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We've been on a massive gaming spree this year, logging a whopping 1,071 plays. We've battled zombies, practiced necromancy, built subway stations, climbed Everest, and explored a variety of planets, climates, and timeframes. For games to count, they must be played in person, and both my wife and I need to be present to log them into our stats. While I love learning new games, I'm not a fan of the punching-out process; thankfully, my wife enjoys that task for me. I prefer reading the rules and then waiting for someone to teach me the game. After hundreds of game nights, we tackled 362 unique games and 18 expansions! I am not big into expansions, but some really standout. These have added clever twists to games. Take Viticulture: Tuscany Essential Edition expansion, for example. It introduces new options that really amp up the competition. When the group is bigger than four, expansions sometimes add that extra player that lets you enjoy the game at 5 or more counts. We've played 247 days this year. If everything goes according to plan, we’ll be gaming the next two days, so yay for more games! Out of these days, some only consisted of a quick game like Fika during a lunch break. Some days were also spent gaming from waking up till going to bed. Those are my favorite days! Our player count also varies. We enjoyed 40% of our games as a cozy couple, 40% as double dates, and the remaining 20% was a wild mix. From games of 3 to 6 player showdowns to epic 14-player adventures with Blood on the Clocktower. 2023 wasn't just about adding more games to our collection; it was also about saying goodbye to some we no longer loved. Making the tough decision to cull 61 games wasn't easy, but it was necessary to keep our collection from becoming a graveyard of forgotten titles. We believe our games should be played, not preserved as if they were part of a museum. This painful process forced us to confront our gaming habits and prioritize titles that are truly meaningful and likely to hit the table again. Yes, there are games we didn't touch this year and some that saw only one play, but those are games we still want to explore further. On the other hand, even great games like Small World simply lost their appeal for us. Thankfully, a few friends own it, so we can always play it with them if the itch strikes. It's important to remember that taste in games is highly subjective. Just because I no longer enjoy a game I once loved, like Smallworld, doesn't mean it's bad. It just means it's not for me at this point in time. I can’t wait to continue gaming in 2024. This year's journey has inspired us to play even more, explore new mechanics, and delve deeper into the games we love. The goal is to be more diligent about documenting our experiences. I’m really excited to see how I feel about my current KaCo Top 25 next year around this time. Cheers to a phenomenal 2023, and here's to many more years of rolling dice, flipping cards, and forging core memories around the table! TL:DR; 1,071 total games played 362 unique games played 18 expansions played 247 days played 42 unique players My percentage wins: 24.3% The wife's percentage wins: 31.7% Top 10 most played: 1. The Game 2. Welcome To... 3. The Clever series: Clever Cubed, Clever 4Ever, Twice as Clever!, and That's Pretty Clever! 4. The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine and The Crew: Mission Deep Sea 5. Next Station: London 6. Farkle 7. Tinderblox 8. Number Drop, My City, Railroad Ink Challenge: Shining Yellow Edition <- tied for 8th place Lightest played games in collection according to BGG Weight: Anomia, Herd Mentality, Block Party and Kluster Heaviest played games in collection according to BGG Weight: Spirit Island, Life of the Amazonia, Great Western Trail: Argentina, Boonlake,Root, and Teotihuacan: City of Gods Happy New Year and happy gaming!

Introduction About six years ago, a friend gave me Scrawl as a birthday gift. The game was an instant hit and the same eight of us would play this game on a monthly basis. Most of us lacked artistic abilities, and a few of us had them (which I did not). It was the perfect combination for those who could draw versus those with barely any stick-figure drawing abilities. Gameplay and Replayability The game has four options on each card, ensuring high replayability. I am not certain if a colored side is harder than the others. Some cards come easily, and some make you scratch your head. Each game we pick a color, and cards that don’t inspire anyone or were drawn in a previous game are discarded. To avoid analysis paralysis, we set a timer for a minute and assess everyone's progress. This usually gives us enough time to create our masterpieces. Then, you grab a clip and a clean sheet, passing your masterpiece to the next player. The Fun Cycle ✍️ The next person writes down their interpretation, clips a new sheet, and passes it on again. This cycle of drawing, writing, and passing continues until your original card returns to you. This is where the fun begins! Scoring and Game End We take turns revealing the original prompt, followed by the first drawing and interpretation. Then, we work through the subsequent interpretations and drawings. Each player awards one point for the best drawing or most inspired interpretation. In the unlikely event that a drawing or interpretation closely matches your original card, three bonus points are awarded to that player. The game ends when a player reaches two points more than the number of players. However, because accurate guesses are rarely earned, and depending on the games we’ve planned to play, we've adapted our sessions to either one round per player or first to five points. Additionally, we pass the cards in a different direction after each turn, allowing us to draw and write prompts for different players throughout the game. Game Components and Durability 240 4-sided prompt cards, 8 dry erase markers, 8 dry erase sheets made out of cloth, dry erase sheets, 8 clips, 8 player boards, 2 score sheets, and a well-written rulebook. Scrawl is incredibly simple to learn and play. Big Potato Games excels at straightforward rule books, and their YouTube video teaches the game in under three minutes. The components are durable and dry-erase, a feature that spoiled me for other games. I now blame this game for my need to laminate and use dry-erase markers for all my roll/flip and write games! We've only lost two markers that won’t write anymore and a few sheets that became too dirty after countless uses. The game stores neatly in its organizer. I am not sure if this has changed since my print as Big Potato Games has become plastic-free. Our organizer keeps the game components neatly and ready for the next game. The only minor improvement I could suggest is for the eraser sheets, but that’s because I like actual erasers What Makes Scrawl Stand Out The unexpected laughter while revealing each card. Surprisingly, the prompts are sometimes funnier than the drawings themselves. PROS - Dry-erase game! - Fast-paced - Laughter and good times guaranteed - Easy to learn and play - Perfect for parties CONS - Not suitable for children or those sensitive to inappropriate language - Not language-independent Conclusion Scrawl is a game that will probably never leave my collection. After six years, our gaming palette has evolved. We've moved to upstate New York, yet we continue to enjoy this game. Even though the game doesn’t get played as frequently as it used to, it still finds its place at our table. The game serves us more as a filler game than the main event, but it still remains as fresh as the first time.

Introduction My journey into the world of flip-and-write games began with Silver & Gold designed by Phil Walker-Harding. This game is easy to teach and learn. It is fast-paced, language-independent, and the game is perfect as a palette cleanser or a board game to play with those that may be apprehensive or new to gaming. Components Inside the small rectangular box, you'll find dry erase markers, a rulebook, and cards: Rulebook: easy to follow with clear instructions and helpful pictures 4 Faber Castell Dry Erase Markers: High-quality markers with a fine tip for precise writing. This brought a bit of nostalgia as growing up these brand was considered gold. The friends I play with didn’t get my admiration for the brand, but we all complain at the other board games that come with markers as none compare to Faber Castell 48 Color-blind-friendly Treasure Cards: Divided into four color categories with unique symbols and point values that are required to be filled before claiming the card for scoring: Purple cards: feature a diamond with 14 spaces Orange cards: display a crown with 12 spaces Silver cards: showcase a pirate-looking sword with 8 spaces Green cards: present a necklace with 10 spaces 8 Expedition Cards: Feature six different patterns, resembling Tetris pieces. Used to fill treasure cards Round Card: Tracks the game's progress 4 Score Cards: Keep track of players' scores Gameplay The objective of the game is to score the most points over four rounds by completing treasure maps, spotting palm trees, and collecting coins swiftly. Players take turns drawing shapes on their treasure maps based on the shapes shown on the expedition cards. Coins are also collected throughout the game, and players earn bonus points for collecting the most coins at the end of each round. The first player to complete a row of coins on their score cards earns a trophy and additional points. Palm trees are counted for each card in play including the display ones once a player marks one. Additionally, some cards have a red “X” that allow you to fill an extra square in any of your treasure maps. When a player completes a card, they draw another treasure card from the available ones in the center of the table. Be mindful of the seal bonuses on the right of some cards. These bonuses allow you to score more points per color selected, but don't get greedy. Sometimes these cards are harder to fill. Scoring and Winning After four rounds, players tally their completed treasures, seal bonuses, coins, and palm trees. The player with the most points wins the game. Ties are rare, but if they do occur, they are broken by counting grey cards first, followed by green, orange, and finally purple cards. What I Like I'm a huge fan of this game, and there's very little about it that I don't enjoy. It's a great introduction to the world of flip and write games, as it's straightforward, quick to learn, and offers an engaging level of complexity. This game is an affordable way to introduce someone to the world of gaming without breaking the bank. Plus, it's a versatile gift that can be enjoyed by gamers of all ages and skill levels. and I really, really like the Faber Castell dry erase markers that come with the game. I wish all roll and writes came with Faber Castells. Pros • Quick and easy to learn and teach • Language-independent • Fast-paced short game • High-quality components, especially the Faber Castell dry erase markers • Portable game, great for pubs and travels • Lots of replayability Cons • The game's reliance on what is flipped for treasure and expedition cards can make it frustrating when luck isn't on your side • No erasers Conclusion Silver Gold is easy to learn and teach, making it a great choice for experienced and new gamers alike. The components are high-quality, and even though we've played this one over 100 times, the cards still look great. The box, though, has had a hard and well-lived life. Happy gaming!

I moved to Rochester right before the pandemic, and finding Millennium Games was therapeutic. Visiting the store became my weekly ritual during a time when I thought, "Great! How do I make friends?" Fast forward four years, and my small collection of games has grown. The allure of a new game, punching cardboard, or rehoming a used game and giving it the love it deserves is still there. However, I had to pump the brakes. I have made friends in this city I now call home, and I get to play games several times a week. In fact, I meticulously track how many games we play, own, playtime, win rates, etc. While I'm aware of BGStats, being a professional data nerd and engineer, I created my own system that allows me to customize the tracking, including MSRP vs. the paid price and cost per play. I keep stats for what I play, but there's one sacred rule for the stats related to my collection: a game doesn't count towards the 'collection plays' tally unless both my wife and I have played it. Therefore, games played in Board Game Arena (BGA) and any games that my wife hasn't participated in do not count towards our totals. My collection is ours, and it only seems fair to count what we've enjoyed together, whether as a two-player game or with friends. Of our roughly 500 games, a shocking 50 remain unplayed That’s 10%! 18 of these games were acquired during Black Friday 14 of these games have been played by me (twice, each at least) 5 of these, I bought after learning how to play them in BGA 9 were gifts 1 is an expansion, does that count? This picture tells a poignant story. Games we were once ecstatic about, like Darwin's Journey: Collector's Edition (the only Kickstarter I have backed), have never seen the light of day. My birthday gift of the Ticket to Ride Legacy: Legends of the West sits wrapped and untouched. The truth is, familiarity trumps novelty, and short games have become our go-to. For instance, The Game by Pandasaurus Games is our most played game for the last 3 years running. If you haven’t played it, please check it out—it’s worth it! Occasionally, the headcount just doesn't match the game's ideal player number, or learning a new game is just not the vibe. I love learning about new games serendipitously. While scrolling on Instagram, someone's post aboutFleet sparked my curiosity, and before I knew it, they were teaching me the ropes of it on BGA. I fell in love, and when my local store stocked the dice version, I had to buy it. Fleet: The Dice Game (Second Edition) was an instant hit! Then, I stumbled upon a used copy of the original Fleet with all the expansions, and... well, commitment is a powerful drug. Sadly, that beauty has been dock-warming for months. So, I'm taking a stand. No new board games until we conquer this mountain of unplayed potential—or, as some call it, the #shelfOfOpportunity. I consolidated all the games we haven’t played and placed them in our center Kallax, so when we don’t know what to play, we have a starting point. Since snapping this photo, we've tackledHardback, Deep Dive, and Number Drop (which, by the way, is phenomenal – we've played it nonstop and even subjected our favorite couple to its addictive Tetris like charms. I may or may not have bought them a copy for Christmas). Another game full of dust is Great Western Trail: Argentina. I got this one from my BGG Secret Santa last year. While I don't own a personal copy of the original, I really like playing it. We've logged three Great Western Trail adventures this year, yet our Argentinian amigo remains untouched. The intimidating rulebook and the siren song of familiar territory might be to blame. Or perhaps the fact that our games were previously scattered across various shelves, letting us forget which games have never been played. Which games would you play from my photo? Are there any that you would cull right away? Arkham Horror (Third Edition) is a tricky one. We snagged it for free during a pandemic-era Asmodee promotion. We then designed a beautifully 3D-printed organizer. For that reason alone, I feel obligated to give it a shot. But oh, that rulebook! It is YUCKY!!! If I get tempted to purchase a game, I will light my “new board game smell” candle. Cheers to depleting this mountain of unplayed games, and happy gaming!

Introduction: How do you stay in the loop with games to add to your collection? Personally, I find myself immersed in the world of game discovery during brief breaks that turn into Instagram doomscrolling. Any cool design or polyomino games usually catch my eye. It was during one of these serendipitous moments that Number Drop entered my radar, so when I saw it at a random store, I had to buy it. My wife asked me what we were purchasing, and I fessed up. I don’t know. I think we’ll like it. It then sat on the shelf of shame. Bored and driven by curiosity, I played Number Drop as a solo game for the first time. This marked my inaugural solo gaming experience, and I am baffled. Why haven't I tried solo games sooner? Why did I let Number Drop sit on the shelf all by itself? What is Number Drop?: Number Drop is a roll-and-write game designed for 1-6 players with an approximate playtime of around 15 minutes. In each turn, players roll five dice. The objective is to use the rolled numbers to fill in the corresponding spaces on your grid, adhering to the rules of gravity. Players earn two victory points for each successfully completed row. To accumulate points, players strive to orthogonally complete rows with identical or consecutive numbers. For instance, if you have four threes, you mark them and score four points. A pivotal moment arises when both identical and consecutive numbers for a specific amount are completed. This prompts players to circle the "Number Drop." This introduces an exciting twist, as wildcards are then unleashed. If no player has circled the Number Drop, the game proceeds as normal. However, if a player has marked the Number Drop, those who haven't must draw a shape on the block board, ranging from three to five spaces. The drawback lies in these shapes making it more challenging to score points, as players must draw an 'X' on each spot the shape occupies. The end game is triggered when a player crosses the gameover line. Players tally their points by counting the number of columns they successfully completed. If the gameover line was triggered, players incur a penalty of -5 points for each space beyond the line. Points are then awarded for the total number of consecutive and identical pieces filled. The player with the most points wins. Components: Rule book, my favorite was the Score Sheet layout page which explains what each space is and how to score clearly 4 D6 numbered dice, the dice feature numbers ranging from 1 to 7, along with a versatile wildcard (*) that can be used as any number from 0 to 9. Tetromino shapes die. This die dictates the tetromino you’ll be drawing. This die also has a wildcard (*) side Double-sided block board, one side for solo play and one side for multiplayer games 10 Block tiles. Five of these go on the block board and are used to number drop. I like the replayability it adds to the game. Player board. It looks so retro. I am in love! A competitive spirit (optional, but highly recommended!) How to Play: 1. Set Up: Place the block board in the center, multiplayer side up. Each player takes a score sheet and a writing object. We chose erasable pens and are in the process of laminating the sheets so we can take the game on the go. Whoever bought a gaming console first becomes the first player. We changed it to whoever played Tetris last goes first. That way I am inclined to start. Then, every player starting with the first player places their turn number on the first row of the grid. 2. Round Structure: Phase 1: Roll all five dice Phase 2: Block Others. If any stars appear on the dice, check to see if anyone has circled a number drop. If they have, initiate BLOCK OTHERS by crossing off the ascending corresponding letter on Drop and having everyone that does not have that Number Drop circle draw the shape from the block board. These shapes must be drawn with “x.” Phase 3: If no one drops a shape, choose the rolled shape and use the corresponding numbers on your grid to fill it in entirely. Numbers can be placed anywhere within the shape. Phase 4: Score. Mark off any completed orthogonally adjacent numbers on your score sheet to earn points based on the selected consecutive or ascending numbers. Please note that you can only score each area once and can only score once per turn 3. End of the Game: Play continues until a player reaches the "Game Over" line on their score sheet All players finish the current round, then tally their final scores from the completed lines and bonus points The player with the highest score wins! In case of a tie, you share the victory Scoring: Each completed row scores 2 Each combination scores the number of spaces used If you complete all consecutive or identical numbers ranging from three through seven, you get a bonus 10 points You are able to do a bonus combination of 8. It sounds crazy, but it is possible. Be sure to mark it only if you feel that a Number Drop won’t affect you later. This can backfire on your whole strategy -5 points for each line you cross over after the pink game over line Solo Variant: Use the same rules but flip the block board to the solo mode. Select the five tiles that have the 1 and randomly place them on the block board. What I Liked: Simple, yet addictive: The core gameplay is incredibly easy to grasp, making it accessible to new, casual, and seasoned gamers. Even though the game is easy to teach, don’t underestimate the depth! Optimizing your placement and using blocks tactically offer plenty of brain-burning goodness Fast and furious: Games typically take around 15-20 minutes, making it perfect for quick bursts of fun, palette cleansers, or back-to-back sessions. It's the kind of game that leaves you saying, "Just one more round!" Tetris nostalgia: If you grew up clearing lines, Number Drop will spark that familiar joy. Seeing shapes fall onto your grid evokes the Tetris essence without relying on an electronic device Replayability: Different dice combinations and the blocking mechanic ensure no two games are the same. You'll constantly be trying new strategies and adapting to the ever-changing dice rolls Solo or social: Number Drop plays equally well solo or with others. The solo mode offers a satisfying puzzle challenge, while the multiplayer adds a dash of competitive spirit and tactical blocking Language-independent: If you are playing with kids, people who don't like to read, or, in my case, with family that doesn't always speak English, this game can be enjoyed without having to translate or explain each move What May Be a Drawback: Can be a bit dry: While the gameplay is solid, some may find the retro and abstract nature of Number Drop a little bland. If you crave rich narratives or immersive worlds, this might not be your cup block of teatris. But it sure is for me! Blocking can be mean: The blocking mechanic can lead to some groans and playful rivalry, especially in competitive groups, though who really plays with competitive people, right? HA HA! Just be prepared for some good-natured trash talk. Limited player interaction: Beyond blocking, players don't directly interact with each other's grids. Some might prefer a more interactive multiplayer experience. Some may consider it too luck based. The game did not come with pencils or pens. This was surprising, but at the same time, we usually don’t use the given writing ware but still. WHY NO MARKERS? Conclusion: Number Drop is a roll-and-write that captures the essence of Tetris in a simple, portable package. It's fast, addictive, and offers plenty of strategic depth. While the theme is retro arcade and the player interaction is somewhat limited, I believe Number drop will be a hit for anyone enjoying polyomino, roll-and-write games, and Tetris. The game is fast-paced. It is easy-to-learn, and it is language independent Happy gaming and rolling!

INTRODUCTION Exploring the vast expanse of space has never been my thing, but The Search for Planet X by Foxtrot Games and Renegade Game Studios is a very enjoyable deduction game that requires no space knowledge. If you enjoyed Clue as a child, you will more than likely love this game. I thoroughly do. Planet X accommodates 1-4 players and takes about an hour to play. The game scales well. We mostly play it at 2-players, and it also plays well at three and four players. In The Search for Planet X, you embark on a quest to locate Planet X within our solar system. The best part is that even though you may be the person who finds Planet X, this does not guarantee you to win the game. I was initially hesitant to add this game to my collection because it involves using an app. However, despite our strict 'no phubbing' table rule, trust me, it is worth making a no phones at the table exception for this game. GAME COMPONENTS The game includes double-sided player sheets for expert and standard modes. The board is placed in the center with the earth board and sun disc. The earth board is dynamic and rotates, displaying the visible sky, time track, and spots for theories with matching tokens.In addition, the board is divided into four areas and you grab the corresponding sheet based on where you are sitting. Despite complexity, the design is clear. The tokens are cute, and each player marker is a telescope. Not included with the game is the need for each player to download the companion app on their phone, serving as the game instructor for clues and deductions. The game did not come with an organizer, so we 3D-printed one and laminated the sheets. This has been really helpful for erasing and making sure that we don’t run out of the provided game sheets. GAME PLAY The Search for Planet X unfolds in rounds, each representing a new observation period. During setup, players designate their area in the companion app and choose the difficulty level of clues to initiate the game. The app employs clear icons, ensuring simplicity in following along with the gameplay. Players have the option to scan sectors for celestial objects such as gas clouds and comets, conduct research to obtain a logical rule guiding the discovery of Planet X, attempt to pinpoint the location of Planet X, or unveil the contents of one of the 12 or 18 sectors—depending on whether playing in standard or expert mode. Additionally, players can engage in peer reviews and conferences to collaboratively determine the whereabouts of Planet X. The companion app serves as a resource, providing answers and unveiling crucial clues. Players meticulously record their observations, creating a web of interconnected information. Through the analysis of patterns, players eliminate potential locations for Planet X and discover which sectors are empty, containing asteroids, gas clouds, dwarf planets, and comets. The game concludes when a player confidently announces the location, with verification from the app. WHAT I LIKED - Space knowledge not required - Clear iconography and puzzle-like nature - Simple to teach with a user-friendly companion app (I thought I’d hate using an app) - Finding Planet X doesn't guarantee winning - Player shield provides clear instructions WHAT MAY BE A DRAWBACK - The game requires an app to be played - The game is complex and may lead to analysis paralysis CONCLUSION Despite finding space boring, The Search for Planet X is a replayable, easy-to-teach deduction game. Though I had strong reservations about incorporating the app, I was wrong. The app enhances the overall experience.The iconography in the game is super clear and the levels of difficulty allow each player to have a challenging game. Happy gaming!

Introduction Daybreak is a cooperative game designed by Matt Leacock and published by CMYK Games. The game plays 1-4 players where you work together to decarbonize the planet . How do you achieve this? Well, you have to create resilient societies , remove dirty energy, research new technologies , and adapt to the serious effects of climate change Components Daybreak is beautiful! The artwork is truly stunning. I didn’t believe my friend when he first told me it was a Matt Leacock game as I was expecting the art to be more like Era or Pandemic. Eco friendly boxes that serve as inserts and a random piece of cardboard to ensure the game stays in place as you shift it around Beautifully designed rule book, easy to read and follow along to Game board Individual player boards are asymmetric. I was given Majority World in my first game; don't do it! Give it to someone else Action cards each come with a unique QR code that educates you about climate change and provides notes about the game and the action corresponding to the specific card Tokens including trees, waves for oceans and trees for Dice , if you are having a bad day or have general bad luck, don’t be the dice roller The components are all well-made and of high quality. There are A LOT of icons, which can be confusing at first, but each card explains what is expected. Additionally, each player is given a reference card that includes information about what each tag represents and the percentage of cards of that kind in the deck. The game's theme is well-represented in the components, and the overall look and feel of the game makes me want to make better choices. My favorite component is the temperature band; it is so dramatic, and the consequences of it can be scary. Gameplay Daybreak is a cooperative game, meaning that players work together to achieve a common goal . The goal of the game is to decarbonize the planet and create resilient societies . Players simultaneously take actions, and each action has a number of effects . Players can use their actions to build renewable energy sources , research new technologies , and adapt to the effects of climate change The game is played over up to six rounds , and each round is divided into a number of stages, including a global stage where you work as a team to decide which crisis cards to add and which global projects you’d like to conquer. Then, you move to the local stage. I LOVE this stage. Since the game plays simultaneously, each player can dedicate their time to their own boards, preventing any potential quarterbacking (as a huge Pandemic fan, this was a sigh of relief). Subsequently, comes the emission stage where you count carbon cubes generated by everyone’s boards. Then you check these carbon cubes against the ocean, trees, and possible direct air captures. Did I mention that if you can’t meet your energy demand, you have to add communities in crisis? If at any point, your team reaches zero carbon cubes in the emission area, you reach drawdown. This helps you win the game and remove any potential carbon cubes from the thermometer so you don’t have to add more temperature bands! Now, you are ready for the crisis stage. Here is where luck meets panic. For each temperature band, your team will draw a planetary effect die. Depending on what is rolled, you will advance an effect. If at any point, the tipping point is triggered, an effect must be resolved. Depending on how bad the environment is doing, you may be adding communities in crisis, lose resilience, lose cards, and reduce the amount of cards you’ll start the next turn with. If the drawdown marker is in place, you win the game. If not, increase the energy demand and keep fighting. Will you achieve the goals of drawdown or will you have our planet destroyed ? What I Like Important and timely theme: The theme of climate change is one that is important and relevant to our world today . The game represents the challenges of climate change. It is educational and hopeful. Challenging and rewarding gameplay: Daybreak is a challenging game. It plays simultaneously, so there’s no quarterbacking. High-quality components: The components are all of high quality and the game board is beautifully designed . Learning curve: The game is easy to learn. This makes it a great game for both new and experienced gamers. Dice: there are dice , and I love anything with dice! What I Don't Like The game is somewhat random, which can be frustrating at times and the icons can be overwhelming. I think the icons will get better over time, but I am not sure how many times this game will make it to the table. The eco-friendly boxes that come with the game idea is great, but I don’t think it will withstand the test of time. I do feel conflicted about adding a 3D printed insert to such an eco-friendly game, but we'll see how it does Conclusion Daybreak is an exciting, educational, and timely cooperative game. The game's theme is important, and the QR codes on each card are conflicting. In a way, I don’t want to allow phubbing at my table, but who doesn’t want to learn more about the environment? The design is beautiful. The game is played on a central board that represents the world , and players use their actions to achieve mutual goals. Have you tried this game? Happy gaming!

Introduction Lil' Guys is a relatively short card game in which players compete to throw the best party for a bunch of little guys. The player dealing the cards is considered the Party Planner. They divide the line into groups depending on the number of players. The other players choose a group of little guys and invite them to their party. The player with the most party points at the end of the game wins the game. The game mechanics are "I cut, you choose" ✂️, where one player splits a set of items into two or more groups, and the other players choose which group they want. The twist is that the splitter always chooses last! Components The game comes with a deck of cards. The cards feature a variety of different little guys, each with their own unique abilities and names. Gameplay The game is played in rounds. In each round, the designated "Party Planner" splits a line of ten guys into groups. Players then choose which group of guys to invite to their party. After you receive your cards, you can trade one card with the Party Store. The Party Store includes extra bonus points and pranks you can play on your opponents. Players score points for the types of guys they invite to their party, as well as for the items they collect. There are many different types of guys, each with their own unique abilities. Some guys are popular, while others are shy, stinky, or weird. It's up to each player to decide which guys they want to invite to their party and how they want to build their guest list. The game ends when the deck of cards is empty. The player with the most party points wins! Pros - Easy to learn - Not much language dependency - Beautiful art Cons - Can be a bit chaotic at times - May not be as appealing to gamers who prefer longer or more strategic games What I Liked I loved the art. The "I cut, you choose" mechanic is a new experience for me, and I think it truly adds something unique to the game. The game has a lot of humor. I recommend reading the cards aloud when playing with friends. Bonus points if you read the caption under each lil’ guy! Conclusion I think Lil’ Guys is a great palette cleanser. It is easy to learn, and it has enough strategy for you to think on and mess with your friends. The game has loads of replayability, and the artwork on the Lil’ Guys is stunning! Can't wait for this game to be available at my local store, so I can add it to my collection.

Introduction: Sunset Over Water is a lightweight set collection game. In this game, you play as an aspiring painter who goes on hikes to create landscape masterpieces. The game unfolds over six rounds, each referred to as a day, as you work towards accomplishing your daily goals by selling your paintings. What is a set collection game? Games where you earn points by gathering complete sets of items, rather than each item having its own point value. 1-4 players ~15-30 minutes Set collection Pocket edition travels well Components: DISCLAIMER: I have the pocket edition. All components fit perfectly into the small game box. I was initially worried because the cards are half the size of regular cards, but it does not affect gameplay. The components of Sunset Over Water consist of high-quality cards, including landscape cards that you arrange into a 5x5 tableau. Each of these cards features one or multiple icons in the top left corner, which you use to match commission cards. Commission cards are the cards you receive when you sell your paintings. The planning cards are exciting because you can draw three each time and choose one. Then, you place the last two at the bottom of the deck. Depending on your goals for the day, planning cards that were excellent for you in the last turn may not be suitable at all this turn. The game also includes four reference cards that are perfect for newcomers and anyone needing a rule refresher. The four artist tokens are super cute, although they don't come in yellow or red, which are the colors my wife and I prefer. Gameplay: The game consists of six rounds, known as days. During your turn, you select a daily goal card to plan your day, which not only determines your turn order but also guides your tableau exploration as you hike to paint landscape cards. At the end of each day, you have the opportunity to sell your paintings for commission cards and work towards achieving your daily goals. On the sixth day, the player with the most planning cards, which are used to determine your turn order and navigate the tableau to collect landscape cards, has an advantage. Additionally, at the end of the day, you can sell your paintings and pursue your daily goals. The player with the highest renown, calculated by adding the values of commission cards, daily goals, and unsold landscapes, wins the game. What I Like: I love that the game can easily travel with me. The game is pretty language independent and the iconography is pretty straight forward and easy to understand. The game is easy to learn but the daily goals and planning cards give it enough replayability to make it its own game each time. Taking picture and trying to match the sunset line is also fun, but not part of the game Conclusion: Sunset Over Water is a visually stunning set collection game that is suitable for both new and experienced gamers. While its compact pocket edition may not fit in my small sweatpants or jean pockets, the game travels well. The game features straightforward iconography, ensuring that players won't struggle with the rules. The inclusion of daily goals and planning cards adds replayability, making each playthrough unique.I like that the game is simple yet strategic. Additionally, as the days grow shorter in upstate New York, it's a delightful way to go on a virtual spring/summer hike. Happy gaming!

🎟 Intro - a Zoo kinda game Zuuli is a card game for 1-6 players that combines the best of both worlds: adorable animals and strategic game play. In Zuuli, players take on the roles of zookeepers, competing to create the most successful wildlife park. The game features charming artwork 🎨 and a wide range of animals, including fierce lions 🦁 and friendly red pandas 🐼 and sloths 🦥. Zuuli offers three types of habitats that challenge you to keep the fierce animals apart from the friendly animals while ensuring all animals fit into the correct type of enclosures. This closed-drafting card game typically takes about ten minutes to teach and set up as well as twenty minutes to play ⏱️. But what exactly is a closed drafting card game?🃏 It's a strategic decision-making game where players select cards from a known pool of cards and pass the remainder to others. This gameplay requires careful planning and anticipation of opponents' moves. Choosing the right balance of luck and strategy should lead to victory 🤔💡 Components - A Menagerie in a Box 🎪 Inside the box, you'll find a scoring pad along with 96 cards. The cards include 6 New Plot Cards, one for each player. 21 enclosure cards, 54 adorable animal cards, and 15 upgrade Cards. Each component is beautifully designed. The animals are so cute, you may want to pet the cards! Enclosures: These essential cards come with unique abilities and scores based on animal types and numbers 🏠 Animals: The heart of your park, they score based on rarity and enclosures 🐾 Upgrades: Enhance enclosures and animals with special abilities like expanding the size of your enclosure or allowing fierce animals to cohabitate with friendly animals 🛠️ Game Play - Strategic Drafting 🃏 Main Goal 🏆: Achieve the title of the top wildlife park in three rounds called "Years" through the development of enclosures, acquisition of animals, and upgrades. 📆 Each year, deal cards to players based on the number of participants. Every player selects a card, then passes the remaining cards to the next player. Players keep their chosen cards secret until the final card is passed on. 🏞️ Next, they strategically develop their park by balancing the construction of enclosures, implementing upgrades, and placing animals. It's crucial to ensure they have sufficient enclosure space for each animal and the right animal types. Remember, fierce animals cannot share enclosures with other species or friendly animals. 📊 At the conclusion of each year, calculate scores based on the values of the animals and deduct points for any animals that couldn't be placed due to space constraints. 🏁 After the third year, combine the scores from all previous years. The player with the highest total score wins. In case of a tie (as we had one yesterday and I lost to the tie breaker), the player with the most unique animals claims victory! 🐾🥇 🦁 What I Like - Roar-some Fun for All Ages 🐾 Zuuli is a treat for gamers and non-gamers alike! It's like having a beautiful mini zoo in a box ready to be taken and played anywhere. With various animals, from fierce bears 🐻 to friendly giraffes 🦒, every game feels like a safari adventure. Plus, it works for solo play up to a party of six 👥. The game is easy to teach and fast to play. The cards are so adorable, you’ll want to pet them! Concerns - 🐾 The Wild Can Get a Bit Too Wild 🌿 Zuuli can get super competitive 🔥! Managing enclosures and animals can be a bit tricky 🦁. Your animals may not be able to be placed in an enclosure providing you negative points. The game may be intimidating for new players, but hey! The jungle's not for the faint-hearted 🌿💪! I wish the game was available in more languages 🌎. It's not very language-heavy, but there are bonuses on animals that require English knowledge. I feel that the game is a bit too luck based at 6 players, but I do enjoy it at all other counts. Where to Play the Game Zuuli is not yet available worldwide, but it is available in Board Game Arena. The game is originally from the UK. If you are like me, you can be impatient and buy a copy from Zatu. Let's all cross our fingers and hope Zuuli makes its grand entrance to the US and around the world soon 🤞 Conclusion - A Wildly Addictive Card Safari 🌍🃏 This game is becoming a must with our different friend groups 😃 . I’ve really enjoyed playing it with my wife as a two-player game. It plays really well at three, four, and five. I feel that it gets a bit too luck-based at six, but the game scales well at each player count. The components are beautiful. At first, I thought the game was for children, but don’t let the art fool you. Gather your friends and enjoy a game! May your cards be spot-on and your wildlife park thrive 🎉 🐟🐻🐊🦛🐸🦒🦁🐼🦥

INTRO: The Mootastic Showdown Herd Mentality is a 🐮 party game for 4-20 players. The objective is to be the first player to collect 8 🐮. To win, answer questions in line with the majority of the group. If you stray, you'll receive the pink 🐮cow, which slows your progress. Keeping the pink 🐮 doesn't prevent you from earning cow points, but it prevents you from winning. This game blends strategy, psychology, and humor. It's all about navigating the crowd's choices and avoiding standing out 🎉 COMPONENTS: Udderly fascinating Let’s start with the box! The uniquely designed box catches your eye because it looks like a cow 🐄, and it adds an extra layer of charm because if you touch it, it almost feels like you are petting a cow 🐾. The points are quirky cows 🐮. They are all unique. The deck of cards has different colors and the range of questions is fairly unique. Big Potato Games does a great job at being environmentally friendly 🌿. The box does not come with any plastic ♻️. The game does not come with pens or pencils, and each answering sheet has five lines. We are using erasable pens ✍️, and once we deplete the answer sheets, we’ll laminate them for reuse 🔄. Game Play: Gotta go with the cow-munity! To set up the game, place the cow paddock 🐄, which includes the pink cow 🐮 and points 💰, in the middle of the table. Grab a few sheets from the answer pad 📝 and a pen ✍️ for each player. The gameplay occurs in rounds. On each turn, one player will flip a "Herd Mentality" card 🃏 and read it aloud. Everyone writes an answer. If people are taking too long, the person who flipped the card can moo at them 🐮. This is a gentle yet hilarious reminder that you are dragging on. Once everyone has finished writing, everyone takes turns answering aloud. If there is a 🗳️ majority answer, everyone who answered that answer gets a 🐮 point. If there is a majority tie, no one is awarded cow points. If all players but one have the same answer, the odd cow out gets the pink cow. The person holding the pink cow cannot win the game. The game continues until one player has collected 8 🐮. That player is the winner as long as they don’t have the pink cow in their possession! 🎉 What I Like: Herd’s the Deal I like Herd Mentality because it is a 🥳 fun and easy game to learn. The rules are 📝 simple and the game is quick to ⏱️ set up and play. It is also a great game for 👥 large groups, as it can accommodate up to 20 players. I also like that Herd Mentality is a game that encourages 🗣️ discussion and 🤝 teamwork. Players need to work together to figure out what the 🗳️ majority answer is. This can lead to some 😂 interesting and 🤣 funny conversations. I feel that the game plays well at any player count which is rare. Even at larger groups, the game scales. What You May Not Like The only thing I don't like about Herd Mentality is that there’s a finite number of question cards, so they can be a bit repetitive after you’ve played the game a few times. I’d suggest mixing in some of your own questions and submitting them to Big Potato Games. Conclusion - Wrapping it Up in a Cow-tastic Bow Herd Mentality is a fun and easy-to-learn 🥳 party game that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. The game is perfect for groups of four players or larger 👥. It encourages 🗣️ discussion and 🤝 teamwork. The game does not drag on and is enjoyed by both board gamers and non-gamers alike. It's a great ice-breaker and starting game that helps bond long-term friends and new acquaintances. Gather your herd and enjoy the game. May your answers be spot-on🐄🎉

INTRO In the realm of party games, Cards Against Humanity has been widely celebrated for its irreverent and controversial content. Our tastes in board games, like everything else, should evolve. While Cards Against Humanity may have had its merits, trust me there is a whole world of board games waiting to be discovered. Let's move beyond Cards Against Humanity. It perpetuates stereotypes and fosters exclusion WHY I SAY NO TO CARDS AGAINST HUMANITY Cards Against Humanity relies on offensive humor and shock value. The game perpetuates stereotypes and endorses discrimination. Yes, I've had my fair share of playing this game in my teenage years and early twenties, finding amusement in Googling unfamiliar terms from the deck. However, as our society progresses towards greater inclusivity and sensitivity, participating in this game feels morally questionable. While I appreciate pushing boundaries, making light of sensitive topics like consent, homosexuality, child abuse, gender, race, and more is simply gauche. 🧀 Cheesy, yet true statement: prioritizing inclusion and empathy creates environments where diverse perspectives are welcomed, fostering respect for all. TRYING OUT A NEW GAME Gather your friends and try Monikers, a hilarious group game that challenges your knowledge of pop culture and communication skills with limited words. With three rounds of excitement, the game kicks off like Taboo, where players take turns describing famous people, characters, or random items while teammates guess the right word. The twist? The same set of cards appears in every round, open to both teams. In round two, players must describe each card using only one word, keeping everyone engaged and building shared references, leading to laughter-filled moments. The final round brings the cards to life through silent acting. The team with the most successful guesses wins the game. Monikers plays from 4 to 16 players. The game shines at six or more players. If acting isn't your cup of tea, why not give Wavelength a try? It's an engaging guessing game that pits two teams against each other as they strive to attune themselves to their teammates' thought wavelengths. The game revolves around a unique concept where players work together to decipher a location on a spectrum using provided clues. Each turn, the clue-giver adjusts a dial, receives a clue card with two opposing words, and offers a clue to their team, aiming to guess the target location. Success hinges on striking the right balance between precision and ambiguity, as closer guesses yield more points. The first team to reach ten points wins the game. This fantastic game can be enjoyed from 2 to 12 players. The game shines at four or more players. Both of these games can be purchased from the publishers website at CMYK.games, your local board game store, Barnes & Noble, or Amazon. CONCLUSION We are fortunate to live in a world where there is a wide array of board games that offer engaging and thought-provoking experiences without needing to rely on offensive or discriminatory content. Stay tuned to explore games that cultivate an atmosphere of inclusivity, creativity, and foster meaningful connections. Gather your friends and enjoy a game!