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More Than Games

John Kaufeld

Writer, speaker, & gamifier. The higher ed version of a Broadway triple threat.

Think of me as a bridge – I explain computers to people and people to computers.

My passions focus on customer service, customer experience, system design, game-based learning, and helping parents connect with their kids through modern tabletop games.

I also organize the Fort Wayne “elf hub” for IC3D’s national 3D printed Toys for Tots campaign. In 2024, my team’s elves printed and donated over 2,500 toys that supported Columbia City’s Toys for Tots program, the Iris Family Support Center (formerly SCAN), and other local non-profits. (If you have a 3D printer and want to make toys to donate, send me a message!)

Review: Elemystic (Wise Wizard Games)

·940 words·5 mins
When I first saw Elemystic from Wise Wizard Games, it was so small I thought it was an expansion, not an entire game. 12+, 2 players, 20-30 minutes

Review: Tacta (The OP)

·954 words·5 mins
Phrases like ‘tactical strategy game” and “easy to teach” don’t usually go together, but thanks to its clever graphic design, that actually works in Tacta. 10+, 2-6 players, 20-30 minutes

Review: Tangram City (Capstone Games)

·929 words·5 mins
The name on the box declares the game’s basic idea right from the start, but Uwe Rosenberg’s Tangram City from Capstone Games still keeps plenty of surprises under wraps. 8+, 1-5 players, 30 minutes

Review: Milkman (Dice Hate Me Games)

·944 words·5 mins
Milkman, from Dice Hate Me Games, takes you to a time when people were more directly connected to the origins of their food, much like today’s “farm to fork” movement. 10+, 2-4 players, 40-60 minutes

Review: Butterfly Garden (Capstone Games)

·891 words·5 mins
Watching spring flowers begin to bloom outside feels deliciously appropriate since this month’s game focuses on flowers, gardens, blooms, and butterflies. 8+, 2-4 players, 30 minutes

Review: Tower Up (Monolith)

·908 words·5 mins
In Tower Up from Monolith, two to four players take the roles of construction companies expanding the city’s downtown. 10+, 2-4 players, 40-60 minutes

Review: Colt Express Big Box (Ludonaute)

·930 words·5 mins
Running between train cars, grabbing bags of gold, climbing onto the roof, and getting whacked by an overhanging swivel arm — it’s all in a day’s work for train robbing varmints in just about every movie about the Old West. 10+, 3-8 players, 40-60 minutes

Review: Kinfire Chronicles: Night’s Fall (Incredible Dream)

·906 words·5 mins
Kinfire Chronicles: Night’s Fall by Incredible Dream Studios is the newest — and possibly largest, because this game is physically huge — installment in a series of titles set in the fantasy world of Atios. 14+, 1-4 players, 45-60 minutes

Review: Star Trek: Star Realms (UVS Games, Wise Wizard)

·930 words·5 mins
When I first saw Star Trek: Star Realms from UVS Games and Wise Wizard Games, my mental sound effects library immediately pulled up the swoosh-squeak of the original Enterprise’s doors — and, of course,“Engage!” and “Fire!” heard in several actors’ voices. 14+, 2-4 players, 20 minutes

Review: Starfinder 2nd Edition Playtest Rulebook (Paizo)

·941 words·5 mins
Seven years after its successful launch, the Starfinder Roleplaying Game is headed for a second edition — and Paizo wants everyone to get a voice in its creation. 13+, 3-7 players, 3-4 hours

Review: Distilled (Paverson Games)

·850 words·4 mins
You still can’t quite believe it, but the letter in your hands is very clear. 14+, 1-5 players, 30 minutes/player

Review: Adventure Party (Smirk and dagger)

·920 words·5 mins
Every fantasy adventure features the stuff of bardic songs: terrible monsters, dangerous locales, dastardly villains, and heroic deeds — and, of course, a tavern where our heroes gather and enjoy each other’s company. 14+, 3-8 players, 20-60 minutes

Review: Sandbag (Bezier Games)

·935 words·5 mins
A lot of people picked up interesting hobbies over the last few years. 15+, 3-6 players, 30 minutes

Review: First Rat (Pegasus Spiele)

·933 words·5 mins
Everybody knows the moon is made of cheese — and for the comic book-reading rats of the local junkyard, it’s an article of faith. 10+, 1-5 players, 30-75 minutes

Review: Salton Sea (Devir Games)

·961 words·5 mins
In a time when global warming, alternative energy, and electric vehicles seem to be on everyone’s mind, the Salton Sea in California feels like a mirage. 14+, 1-4 players, 45-60 minutes

Review: The Rich and the Good (Ares Games)

·985 words·5 mins
In The Rich and the Good from Ares Games, you’re a commodities trader in the midst of the Second Industrial Revolution. 13+, 2-5 players, 45-60 minutes

Review: Express Route (The OP)

·892 words·5 mins
It’s 1959 in the alternate reality of Express Route from The OP, and catalog shopping is exploding throughout the US! 10+, 1-4 players, 60-90 minutes

Review: Dodos Riding Dinos (Detestable Games)

·794 words·4 mins
Life was calm and peaceful on Dodino Island — right up to the point when a meteor fell on the ruling dino and dodo, leaving the island without leadership. 14+, 1-6 players, 20 minutes

Review: Romi Rami (Hachette)

·886 words·5 mins
Confession time: I’m not a big fan of rummy games. 8+, 2-4 players, 30 minutes

Review: Sushi Boat (Japanime Games)

·945 words·5 mins
I hope you’re hungry, because we’re bringing a sushi restaurant to your table. 8+, 2-5 players, 30-75 minutes

Review: Bonsai (DV Games)

·911 words·5 mins
There’s something magical about bonsai trees. 8+, 1-4 players, 40 minutes

Review: Shapers of Gaia (WizKids)

·870 words·5 mins
After a millennia of waiting, Gaia is ready to be reborn — and you and your fellow Shapers are ready to make it happen. 14+, 2-3 players, 60-90 minutes

Review: Puerto Rico 1897 (Ravensburger)

·870 words·5 mins
Andreas Seyfarth’s Puerto Rico has been reprinted and expanded over the years and even given the deluxe anniversary treatment. 12+, 2-5 players, 90 to 150 minutes

Review: Starfinder Interstellar Species (Paizo)

·836 words·4 mins
When Paizo’s Starfinder roleplaying game launched, players could choose among only a handful of species options for their characters. 16+, 3-7 players, 2+ hours

Review: Lost Ruins of Arnak (Czech Games Edition)

·857 words·5 mins
The moment you set up this game on your table, you’ll feel teleported into your favorite archaeological adventure movie — most likely that series featuring the guy who runs away from giant boulders and can’t lose his hat no matter how hard he tries. 12+, 1-4 players, about 30 mins. per player

Review: Free Radicals (WizKids/NECA)

·868 words·5 mins
When we gaze across the variety of game systems, our eyes always linger on asymmetrical games. 14+, 2-5 players, 90 minutes

Review: The Goonies: Never Say Die (Funko Games)

·843 words·4 mins
We’ve seen lots of companies take the characters from a movie or TV show, slap them haphazardly onto a game framework, and count on fans to buy their creation just because of the name. 12+, 2-5 players, 50 minutes

Review: Alice in Wonderland Fluxx (Looney Labs)

·788 words·4 mins
If any piece of literature deserves to be enshrined in a Fluxx deck, Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland stories certainly qualify. 8+, 2-6 players, 2 to set up; 5-30 to play

Review: Galaxy Trucker 2nd edition (Czech Game Edition)

·842 words·4 mins
When a company comes out with a new, updated version for one of their classic games, you can pretty much count on two things: the new one will cost more — sometimes a lot more — and it’ll add a bunch of complicated new features so it’s harder to learn and takes longer to play. 8+, 2-4 players, 5 to set up; 20-60 to play

Review: Doodle Dungeon (Pegasus Spiele)

·864 words·5 mins
When your new dungeon turns out to be nothing but an empty cave, it’s time to channel your inner dungeon builder and get to work. 10+, 2-4 players, 4 to set up, 45-60 to play

Review: Cubitos (AEG)

·869 words·5 mins
Dice love to race. 14+, 2-4 players, 10 to set up, 30-60 to play

Review: Pan Am (Funko Games)

·790 words·4 mins
I grew up listening to my dad’s stores stories about working for Pan Am as a mechanic and then a pilot, so when a board game with the Pan Am globe appeared on the scene, I knew we had to give it a try. 12+, 2-4 players, 5 to set up, 60 to play

Review: Homeworlds and Nomids (Looney Labs)

·762 words·4 mins
Many game people — our family included — have a long-standing love for the Looney Labs pyramids games. 10+, 2 (Homeworlds), 2-10 (Nomids) players, 30-60 minutes (Homeworlds), 2-10 minutes (Nomids)

Review: Succulent (Renegade)

·825 words·4 mins
Gardening is calm and patient work that demands skill, planning, and an eye for color and design. 10+, 2-4 players, 45-60 minutes

Review: Starfinder Character Operations Manual (Paizo)

·948 words·5 mins
Even with all of the playable races, fantastic feats, and customizable classes in Paizo’s Starfinder roleplaying game, sometimes your character idea still doesn’t exactly fit. 8+, 4-8 players, 30-60 to set up, 2-6 hours to play

Review: SpyMaster (Calliope)

·804 words·4 mins
A furtive glance and an almost imperceptible nod. 8+, 2-6 players, 5 to set up, 20-50 to play

Review: Clip Cut Parks (Renegade)

·877 words·5 mins
The city needs more parks, and it’s up to you to build them. 8+, 1-4 players, 3 to set up, 30 minutes to play

Review: The Aquicorn Cove Board Game (Renegade)

·892 words·5 mins
Cooperative play, the challenge of balancing conservation with development, plus possibly the cutest meeples ever seen on a game board—all of that adds up to The Aquicorn Cove Board Game experience from Renegade Game Studios. 10+, 2-4 players, 5 to set up, 45-60 minutes to play

Review: Cat Lady Premium Edition (AEG)

·895 words·5 mins
You don’t need to dig (well, scratch) very deeply to find cat ladies everywhere you look. 8+, 2-4 players, 5 to set up, 30 minutes to play

Review: Copenhagen (Queen Games)

·894 words·5 mins
Welcome to Copenhagen’s historic Nyhavn ( or “New Harbor”) district. 8+, 2-4 players, 5 to set up, 30-60 minutes to play

Review: Volcanic Isle (Arcane Wonders)

·840 words·4 mins
Let’s start with the basics: In Volcanic Isle from Arcane Wonders, the island you’re on will sink. 13+, 2-4 players, 5 to set up, 45-60 minutes to play

Review: Thrown (WizKids)

·815 words·4 mins
If you analyzed the universe of basic game mechanics, you’d find that trick-taking and dice rolling are a pretty common things. 14+, 3-5 players, 5 to set up, 45-60 minutes to play

Review: Raccoon Tycoon (Forbidden Games)

·815 words·4 mins
“Tycoon.” For players who know and love it, that one word instantly defines the key parts of a whole genre of world-building games. 8+, 2-5 players, 5 to set up, 45-90 minutes to play

Review: Starfinder Alien Archive 2 (Paizo)

·859 words·5 mins
Aliens bring science fiction worlds to life in books, movies, and Paizo’s Starfinder roleplaying game. 8+, 4-8 players, 30-60 to set up, 2-6 hours to play

Review: Scorpius Freighter (AEG)

·823 words·4 mins
The dream of the Scorpius system started with such hope, but it turned dark over the years. 14+, 2-4 players, 5 minutes to set up, 45-60 minutes to play

Review: KeyForge (Fantasy Flight)

·815 words·4 mins
Some years ago, legendary game designer Richard Garfield had a wild idea for a card game. 14+, 2 players, 2-3 minutes to set up, 45 minutes to play

Review: Starfinder Armory Review

·732 words·4 mins
We started playing Starfinder at the invitation of a friend. 8+, 4-8 players, 30-60 to set up, 2-6 hours to play

Review: My Little Scythe (Stonemaier Games)

·854 words·5 mins
My Little Scythe from Stonemaier Games launched from a moment every gaming parent faces: when your too-young-to-play child gets enthralled by your very-expensive-it’s-new-don’t-touch-that board game. 8+, 1-6 players, 4 to set up, 35-60 to play

Review: War Chest (AEG)

·833 words·4 mins
The stage is set for chivalrous battle. 14+, 2 or 4 players, 4 to set up, 25-60 to play

Review: Topiary (Renegade)

·876 words·5 mins
Gazing across a garden of sculpted plants known as topiary brings joy to most any heart. 10+, 2-4 players, 4 to set up, 10-20 to play

Review: Sentient (Renegade)

·950 words·5 mins
If the artwork in Sentient from Renegade Games is accurate, we look forward to a future filled with shiny intelligent robots and fascinating strategic decisions. 12+, 2-4 players, 4 to set up, 30-60 to play

Review: Get the MacGuffin (Looney Labs)

·809 words·4 mins
The story started simply enough, just like they always do: A beautiful French resort filled with beautiful people, beautiful paintings, and ugly secrets. 8+, 2-11 players, 1 to set up, 5-10 to play

Review: Doctor Who Fluxx Review

·890 words·5 mins
Let’s get this out of the way up front: One of us watched more Doctor Who than the other one. 8+, 2-6 players, 1 to set up, 5-40 to play

Review: Bunny Kingdom (Iello)

·887 words·5 mins
It’s a bold land, filled with opportunity. 14+, 2-4 players, 5 to set up, 30-60 to play

Review: New York Slice (Bezier Games)

·787 words·4 mins
If you love pizza and games — and really, who doesn’t love those things — then you need New York Slice from Bezier Games. 8+, 2-6 players, 5 to set up, 20-30 to play

Review: Starfinder Beginner Box Review

·871 words·5 mins
Trying to make a useful “beginner” version of anything takes some guts, especially if the topic at hand is more complex than explaining Dots and Boxes or successfully walking your dog. 13+, 2-7 players, 5-30 to set up, 30-60 minutes to play

Review: The Colonists (Mayfair Games)

·818 words·4 mins
The word “epic” gets thrown around a lot in movies and books — epic adventures, epic battles, epic tales, and such — but we don’t see it applied very often in board games. 14+, 1-4 players, 10 to set up, 40-360 to play

Review: Mystic Vale: Vale of Magic (AEG)

·834 words·4 mins
The druids of Gaia face untold challenges, dangers, and opportunities in Mystic Vale: Vale of Magic, the new expansion for AEG’s Mystic Vale. 14+, 2-4 players, 5 to set up, 40-60 to play

Review: Clank (Renegade)

·846 words·4 mins
Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time — back you were all in the pub, swapping tales of bravado over ales. 12+, 2-4 players, 10 to set up, 30-60 to play

Review: Escape from Colditz (Osprey)

·785 words·4 mins
When you open the 75th Anniversary Edition of Escape from Colditz by Osprey Games, you immediately realize this is no ordinary modern board game. 14+, 2-6 players, 5 to set up, 90-150 to play

Review: Saloon Tycoon (Van Ryder Games)

·1104 words·6 mins
Plenty of folks came to town looking to make their fortunes in gold, but not you — your vision looked different. 12+, 2-4 players, 5 to set up, 30-60 to play