/pic8310916.png)
Game Info
Year
2025
Collection
Your Tier
Loading…
Mechanic profile
Not enough video data yet
Vibe profile
Not enough video data yet
Description
LAUNCHING ON KICKSTARTER ON TUESDAY, MARCH 18TH AT 11AM EDT! THE BEST COMPUTER GAME NOT PLAYED ON THE COMPUTER!
You found a box of old computer games at a yard sale and can’t wait to play them with your friends. To your dismay, modern computers won’t run them. Instead, you each race to build your own vintage computer out of spare parts. Welcome to the Computer Junkyard, the perfect place to find all the components you will need! Scavenge for parts, sabotage your opponents, trade with your friends, and do it all with the cash in your pockets. Be the first to complete a computer good enough to run your game!
NO PRIOR COMPUTER KNOWLEDGE IS REQUIRED TO ENJOY THIS GAME.
In Computer Junkyard, players assemble hardware tiles to construct a vintage computer. The first player to have a complete, bug-free computer, which meets the specifications necessary to run their unique computer game, is the winner.
The primary mechanic of Computer Junkyard is the physical assembly of hardware tiles. Each player attaches their hardware together like puzzle pieces, connecting them up to a central motherboard tile to fit within a 9x9 chassis grid.
Players collect hardware by purchasing tiles randomly drawn from the central Junkyard, or by freely making trades with other players. Players begin with a limited amount of money, which they must manage as hardware tiles increase in price as their supplies decrease.
During their turn, players may purchase hardware, attempt to steal hardware from their opponents, or sabotage an opponent by attaching a computer bug tile to their computer.
—description from the publisher
Featured Videos
Ask a Rules Question
All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 3
This page: 3
Sentiment:
pos 0 ·
mix 3 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–3 of 3
Video oTYRxmKVM0s
Tantrum House Review at 0:21 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 121339 · mention_pk 348235
Click to watch at 0:21 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Good quality tiles that fit well together.
- Color-coded tiles for different player counts make sorting easy.
- Lock tokens and bug spray tokens have a cool, unique design.
- Color-coded diagrams and tile outputs on player aids are helpful for building.
- Tracking sheet can be useful for multiplayer to monitor opponent's components.
- Flexibility in tile laying; computers are not stuck and can be rearranged.
- The theme fits the gameplay well, with mechanics like bugs and hardware fitting the computer building concept.
- The rule set is fairly light and easy to learn.
- Rulebook includes variations to adjust game difficulty.
- Rulebook has educational sections explaining computer components.
Cons
- Potential for sameness from game to game due to the need for specific starting pieces (e.g., PCI, data bus).
- If key starting pieces are not acquired early, players can feel like they are waiting around.
- The game has more negative player interaction (bugs, stealing) than preferred by one reviewer.
- Social deals and ganging up on players can occur at higher player counts.
- Bugs lock down computer chains, preventing rearrangement and potentially blocking necessary ports.
Thematic elements
- Building a vintage computer with all the necessary hardware to run a piece of software.
Comparison games
- Galaxy Trucker
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Dice Rolling — Used for debugging (removing bugs) and theft attempts.
- Hand Management — Managing drawn tiles and actions taken.
- Player Interaction (Negative) — Players can place 'bugs' on other players' computers or steal tiles.
- Set Collection — Players need specific hardware pieces to build their computer and install software.
- Simultaneous Play — Players build their computers at the same time in phase two.
- tile laying — Players draw and place tiles to build a computer.
- Trading — Players can exchange money, hardware tiles, locks, and bug sprays.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- In Computer Junkyard, you're trying to be the first person to successfully build a vintage computer with all the necessary hardware to run your piece of software.
- I feel like there could be some sameness from game to game, specifically because you need certain pieces in order to even start building your computer out.
- This game has a little bit more interaction than I prefer in games, especially the negative interaction of being able to place bugs in other people's computers or to steal tiles from other people.
- So, for me, that's not the play style. I I don't I want people not to mess with my stuff.
- I like that you can move your computer parts around on the board and they're not stuck forever.
- This is a fine tile laying game, but it's not something I'm going to be running to like on game night to be like, I really want to play this.
- I do agree with Kevin. I think especially because of it's not one that I'm going to suggest at a game night. I would play it if someone suggested it, but for me it just has a little bit too much player interaction for my preferences and taste with the trading and the stealing and the bugging and all of that.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video m7AA8tBcmeE
The Dice Tower Review at 0:16 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 110387 · mention_pk 317604
Click to watch at 0:16 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- The theme of building computers is well-integrated and appealing.
- The scarcity mechanic for parts makes economic sense.
- The debugging mechanic is thematic and engaging.
- Good production value and visually appealing pieces.
Cons
- Frustration with drawing needed tiles and not having enough money.
- Stealing mechanics feel out of place and too mean for the game's tone.
- The rulebook is too large and overwhelming.
Thematic elements
- Building homemade computers
- the '90s era
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Dice Rolling — Dice are rolled for debugging actions, with different outcomes determining if a bug is removed, the machine is debugged, or a bug is added.
- Resource Management — Players must manage their money carefully to buy computer parts, with prices fluctuating based on scarcity.
- Scarcity Pricing — The cost of computer parts in the junkyard increases with each purchase, reflecting real-world scarcity.
- Set Collection — Players collect computer parts like CPUs, HDDs, RAM, and various boards to meet the configuration requirements for a computer.
- Take That — Players can attempt to steal parts from other players' computers, although this is noted as not being a core or satisfying element of the game.
- tile laying — Players draw tiles from a bag, which represent computer parts, and place them in the junkyard or onto their computer chassis.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Question of the day, what is your favorite untapped theme?
- There's something about this theme that just works so well with the mechanics in this game.
- The scarcity of the market actually makes sense when you think about computer parts and scarcity like video cards are out of stock, they're hard to find, they're through the roof.
- When someone just does out of the blue steal a piece from you, you're like, 'I just want to knock your chair over.'
- At the end of the day this game is a neat niche game that for people who are into building home brew computers and building computers themselves, I think there's a great um game here for that.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video -_1L44nEdII
The Dice Tower Discussion at 8:39 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 38438 · mention_pk 297623
Click to watch at 8:39 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- That's why I'm not an actor.
- Top 10 reasons Joey's not an actor.
- Language independent.
- Three ninjas have slipped inside.
- You can be tattooed like me. Not really, but there's fake tattoos.
- This is not a drill. Come play test with us.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–3 of 3