How many players can play Leaders?

Leaders supports 4 to 8 players.

How long does a game of Leaders take?

A typical game of Leaders takes approximately 45 minutes.

What are the best video reviews of Leaders?

MindForge has curated 80 video reviews of Leaders from top board game content creators.

What type of game is Leaders?

Leaders features mechanics including Asymmetric Player Powers, Cube Tower, Drafting, Dungeon Crawl, Layer Building.

Leaders - Board Game

Video qMIWGkzQI8w Neon Gorilla Discussion at 1:47 sentiment: mixed

video_pk 99379 · mention_pk 276799

Click to watch at 1:47 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

mixed

Pros

The base game was designed as a learning tool and for two-player adult/child play.

Cons

The base game might require expansions to be worthwhile.
The cost of expansions and the base game is high ($40 entry, $80 for a two-player game).
Difficulty in acquiring the expansion due to its availability.

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)

I always want games to be the most accessible they can ever be. It's not just with the gameplay, it's also with how much money a game costs.
You probably need the expansion as well to really make it worthwhile.
We just built a lot of other stuff into it.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video ePVdpf7pD4I Our Family Plays Games Interview at 50:50 sentiment: positive

video_pk 99380 · mention_pk 276803

Click to watch at 50:50 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

extremely positive

Pros

Very popular and selling well
One vs. many mode is exciting
Fresh and exciting gameplay

Cons

none

Thematic elements

One vs. many, exploration
One player tries to "kill up" or scare away others

Comparison games

Battleship

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

exploration — Players can go and explore in the game.
One vs. Many — The game features a mode where one player opposes the rest.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

I just didn't want to be bored playing games with my children.
You know what the secret is, I think, is knowing your audience.
It's like you don't have to do so much work to pitch a game to someone there.
I think it's the best mechanism to have in a game.
There's got to be more games in 30 plus years.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video Y--m6skwG5E Board Game Hangover Top List at 15:32 sentiment: positive

video_pk 95185 · mention_pk 261327

Click to watch at 15:32 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Two-player game.
Build a dungeon simultaneously.
Go through each other's dungeons to find treasure.
Really cool.
Way cooler than Battleships.

Cons

none

Thematic elements

Dungeon Building

Comparison games

Battleships

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

dungeon building — Building a dungeon simultaneously and then going through each other's dungeon trying to find the treasure.
Hidden Movement — Similar to Battleships, but building a dungeon and going through it and putting down traps and finding monsters.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

Let's check which board games do we recommend 5 years ago and then see if they still hold up, still stay in collections or do we have to and we will provide some alternatives to the best board games for two players.
You start out with a small deck of cards and during the game you get more cards that you put into your deck.
It doesn't matter if you like Star Wars or don't. It's just a really, really good deck building board.
The legacy game is a game where you make permanent changes as you play from game to game.
Eurogame is an economic game where you're going to produce things mostly resources in the form of cubes and then convert them into other things or victory points.
This is one of the best games ever. Not only Rolling, right?
So my pick for that is going to be key forge. And why I like key forge is because it's safe.
If this video gets a thousand likes, I'll grow a mustache for one video.
So, Coup, was it Coup?
Layers is a two-player game where you are building a dungeon.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video no7Ky6ahFqo Our Family Plays Games Analysis at 40:57 sentiment: positive

video_pk 95178 · mention_pk 261307

Click to watch at 40:57 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Popular game

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)

Have we jumped the shark family? Because this shelfie thing is the mini stuff.
It's a toy. So, Brother Wise is in the toy business.
It is not underrated cuz it's always on the hot.
It is evil. It is evil.
I'm a water connoisseur.
We want to move forward and show that people from all walks of life can come together, reason together, work together, play together, and get along because we're all human.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video LIbxmEdnx7Q Where There's A Wilz, There's a Play Top List at 41:44 sentiment: positive

video_pk 93043 · mention_pk 251035

Click to watch at 41:44 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

lot of replayability
really fun game
like the cover
love this cover. This cover is just amazing.

Cons

killing the monsters is a little difficult sometimes
I don't do well at killing the monsters either

Thematic elements

building dungeons and navigating them
dungeons
campaign/legacy-like progression

Comparison games

Creature Comforts

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Combat — You might run into monsters and depending on how you saw the monster. You will have to actually like take care of the monster and fight the monster.
dungeon building — you and your opponent are building dungeons
Dungeon Crawl — then you are trying to make your way through the other person's dungeon.
legacy elements — As you're opening more envelopes, you're getting more stickers. So, you're getting different ways to move and interact with the dungeons. You're getting more monsters, you're getting more treasure, you're getting more things to add into it.
Modular Board — you're going to be building dungeons differently each time.
Pathfinding — ultimately, you're trying to find your way from the entrance to the exit by by figuring out where their walls are.
Treasure hunting — You're trying to find treasures.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

I love this cover.
How does a sloth escape a zoo? Very slowly.
This one resonated with me the most and it just looks cute and cozy as well.
I'm very intrigued also by the fact that this universe is going to be built through books and games and they're going to connect.
Let us know what some of your um top games that were released pre previous to the this year. And let us know what games you are most anticipating as well down in the comments.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video cBbtFmHztC8 Getting Games Top List at 28:01 sentiment: positive

video_pk 87283 · mention_pk 227710

Click to watch at 28:01 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

duo-player focus specializes the design
presents a dungeon-building puzzle

Cons

none

Thematic elements

adventurer dungeon-building

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

two-player, dungeon-building with tableau — Two-player game where you build a dungeon and run an engine; competition to outpace the rival.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

I am biased but I also think this game looks pretty cool
I'm intrigued by this one
I plan to do another one of these in like six months
I thought it was absolutely awesome

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video S0Lc6HWq9ls Brains On Games Game Preview at 0:03 sentiment: positive

video_pk 86939 · mention_pk 226557

Click to watch at 0:03 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

High-quality, tactile prototype components: textured walls and screen-printed pieces.
Humorous, engaging theme that makes dungeon-building entertaining.
Learning curve is approachable: base game is simple and complexity increases gradually.
Strong two-player interaction with meaningful choices and bluffing elements.
Rule reminders on player boards help maintain flow without constant rule-book consulting.
Potential for extended replayability via future modules and expansions.

Cons

Two-player focus limits multiplayer groups; not ideal for larger sessions.
Prototype had minor fit issues (walls can be knocked over); final production may tighten tolerances.
Base game offers less replayability compared to expanded scenarios; benefits from future boxes.
Emergent complexity from modules may be overwhelming for newcomers if not paced properly.

Thematic elements

Dungeon exploration and dungeon-building, featuring humorous monsters, traps, and treasure as players bluff and outmaneuver each other.
Two-player dungeon lair confrontation where each player designs and explores a personal lair, attempting to collect treasures and defeat monsters before exiting the opponent's lair.
Enthusiastic demonstrator voice, emphasizing hands-on play, playful interaction, and progressive rule complexity through modular content.

Comparison games

Dungeons & Dragons

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Card/Chit Market — Treasure chests grant cards that provide victory points and synergies; a three-card market lets players choose added bonuses.
Combat via dice — Defeating monsters requires purchasing and rolling dice; outcomes depend on dice with faces up to four, reflecting probability and risk.
Combat: Dice — Defeating monsters requires purchasing and rolling dice; outcomes depend on dice with faces up to four, reflecting probability and risk.
Exploration-driven movement — The explorer piece navigates the mapped space, using player-chosen lines of sight and revealed paths to advance toward goals while avoiding hazards.
Hidden information via layer screens — Screens hide your layer layout and rules, allowing bluffing and strategic withholding of information.
Layer Building — Players build a personal dungeon on a grid, placing walls, traps, monsters, chests, and an exit to map the route a guest explorer will follow.
Layer-building / dungeon construction — Players build a personal dungeon on a grid, placing walls, traps, monsters, chests, and an exit to map the route a guest explorer will follow.
Modular Board — Prototype boxes introduce extra rules and components that can be introduced progressively to increase complexity and replayability.
Modular expansions / future modules — Prototype boxes introduce extra rules and components that can be introduced progressively to increase complexity and replayability.
Resource Management — Cubes of different colors are spent to move, reveal, backtrack, or peek; fatigue mechanics remove cubes from availability for turns.
resource management with cubes — Cubes of different colors are spent to move, reveal, backtrack, or peek; fatigue mechanics remove cubes from availability for turns.
Treasure deck and market — Treasure chests grant cards that provide victory points and synergies; a three-card market lets players choose added bonuses.
Victory conditions and scoring — The first player to exit after hitting required monster and treasure milestones earns a lead; end-game scoring sums points from monsters defeated and treasures collected.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

The prototype is incredible.
Two players opposite one another with these screens, the rules are right there.
This is a visual spatial game—problem solving when you're running through your opponent's layer and designing your own.
It's hilarious and fun even when you're just playing with the base game.
I will be a day one backer on this one.
What a beautiful game; elegant mechanics when it comes to spending those cubes.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video ydhkPyN63lM Foster the Meeple Other at 16:26 sentiment: positive

video_pk 86765 · mention_pk 225685

Click to watch at 16:26 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Highly recommended by trusted sources
KTBG has a good track record

Cons

Did not have time to play early on

Thematic elements

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Battleship-like — L's is apparently somewhat like Battleship.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

we love unmatched we're planning still planning on doing it's it's coming I promise all the tournaments are coming
I am obsessed with space I'm obsessed with the scientific like creation of the universe and how that all happened
it's a cozy board game celebrating the introverted book lover in all of us
you're going through nine circles of hell trying to like bring back souls and that sort of thing and that theming has always been really cool to me I love this the concept of Hades and like that whole lore the river sticks all of that stuff
I love any witchy theme I love potion themes
it's Everell but for two players
again talk about Publishers that nail it for me every time uh Capstone is one of them
please if you see us stop us say hello unfortunately we don't have time to play games with everyone our schedules are usually very busy at these conventions but we will always have time to stop and say hello and to chat with you for a little bit

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video VHoNQZOkFq8 UndeadVikingVideos Discussion at 12:37 sentiment: positive

video_pk 86726 · mention_pk 225504

Click to watch at 12:37 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

The host is very proud of their hand in its creation through playtesting and development.
Hits the niche of card drafting games perfectly.

Cons

none

Thematic elements

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Card Drafting — Mentioned as a niche the game hits.
Card game — Explicitly called a card game.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

it is food it is laughs it is Brotherhood uh it is it is something that uh uh uh fills a part of my heart and a part of my soul that I can't get anywhere else
to everything there is a first time and that was the first one and so I I'm thankful that it exists and I'm thankful that I got to be a part
I I should just crack that open and play it uh at some point

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video 2wZCwKOhdEM Brains On Games Top 10 List at 5:52 sentiment: positive

video_pk 86577 · mention_pk 224434

Click to watch at 5:52 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Clever resource management
Modular rules with evolving depth
High entertainment value for families and groups

Cons

Early prototypes and unfinalized components during coverage
Not widely released at the time of recording

Thematic elements

Dungeon crawling with monsters, traps, and exploration
Dungeon exploration and dungeon-building
Array
Humorous, family-friendly dungeon crawl with clever traps

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Asymmetric Player Powers — distinct monster and engineer abilities create a dynamic puzzle
asymmetric_abilities — distinct monster and engineer abilities create a dynamic puzzle
backtracking_and_maze_navigation — backtrack through maze segments using cube-based actions
Dungeon Crawl — two players build dungeon layouts and traps
dungeon_building — two players build dungeon layouts and traps
hidden_dungeon_exploration — opponent explores the other player’s dungeon to survive and escape
Resource Management — cubes spent to move and take actions, including dice for monsters
resource_management — cubes spent to move and take actions, including dice for monsters

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

Foundations of Rome is a bidding area control economic game
the rules are simple you're buying Deeds to properties on the map
this is a gorgeous game that's easy to learn and teach and there is a lot of push and pull when you're trying to buy those properties
Layers is a game that does not yet have a BoardGameGeek rating
my number one game of the year is fromage
it's a very clever simple strategic euro game
what a fantastic year for games

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video 4s7vjjDevfY kovray Discussion at 3:34 sentiment: positive

video_pk 86198 · mention_pk 222375

Click to watch at 3:34 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

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)

Don't judge this this is what we do before we go to conventions
when we get back we're going to be doing a recap video where we'll talk about our experience there
type in what game you want to play

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video T1Qxa7UtJPk The Brothers Murph Review at 39:08 sentiment: positive

video_pk 85645 · mention_pk 220040

Click to watch at 39:08 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Really enjoy it
Very cool
Very much this abstract strategy stuff
Becomes a cool spatial puzzle
Drafting characters adds strategic depth

Cons

Requires careful planning and visualization

Thematic elements

Abstract strategy with unique leader abilities

Comparison games

War Chest

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

abstract strategy — A purely strategic game focused on piece movement and capture.
area influence — Surrounding the opponent's leader or immobilizing them.
character abilities — Each character has unique movement and special abilities.
Drafting — Players draft characters for the first several turns.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

I will try and solo it before we hang out on Tuesday to record this game is broken and we'll talk about it again.
I had a mental breakdown because I was just like, I can't I can't get it. I can't figure it out.
When did we decide to start making um paperbacks way bigger?
Paperback books are just the size of hard covers now.
I literally will only I will only actively seek out a place that sells it in the normal paperback size.
I do. I'm very mean to my books.
I dogge earring all day.
I hate reading series that aren't done. It drives me crazy.
The library in this is true for a lot of libraries around has so much more stuff than you think.
So free. So free. So incredibly free.
The Dresden Files has been the bane of my existence cuz it's just been for like a decade plus now.
I listen to more lecture series than probably anything else on Audible.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video C2Wv9d3HxNQ Board Gaming Ramblings Discussion at 6:40

video_pk 85358 · mention_pk 218519

Click to watch at 6:40 · YouTube ↗

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)

My biggest let down is the rules for uh Transgalactica.
I think it's fun that a game can be the biggest disappointment and number one in the same month.
It's an old school Euro. Like it's high interaction, very low on the rules overhead, but a lot of interesting choices.
I still am unbeaten in Shipyard, which I think I I just have to stop playing it now because at some time I will not I will not win.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video s3q47fv9EpQ Where There's A Wilz, There's a Play Discussion at 21:00 sentiment: positive

video_pk 85028 · mention_pk 217161

Click to watch at 21:00 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

none

Cons

none

Thematic elements

Comparison games

Vantage

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Mechanics unknown.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

This is going to be on my top games of 2025.
Companion Quest... the artwork is just so gosh darn cute.
Explorers of Neoria was a big surprise to me.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video TOfFjjt2X6k Rolling Dice & Taking Names Review at 1:32:40 sentiment: positive

video_pk 84424 · mention_pk 214481

Click to watch at 1:32:40 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Excellent production value for the price.
Engaging team drafting mechanic.
Fast playtime makes it easy to replay.
Unique champion abilities add strategic depth.
Surprising and fun abstract experience.

Cons

Red text on black cards is difficult to read.
The leader character has no special abilities.

Thematic elements

Abstract tactical combat game where players capture the opponent's leader.

Comparison games

The Duke
Advance Wars
Fire Emblem
Word Chest

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

abstract strategy — A two-player abstract game focused on tactical positioning and capturing the opponent's leader.
Area Influence / Encirclement — The objective is to surround the opponent's leader with your champions to win.
Movement — Characters move one space per turn unless a special ability allows otherwise.
team drafting — Players draft champions to form their team, reacting to opponent's choices and counterbalancing their strategies.
Variable player powers — Each champion has unique abilities that influence gameplay.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

Rolling dice and taking names.
This is one of those where I was like, I know those songs, but they're never given like accolades for like how good they were.
It's one of those where I was like, I know those songs, but they're never given like accolades for like how good they were.
The map is absolutely gorgeous. The production is topnotch.
So, for me, the big negative, I'm old. The icons are tiny. I had the readers out.
The concept of this is to capture the other person's leader by having some of their army surround them, your champions.
And at the end of the game, what you're doing is you're sitting there going, 'Okay, most of the plots are going to be filled anyway.'

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video cn1xUgKs71c Grant Lyon Other at 30:58 sentiment: positive

video_pk 84184 · mention_pk 213716

Click to watch at 30:58 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Abstract strategy
Asymmetric abilities for champions

Cons

none

Thematic elements

battle
arena

Comparison games

chess

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Area Control — you are going to be moving your leaders and champions around the board and activating their cards
Asymmetric abilities — every champion is going to have this one moves in this way. This one can do this extra thing. you know, they're all going to have their little asymmetric ability, their special power
Drafting — you are going to draft various other champions during the game.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

October is always an interesting month for retail releases because the largest board game convention in the world happens in October.
This video focuses on North American releases.
I've got my next dates for my next one Sunday se uh Sunday, November 2nd.
This is uh thematically you are advancing your clan and seeking the favor of the gods at the dawn of the Inca civilization.
This is the League of Legends trading card game.
It is mostly a dice game.
This is a trick-taking card game with a lot more theme.
This is a uh, you know, and write game. It's not a roll and write.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video kjDETAXib0k Chairman of the Board Top List at 10:57 sentiment: positive

video_pk 83478 · mention_pk 210412

Click to watch at 10:57 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Clean-cut winning conditions
Drafting unique character abilities is fun
Dynamic and punchy feel
Tense atmosphere
Great variability
Great artwork
Quick playtime (5-15 minutes)
Ticks many boxes for a two-player game
Elevated fun factor compared to other abstracts

Cons

Can feel rigid like chess

Thematic elements

Comparison games

War Chests

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

abstract strategy — A "twoplayer only abstract strategy game".
Area Control — Capturing the opponent's leader by leaving it nowhere to move or by placing pieces next to it.
Character drafting — Players "draft more characters into your lineup" round after round.
Unique abilities — All drafted characters have "their own unique abilities."

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

So, that is Overparked at number 10.
So, that is Citizens of the Spark at number two.
So, that is The Druids of Adora at number one.
So, there we have it. That concludes the video.
And for me, 2025 has been a fantastic year for uh new designs.
If you have, please be sure to hit like and subscribe to the channel and check out my other content, too.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video U3wluoJaFLs Chairman of the Board Top List at 1:33 sentiment: positive

video_pk 83374 · mention_pk 209919

Click to watch at 1:33 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

So impressed with this
very very smart, neat, succinct
super fast little game

Cons

none

Thematic elements

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Drafting — Players draft characters into their lineup.
Two Player Skirmish — Described as a 'little twoplayer a little skirmish game'.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

Uh, brilliant little tug-of-war game.
So much going on that's so easy to play.
It's just a really fun party game.
Games that you can pretty much pick up and play.
These are your kind of gamers games, you more heavier, more involved Euros.
And the winner is The Druids of Adora by the great Stefan Feld.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video wPIBUgwJlp0 Where There's A Wilz, There's a Play Top 10 List at 11:41 sentiment: positive

video_pk 83163 · mention_pk 209128

Click to watch at 11:41 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

High level of anticipation

Cons

Production delays; US delivery pending

Thematic elements

Unknown
Unknown (high anticipation title with production delays)
Unknown

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

unknown — Details not specified in transcript

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

Vantage from Stomare Games. Absolutely 100% my number one game of 2025.
I absolutely love Emberleaf. It was my number two game of the year.
Citizens of the Spark definitely was uh one that really worked for me.
I like the rondelle drafting mechanism.
There’s a lot going on in Tea Witches.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video fLlamc8HPqU Grant Lyon Top 5 List at 0:41 sentiment: positive

video_pk 82970 · mention_pk 208508

Click to watch at 0:41 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

offers chess-like appeal with character-driven abilities
combination of drafting and movement creates strategic depth

Cons

described as potentially complex and tactical; accessibility may vary

Thematic elements

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Area Movement — players move their pieces around a board to compete for control
area movement on a board — players move their pieces around a board to compete for control
Drafting — players draft various characters, each with unique abilities
leader capture — the objective includes capturing the opponent's leader

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

These are my top five board games of January.
Best ated Another Time is a card game where you're trying to get rid of your cards first.
But if you stay in the round, you can play more cards out as long as they're higher and better than the cards already on the table.
In Cat Versus Human, you play as cats trying to annoy a human being the most.
If you like games like chess, then check out leaders.
Covenant is a heavyweight strategy game.
There’s a lot of different options in the game and you’ll never be able to do everything, but it's really fun figuring out how to upgrade your board and combo stuff together.
Mountain Goats Legacy was recently on Kickstarter and it will be coming out later this year.
It is an awesome legacy version of the great little dice game Mountain Goats.
you'll be revealing content in different chapters throughout the game, and it's still the fun, familyfriendly dice game that it was before, but now there's just sort of different layers and twists to do it.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video lonGjThFYgw Where There's A Wilz, There's a Play Discussion at 13:14 sentiment: positive

video_pk 82422 · mention_pk 207059

Click to watch at 13:14 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

high replay value due to random dungeon layouts and unlockables
cozy theme with deep strategic decisions
tight design with quick setup and meaningful choices
expansion content adds depth and variety

Cons

delivery delays from crowdfunding
can be heavy for casual players seeking lighter experiences
two-player focus may limit groups

Thematic elements

cozy dungeon exploration with deduction and strategy
two-player dungeon-building exploration where players construct a dungeon for the other to explore
procedural, puzzle-like, with random dungeon generation via unlockable content

Comparison games

Dungeons & Dragons
Stone Spine Architects

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

action-based movement and scouting — Players choose actions to move, scout ahead, or trigger effects
Hidden/partial information — Opponent navigates the dungeon with limited information about the layout
shield-based coordination grid — Each player uses a shield mat to place walls, traps, and monsters, while the other explores
unlockables and variability — Progressive unlocks (monsters, traps, treasures) from envelopes/boxes for replayability

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

The real currency in board games is table time. A game proves its value when it gets played, not when you unbox it.
A cheaper game that hits the table often beats a deluxe shelf queen.
Sometimes value comes from a powerful arc, not endless repetition.
Exceeding expectations always feels better than simply meeting them.
If a game consistently works with your main group, it teaches easily, plays smoothly, and people keep asking to play, that reliability becomes incredibly valuable.
When it earns its shelf space, emotionally and mechanically, that's when it truly feels worth it.

References (from this video)

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Video F8lXgqQ0kLY Where There's A Wilz, There's a Play Top 5 List at 22:40 sentiment: positive

video_pk 82382 · mention_pk 207001

Click to watch at 22:40 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Unique, cozy aesthetic with a tactile, origami-inspired art style.
Fast, accessible two-player play with meaningful decisions.

Cons

Deluxe components can be visually stunning but add to setup complexity.

Thematic elements

dungeon crawling with an origami aesthetic
A head-to-head dungeon-building drafting duel with layered, paper-style dungeon tiles
competitive, tactical, with a cozy vibe

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

head-to-head drafting — Players draft from layered, multi-layered piles to build their own dungeon or counter-dungeon.
scoring via treasures and monsters — Treasure cards and monster encounters drive scoring and progression toward exits.
tile/board layering — A deluxe, multi-layered box replicates stacked dungeon boards; players reveal layers as they progress.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

It's a cozy game.
It's easy weeknight game to get out.
Oh, the art on that is absolutely abs.
This is a really fun cooperative game.
It's a quick little drafting game.
It's just a delightful game.

References (from this video)

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Video navw8T9-GE0 Chairman of the Board Other at 2:30 sentiment: positive

video_pk 82279 · mention_pk 206751

Click to watch at 2:30 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

none

Cons

none

Thematic elements

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

abstract

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

No quotes stored for this video.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video 2dkzK7c6o8U Grant Lyon Other at 30:14 sentiment: positive

video_pk 82180 · mention_pk 206364

Click to watch at 30:14 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

Positive

Pros

Unique two-player dungeon experience
Engaging exploration mechanic

Cons

none

Thematic elements

Dungeon exploration and escape
Dungeon

Comparison games

Battleship

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

dungeon building — I'm building a dungeon for you and you are building a dungeon for me
exploration — trying to find the exit.
Movement — we're trying to move around in a dungeon
Push Your Luck — there's a bit of push your luck where you're like, "Uh, I can spend a cube to sort of peer into the next spot or I could just jump into the next spot and hope that it works out for me."
Resource Management — You'll have some cubes that you can use to do actions

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

This is a deck-building game.
one of the interesting aspects of this is there's 13 ways to win the game.
Essentially, 13 dark pacts in the game and each of those dark pacts is a unique win condition that feels, you know, it feels like crazy to get.
You can also play two times and three times multipliers on those cards to double every aspect of the card.
that just feels like a very satisfying aspect of the game.
the main mechanism of the game is I split, you choose and that's always one of my favorite mechanisms because it's it's not a difficult game to teach, but it's a difficult game to make decisions.
So, what do you sacrifice and what do you keep is also an interesting aspect of that one.
This is a great family game if you want to.
And so, there's a lot of lying and promising of other people where you're like, "Do you want to go there with me? Nobody else go there.
I swear to god, don't go there."
And so, there's a lot of sort of lying and intrigue and where you're going and promises that you're making and stuff like that.
please, you know, check out my new series. It's all funny and games when it drops in May.

References (from this video)

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Video PjN_sCXO1dw The Dice Tower Discussion at 3:59 sentiment: positive

video_pk 81809 · mention_pk 204478

Click to watch at 3:59 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

highly positive

Pros

great two-player experience
great production

Cons

base game vs adventure pack may shift value

Thematic elements

fantasy dungeon exploration
Dungeon-building, one-vs-one
tight, direct competition

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Dungeon Crawl — players collaboratively build a dungeon and then delve
two-player dungeon building — players collaboratively build a dungeon and then delve

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

There's a catapult dice tower. What? How cool is that?
The card market is so good.
This is a two-player area control game that plays unlike what you would expect.
I loved this game.
I give this one an eight. This is my preferred way of playing flip seven.

References (from this video)

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Video PjN_sCXO1dw The Dice Tower Discussion at 8:37 sentiment: positive

video_pk 81809 · mention_pk 204481

Click to watch at 8:37 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

expansions increase score ceiling and depth
maintains strong two-player feel

Cons

expansions can shift balance

Thematic elements

layered dungeon and adventure content
Two-player dungeon-building with expansions
enhanced by expansions

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Expansion-driven depth — expansions modify scoring and options

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

There's a catapult dice tower. What? How cool is that?
The card market is so good.
This is a two-player area control game that plays unlike what you would expect.
I loved this game.
I give this one an eight. This is my preferred way of playing flip seven.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video feo0Pa-qtGM The Dice Tower Review at 0:17 sentiment: positive

video_pk 81778 · mention_pk 204375

Click to watch at 0:17 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Adds depth and variety beyond the base game
Teaching/incremental reveal helps new players
Vault box storage supports large content and organization
High replayability with multiple monsters and traps

Cons

Some intermediate cards may not be used in every playthrough
Content can feel substantial and potentially overwhelming for new players

Thematic elements

Competitive puzzle and planning in a dungeon-crawl setting
Two-player dungeon exploration where players alternate constructing and exploring their opponent's dungeon
Abstract, competitive with hidden information and deduction

Comparison games

Layers (base game)

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Color cube resource system — Cubes in five colors represent actions or attributes; players convert fatigued cubes to spent ones to change colors
Color-specific abilities — Orange, blue, and purple cubes grant distinct abilities during checks or actions
Combat: Dice — Traps and monsters affect players via dice rolls and color-based modifiers
Cube Tower — Cubes in five colors represent actions or attributes; players convert fatigued cubes to spent ones to change colors
Duel dungeon exploration — Players attempt to guess and navigate a hidden dungeon layout while opposing each other
Dungeon Crawl — Players attempt to guess and navigate a hidden dungeon layout while opposing each other
Fatigue and spending — You move cubes from fatigued to spent, or spend white cubes to re-color them, enabling new options
Hide-and-reveal elements — Base game uses a reveal-based system to moderate information and interaction
Simultaneous Reveal — Base game uses a reveal-based system to moderate information and interaction
Traps and monsters with dice — Traps and monsters affect players via dice rolls and color-based modifiers

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

This expansion on its own, I'm giving a 9.5 to. It is that good.
Layers is a seven without this expansion. With this expansion, Layers is a nine.
If you own Layers and you like it, but you wish there was a little more, then this is what you need to get.
This is not just a little more, it is a lot more.

References (from this video)

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Video Prqsx0P-JVg Stonemaier Games Discussion at 14:49 sentiment: positive

video_pk 81724 · mention_pk 204218

Click to watch at 14:49 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

tactile components
well-executed dungeon-building concept

Cons

can be complex for some players

Thematic elements

competitive dungeon discovery
two-layer dungeon building and exploration
tactile, immersive

Comparison games

Descent: Legends of the Dark

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

dual-layer board with a separator — players build and explore a dungeon across concealed/visible areas

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

There was no logic to it. And why not just stop it from going to New York?
Laugh people. It cures everything.
There's a druid character.
It’s like battleship with dungeons.
There you go.

References (from this video)

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Video CFCn2wam6CQ Board Game Hangover Top List at 3:00 sentiment: positive

video_pk 81594 · mention_pk 203412

Click to watch at 3:00 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

two-player and accessible
lots of content via multiple boxes and expansions
great for families (tested with an 8-year-old)

Cons

dungeon building can feel repetitive; 'doing the same thing over and over'

Thematic elements

treasure, monsters, dungeon exploration
fantasy dungeon exploration
two-player, fairly light dungeon-delving

Comparison games

Battleship

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Action cubes — players spend cubes to move and take various actions
asymmetric play with exploration — explore and gather treasures from a dungeon, with different paths and monsters
custom dungeon setup — each player sets up their own dungeon before play
Dungeon Crawl — each player sets up their own dungeon before play

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

"This game really surprised me. I loved it."
"It's a must-have for me. I'm saying it now."
"I would love to play it again and beat Mr. Cy to bits again."
"This is the last time I'm saying the full name of the game because before each game, you'll start a timer."

References (from this video)

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Video c0L7aRWODAA The Dice Tower Discussion at 17:53 sentiment: positive

video_pk 81590 · mention_pk 203394

Click to watch at 17:53 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

The expansion significantly improves the game by adding variety.
Smart packaging of 'box zero' with new base games.
New KTBG logo is an improvement.

Cons

Base game lacked variety and was considered low-key.
The original Kickstarter came with tons of extra content that made the base game feel lacking to some.

Thematic elements

Building and navigating a dungeon.
Dungeon

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

dungeon building — Players build their own dungeon for the opponent to navigate.
Dungeon Crawl — A two-player dungeon crawl game where players build their own dungeons.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

Good morning, everybody. Welcome to the Dice Tower.
Lou Zocchi has passed away.
He is credited with inventing the 100-sided die.
If you like polyhedral dice, he is one of the the the fathers of that, for sure.
The Mensa Select winners were announced.
This is a great slate of games.
A new trick-taking game from Daniel Newman, New Mill Industries.
Guillotine's back, baby.
This was designed in 1998, so it's 28 years old.
This is the first game I ever played that had had royal guards in it that were worth one if you had one, two if you had two, three if you had three and I was like, this is insanely cool.
Avalon Hill has made actually several announcements.
This particular picture that I'm showing you previous in deluxe I really kind of think they should have showed something else because that is an upgrade, right? But that doesn't make me think deluxe, it's just like, oh, that's the new edition.
So Mayfair is still around and I guess still reprinting things, which is good to see, but but without Catan, they were suddenly a much smaller company.
Layers is a two-player dungeon crawl game sort of It's like Battleship where you build your own dungeon and the other person goes through it.
I like the base game, I give it a seven. I gave the expansion a nine though. That's all that content makes Layers amazing.
This is for Unmatched Adventures.
Get rid of exclusives. And you know what? Later, put it on retail. This is the perfect way to do it.
Fin Span has a new expansion that you can pre-order well, in 4 days, April 27th.
Join us in 38 minutes where we'll be announcing the Dice Tower Award nominations.

References (from this video)

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Video 6SqaewO8kvM Grant Lyon Expansion Roundup at 23:28

video_pk 81517 · mention_pk 202862

Click to watch at 23:28 · YouTube ↗

Pros

none

Cons

none

Thematic elements

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

grid-based dungeon exploration with cubes — players place cubes into spent pile from fresh pile to take actions

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

Oh no, where'd mine go? I can't remember.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video TvOtU8bU-Vc The Dice Tower News at 2:53

video_pk 81460 · mention_pk 202371

Click to watch at 2:53 · YouTube ↗

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)

man, this theme and everything about this from One More Turn Games, I'm very pumped about this one. I love the I cannot wait.
It's a cool cover actually. It's just not very legible, but it's a life.
If you like gardens, that's great. You like dragons, that's great. You like them both, buy three copies.
This is teetering on the edge. This is almost more of a tainted grail type of a look to me.
I think of all the ones that we've mentioned, this is the one I'm least interested in
Never mind. This might be the one I'm least interested in.
Cuz Clank! Catacombs exists.
that's a really good-looking prototype.
This would have been my most anticipated game of the year or one of them had I known about it
This is one of my most anticipated games of the year now.
This is basically um a Star Trek version of Captain Sonar.
We know about this for a while. We've been very excited. We've already played it actually.

References (from this video)

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Video aJSyaLusUsM Hungry Gamer Discussion at 7:26 sentiment: positive

video_pk 81399 · mention_pk 201858

Click to watch at 7:26 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Fun for kids.
Engaging gameplay loop.
Great concept.

Cons

Base game can feel a little light.
Adventures expansion is crucial for the best experience and may not be readily available.

Thematic elements

Players build dungeons with traps and monsters.

Comparison games

Betrayal at House on the Hill

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Action Point Allowance — Uses a cube-based action system for movement and interaction.
dungeon building — Players build their own dungeons behind a screen.
Modular Board — Tile-based board for dungeon layout.
Player vs. Player — One vs one game where players explore each other's dungeons.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

I like Dungeon Crawler Carl more than the original Unstoppable. I would say by a reasonable amount.
It retroactively makes the mechanics of unstoppable make more sense and be more thematic like the whole upgrading of cards.
Dungeon crawler Carl has actual bosses that come out and it's great because again this thematically linked to the book.
The mechanics that have been tweaked for dungeon crawler car unstoppable make it the best version of Unstoppable so far, I think.
The mana is a resource that builds up every round, you can keep it round to round and it makes the card design more interesting because they give a resource you can spend.
Mage knight co-op is not a great cooperative experience. Like you barely interact with each other a lot.
The biggest problem biggest problem in Dungeon Universalis is there's no index. I mean, there is an index, but it has like four pages listed. Like, it's just a disaster of an index.

References (from this video)

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Video MxrXmoZ4Jkk The Dice Tower Analysis at 11:27 sentiment: positive

video_pk 81255 · mention_pk 200760

Click to watch at 11:27 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

Very Positive

Pros

great two-player game
special abilities
very good game
excellent two-player game

Cons

none

Thematic elements

Strategy

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

abstract strategy — you have a bunch of leaders and you're trying to capture your opponent's leader. Each of the different people have special abilities.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

Carcassonne: Over Hill and Dale, this is one of those expansions that I just missed.
This is a big, grandiose game with a lot going on, and it's too slow and too boring for me to enjoy it.
This is my least favorite Carcassonne game. I hate this game.
This is one of the biggest, longest games I've ever played.
It's the bad quality's bad.
This one is fine. Um this one is not as bad as the other one I played was that you go around and you find stuff. It doesn't look very good though, does it?
Leaders on the other hand are a great two-player game where you have a bunch of leaders and you're trying to capture your opponent's leader.
Of all the games I talked about today, I think my favorite is actually Leaders.
Leaders is a very, very excellent two-player game.
This is a re-implementation of Survive: Escape from Atlantis.
A little auction game. There was just some really neat like there wasn't many games like this. Now, there are many, many, many games like it.

References (from this video)

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Video 5YU_VVN4bAc Game Night Picks - Pair Of Dice Paradise Top List at 15:32 sentiment: positive

video_pk 81245 · mention_pk 200680

Click to watch at 15:32 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

none

Cons

host has not played it yet

Thematic elements

dungeon building and exploration
dungeon

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Deduction — maze deduction game
dungeon building — Players begin with a set of walls, traps, treasures, and monsters, then use those to create the most challenging catacomb.
maze exploration — navigate the dungeon created by their opponent.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

the biggest board game in the world
the ultimate Civ building game
the game that logged the most plays this month, SETI, Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.
the game that is currently still going strong.
Brass: Pittsburgh the game, takes the Brass system into America's first Gilded Age, deep within the Steel Belt region during the late 1800s.
My personal top pick of the month is a deck-building game by the same designer behind the much-beloved card comboer Ascension, but this one being the Shards of Infinity Saga Collection
And this episode's hottest game of the month is the puzzly two-player maze deduction game Layers.

References (from this video)

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Video _qeaVjxzhck Neon Gorilla Interview at 20:36 sentiment: mixed

video_pk 81273 · mention_pk 200845

Click to watch at 20:36 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

mixed

Pros

fun to build the dungeon
brilliant system for a mind game
seamless integration of expansions

Cons

lacks content in the base game
expansions are expensive
the base game is not complete as sold

Thematic elements

Building a dungeon.

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

dungeon building — Players create their own dungeon layouts.
Resource Management — Implied through building the dungeon and managing game elements.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

I mean, you had ready, set, bet. Like, uh, The Last Kingdom was like a a fantastic game that just flew under the radar. Do you know what I mean? Nobody nobody played it at all, you know?
They charged a hundred quid for a game that was made out of a bog roll.
I think I compared my copy of War of the Ring to a Garen Hospital.
I have 15 burner accounts just just tearing you down.
It's all me. I've got 15 burner accounts just just tearing you down.
I don't care whether AI has had a hand in designing it. If the game is good and I find it fun, then I'll play it.
I don't care whether it's designed by a woman, by a man, by, you know, a capybara.
The incentive system is totally broken.
I honestly think like the whole board game review system in general is like is broke, especially if you are and we can't afford to get all these games. You do have to get some review.
I think there's something to say for people um wanting to maintain publisher relationships.
You know, my core audience are grumpy old white men that just want to hear somebody slag off a game.

References (from this video)

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Video xJUvCItTtWY Our Family Plays Games Discussion at 1:17:10 sentiment: positive

video_pk 81102 · mention_pk 199614

Click to watch at 1:17:10 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

latest hit

Cons

none

Thematic elements

null
null
null

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Mechanics unknown.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

Yamatai is never going to be made again cuz I don't I'm mad about Yamatai because Desaana that's a very good game that y'all gave up on and that's a very good game.
UNMATCHED. NO. YES. YOU'RE NOT TOUCHING THAT. THEY'RE TAKING UNMATCHED. NO, NO, NO. I don't Okay, you're not touching none of those. None.
Unmatched. They stay. Every one of them.
This is what I deal with.
It takes up a lot of space in your home and you do fall in love with these games and you want to play them and then a lot of times you can't play them because you're so busy getting new stuff.
It's hard. It's hard.
I want an alarm to go off. An alarm after 365 days if you haven't played it. Yeah, it's got to go.
Board game collections are gaseous and tend to expand to fill the entire volume of the space you allow them in.
The stores are not going to help you sell your games. That's their business.
I wish you get a store, which is not bad. Okay. No, store credit is NOT GOOD BECAUSE THAT'S GREAT. That's great.
If you haven't played it in three years, get rid of it.
Okay. Next week, next Sunday, we will not be here. No, we won't be here, y'all. We will be at BG Spring. We are not doing a tape show because we got a lot of other videos that we've got to get done before we leave.
A friend asked me, did you know it takes five sheep to make one sweater? I answered I didn't even know they could knit.

References (from this video)

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Video Vb2xRgrxPOI Game Night Picks - Pair Of Dice Paradise Top List at 15:37 sentiment: positive

video_pk 80938 · mention_pk 198735

Click to watch at 15:37 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

super puzzly
two-player
maze deduction
full of dungeon building and simultaneous dungeon exploration
tests players to build a dungeon dangerous enough to confuse their competitor

Cons

opponent must navigate a devious dungeon

Thematic elements

maze deduction
catacomb

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Area Control — players begin with a set of walls, traps, treasures, and monsters, which they then must use to create the most challenging catacomb that they can for their opponent to explore
Deduction — Layers is full of both dungeon building and simultaneous dungeon exploration.
dungeon building — Layers is full of both dungeon building and simultaneous dungeon exploration.
dungeon exploration — Layers is full of both dungeon building and simultaneous dungeon exploration.
Tile Placement — players begin with a set of walls, traps, treasures, and monsters

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

Recall is our penultimate pick, because this is a deep strategy game from the designers of 2022's massively popular network building game Revive.
Recall focuses on engine building and exploration as various tribes explore the lands and discover traces of ancient civilizations.
Then, at three different points during the game, players must choose one of two paths, with the chosen path providing an immediate bonus as well as boosting one of the end-game scoring options.
just like those players, we have reached our end game with this month's bestest bet, which is the super puzzly two-player maze deduction game Layers.
Layers is full of both dungeon building and simultaneous dungeon exploration.
It's a game that tests players to build a dungeon dangerous enough to confuse their competitor, while deftly defying a dungeon of their own.
If you'd like to find even more great games to discover, well, then continue on to our latest episodes of our High Rollers or Hot Picks and Cool Recommendations videos.
There are a lots more games that are ready for you to enjoy as your next game night pick.

References (from this video)

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Video SzWQwq8oDrU BoardGameCo Other at 3:29 sentiment: positive

video_pk 80419 · mention_pk 195686

Click to watch at 3:29 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Fantastic
Very clever game, really really well done

Cons

Charm diminished after many plays
Enclosed arena loses capacity

Thematic elements

Comparison games

Abalone

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Drafting — Mentioned as "asymmetric like draft and build your army".
Worker Placement — Referred to as "dueling worker placement."

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

I did not love this one. I I drastically prefer Hey, That's My Fish.
This felt like a less fun version of Hey, That's My Fish.
I thought the game was very dry.
This was very charming. I I like what the game was doing as far as the real-time speed nature of trying not to be the last one holding the bag when everything goes bust, while also trying to collect sets of cards through real-time live trading. This was very fun.
I was very impressed by how well the game is designed. Uh ultimately it was it was fine to play a few times and then move on from it.
This was very solid uh going along with Triangulation and Decrypto. It's another one of those clue intercepting games, uh, but done very differently.
Biggest complaint I have against it is I'm just keeping too many of these games and I can't have all these small box games be everything.
It's cute. It's fast. It's thematic. I've enjoyed this one, but this kind of real-time game is just not overall my jam.
Basically, it's a fun charming game. I'm just not overly uh enthused by it.
Vestige is a great game. I think I just prefer Vindication.
Vindication will almost always get picked over Vestige each time.

References (from this video)

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Video VTo5DiRaTVY Neon Gorilla Review at 2:42:56 sentiment: mixed

video_pk 80335 · mention_pk 195431

Click to watch at 2:42:56 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

Mixed

Pros

Fun dungeon building loop
Good value for the base price point

Cons

Limited content in the base game leads to a quick need for expansions.
Requires spending additional money for a "good experience"

Thematic elements

Dungeon building

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

dungeon building — Players build a dungeon.
Modular Board — The game features basic walls with potential for different wall effects through expansions.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

The game isn't like, 'No, no, no.' The game's like, 'Whoa, you're beating me so well. Well done.'
This thing had me opening it up on my laptop on the couch. I never have played TTS on the couch before. That's how I know that this is an absolute banger.
The rule I said the rule it's it's the idea that I said of like every rule that I add needs to be 10 times more fun than it adds.
It is so important that you do follow the order of operations.
I love that as a player. And to to full circle of what we were talking about earlier of like what is fun I don't know. I only know what I enjoy. So I lean into that and hope that other people enjoy that thing as well.
The dice in this are obviously the equivalent of the deck building in Bolatoro.
I I I love making stuff. So, yeah.
The rabbit holes end up being my most profitable thing.

References (from this video)

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Video ALdMjgxPymk One Stop Co-op Shop Top List at 16:16 sentiment: other

video_pk 80317 · mention_pk 195263

Click to watch at 16:16 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

Enthusiastic

Pros

Loved by host's kids
Great core mechanic of designing dungeons
Fun action cube exploration system
Huge variety with expansions (monsters, traps, actions, etc.)
A blast to play every time
Always tense and fun exploration
Quick, punchy, and fun

Cons

Can be swingy due to random treasures or path choices
Base game alone is still recommended, but expansions add significant value

Thematic elements

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Action Cube System — Used for exploring the dungeons.
competitive — A competitive game where players design and explore dungeons.
Dungeon Design — Players create dungeons for each other.
unlockable content — Includes unlockable monsters, traps, actions, abilities, and decks.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

And speaking of a great expansion for a great game, number seven is the Spirits and Spells expansion for Small Time Heroes.
These are a reinvention of 20 Strong to a large extent.
And they basically made me care about 20 Strong again when I was sort of falling off of it.
This is just a lot of fun.
Onward was one of my favorite competitive games last year.
The bot is very intelligent with that.
Next is a huge one. Y'all knew this had to be on here. My number three is Dungeon Crawler Carl Unstoppable.
And this one is better. I'll say it. I said it in the video and I'll say it again here.
This is another Mike's wife played the entire thing with him game and I loved it.
Just like one of the most amazing kind of narrative legacy experience games I've ever played.
Which leaves us my number one and that is a competitive game. What are you doing, Mike?
But it's a competitive game that both my kids adore, which is really why this is my number one, but it's also a great game and that is Layers.
So far my favorite game of 2026 Layers.
Overall, I don't know, so far I would say this year is weaker than 2025, 2024, or 2023.

References (from this video)

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Video Nr6eiw27DNM Where There's A Wilz, There's a Play Discussion at 4:52 sentiment: positive

video_pk 80185 · mention_pk 194732

Click to watch at 4:52 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Really really enjoy this one.
Really looking forward to playing this one quite a bit more.

Cons

Did not do well at it at the start, but I learned.

Thematic elements

Navigating a dungeon while avoiding monsters and finding treasures.
Players create a dungeon behind a screen and the other player tries to make their way through it.

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

dungeon building — Each person creates a dungeon with walls, monsters, and treasures.
exploration — Players try to make their way through the dungeon by moving into different rooms and using abilities.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

KidsStable Board Gaming or K KTBG.
Creature Comforts is a dice and worker placement game with a really interesting mechanism where you have um family dice and you have village dice.
Layers is battleship for adults kind of um with a dungeon crawl aspect.
I think this is not talked about enough. I don't think this gets enough credit in the gaming world.
Positive player interaction.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video Mq3AqquzOSs The Brothers Murph Top List at 4:21 sentiment: positive

video_pk 80018 · mention_pk 193985

Click to watch at 4:21 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Unique and engaging concept of building for your opponent
Highly praised by multiple sources, including Board Game Geek
Appealing art and look
Expansion adds more elements

Cons

Previous games with similar concepts have been disappointing

Thematic elements

Constructing a dungeon/labyrinth for an opponent to navigate

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

dungeon building — Players construct a dungeon or labyrinth for their opponent to navigate.
Simultaneous Play — The game involves players constructing and navigating simultaneously, creating a "two halves" or "two games at once" feel.
Trap setting — Players set up traps and other obstacles within the constructed dungeon.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

The last game I ever expected to exist, uh, Mountain Ghost Legacy, and now I really want it.
Maestro is an interesting game where it's like a two I think maybe you can play it three, but it's like basically a two to four player game.
I love Operation Barlay. So anything by Salt and Pepper that's like in their two-player line. I'm immediately like I want it. I want to try it.
They they're CGE games are very often our number one game of the year. Yeah, they are just so consistently good. Like they just do such a good job.
This game is a rondelle game where you are going to be uh moving around the circular board taking actions to essentially thematically like we're in a simulation.
I really enjoy these kind of like god simulator games I think it's an interesting thematic space to play in where you're like ah you're like just making stuff and seeing what happens and it's just it's a cool kind of place to be in and so like I I really really enjoy it.

References (from this video)

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Video uzB3w9ktbh4 The Dice Tower Review at 15:56 sentiment: positive

video_pk 79951 · mention_pk 193638

Click to watch at 15:56 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

Positive

Pros

Fantastic with expansions.
Very enjoyable.

Cons

Base game is only fine.

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)

So, we're going to jump right into these here. I'm going to take a look at them and tell you what I think about them.
This game is now 20 years old.
It's not nearly as good as made by the people who made War of the Ring.
This is my favorite because all the pieces move like rooks sort of and you're trying to take over other people's pieces and each one has a special power and I like the theming of it.
Layers expansions bring it up to a nine. Layers is amazing.
I think the base game is fine, but when you I mean it's it's very it's enjoyable, but when you add the expansion it's fantastic.
Nothing here I think is amazing.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video hjxxOQnRsyQ Review at 0:25 sentiment: positive

video_pk 72349 · mention_pk 170568

Click to watch at 0:25 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Plenty of replayability in the base game.
Fun and cool meeples.
Great art.
Smooth mechanics.
Offers significant replayability with additional content.
The adventure pack adds new monsters, abilities, and items.
The Deeper Dungeons expansion adds new challenges, bosses, and terrain.
New characters offer different experiences and abilities.
Multiplayer mode allows for one versus several players.
Campaign scenarios are engaging.
Creativity in building dungeons and scenarios.
Different experiences between one versus one and multiplayer.

Cons

Some felt that content present in expansions should have been in the base game.
Asymmetric character powers can sometimes lead to perceived imbalance, though this is often due to how powers interact with the specific dungeon layout.

Thematic elements

dungeon building

Comparison games

Battleship
Wolfenstein 3D

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Area Control — Players' actions involve placing walls and items on a board, influencing the opponent's path and strategy.
dungeon building — Players design a unique labyrinth full of monsters, traps, and hidden treasures, placing walls and items onto their map.
Hidden Movement — Players spend energy cubes to peek, sneak, and creep through the dungeon, suggesting hidden objectives or paths.
player powers — Character powers are mentioned as being asymmetric and influencing gameplay significantly.
Set Collection — Players need to overcome monsters or find enough treasure to proceed, with the winner collecting the most points from treasures.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

So in this game, you're basically playing grown-up Battleship maybe.
The fun in the game is, in my opinion, building the maze. I love building the maze.
If you really really enjoy the game, you will enjoy it more with all the additional content.
the meeples in here are fun and cool, the art is great, the mechanics are very smooth.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video fQ7nMP-E7bI Discussion at 9:43 sentiment: positive

video_pk 71004 · mention_pk 168187

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Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

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)

Rule books are a big barrier of entry for many people
I also feel the hobby needs a website or youtube channel that welcomes new board gamers and helps them find the resources
I know I spent too much money and time on games that didn't work for me and my friends at the start and nearly gave up board gaming unfortunately
Ticket to Ride or Catan
if you like uh i don't know uh ameritrash games or something you might want to try Star Wars Rebellion or Arkham Horror or Elder Sign
The goal isn't to just let's get somebody else addicted to games that's not the goal that's that's a terrible goal but let's give people some options in their life to have some different experiences and have some fun
once you like jump over that step over that line you're like oh look at the giant tsunami of stuff

References (from this video)

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Video 7_royjMgYQA Review at 0:02 sentiment: positive

video_pk 66995 · mention_pk 162899

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Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Traps and monsters provide interesting risk-reward decisions.
Treasure cards offer variety and combo potential.
Unlockable content greatly improves the experience with more tactics, tension, and strategy.
Building the dungeon and being the dungeon master is fun, allowing for tricky and mind-game plays.
Controlling the adventurer and mapping out the dungeon is a pleasure and nostalgically reminiscent of classic dungeon crawlers.
Quick to become a favorite game.

Cons

Treasure card draws can be swingy and luck-based.
Base retail version has limited content; deluxe or expansion versions are highly recommended.
Deluxe version can be hard to find.
Potential frustration from randomness or going down the wrong path.

Thematic elements

Dungeon designing adventure

Comparison games

HeroQuest
Dungeons and Dragons

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Action Point Allowance — Players use action cubes to explore the dungeon and map it out.
Dice Rolling — Used to attempt to defeat monsters or traps, with dice weighted towards certain numbers.
dungeon building — Players build a dungeon behind a hidden screen, populating it with monsters, treasures, and traps.
Hand Management — Managing action cubes to perform various actions like moving, peeking, or fighting.
Modular Board — Implied by the dungeon being built by players and explored.
Set Collection — Treasure cards have inherent victory points and can combo with other cards for more points.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

In Layers, players face off against each other. They each behind a hidden screen build a dungeon of their own design, populating it with monsters, treasures, and traps.
It's a nice risk reward decision.
On the negative side it can be quite swingy because if I happen to get two chalices that add up to 10 victory points and you only get things that don't combo together that add up to two or three victory points, I can potentially win the entire game because of that luck of the draw.
This is a mix for my taste, but for a very specific reason.
And that's why this is a mix because at least right now I think it's hard to impossible to find the deluxe version of the game.
And once that's more readily available, I think this will be a full on pro because the base game is still a good value I think, a good price for trying out the system, but if you enjoy it like I have, you're going to want to expand it very quickly cuz the unlocks are so awesome and make the game that much better.
But speaking of full on pros, that's what my number two point is. Uh this is building the dungeon and being the dungeon master.
And man, this is just so much fun because you get to you're not even seeing all of them, you get to lay out a ton of walls, treasures, monsters, traps. And you can do really tricky things, do mind games.
But my number one point, the most important thing to know about the game, also a full on pro, a huge huge one, is the other side of things when you are controlling your adventurer moving through the dungeon.
mapping out the dungeon as you go, drawing where things are and trying to guess where they might have put things and kind of get into their dungeon designing mind, is just such a pleasure and it nostalgically reminds me of, you know, back in the day when I would design my own HeroQuest dungeons or play Dungeons and Dragons with my friends.
Layers has quickly become one of my favorite games of 2026.
But you might want to avoid this one if you don't like swinginess or randomness or the potential frustration of going down the wrong path.

References (from this video)

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Video uDUUpvFQQfo Top List at 4:46 sentiment: positive

video_pk 66861 · mention_pk 162665

Click to watch at 4:46 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Concept is really fun.
Getting some momentum.
Seems cool.

Cons

Never liked similar games as much as I wanted to.

Thematic elements

Making a labyrinth for an opponent to traverse.

Comparison games

Keeper of the Quest

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Maze Building — Players construct a labyrinth for their opponent to navigate.
Simultaneous Play — Players traverse each other's layers simultaneously.
Variable player powers — Includes traps and treasures within the labyrinths.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

It's time for the Golden Geek Awards where you, the people, get to vote on your favorite games of the year.
The nominations are open right now, so you can go vote on those.
This is quite possibly my favorite time of the year, the time where the artist series comes out with Board Game Geek.
It's just really, really fun. I like Settlers because each individual action that you can do in Settlers is pretty darn simple.
I love that concept for a game.
It's just got like a really cool art style and I think it's in the Hokkaido area of Japan but one thing that's really cool is there's these like those crates are made of wood and stuff.
This is Brass: Birmingham. This is the third installment in the Brass series.
The stakes are very real.
This is just like a game where you could like really make a hybrid build and kind of engine for yourself. That was super duper cool.
It's worker placement, but there's no blocking.
If you can have some flair along with your function, why the heck not?
The best inserts, of course, help your games go into the box nice and neat and stuff.

References (from this video)

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Video re9kv5TezUw Rules Teach at 0:01 sentiment: positive

video_pk 66807 · mention_pk 162612

Click to watch at 0:01 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Family-friendly and accessible.
Unlockable content adds variety and replayability without being legacy.
Engaging gameplay loop of building, exploring, and collecting.

Cons

Can be complex to set up and understand initially.

Thematic elements

dungeon delver

Comparison games

Battleship

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Action Point Allowance — Players spend action cubes (creep, hustle, backtrack, pier, conserve) to perform actions.
Dice Rolling — Used for fighting monsters and disarming traps, with success determined by meeting or exceeding a hazard's level.
Modular Board — Players create their own dungeon layouts using walls, monsters, traps, and treasures.
modular components — The game includes unlockable content through boxes and envelopes that change how the game works.
Press Your Luck — Players can choose to fight monsters or disarm traps, risking further penalties upon failure.
Resource Management — Players manage 'cubes' for actions, with some cubes becoming 'fatigued' and returning to 'fresh' status over rounds.
Set Collection — Players collect treasures throughout the game, which provide points and potential abilities.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

If Layers got a traitor mechanic, it'd be called Liars.
So, the only thing you can do are fight or disarm it or take any action that moves you out of its space.
The only thing you're allowed to do is fight or disarm it or take an action that moves you out.
I finally beat Steve.
And even though I didn't exit, I got the most treasure.

References (from this video)

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Video JOgl6gemk-s Board Game Buzz Discussion at 32:30 sentiment: positive

video_pk 66427 · mention_pk 161780

Click to watch at 32:30 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

High asymmetry provides deep strategy
Rich thematic potential

Cons

Complex for players who dislike heavy asymmetric design

Thematic elements

Array
Asymmetric champions duel
Highly asymmetric, strategy-forward

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Area Control — Position champions and maneuver to surround the opponent's leader or block adjacent spaces.
Area/positional control — Position champions and maneuver to surround the opponent's leader or block adjacent spaces.
Asymmetric play — Players assemble a team of unique champions with different abilities to defeat an opposing leader.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

I'm so sad about it, but unfortunately I will not be at PAX unplugged this year.
Aren't we in a great hobby and great? We're in the golden age of gaming, right?
I love just getting excited over new board games. It makes my heart happy.
We're in the golden age of gaming, right? Where we have so many great games that are coming out all the time.
I need this game. I need it to complete my Formage collection.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

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