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Every October, Spiel Essen lights up with the hottest board games, indie gems, and clever reprints you might otherwise miss. One publisher that has been catching my eye is Playte. Over the last few years, I’ve played a bunch of their titles, and I love their clever design, compact boxes, and thoughtful use of every component, sometimes even the box itself. Whether you’re at the convention or following from afar, these are the kinds of games that sneak into your bag and onto your table. Playte will be at Booth 6D-310 and their games can be ordered in Amazon , Ebay , or pre-order for Essen at :  https://tally.so/r/mBYNZe Playte games may come in small boxes, but they feel like big games. They’re portable without sacrificing gameplay. For example, I used to carry the classic Can’t Stop , but it was way too bulky to travel with. Now I keep Playte’s version in my car for a quick game anytime Many Playte titles are brand new, while others are smart reprints of older gems (looking at you Circus Flohcati) I might never have found otherwise. The components are top-notch: vibrant, sturdy, and thoughtfully produced. My only gripe? The English translations could use a bit of polish. Thankfully, their team is super responsive on Instagram, so any confusion is usually cleared up fast Besides the list below, I’m also looking forward to trying Unlock, Orapa Space, and Batam. Oh, and I recently picked up Playte’s Railway Chips. These are tiny poker-style chips for tracking victory points. I’m already eyeing a second set because while they scale well for most games, some heavier titles definitely need more 1s Here’s my Essen-ready Playte ranking for the games I’ve enjoyed and recommend: Vampire Queen 3–12 player game that takes about 30 minutes Vampire Queen is a sneaky card game where you try to get your vampires back to their tombs without getting stuck with high-value cards or a pesky vampire hunter! Timing, clever plays, and a little chaos make every round tense and fun. The queens are tricky, the hunters mess with everyone, and only the player with the fewest points at the end of five rounds wins. If you like fast, cutthroat games that mix luck, strategy and cute art, this one bites just right The game is designed by  Wolfgang Kramer . He's the same genius that made 6nimmt, Princess of Florence, Tikal, and Wandering Towers. What I really appreciate about his games is that no game of his I've tried feels like the same game. I'm actively taking more Kramer recommendations, thank you! Pueblo Another Wolfgang Kramer game! 2-4 player game that takes about 10 minutes per player In this game, you are an architect trying to build your dwelling by alternating cubes and trying to make sure your color is not visible from any side. The 3D aspect is very neat. The Playte components are super nice and sturdy. The game is very abstract and really requires spatial ability to succeed. It feels more and more calculated the more you play it. It is very reminiscent of chess in that sense. I prefer this one at two, and I’m curious how it would play with four really spatially sharp players Moon Leap Moon Leap is another one of the clever L-shape boards in Playte games. The game playls 2-4 players, and I think it plays best at 4. The game takes about 10 minutes per player Moon Leap is all about timing your movements with a gorgeous set of well designed astronaut meeples. Roll the dice, move your meeples and hope to score big. Do you go big? Do you change the next big score? Once you advance, there's no going back. The game is simple and it plays well with kids and adults alike Tasso Banana Tasso Banana is a fun 2–6 player game that takes less than 15 minutes to play It’s another one of those clever Playte L-shaped boxes where the box becomes the game. I love the components; they’re wobbly, chunky, and hilariously tricky to stack. This fits perfectly with the goal to defy gravity and tower your bananas as high as possible while trying to get rid of all yours before your opponents do. The game is silly, quick, and especially fun with a drink or with the kids in the family Ada's Library Quick and clever 2-player game that takes about 20 minutes This one is one of those Playte Games that the box opens and becomes the board game. In Ada's Library, you’re both book lovers—well, one of you is (me), and the other is a master organizer (my wife). This game is all about sorting books on the shelves with a dash of friendly competition. The gameplay is simple but smart: you’re racing to arrange your library just right while trying to outwit your opponent. I’ve been trying to beat my wife at it, but she’s always a step ahead. Is it luck? Strategy? Or just pure organizing genius? If you like light strategy and cozy head-to-head battles with a bookish twist, Ada’s Library is a perfect fit. Pair it with a cup of tea or coffee and voila! The start of date night Mino Dice Mino Dice plays 3-6 players and it takes about 30 minutes to play The game is loud, exciting, and full of dice. It's all about predicting how much you'll win and hoping you bet correctly. Picture trick-taking game but with dice! The unpredictability and wishing you were right, gets me every time The component quality is top notch. The dice is chunky and colorful. I really wish there was a two player mode because I would play it way more! Can't Stop 2-4 push-your-luck player game that takes about 10 minute per player This is one of those addictive dice games that you can take anywhere and think, yes, I have this. And you really don't. Both Playte editions turn into a compact adventure that becomes one of their famous L-shape boxes. Both versions (the blue and brown) one are very portable, but the brown one has a mountain backdrop that is just magnificent. However; if I am going to a bar, or somewhere a bit dark, I prefer to take the blue version. Do you like big risks? And the thrill of just one more? Then Can't Stop is a game you should definitely checked out. For a card version of the same feeling, check out Flip 7 Orapa Mine Alright, fellow Battleship lovers. Here comes the next upgraded version that plays up to 5 players in about 30 minutes Orapa Mine takes the classic guess and blast game and gives it a colorful twist. You have moved on from the ocean, and are now a miner. You are looking for hidden gems and are trying to identify the right path by following clues one step at a time. The game is relatively quick, interactive and has the right dose of deduction to keep you on your toes Skull King 2-8 player trick-taking game that takes about 40 minutes to play. This is one of those trick-taking games that plays well at any count. The game is all about betrayals, hoping for bonus points, mermaids, and wishing that you made the right bet. You don't only want to win tricks, you want to make sure you win exactly the amount of tricks you predicted. If you get it right, big points! If not, well . . . get ready to walk the plank This game is wild, swingy, and can get loud. My only complaint is that you need someone to help with scoring as this can be a bit tricky during your first few times Penguin Party 2- 6 player adorable card game that plays in 15 minutes or less. Stack penguins into a pyramid and try to play all your cards before you are unable to match the colors and build your way up. The art is super cute, the game has more depth than what it seems. It plays well at any count, with friends, family, children, experience gamers, or new comers. I like how the game looks inviting, but it also has a good dose of sabotage For a game with a similar feel, but 3D, try K3 5. Perudo 2 to 6 players and it plays in about 20 minutes This bluffing classic gets the Playte treatment with gorgeous components in a perfectly compact box. Liar’s Dice is all about rolling secretly, bidding boldly, and calling each other’s bluffs. It's basically, who can lie best without getting caught Each player gets a cup and five dice. On your turn, you raise the bid or call someone out. The rules are simple, and tension builds fast. Every round, someone loses a die, and the last player standing wins Meow Meow Dice Fast, fluffy chunky dice game about your favorite pet that plays 2-4 players in about 15 minutes You play as a butler trying to spoil your cats with toys, food, and accessories; however, the chunky wooden dice don’t always roll in your favor. Match patterns to collect cards, build sets, and earn points while the cats silently judge your every move It’s got that Yahtzee meets cat café vibe, with adorable art, easy rules, and just enough luck to keep things unpredictable. Super cute, quick to teach, and a purr-fect filler for game night or a cozy coffee table showdown! Layer Puzzle 1-4 player flip-and-write game that takes about 20 minutes to play Layer Puzzle was a surprise to me. It doesn't quite fit the usual Playte style. Well, maybe it's closer to Orapa Mine, but regardless. I'm here for it. This game is like Tetris meets memory. It's all testing your memory and stacking, forgetting, and then regretting it. You stack transparent layers by marking X shapes. The goal is to leave no blank spaces, but good luck. You'll hide your first four rounds and then try to connect them all after the fifth round. The game is easy to learn, but it is hard to master. Any tips on how to make my memory better? High Society 3-5 player game that takes about 20 minutes to play High Society is a fast and clever auction game where you bid on fancy items to boost your status—without going broke [hopefully]! Spend too much, and you’re out. Timing and bluffing make every bid tense and fun Just like Penguin Party, this one is designed by Reiner Knizia , a master of elegant and sharp game design. I love Knizia. From Lost Cities to Medici and Ra. His games are elegant and tight. If you like auctions and smart choices, High Society is a big game in a small box. I really wish there was a two player variant for this one! Circus Flohcati Another Reiner Knizia title. 2–5 player push-your-luck card game that takes about 15 minutes to play In Circus Flohcati, you’re putting together the wildest flea circus imaginable. Each turn, you draw cards to recruit performers, clowns, acrobats, and all sorts of tiny troublemakers. But push your luck too far, and your act falls apart! The goal is to collect colorful sets and trios to score big while knowing just when to stop. It’s light, fast, and full of those “one more card… oh no!” moments that make everyone laugh and regret their choices. If you like push-your-luck games with a bit of flair (and a lot of chaos), this one’s a classic worth trying Express Cross 2 to as many players as you want and it plays in about 15 minutes This clever, quick dice game is my favorite from Playte Games. It’s small enough to fit in your purse, with the box holding the dice, sheets, and four tiny pencils. (I recommend laminating the sheets because you definitely won’t want to play it just once) On your turn, you roll 1 die, then 2, then 3, up to 5 dice. You can choose to add a special die that can give positive or negative points, adding a fun risk element. After rolling, you add up the dice and write the total somewhere on your sheet, trying to build the longest ascending chain of numbers. The twist? There are sum chains that can give you less points, so think strategically. This game is quick, fun, simple to learn, and perfect for family night, or a quick night cap Conclusion So yeah, Playte might be all about small boxes, but they pack them with charm, clever design, and real staying power. Every title feels like a complete experience that just happens to fit in your glove compartment, backpack, or purse. Whether you’re chasing vampires, stacking bananas, or flexing your brain with Ada’s Library, there’s a Playte game for every mood. Their catalog keeps surprising me with how much game they squeeze into so little space. If you spot that signature L-shaped box at Essen, or online, do yourself a favor and give it a try. Odds are, it’ll end up being the one you actually bring to game night.

Hundreds of new games are debuting at Essen this year. Some are brand new, some are returning favorites, and a handful are already working their way onto wishlists everywhere. Here are a few I’ve played and thoroughly enjoyed 🍖 Barbecubes This is like an appetizer filled with chaos. You are trying to grill tiny pixelated proteins with a pair of tongs while everyone watches and silently judges you and prays that your hand-eye coordination fails you. If you drop a cube, you take a card. If you ever take two, you are out! This one is small enough to go with you anywhere. There’s a veggie version I desperately want as some of my family is vegan Players : 2–6 Publisher : Alley Cat Games Playtime : ~10 minutes Designers : Brett J. Gilbert and Rob Sparks Artist : Rory Muldoon Mechanism : party, dexterity 📦 Depot This tiny box packs surprisingly big thrills. Picking cards feels like opening a mystery package in the mail: you never quite know what you’re getting, but every choice matters. Do you go for multiples or sequences? Every choice matters. Timing, memory, and a dash of daring can make the difference between first and last place Players : 3–5 Publisher : Playte Games Playtime : ~20 minutes Designer : Yusuke Sawaguchi Artist : Tansan Inc Mechanisms : Hand management, set collection, push-your-luck 💎 Etherstone Mystical, gorgeous, and surprisingly crunchy under the hood. This engine builder blends tactical combat, clever dice, and unique leaders that make every choice matter. The icons and abilities can feel like a lot at first, but once you dive in, the dice, leaders, and looming threats create fast, fun, high-stakes gameplay. Multiple paths to victory, minimal downtime, and thrilling combat make this one endlessly replayable Players : 2–4 Publisher : ThunderGryph Games Playtime : ~15 minutes per player Designers : Virginio Gigli and Simone Luciani Artist : Paolo Voto Mechanisms : Engine building and resource management 🌿 Everdell Duo Woodland city-building for two (or solo), bursting with charm and strategy. Place your workers, gather twigs, resin, pebbles, and (the same delicious squishy) berries from the original, and play critter and construction cards to grow the most prosperous valley. Seasons pass, Sun and Moon tokens shift, and you weigh whether to grab resources, play cards, or plan for end-game bonuses. Cozy, tactical, and surprisingly competitive for two players. If you love Everdell, Duo is a faster, lighter two-player alternative. Still full of charm, just in bite-sized sessions Players : 1–2 Publisher : Starling Games Playtime : ~30 minutes Designers : James A. Wilson, Clarissa A. Wilson Artists : Enggar Adirasa, Andrew Bosley Mechanisms : Worker placement, resource management, card play, engine building 🔄 Flip 7 The 2025 Spiel des Jahres nominee from The Op Games (KOSMOS in Germany) by designer Eric Olsen. I’m obsessed with this pocket-sized gem. It’s a push-your-luck race to 200 points with clever twists: special cards give second chances, force extra flips, or freeze players (sometimes even yourself!). Every turn makes you second-guess, do you push high or play it safe? Quick, addictive, and endlessly replayable, Flip 7 sneaks onto the table again and again. You can play it anywhere and with anyone, from hardcore gamers to total newbies Players : 3 or more (though I've played it at two just fine) Publisher : The Op Games / KOSMOS Playtime : ~20 minutes Designer : Eric Olsen Artist : O'Neil Mabile  Mechanisms : Card play, push-your-luck, hand management 🚀 Galactic Cruise Ready to run your own luxury space resort? Of course you are! But beware, everyone else is gunning for the corner office. You’ll juggle ship construction, guest satisfaction, and impressing the Board of Directors while trying to keep your resources under control. The components are top notch. Each turn is a delicate dance of assigning workers, launching ships, and completing company goals. The winner? The supervisor with the most Victory Points after three years of interstellar corporate chaos  Players : 1–4 Publisher : Kinson Key Games Playtime : ~30 minutes per player Designers : T.K. King, Dennis Northcott, Koltin Thompson Artist : Ian O'Toole Mechanisms : Worker placement, resource management, engine building 🖋 Ink Ink is like speed-painting under pressure. You pick tiles from the Quill Wheel, add them to your painting, and place your ink bottles to complete objectives. Hit the right combos and trigger bonus actions to manipulate your painting or extend your turn. The goal is simple: be the first to play with all your ink bottles. Every turn is a mix of planning, pattern-building, and tiny uh-oh moments when you realize your perfect tile has already been taken Players : 1-4 Publisher : Final Score Games Playtime : ~40 minutes Designer : Kasper Lapp Artist : Chris Quilliams Mechanisms : Tile placement, pattern building, resource management ⚓ Leuchtturm voraus Beacon Patrol finally makes its German debut, and it’s a delight. Explore the North Sea coast, place tiles to map buoys and lighthouses, and rack up points with your crew. The game is cooperative, relaxing, and surprisingly brainy once the board fills up. Quick turns, clever tile placement, and a little friendly rivalry when you just miss the Captain rank. It’s the kind of game you set up again and again Players : 1–4 Publisher : frechverlag Playtime : ~30 minutes Designer : Torben Ratzlaff Artist : Torben Ratzlaff Mechanisms : Cooperative, tile placement, route building 🏖 Tenby I’m biased because I playtested this one, but Tenby is a joy. Build the colorful streets of a Welsh town using terraces, piers, landmarks, and local contracts. Score the most points, and you win! Every turn feels like painting a little piece of the town, and bonus points for a soundtrack composed by designer Benjie Talbott? Chef’s kiss. Charming, clever, and full of personality Publisher : Mighty Boards Players : 1–5 Playtime : ~45 minutes Designer and artist: Benjie Talbott Mechanisms : Tile placement, area majority, set collection Wrapping It Up From chaotic cube-grilling to cozy woodland city-building, these are just a few of the sparks that will light up Essen this year. Whether you’re walking the crowded halls in Germany or plotting your preorder strategy from home, Spiel Essen marks the official start of the most exciting season in board gaming. The reveals, the buzz, the wishlists, it all kicks off here. Every new game is a little spark of joy (and, let’s be honest, another addition to my Christmas list). I’ll be keeping an eye out, and I should probably start clearing some shelf space

Every October, the board game world lights up for Spiel Essen (spiel meaning game and Essen being the city where the convention takes place), the biggest board game event of the year. This is where the hottest new releases are revealed, Christmas wishlists start forming, and the games that will dominate tables in the coming year first make their appearance. It’s the place to see which titles are capturing hearts and dice cups around the world. Even from afar, following Essen gives you the inside track on the releases you’ll want to bring home, or preorder once they hit local stores Why Spiel Essen Matters This isn’t just another convention. It’s where the board game year officially kicks off. The hottest releases make their debut here, indie gems rub shoulders with future award winners, and playtesting happens before games even reach stores. For anyone following from afar, it’s the first peek at what will dominate tables, and the buzz is infectious. You don’t need to speak German though a smile and a “danke” never hurt. And if you’re not attending, your local gaming store shelves (and yes, Zatu Games) will bring these treasures to our tables 🥰 Designers, Up Close Designers champion their own games. They demo, explain rules, and share why their creations matter. It’s a peek behind the curtain at the thought and care that go into the boxes we eventually bring home Take Flip 7, the 2025 Spiel des Jahres nominee from The Op Games (and KOSMOS in Germany) by designer Eric Olsen. I’m obsessed with this pocket-sized gem. It’s a push-your-luck race to 200 points with clever twists: special cards that give second chances, force extra flips, or freeze players (sometimes even yourself). Every turn makes you second-guess. Do you push high or play it safe? Quick, addictive, and endlessly replayable, Flip 7  sneaks onto the table again and again. You can play it anywhere and with anyone. From hardcore gamers to total newbies. Knowing the designer is out there at Essen, showing it off and sharing tips, just makes me love it even more 🥰 Hot Picks Incoming 🔥 Whether you’re walking the halls in Germany (I envy you) or following from afar, Spiel Essen marks the official start of board game season. The buzz, the reveals, the wishlists, it all begins here. Have you seen the BoardGameGeek Essen Games preview ? I've enjoyed a few thus far and have started a wishlist 🙈

You’ve seen her smile, you’ve seen the crowds, and now you can bring her home. The LEGO Art Mona Lisa takes one of the most famous faces in the world and turns her into a pixel-perfect mosaic. At first glance, it’s hard to believe those subtle shadows and that mysterious smirk come from thousands of tiny bricks. But, it works. Plus, there are a few different faces, so you can change her face and throw your family off for a loop. Don’t ask me how I know The Basics Set: 31213 LEGO Art – Mona Lisa Pieces: 1,503 Release Date: October 1, 2024 Ages: 18+ Size: 16 in. (40 cm) high, 11 in. (28 cm) wide, 1 in. (3 cm) deep The Masterpiece How do you feel about building a portrait that stares back at you the whole time? Thankfully she doesn’t until the end. The LEGO Art Mona Lisa was created in collaboration with the Louvre Museum, and you can feel the care in every layer. The build starts with a shimmering gold frame made from more gold pieces than any LEGO set to date. I was skeptical about it at first, but by the time I finished, I loved it so much it earned a spot in my foyer. The set comes with 19 bags. You start with the frame, then build the canvas. From there, you paint with bricks from top to bottom. The background comes first, then the layers that shape her hands, and finally her face. Each section adds more depth, just like Da Vinci’s original technique. The layering is beautiful and comes together quite nicely. I am not certain about her expression. I used to think she smiles, but she doesn’t. Compared to the rest of the painting, the eyes and face seem a bit out of place, but the option of now giving her eyes made her look creepy, so we settled. The manual matches the colors almost perfectly which lets the build fill smoothly. The LEGO painting is elegant and it feels surreal to be able to replicate it. I was a bit disappointed to not get the sticker to sign it, but then I learned that the painting was never signed. Final Impression When you’re done, you don’t just have a LEGO mosaic, you have a piece of history. The finished build is gorgeous. From the layered background to the elegant frame. It’s only about 1,500 pieces, but it feels like so much more. You start by creating the frame, then stacking colors, and by the end, you are staring into the woman that has made many wonder for centuries. I never thought I’d say this, but I want to paint the Mona Lisa (aga in). I may never experience to see the real one without a crowd, but at home, she’s quietly watching over my foyer and judging my guests.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with Etherstone. The art is gorgeous, the rules are light, and once you get rolling it’s deeper and faster than I thought. My first play left me hungry to explore new leader combos. I was a bit lost at first, but by my second game I was ready. It’s crunchy, turns move along, and I can’t wait to play again 🥰 Etherstone is designed by Virginio Gigli and Simone Luciani, with art from Paolo Voto and published by ThunderGryph Games. The game plays 2 to 4 players with ~15 minutes per player. Players take on the role of powerful leaders competing for victory points by summoning cards, overcoming threats, and wielding mystical abilities What’s in the Box Rulebook Leader, basic, player aid, and threat cards 5 Etherstone six-sided dice Life dials Etherstone, Counter, victory point, and void pact tokens How It Plays Setup is simple. Each player drafts a Leader and starting hand of seven. Based on the leader specs, set the life dial and get Etherstones. Then set three threat cards, roll dice, and select a card from your hand and pass them to the next player. After you select seven cards, you are ready to start, voila! On your turn, draft an Etherstone die to gain two resources and trigger matching powers. You can spend Etherstones to summon cards from your hand. You can rest your exhausted followers or push them into battle against Threats to earn rewards. Everything revolves around Etherstones, the five-color currency that fuels your cards and abilities. Threats are the main source of victory points, but your Leader and followers can build engines that chain into big swings. Keep an eye on your life though. If you push too hard you may be forced into a brutal Void Pact. Void Pact gives you negative seven points and reset your life dial. The game ends when someone runs out of cards, victory point pool is empty, or when all the Threats are cleared, and the player with the most points takes the win 🏆 Pros 🎲 dice drafting tension ⚔️ Combat feels high stakes but rewarding 🌌 The Void Pact is a clever “reset button” 🚀 Minimal downtime, turns move along quickly 🌈 Multi-layered strategies with multiple ways to win 🃏 Deckbuilding and leader powers provide endless replayability Considerations ⏳ The game starts out a bit slow, but it ramps up quickly 💡 Lots of icons and abilities to parse through ❤️ No direct combat 🤔 Not a consideration, but I really thought it was interesting that the box does not say anything in the back or the sides. It reminded me of a perfume box that I would want to buy Bottom Line Etherstone surprised me. It looks mystical and pretty, but under the hood it’s a crunchy engine builder with tactical combat and meaningful choices every turn. It can feel a little overwhelming at first with all the icons and abilities, but once you get the flow, the dice, leaders, and threats create a game that’s fast, fun, and endlessly replayable. If you like multi-layered strategy, engine-building, and chasing combos, this game is a must try

And just like that, Q3 is over! Somehow summer disappeared in a blur of dice, cards, and late-night table time. Let’s see what made it to the table this quarter and how the 2025 goals are holding up. Spoiler: Dominion still rules, but plenty of challengers fought for table space 🏆 Most Played Games This Quarter Some games just kept calling us back: 👑 Dominion – The reigning champ. Still discovering new combos and kingdoms. We are so obsessed with this game, we bought an extra copy and a container to take kingdoms with us wherever we go. You never know when the perfect moment to play this may come! 🧑‍🚀 The Crew – Quiet chaos and teamwork at its finest. I honestly think that if LotR Trick taking Game could be counted as The Crew, this would be the most played game of the year. It's so good, and depending on the group, we can't finish a night without playing one of the other, or sometimes both 🧙‍♂️ The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Trick-Taking Game – Long name, probably one of the longest ones I've seen. Amazing game! We are obsessed! We are doing it with a couple of friends, and it's as good if not better than the Crew! 🃏 The Game – Stressful in the best way. Who knew playing numbers in order could cause this much tension? This is one that we lose a lot on, but hardly ever play it just once 🔥 Knister – Fast, crunchy, and chaotic fun. Like Splitter but speedier. We keep trying to outsmart the dice… spoiler alert: we never do 🙈 🪐 Jump Drive – Blink and it’s over, but somehow always satisfying 🚀 Space Base – Dice, engines, and endless combos 🏙️ My City – Legacy tiles, slow burn satisfaction 7️⃣ Flip 7 – The little game that lives in the bag and always gets played. I love how nongamers really dig this one 🎯 2025 Goals Progress 🔢 H-Index: 13 for the year and have been able to reach 39 overall 👑 Dominion: 54 / 100 kingdoms explored 🗂️ 31% of the collection played this year 😬 Shelf of Shame: 31% 🏆 Play Every Game in Collection: 85% target creeping closer 🌍 Overall 2025 So Far 🎮 940 total games played 👑 54 Dominion kingdoms 🌍 234 unique games with 33 players 📚 493 games owned ⏱️ ~343 hours logged ✨ 95 new-to-me titles 🔝 13 H-index 🕸️ 64 still unplayed 📅 181 gaming days in 9 months 🏁 Closing Thoughts The summer brought variety, new titles, and lots of Dominion, but the real MVP might be persistence. With three months left, the Shelf of Shame is shrinking, the plays are adding up, and the year-end goals are still within reach

I've been on a kick to discover the best Playte game, and this one is a bit bigger than their usual L-shape small box, but don’t let that fool you. Layer Puzzle was a delightful surprise. I’m a big fan of spatial puzzles and roll-and-writes, and this game manages to mash those ideas together into something very unique I’ll admit, at first I thought it might be fiddly. The game has transparent sheets and dry-erase markers. You play over five rounds, you layer one card after another, but you do not get to see what you do round over round. Somehow, the whole system clicks fast. It’s easy to teach, surprisingly smooth once you get going, and it works at every player count. Whether you’re puzzling quietly on your own or laughing as friends groan at their mismatched layers, it just… works. Well, technically, it does not. I have not once being able to cover all my sheet How It Plays 🧠 The gist: Layer Puzzle is a brain-bending spatial game where your goal is to leave as few blanks as possible. Sounds simple? Think again You get five clear sheets and five rounds. Each turn, you mark a shape onto your layer—but here’s the kicker: once you finish a layer, you don’t get to look back. You’re stacking shapes from memory, hoping they line up later. (They don’t) Each turn, you pick a shape from the flipped card and lock in your choice using one of your A–D tokens. Draw the shape into the chosen area without overlapping an existing shape, but rotations and flipping the shape are fair game. Once a token’s used, it’s gone for the round. Every decision is a tiny commitment crisis In round 5, you reuse your first layer and mark just two shapes. After this last round, stack the layers and see what you didn’t cover. Every blank spot is minus one. Some cards let you get coins. Which helps as they give you one free point. The player with the most points wins. Ties go to the most coins or to one more match, your choice! What’s in the Box Transparent Layer cards Shape cards Tokens (A–D for choosing areas) Shade cards (to hide layers each round) First player markers and decision markers Dry erase pens with erasers Pros 🗺️ Language independent 🚀 Quick to teach and play 👥 Plays well at every count 🧩 That final “stack and reveal” moment is brutal ✏️ Drawing on transparent sheets feels super satisfying 🖊️ Dry-erase markers and reusable boards = no waste, and lots of replayability Considerations 😅 Rules read clunky at first 🕰️ Can stall if someone is overthinking their turn Where to find Layer Puzzle? Playte has an: eBay Store: https://ebay.com/str/playte Amazon Store : https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/32CB51EC-19A5-466C-A39B-6022AD1B330C Going to Essen? Preorder it at: https://tally.so/r/mBYNZe Bottom Line Layer Puzzle is like blindfolded Tetris. You’ll sweat every choice, groan at the gaps, and cheer for coins. The winner is the one who stacks smart and scores the highest, but the real joy is watching your careful plans collapse into Swiss cheese. This one is clever, quick, and just a little cruel in the best way

I’m a sucker for two-player games, and Hanafuda: Koi-Koi is a reprint of a fast, elegant game that checks all my boxes. Pencil First Games teamed up with Vincent Dutrait to create a custom Hanafuda deck and a clean English adaptation of this ancient push-your-luck duel. Some games feel less like play and more like poetry. Hanafuda is one of them. What began as a secret game in 18th century Japan grew into a cultural treasure Fun fact : Nintendo’s very first product was Hanafuda cards back in 1889. Over a century later, those flowers are still blooming on gaming tables, and now they’re blossoming again on Kickstarter. This time in a standard playing-card size rather than the traditional small cards This is history, art, and nerve packed into 48 cards. The game is fast, addictive, and beautiful. I can’t wait for the final product! How It Plays The deck has 48 cards, four for each month. The cards create a panorama that could include animals, flowers, scrolls, or grasses. On your turn, you play a card from your hand and try to match it to one of the same month in the field to capture both. Then flip from the draw pile and see if you can score again. Captured cards can form sets called yaku . There are eleven different sets split into bright, scrolls, seeds, and dregs. The reference sheets do a good job at showing you the possible scoring cards on one side and the cards that correspond to each month on the other Here’s the tension: once you score, you can call Shobu  (end the round and bank points) or risk it with Koi-Koi . The game is played over twelve quick rounds and the person with the most points wins Pros 📖 Excellent rulebook 🧠 Quick yet strategic 🎓 Easy  to learn and play 🗺️ Language independent 👜 Pocket-sized perfection 🌸 Steeped in history and culture  😻 Push-your-luck tension that’s addicting 🃏 Standard playing-card size (easy to shuffle and handle) 🎨 Art by Vincent Dutrait (lots of games you might know!) Considerations  🎴 You will not be able to play this just once 📖 Takes a couple rounds to really get the scoring, but once you do, it’s addictive!  👯‍♀️ It only plays at 1 or 2. I wonder if I get two decks, could I make it a four player game? Who’s the Game For 🌼 Gamers who want a timeless filler. Hanafuda is fast enough for a break and deep enough to play over, and over again! Players who love traditional games rooted in culture and history Two-player fans looking for a clever blend of set collection and risk Art lovers who’d treasure the deck even without gameplay Conclusion Hanafuda: Koi-Koi is fast, addictive, and beautiful. Push-your-luck tension, poetic strategy, and breathtaking cards make every match feel like a little duel through history. It’s not just a game, it’s an experience! The art, tradition, and timeless drama packed into a deck small enough to play anywhere.   I'm on a mission to only keep games we play in our collection, and this one checks all the boxes. Here's my rubric and my Geeklist with all the 2-player games I've reviewed

Ever wonder how much slang has changed over the past 100 years? Slanguage teaches you all about it in about 30-minutes. This 3-8 players family-friendly party game is designed by April Mitchell and published by FoxMind . Slanguage is all about guessing decades, showing off creativity, and laughing at how wild people’s interpretation of certain slang can get The Goal: Give the best description of a slang word based on the category rolled on the die. Earn extra points by guessing which decade the word belongs to. What are the die possibilities? Define it – Put the slang word into your own words Make it musical – Name a song or band that uses the slang word or phrase Draw it – Sketch a symbol or image that shows what it means Screen it – Come up with a movie or TV show title that fits Use it – Guess the slang word and use it in a sentence Sell it – Create a tagline that matches it How It Works: Players have 2 minutes to write or draw their answer on their Speech Bubble Sheet. They also write the decade they think the slang word comes from. Answers are then shared and the Judge determines their favorite. The winner of the round scores three points, everyone scores one point if they guessed the decade correctly. The player with the highest total after one or two rounds depending on player count, wins the game! Who This Game Is For: Slanguage is for people who love word games, pop culture, and creative chaos. It’s great if you enjoy drawing, writing, or coming up with funny connections under pressure. Linguists, trivia fans, or anyone wanting an excuse to judge their family or friends drawings Pros 🎨 Educational game with creative freedom 🎲 Short and fast paced game that is easy to learn 🧠 From linguists to pop culture fans, this game offers great wordplay 📚 Even though it covers a century of slang, the fact that the judge chooses who wins a round makes it accessible to players of all ages Considerations The rulebook is concise, yet it could be improved Best at six or more players The two-minute timer can be stressful, especially for overthinkers Bottom Line: Slanguage is a fun, fast, and clever party game that brings wordplay, creativity, and a dash of nostalgia to the table. I’m always on the hunt for games that hit with nongamers or casual players who want something light, easy to learn in under five minutes, and still genuinely fun. Slanguage nails that. Whether you’re a linguist, a trivia fan, or just looking for a reason to roast your friends’ drawings, this one delivers laughs without overcomplicating things

I’m a bookworm who’s terrible at tidying up. My wife, on the other hand, is a master organizer with zero interest in literature. Can you imagine our excitement when we discovered Ada’s Library published by Playte Games? This 20 minute, two player game is like a match made in heaven—books, sorting, and a healthy dose of friendly competition. I’ve been trying my hardest to outsmart her at this game, but she's always one step ahead. Is it my luck? My strategy? Or is she just that  good at organizing? 📚 The Setup Place the model bookshelf at the center of the playing area to reveal the target order. Then, each player gets their own messy book pile. With the help of some trusty library cards, you aim to outsmart your opponent by organizing your bookshelf first. Good luck transforming your chaotic library into beautiful order!order. 📝 Game Components 26 books Library cards 1 cloth bag Rulebook Box that becomes the game board 💡 How to Play Randomly place one book of each color in the center of your playing area. Then, each player draws 10 random book tiles from the cloth bag and lines them up. This is your book pile. You'll need to reorder to match the model bookshelf. Give 5 library cards to each player and take turns playing these cards to rearrange your books to match the model library. Beware that there are cards that can move the model area and trade cards with your opponent! 🔄 Playing Library Cards During your turn, you’ll play a library card. These cards will help you organize your unruly book pile and maybe get naughty and rearrange your opponent books. Cards let you move certain spaces between your books, switch a book with your opponent, and reverse books within your pile. 🏁 Winning the Game The first player to perfectly match their book pile to the model bookshelf wins. Didn’t get all the colors in your pile? No worries—just focus on what you’ve got and ignore the missing books. This can be a blessing in disguise! 👍 Pros and Key Features Two-player game: my favorite kind of game! I love two player games and abstract games I can enjoy with my wife Portable and compact: The box transforms into the board. The game could do without a board, but it is a nice touch. The board is beautifully design! Good quality components: The books are made out of wood. The colors of the books and the design of the cards integrate well and are easy to understand Language Independent: No text-cards—anyone can play regardless of language 👎 Cons This abstract game could be considered luck based as the arrangement of the books and the cards you draw can easily influence your first moves or get you stuck with your options. Hard to Acquire: Depending on where you are, this version may be hard to get. However, you can purchase Playte games via eBay 🧠 Final Thoughts Ada's Library is an abstract puzzle game perfect for bibliophiles! The game has a quick setup and the components are portable. The setup is quick and the gameplay is engaging. While the game's luck-based elements can sometimes be frustrating, they also add an element of unpredictability that keeps things interesting. Whether you're a seasoned puzzle solver or simply a fan of books, Ada's Library may be what you are looking for! This game is available in eBay and at Spiel Essen. You can even snag your preorder through this link .

Introduction Lately, I’ve been obsessing over Playte games. I love their clever design and small boxes packed with big games. Enter, Orapa Mine, designed by Junghee Choi with art by Wanjin Gill. At first, I pictured digging for relics or chasing treasure. Then I thought maybe it was a high-tech Battleship clone. Nope. It’s something better. A tense two-player deduction puzzle where color-mixing, logic, and a little intuition collide Orapa Mine: The Basics I’ve been obsessing over Playte games lately, and Orapa Mine is a gem, literally! This two-player head-to-head deduction game (scales to five with a Quiz Master) takes about 30 minutes and will have your brain twisting in delightful ways 🎯The goal? Crack your opponent’s hidden gemstone layout before they figure out yours. Spatial reasoning, careful observation, and a dash of intuition are your best friends here How It Plays Each player sets up five geometric gemstone pieces: red, blue, yellow, and white on a grid hidden behind a screen. Pieces must line up with the grid and can only touch at corners, which makes placement just as sneaky as your guesses. On your turn, you fire an ultrasonic beam into your opponent’s mine by picking a coordinate of the 80 possible entry spots ranging from A-R to 1-18. The beam tells a story as it passes through gems: white plus red turns pink, white plus blue turns sky blue, white plus yellow turns lemon, and hit multiple colors? Gray confusion. Track exit points and colors on your solution sheet, and bit by bit, you unravel their layout ⚠️ Guess wrong and you lose instantly, which keeps every turn tense and oh-so-satisfyingly frightening. To win, crack the gemstone layout first, and take the crown Multiplayer Twist Got more than two players? One person becomes the Quiz Master. They arrange the mine and answering beam questions while the others race to solve it. The duel becomes a frantic puzzle race, turning careful deduction into full-blown chaos. I like going last as I get to hear everyone's ideas before plotting my own Pros 🧩 Crunchy, satisfying deduction 👝 Small-box, big game 🎓 Simple rules, quick teach 🩼 Surprisingly colorblind-friendly 🌍 Language independent 👥 Works at all counts 🎲 High replayability 🪞 Premium-feeling components Considerations 🧠 Can get very  thinky (not ideal if you want light filler) 📢 Multiplayer mode changes the feel, it’s a race, not a duel ⚠️ Be prepared for analysis paralysis if someone really wants to crack it perfectly Where to find Orapa Mine? Want to dig into the mine yourself? Check the game out in BoardGameArena . Playte has an: eBay Store:  https://ebay.com/str/playte Amazon Store :  https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/32CB51EC-19A5-466C-A39B-6022AD1B330C Going to Essen? Preorder it at: https://tally.so/r/mBYNZe Conclusion 🏆 Orapa Mine takes the familiar satisfaction of Battleship and dials it up into a full-blown logic puzzle. It’s all about deduction, spatial reasoning, and that delicious moment of “aha” when the colors finally make sense. If you enjoy puzzles that keep you on edge and reward careful thinking, this little gem is worth digging up.

Tasso Banana  is fast, silly, and way more strategic than you'd expect from a bunch of wobbly wooden bananas. It’s also a Playte  game, which means a few things right off the bat: 📦 The box becomes the board 🧳 It fits in your bag 🎉 It sets up in seconds This one’s a perfect guest star for literally any occasion. Waiting for dinner? ✅ Have 15 minutes? ✅ Feeling competitive? ✅✅✅ It’s light, quick, and somehow always a little tense, and I mean that in the best way. The game is designed by Junghee Choi and Phillippe Proux. It is available in the North America by 25th Century Games. The game plays 2-6 players, and it scales well. I feel that the game really shines at 4 or more players. 🎮 How It Plays Unfold the box to make the board. This is my favorite feature on many of Playte games Give each player an equal bunch of wooden bananas On your turn, place one banana on the board. You can place this banana anywhere as long as you are in the board area and you don't touch one of the largest leaves (there are three and they can be added as you wish to make the game more competitive). If you are feeling lucky or greedy, you can try to balance a banana between two already placed bananas. If you succeed, you take another turn. If you fail, you collect all the bananas that fell or are now touching the extra leaves AND you must also take a banana from the player that went before you This move can be super rewarding or punishing. Depending how the banana gods are feeling in that precise moment 🏆 The player to place all their bananas first wins! Pros 🍌 Stacking tension keeps everyone engaged 🧳 Portable game that plays anywhere 🧠 Light strategy 🎓 Super easy to teach 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Great with kids, friends, even non-gamers ⏱️ Under 15 minutes 🌐 Language independent 🎲 Sturdy, high-quality components 🚀 Quick turns with minimal downtime Considerations 💥 If someone sneezes, the game might end (seriously). If this happens to you, you lose and play again 🙈 👀 Expect debates about banana placement, but fear not and trust your gut 🍌 Wooden bananas roll, so make sure to find an even surface or at least make sure that if the table wobbles, it is not in during your turn Bottom Line Tasso Banana  is a quick, goofy dexterity game that’s sneakily smart. It plays well at any player count, is easy to bring anywhere, and adds instant energy to a game night. We’ve been pairing it with banana pudding as a themed appetizer, followed by Monkey Palace for a cheeky climb-the-ladder moment, or After Us for something a little more crunchy. Then we wind down with a round of Bananagrams or Tasso Banana depending on the crowd. Turns out banana night is kind of a-peeling (follow me for more puns 🙈)