. SolForge gave way gets you started with playing. Unlike many competition, as the perfect combinations are
to SolForge Fusion, which Justin describes as TCGs, it’s not about finding the perfect card to created by the audience. It wasn’t this way
“Using new technology to digitally print and swap in and out of your overall deck, but your when Justin began with Magic: the Gathering.
algorithmically generate decks of cards to be favourite combination of halves. “When I was starting to play, there wasn’t
able to scan those decks into “Each deck is locked in as a one of a kind. really much of an internet community yet,
an online account, play Nobody ever has the same deck as you with so you could come up with a deck on your
them online, have that exact combination of cards. ‘There are own. This is what I did for nationals. I had
a one-to-one more deck permutations than atoms in the my blue/red deck that I loved that I would
universe’ is one of the lines we like to use. So play all the time. And I just brought it to the
you can take any half deck that you have and tournament without knowing anything about
any other half deck and fuse them together the meta game and what other people were
to then be able to play the game. If you want playing. And I won the tournament. That never
to find the perfect pair for your deck, you happens anymore. Nowadays everybody just
can buy packs of cards, either digitally or builds, usually even before the set comes out,
physically, and you can hopefully find the build and practice decks, they post, everything
right partner for your deck. gets online, everybody plays and tests and
But you can’t just replace evolves, and eventually, usually within a few
one card with another card. weeks the entire competitive scene evolves
That’s all set up. And we down to maybe three different decks, and
did that for a very specific everybody’s playing the same decks and very
reason.” small tweaks to those decks, and that’s it. And
Justin explains how that was a real bummer for me because the
the world of trading discovery process of not only opening a pack
cards has changed. We and seeing something you hadn’t seen before,
might be familiar with which is destroyed by spoilers, but the creative
the term “meta”, where building and strategising process of having
decks are mostly to play a deck and build a deck that nobody
decided, honed, had seen and that you got to kind of create
discussed, and yourself, a lot of that just disappeared with the
championed age of the internet. And so SolForge: Fusion,
before even by being a hybrid deck game, is solving that
reaching the problem because no two decks are the same.
You can’t just copy what somebody else is
doing online. You have to figure out with the
decks that you have the strategy that you can
use to be able to play the best you can and do
the best you can with it. And so it returns that
joy of discovery.”
Modernity isn’t the enemy mind, as
historically this level of differentiation
wouldn’t be possible, nor would the
opportunity to build communities and
competitions through the likes of Discord.

tabletopgaming.co.uk 27
 T R ADING C ARD GAMES
SOLFORGE: FUSION

With that in mind, in order to play a game, you

can either purchase physical decks or digital.
If you prefer physical decks, as many of us will,
these can then be scanned into your digital
account to then be able to play that way too.
The demo deck is free digitally, letting you
then play online competitively or as part of a
campaign. As for how to play?
“Each turn you draw a hand of five cards.
You alternate with your opponent playing
one card each into lanes. The creatures then
will attack whatever’s across from them. If
there’s nothing across from them, they hit
the opponent. You can knock your opponent
from 50 down to zero first, you win. The really
cool thing about it is we don’t have any kind
of mana like Magic: the Gathering or anything
like that. Every card you play, when you play
it, it levels up and the higher level version
goes into your discard pile. And then every
three turns, you shuffle your deck. So as
you’re playing cards, you’re not just playing
for ‘what’s the best thing for me right now?’
but ‘what cards do I
want to level?’. So you
can have some cards of just playing for cash prizes, you’re actually and you actually, everybody gets to shuffle an
that are not very good playing to influence the lore of the world and extra dragon card into their decks. All kinds
early, for example, the you’re changing the way that the story of cool things can happen that, again, remind
Scorchmane Dragon moves for the game. That will actually us that we’re here for fun primarily. Play to
starts off as a little influence which cards show up in win, but remember what we’re here for. We do
dragon egg, then it turns future sets. because every single a lot of things to help remind people of that.
into a dragon whelp, but deck is digitally in your collection. And it’s been a really joyous experience to get
if you can get all the way If you participate in one of our to see the community thrive around this cosy
to level three, it turns into a storyline tournaments and you competition.”
giant fire breathing dragon change the lore of the world, That’s not the only community competition
that wipes the whole board. our writers write a custom that resides in SolForge: Fusion though. We
So there are these fun story story that then gets attached discuss the differences between the huge
moments that can happen.” to the digital copy of your competitions with great titles and prizes,
deck permanently. and those more community-oriented styles,
A LIVING WORLD So anybody can which encourage competition in a more
There’s a healthy competitive look up and see collaborative way.
scene for SolForge: Fusion your deck and the “There’s other ways to build competition.
– perhaps no surprise, given narrative and how We can have fan art contests. We can have fan
TCG’s live and die by being you change the storyline contests. One of the fun things about
regularly played, and its digital lore of the world.” SolForge: Fusion is that because every card
element means that it’s always “In our storyline has three levels, our flavour text on the cards
possible to play no matter your championships, we is a haiku. And so there’s a one line on level
location or fellow players are very explicit that the one, one line on level two, one line on level
availability – but these are done rules are up for grabs. So three. And so we’d have haiku competitions
a little differently to the Magic: we will actually change so people could contribute, and then their
the Gathering events Justin the rules from round to haikus would get onto the cards in future sets.
made his own name at. round based on the story And so I think competition should be thought
“We’ll have live events, and that’s happening. So all of a of more broadly than the way we traditionally
people there will win a trophy. sudden there’s a cave-in think about it. I think it’s giving lots of people
We also have storyline events, and one of the lanes is different ways to express themselves, different
which are some of my no longer available. Or ways that they can show off the particular
favourite things of suddenly the power of the skills and talents that they
competition. So instead dragons has shown up have.” *

28 September 2024
 T R ADING C ARD GAMES
NETRUNNER REVIVAL

COMMUNITY Image supplied by: Dan Bouchard

What happens when

support for a card game
ends, but its fans don’t
give up?
Written by Tim Clare

etrunner is the card game government. Surveillance is ever-present, the second-hand market, cards were printed

N that Magic: The Gathering

designer Richard Garfield
made next. Whereas Magic
is a pitched battle between
interdimensional superbeings, right from the
start Netrunner was something altogether
grimier and more cerebral. If Magic is two
inequality is extreme, environmental disaster
impacts the worst-off and the thirst for cheap
consumer goods fuels rampant – albeit
discreet – exploitation and outright slavery.
It was a charmingly-unbalanced affair that
rapidly petered out.
It returned in 2012 as Android: Netrunner from
and released in non-random sets. Except for
special alt-art versions of cards given away at
events, every player theoretically had equal
access to an identical card pool.
The basic setup is asymmetric – each player
has two decks, Corp and Runner. Corps are
the aforementioned huge, multinational,
opposing battlelines smashing into each other Fantasy Flight Games (FFG), set in the world of multiplanetary conglomerates, working on
while heroes and villains duke it out with the divisive cult classic ‘adventure boardgame’ various schemes – called ‘agendas’ – to increase
thunderbolts and fireballs, Netrunner is rain- Android. While the core of what makes it great their profits, stymie their rivals and cement their
slicked alleys, wiretaps, and a dagger slipped was there from the beginning, the new edition dominance. Runners are the hackers trying to
between the ribs. significantly improved on the original, and found break into Corps’ sprawling servers, hoping to
an enthusiastic – albeit, by Magic’s elephantine steal those agendas to sell for a profit, expose the
WHERE DID IT BEGIN? standards, small – player base. rot at the heart of society, or just to see if it can
The original Netrunner, released in 1996 by be done.
Wizards of the Coast, was set in a cyberpunk THE RISE OF NETRUNNER You take it in turns playing as Corp and
future that accelerates contemporary Unlike Magic, the rereleased Netrunner was Runner, racing to be the first to either score or
dilemmas and injustices to queasy, dystopian – and is – an LCG rather than a CCG. That steal seven agenda points. The Corp can also
extremes. Megacorporations own everything is, instead of amassing cards for your deck lose by decking out – if they have
– the media, the global workforce, even the through random pulls in booster packs and to draw a

30 September 2024
card and their draw pile, aka ‘R&D’, is empty – real assault on HQ (the cards in their hand). But Engagement at Null Signal for five years. “That
and the Runner loses if they ever have to discard then, if you get in too easily… was this the Corp’s hit the community pretty hard. We lived, [and]
a card and their hand is empty, representing plan all along? Are you walking into a trap? breathed Netrunner” But after a couple of days,
their brain and/or body getting blown to Whilst I love Magic, but I’m going to be as the shock wore off, some players realised:
smithereens by the Corp’s countermeasures, outrageously partisan and say that Netrunner “Wait. We don’t have to put up with it. We can
which can be as subtle as security protocols is the better game. It exploits asymmetry and just… keep making Netrunner ourselves?’
frying the Runner’s delicate neural interface, and hidden information to create a compelling, Count me amongst the sceptics who, when
as crude as sending heavies round with guns. tense showdown where you can squander news of a fan-led continuation of the game first
The Corp gets to build servers by playing an apparently assailable position in a single broke, thought it was a well-intentioned but
cards face down. These might include assets, blunder or claw a win from almost-certain ultimately doomed exercise in refusing to accept
which make you money – almost everything defeat by playing to your outs. the inevitable. How could a few plucky nerds
in the game, for either player, costs credits scattered across the internet match the might of
to play – agendas, which you need to spend THE FALL OF NETRUNNER a well-funded international corporation?
money and turns advancing in order to score The constant shell game of testing defences Apparently, I’d missed one of the game’s
them, or traps – cards which, if the Runner and switching targets, of critical turns and lulls central lessons.
accesses them, can drain the Runner’s coffers, as you regather your resources, is what makes Null Signal has not only kept the game
end their turn early, even kill them. The Corp Netrunner so compelling. But after 2012, as the going, but, with a revised core set, a much
can protect its servers with ICE (Intrusion game expanded, it began running into many of slower release schedule, and multiple play
the problems that plague games with growing
Image supplied by: Dave Laird card pools. With each new release, the barrier Image supplied by: Nicita Hopkins

to entry for new players got more and more

expensive. You couldn’t go to your local game formats (allowing play with a limited card
Countermeasures Electronics), layers of store’s Netrunner night with cards from the pool), Netrunner has never been more fun. It’s
security which the Runner can only neutralise core set and join in – the difference in power run as a nonprofit collective, by and for fans.
by installing and using specialised breakers. level was way too high. “We have people working on this who
The game, then, usually plays out as a race, Fantasy Flight Games began releasing new love the game – not to say that people at FFG
the Runner rushing to get their full suite of packs on an ever-faster cycle, so players felt like didn’t, I’ve spoken to several of them, but they
breakers set up before the corp can establish they’d barely adjusted to new, meta-warping had profits and shareholder value to worry
an econ engine or score out seven points cards before yet another set dropped. Power about. We don’t. We can afford to delay a pack
worth of agendas. But since the corp almost creep was inevitable under these circumstances, release if we feel something isn’t up to quality,”
always plays its cards face down, and since exacerbated by what felt like some poorly- Serenity said of it. Occasionally people will
activating those cards – turning them face-up playtested card designs. Many players felt like complain that, with slower releases, the meta
or ‘rezzing’ them – almost always costs credits, FFG were prioritising short-term profit over gets solved, but Serenity says: ‘There’s always a
the Runner is often incentivised to start hitting the health of the game, and it didn’t come as a deck that comes out of left field, gets dropped
servers before they’re entirely ready. huge shock when, in 2018, FFG announced their at a regional and boom!”
After all, the Corp might not have enough support for the game was coming to an end. Under Null Signal’s watch, the player base
money to Rez ICE over every server. Maybe And that, I – and most other Netrunner has grown more diverse, beginning to catch
you can feint a run on R&D, forcing them to players – assumed, was that. Enter Null Signal. up with the diverse characters featured in the
decide whether to risk you accessing their next game. Netrunner is unlikely to ever enjoy the
card – potentially trashing a key combo piece or THE RISE AGAIN colossal success of Magic, Pokémon or Yu-Gi-
stealing an agenda – then, once they’ve spent “FFG put out the article, entitled Jacking Out, Oh, but if you want an exciting, tactical, often
precious credits protecting it, explaining that they would no longer be running just very funny card game experience, there’s
make your the game,” I was told by Serenity, who was VP of never been a better time to jack in. *

tabletopgaming.co.uk 31
 T R ADING C ARD GAMES
EVENT REPORT

CROUCHING TIGERS
AND HIDDEN BLA
IN AMSTERDAM
Time for Flesh and Blood players to Traverse the
Universe and end up at Pro Tour: Amsterdam where
the best of the best fight to see who will
come out on top Written by Dan York
he best of the best gathered in from the recent

T Amsterdam in the last weekend of

July to take part in the invite only
Pro Tour for Flesh and Blood. With
more than 390 players it was Shoma
Yamamura from Japan who took the win, and
we were there to see it all happen.
Part the Mistveil set
and that bore out as
almost 50% of the
field were playing
the new Mystic-
talented decks.
Meanwhile, the
$2000 up for
grabs was played
DAY ONE programme of side by 118 players,
On Thursday 25th July players assembled at events got underway the first event of
the RAI Conference Centre for kick-off. This with players who the weekend to
was a first opportunity for main-event invitees didn’t qualify for the Pro Tour able to show off feature the Living
to get a look around the venue, see the guest their skills in smaller events across multiple Legend format,
artists to pick up some beautiful, signed formats, looking to win prize-wall tickets to a celebration
merchandise or visit the range of vendors to trade in for goodies and acquire the coveted of legacy decks
find some last minute foils for their decks. Day Amsterdam-themed Nullrune Equipment with no banned
one concluded with the highly anticipated promos. cards and every
keynote speech from lead designer Bryan powerful hero
Gottlieb. This was a huge moment for the DAY THREE from the game’s history legal to play.
crowd as Bryan went over the roadmap of By Saturday the main event was whittled The big story of the day was the Pro Tour
organised play for the next season and, most down to 187 players, ready for another seven finals, as expected, the new hero Zen, Tamer
excitingly, talked more about the upcoming gruelling rounds of draft and constructed until of Purpose was the deck to beat and featured
set release Rosetta. This set is a callback to only the top eight players remained to play on prominently in the finals. The result however
much-beloved character; Briar, Warden of finals day. Saturday was also the start of the was a nail-biting finish as Japanese player
Thorns, who fans have been crying out to see second major event of the weekend, Calling: Shoma Yamamura showed the world what an
in card form once again. New hero cards were Amsterdam. This open-entry event saw 624 underdog deck could do with the right pilot,
revealed with gorgeous artwork and some battle-hungry players sit down to stake their clinching the title with his innovative Uzuri,
exciting new mechanics were teased for the set claim to the $30,000 prize. Even I got stuck in, Switchblade deck, one of only two players to
releasing in September. sleeving up an old favourite deck of mine in register the hero in the entire event. The crowd
Dash, Inventor Extraordinaire, though a run erupted in cheers as he emotionally accepted
DAY TWO of super close losses early on put a premature his prizes on the main stage.
Friday saw the real start of the main event, end to my chance at the title. A tiring weekend for all involved, I
Pro Tour: Amsterdam. 394 of the world’s best certainly had a blast, and the venue was
players sat down for seven rounds of Flesh DAY FOUR excellent. The result of the main event sent
and Blood, the winner taking home $50,000. A On the docket for Sunday was yet more Flesh shockwaves of excitement through the
mixture of constructed and draft rounds faced and Blood action, the conclusion of Calling: player base, and everyone is eager to see
the players as they fought to prove their all- Amsterdam, the elimination bracket for the Pro what happens at the next major clash of
round skill in this prestigious event. There was Tour and a third major open, Battle Hardened: the best players in the
anticipation about the impact of the heroes Amsterdam. The Battle Hardened, with another world. *

32 September 2024
Flesh and Blood TCG
© 2024 Legend Story Studios fabtcg.com
 T R ADING C ARD GAMES
OPINION

Dalmatian Puppy – you may only have four of Nani – Lilo’s protective older sister Luisa Madrigal – The strongest of the
each type of card in your deck… except for the unsurprisingly has Bodyguard, a mechanic that Madrigal family gets Rush, which means she
Dalmatian Puppy, which lets you have up to 99. protects other cards by taking damage first. can use her strength to challenge other cards
Add in Pongo and Perdita, and you’re at 101! as soon as she’s played. It all just makes sense.

AN ODE TO FAMILY Why Disney Lorcana

DISNEY LORCANA isney Lorcana appeared with intuitive and the cards interact with each other
makes sense for the
family Written by Mae Funnell
with cards that synergise with each other, testing

D such hype a year ago that I

didn’t want anything to do with
the long queues at UKGE or the
money pit that a collectable
card game is infamous for, and yet a year on,
here I am with a pretty decent card collection
and its one of our family’s most played games
in predictable ways. Have Snow White? All
the Dwarves cost less ink to play. It’s genius,
it’s familiar and it works, which is why I
recommend it so highly for families. You can
tell the game has been designed with kids in
mind as even the terminology is child-friendly,
you ‘challenge’ not attack and don’t defeat or
them out in battle and then tweaking them,
replacing certain cards that didn’t work as
well as he’d planned. The game is so free-form
that they can approach it in different ways and
yet both get just as much from it. The hidden
educational element appeals to me too, there’s
lots of reading-the-card abilities needed, and
together. It’s brilliant. kill your opponents but ‘banish’ them. teaches planning with having to build up to be
I’d avoided the game completely until a It’s become a family activity for us, the shared able to play your more powerful cards.
friend of mine brought two starter decks excitement of opening up the booster packs and The rules started very simple and each release
around and taught me how to play and that showing which shiny cards were inside, finding adds that little bit more complexity, meaning
was it. The incredible card art drew us in, the character cards from the movies they know my kids have been able to pick up the full game
the variations of all our favourite characters and reading what they can do, seeing what gradually. But the recent release Ursula’s Return
and how unexpectedly thematic and yet new songs are in each new release leading to a set is truly fantastic, with the Illumineer’s Quest
competitive the game is. It’s immersive and singalong and the demand to rewatch a certain – Deep Trouble giving us a new way to play
the storytelling ability through playing it is Disney movie again. We found an Enchanted cooperatively rather than battling against each
what keeps us coming back time and time (the rarest card type) Sisu card once! Pulled by other, working together to try and stop Ursula
again. Characters can’t be used straight my three-year-old, and sold it to buy some of the from reaching 40 lore before we all have 20. My
away because the ink’s still wet (of course). rarer Treasure Planet cards that they were after. daughter now prefers to play as Ursula versus all
Tinkerbell is evasive so can’t be attacked Then there’s the deck-building part of the of us… helped by the much higher win rate she
by just anyone (naturally). Hercules is a game, my son and daughter approach this very has against as Ursula, I’m sure!
bodyguard so you have to get through him differently, my daughter opts for her favourite Mae Funnell is @playtogetherboardgaming
before you can hit any of the other characters characters, she had an unbeatable just purple on Instagram, where she shares her family
on his team (obviously). It just makes sense, deck for months that I took to play and win board gaming fun with her children,
which means it’s easy to teach to younger against my adult friends. My son spends a lot aged 11, 8 and 3. *
kids as the character’s cards are somewhat longer putting decks together more methodically

34 September 2024
LOW COST COMPETITION

TCG CUBES 101

Who knew trading card a good selection of cards, you can use the absolute minimum of 180 cards to do so, but
cube repeatedly. It’s a great way to get friends the more you can put in the ‘cube’ the more
games could be cheap interested too, making it a perfect gateway to variety and longevity it will have. If you have
and competitive? the hobby.
A cube takes players back to what made the
rare cards you can put the different rarities
into piles, shuffle those, and create booster
hobby so popular in the first place: putting piles that replicate the make-up of a booster.
Written by Chris Marling together the best combos you can from a Whichever option you choose, make sure
limited card stock and then facing off against the overall card distribution is conducive to
everal stumbling blocks can your friends. It also puts a big emphasis on making playable decks.

S hinder players from getting into

trading card games (TCGs). One is
cost, as obtaining enough cards to
be competitive can be expensive.
Another is finding players on an equal footing,
or any players at all, in the hobby.
The good old internet is also a problem.
drafting; you’ll each have to do your best to
put together a killer deck one card at a time,
hoping your friends aren’t going for the same
colours or combos.
This form of play adds a few levels of
gamesmanship too. You may keep a card that’s
useless to you just so someone else can’t get
YOUR CUBE, YOUR RULES
Continuing with the Magic example, if you
can go to eight players, no problem - you just
need a minimum of 360 cards. I’d suggest
that, if possible, 360 is a good number for a
four-player cube. Plenty of replayability, and if
Fans quickly put the most over powered decks it, or perhaps you’ll pivot when you realise you have a nice variety of cards, you can have
online when a new set is released, allowing one type of card is being ignored. The final some fantastic tournaments. Play a league, a
other players (especially rich ones!) to imitate battle may be deck versus deck, but in a cube knockout - pick your poison.
them. If you just care about winning, why tournament, there’s a lot of group fun to be Finally, if one player has a lot of cards
wouldn’t you replicate a winning deck? You had before a card is played. (or several of you are willing to pool your
still get to play it. collections), you can tweak the cube in any
Sealed-deck tournaments, or booster drafts, HOW TO MAKE A TCG CUBE way you desire. Want it all in one or two
are a great leveller. All players entering get a The best news of all is that it’s incredibly colours? Want only one of each card? Want
set number of brand-new cards to open, along simple (and usually cheap) to make and use only cards from one or two sets? Want only the
with all the randomness that entails. They get a TCG cube, no matter which TCG you want silly cards people usually ignore? You do you -
to draft, trade, or make the best of what they’ve to play. There isn’t an actual cube - the term the cube is your oyster! *
got, before battling each other. This really simply refers to the initial randomised set of
tests your deck-building skills and is a lot of TCG cards.
fun, but the fact you always need to buy a new Taking Magic: The Gathering as an example,
set of cards is, once again, expensive. Plus, it a typical booster tournament sees players
assumes you can regularly get to tournaments. opening three booster packs, so getting 45
cards each. They need to make a deck from at
THE TCG CUBE CONCEPT least 40 of them. Typically each player looks
This is where the TCG cube comes in. The at the first 15 cards, keeps one, and passes the
concept can be used for any TCG and while rest to the next player. When those 15 are all
you’ll need a bunch of cards to get started, taken, you open the next pack, and so on.
they don’t need to be rare, which will greatly Let’s assume you want to have a four-
reduce the cost. Better still, once you have player cube draft tournament. You’d need an

tabletopgaming.co.uk 35
 YOUR
WORLD

Every month, we focus on the topic of the issue, and

find ways to craft narratives that can be applied to
any RPG title you may be playing. We’re currently
talking about trading card and card games, the tropes town. No one knows how they acquired them;
some say a mystic showed them the future and
of which can connect amazingly to the world of RPGs. the dangers that might arise. Regardless, these
cards are handed out to Bounty Hunters, to
Remember, you can always alter this base to suit the indicate their targets, before a crime may have
even been committed. They talk about their
game you’re playing. It’s your campaign, after all strengths and weaknesses and describe the
target’s background and abilities. These cards
Written by George Chrysostomou are vital resources unto themselves, but where
did they come from?
THE LOCATION advantage of the recent wealth rise and are
We start in a dystopian landscape, where opportunistically lending their services. The • Enter the town and decide whether to
law and order are of paramount importance. inexperienced Caria is a perfect example, a attempt to hit the resource hub to sabotage
The local community relies upon Bounty no-nonsense warrior who cut their teeth in the community. Will you be able to avoid
Hunters to keep the streets safe. There’s a the swamps of a local farmyard, wrestling back the Bounty Hunters?
Western undertone to this backdrop, but this the beasts of the murky waters. They might
small town has recently experienced great be strong of mind and spirit, but they are • Find out where the Mayor gained their cards
prosperity. While the location might have certainly not the typical law-abiding citizen from. Are they actually fakes, designed to
tackled severe challenges in its past, a recent that may traditionally step up to protect remove targets that the Mayor has personal
discovery of natural resources has ensured and serve. As long as the money flows, their problems with?
that the town is far more optimistic about its dedication to the role persists.
future than neighbouring areas. The town also has a Mayor, who has • Become a Bounty Hunter and compete
Instantly investing in improving the living been awarded handsomely for their recent with rivals like Caria. But watch out for the
standard, this town has been on the rise, even leadership as the community’s luck has competition, for their motivations may be
with reminders of the outside dystopia slowly turned. Seemingly progressive, they may much more than a desire for justice.
leaking back into the public eye. A huge new appear charming and competent, but there’s
complex has been created to harness this a sense of unease among the population Whether you want to play a campaign based
resource, a target for any saboteur who wishes concerning this sudden obsession with on a heist, develop the conflicts of the Bounty
to plunge the town back into the dark days of the Bounty Hunter community. It’s as if Hunter world, or dive deeper into the Mayor’s
old. This is a rough-around-the-edges domain this solution to defensive issues was set up nefarious new cards, these concepts are now
that is trying to adapt to a new normal. overnight, creating plenty of questions. in your hands. You may throw your party
straight into this town of mystery, or ask them
THE CHARACTERS THE SETUP to become one of the characters described
The town is protected by a legion of Bounty The Mayor has in their possession a series of above. This is your world, so apply your rules
Hunters, many of whom have taken cards that represent the threats that face the and ideas to enrich it. *

36 September 2024
 Welcome adventurers, to the tabletop – where deck building has nothing to do
with the patio, and worker placement isn’t part of a recruitment agency. If the
terminology used to describe the games we know and love can feel like trying to
learn a new language, let our glossary demystify the terminology, and have you
speaking tabletop in no time at all Words by Emma Garrett

Deckbuildi n g
A game mechanic where you select cards to create a bespoke deck that you then draw from when playing.

t’s a minefield, defining ‘deckbuilding’. It’s not an alleyway of the these examples, the deckbuilding happens during play as part of the

I gaming universe I have spent much time exploring (yet) so my first

steps of research were befuddling. It felt like a barrage of acronyms,
secret passwords you had to decode before you were allowed any
further. Internet explanations referred to MTG, TCG, CCG, TL;DR
(though you’ll know these yourself by the end of the article!). This is
more than just a mechanic, this is a world within a world.
‘Deckbuilding’, is a simple game mechanic that can happen in a
game.
Then there are entire deckbuilding universes like Pokemon, Magic:
The Gathering (MTG), and Disney Lorcana. You can’t buy these in their
entirety. You buy boxes or packs that include a selection of the available
cards. Sometimes a defined pack selection, and sometimes a random
selection. Here, the building of the deck happens before play. You come
to the table with your chosen deck and the gameplay is then engaging
standard board game. Players start with low powered cards. Playing your opponent with the deck you’ve curated. These games are TCGs -
them allows new cards to be purchased and added, usually to the Trading Card Games - or CCGs - Collectible Card Games. Not everyone
discard pile. Often, when your original deck is empty, the discard pile is who collects the cards plays, often they’re collected and traded for the
shuffled, so now you have a chance to draw those more powerful cards. artwork and the joy of collecting.
The same thing happens again and the game builds along your chosen TL;DR stands for ‘too long; didn’t read’ and isn’t another category
strategy. There must be thousands, but currently, Dune: Imperium is in the world of deckbuilding, but if you need that for this – it’s simply
the highest rated game on Board Game Geek that includes elements collecting specific cards to play a game. As a mechanic, deckbuilding is
of deckbuilding. A deckbuilder like Slay The Spire uses cards and invigorating and powerful, leaving you feeling like you’ve made all the
storytelling in their gameplay to combine two popular genres. In all of choices to get to your victory or, frustratingly, defeat. *

DECKBUILDING GAMES

38 September 2024
READING THE CARDS

GETTING STARTED
DECKBUILDING
Star Realms is a gateway to the galaxy of games that keep
getting better
Written by Chris Lowry

WHAT IS DECK BUILDING a single box slightly thicker than a deck of cards. I use, I rarely tack anything extra onto Star
Here’s the rundown on deck-building games: The central concept of each battle is Realms. What I love about a good deck-
you start with a small, rubbish deck of cards. destroying your opponents. To do this you building game is that you don’t need any of
The characters or powers on the cards are have ships which can do a certain amount of that extra stuff. The central challenge is both
weak, with disappointing stats, and a generally damage. Star Realms groups all cards into a easy to understand—improve your deck—
uninspiring table presence. number of factions; playing multiple cards and tantalisingly difficult to nail down. Do
Over the next few rounds, you are able to from the same faction often unlocks bonuses; you focus on cards that heal health or ones
purchase new cards. Better cards. Not amazing but at the cost of being having a less balanced that damage your opponent? Do you spend
ones, but much better than you had before. You approach. Alongside ships there are also bases resources on bases for extra protection, or try
shuffle them into your deck, and push on. One you can build; these stay on the table between to hit harder with ships? You’ve only got seven
of the new cards comes out, and you have the turns, soaking up damage and providing a cards left, so anything you buy now is going
best turn so far. Then again! You buy more cards, boost to your future turns. to be shuffled into your draw deck almost
maybe burn a few of those old, rubbish ones. immediately; does that change your purchases?
Each turn things get better and better - although A WHOLE UNIVERSE In deck building you are always having
the same is true for your opponent too. Once you’ve mastered the base game, to balance your planning against the
Finally, it all ends, in a beefy explosion the range of expansions is almost a little fundamental unpredictability of a shuffled
of power. Maybe you won, maybe they did, overwhelming. The United expansions add deck of cards. That might be annoying at
but either way you got to build something extra ships and bases, but with dual factions points—why have NONE of the good cards
awesome! That’s deck-building in a nutshell. on each, allowing a broader approach to come out,
When it’s done well, there’s a constant feeling tactics. Then the Heroes boxes bring single-use AGAIN?!—it
of acceleration that’s almost palpable. Well, characters who can be sacrificed at strategic means that there
in fact, it is, because you get to draw so many moments to provide sudden extra resources are also moments
extra cards! or unique abilities. Events and Missions where your best
cause catastrophic changes or impact on laid plans do
WHY STAR REALMS? player motivations throughout the game, and pay off and you
Whilst Dominion is a solid expression of the Scenarios adjust something fundamental in appear to be a
genre—and the first too—my money goes on the flow of play in the core mechanics. And powerful mage,
Star Realms for its speed, its simplicity, and, that’s just the start; I’ve not even touched on a card-reader
frankly, because I much prefer spaceships to Commanders, Gambits, High Alert, Frontiers… of mythic
provinces and chancellors. The real beauty excellence; and,
of Star Realms is its size; the FACING THE PUZZLE AGAIN even better, you
base set is Actually, beyond changing which base deck get to win! *

tabletopgaming.co.uk 39
 1 COUP
Coup is a card game where
you have just two cards,
and lie passionately to your
friends from the very first
moment. There are six roles, and each
card will let you be one… but no one
knows what your cards actually are.
2 NETRUNNER
Set in the cyberpunk world of Android, Netrunner
is a fascinating asymmetric two player battle. One
of you, the Corporation, has all the resources, all the
power, and all the raidable assets, whilst the Runner,
on the hand, is just some punk kid hacking away on their cybercaster,
trying to break into the Corpo’s servers and steal their Agendas. What
I find so unusual about this game is the changing balance; generally, the
So you can say “I’m the Assassin!”, Runner starts weak and gains strength, whilst
and pay three coins to murder the Corporation begins overbearingly powerful,
another player, and they either accept it, or challenge you. If they and fights to complete their Agendas before
challenge you correctly “You aren’t the Assassin!”, you lose one of being overtaken by the Runner. In recent years
your two cards. If they are wrong though, they lose an additional the Netrunner canon has been taken over by Null
life. Thus lying becomes relatively safe. More times than I can Signal Games, a non-profit organisation bringing
possibly remember, I’ve been absolutely certain my friend wasn’t new life to the game – read our feature on on this
The Duke… only for them to smile and turn over a Duke card. on page 30!

OF THE BEST
CARD GAMES
Card games are often some of the first games
we truly learn to play on our own, whether that’s
a thousand games of “Snap!” as a four year old, or
the first cheeky games of Pontoon at school for buttons or lunch money. Yet
sometimes we get waylaid as grown-ups and think we need to play “proper”
games, with boards and pieces and multiple-hour play-times. Here are a few great
entries from the world of great card games. Words by Chris Lowry

3 LORD OF THE RINGS LCG

Lots of people have the impression that collectable card games involve buying thousands
of packs, hunting desperately for an elusive highly powered one. The Lord of the Rings
Living Card Game approach is much better, as the packs are simply sold in sets,
containing everything you need for each scenario. This is also a game that nails theme
better than almost any other I’ve played. You feel like you are literally in a band of adventurers, racing
down the Anduin as goblins fire barbed arrows in your direction.

4 STAR REALMS
“Deck-building for beginners” is how I’d describe Star Realms; you begin with a tiny squadron
of pitiful ships and end as the Grand Admiral of a terrible armada. The artwork is punchy and
inviting, the rules quick and straightforward, and the variability is enough to make every game
completely different. For more on this title, check out page 39 for our deeper dive into the joy
hidden in this tiny box.

40 September 2024
5 SPRAWLOPOLIS
Button Shy Games make incredibly cute little wallet
games, usually with just eighteen cards. That
limitation appears
to be exactly the
spark needed to facilitate truly
incredible ideas. The sheer range of
their gaming experiences is vast, but
6 RACE FOR THE
GALAXY
If you enjoyed the sci-fi setting
and deck evolution of Star
Realms, then Race for the Galaxy is the grown
up version. It takes longer, there are many more
paths to victory, and many more pitfalls waiting
Sprawlopolis is the one I keep coming for you. It’s also got much more room for serious
back to. A tiny city builder, that brings strategy and the satisfaction that comes with
to mind my childhood playing SimCity executing a perfectly laid plan. If you want to set
thirty years ago, you can play solo or your games in an even larger galaxy, there are
competitively, and form a wonderful, five expansions that add variety, new mistakes to
tiny metropolis every single time. be made, and—most importantly—aliens.

7 UNO
(AND MONOPOLY
DEAL) Look, I hate to do this, but I’m going to put
Uno in the list. I actually can’t stand the game,
but I run two youth groups, and it’s just such
8 6NIMMT!
There’s a delicate balance
between luck and skill
in most of my favourite
games. 6nimmt! is a
head-to-head competition against your
mates, dropping down cards into rows
without any getting to more than five
a consistent favourite amongst people. It’s cards. If one does? You pick it up. Thus you
incredibly simple to learn but also has that are biding your time about when to play
satisfying take-that element of making your a particular number, whilst squinting at
opponent pick up an annoying fistful of extra your opponents and trying to guess which
cards. If you want something (slightly) more numbers they will play. Get it wrong and
crunchy, Monopoly Deal is also worth a look— you’ll have a punishing pile of cards and
definitely better than Monopoly! negative points to highlight your bad prediction skills.

9 TERRAFORMING
MARS: ARES
EXPEDITION
The Terraforming Mars board game
is a masterful monstrosity; together
you transform Mars into a (semi)
10 A DECK OF CARDS
It’s so easy
to forget
this, but
there is
a bottomless pit of incredible card
games hidden inside your standard
52 card deck. You probably
habitable wonderland, whilst also already know several, but if not, I’d
trying to do it in ways that benefits recommend learning the rules to
you more than your opponents. This Shed. Each player gets three cards
Ares Expedition card game variant face down, then three face up on
is much the same, although it top, then a hand of three. The aim
strips out some of the more turgid is to place all your cards, but the
elements of the parent game, and challenge is that once you’ve lost
creates a streamlined experience, your hand, you have to rely on the
that—for my money—is significantly face up cards (which everyone else can see), and then the face down cards, which
more fun. you don’t get to see until you play them!

tabletopgaming.co.uk 41
 DISNE Y GAMING ARCHI V E

A TABLETOP TIMEL
DISNEY’S GOLDEN
Diving into the archives of Disney’s tabletop releases Written by George Chrysostomou

oday, Disney and board gaming go give a shout-out to Disney Dixit for instance. everything lacked that quality finish. Just look at

T hand-in-hand. It makes complete

sense for the House of Mouse to
try and adapt some of its stories to
an interactive medium; one that
the whole family can enjoy. The history of The
Walt Disney Company in this space has been
incredibly varied. While in the modern world
The new artwork for a classic family friendly
game made it even more beautiful than its
original. Plus something like Disney Scene
It? is a relic of its era, and a great indication
of the industry in 2004. Whilst they’re not
offering much in the way of new gameplay or
mechanics, their prevalence cements their
the character pieces to see how streamlined the
execution of ideas was.

WONDERFUL WORLD OF
WALT DISNEY (1974)
One of the significant plusses of building a
game within Disney’s world is that there are
there are countless original titles on offer, place comfortably – paving the way for the so many recognisable characters and IPs
from Haunted Mansion: Call of the Spirits to games we have today. to build in and thus pique the audience’s
Disney’s very own trading card game Disney interest. This 70’s release tried to combine
Lorcana, there wasn’t always a great wealth of SNOW WHITE AND THE some of the hits of Disney’s past filmography,
imaginative tabletop experiences available. SEVEN DWARFS (1937) in a title that attempted to advance its
We want to take a look at the varied history Strangely, one of the earliest board games mechanics. The board game, which is not
of Disney’s approach to this medium. The to be designed based on a Disney movie to be confused with a later trivia title of the
focus will be placed on Disney’s primary was created by a toothbrush company. TEK same name, boasted auction awards, point
animated and live-action movies, ignoring later Toothbrush created the official title as part of tokens, an unconventional board design,
franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe a promotional scheme, encouraging kids to and the opportunity for up to 8 players to get
and Star Wars, so for now, here are some of brush their teeth. The surprisingly gorgeous involved. This was a great insight into Disney’s
the highs and lows of the creative products board game was incredibly simple in its developing partnerships, working in tandem
Disney has produced, tracing how they went execution, with players attempting to make with OMNIA for the release.
from rough adaptations to such a well-regarded their way to the centre of the board while
reputation in the community today. avoiding basic hazards. It was hardly a game- STORY-BOARDS (1989)
changer and was printed on flimsy cardboard Story-Boards from Mattel and co. was a really
ADAPTED WORKS which means very few copies remain. But imaginative use of the Disney brand and
Firstly, before diving into all of the original titles this is an early indicator of the company’s demonstrated a sense of renewed purpose
from Disney’s history, it would be criminal ambitions for the medium moving forward. for the product division. Players tried to
not to mention the company’s work in the build Disney’s famous films, rolling dice, and
board game space when linked to recognisable MARY POPPINS CAROUSEL spinning wheels so the storyboards could
names. For such a large portion of time, many GAME (1964) be pieced together to create the final run of
of Disney’s major board game releases were Fast-forward to frames. With great art, a strategic edge, and
actually associated with mainstream titles. the mega-hit Mary some unpredictable moments of play, Disney’s
The likes of Monopoly and Cluedo were givens Poppins and it was Story-Boards was a well-balanced experience
within this space, but Disney has managed to evident that Disney that the whole family could enjoy.
adapt and evolve since those early incarnations had to up its game
with titles like Colour Brain, and Codenames when it came to building tabletop titles that THE INDUSTRY TODAY
that boast mechanics that have married helped promote their other projects. The Mary Throughout this brief timeline, there’s been
seamlessly with the properties involved. And Poppins Carousel Game from Parker Brothers a common theme. Many of the games that
there are always new properties jumping on the (who also published Monopoly and later Disney released were incredibly simple and
Disney bandwagon, appeasing collectors and became a Hasbro brand) was designed with designed for younger players at mass market.
fans who are looking for a familiar link to the younger audiences in mind. Lacking any kind Outside of the branded approach, which
brand. of strategy, this was a dice-rolling game that involved titles that all ages might enjoy,
However, just because many of these games rewarded sheer luck, as players raced through Disney’s original offerings had a very specific
aren’t completely new ideas, that doesn’t familiar moments from the film to a final target audience in mind.
mean they aren’t worth exploring. We have to prize. It was a step up from past releases, but However, the late 2010s and the early 2020s

44 September 2024
LINE:
YEARS
expandable tabletop title is a cross-franchise
concept that brings together Disney’s
iconic characters in an ever-evolving battle
experience. Disney worked with The Op
Games and Rebel Sp. z o.o. to bring this to
life. With well-designed standees, a skirmish-
style gameplay, and the opportunity to always
level up, make upgrades, and bring new skills
to the player’s arsenal, Sorcerer’s Arena was
a mechanically complex yet entertaining
addition to the Disney game family.
have completely changed that formula. Now,
more complex titles are being developed that ONWARD: QUESTS OF YORE
are particularly attractive to older Disney - BARLEY’S EDITION (2022)
fans who have a deep sense of nostalgia for PIXAR’s Onward was a love letter to
the brand – like the Disney roleplaying games and paid homage to
Animated game, which saw releases like Dungeons & Dragons. What
you play as the animators of followed was the release of Quests of Yore
much-loved films rather than DISNEY through The Op Games. The title was a
characters. Indeed, those SORCERER’S genuinely immersive RPG, unlike anything
early experiences may have ARENA (2022) Disney has created previously. A deep
created many of today’s adult Inspired strangely by rulebook, the addition of minis, and world-
players. We have to highlight the mobile game of building that fully welcomed players into the
a couple of particularly the same name, this cinematic universe all highlighted how much
unique entries that indicate potential there is in
where the industry is today: a larger Disney RPG.

DISNEY VILLAINOUS Disney is

(2018) experiencing a
The likes of 2018’s Disney Villainous are true boom in the
beautiful displays of Disney and its design tabletop world as
partners pushing for new ideas and striving the industry itself
for gameplay that is both thrilling, varied, and thrives, but without
quality-focused. The board gaming medium those prior ups and
has also matured and Disney has had to keep downs, it wouldn’t
up with those changing times. It brings us have any presence
asymmetric game play, and a mix of villains in the landscape
from Disney’s history. now. *

tabletopgaming.co.uk 45
 ES SEN SPIEL

BEGINNER’S
of a convention where you’ll find everything
from Asmodee to some strange guys dressed
as pirates selling strong fantasy-themed beer.
You’ll get second hand bargains alongside the
latest minis and terrifyingly overpriced dice,

GUIDE TO tiny publishers alongside industry giants,

and everything from T-shirts to mugs and
plates. If you don’t like crowds, browsing, and
shopping, you may be better off elsewhere.

ATTENDING TRAINS, CARS,

AND PLANES
The closest airport to Essen is Dusseldorf,
and you’ll find regular flights from most UK

ESSEN SPIEL
Some convention(al) wisdom Written by Chris Marling
international airports. Dortmund is another
option, and while it is roughly the same
distance from Essen (about an hour by public
transport), it has fewer arrivals.
I prefer the train, which is a more complex
endeavour. Head to Brussels on the Eurostar,
f you’re into tabletop gaming, the chances is starting to look a little like a mini version, and then it is usually two trains (via Cologne)

I are you’ve of Essen Spiel. It tends to

be referred to as such, or sometimes
just Essen, sometimes just Spiel, but
technically it’s full name is SPIEL Essen.
Held every year during the October schools’
half-term in Germany (so the week varies), it
is the largest annual board game convention
Essen Spiel is unique compared to it, or any
other UK con you’ve visited.
The most fundamental difference is you
won’t find halls to play games in at Spiel.
Despite being held in Messe Essen, a vast
conference centre even the Spiel fails to fill,
open play is not catered for. Yes, you can play
into central Essen. It is possible to do the
journey in six hours from London which, when
you include transfers, isn’t bad. Also, you can
take as much luggage as you like.
Another option is driving, especially if you
intend to pick up a lot of large games or are
going in a group. Essen is a five-hour drive
in the world. While the big US cons are now games at the con; but only on the limited from Calais, France, and the roads tend to be a
challenging its crown, you’ll still find more tables set up by publishers to help teach and less liable for hold-ups compared with the UK.
games released (usually close to 1,000!) and sell their games. You play the game that’s set
on sale at Essen than at any other event. This up on the table, not one you brought along. WHERE TO STAY
year, it’s taking place from the 3rd to the 6th Essen Spiel is essentially a trade fair (AND PLAY)
of October, so we’ve got some tips if you’re with added retail. Every major board game While Essen has a huge conference centre, and
thinking about going. publisher (and most of the small ones) comes the weight of hotels you’d expect to service
to Essen and uses its time to make deals, from one, it doesn’t stop there from being incredibly
SHOULD YOU GO TO taking designer pitches to arranging global high prices and limited space during Essen
ESSEN? distribution deals. It just so happens that while Spiel. Try to book early, and look out for new
Just because it’s awe-inspiringly big and they’re doing that behind the scenes, their hotels or AirB&Bs that might not have caught
awesome in many ways, it doesn’t mean staff are also selling you their latest products. on to how much money they can make from
Essen Spiel is for you. While UK Games Expo What this creates is a packed, hectic, mess us poor gamers!

48 September 2024
 While Essen Spiel itself doesn’t cater to troubles are largely over. Tickets are around ESSEN ITSELF
gamers who want to play their purchases, 20 euros per day (Thursday to Sunday), or I tend to avoid the crush on Saturday and
thankfully the local hotels are well used to the 60 euros for a weekend pass, with discounts explore instead. While the city of Essen has
show. Most open their dining areas to gamers for children. You can buy online in advance generally improved over the last couple of
once breakfast is over each day, and they stay (advised), or just show up on the day. Just be decades, there’s not much to do. You’ll find
that way late into the night. Most attendees aware that there are huge queues at opening plenty of shops, restaurants, and bars, but it’s
shop until they drop, and then head back to time, but these soon dissipate. not the most historic or pretty city in Germany.
their hotel or AirB&B to play their new games. One way to beat the queues is to work at the On the plus side, it does feel safe and the
I’ve made lifelong friends at stupid-o-clock in show. Many publishers take on temporary staff public transport is good.
the morning in Essen hotel bars. just for the Spiel to help demo their games. You’ll find Rüttenscheider Strasse about
If you’re driving, or are happy to begin This should get you an Exhibitor Pass, which a 10-minute walk from the halls. It is
and end your day with a train journey, there allows you to get in before the doors open packed with eateries, including the popular
are several local towns where you can find (and stay after closing). You’ll either be paid Fritzpatricks; an Irish bar with decent pub
cheaper hotels. Prices are rising as the growing properly or in games/discounts, depending food that hosts English-speaker meetups
number of attendees spreads out, but you on the vendor, but it’s a great way to reduce pretty much all week.
can still find bargains in nearby Mulheim, your costs if you’re happy to do the graft. Keep Grugapark is right outside the Messe, costs
Bochum, and Gelsenkirchen - all less than 30 an eye on the Board Game Geek forums for a few euros to get into, and is a beautiful place
minutes away. opportunities, or contact publishers directly. to spend a nice day away from the bedlam. Its
The Messe Essen Congress Center has The reason for the queues tends to be gardens are packed with wildlife, from birds
loads of parking, although it can be a bit of stock-related. Whether by design, bad luck, or of prey to deer and miniature petting goats,
a trek to the show if you’re unlucky. There incompetence, many publishers only bring a few alongside sculptures, water features, and more
are two Metro stops right outside the Messes hundred copies of their new hotness to the show. across 70 hectares.
entrances, and I’ve found the service to be, in This leads to a mad rush to certain stands each If you’re happy to travel a little for
the main, reliable. For those who like a walk, it morning, so if you come expecting to get every some history, the Zollverein Coal Mine
takes just over 30 minutes to walk from Essen game on your wishlist you may be disappointed. Industrial Complex is a 20-minute drive
Hbf (the main train station) to the halls. While the halls get incredibly busy, especially from the city. This World Heritage site used
on Saturday, there is plenty of reasonably priced to be home to 8,000 miners but is now
INSIDE MESSE ESSEN food and drink available and the queues for it are celebrated for its Bauhaus-style design. I
DURING SPIEL manageable. Look for the doors on the walkways also recommend the awesome Wuppertal
Once you’ve decided to go to Essen and have between the halls, where you’ll find some of the Suspension Monorail, which is closer to 40
your travel and accommodation booked, your best food trucks outside in the parking areas. minutes away by car. *

tabletopgaming.co.uk 49
 Step into a magical world where the essences of
Disney’s brightest heroes unite to vanquish the
sinister Darkness. Forge an unbreakable alliance as
Disney’s Moana, Maid Marian, & Belle or Pixar’s Violet.

Embark on perilous quests,

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drive back shadows of
infamous Disney villains.

Only by embracing
teamwork can you restore
the Realm of Light in
Ravensburger’s collaborative
adventure board game!

Scan to
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©Disney ©Disney/Pixar
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 SPIEL DES JAHRES

All the
Jahres
GAMES OF THE YEAR,
O YEAH? n Sunday 21st July, in an award
ceremony that went on so long
England beat the West Indies at
cricket during it, the 45th Spiel
des Jahres trophy was presented
Crime City (2021). While this reflected the
new breadth and vibrancy of game creation
around the world, it felt like the SdJ had lost
touch with its audience. If you’d bought and
enjoyed Colt Express in 2015, and picked up

YEAH!
to the designers of Sky Team. The Spiel des
Jahres is the most important games award in
the world, and by choosing the two-player
co-op over the much-fancied In The Footsteps
of Darwin and Captain Flip, the SdJ jury has The 45th Spiel des Jahres
the next year’s winner because of the SdJ’s
distinctive red poppel on its cover, would
your family have enjoyed Codenames the
same way?
Things settled down in the early 2020s,
sent a shock wave through the German games with strong shortlists and winners that were
establishment. Along the way they’ve also award was the most both critical and commercial successes.
embroiled themselves in a political row that Cascadia (2022) and Dorfromantik (2023)
they could have easily avoided, and which has surprising for years might not be hobby-level games but they
threatened to overshadow the whole thing had proper strategy, clever gameplay and
Written by James Wallis
To understand exactly what happened and strong replayability. What’s more, they
why, it helps if you know a little of the almost- both came from strong shortlists. In fact the
five-decade history of the Spiel des Jahres, and usher in the renaissance in tabletop games. 2022 and 2023 shortlists were remarkably
how an award for German-language games Two of the first six winners were British, and similar: each one had a game about building
has risen to become so important to the global none since. At its height in the 1990s, winning an environment by adding terrain-based
market. Unfortunately, there is only one book the Spiel des Jahres would boost a game’s hexagonal tiles to a map, a lightweight party
on the history of the SdJ, Everybody Wins, sales by half a million copies. The main award game about putting things in the right order
and I wrote it, and it’s too early in this article was joined in 1989 by the Kinderspiel des (Top Ten and Fun Facts), and a clever game
for me to be plugging my own work. You may Jahres, for kids’ games, and in 2011 by the with great graphic design in a small box (Scout
remember ‘All the Jahres’, the column I wrote Kennerspiel, for aficionados’ games. and Next Station London).
in this magazine that it was based on. But for In the run-up to the announcement of the
everyone else, here’s a one-paragraph recap. CHANGING TIMES 2024 shortlists there was a fair amount of
The Spiel des Jahres was set up in the late In the 2010s there was a sense that the award, debate. Would the three games fall into similar
1970s by a group of German games journalists or the people deciding it, had lost sense of categories? Had the SdJ become predictable?
who wanted to raise the profile of their a direction for the award. The winners were However, when 11th June dawned and
industry against what was then the dominant almost all good games but they varied widely, long-time jury chair Harald Schrapers and
force in global games, the UK. Awarded from proper games with good strategy and Kinderspiel jury chair Christoph Schlewinski
annually by a panel of experts, the award lovely bits like Azul (2018) to party favourites presented the lists of nominees from a cosy
has gone on to champion new designers and like Just One (2019) and oddities like Hanabi games cafe in Frankfurt, what emerged was a
design styles, crown modern classics, and (2013), Pictures (2020) and MicroMacro combination that nobody had predicted.

52 September 2024
AND THE NOMINEES ARE... and pundits had been asking if the jury’s company formed by SdJ-winning designer
Each of the Spiel des Jahres’ three juries deliberations would push another similar title Antoine Bausa and ex-Repos Productions
compiles a list of nine recommended titles, to the front of the crowd. They didn’t, they supremo Thomas Provoost. It’s a light pirate-
each of which is then condensed into the three pushed two: Captain Flip by Remo Conzadori themed game of assembling a crew by drawing
shortlisted games and, a few weeks later, the and Paolo Mori, and In The Footsteps of Darwin double-sided tiles from a bag and adding them
eventual winner. This year they examined over by Grégory Grard, and Matthieu Verdier. and to one of the columns on your player board.
475 games - a remarkable number considering they are remarkably similar. The SdJ has never If you don’t like the tile you’ve drawn you can
that jury members aren’t paid, it’s an honorary put two titles so close in the same shortlist. flip it over, but you’re stuck with whatever’s
position - to compile their lists. The long Eyebrows were raised. there. Different tiles score differently, and
lists are what you might expect: there are the Captain Flip is the first some affect each other, but fundamentally it’s
strategy titles (Trekking Through History), release from Play Punx, a a simple, fast, family-friendly game with not
the party games (Schätz It If You Can) and a lot of tactics and no player interaction apart
the oddities with nice graphic design from trash-talk and complaining. It’s
(Ghost Writer, aka Phantom Ink). But the fun but it doesn’t feel like there’s
shortlist was surprising for two enough game there to qualify for
reasons: the overlap, and the SdJ, let
the unconventional. alone make
The previous the shortlist.
two Spiel It was an
des Jahres unexpected
winners choice that
had been almost
tile-layers, nobody had
predicted.

tabletopgaming.co.uk 53
 SPIEL DES JAHRES

the same time an upset so big that it’s been a worthy winner but the jury went with
shaken the normally stable world of Daybreak, giving Matt Leacock his first actual
the Spiel des Jahres and German SdJ win - he and Rob Daviau had received a
board games. As shown by In The special award for Pandemic Legacy Season 2 in
Footsteps of Darwin, 2018 but that’s not the same.
people do design It wasn’t Leacock who caused the problem.
games to try to As the two designers took to the stage to accept
win the SdJ: just their award, Menapace was wearing a small
getting shortlisted sticker on his shirt in the shape of a vertical
can boost sales slice of watermelon, symbolising solidarity
by 1000%. By with the people of Palestine (the colours of the
making Sky Team watermelon are the colours of the Palestinian
the Game of the Year, the SdJ flag; the slice is in the shape of Palestine as it
In The Footsteps of Darwin is also a game of jury has opened up whole new categories of was in the 1940s). A day later Harald Schrapers
laying square tiles onto a grid but in this one games to ambitious designers. In recent years issued a statement on behalf of the Spiel des
you get a choice of tiles, and there are many we’ve had weird and wonderful winners like Jahres jury, denouncing Menapace’s sticker
more tactical decisions to make, and all the tiles MicroMacro, pushing the definition of what a as ‘anti-Semitic’ and concluding that ‘Matteo
have lovely pictures of animals on them. The art game is. Now the oldest unspoken rule of the Menapace is no longer welcome at future events
is gorgeous, the production and presentation SdJ has been torn up: winners no longer have organized by the Spiel des Jahres association’.
top-notch. This is a beautiful game. Like to be for 4+ players by default. Obviously this has caused a good deal of
Captain Flip it cracks along at good speed and Is this important? The oldest, greatest and controversy, with bloggers and podcasters
demands to be replayed. On paper and on the most successful games the human race has ever leaping onto the subject with hot takes from
tabletop it looks like an idea SdJ winner, but created are two-player games: senet; chess; go; all sides. Menapace issued his own statement,
the publishers may have shot themselves in the mancala; backgammon; rithmomachia; the denying any anti-Semitism and expressing
foot by saying publicly that they had designed Pokémon CCG; okay, not rithmomachia. To solidarity with the people of Palestine. There’s
and packaged it specifically to win the Spiel exclude this whole category from the world’s no doubt that Germans are more sensitive to
des Jahres. If there’s one thing an awards jury biggest games award was at best arbitrary, at anything that hints at anti-Semitism than most
dislikes, it’s being told how to do their job. worst blinkered and self-harming. The jury’s other countries, but even given that, this seems
The third game was completely different, decision to finally change it is long overdue. like an over-reaction, particularly when the SdJ
to the extent that it’s almost an aberration. No statement invoked the name of its ‘Spielend für
two-player game has ever won the Spiel des WATERMELON SUGAR Toleranz’ programme that exists to stamp out
Jahres; in fact, since the year 2000 only one And that would have been enough to leave racism and xenophobia in gaming. Whatever
other has been nominated (Jambo, in 2005). 2024 as a vintage year for the SdJ, except for you make of it, whichever side you take, it has
Yet there’s no question that Sky Team by Luc what happened in the Kennerspiel. It was a left an unpleasant cloud hanging over a Spiel
Rémond deserves its place on its nominee strong shortlist: Daybreak by Matt Leacock des Jahres ceremony that had anointed some
list: this co-op game of Yahtzee-on-a-plane and Matteo Menapace (the game is known excellent winners and showed the state of
has been a huge hit, creating tension and in Germany as gaming looking firmly at a bright future. 2025 is
exhilaration in equal measures. ‘e-Mission’); going to be an interesting year. *

IN THE FAMILY WAY? James Wallis is the author of

But the Spiel des Jahres is a mainstream Everybody Wins: Four Decades of
award and there’s an unspoken word in the Greatest Board Games Ever
front of it: ‘Family’. Paradoxically it’s not Made (Asmodee, 2022).
an award for people like us who read
magazines about board games - that’s the
Kennerspiel, which we’ll get to in a minute
- but for casual players who might buy one
or two new titles a year and play them after
dinner after a family gathering. History has
shown that SdJ winners that fit that dynamic
do well, and ones that don’t, don’t. Two-player
games, for obvious reasons, fall outside that...
or at least they used to. It’s 2024, and family The Guild of Merchant Explorers by Matthew
units are not the same as they were forty-five Dunstan and Brett Gilbert, the latter the only
years ago. Maybe it’s time for a change. British nominee for any SdJ award in the last
I’ll cut to the punchline, which you fifteen years; and Ticket to Ride Legacy by Matt
probably already know: Sky Team won. A Leacock again, Rob Daviau and Alan Moon.
deserved win, difficult to argue with, and at Any one could have taken it and would have

54 September 2024
around the world in 80 plays
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Words by Chad Wilkinson

Arts, also released two more of Al Qadi’s

designs; All Time Wrestling and One
Earth. Whilst the former is a fast-paced
recreation of wrestling with several modes
of play, One Earth is a more sober offering
focusing on competing nations and their
attempts at sustainability. The game is
a collaboration with Abu Dhabi energy
company, Masdar, who have been leading
efforts to supply clean energy to the
region and overseas. Further information
oday, we’re in 2015 by Mark Azzam, Back on the theme can be found by scanning

T off to the
United Arab
Emirates;
a country
that presents itself as
exceedingly modern,
particularly in regard
to Games is the heart of the
country’s tabletop scene. Its
success has led to the opening
of a second store in Dubai and
another in Abu Dhabi, alongside
Azzam becoming a shareholder
in Boardgame Space, a company
the box’s QR code - a nifty concept also
used on Conqueror.
Another notable Emirati design is
Sharjah: The Board Game, developed by
brothers Hamid, Mohamed, Majid and Ali
Al Bastaki. This gateway-level, economic
card and board game transports players to
to architecture and that localises and imports games the bustling souk of 1978 Sharjah, where
tourism. Nonetheless, to the region. players compete to become the wealthiest
there are still some Back to Games can also pride merchant. The board is designed to
generations who itself on stocking what represent an aerial view of the iconic souk,
remember the quaint is believed incorporating its Islamic architecture, with
traditional games of their youth such to be the the cards’ borders representing the ornate
as Khoosa Boosa and Al Saggala. country’s window patterns. The game was conceived
Indeed, some of these games have first Emirati a year after the brothers opened the
informed a new exhibition at the designed gaming cafe Racks and wanted to create
Al Qattara Arts Centre in Al Ain, game; a more relatable game to sit alongside
where artists have reimagined these Conqueror: the multitude of other designs based on
pastimes within their mediums. Final famous places.
Whilst not included in the Conquest. This As we depart from the Arab Peninsula,
exhibition, Hatha bayt mennou is epic, Risk-style we can look back and find comfort in the
an interesting memory game where game sees players fact that beneath the looming, futuristic
one player draws an image of someone’s recreating ancient battles using lovingly towers dominating the skyline, there’s a
house whilst the other players try to figure produced meeples, cards, coins, and dice. humbling passion for all things tabletop
out whose it is. Another game, Motor Bou Feeling frustrated with other similar games, brewing healthily amongst the cafes and
Ajal, leans more toward the DIY spectrum designer Mohamed Al Qadi introduced some small publishers of the Emirates. *
of gaming seen in things like Gaslands. innovative mechanics to Conqueror, including
Essentially, children would compete at a rule whereby other players can bribe an
building the best model cars out of scrap opponent’s troops to join them if that
found in their environment - tin cans, wire, player is taking too long with their
and wood - sometimes racing them around turn. Addressing the thematics of this,
using a piece of string. As rudimentary as Al Qadi notes that “if you are taking
these games are, they nonetheless develop too long, your troops are frustrated
the kind of useful skills which are distinctly with you so it makes sense for another
lacking in games like Monopoly or Ludo. player to win them over.”
As well as falling just behind Saudi Arabia Last year, a second edition,
in regard to overall game sales, the Emirates Conqueror: Empire Rises, was
is also home to the Gulf region’s largest successfully funded on Gamefound,
gaming store; Back to Games. Founded whilst the Emirati publisher, Cation

tabletopgaming.co.uk 55
MYCELIA
The fun guy of family games

F A M I LY G A M E S
Designer: Daniel Greiner | Publisher: Ravensburger 45m 1-4 9+ £28

oard games love an eclectic how much you’re actually starting to

B theme. We’ve made trains fun.

Birds fun. A pandemic fun
(or it felt like it until we had to live
strategise before you’re deep in the
undergrowth. Take for instance the tiny
little well-like structure (sorry, Shrine
WHAT’S IN
THE BOX?
◗ 100 Cards
through one). Now we’re having a of Life). It’s a slightly elevated hole filled ◗ 4 Game Boards
crack at making fungi fun, though circular dial that you put your dewdrops ◗ Shrine
we’re one step ahead given it’s in the onto when they’re removed from your ◗ 72 Leaves
name. Mycelia, the deck-building board. At a certain point, you spin the ◗ 80 Dewdrops
◗ Starting player

STRATEGY GAMES
family game therefore, is off to a dial. With a tiny gap and tunnel beneath
winning start. it, it causes all of the dewdrops to maker
The premise of the game is… spill across the table, and rolls a ◗ 2 Shrine Fields
◗ 4 Supply cards
well, it’s fine. Neither super cool dice for some more drops.
◗ 4 Set up cards
nor bad. In theory, in Mycelia we’re Mechanically, it’s practically ◗ 14 Action Cards
◗ Forest Die
◗ Instructions

CARD GAMES
bringing sacred pointless. You could just have a

ROLEPLAYING GAMES
dewdrops (tiny Add in an infrequent drop tracker of some kind, but… it's
pretty counters) to the Shrine of Life of more dewdrops, and you're away. satisfying, it’s visual and interactive.
(a funky construct in the centre of the It’s My First Deck Builder Game, No one forgets to do it, because it's
table), in order to receive the forest where newer gamers can begin their fun. Much like the brightly coloured,
goddess’ support (clear our board to strategy and deck-building journey. The forest art, or the little mushroom TRY THIS IF
win). We’re helped by forest dwellers requirement to play all the cards you characters on the cards. Thematically, YOU LIKED…
(mushroom themed cards) that help hold stops any analysis paralysis, as you they don’t need personalities, but that HORRIFIED
us move and remove the dewdrops, or always know the next action, even if it’s didn’t stop one of my fellow players The themes are
to gain leaves (money), to attract more not the perfect one, and that’s helpful gleefully naming them. different, but the
dwellers (buy more cards). for any infrequent or new gamers. And Mycelia therefore is a really fun little same foundations
How that works in practice is pretty from that angle, as the cards are icon game. Whilst I think its biggest value exist – a family
friendly game that
straightforward. Each player has their lead, whilst they do take a few rounds is in families wanting to game with
MINIATURES/WARGAMES

quietly brings you

own player board, where dewdrops to remember, it’s a boon for younger younger players, it remains solid for deeper into the
have been assigned. You aim to remove players. As long as someone can teach gamers who are looking for something hobby.
dewdrops from your board, and you it, everyone else can play it. So much so light, for a delve into a deck builder, or
can only do so with the cards you have that the 9+ age rating seems suprising just those of us who need a break from
or have bought from the central market, –perhaps due more to small parts than a heavy euro or two.
or by benefitting from others. You must complexity. CHARLIE PETTIT
play all three cards you draw per turn, The game excels in keeping things
though you don’t have to use its effects,
and when you run out of cards, you
simple, fun, and visually engaging, so
you almost don’t notice the plot even
❚ PLAY IT? Y E S
Mycelia is a carefully balanced, really
shuffle your discard pile and go again. when you’re aware of it, or realise fun, family-friendly game.

tabletopgaming.co.uk 57
 P L AY E D

CAUTION SIGNS
Under-pressure creativity = guaranteed hilarity
Designer: Wacky Wizard Games 20-30m 3-9 8+ £25

simply a bad smell? How does one

depict creepiness in a crocodile or
sassiness in a construction worker?
With 100 descriptor cards and 100
subject cards to choose from,
there are 10,000 hilarious
possible combinations you could
be faced with.
Although it’s not the type of game
you’d play every week, it’s a great
party game to have ready to go and
ou’re handed a collected, shuffled, and handed to the you won’t quickly exhaust all the

Y hastily hand-drawn
sign warning you of a
caution ahead. Staring back at you is a
guesser, who is then presented with
a hilarious gallery of drawings. They
must do their best to accurately assign
cards in just a couple of games.
In all honesty, it’s tough to find
something to criticise about this
stony-faced winged creature wielding the word cards to the drawings they game. As someone who loves a
what could be a shovel, a saw, or inspired. family-friendly party game that’s
maybe a giant spatula. Could you Drawers score points depending simple to learn and quick to get
identify the hazard? on how many of the word cards are playing, this one ticks all the boxes.
Whether you and your friends are correctly attributed to their drawing Every round has guaranteed laughs,
incredible illustrators or have dismal WHAT’S IN by the guesser. The guesser gets points right from the drawer’s disbelief when
drawing skills, you’ll still find lots of THE BOX? too if they correctly guess both word contemplating how on earth they’re
◗ 100 Descriptor
hilarious fun in Caution Signs. Each cards for each drawing, and perfect meant to depict something so obscure
cards
round you are faced with peculiar ◗ 100 Subject cards identification also gains a bonus yet half-recognisable in twenty
hazards you’ll need to warn others ◗ 8 Dry-erase point for the drawer as their caution seconds, to the utterly laughable
about, and the only tools you possess sketching boards sign has been a success, and thus the confusion on behalf of the guesser
to warn them are your questionable ◗ 8 Dry-erase markers strange hazard has been averted! as they behold the gallery of crazy
artistic abilities and a minimal ◗ Dry-erase Twenty seconds is a great limitation sketches.
window of time. scoreboard, on the drawing phase of the game. To top it all off, everything you
Each round has one guesser and ◗ Rulebook Anything longer and it becomes a need is in a pretty compact little box,
everyone else is a drawer, (the more bit too easy, anything shorter and its without the burden of lots of faffy bits
players you have the better). Drawers near-impossible. But twenty seconds and bobs. Just cards, whiteboards,
select two secret cards, one with an gives the drawers just enough time to pens, and you’re good to go.
adjective and one with a noun, and scrawl a fairly recognisable subject, KIM WELLENS

❚
they have just twenty seconds to draw whilst leaving the guesser open to
whatever they’re faced with. Sounds questioning which descriptor best
PLAY IT? M U S T - P L A Y
If you enjoy games where you get
simple? You try drawing a toxic represents what the heck might be to exercise your creativity and
lumberjack in less time than it takes going on. Do those random squiggles unconvincing artistic ability, this has
to re-heat yesterday’s pizza and then represent flexibility, dance moves, or that added dose of hilarity.
tell me it’s simple.
At the end of twenty frantic TRY THIS IF YOU LIKED… TELESTRATIONS
seconds, all the secret cards are A comical and creative party game that guarantees a laugh-out-loud every round

58 September 2024
 F A M I LY G A M E S
WHAT’S IN
THE BOX?
◗ 7 Ship tiles
◗ 5 Character sheets
◗ 7 Alien ship
oversized cards
◗ 49 Standard cards
◗ 131 Tokens
◗ 15 Dice
◗ Rulebook

STRATEGY GAMES
SPARK RIDERS 3000
An app-driven space adventure
Designer: Louis Arkada | Publisher: Arkada Studio 60-90m 1-4 10+ £28

he “oh my god, our ship is experience that would likewise appeal app-driven games, as the balance of

T about to explode” genre is

an old one. Games like Space
Alert and Galaxy Trucker are still
to more experienced gamers.
The real joy–and what elevates this
game–is the narrative structure. In
app to table time is well-measured. It
never feels as though you’re playing a
video game with physical components

CARD GAMES
veritable classics, deserving every between fights where you’re staving attached. This feels like an evolution
bit of recognition. Spark Riders 3000 off attackers in the tower-defence of Space Alert, trading out the real-
seeks to modernise this concept. format, you’re presented with narrative time lunacy for narrative adventure.
Instead of an old-school CD, it utilises passages courtesy of the app. The It may not ultimately attain a similar
a free application that runs the game, various aliens and quirky characters classic status, but it’s a remarkably
controlling enemy activations, feeding come to life with lovely voice acting lean and modern affair that brings
random events to the players, and that is distinct and humorous. The joyful play to the forefront.
containing the very structure of the writing is solid and the overall tone is The only moments this one
branching narrative scenarios that a treat. What’s even more interesting stumbles are the occasional

ROLEPLAYING GAMES
are embarked upon each session. The is how the game presents key decision encounters that stretch a little too
app is a resounding success, and it’s points that it foists upon the group, and long. When combat expands to
the foundation upon which all of this how these choices result in a divergent several rounds, the game drags just TRY THIS IF
game is built. narrative that results in unpredictable a little. This can stall the momentum YOU LIKED…
This is really a cooperative and dramatic play. due to the repetition, that is until the
SPACE ALERT
The whole idea
adventure game. Space Alert is indeed You will run into total oddballs and narrative interjection returns and the of this game is a
the closest analogue, as you are must decide whether to trust or work whole thing is given a jolt. spruced up and
constantly under assault and forced against them. You will choose whether If you are not opposed to app- re-imagined Space
to defend your ship. Play alternates to take excessive risks in the search for driven games and if you’re into the Alert. It succeeds
between participants as you run glory, or play it safe and avoid danger. idea of the spacefaring tower defence magnificently, not
room-to-room manning weapons These key moments provide for strong format, Spark Riders 3000 delivers. replacing that
and repairing damage. Everything variety, as replaying the same mission This game has escaped wider praise classic game,
MINIATURES/WARGAMES

is always on fire and there’s never can result in very different outcomes due to a lack of wide-retail availability, but working as
its own concept
a moment of peace. There is a neat and encounters. but it’s the type of product that will
that builds upon
element of creativity here as you’re Spark Riders 3000 is a very sound endure and find its market. The its predecessor’s
able to build new modules, deciding game. It doesn’t attempt too much, quality is absolutely there. genius.
whether to deck out your spacecraft opting for simplicity and speed of CHARLIE THEEL
with better weapons or more sturdy
defences. The action point system
play. The flavour is all imparted
courtesy of the application, and it
❚ PLAY IT? Y E S
This is the modernisation of several
intersects well with this construction works strongly to colour the game classic concepts, beautifully realised
and the enemy activation to form and present a meaningful experience. with a compelling app and strong
a straightforward family-weight This is certainly one of the stronger narrative passages.

tabletopgaming.co.uk 59
 A new and exciting centre for many
different types of gaming in Guernsey.
Come and discover for yourself
what’s in store and join in
many events and activities!
Stockists of Board, Card,
Computer, RPG & Video Games.

Unit 5, The Albany, St. Peter Port,

Guernsey, GY1 1AE
Tel: 01481 712240
Facebook: Facebook.com/JustGamesGsy
www.justgamesgsy.co.uk
AKROPOLIS
Rome wasn’t built in a day, but Greece can be in 20 minutes

F A M I LY G A M E S
Designer: Jules Messaud | Publisher: Gigamic 20-30m 1-4 8+ £25

elcome to your own Greek could choose to build on top of what play… we’ll play again, right? After all,

W city, where you are the

architect in charge. Using
pieces of different colours, you’ll place
you’ve already done, and elevated
pieces earn you more points, but
they do replace those beneath it. The
I’m determined to make more use of
the plazas, which are multipliers, but -
oh, out of time once again. Right, this
them in the best spots to create point outlier to this is the Quarry piece, time I’m going to…
scoring combinations – except those which has no points but which It’s a gorgeous little thinky, puzzly
pieces are in funky shapes, making it when built on gives the equivalent tile laying game that never gets too
a bit of a puzzle in itself. But when you number back in in-game currency. much. It never feels overwhelming, it

STRATEGY GAMES
don’t want to build outwards, there’s This allows you to poach those pieces never goes on too long and outstays
always upwards! in the centre, beginning the mental its welcome, and it never begins life WHAT’S IN
Let’s delve in a little deeper. Each gymnastics once again… too daunting for newcomers, or too THE BOX?
◗ 61 City tiles
round, you select a piece from five in The pieces are exceedingly pleasing simple for frequent gamers. It’s very
◗ 4 Starting tiles
the centre. The piece on the far left – hexagons, but three together, cleverly balanced, very enjoyably ◗ 40 Stone cubes
is free, but you’ll have to pay using making it feel like a honeycomb of scored, and very easy too to convince ◗ Chief Architect
precious currency in increasing pieces that, though they’ll always fit, others to play. Whilst I don’t think the marker
amounts the further the piece you might not go exactly in the order you solo mode is a stand out, I do think ◗ Scorepad
want is to the right. As with all of this want them to. Realising it’s an almost it’s a brilliantly light game for a group, ◗ Rules
kind, it starts out being “what piece perfect piece, but not quite, is both and for bigger player counts, you can
do I want?”, becomes “what piece do I infuriating and motivating. Right, I just add more copies.
need to get before my opponents do?” need to think about this next time I And one last thing – it comes pre-
and ends at “what pieces do I need to punched and with little cardboard
get to stop my opponents doing what divider holders. After
they’re doing before they do it?”. Once I’d spent twenty

CARD GAMES
the mental gymnastics are out of the minutes
way, you place the tile in your city. punching
You have choices. You can place it out
next to the current pieces, hopefully every
placing different tile types in their
optimum spaces for point scoring at
the end. Districts (houses, markets,
barracks, temples and gardens) give
you points if conditions are met, but

ROLEPLAYING GAMES
Plazas can multiply your points, so it
can be worth carefully specialising. TRY THIS IF
If not next to the current pieces, you YOU LIKED…
tiny SPRAWL-
aspect OPOLIS
of the If you love
game considering the
that went before it, this was absolute perfect placement,
as in Sprawlopolis,
bliss. Sure, I only have the pain of
but want more
punching once per new game, but height, Akropolis is
hey, that’s practically another game of the one.
this we could play in the time it could
MINIATURES/WARGAMES

have taken otherwise, and I have a

little mental nod of approval every
time I’ve opened it since. It’s the little
things sometimes.
CHARLIE PETTIT

❚ PLAY IT? Y E S
Quick, straightforward to learn, with
enough depth and strategy to invite
you back again and again.

tabletopgaming.co.uk 61
 P L AY E D

BELRATTI
Don’t get caught in the rat trap!
Designer: Michael Loth | Publisher: Kosmos 20-30m 3-7 8+ £15

unning a museum is hard! read the minds of your artist players,

R Belratti is a cooperative party

game in which players have to
try and work out which paintings were
there’s a perverse joy in trying to
determine whether that painting of a
chessboard is supposed to pair with
submitted by their team and which the pizza box theme or whether it’s
were sneakily added to the docket by an unfortunate random fake. Just as
the infamous forger “Belratti”. in modern classics like Wavelength
Each round, the table is split and The Same Game, Belratti is a
into directors and artists. Directors vector for playful arguments between
reveal two cards from the deck, each friends and feels designed to balance However, I think the game would
of which depicts an object of some punishing overconfidence with the work fine without them. There’s even
kind. The revealed objects form the WHAT’S IN need to make occasional wild stabs in a way to buy them back for re-use,
two “themes” for the round and the THE BOX? the dark. but in all my games of this, we never
directors must then decide how many ◗ 192 Painting Cards Depending on your stance, it’s quite managed the very specific set of
paintings the artists must supply. It’s ◗ 7 Character Cards either quite frustrating or very funny requirements to do so.
◗ Belratti Card
then down to the remaining players to watch the director players flip over This is a fantastic party game that
◗ 5 Jokers
to work out which cards from their ◗ 5 Paint Brush a card you realise is a forgery but that grows with the number of players.
collective hands they can put down Tokens matches the theme so much better The more voices at the table to argue
that match one of the two themes than anything you have contributed. about whether a painting of a bee
presented to them. Communication is You sit in silence, hoping your is more closely related to a guitar or
limited and you have to try and intuit teammates can use subtext and prior a wheelbarrow the better. The rules
who has the best options. After the knowledge to deduce what cards you are breezy and easy to follow and the
paintings have been submitted, a few might be hoping to score. For my scoring generally feels fair, if you’re
more are added at random from the playgroup and I, it was a hit, it doesn’t the type of group to push for high
deck, the work of Belratti the forger! take long to play so losing to a few scores then there’s a good puzzle to
Points are scored based on how random flips off the deck never feels enjoy here too.
well the directors can sort the real punishing and as often with party It’s a small box with a lot of fun
from the fake and assign them to the games the cliché is true, it really is packed into it and I’m always up for
correct theme. Once Belratti sneaks about the journey, not the destination. another round!
too many forgeries into the museum, There are bonus powers that you DAN YORK
the game ends. can use to help make a few tough
This has all the trappings of a great
party game, it’s easy to teach and the
rounds a bit easier, they feel nice and
well thought-out, mitigating some
❚PLAY IT? Y E S
A great icebreaker to see how well you
rules are straightforward to grasp of the luck inherent in the system. and your friends think alike.
for all players. I’m a big fan of how
well it suits a larger group of players, TRY THIS IF YOU LIKED… HERD MENTALITY
something not always easy to find. A little less competitive and a little more abstract, Belratti and Herd Mentality
A lot of the fun comes from trying to are both great for seeing how well you can think like someone else.

62 September 2024
EXPEDITIONS:
AROUND THE WORLD

F A M I LY G A M E S
Around the world in 45 minutes
Designer: Super Meeple | Publisher: Wolfgang Kramer 30-45m 2-6 8+ £30

his is not the first outing for which onward travel is made possible The four destinations each player
WHAT’S IN

T Expeditions: Around The

World. Originally released
in 1985 under the guise of Wildlife
via plastic arrows, laid track style –
rather like the coloured trains in Ticket
To Ride. There are three routes, known
must reveal are then marked on the
board using tokens. When one of
these is reached, the owner receives
THE BOX?
◗ Game Board
◗ 80 Expedition cards
◗ 135 Arrows in 3
Adventure, this route builder returns as expeditions, which set forth across their token back – winning another colours
with a revamp from Super Meeple. the board. Nobody takes ownership of extra point. Any uncollected tokens ◗ 40 Tickets
◗ 24 Tokens in 6

STRATEGY GAMES
Despite the overhaul, it remains any one expedition, however, and this are subtracted from a player’s end
uncomplicated by modern hobby is where the game hits its sweet spot. score, and while it will irk everyone colours
standards – it is board-based, has Player 1, for example, may have laid to visit an opponent’s token and ◗ 4 Player aids
few components, and excursions an arrow heading out towards Puerto reluctantly boost their score, it is often
play out in less than an hour – all Rico, only for Player 2 to lay the next a necessary evil for completing a
of which begs the question as to arrow heading back towards Canada. personal travel plan.
why, in this gloriously golden age Cue much exasperation, to everyone The communal objective
of games, was it relevant to revise? else’s amusement. destinations provide small point-
Upon playing it, you are likely to draw While detours can be maddening, scoring opportunities at the end
two conclusions: 1. Some similarity they can also be helpful. Whenever (every little helps, as this game is
to global hit, Ticket To Ride. 2. The an arrow arrives at a named location, a low scorer), and a slight level
popularity of BBC One’s Race Across players can reveal a matching of complexity lies in the ability to
The World. destination card from their hand (if create a loop on an expedition, and
Like the aforementioned TV show’s they have it) to earn a point – useful then spur off at any point in a new
contestants, players must navigate as the end of the game is triggered direction. Extra arrow placement

CARD GAMES
their way from point A on the map to by a player revealing all their starting symbols and ticket tokens afford some
several stop gaps along the way. These cards. All but four of these starting country-hopping combo-ing, but
differ for each traveller, although cards remain secret for each player, so beyond that this is a straightforward
everyone has the chance to claim it is very satisfying when an opponent game with straightforward mechanics.
communal objective destinations too. thinks themselves sly by redirecting The itinerary is largely: place an
Point A is always and forever Germany an expedition, only for it to arrive arrow, reveal a card. The next person’s
(where the game was designed), after at a destination someone else has. turn. Place an arrow, reveal a card...
Destinations skew more towards
geographical and historical points

ROLEPLAYING GAMES
of interest – Babylon, Machu Piccu –
accompanied by fact-y descriptions, TRY THIS IF
making it feel somewhat like an YOU LIKED…
educational tool at times. And TICKET TO
with that considered alongside the RIDE: FIRST
illustrated map, Expeditions: Around
JOURNEY
Expeditions:
The World is ultimately a family Around The World
getaway rather than the trip of a is a logical next
lifetime. It’s a bit like one of those destination after
child-friendly package holidays: Ticket to Ride: First
the kids will enjoy it (for now), and Journey, providing
parents will make the most of it (while a small upgrade
MINIATURES/WARGAMES

wishing they were somewhere more on mechanics and

sophisticated), but, in the long run, artwork.
everyone will crave an expedition with
more style and more substance.
JENNY COX
❚ PLAY IT? M A Y B E
Families are the best fit here, but the
limited complexity might make it a
short stopover on their board-gaming
travels.

tabletopgaming.co.uk 63
UNDAUNTED 2200: CALLISTO
Deckbuilding and Skirmishing and Mechs, oh my!

F A M I LY G A M E S
Designer: David Thompson & Trevor Benjamin | Publisher: Osprey Games 45-60m 2-4 14+ £65

e’ve come a long way since pushes you to make tough decisions The decision to use eight

W Normandy. Undaunted
2200: Callisto is the most
recent offering in Osprey’s revered
between when to advance your game
plan and when to bolster your deck.
What an excellent game! The
dedicated boards instead of a
modular system means that there’s
so much creativity in the layouts
Undaunted series, unlike the rest asymmetry between the two factions; and objectives, the artwork reflects
however, this one sees two players The Breakers, a squad of hardened hazards and terrain to help
deckbuilding and skirmishing miners on the defence against The LFA, explain related rules visually,
to resolve a resource conflict on the galactic governmental authority is and the maps feel like they were

STRATEGY GAMES
23rd-century Jupiter. The core of fully sold through both the gameplay designed with a purpose. A new
the rules will be familiar to fans of and the production. Each side plays mechanic to the series is elevation,
previous instalments, each player differently, one team consisting of different types of hit dice are rolled in
has a number of fighting squads in sturdy generalist units with a focus on combat based on the relative height
a combat scenario and a small deck careful positioning and group tactics, between the combatants. This adds an
representing your ability to command the other dominated by domineering extra strategic layer to each decision
those units around the battlefield to mechs, literally standing tall above the and how you go about navigating the
achieve their objectives first. At the board, stomping their way towards terrain.
start of each round, players bid for objectives. The mechanical differences The only major criticism I have is
initiative, spending a card in their are strong, but the skirmishes always with the rulebook. It’s not perfect,
hand to try to act first, before using feel balanced and close, even if some there’s some unclear text, some rules
the rest of their hand to take actions. maps favour one side sometimes. that go underexplained and a few WHAT’S IN
These include moving units, capturing The standee mech units are a boon times when we had to guess how we THE BOX?
objectives and rolling dice for combat. to table presence, thematically they were supposed to interact with some ◗ 68 Breaker cards
Most scenarios can be completed by drive the story and set the two objects in play. It’s ◗ 67 LFA cards
◗ 21 Personnel

CARD GAMES
either capturing certain key objectives factions up as different, not a dealbreaker,
or by inflicting enough casualties on while mechanically but it’s a shame counters
your foe to rout them. they also pose and could ◗ 42 Control markers
◗ 7 Mech standees
Deckbuilding is a big part of a unique set make getting
◗ 3 Rulebooks
Callisto, you can spend actions to add of deckbuilding through a ◗ 32 Combat barkers
more of a squad’s designated card into options, with their first campaign ◗ 12 Dice
your deck, letting that squad act more movement and somewhat
often, but those cards also act as the combat abilities each annoying.
life of your forces, taking damage by being tied to different There’s not

ROLEPLAYING GAMES
permanently removing a card from cards. Another enough time in TRY THIS IF
your deck until they are eventually wrinkle in the fabric the day or space YOU LIKED…
defeated. The Undaunted system of each fight. on the page to UNDAUNTED:
tell you all the NORMANDY
Undaunted 2200:
things I love about this game.
Callisto is perfect
The asymmetric gameplay and tight for people who loved
deckbuilding decisions make for an the tight campaign
amazing two-player experience. There of the WWII classic
is the option for four players, which is but want the
also a great time for commanders who asymmetry cranked
prefer to share the battlefield with a up a notch.
partner. The maps are all interesting
MINIATURES/WARGAMES

and well thought out and the replay

value of playing for the other side is
strong.
DAN YORK

❚ PLAY IT? M U S T - P L A Y
Exceptional asymmetric deckbuilding
skirmish gameplay, the campaign is a
manageable length and there are so
many strategies to explore.

tabletopgaming.co.uk 65
 P L AY E D

SFYNX
Devilish traps and cunning logic
Designer: David Purkiss and Olivier Derouetteau | Publisher: inPatience 15-40m 1-4 8+ £30

fynx is a new puzzle game in at the end of each player’s turn a right direction for a later solution.

S which a player or team is tasked

with completing nine puzzles
in order to gain access to the treasures
new “challenge” tile will be revealed
which interferes with the grid: Either a
number of restored tiles will become
As such much of your game time
with Sfynx will be spent discussing
the best approach to moving tiles and
of a sunken city before time runs re-cursed, or the tiles will shift in one planning, rather than just taking your
out. Certain elements of the puzzle of the four cardinal directions. There turn. This means that the play time on
room shift outside of your control and is an additional challenge, in which the box will vary wildly from group to
only the most careful thought and a revealed riddle will be put to the group.
planning will allow you to complete bottom of the deck and redrawn. This There are some events which
the challenge and win the game. at first seems like a disadvantage, but hit differently depending on when
Each turn you will re-arrange tiles actually provides the players with a they come out in the game. Some
within a 5x5 grid in such a way as better overview of the deck of riddles cause far more damage if they come
to complete the pattern on one of and allows for better planning. out later, versus others which have
nine riddles. Tiles have a “cursed” In our games of Sfynx, I’ll be little difference in impact. Because
and “restored” side, and in order to honest, the challenge was too great. of this, puzzle purists may find the
complete any riddle, the tiles must be WHAT’S IN Even on the easiest of settings, we randomness of the challenge tokens
on their restored side. There are some THE BOX? failed to complete all nine riddles a bit swingy; you could end up in a
tiles which count as wild, although the ◗ 25 Antechamber before the number of turns ran out. losing position where a different order
harder difficulty riddles don’t allow tiles This reveals the heart of the puzzle; of tokens would have allowed for a
these to be used. ◗ Game tiles there aren’t enough actions in the win.
Each turn you get two basic actions ◗ Rulebook game to simply tackle each puzzle CHRISTOPHER JARVIS
and one special action. Actions have one at a time. This is a puzzle which
some variety, but are generally either – especially at the higher difficulties – ❚ PLAY IT? M A Y B E
flipping a tile or exchanging one will require you to bear in mind every A brilliant effort has been made on the
with its neighbour. The once-per- riddle you have seen in order to make visual design and theming of this game
– it is highly evocative throughout. But,
turn special action is sometimes a your turns as efficient as possible. It
at its heart, it is an abstract puzzle.
beefed-up version of the players’ own isn’t enough to just make a swap to It will definitely suit a group or solo
actions (e.g. flipping two tiles instead get your target tile to where you need player looking for a challenging puzzle
of one) or sometimes entirely unique it, you’ll need to plan several moves with a high level of replay value due to
actions, such as sliding an entire ahead to make sure that the tiles you the inbuilt randomness of the riddles,
row or allowing for diagonal swaps. are displacing are also headed in the layout and end-of-turn events.
Each completed riddle also unlocks a
powerful single-use special action. TRY THIS IF YOU LIKED…FORBIDDEN DESERT
A little like Pandemic-style games, A little different, but if you enjoyed Forbidden Desert you may well enjoy Sfynx.

66 September 2024
LUNAR RUSH
An extraterrestrial gold rush

F A M I LY G A M E S
Designer: Steven “Skippy” Brown | Publisher: Dead Alive Games 45-75m 1-4 13+ £57

unar Rush is an economic game your material to and back from the buildings, allowing everyone to work

L focused on logistics. This type

of experience can be a dull
one, more concerned with bean
moon faster, or shipping more of it.
The slowest shuttle takes three rounds
to arrive and three to return, while the
simultaneously and save a great deal
of time.
The final phase of play is selecting
WHAT’S IN
THE BOX?
◗ Game board
◗ 4 Player boards
counting than excitement or drama. fastest arrives in the same round. return craft, again using the previous
◗ 3 Double sided
I assume that’s why it’s set on the One interesting twist is that all of bid results and player’s sacrificing
market boards
moon, embracing a storyline that is the resources you ship to the moon hold space for time. The idea is to ship ◗ Initiative board
similar to the most recent season of are free. These are used in the middle the precious resources back to Earth ◗ 214 Cards

STRATEGY GAMES
the streaming series For All Mankind. phase of the game, where players and time the markets appropriately, ◗ 41 Meeples
This certainly helps spark some life run their own personal tableaus and as the player-driven prices fluctuate ◗ 153 Cubes
into the machinery and frame the construct buildings from the material depending on how many have been ◗ 21 Tokens
central puzzle around an intriguing shipped in. The only concern for these sold previously in the game. This is a ◗ Rulebook
concept. items is space on your shuttle and the compelling concept, but it’s not clever
In this competitive affair, players time it takes to get there. If you take a in practice.
compete to establish bases and slow option, you must plan out your One of the issues with Lunar Rush
mining operations on the lunar buildings in advance so that you can is that with each successive phase
surface. The goal is to ship material yield substantial growth on the turns of play, the game loses a bit of its
from Earth to the moon, use it to when your large shipments arrive. It’s sparkle. The initial bidding is fantastic.
construct buildings, and then utilise a neat logistical challenge that can There’s a meaningful decision space
industrial might to ship rare minerals produce joyful moments. and the logistics puzzle is fun to tinker
back to Earth for profit. It’s both In addition to crafting buildings, with. The simultaneous building
a narrative and game loop that is each player also simultaneously and worker phase is less exciting.
compelling. utilises their workforce on the It’s very standard stuff for this style

CARD GAMES
The heart of the game is the moon. You have a limited number of game, and none of the buildings
coupling of bidding with limited of astronauts that can be assigned to change play-to-play. This, combined
shipping space. Each round players your various constructions. This is a with symmetry between player
bid money–which also serves as simple worker placement mechanism construction options, means it’s a
victory points–to secure various that produces various minerals to be somewhat rote exercise. Finally, the
transports that will embark to and shipped back to Earth and sold on the return shipment is almost completely
from the moon. These spacecraft open market. Part of the appeal here devoid of agency. Beyond making
balance speed with hold space, is that it’s incredibly fast as you can a quick immediate shipment with
providing a central trade-off of getting only assign workers to your personal the fastest ship, you have no idea

ROLEPLAYING GAMES
what will be worth what in future TRY THIS IF
rounds. In practice, this means you YOU LIKED…
build whatever you can in as large a MAGLEV
quantity as you can, and you hope for METRO
While both games
the best when it actually sells.
are not entirely
Lunar Rush is a tough sell, because similar, they do
it has clever bits and offers a full share an identical
experience in a relatively quick 90 focus on completing
minutes. But it also fails to really efficient deliveries.
present much new or exciting beyond There are some
that logistics system. This harms parallel sensations
its position when competing with here, and they touch
MINIATURES/WARGAMES

the vast quantity of modern board on comparable

concepts.
games and ultimately leaves it in a
precarious spot.
CHARLIE THEEL

❚ PLAY IT? M A Y B E
If the core logistics puzzle sounds
fascinating, it may be enough to carry
the experience for you. Otherwise,
you’re better off passing this one over.

tabletopgaming.co.uk 67
 F A M I LY G A M E S
WHAT’S IN
THE BOX?

STRATEGY GAMES
◗ Game board
◗ 6 Large ship mats
◗ 2 Small ship mats
◗ 6 Ship tokens
◗ 36 Commodity
cards
◗ 36 Player counters
◗ 3 Player aid cards
◗ First player card
◗ 5 Commodity
MEDICI counters
◗ 2 Day counters
Can you pick the perfect price to profit? ◗ Rulebook

Designer: Reiner Knizia | Publisher: Steamforged Games 30m 2-6 10+ £40

CARD GAMES
f I’m honest, I’m fairly ignorant to you back into last place. for free - but you don’t get any choice

I the specifics of Florence’s trading

houses during the 16th Century, but
I’m reliably informed (by Wikipedia)
The second piece is the style of
Medici’s auction mechanic; it’s a
last-and-final system, where you place
about what goods you draw. Is that
better than having to spend cold, hard
cash? Almost impossible to say.
that the Medici family were the kingpins one bid and one bid only. If you are This version from Steamforged
of Renaissance trade and banking. That first in the bidding process you have Games is lovely, but there are a couple
ignorance actually translates well to to try to guess if your opponents will of glaring flaws. I’d have liked the
this game of cut-throat auctions, since be trying to win the group or not - and, lines on the board marking out stock
I never have the right idea about how of course, how your bid will impact progression levels to have been more

ROLEPLAYING GAMES
much to bid for anything either! other’s choices. More than once I’ve obvious, as it can be indistinct when TRY THIS IF
In Medici, players compete to buy won a group I didn’t really want, for trying to work out where each player
YOU LIKED...
MODERN ART
groups of commodities. They load up more money than I wanted to pay, just is at. Most annoyingly, the grain and …Both revolve
their ships and then sell the proceeds, because I hadn’t wanted anyone else to spices commodity spaces and cards around acts for
receiving points for the most valuable get it for cheap. have very similar colours - it caused us cards, but where
cargo. Each commodity card also It’s part of the classic Reiner Knizia to have to have faffy conversations every Medici is a little
pushes up a player’s stocks in that item; “auction trilogy”, alongside Modern Art single round, trying to differentiate more of a traditional
gaining three purple dye cards and and Ra. All three are must-plays if you them. It doesn’t ruin the game, but I do “point salad”
pushing you three spaces up the dye enjoy putting your money where your wonder how they missed such a basic Eurogame, Modern
track. Players then receive points for mouth is, mechanically speaking. Like usability issue. Still, if you want a simple Art leans much
more into trying to
having the most or second most stock so many Knizia games, the simplicity fast game with plenty of satisfying meat
mess with other
in any one commodity. Then they fill of the choices is what makes them so on its light-weight bones, Medici is
MINIATURES/WARGAMES

players and mislead

up the ships again, finishing after three powerful. On your turn selecting lots absolutely for you. For a bonus point, them as to your
rounds; the winner is the player with for auction, you can choose between it’s equally enjoyable across its entire true intentions.
the most florins. one, two or three cards. This gives you player count range.
So, the first thing that makes this power over who can bid (only those CHRIS LOWRY
game deliciously painful is that every
time you make a purchase, you literally
with enough empty slots). Clever
manipulation can even ensure that only ❚ PLAY IT? M U S T - P L A Y
You owe it to yourself to give Medici
spend your victory points. There’s you get to bid if everyone else has filled a try, both because it’s a classic and
something a little bit terrifying about more than you. because it’s really great fun. A perfect
knowing that spending twelve florins to Holding off on buying, leaving hold gateway game but plenty of punch for
get a tasty new grain card now pushes space empty, means you fill your boat seasoned players too.

tabletopgaming.co.uk 69
 P L AY E D

GALACTIC RENAISSANCE
How many diplomats does it take to change a galaxy?
Designer: Matagot | Publisher: Christian Martinez 90m 2-4 14+ £78

alactic Renaissance has big

G shoes to fill. Publisher Matagot

has a fantastic track record
when it comes to area-control games
and Galactic Renaissance’s designer
Christian Martinez was responsible
for their best title, Inis. Marketed as a
direct follow up, Galactic Renaissance WHAT’S IN
feels familiar but is a much less
THE BOX?
◗ 15 Planet Tile
confrontational spin on a traditionally ◗ 20 Stability Tiles
conflict heavy genre. ◗ 15 Planet Tokens
In the wake of an old empire’s ◗ 12 Emissary and 5
collapse, players are trying to Institute Miniatures
‘diplomatically’ establish the New per player
Galactic Senate. Of course, there can ◗ 4 Home Stability
only be one Senate president and that Tiles
title goes to the first player to score ◗ 5 Foundation
Miniatures
30 victory points. For all the sci-fi set
◗ Cosmic Rabbit
dressing, from the ‘Cosmic Rabbit’ to Standee
the hard to pronounce planet names, ◗ 5 Starting Emissary
this game is more interested in its Tokens
systems than in evoking the narrative ◗ Hub Token the order in which you play them This requires a final flashy turn as you
laid out in the opening paragraph of ◗ 6 Disorder Markers will start to sort your deck into sets pull everything together to cross the
the rulebook. ◗ Galactic Senate of combos. It’s a novel system and line. It also gives other players a chance
Play involves recruiting, moving Board trying to set up specific card draws for to catch up. These final turns are
and building on the ever expanding ◗ 7 Advisor Cards (x4) just the right sequence of actions that where the game really comes alive. A
◗ 16 Objective Cards
network of planets that eat up all culminates in playing your senator wrong move or small interference from
◗ 28 Specialist Cards
available space on your table. Thanks (The card that triggers scoring) is another player might mean you fall a
to some euro-style sensibilities, players satisfying, though the early game victory point short and leave you stuck
are mainly focused on managing their while your deck and hand size are waiting for your senator to cycle back
own positioning and action efficiency small can feel like a real plod. through the deck for another chance.
rather than ways to attack others. Your Players are guided in their actions Unless you’ve gained a significant lead,
gains are not necessarily someone by a set of public objectives. This a second chance is unlikely.
else’s loss. It’s a game of interference might be ‘have the most emissaries on Curating the combo that wins you
rather than conflict. a planet’ but could be the opposite, the game is satisfying, but it’s that
The action in Galactic Renaissance with victory points awarded for excitement that throws into relief how
is card driven. All players start with planets where you’re the minority or slow the early game can be. Galactic
the same seven cards and an eighth those shared with another player. You Renaissance is enjoyable but doesn’t
unique card, drafted during setup. can even end up with contradictory do enough to stand out in Matagot’s
Turns involve playing as many objectives. As players hit certain score exemplary stable of area control
cards as you’re able, recruiting thresholds, new public objectives games.
new emissaries, moving them from are revealed and eventually the old GEORGE BARKER
planet to planet or exploring new ones replaced. Working out how to
ones. Individually, the effect of each optimally spread out your emissaries ❚ PLAY IT? M A Y B E
action is small and the value of that to meet the objectives is a puzzle all Mastering Galactic Renaissance’s card
system and puzzling out how best to
action entirely contextual to the by itself, let alone getting the actions
achieve its shifting objectives feels
objectives in play. The early game you need to get there. novel. Yet because the system is happy
can feel somewhat sluggish as the To win, you must score at least 10 to leave players to themselves, rather
consequences of your actions may victory points in one turn to reach 30 than pushing them to clash, it never
not kick in for a while. At the end of otherwise you reset your score to 20. hits the highs of its predecessor Inis.
your turn, the cards you played are
returned to the bottom of your deck TRY THIS IF YOU LIKED… INIS
in the order that you played them. Where Inis feels like a knife fight over a spiked pit, Galactic Renaissance is a
Though they start in a shuffled order, pillow fight with break for refreshment.

70 September 2024
PYRAMIDICE
Dice, Gods, and Ancient Egypt

F A M I LY G A M E S
Designer: Luigi Ferrini | Publisher: Ares 30m 1-4 13+ £32

longside Cthulhu, Vikings

A and trains, few themes have

lured more contemporary
game designers than Ancient Egypt.
In Pyramidice, you’re tasked with WHAT’S IN
the most iconic of Ancient Egyptian THE BOX?
activities, constructing pyramids – out ◗ 3 Pyramid Boards
of actual dice, no less. By drafting dice ◗ Sphinx Board

STRATEGY GAMES
and worshipping various gods from ◗ Gods Board
the great pantheon to aid you, you ◗ 4 Player/Great
compete to become the most famous Architect Boards
architect in Egypt. ◗ 21 Workers
◗ 9 Cats
The game flow consists of two
◗ Golden Cat
types of turn – Work and Rest. On ◗ 4 Fame Tokens
Work turns you gather and roll dice, ◗ 20 Stone Dice
acquire god cards and add dice to ◗ 4 Prayer Dice
you’re going to on a Work turn to discard a god from ◗ 38 God Cards
want to pursue, the three in the face-up display – not ◗ 12 Scarab Cards
and which gods because you want more choices, ◗ 6 Project Cards
you’ll want to but because you want to deny your ◗ 12 Rest Tiles
grab. opponent one that pairs particularly ◗ Quarry Tile
◗ 4 +50/+100
Pyramidice is well with their scarab’s ability or
Tokens
a funny blend existing gods – if, for example, ◗ Pharoah Tile

CARD GAMES
of systems that they’re amassing gods in the Ennead ◗ Rulebook
takes a couple pantheon, a group of nine which act
of playthroughs as a mini-set-collecting game and
to wrap one’s offer big end game points the more
noggin around. you grab.
TRY THIS IF
There’s a slew Higher player counts add extra YOU LIKED…
of god cards pyramids to work on, and it’s at three BLUEPRINTS
– nearly forty or four players that the game works Blueprints is a
the pyramids you’re working on – all with unique powers, that at first best, offering multiple options for dice fantastic little

ROLEPLAYING GAMES
communally. On Rest turns, you seem a bit lopsided in their diversity placement so you have a chance to dice-drafting game
take one of the rest tiles spread out and asymmetry when set against an fulfil the requirements of your project where you’re all
in a tableau beneath the board, and apparently straightforward game of card. If you ever have fewer resources racing to grab
either take the resources shown or managing resources and stacking than gods, you have to discard a god dice representing
different materials
do the ability depicted, which can be dice. at the end of the turn – sometimes a
and construct
anything from paying Fame points But no – appropriately for Ancient worthwhile sacrifice if they’ve served buildings behind
(your VPs) to gain extra resources, to Egypt, the gods are the heart of the their purpose and doing so allows you charming player
spending Fame points to acquire an game. They power your engine, to claim a key spot. screens. It’s quick,
extra god. offering discounts on building the Pyramidice falls into that ever- nifty and easy to
Two final pieces of asymmetry add pyramids, more control over dice expanding category of games that teach.
some spice: each player gets a project values, and a whole raft of extra ways merit the response ‘yeah, it’s pretty
card, hidden from the other players, to convert resources into points. Gods good’ – by no means bad, well-
MINIATURES/WARGAMES

that will give them an end-of-game are so central to your efforts, in fact, produced (with the exception of the
bonus if certain values of dice are that until you know what the full deck fiddly triangular scoring track), and
adjacent when the pyramids are offers you’re at a disadvantage. It takes genuinely quite fun.
completed. More significant are the a few games to learn what’s available, TIM CLARE
scarab cards – you each draw two
and choose one, either unlocking a
and to be able to read each god’s
ability from the language-agnostic ❚ PLAY IT? M A Y B E
Is this game good enough if you’ve got
special power you can use throughout symbols rather than referring to the Sagrada or Blueprints? Maybe, if you
the game or an additional scoring large glossary in the rulebook. love dice-drafting and building, and
bonus at the end. These make a big Once you know the gods deck, you want some variety. But I wouldn’t start
difference in the kind of strategy might find yourself spending a die here.

tabletopgaming.co.uk 71
EXPLODING KITTENS:
GOOD VS EVIL

F A M I LY G A M E S
This time, it’s Armageddon
WHAT’S IN
Designer: Matthew Inman, Shane Small, Elan Lee | Publisher: Exploding Kittens 15m 2-5 7+ £22 THE BOX?
◗ 55 Cards
◗ Playmat
nd they’re back! They’ve been the game is not to explode. When an especially fun with children who

A exploding and imploding,

streaking, barking, partying
and turned to zombies but now,
exploding kitten card is drawn from
the deck, if a player is unable to defuse
it, they are eliminated. Gameplay
may not have complete grasp of the
reasons they’d want to give the godcat
card to their opponent.
◗ Instructions

they have their own Netflix show. continues until only one of you stands It’s fine, but there is very little that
God and the devil have shown up on victorious and unexploded. differs from the original version of the

STRATEGY GAMES
Earth in cuddly kitten form for our Exploding Kittens: Good vs game. The only change is the addition
entertainment, and they’ve become Evil contains cards with new of Armageddon, which is nice enough,
the most powerful cards in this new artwork, different cat cards and the and does speed up the game by giving
game. This member of the Exploding Armageddon card. When a player extra opportunities to eliminate
Kittens family is a standalone version plays the Armageddon card, a mini players. I do love the concept of taking
of the classic that can be played on its game is started between two players. one card and giving a card to someone
own or chopped up and served with Whoever played the card, takes the and letting them choose which one to
the original. Add expansions to taste. godcat and the devilcat cards from take. It’s amazing how a simple binary
Each turn you can either pass or the special playing mat and secretly choice can lead to so much potential
play. If you play, you can play as many puts one in front of themselves and for reading someone or misleading
cards as you like. You must always end one in front of another player. It is them. It’s a small but entertaining
your turn by picking a card from the now up to that player to choose which addition to the game.
draw pile. Along the way you can play card they want to take. The godcat is Is it worth buying for £22? If you
cards that allow you to do actions like the most powerful card in the pack. have a group that loves playing and
steal cards, look at the next cards in the The devil card immediately explodes hasn’t tired of the basic concept, it’s

CARD GAMES
draw pile or shuffle the cards. When you, unless you can defuse it. It’s a a fair addition to the collection. Off
you have two matching cat cards, you fun game of bluffing and reading the back of the Netflix show, the game
can play them together and steal a what you think the other player will may get new fans coming to the game
card from another player. The aim of have done. I imagine this could be for the first time, and I’d not want to
put them off. It’s a manic, silly game
best played at higher player counts
and higher card counts. You’ll
want to try to combine as
many versions as you can to

ROLEPLAYING GAMES
get the best insanity levels.
Does Exploding Kittens: Good
Vs Evil have anything that
the original and previous TRY THIS IF
expansions haven’t already YOU LIKED…
done and done better? Not MUFFIN TIME
really. The godcat, devilcat The more versions
and Armageddon cards could and expansions of
have been a £5 expansion, like Exploding Kittens
Streaking Kittens, because it is a fun you add together,
the more insanity
addition. Something makes me feel
you induce. Good vs
you’d be missing out if you built your
MINIATURES/WARGAMES

Evil adds a Muffin

expansions from here instead of from Time style cut-away
the original, but maybe that’s just mini-game!
familiarity and nostalgia.
EMMA GARRETT

❚ PLAY IT? M A Y B E
The mini-game of Armageddon is
a solid double and triple bluffing
challenge. If you’re collecting the
versions, it’s another one to add to the
pandemonium.

tabletopgaming.co.uk 73
 P L AY E D

you’re not careful about considering

all eventualities.
One thing I love is that after you
play a card, you draw a new one to
replace it but it goes into your hand
in the opposite orientation, changing
the amount of information available
to the team as each round passes.
There are some excellent variant rules
included in the box too. A key one for
me is the addition of four cards which,
when drawn, immediately reverse the
polarity of the colours or numbers
until the next copy comes out so for
a period of time, you have to play low
instead of high. There’s a deceptive
level of strategy that comes with
playing to anticipate these spells and

WAVE
High tides and good times!
Designer: Thomas Weber | Publisher: Kosmos 20-30m 2-4 10+ £10

urfs up! Hang 10! Don’t play the team gets a score based on how how long they might last, ensuring

S that card or we will lose! Wave

is a cooperative card game
in which player try to stay riding on
many are left, the fewer the better.
I fully thought from reading the
rules, that this wasn’t going to be
that you still have enough valid plays
left to complete the game.
Wave is simple but stressful and I
their shared surfboard for as long as much of a game. Too much open love it for that. Honestly the theming
possible. This is done by playing cards information, decisions would be too doesn’t make much sense, but the
from your hand into a central discard easy, surely this is trivial? Oh I was bright colours and easy-on-the-eyes
pile, matching the ebb and flow of the so wrong! It turns out that Wave is a graphical design is pleasant enough.
waves beneath. very engaging cooperative experience. Plenty of scope for multiple plays,
In practical terms, each player holds There’s a great tension between and a range of variant rules to make
a hand of cards, some facing towards WHAT’S IN known and unknown information. it easier or harder add to the wide
them, some facing the table Hanabi-
THE BOX? On your turn you have to weigh up appeal too.
◗ Direction Overview
style. Your turn is easy, just choose a Card the coded messages from your team, It’s cooperative and there’s shared
card and play it. Played cards must ◗ Colour Overview guiding you to play a specific card you information, but a lot of the game
be higher than the one played most Card don’t know the value of against the comes down to you making personal
recently, this can either be a larger ◗ 34 Number Cards relative safety of playing a card that decisions and having to live with the
number or a “higher” colour, based ◗ 4 Rules Variant only you know might be a good option consequences, which strikes a great
on a chart in the middle of the table. Cards right now. balance between working together
Of course, the rub is that you can’t see Because no one has perfect and having ownership of the game
some of your hand, but that’s where information, everyone is constantly outcome. A breezy but enticing coop
your teammates come in. At any time, involved with every decision and for the modern era.
players can give each other information often you’re more engaged with DAN YORK
about their hand, what cards might be
good or bad to play at what moments,
everyone else’s turn than your own.
There are a few extra twists too, some
❚PLAY IT? M U S T - P L A Y
My new go-to short co-op card game,
but they categorically cannot talk about of the cards reverse the order of play, Wave has so many decisions in such a
relative or absolute card number of which can mess with your plans if small package,
colour values when doing so.
The game continues until a player TRY THIS IF YOU LIKED… HANABI
cannot legally make a move, the Blending imperfect information with careful planning, Hanabi and Wave are co-
unplayed cards are counted up and ops with plenty of space for personal decisions to matter

74 September 2024
GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS
The Trick is to Predict

F A M I LY G A M E S
Designer: Taiki Shinzawa | Publisher: Allplay 40m 3-4 8+ £20

rick-taking is a straightforward that beats the other three – yellow, cards, with twelve values and of

T and elegant mechanism:

all players play cards, and
whoever has the card with the
blue and green – suits. However,
before players proceed to playing
cards, they will need to look at their
four suits, players need to commit
to their decision of how many tricks
they will win. Yet there are so many WHAT’S IN
biggest value wins – takes the hand and predict how many tricks variables to consider. Player order THE BOX?
trick. There are, of course, variations they will take during the game’s four matters. The spread of the cards in a ◗ 48 Cards
and embellishments to this simple rounds and collect the corresponding suit matters. Having a short suit, for ◗ 16 Ghost board
formula. Some games introduce number of purple door tokens. example, means that a sure trick can pieces
◗ 4 Era Dials

STRATEGY GAMES
trumps, a card suit that beats all This is a very tricky – sorry, not be ‘stolen’ with a trump card. Card
◗ 4 Score cubes
others. Or the idea that certain cards sorry – part of the game that will placement to different time periods ◗ 1 Start player
in a trick carry different point values. determine how many victory points also locks off some of the potential marker
Or even adding bidding into the mix, players will earn at the end of the choices, which again, will influence ◗ 1 Victory point
where players attempt to predict how round. And here is where Ghosts of someone’s trick taking opportunities. tracker
many tricks they take. Even with these Christmas is unforgiving: players All of these are the unknowns, the ◗ 16 Purple door
variations, everyone knows what will need to score the exact number risks and probabilities of which tokens
to expect from trick-taking games: of tricks the predicted. If they don’t players will need to be considered to ◗ 12 Wreath tokens
abstract gameplay, lots of strategy win enough tricks: no points. If they make a prediction. While the game ◗ Rulebook
and, perhaps, some bluffing. win more tricks than initially stated: has a variant without the prediction
Ghosts of Christmas is a trick-taking also, no points. Players can mitigate section, it feels like a core part of the
game that doesn’t reinvent the wheel this a little by taking a special red gameplay. It makes all other elements
but offers some interesting twists on door. A player, for example, can take of the game really matter making the
the established staples of the genre. three purple doors and one red. This gameplay stand out.
In the game, players have a hand of means they intend to take four tricks, However, predicting accurately is

CARD GAMES
twelve cards (less in a three-player however because one door is red, if hard and will immediately separate
version) that they will be playing in they get only three tricks, they will still seasoned players from the new. Even
three time periods simultaneously: score although the point value will be an experienced and skilled trick-
past, present and future. Tricks for severely penalised. taking player will find this a challenge.
each time period will be resolved While this is an interesting and It requires not only an understanding TRY THIS IF
separately and the player with the fresh twist on the trick-taking point of the flow of trick-taking games but YOU LIKED…
highest value card in an assigned suit, scoring, it is also incredibly hard. an immediate grasp of the small ways THE CREW:
wins. Red is a trump suit in the game Having looked at a hand of twelve in which Ghosts of Christmas twists THE QUEST
some of the established mechanisms FOR PLANET
NINE

ROLEPLAYING GAMES
to change its gameplay. New players
It may be worth
will find the game confusing and trying a trick-
chaotic, and will be punished by an taking game that
all or nothing scoring system. Ghosts is more friendly to
of Christmas is not a game you just newcomers, such
randomly try or take off the shelf for as one of The Crew
a casual game group. This is a game series, where you
that you grow into, one for a group can hone your skills
of trick-taking lovers who are itching and strategies
before facing the
for a challenge. They will enjoy
challenge of Ghosts
navigating all its complexities and will of Christmas.
be able to utilise its strategic offering
MINIATURES/WARGAMES

to the fullest. For this small, specific

audience, Ghosts of Christmas will be
a true gift.
ALEXANDRA SONECHKINA

❚PLAY IT? M A Y B E
A trick-taking game that will be truly
appreciated by the lovers of the genre,
but which will be too frustrating for
new players or more casual players.

tabletopgaming.co.uk 75
CRITICAL: FOUNDATION -
SEASON 1
Lightning-fast sci-fi roleplay with literally zero prep?

F A M I LY G A M E
Designer: Yohan Lemonnier & Kristoff Valla | Publisher: Gigamic 1-4 14+ £35

in another they track down a witness

whilst trying to escape an ambush.
The elephant in the room here is WHAT’S IN
railroading; forcing players to play THE BOX?
exactly one route and one mission. No ◗ 4 Character cards
bones about it; Critical has minimal ◗ 8 Background cards
◗ 19 Equipment cards

STRATEGY GAMES
branching to its narrative. Yet, to my
◗ 34 Episode cards
surprise, that didn’t seem to be a big
◗ 8 Non-player
problem. I played a game of MÖRK Character cards
BORG last week and my players ◗ 10 Clue cards
spent two hours fighting ◗ 8 Wound cards
bears in some holes ◗ 15 Status cards
in the ground before ◗ 4 Name cards
they even got onto ◗ 32 Narrative tokens
the first sentence of ◗ 4 Hero tokens
the adventure I had ◗ 5 Clue tokens
◗ 7 Dice
ne problem with roleplaying who have spent planned, you can

O games is the amount of setup

required; learning all the lore,
building characters—necessary work
two hours just in
character creation,
there’s clearly
see why I might be
concerned. Success
here is partly due to
◗ Dry-erase marker
◗ Building plan
◗ Gamemaster screen
◗ 9 Episode sheets
to immerse yourself in the world and something special here. Critical’s rapid time-frame, ◗ What is an RPG

CARD GAMES
bring it to life. Sometimes that’s fun, The system uses a very which means players focus on booklet
but it can be daunting, especially to simple system with a custom d12 solving the problem in front of them, ◗ Season 1 synopsis
people new to the hobby. that is numbered from 0-3, and one rather than going on massive detours. booklet
Critical: Foundation attempts to side with a “X”. I’m always partial to I actually ran a 30-minute timer in ◗ Rulebook
shortcut this, with a world, characters custom dice, and the One Ring RPG our early adventures, pushing them
and story that are pre-generated and comes to mind here, with the eye to quick decisions and focused play.
need little to no preparation. Inside of Sauron emblazoned on one side PCs can only take two wounds also,
the box you get a brief introduction of the D12. Rolling the X is a critical driving a further caution and focus on
to the world, some nice big character failure, but gets players a hero token playing the game at hand.

ROLEPLAYING GAMES
cards and backgrounds, and a set of that lets them add a custom d8 to I could talk about limitations,
scenarios ready to run immediately. a future roll. Simply add any skill but actually, in a game with such a TRY THIS IF
The creators have taken the approach success boosts to the roll, and see if clear structure to it, many of those YOU LIKED…
of a TV series, with 20-30 minute you meet the difficult number. One limitations are features. Ultimately,
PANDEMIC
LEGACY:
episodes of action; so your players criticism is that the skills allocation the biggest issue is that this box is a SEASON ONE
only have to know enough to hold seem a little arbitrary—why is “Know one-off play; your group will work …Did your gaming
onto a fairly brief burst of narrative at How” under “Dexterity” rather than through the story and can never play group enjoy working
any one time. “Mental”—but otherwise the system it again; that’s where the Season 2 as a team to
So, how well does this work? I’m stays out of your way whilst being mini expansion comes in, and the save the world?
delighted to say that Critical functions totally intuitive. Sanctuary fantasy variant. I was Critical: Foundation
extremely well. I took a group with no The underlying Critical setting initially sceptical here, but Critical is a further step
awareness of the game whatsoever, is set in 2035, with a reasonably won me over: an adrenaline-laced away from the
MINIATURES/WARGAMES

two-dimensional
explained the setting and basic dystopian evolution of our world. The near-instant roleplaying experience
narrative of board
mechanics, let them choose character players take on investigative strike for anyone. games, but with
cards and backgrounds, and had them force commandos, sent on missions CHRIS LOWRY plenty of guard rails
thrown into their first episode within around the globe by the enigmatic
10 minutes. Not just that, but each Icarus organisation. Each session, ❚ PLAY IT? M U S T - P L A Y to support you.
Truly zero prep roleplaying in the near
little scenario is so tightly scripted like a high action TV show, involves a
future? Critical: Foundation is a fast,
that we played two in an hour. That’s new situation that needs resolution. fluid and fun system that delivers
right, we started a roleplay game from Without too many spoilers, in one exactly what it promises on the tin. If
scratch and played two sessions in the PCs have to raid a military base to you need a totally trustworthy stepping
just over an hour! To those of you find and neutralise a secret weapon, stone to beginner RPG? This is it.

tabletopgaming.co.uk 77
 F A M I LY G A M E S
BORDER REIVERS WHAT’S IN
THE BOX?
Stealing a march ◗ Game board
Designer: Ed Beach | Publisher: GMT Games 2-4h £90
◗ Two sheets of
1-6 14+
counters
◗ 136 Main deck

STRATEGY GAMES
t is not news that the English and It’s a card driven game with an table. Multiple sheets for cards, cards

I the Scottish have not always got

along. In truth, much of this is a
grand political struggle from the
element of bluffing and tableau
building. Event cards decide what’s
going on each round (including
tokens, and play aids surround one
of the biggest boards I’ve ever had to
extend the dining table for. The pieces
◗ 60 Mini deck cards
◗ 90 Wooden cubes
◗ 60 Wooden sheep
meeples
view of various English kings who where there’s a punch up), while are great quality too for the most ◗ Multiplayer rulebook
wanted to extend their power and cards played from your hand can part – though the mix of counters and ◗ Solo rulebook
the Scottish who fought for their own give you situational bonuses or meeples sometimes feels at odds. Like ◗ Historical notes
independence. It’s also true that on a characters to add to your tableau this physical expansion, the rules can booklet
more personal level of the Scottish- for ongoing effects. Players also feel a little administration-like. Often ◗ 6 Family tableau
English border, neighbours kept play their defensive tokens, some of you’ll be spending time calculating sheets
stealing sheep and locking up cousins. which are bluffs, face down on the dice from multiple sources or having ◗ 6 Reference cards
◗ Car deck display
And it’s on this slightly more direct board to discourage jailbreaks and to return to the rules because of the
sheet
level of feud that we’re working with, livestock theft – though you’ll be specifics of some processes. None ◗ 20 Six-sided dice
in Border Reivers. planning the same sort of thing for of it is bad at all, but it adds up.

CARD GAMES
The game sees you take control your opponents. War and raiding Border Reivers is a great machine that
of one of the border marches and are a case of rolling a fistful of six- sometimes feels like you’re working
attempt to bring prosperity to the sided dice based on the attacker for it, rather than it being in service
people that you are the Warden of, by and defender’s bonuses. From this, to you. For those who enjoy a big
amassing herds of livestock, capturing you’ll steal sheep, take captive raiders crunchy experience, it has hundreds
the enemy and becoming the most and generally start feuds with your of levers to pull to make your victory
notorious in the region. Which is to friends around the table. The way a more likely. The solo mode expands
say, in cardboard terms, stealing other roll can go from ‘I just tried to steal the ‘stuff on your table’ factor and the
player’s sheep and cattle (money) some sheep...’ to ‘...and you went and admin, though it rattles along quickly

ROLEPLAYING GAMES
meeples and tokens, their raiding hung my brother-in-law’ is exactly as enough, and with plenty of drama, it
cubes, and making sure no one else motivating as it sounds. does feel a little bit like a rollercoaster
TRY THIS IF
gets above you on the notoriety tracks. The game is ginormous on the that you’re experiencing rather than a YOU LIKED…
story you’re fully taking part in. HERE I STAND
Despite this, the game does Ed Beach’s other
eventually fall away to the simple fact table-hog is the
that you’re looking for revenge on the excellent retelling
person who stole your livestock. And of the protestant
while we can’t promise you won’t reformation of the
create any new gaming nemeses 16th Century, a
similarly grudge-
while playing, it’s as a good way as
heavy affair.
any to settle the score for the ones you
MINIATURES/WARGAMES

already have.
CHRISTOPHER JOHN EGGETT

❚ PLAY IT? M A Y B E
Once you’ve got over the sheer size
of the game on the table Border
Reivers opens up as a fluid and highly
social game where your motivations
might not always be pure, but they are
satisfying.

tabletopgaming.co.uk 79
 P L AY E D

PORT ARTHUR
Naval gazing brilliance
Designer: Yasushi Nakaguro | Publisher: Nuts! Publishing 40m 2 14+ £28

n 1904 the Japanese, after having guaranteed giant clash toward the end unlucky as the Russians the Japanese

I ‘their’ slice of China taken off of

them by the European powers who
dished it out to Russia, see which way
of the game.
There are only six rounds, and these
could be quick single-action turns, or
may destroy the titular harbour, or set
up a blockade, producing increasingly
fraught situations with ships having to
the wind is blowing with European long and vicious slogs, depending on enter combat already damaged.
imperial power and decide it’s best to your dice rolls. After the deployment And it’s electric, the back and forth
strike first. Their target is Port Arthur, of ships (which happens every round feels like a proper grappling match for
the Russian HQ in Manchuria. The anew), each turn starts with players control – and not just of each area, but
Japanese army and navy proceeded, rolling off for who takes the first of the war itself. Pushing in one place
over the next few months, to give the action. On a double the round ends might loosen your grip elsewhere and
Russians a really good kicking until unless the player with the initiative allow for a comeback, but staying still
the Russian naval fleet was more or
WHAT’S IN token decides to reroll and give away might not win the war for you either.
THE BOX?
less destroyed and peace talks began. ◗ Game board the initiative. This initiative power All of this is on top of the amazing
…Which is the series of dice rolls ◗ 6 Soldier meeples play is delicious, meaning your push attention to detail in the artwork and
we’re trying to recast here in Port ◗ 50 Ship tokens for one more attack or move can hand even the box. It’s beautiful and we’re
Arthur. It’s a frankly stunning game ◗ 6 Dice a short round to your opponent – or told that the letters and photos inside
of desperate naval manoeuvres ◗ 4 Markers they could use the initiative to strike of the ‘combat ration’ box that this
and strategic calls against the odds. ◗ Turn track first in the battle you want to call. series comes in are of relations of the
Players are trying to control each of ◗ Rulebook Battles are resolved with a kind of designer. This makes a lot of sense:
the three most important sea areas push your luck mechanic. Each ship this is a love letter to a slice of history
between Japan and China to gain has a power rating that you add up for told with incredible efficiency, charm
victory points – and to land their the fleet, roll under this number with and colour. You owe it to yourself
troops for the Japanese. At the start up to six dice and all those dice are hits. to explore the depths of the seas on
of the game the Japanese have a If you roll over that total you’ll need which this conflict takes place.
superiority of strength and an ability to remove dice to get the score under, CHRISTOPHER JOHN EGGETT
to deploy to key areas, whereas
the Russians are less nimble. The
smallest dice first. This makes for the
tantalising risky plays which are at
❚ PLAY IT? M U S T - P L A Y
A fast, exciting and great-looking game
Japanese must take hold of Muken the core of this game. Damaged ships of naval conflict with depth well beyond
by landing enough troops to win at need repairing for a turn, but if you’re the size of this box.
all, so protecting these landing areas
is an important friction point for the TRY THIS IF YOU LIKED... 300: EARTH AND WATER
Russians. And while the Japanese start 300 was one of my favourite little war games of the year it was released. A
out stronger the Baltic Fleet arrives on compact tug of war and the start of the series that Port Arthur is proudly
round four and five so there’s always a carrying on.

80 September 2024
 Bring fantasy and history
to life with

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 12
11

10

64 MILESTONES

his take on the classic Game of Life is

T something I inherited by marriage,

as it joined my collection from my
wife’s family home. It’s a race game
for up to ten players using a track of
64 spaces, each representing a milestone of life
from birth (1) to retirement (64). Eight of them
are designated ‘essential points’ – including
LEFT Milestones
board. Photo by Jon
Linney, from https://
jonlinney.co.uk/
games/milestones/
index.html,
which also illustrates
#1 Arrival (birth), #23 School certificate, #42 the accompanying
Marriage, and #64 Retirement – a gimmick cards and tokens.
being that you cannot cross any of the
intervening essential points on a single
throw of the die but must always stop when
you reach one. At #42, moreover, you must
wait till your (pre-agreed) marriage partner
turns up.
The ruleset starts with this summary:

“The game of Milestones is played

round the life-story of men and women
of to-day. The game commences with the
players being “born,” passing through
childhood to schooldays, thence to the
University, into employment, joining from a space
their partners in ‘’marriage,” and if you hold the equivalent
terminating when the partners “retire” card. If not, you point to another player and ask for it.
or reach “home” at Milestone 64. The Milestone board is If they have it, they must give it to you in exchange for
drawn to show the various phases of life from babyhood any of your choice; if not, you cannot move – but will
onwards as just referred to, whilst the pack of cards is instead have gained a piece of negative information of
designed to correspond with the squares on the board. “ potential value to you or your partner.
This feature, reminiscent of Cluedo (1948) leads me to
Each player initially slots their token into a base wonder whether the otherwise anonymous inventor of
and moves individually until they ‘marry’, when Milestone might not have been Anthony E Pratt himself.
both players transfer their tokens to a larger base And more so than Cluedo, a nostalgic sign of its age is
and thereafter move as one. With an odd number of its implicit background of middle-class gentility. One
players, one takes the part of Aunt Lucy, and moves expects to see Cook just round the corner.
alone. To my delight, 64 Milestones was the first game I David Parlett is a games
Movement is by the throw of a single die, with saw when I recently visited Tony Boydell’s Museum inventor and historian,
the restriction that you must stop upon reaching an Of Board Games at Newent, near Gloucester. Tony is author of The Oxford
‘essential point’. This is combined with an element as knowledgeable as enthusiastic about his growing History of Card Games and
borrowed from Happy Families, namely, that a pack of collection, and makes himself available for visitors, its sequel on board games,
cards containing one for each milestone, plus several by appointment, on Fridays and Saturdays. I can and a visiting professor
joker-equivalents (marked ‘Wishing Bone’), is initially highly recommend a visit to his Aladdin’s cave of ludic of games design at the
University of Suffolk.
distributed among the players, and you can only move treasures. *

82 September 2024 tabletopgaming.co.uk

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