Trailblazers are the gutsy folks who pave and brave the trails of the great outdoors. Whether by hiking boots, cycling wheels, or river paddle, these tenacious travelers seek to feed their insatiable appetite for adventure. With a scenic wilderness ever ahead and a freshly charted path upon the heels, one mustn’t forget to eventually find their way back to camp. For there are always new environments to explore, further expeditions to undertake, and more trails to blaze.
In Trailblazers, players compete to earn the most points by building biking, hiking, and kayaking loops from their campsites of the matching trail type. Each round, players are dealt eight trail cards where they’ll draft two cards, arrange those cards in their personal area, and pass their hand to the next player three times. Cards must either be placed adjacent to or overlapping other cards. While players can push their luck by aiming to construct long and elaborate trails, only closed loops that start and end at a matching campsite will score points. Players also compete to fulfill “First To” and “End Game” goal cards. After four rounds, the game ends and the player with the most points from closed loops and goal cards wins.
The standard edition of Trailblazers features a second deck of trail & player cards so you can play with up to 8 players. The box also contains two expansions (the Animals expansion and Adventurers expansion) that add another challenging layer of strategy and objectives to the experience. Finally, there are three unique solo modes that utilize the goal cards, Animals expansion, or Adventurers expansion.
- I like it a lot
- I will give it an A
- I like this quite a bit
- Haven't played multiplayer much, mostly solo
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Path building — try to like puzzle together some paths.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- "I think Dominion is just the purest form of deck building."
- "I think Terraforming Mars is a masterpiece."
- "Wingspan is my most favorite board game."
- "Root is such a unique game."
- "Spirit Island is a fantastic cooperative game."
- "Ark Nova is a really solid game."
- "Gloomhaven is an epic experience."
- "The Castles of Burgundy is a classic for a reason."
- "Terra Mystica is a brilliant game."
- "Founders of Gloomhaven is an interesting city builder."
References (from this video)
- trail card drafting and looping paths
- trail networks; hiking, biking, kayaking
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- draft trail cards — construct winding loops of trails; pass hands three times
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- it looks like this is a 60 to 120 minute game
- the balance between workers (which are warriors) and resources (which are livestock) are two sides of the same coin
- the more of uh one thing that you do the less of the other thing
- this is the next game coming out from delicious games
References (from this video)
- Fun and charming
- Longest path scoring mechanism
- Can't get lost mechanic
- Outdoor adventuring
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Path building — create the longest hiking biking and kayaking paths
- Scoring based on start/end points — you only score points for paths that begin and end at matching colored campsites
- Tile Placement — create the longest hiking biking and kayaking paths by the ageless medium of tile length
Video topics + discussion points
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
References (from this video)
- Engaging spatial puzzle with good thematic tie-in
- Complex enough to be satisfying without being overly heavy
- Theme overlaps with Parks; may not appeal to all theme preferences
- outdoor adventure and environmental exploration
- Hiking expedition, Parks-inspired theming with a focus on route building and location exploration
- campaign-like campaign-free but with route-building and area activation
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Tile Placement — players place tiles to connect routes and optimize paths under multiple conditions
- tile placement / route building — players place tiles to connect routes and optimize paths under multiple conditions
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- it's a really good one to start at if you're looking for your very first convention
- the main hall was filled practically every hour of the day
- it was so so much fun to meet a ton of you there at 9 star west
- the audience laughed way too much at my lame jokes
- Elder Scrolls is coming to crowdfunding in a couple weeks and this one is super super riveting
- I think that was my favorite game for sure from the weekend that I'd managed to demo
- the art is done by Andrew Bosley
- this is going to be a big hit when it drops in the summer
References (from this video)
- Array
- Array
- Array
- Array
- Array
- Array
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Quotes (from this video)
- I never get any sort of damage from them and every time I've gotten a handwritten note
- Alyssa owner of TTM that's just a great Personal Touch
- unboxing today have a good day
References (from this video)
- supports up to 8 players
- comes with a wonderful travel case
- must-have on-the-go game
- devious experience
- can build long elaborate trails
- risk of not finishing trails
- can miss out on scoring opportunities
- paving and braving trails
- Great Outdoors
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card Drafting — Each round players draft cards arrange them in their play area while players can push their luck by aiming to construct long and elaborate Trails only close Loops that start and end in a matching campsite will score points.
- Push Your Luck — While players can push their luck by aiming to construct long and elaborate Trails only close Loops that start and end in a matching campsite will score points.
- Route Building — Each round players draft cards arrange them in their play area while players can push their luck by aiming to construct long and elaborate Trails only close Loops that start and end in a matching campsite will score points.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- I want to do a Euro game but let's give it some of those emera thrash type of feeling things a Euro game where we're placing workers out gaining resources trying to do all those type of things but then let's have it that we go and get there to the big monster you can see it and roll dice and then take hits and then roll dice again
- Champions and midgard just stands as a testament to a a pure fun game and I think it's the plinth it's it's the base of the structure upon which so many other games are built it's the shoulders of giants I feel like Champions and midgard I think it's a testament to board games it's a and it's just it's it remains a fun game even if when you roll your dice you'd think I've got this I've got so many dice I lose
- Longshot the dice game is more a betting and bidding game and rolling right everyone forgets it's a rolling right it's a rolling right they should put that in big letters on the front of the Box
- Summer camp turns deadly in the Happy Trails horror expansion for Final Girl.
- Despite being the beginner set for final girl this was the third one that they played and the one that finally defeated them final girl is great wonderfully thematic and a game which made me realize huh I guess I don't care about theme that much or playing with other people do I refer to Hans the butcher as Pigman yes I do am I only aware of Pigman because of certain Matthew Jew telling me through the medium rare podcast yes yes I am
- It's just a miraculous kind of solo experience that I really see a lot of people enjoy.
- Never mind that the dusty Roman senators of the original audition work just as well for me look at the chunky animal tiles and let them draw you into this fascinating game this is a tightly plotted negotiation game a remake of rhino conicius classic from the 90s that has a delightful narrative Arc doesn't drag even at higher player counts and creates nuanced decision points around the dual goals of getting into the zoo's star exhibit and getting the most money neither can be ignored with ships incentives even as you try to cooperate with others in an ultimate competitive environment Sublime
- I am a big fan of running filter which I think has been said a couple times maybe on the channel and I also am a fan of Quo Vardis I like Dusty Roman old Senators I like Rome and that it's actually my favorite theme for board games like Ancient Rome or ancient Greece but there's something quite wonderful about this new edition the pieces are just ridiculous it's the quality of the production is great the artwork is just absolutely marvelous and you get these extra things you've got the special abilities each of your animals your different species has a special ability but you don't get to use it oh no it's a bargaining tool which you can offer to other people
References (from this video)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
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Quotes (from this video)
- I go over my top 10 favorite games from 2023 games that were published this year and are listed as such in this year for and on Board Game Geek
- I feel like I could accomplish what I would like to set out to do as far as solving this kind of puzzle in other games like Lisboa and so it it didn't quite reach the same excitement level
- The actions that you take are a little bit simpler and so it's a more streamlined version of what scythe could be
- I felt like the I guess the the Nuance to this game the tblo building wasn't as exciting to me
- it is such a deep and heavy game that it kind of passes passes that threshold and that that sweet spot for me for being very replayable
- The fact of building an engine and watching it be dissembled and having to continuously think about what you're going to be playing next to continue that engine is a really interesting puzzle
- The Disney IP which I do enjoy and is nostalgic for me
- there's a lot of interaction there's a lot of uh you know route building and uh you know piggybacking off of the work of other players as well
- this is the epitome of a card-based tblo builder
- this game epitomizes What U Rosenberg games are about
- This is the epitome of a card-based tableau builder.
- The mechanics of this game are really sound I I really enjoy everything that this game provides and it's always a fun time to play.
- This game is Uwe Rosenberg at his finest.
- This game is just fantastic and as you will see in my top games of all time it is pretty much up there.
References (from this video)
- distinct, portable hiking-themed game
- solid production and interesting puzzle
- ages and family-friendly
- travel edition with carabiner case is nice for camping
- in multi-player, card visibility and planning can be awkward
- some players may struggle with unknown cards each round
- trail building and loop-based scoring with wildlife tokens
- outdoor hiking with a camping campsite backdrop
- informal family camping vlog
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Compound Scoring — animal tokens add bonus points when unique animals appear on a loop
- End Game Bonuses — achieve longest trail or first to loop four trails back to camp
- Endgame objectives — achieve longest trail or first to loop four trails back to camp
- hand management / card drafting — play cards to build trails and connect loops to camps
- Set Collection — connect colored trails to achieve loops that return to a camp
- set collection / loop building — connect colored trails to achieve loops that return to a camp
- variable scoring via animal tokens — animal tokens add bonus points when unique animals appear on a loop
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- it's a dexterity based two-player game
- the first person to knock it down loses
- it's got like 12 bucks on Amazon
- I win every time
- Trailblazers this is the travel deluxe edition
- Parks is totally different than the other two that we've went through
- Parks is such an awesome game
- you score points based upon the number of symbols on a loop
- it's a sleeper
- the vast majority of points you're going to get are through those parks cards
References (from this video)
- quick and puzzling
- travel-friendly
- cute visuals
- outdoor exploration
- route building with loops
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Drafting — a drafting game where you pick cards to form routes.
- Route Building — build loops from different path types to complete goals.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- umbrella is such a unique game
- The pace of this game is actually really nice
- it's pocket edition of the game it's called Trail Blazes
- this is such a beautifully packaged box
- rolling right you roll you pick some dice and then you scribble down what you picked up
- we are a huge fan of Roll and Rights
References (from this video)
- Strong core concept
- Universally appealing theme
- Cute animal meeples
- Simultaneous play for up to eight players
- Solid core experience
- Fast playing
- Best new map builders
- Portability concept doesn't work well in practice
- Requires a surprisingly large amount of real estate
- Components can be flimsy in slight wind
- Commitment to concept (portability vs. player count) could be stronger
- Building roads and trails, potentially with animals.
- National Parks
- Hive
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card Drafting — Players draft two cards at a time to begin shaping a map.
- meeple placement — If an animal is shown on a card you play, you can add the meeple at that specific point, locking in the card.
- Objective Cards — In-game and endgame bonus scoring objectives that change from game to game.
- Set Collection — Trails of matching colors that start and end at their corresponding camps score points.
- tile laying — Players lay down camp trail heads and cards to build trails.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Oh my these are only a few of the luxuriously sculpted animals you'll run into while building your tan and blue and orange bricked roads and Trailblazers
- But this monster plays up to eight which it's simultaneous play what's the big deal
- The greatest sin of the game is not leaning in but I'm not going to complain too hard about options when the core experience is so solid
- But it's fun fast and one of the best new map Builders I've played in years
References (from this video)
- portable edition
- engaging route-building feel
- Confusing Lands
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- tile/route placement — Place cards to form and extend routes (three route types) with overlapping options to maximize points.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- It's wallet sized game.
- It's really fun because all you're doing is you're passing around wine cards, but one of them is poison.
- This is actually a pocket edition because it can indeed fit into your pocket.
- Every game feels different.
- It's really simple two-player card game where you're essentially freezing up your player board and then you're thawing it.
References (from this video)
- artwork by Andrew Bosley
- gorgeous visual presentation
- outdoor hiking and exploration
- John Muir Trail
- puzzly / expedition feel
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- route planning / journey progression — tactical hiking along the John Muir Trail
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Where there's a wheels, there's a play.
- my present to myself is learning a bunch of new games this month
- It's my birthday at the end of the month
- Wander Lost, Discover the World
- Nocturn will probably be the other one that we play together this month
References (from this video)
- cute design
- portable; easy to take on trips
- great for solo play
- puzzle elements
- may feel light for some players
- Puzzle/placement-based scoring
- Small-box, portable board game suitable for travel
- Compact and charming
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card placement — place pads on cards to score points
- Goal cards — different goal cards guide scoring
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- It's absolutely breathtaking.
- What a stunning view of Oxford. It's absolutely breathtaking.
- This is a guided tour where you can only go inside of these libraries with a guided tour.
- Butcher is a nightmare voyage through the darkest regions of the American psyche.
- Tangfisher is one of my favorite writers of all time.
- Bilbo on the barrels from The Hobbit.
- I definitely recommend that tour.
- It's a wild ride, let me tell you.
- Kingdom Legacy. It's so fascinating.
- it's just cards. So I don't know.
References (from this video)
- It is in essence it is a good game in theory.
- I also think it has a few flaws.
- I also think it's not quite balanced well enough.
- it lacks a little bit in like direction.
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Puzzle — While I like the puzzle it presents.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- This is clearly um an Srank game.
- This is an amazing game that definitely deserves an S rank.
- Can you give a really simple game an S? Yeah, I think you can if it works well and it does work really well.
- I know almost all the cards by now. It's not that exciting anymore.
- Azul is amazing. I love this.
- This is one of my most favorite dungeon crawlers to be honest, and it's not very wellnown, I think.
- It's just really luck based.
- I like this a lot.
- Cluster is like where you put like magnets in like um a circle made out of um some string and you are trying to like place magnets so they don't are not attracted to other magnets otherwise you have to take them into your hands and when you have no magnets left you win.
- It's not a bad game but it's more like an activity right and not everybody likes it.
- The theme sells it for me, right?
- This is like Yatsi just a little bit more interactive because you have like uh you have like specific cards in the middle like 16 cards in a 4x4 grid in the middle with like the things you need to reach with your five dice by rolling three up to three times but you like put your token on it when you reach that so you block it for other players.
- This was one of the most positive rankings within the last I don't know a few months because we don't have one single D title and we have only one title in C and this one is like nice curve here right so actually if you ignore C and D we have a nice curve here how it should be in a tier list just very positive
References (from this video)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
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Quotes (from this video)
- I have never gotten my mom to play any kind of game with me for the 34 years that I have been alive in this world.
- This game is so much fun.
- Pocket-sized games that we will be bringing going forward on these trips.
- It's not our last travel trip of the year.
References (from this video)
- Really enjoy this one here
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Puzzle — A very nice puzzle game.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- This is just my opinion, right? Yours may very well differ, so let me know in the comments what you think about the games that I will be talking about today.
- It's possible that I will rank a game differently next month.
- So usually my rankings seem to be a little bit more on the more positive side.
- It's not really a game. It's more like an activity, so I would give it a good C.
- This is an amazing small box cooperative game where you like play cooperative poker.
- I urge you if you play this, you should play real time.
- Um it works turn-based, but it's much better real time and it's even better when you speak with a few people with people somehow.
- It's like really great in person, right?
- Wingspan is a number one game.
- It's a good social deduction game that is a kind of um that is like paired with Who Am I?
- Similar to a fake artist goes to New York, just with words instead of drawing.
- It's a very solid game.
References (from this video)
- Clean design
- Interaction through denial is a real decision every turn
- Calm, focused puzzle with opponent interaction
- Fast for the right reason, tidy 30-minute playtime
- Gentle interaction, no real conflict on the board itself
- Quieter than some players prefer
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- draft denial — It's mostly just drafting denial, snatching a tile so the other player can't have it.
- Route Building — connecting paths from one edge to another with combo bonuses when your trails cross different types.
- tile drafting — You draft trail tile and lay them on your own board, connecting paths from one edge to another with combo bonuses when your trails cross different types.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- We're telling you which ones to buy and which ones to leave on the shelf. No filler, no mercy.
- And we don't agree on all of them, which is the fun part.
- If it made the cut, what you do messes with what everyone else is doing.
- No quiet point salads where you barely look up from your own board.
- Long enough to sink into and feel like a real game. Short enough that you lose, hate it, and demand a rematch on the spot.
- This is the one I'd grab off a burning shelf.
- Every character plays like a different game.
- Learning a new fighter is learning a new game from scratch.
- The cards do double duty, too.
- It's my top pick on this entire list, and I'm not sorry about it.
- One of you is the Nixon White House burying a scandal. The other is the press trying to expose it.
- Every single card hurts a little to spend.
- It takes those huge heavy political card games and crushes all that tension into 30 minutes.
- The asymmetry is the heart of it.
- The cards are loaded with photos and history. It feels like the era it's about.
- Skip it if history as a theme leaves you cold. Or if you wanted something breezy, because this one bites hard.
- So, you're walking a tight rope every round.
- It's the rare party game that rewards being smart.
- Buy it if your group likes word games with a real edge.
- Adam would walk straight past Sky Team to grab Unmatched. I'd do the exact opposite and never look back.
- Short games are not lesser games.
- 30 minutes is plenty. Plenty for tension, plenty for a real decision, plenty to feel like a hero or an idiot.
References (from this video)
- Array
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Touch grass. Let's go outside. Let's connect with nature.
- It's the perfect moment for the Legos I got from Gareth, so I think I'm going to build them soon.
- I really want to see Hamnet in the cinema. I've heard such incredible things about it, and I love Paul Meller, so I'm excited to see that one.
References (from this video)
- Deluxe edition components feel premium
- Artwork on cards and thematic components is appealing
- Interesting variety of meeples (bear, wolves, eagles, etc.)
- Box/box design raises questions about portability of the entire game.
- exploration and park-building with nature motifs
- outdoor park/camping environments
- thematic yet compact, with illustrative art
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card-based resource management — using park-related cards to guide actions and progress
- meeple and token placement — placing meeples and tokens to represent progress and resources
- Resource Management — using park-related cards to guide actions and progress
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- I think I just got lost in the shuffle of as soon as like the wind hit and we were cooking dinner
- This is by Ryan Courtney, illustrated by Seth Lucas
- It's not going to be standard. It is for sure the deluxe edition because it's impossible to play anything else
- There are a ton of different wooden meeples
- The artwork in these cards though, so fun
- I can't wait to collect as many wolves as I can because that is the only goal of the game apparently
- The deluxe edition because it's impossible to play anything else
References (from this video)
- fast-paced
- great for large groups
- some players may take longer to score
- route-building and exploration
- open-road expedition
- adventure-forward
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Closed Drafting — choose two from a hand of path cards, then pass the rest
- Network/Route Building — place paths to create loops and routes
- Route Building — place paths to create loops and routes
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- comment down below what some of your favorite 2023 lighter game releases were
- I will be doing a patreon only video of ranking every single game that I played in 2023
- Trio is a fantastic game and there is a global giveaway for Trio
- Nar is absolutely fantastic
References (from this video)
- Highly puzzle-driven and satisfying
- Supports solo and up to eight players with expansions
- Learning curve for new players
- outdoor exploration trails
- tableau puzzle with trails building from main cards
- card layering and drafting with tableau construction
- Tableau-based drafting games
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- card passing — Pass remaining cards to neighbor after drafting.
- tableau drafting — Draft and place cards to build a personal tableau of trails.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- everything ever the party game you've been preparing for your whole life
- I am obsessed make good choices for Ella as every step you take will make a huge change
- Trailblazers which is a like Tableau puzzly card layering game
- Cosmoctopus sounds very fun
References (from this video)
- Clear loop-building concept with tangible scoring through completed loops
- Drafting provides meaningful strategic choice and player interaction
- Support for digital play via Board Game Arena increases accessibility
- Four-round structure gives a compact but potentially deep pacing
- Transcript provides limited detail, making precise evaluation difficult
- Mechanics may have a learning curve for new players
- Ambiguity around card density and run-length could affect replayability
- Trail-building and campsite routing with emphasis on outdoor activities such as biking, hiking, and kayaking.
- A modular outdoor adventure theme in which players simulate planning and traversing multi-step trail routes through a network of campsites, with four rounds to complete objectives.
- Abstract strategic puzzle; thematic flavor designed to evoke outdoor exploration without tying to a specific real-world location.
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- area of influence via routes — Routes created by players influence which loops are viable and which campsites can contribute to scores, creating indirect competition.
- card placement / gridless route building — Placed Trail cards form continuous loops or partial loops; players aim to connect cards to complete closed circuits around selected campsites.
- Compound Scoring — Gameplay unfolds over four rounds, with progressive scoring; end-of-round bonuses may apply based on progress toward goals.
- Drafting — Players draft Trail cards to shape possible loop routes and to block opponents; the selection phase introduces strategic considerations about hand management.
- round-based scoring — Gameplay unfolds over four rounds, with progressive scoring; end-of-round bonuses may apply based on progress toward goals.
- set collection / pattern matching — Certain cards or camp combinations provide scoring opportunities when matching specific patterns or completing required layouts.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- No direct quotes captured in transcript; analysis relies on described mechanics and round structure.
References (from this video)
- Interesting mechanical focus separate from bigger pipeline titles
- Accessible route-building gameplay
- Requires understanding of the public objectives and meta play
- Route-building and travel infrastructure
- Outdoor venues with routes for hiking, biking, etc.
- Mechanics-driven game with thematic framing
- Patchwork
- Lisboa
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- route-drafting — Draft and place route cards to connect venues in front of you.
- Tile Placement — Lay rectangular route tiles to create networks and satisfy objectives.
- tile/rectangular card placement — Lay rectangular route tiles to create networks and satisfy objectives.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- the app itself is neatly done and the UI is intuitive
- it's a race to find synergies among the card decks that are set up at the beginning of the game
- this is a breezy game that I can see being played and being great for kids
- I can't wait to continue playing this more
- votes for women this game is designed by Tory Brown and published by Fort Circle games
References (from this video)
- Simple to learn
- Engaging solo puzzle
- Clear push-your-luck tension
- Can be difficult due to push-your-luck decisions
- Short playtime may limit depth
- Loop-building and outdoor exploration
- Three camps (hiking, biking, kayaking) and trail loops that start and end at the corresponding camp; outdoorsy theme
- Puzzle-driven, push-your-luck drafting and looping
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card Drafting — Deal several cards each round and choose a subset to keep and place
- Tile Placement — Place trail cards to create loops that start and end at the matching camp
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Trailblazers is a small and quick playing tile laying and card drafting game
- it's an extremely simple game but man do I find this one difficult
- Cascadia is a drafting and tile-laying game that celebrates the environment and wildlife of the Pacific Northwest region
- one of the most welcoming games on this list
- Cartographers Heroes is a flip and right game
- Dorf Romantic is a cozy tile-lane game
- Naturop is a standalone light 18-card micro game
- Ark Nova has a wonderful action river system
- Ginopolis is an abstract looking tile laying and citybuilding game
- Feast for Odin is the classic tile-laying game
References (from this video)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
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Quotes (from this video)
- I'm Alex Radcliff from Board Gameco. I hope you enjoyed this video.
- I logged 1374 games last year.
- I want to end 2026 by getting backlog down to at least 100 red or fewer.
- I dropped 40 lbs this year instead of the 10 I was aiming for.
- There were 738 videos added to the channel in 2025.
References (from this video)
- highly puzzly and satisfying to solve
- strong solo modes and expansions variety
- component quality may be modest in small box
- path drafting and loop building
- outdoors/camping with walking, boating, and biking trails
- puzzle-like route creation
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card Drafting — two cards drafted per round with passing; build loops across trails
- card drafting / open drafting — two cards drafted per round with passing; build loops across trails
- Network/Route Building — create loops by linking main trail cards across three trail types
- route/path construction — create loops by linking main trail cards across three trail types
- scoring via layouts and objectives — public objectives and layouts yield victory points
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- I absolutely love Astra
- it's very unique
- I absolutely love the theme of trying to defeat the illiterati
- this is a fantastic dice drafting game
References (from this video)
- quick to learn and play
- tight, puzzle-like decisions
- great for short sessions
- not highly thematic or deeply strategic
- replay variety depends on scenarios
- trail construction via card-driven tiles
- abstract nature-themed pipe-connecting puzzle
- puzzle, light thematic veneer
- Parks
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Pattern Building — players aim to form particular trail patterns as they place tiles
- set-collection / pattern-building — players aim to form particular trail patterns as they place tiles
- Tile-laying — players lay tiles to create and connect trails with challenging layouts
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- it's basically you're kind of competing to make Trails out of little cards and you're connecting different types of trails together
- we played the entire campaign
- it's a two-player game but we swapped sides for the 9th play
- there's not a lot of well, at least at two players a lot of time investment needed; but it's quick to set up and play
References (from this video)
- engaging and interactive
- Inside Job
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- variable player powers / engine-building — Players develop systems to run a path to victory through selection and combination of actions.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- there were 85,000 people at gen I don't want to go on
- Gen Con insane
- I'm excited that people were able to get the product because we've seen some of it and it is incredible
- this is like five times the size of Pax
- the lines for Lorcana were insane; they would sleep on the floor to get cards
References (from this video)
- Fast, accessible drafting and tile-placement
- Engaging for 2 players with tight decisions
- Supports expansions (Animals) and solo mode
- Short playtime (~30 minutes)
- Scoring complexity and counting can be tricky
- Over-building can derail strategy and reduce options
- Overlap and animal rules can be tricky to remember in play
- Trail creation, looping, and exploration with animals expanding scoring
- Outdoor trail network where players build loops and routes through camp nodes
- Abstract puzzle driving competitive route-building
- Pipeline
- Curious Cargo
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Camp Mechanics — Three colored Camps per player act as anchors for loops and determine end conditions for loops
- Drafting — Players draft Trail cards from a hand and pass to a neighbor, creating a shared pool each round
- End-Game Objectives and In-Game Cards — Two in-game goals (Forever Float and Harmonizer) and two in-game cards (Confined Quarters and Loop Junkie) provide race-like scoring
- Loop Scoring — Completed loops score points equal to the number of features along the trail; end-of-round scoring based on completed loops and features
- tile/card placement — Place Trail cards orthogonally adjacent to existing routes; allow or disallow overlaps according to rules; ensure connectivity to form loops
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- This is a prototype this is considered a high quality one in my opinion but uh things are subject to change in the future
- the game is played over the course of four rounds
- we are trying to create Loops that leave and return to the same colored Camp
- This is a Race So whoever does it first gets more points
- there is no turn order because this is a drafting game so we're just gonna get right into it
- it's a drafting game and it's fast
References (from this video)
- Solo to 8 players (very wide player range)
- 30 minutes playtime
- Adorable animal meeples
- Nice regular player meeples
- Published by Bite Wing Games
- Puzzle and tile laying mechanics
- Concern about how well the game scales from solo to 8 players
- nature
- animals
- exploration
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
References (from this video)
- Parks-inspired vibes and approachable route-building
- Deluxe options and travel edition with carry-friendly design
- Deluxe components add to cost
- Some eco-friendly options are still premium choices
- Exploration, nature, and discovery
- Route-building adventure with animals and explorers
- Bright, accessible strategy with solo challenges
- Parks
- Trail
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Emerson's greatest work
- this game has an awesome table presence
- it's an expensive game
- i'm a sucker for metal coins
- print and play options ... are awesome
References (from this video)
- engaging loop for both solo and multiplayer
- atmospheric and thematic
- rulebook can be dense for newcomers
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative play — players collaborate to reach shared objectives.
- deck management — manage and optimize action cards to progress.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- My most common rating is a 3.5 out of five.
- I’d rather air on the side of caution; a 4.5 can become a 5 later if it keeps standing.
- This year has the highest amount of five out of fives that stayed five out of fives.
- I’m a bit more restrictive on average, but most games are good.
References (from this video)
- Fits the Fearless era vibe with forward momentum
- Accessible to light-weight gamers
- May feel derivative of other trail-based games
- career/stance on a frontier
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- tile drafting / route planning — players progress on a thematic trail while balancing risks and rewards
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Ticket to Ride is also many people's debut into board games
- you got to go fast
- you got to be swift
- Fearless is the Trailblazer album for Taylor
- Familiar Tales for me is giving me Speak Now vibes
- Bark Avenue because when you say speak a dog Burks
- the gates of Loyang … the box is red
- it's the era of Taylor Swift where she started to not really care and started to make fun of herself
- London boy
- Phantom Ink right because I don't know not only like the name of the game but the vibe
- the longest board game name I can think of
References (from this video)
- Point Salad
- Drafting games
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- spreading the gospel of board games
- it's a must-have
- don't sleep on this
- we love talking about gateway games
- we're taking the game out to people
References (from this video)
- Designer known for other successful titles
- Neat pipeline/stock concepts
- Did not grab the reviewer as much as hoped
- two-player pipeline/production flow
- Domino-esque pipeline environment
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Two-player domino-like pipeline — A two-player game with a tile-like pipeline sequence.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- I'm really curious to see how people react to it.
- The idea is that maybe I do this near the end of a month and then the update vlog obviously is a week later.
- It was a really fun time; it was a blast.