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Game Info
Year
2023
Players
2-4
Age
12+
Playtime
60 min
Collection
Your Tier
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Description
Stranger Things: Upside Down is a board game based on the Stranger Things television series.
Hawkins, Indiana seems like an average town. However, underneath the exterior lurks a secret. The Hawkins National Laboratory has been doing experiments that have unleashed the horrors of the Upside Down. It's up to the kids in the town to save it.
In Stranger Things: Upside Down, players take on the role of the kids of Hawkins who are trying to stop the operatives of the Hawkins National Laboratory and the evils from the Upside Down. Players must work together to clear stacks of tokens before time runs out. The game offers two seasons of play.
Stranger Things: Upside Down is a cooperative game in which 2 to 4 players take on the role of the series’ protagonists. At the start of the game, players choose a Character and 1 of the 2 Seasons to play,each with its own board, actions, and unique sets of cards. Characters use Action cards to move through iconic Hawkins Locations, get Items, control their Fear, and to beat the value of token stacks in order to gather Allies, escape a secret government agency,help Eleven and be aided by her Powers, and fight the horrors coming from the Upside Down. They perform their actions over a series of turns until they reach their ultimate goal: to stop the Upside Down
forces and rescue Will... or get terrified trying.
Actions are performed by the Characters during their turn, according to the Location they’re in, abilities (in Mike’s case), or the presence of Foes. There are 2 types of Actions:
UNCONTESTED: Characters resolve the action without any obstacles.
CONTESTED: Characters must beat the value of stacks in order to resolve the action. Otherwise, the action cannot be resolved and the Character gains Fear
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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 9
This page: 9
Sentiment:
pos 7 ·
mix 1 ·
neu 1 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–9 of 9
Video 8B-AO9eMgCY
Rolling Dice & Taking Names Discussion at 24:50 sentiment: positive
video_pk 93452 · mention_pk 252846
Click to watch at 24:50 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Clever card play
- Thematic integration
- Fast setup and explanation
- Challenging gameplay
- Good for IP fans
Cons
- Can be difficult to win
- Initial card sorting can be confusing
Thematic elements
- Stranger Things IP
- Hawkins
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card Play — Actions are driven through cards with numbers and icons. Playing cards can increase chances for actions or provide additional options.
- character abilities — Each character has special abilities that can be used throughout the game.
- cooperative play — Players work together against the game's challenges.
- Deck Building — Players build their decks, and specific cards are set aside for later use, influencing future draw decks.
- Fear Tracker — A fear tracker exists on player cards, and accumulating too much fear can lead to losing the game.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Hey y'all it's time for Rolling Dice and taking names
- We lost a giant in the music industry just recently that was a song by Tony Bennett who passed away
- I'm I'm warn out because in the last episode that we just had we talked about some long care businesses is something we do here and so I got it replaced
- The access ramp to miniature games is usually very expensive to get on
- It's right there start here
- I think that was a great idea
- What we have here is a failure to communicate best movie ever
- Oppenheimer it needs to be seen in the theater for the sound alone
- This is inhumane
- Oh man not not much gets under my skin imagine that
- we need to switch to another type of food to something to try on taste buds
- This is good it tastes like a take on tropical punch
- As of this recording Imperial miners is still not up for pre-order
- it definitely has room for expansions
- I don't know anything about the IP so I can't be disappointed in this game by the IP and what they do with it
- I think it's a very clever game with the card play
- This game was designed by my buddy Nick U who does the stuff on media Vania with us
- this is a competitive two-player board game you're controlling a team of characters not just one
- Trials of Tempest is more of like a dungeon Crawley team versus Team based thing
- This other one's meant to be a competitive game that plays in a shorter amount of time
- This game is out right now this is Charles of tempus
- this is a skirmish game in the Star Trek universe
- Star Trek it wasn't about blowing each other up this wasn't Star Wars where you're trying to cut people in half with lightsabers it's about technology it's about peace it's about expanding the universe in your knowledge
- I was whining when we were playing because it felt like Marty's missions were way simpler than mine
- You can have uh your support cards could be like things like weapons where you attach a weapon to a person
- So that's the deal you're having to doal uh go with that
- And I can't believe that now I'm doing some other festival and I'm going around jumping for loot bags and Guild Wars too
- I think the reason why is because when those first came out on the Nintendo Super Nintendo I was just into action games I just wasn't into that
- I felt like well I'm just behind cuz I haven't played any of them not realizing they aren't a sequential story they're all their own story
- I am on that Quest so I'm excited for Mega Muson
- it depends on whether I can gain the system again this year for a win
- I think I'm going Be the One gaming the system cuz I know how it's going to happen it's going to be me but we will take it home
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video -sy3ZSxlGa0
Watch It Played News at 9:21 sentiment: positive
video_pk 89491 · mention_pk 237729
Click to watch at 9:21 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Cooperative game based on Stranger Things
- Designed by the legacy game inventor Rob Davio
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Saving the town from the Upside Down
- Hawkins, The Upside Down
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative play — Players work together to save the town.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- trailblazers where one to eight adventurers will create the longest hiking biking and kayaking paths by the ageless medium of tile length with a catchy is that you can't get lost as you always have to find your way back to camp and you only score points for paths that begin and end at matching colored campsites
- you're gonna get stabbed in the back it's just i mean it's a guarantee
- point city a sequel to the wonderful hit game point salad which i linked to my friend beth now i think about it not important in point city your drafting cards similar to the original point salad but you're building a city and as such there's a little more going on with resource management and engine building aspects but gosh if i'm not excited for it when it's out next year
- board game day which is written by amy valdez from the board game blitz podcast and illustrated by rachel kramer from the semicolo internet comic and they've teamed up to create board game day a 16 page fully illustrated children's book the game follows a group of friends two pandas a cat a bird and an octopus as they prepare for and have a board game day illustrations include many actual children's games so the kid might recognize them and i think this is a lovely project to finish on
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Video ZPPnC1QTQPQ
Drive Thru Games Top List at 8:47 sentiment: positive
video_pk 88153 · mention_pk 251112
Click to watch at 8:47 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Two games in one box (Season 1 and Season 2)
- Plays out very differently between seasons
- Easy to get into
- Very difficult and brutal
- Appeals to gamers that like a good challenge
- Cool dynamics and riffs on the Pandemic system
- Has randomness via token/dice flipping
- Very thematic
- Does justice to the IP
- Immersed back into the world
- Strong game
Cons
- Very difficult and brutal
- Might be frustrating for kids
- More difficult than other similar cooperative games
Thematic elements
- Stranger Things
- Stranger Things universe
Comparison games
- Pandemic
- Clone Wars game
- Horrified
- World of Warcraft Pandemic game
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative play — A cooperative game where players work together.
- Modular Board — The board flips to represent different seasons.
- Pandemic System — Riffs on the Pandemic system, involving putting out fires, dealing with spawning demons, and government agencies.
- Resource Management — Tamping down fires and building up an engine.
- Set Collection — Collecting items and getting powers unlocked.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I think it's my favorite coin game of all time now.
- It's so Technical and crunchy and just immersive.
- It comes with these really beautiful standies.
- This is going to be part of the giveaway so just leave a comment below.
- It feels like you're playing Skyrim or Fallout but in this Studio Ghibli style World post post apocalypse.
- The way the mechanics and stuff which I'll talk about in the review which will be linked really lend itself to breathing life constantly through the course of the game.
- And that to me is like such a new breath of fresh air.
- So if you plucked me out of this universe somehow and you said you have a choice between you know Skyrim and Fallout no thanks and uh um you know this is like post postapocalyptic Earth I 100% I'm going to play in the world of the earthborne.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 8XVyn36gO_0
Review at 0:18 sentiment: positive
video_pk 69751 · mention_pk 166451
Click to watch at 0:18 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Theme is dripping through the game.
- Art and style are enjoyable.
- Second scenario felt chaotic and good for a co-op game.
- Nice tutorial/simple teaching.
- Actions and turns move quickly, keeping players engaged.
- Rulebook is well done, clear, and laid out.
- Nice small package size, stores easily.
- Difficulty feels palpable and engaging.
- Conflicting objectives are engaging.
- Manageable price point.
Cons
- Tokens can be annoying to manage at the start of the game.
- Not necessarily super deep replayability, though characters and scene cards offer some variation.
- No solo mode, designed for at least two players.
Thematic elements
- Explore and reenact scenarios and situations from seasons one and two of the Netflix show; unravel and navigate the mysterious world.
- Seasons one and two of the Stranger Things Netflix show
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Action Point Allowance — Players spend action cards to perform actions, with values contributing to overcoming challenges.
- cooperative play — Players work together to overcome obstacles and defeat opponents to emerge victorious.
- Hand Management — Players have a hand of action cards that range from one to three points and may have additional symbology.
- Push Your Luck — Drawing scene cards based on 'explanation point' symbols on action cards can lead to negative consequences if not managed.
- scenario-based play — The game is structured around reenacting scenarios from season one and two, with a first and second scenario provided.
- Set Collection — Players need to complete sets of tokens on three 'rescue Will' slots to win.
- threat management — Players must manage threats like the Demogorgon and federal patrols, which can move and attack.
- Variable player powers — Players take on the role of friends and allies of Eleven, each with a special ability.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- The theme is just dripping through the game and I really enjoyed the the art and the style that this kind of brought to the table.
- Things are quick clean uh actions and turns move quickly so everyone stays engaged with the game.
- The difficulty feels palpable when you're trying to manage and guesstimate uh what's going on with the tokens on the board.
- There's a lot of conflicting objectives that you need to balance within this game and I find that really engaging.
- If you're looking for a co-op especially in this team if you're a stranger things fan like I am this game is really fun to play.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video GJxO3mwow5c
watch it played Rules Teach at 0:13 sentiment: neutral
video_pk 64197 · mention_pk 157668
Click to watch at 0:13 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
neutral
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Rescuing Will in a Stranger Things-inspired world
- Upside Down version of Hawkins, a dark mirror of our world
- Cooperative, scenario-driven with story beats and character abilities
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Ally recruitment — Succeed to recruit allies; allies provide ongoing benefits and are drawn from an Allied deck.
- Contested vs uncontested actions — Uncontested actions always succeed; contested actions may fail and involve token stacks.
- Fear track and terrified space — Using roads can gain fear; reaching the terrified space ends the game.
- Fight actions — Fight manages foe tokens; success moves foe; failure yields fear.
- Help Eleven — Make an action against a telekinetic ability; resolve its effect and remove stacks.
- Investigate the Lab — Choose one of three stacks to perform the action against; success yields benefits across labs.
- Movement and action points — On your turn you have a move value determined by your character, boosted by playing action cards; unspent points are lost.
- Rescue Will action — Commit cards to a token stack; succeed by matching/exceeding stack value to win by emptying Will slots.
- Reshuffling and 11 progression — When the action deck reshuffles, advance 11 on the track and redraw cards as needed.
- Scene cards and end-of-day resolution — Draw and resolve scene cards that affect the game and may reshuffle into a new deck; decide ties and consequences.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- two to four player Stranger Things upside down
- designed by Rob davio and published by Simon
- the game is played over a series of turns starting with the player who most recently rode a bike or someone you pick randomly
- on your turn you'll perform four steps in order starting with the move step
- you must play at least one card to perform an action
- you win the game as soon as all three rescue Will slots are empty
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video IQ3zeRLgnt4
The Dungeon Dive Review at 0:00 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 61271 · mention_pk 153956
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Stunning board design and art that captures Hawkins and the Upside Down
- Beautiful multi-season boards with strong thematic integration
- Solid cooperative pacing that emulates drama and tension
- Good gateway potential and accessible for families
- High production values and components
Cons
- Moving as a single group is not streamlined; limited group movement options
- No item trading between characters limits synergy
- Only card-based threat knowledge; some randomness hidden behind cards
- Desire for more items/alliés and more variety between seasons
Thematic elements
- cooperative pursuit to stop supernatural forces, rescue Will Byers, and emphasize friendship
- Hawkins, Indiana, 1983 (Season 1) and 1984 (Season 2) with the Upside Down as a threat
- drama/television-inspired, season-based storytelling with tension and character teamwork
Comparison games
- Horrified
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- ally recruitment and items — characters recruit allies and acquire items to assist in actions and challenges
- Cooperative Game — players work together as a team to achieve the objective and withstand threats
- cooperative play — players work together as a team to achieve the objective and withstand threats
- investigation and lab mechanics — investigating the lab can ignore a number of scene cards, mitigating risk
- risk/tension pacing through hand management — five action cards per turn can be spent to move, overcome challenges, or trigger bonuses; hazard cards increase end-of-turn draws
- season-based boards — two boards (Season 1 and Season 2) with distinct layouts to reflect the different seasons
- threat / scene cards — scene cards drive misfortune and escalating danger; difficulty is tracked via token stacks
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Stranger Things Upside Down is a Cooperative game in which players take on the role of the protagonists of the series trying to stop terrifying Supernatural forces and save Will from the horrors of the upside down
- the art on the board is excellent
- this is a no-brainer this is a this is a fun game
- the board is one of the coolest looking boards I've ever seen
- it's a gateway game to introduce people into Hobby Games
- it does a really good job of emulating the ebb and flow and the building tension and release found in a well-executed drama series
- pulling, pushing and shoving trying to fight the game as you are trying to rescue Will
- there are a few little drawbacks you know this isn't going to be a game you play all the time
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video uJX9ak45cAg
Our Family Plays Games Discussion at 13:42 sentiment: positive
video_pk 11544 · mention_pk 33946
Click to watch at 13:42 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- strong IP flavor and theming
- family-friendly cooperative play with approachable rules
Cons
- heavily dependent on IP for appeal; mechanics may be familiar to co-op fans
- scalability to larger groups could be limited
Thematic elements
- cooperative exploration with fear mechanics
- Stranger Things universe, episodic adventures
- IP-driven, screen-to-table adaptation
Comparison games
- Betrayal at House on the Hill (Stranger Things variant)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative play — players coordinate with character-specific abilities to complete objectives
- fear track — progression of fear adds tension and alters available actions
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I'm already getting my wish of Terraforming Mars going into it.
- Stranger Things Upside Down is coming straight to retail in 2023.
- The global board game market size is growing and mainstream, and we're part of that wave.
- Happy Salmon is being given away as part of the festivities, which is a fun party game to kick off the holidays.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Bqd7G_d7_yU
The Dice Tower Top List at 17:16 sentiment: positive
video_pk 11216 · mention_pk 32994
Click to watch at 17:16 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- faithful IP feel
- multiple seasons with carried-over elements
- satisfying cooperative run
Cons
- can be complex for casual players
Thematic elements
- cooperative teamwork to save Will and collect evidence
- Stranger Things universe, Season 1–2 vibes
- season-driven, IP-forward adventure
Comparison games
- Arkham Horror LCG
- Descent: Journeys in the Dark
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative play with hand management — Players coordinate to pass skill tests and manage cards
- season-based decks — Different decks mirror season progression and character progression
- walkie-talkie communication — Communication mechanics emphasize teamwork and coordination
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- 13 games that we think you should check out for this Halloween season.
- This is one of the more immersive games I think we have on our list today.
- It's almost more of an activity than a game.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video yqQtN_ZInLw
Dice Tower Top 10 List at 2:51 sentiment: positive
video_pk 6964 · mention_pk 80758
Click to watch at 2:51 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Strong IP integration and thematic feel
- Engaging for fans of the show
- Solid cooperative puzzle experience
Cons
- IP may feel dated for newer players
- Some players may prefer a more novel mechanism outside the license
Thematic elements
- investigation, mystery, and supernatural occurrences tied to Stranger Things IP
- Hawkins, Indiana; 1980s; episodic mystery solving across seasons 1–3.
- story-driven cooperative investigation with episodic progression
Comparison games
- Stranger Things board game mechanics (general IP-licensed co-ops)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative mystery solving — Players collaborate to solve Hawkins-wide mysteries and disappearances.
- role-based actions / character immersion — Players embody Hawkins kids with actions that drive investigation and discovery.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- My number 10 is Bomb Busters.
- It's a cooperative game where you are all bomb diffusing agents and you're trying to go in and work together to diffuse this bomb.
- You're going to be able to recognize the mechanisms from the pandemic system by the time you finish, but it feels thematic by then.
- This is a great one if you're a Christian and you enjoy Tableau Builders more than anything else.
References (from this video)
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