Review

Euchre, Spades, or Hearts… trick taking games are classics for a reason, but what if they could be more? 10+, 2-6 players, 15-30 minutes

When disaster strikes, first responders are there to help the people in danger. 10+, 1-4 players, 45 minutes

The city of Solara needs your help! 12+, 2-5 players, 30-45 minutes

Fans and players launched into the new world of Starfinder Second Edition (2e) when the Player Core released in early August. 16+, 3-7 players, 3-4 hours

On Thursday morning of Gen Con in 2017, Paizo released the Starfinder Roleplaying Game. 16+, 3-7 players, 3-4 hours

It’s another busy day in your tea garden. 12+, 2-4 players, 90 minutes

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

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

The glitz and glamour of the Las Vegas Strip is legendary. 12+, 3-5 players, 75 minutes

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

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

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

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

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

Sixty years is a big anniversary, whether it’s for a company or your favorite couple. 14+, 1-4 players, 45-60 minutes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

During my first visit to the Origins Game Fair many years ago, someone standing nearby suddenly yelled, “All hail King Torg!” at the top of their lungs. 8+, 2-8 players, 2 hours

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

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

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

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

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

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

There’s something magical about bonsai trees. 8+, 1-4 players, 40 minutes

There are luck games and pure strategy games. 8+, 2 players, 15 minutes

You stand in the knee-deep grass of a rolling prairie. 14+, 2-4 players, 3-4 hours

There’s a certain joy that comes from playing an elegantly designed game. 14+, 2-4 players, 40-80 minutes

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

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

Broken and Beautiful, from Left Justified Studio, is a deceptively wicked little game. 12+, 2-4 players, 15 minutes

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

Anyone who ever read the rules of Galaxy Trucker from Czech Games Edition knows that truckers can add a lot of different pieces to their craft, and they should add as many of all of them as possible. 8+, 2-4 players, 30 minutes

Cats get into everything. 10+, 2 players, about 20 minutes

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

It just happened. 16+, 3-7 players, 2+ hours

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

Oh no! 12+, 1-4 players, 60 minutes

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

Everyone who loves roleplaying games handles their character sheets and game notes in different ways. 14+, 2-5 players, 90 minutes

There’s a rhythm to the expansion books for roleplaying games. 16+, 3-7 players, 2+ hours

This review is a little late. 10+, 1-5 players, 3 to set up; 25-30 to play

*“Looking for a dragon to light up your life? 14+, 1-5 players, 3 to set up; 25-30 to play

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

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

The world is a big place to explore, but it’s not much compared to a whole universe. 13+, 4-7 players, 1-4 hours to set up, 4-6 hours to play

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

Every student at the school of magic knows the dueling rules. 10+, 2 players, 3 to set up, 30-45 to play

Dice love to race. 14+, 2-4 players, 10 to set up, 30-60 to play

It’s good to be a deity. 8+, 2-5 players, 5 to set up, 45-60 to play

Don’t let the cute box art with playful dinosaurs and a sunny sky fool you. 14+, 1-4 players, 5 to set up, 30-60 to play

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

Starting any hobby can feel daunting. 13+, 2-5 players, 60 minutes

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)

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

Sun, sand, shopping, and relaxing. 14+, 2-4 players, 5 minutes

When we think about new roleplaying game products, we usually imagine source books with rules, monsters, and character classes, adventure modules that explore some new part of the world, or maps to simplify combat and exploration. 8+, 3-6 players

In the futuristic universe of Starfinder, players can experience an endless number of fantastical and unique planets, all teeming with curious, exotic, and often dangerous species and locations. 8+, 3-6 players

What color is “grape”? 8+, 3-10 players, 3 to set up, 30-45 to play

Unicorns capture the imagination. 8+, 2-4 players, 3 to set up, 30-45 to play

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

Welcome to the frozen north, where the land is cold, the penguins are friendly, the drink is plentiful, and the islands are up for grabs. 8+, 1-4 players, 8 to set up, 45-90 to play

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

Set in the world of C. 8+, 1-4 players, 10 to set up, 90 to play

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

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

Almost anybody in pop culture fandom immediately recognizes a Funko Pop! 10+, 2-4 players, 5 to set up, 20-60 minutes to play

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

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

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

The hero dashes through a corridor, with the villain in pursuit. 8+, 4-8 players, 30-60 to set up, 2-6 hours to play

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

“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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ah, the joy of running a galactic empire! 14+, 1-4 players, 10 to set up, 60-120 to play

Illustration ideas: Shield Maiden, High Noon, Honorable Combat, Priest of Anubis 14+, 2+ players, 4 to set up, 45 to play

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

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

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

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

Congratulations, Mayor! 8+, 2-4 players, 5 to set up, 30-60 to play

Ah, the intrigue of a royal court! 14+, 2-6 players, 5 to set up, 30-60 to play

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

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

City parks, theme parks, amusement parks, butterfly parks — but bear parks? 8+, 2-4 players, 5 to set up, 20-30 to play

It all started with a short story. 8+, 1-10 players, 5 or less to set up, 10-120 to play

You love Ticket to Ride. 10+, 2-5 players, 5 to set up, 60-120 to play

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

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

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