How many players can play Deep Shelf?

Deep Shelf supports 1 to 4 players.

How long does a game of Deep Shelf take?

A typical game of Deep Shelf takes approximately 115 minutes.

What are the best video reviews of Deep Shelf?

MindForge has curated 10 video reviews of Deep Shelf from top board game content creators.

Deep Shelf - Board Game

Video Fn7Fl7TsM78 Hungry Gamer Rules Teach at 0:00 sentiment: positive

video_pk 89286 · mention_pk 236916

Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Crunchy depth and high replayability
Engaging action selection with meaningful choices
Strong asymmetry and diverse tech paths
High production quality for a handmade prototype

Cons

Long playtime and steep learning curve
First games can feel slow and burnthrough learning
Card text density and iconography may require reference sheets; potential for icon-heavy UI

Thematic elements

Resource extraction under threat of a sea monster
Undersea exploration by competing corporations
Procedural, engineering-focused, with asymmetric factions

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

action selection — Players play two cards per turn; the second card can trigger the overworked penalty preventing consecutive turns.
Asymmetric Mechanics — Different factions have unique abilities and boards, adding variety and strategic depth.
asymmetry — Different factions have unique abilities and boards, adding variety and strategic depth.
Construction and tin-tube expansion — Spend resources to build facilities and crawlers; connections between tiles enable movement.
Crawlers and tubes — Crawlers move along tube bridges between shelves to collect ore from various locations.
End Game Bonuses — End triggers when the exploration track reaches thresholds; scoring at game end considers resources and progression.
Endgame and depth progression — End triggers when the exploration track reaches thresholds; scoring at game end considers resources and progression.
Engine Building — Upgrades to the submarine, crawlers, surface facilities, and a tech track unlock new abilities and paths.
Engine building and upgrading — Upgrades to the submarine, crawlers, surface facilities, and a tech track unlock new abilities and paths.
Exploration track and exploration cards — Advancing on the exploration track triggers red-spots that flip exploration cards affecting market and hazards.
market mechanics — Buying and selling items shifts market prices to simulate supply/demand dynamics.
Market Pricing/Manipulation — Buying and selling items shifts market prices to simulate supply/demand dynamics.
Resource extraction and upkeep — Upkeep costs depend on built facilities; extracting resources places them in the submarine cargo bay.
Resource Management — Upkeep costs depend on built facilities; extracting resources places them in the submarine cargo bay.
Science/tech track — Purchase developments to upgrade subs or surface capabilities; many options create diverse strategies.
Surface and cargo management — Teleport back to the surface to unload and use cargo for future actions and upgrades.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

There is a lot going on in this game
I really do like the level of crunch in this game
I really like the action selection
The exploration cards... I like the way those work
The tech track... you can buy the different developments and upgrade what you're doing
Production quality this is a handmade prototype is really nice
pry it from my cold dead hands

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video Op4ADqvY5vA Watch It Played Discussion at 3:02 sentiment: positive

video_pk 86892 · mention_pk 226401

Click to watch at 3:02 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Meaty and complex
Asymmetrical factions
Environmental collapse as an end-game condition
Tech upgrades and research tracks
Exploration
Resource refinement
Unique super structures
Multiple ways to score
Multiple game over conditions
Sea dragon mini
Lots of stuff done right

Cons

The ocean is terrible, scary, wet, and dark.

Thematic elements

Breakthroughs in deep sea mining technology ushering in a modern gold rush for rare earth minerals.
Deep sea

Comparison games

Dinogenics

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

action selection — You've got action cards.
asymmetrical factions — Meaty and complex with asymmetrical factions pulling the game systems in different directions.
exploration — Expand into the ocean and explore and find what you see there.
Resource Management — Start getting the minerals out and then you have to refine those minerals into better versions of the minerals so you can then use them to sell them.
Set Collection — Refine minerals into better versions to sell them.
Tech Upgrades — You've got Tech upgrades and research tracks.
Worker Placement — Core mechanic implied by the description of corporations positioning themselves and industrialists depending on breakthroughs.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

I do think that the stock market aspect of this game's description is slightly overblown for the actual stock market aspect in the game right I'll say that's my critique
When you release a game and it's got Lego on it I'm interested but adding monkeys and I could not pick this up fast enough
I went in frankly with hopes you couldn't describe them as high left with away I remember the moment where I went oh there's a there's a real game here this is an actual game
This is the most surprising Game of the Year for me so far not just because my expectations were kind of low for a logo game but regardless of that I remember playing this and thinking oh wow this is fun and unique and interesting and it looks cool

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video 3OKABkwWQNs Hungry Gamer Analysis at 10:43 sentiment: positive

video_pk 86756 · mention_pk 225645

Click to watch at 10:43 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Really good
Really really good
Clever
Really satisfying once you figure it out
Everything that I want in a heavy game

Cons

Pretty darn heavy
Heavier than general preference
First couple turns are confusing

Thematic elements

Resource extraction and refinement
Bottom of the ocean

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

action selection — Features a cool action selection system where players do two actions per turn: one to perform the action and pick up the card, and another where the card is lost for a turn.
asymmetric factions — Different factions are really different in their playstyle.
Cooperative campaign — Includes a cool co-op campaign.
Overworking Actions — Players can 'power action' or 'overwork' a card for an extra powerful effect, but it stays out for a while.
Resource Management — Players extract minerals, refine them, and buy components for their sub.
Tile exploration — Players move around discovering tiles on the board.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

my year goes actually from about November 15 to November 15 and that's because in November which we are still barely in I like to announce my nominees and then I take pretty much all the rest of November and all of December to replay those games so I can rank them because if I don't do it that way what happens is there's kind of an end of the year bias
I'm not so arrogant to think that you're watching this just because you want to play exactly what I like rather because you want to learn about a game and see if it's right for you
historics really aren't my jam
like 2.3 to like 3.5 somewhere in there like that's pretty much my sweet spot and what I like medium really mediumweight games medium light medium heavy
it's a game that I will play a lot and will have it at every convention that I go to and we'll have it at every game day that I go to and I will play it in a second but for me it just doesn't quite have the depth of a game that is a game of the year for me
it's just everything that I want in a heavy game but it's a wheel brain burn every time you play
I am so here for this game it is spectacular it is hard as hell but it is spectacular
I literally I sat at my table because I just played it two-handed because this was before there was a solo mode there is a solo mode now that came with the one of the expansions and I sat there and I looked at it and I I actually said out loud I was like was this that good and I immediately reset it and played it again
it was a year where the top like it's a crowded top this isn't one of those years where there's a couple up here and then okay let's pull some up and see what I think no no no it is crowded at the top and that is awesome

References (from this video)

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Video R-Itl7izfjA Hungry Gamer Analysis at 1:03

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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)

ooh that looks tasty welcome folks to the hungry gamer
is back with the first video of the 2024 BH the board game dog game of the year tournament competition
and some people who watched the first video weren't aware that Harrow county has added a prize to the pool as had an all in aridia
so here is the bracket and two things I'll say one I accidentally managed to leave off one game right here I know what game it is that got left off and up against deep shelf
so deep shelf's just going to get a buy to the next round for anybody who left it blank on their form or I don't know wrote something else in I'm just going to adjust it on their form to deep shelf so you won't get a penalty
the other thing I'm going to do is today I'm doing all the playin rounds meaning all of these along the far edge of the bracket
and anybody who still wants to enter I'm going to leave this open for another day or two after this video posts if you would still like to enter you can make sure you put the games in that already won I guess and I'll just start your scoring from the next round
so some bonus points if you were already in that feels fair to me and the more the merrier is my thought on this
now with that said as a reminder I can only send a prize to someone they're 18 years or older I don't know if that's legally true but I'm being safe
second of all it will be free shipping in the Continental us if it is outside the continental US I will pay the cost of the shipping of what it would be from California to New York whatever that is and then you'll have to cover the rest
so those of you that are in another country that might affect what game you pick you might not want to pick the 30 lb aridia if you win knowing that you're going to have to pay probably a lot of shipping overage and there may be customs duties or whatever again if your country has those that is not something that I will be paying
so unfortunately because I'm in America it is a little bit leaning towards a prize for Americans though there it is possible that some the games will be inexpensive to ship and some of the and for those that are not in my personal possession right now it might be able to be shipped from a different Hub but just do keep that in mind
whoever winds up with the highest score at the end through various tiebreakers that I have you'll get your first choice of those four prizes you'll get your first choice of those five prizes and then whoever's second will get next choice and so on and so on
now with that said we're going to go right to it this video is only going to be the playin round of all the ones on the very far sides of the bracket
again if you still want to get in you still have a chance you'll be at a slight point disadvantage but points ramp up as we go so you still do have a chance
so with that said let's see what beatric is interested in from the 2024 selection and here we are with the first round debris versus kire dell
and victory for kire Dell
and next we have the fog and the Venice and the Venice with the victory
and next up we have dinogenics versus mind space and mind space it is a bit of an upset you would think she would appreciate the Beast of dinogenics but she is a smart dog and goes for ly space
and next up we have factions of Soul versus abduction and here she comes coming down and oh right for factions of Soul apparently she can be the only cute creature in this tournament abduction is out
next up we have fake Forge versus Relic blade and here she comes coming down and immediately for real blade not interested in fak Forge looks like the indie game wins this round
next up we have lunar versus Evergreen and no question right for lunar that makes all play with two out of two today
and next up we have survival of the fattest for city of kings and here she comes coming down and she goes right for city of Kings once again proving she is the only cute animal allowed in this tournament
next up we have dragons down versus Elemental stones and looks like oh oh she's not sure and she goes for Dragons Down
next we have Earth Under Siege versus Invincible the deck building game and here she comes and looks like she's go she's going around the other side and going for invincible that is a first she mixed it up this time
next we have AP are versus cre Manor we all know Jamie STM is a big fan of B the board game dog let's see if she returns that love and oh she does she does straight for apiary and she's looking she's looking for that other blueberry and there it is she found it little confusion there but AP moves on
the last match of the play around we have wild Gardens versus super snipers and here she comes and wild Gardens it is which does make sense she does love outside
and there we have it that is the end of the playing round
that is the end of the playin round I hope you enjoyed watching it I enjoyed doing it beatric enjoyed making it
and one last time if you want to get into the tournament you still have a chance follow the links down in the description to get your brackets in
you will find that the submission folder is completely empty or would be almost empty right now because all the people who are already in I've moved them into another folder so they get their bonus points
all right there you have it folks as always if you enjoyed this video please like subscribe share maybe become a channel member
as always thank you so much for watching have a wonderful wonderful day

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video NblgkzpcyoY The Brothers Murph Other at 255:17:20 sentiment: positive

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Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Interesting gameplay.
Cool technologies to acquire.
Fun to play.

Cons

Too big to play often.
Competitive focus might not be ideal for the theme.
Board doesn't scale well for two players.

Thematic elements

mining and exploitation of the deep shelf
deep ocean

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Action Card Play — Playing action cards, with the second card offering an extra ability.
Area exploration — Exploring the deep ocean area.
asymmetric factions — Each player has a faction that works differently.
Resource Management — Extracting resources, sending them to smelters, and using ore for money or upgrades.
Technology tree — Upgrades are important and improve the player's system.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

It's a game about collecting games, which sounds like it's going to be right up your alley. It's basically a game about setting up your shelf.
It is I think my favorite of the Imperium games that I have played so far.
This is a game where you are working together trying to land a plane.
It's really tense.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video ah0ZN8SKrgU Hungry Gamer Discussion at 30:17 sentiment: positive

video_pk 85347 · mention_pk 218471

Click to watch at 30:17 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Clever design.
Good production.
One of the designer's best games (after Dinoics).
Bought the expansion for the yellow faction.

Cons

Heavy game.
Hard to table the physical copy.

Thematic elements

Exploring the ocean floor with asymmetric factions.
Ocean floor

Comparison games

Dinoics

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Action Point Allowance System — Players must be cognizant of what they are doing each turn as it affects future actions.
asymmetric factions — Players control asymmetric factions.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

It is disrespectful of me to do something with my evenings.
There is a special circle of hell for people who show up to a graduation with an air horn.
I really appreciate El Paso, you know, taking pretty much that same experience but distilling it down to the essential moves and it's a quick I don't know how long it took us. Less than an hour.
It's really hard and it can be really swingy.
You don't always have to teach a new game. Sometimes it's good to go back to something you know people like.
It is hard to teach because of the exact thing that I watched Don's face get confused about when you say you're in my garden. I'm in your garden.
It is chesslike in that you just try to optimize your moves over everybody else's moves.
It's a heavier game than I usually like, but I just think it's really clever the way it's put together.
The timer fits the theme in this game. You're driving 50 miles an hour in traffic trying to fight off bad guys.
Definite Spy Hunter vibes from this game.
The dice represent nature, which screws up your whole plan for that magic.
If you're going to play Twilight Imperium, you need to drink water, hydrate or not play.
And so Gunnet is a game that was sent us specifically reached out to me, asked me if we wanted to cover and they were interested in us covering it on this podcast, which is a first first time.
The core of the game is having the discussion of, okay, well, I'm going to give you this because you're going to act first and the first thing that's going to happen is we're going to drive the car to the left one space and then you're going to shoot.
I usually don't like a game with a timer, but you know, the timer fits the theme in this game. You're driving 50 miles an hour in traffic trying to fight off bad guys.
For a game that's seems like it's about making you feel stressed out for a brief moment and then that stress turns into moments of joy and glory. Like I think it accomplished that more often than it didn't.
The other game is Rollin One, uh, which is a golf game. Again, small footprint. It's a small box.
You take turns designing the course. So you take a number of cards that represent parts of the the you know the golf course and you put them together.
The golf clubs are represented by dice. So there's a d20, d12, d10 and so on.
And so there's actually some serious strategy to picking your club.
I thought it was very clever and I think both of the games are pretty darn thematic.
Make sure you are in the mood for the thing that you're going to partake.

References (from this video)

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Video RDx0mGpKq9o Hungry Gamer Top List at 10:22 sentiment: positive

video_pk 83201 · mention_pk 209228

Click to watch at 10:22 · YouTube ↗

Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Good crunchy chunky gameplay
Interesting mechanics
Very cool production

Cons

Heavy and complicated
Hard to get to the table

Thematic elements

Base Building
Under the ocean

Comparison games

Dinoix

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Base Building — It's about kind of building out a base deep under the ocean

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

So, the most played games of the year.
So, the top five most played games of the year.
And the production in this game is just off the charts good.
This is a good crunchy chunky game that's doing some really interesting stuff and has a very cool production.
With some of the channel member support, I was able to take that and get myself a new computer so I can keep on doing this.

References (from this video)

No references stored for this video.

Video WF0xzIGKH9k Hungry Gamer Top List at 10:58 sentiment: positive

video_pk 81883 · mention_pk 204834

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Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Honorable mention game of the year
Really really good
Does really cool stuff with action selection and tableau building

Cons

Was not a huge success post campaign
Have only played it solo and digitally, not with another human physically

Thematic elements

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

action selection — does really really cool stuff with action selection
Tableau Building — the way you kind of build your tableau.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

And so there we have the new list. And as you can see we got Flamecraft Duel's played which is a really good head-to-head two-player cozy game set in the world of Flamecraft with the adorably cute theme of this is the lunchtime game that the Flamecraft dragons play tiling.
The deluxe edition is just a freaking triumph [snorts] of production. Beautiful beautiful game.
This is a very cool production. It looks like a book.
Really clever game in that it uses this idea of you place multiple workers down on each space that you do and that determined who gets to act first. And then all the worker placement spots activate in order.
It is the most generic name with the most beige-y generic looking boards. But really good.
It's not a flip and write game but it's basically a flip and write game except instead of writing you have little cubes you're putting out. And it's just a really satisfying fast game and the way it works out and the way the cards come out and the way you get to customize your own board, it's a really really satisfying game.
everything I'd heard was it didn't quite stick the landing and it didn't quite stick the landing but I did have a good time with it.
This is a co-op real-time word game that is just so very clever.
And one of the cool things about this new expansion is this is one of those expansions that is a sometimes used. And I find that that is very very rare.
This was all the rage at Gen Con and what a cool game.
It's probably Mrs. Hungry Gamer's favorite game.
This is a dungeon crawl that's actually a pretty light and simple dungeon crawl as far as the gameplay goes but like a Dungeon Universalis has all of the rules that you can imagine. Rules for almost everything and the s- stick is it has this beautiful cardboard scenery. I mean beautiful scenery.
This is not one that's like a Tales from the Red Dragon Inn or a Wanderer's Cult of Barnacle Bay that I'm like, 'Okay, yeah, get this to the table.' This is one that I'm going to play by myself a lot.
I really like adventure card games. I don't really care about Cthulhu. So, I'm curious how this is going to drive for me.
And he [clears throat] loved it. He played it multiple times at the con. And so, now I'm extra excited to play this game.
This is a game that was my honorable mention game of the year two years ago as kind of like my heavier than normal game for me that I thought was really really good.

References (from this video)

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Video -6zebyhZeMc Hungry Gamer Top List at 3:46 sentiment: positive

video_pk 81040 · mention_pk 199286

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Overall sentiment (raw)

positive

Pros

Clever little game
Enjoy it
Not going to let go of it
Strange in the very best ways

Cons

Not easy to find

Thematic elements

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

co-op campaign — Hoping to play through the 'co-op campaign that the game has.'

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

This is a cool little tableau builder, just quick, snappy, really fun, really clever little game that I really wish had done well enough to get some kind of expansion.
It's almost a race. You have to go fast cuz every turn things are going to get harder and harder and harder. If you stay too long, you're probably going to die and it's just a clever balance of speed versus efficiency versus I need some stuff so I can level up.
At the end of the day, I think the old board had more charm, was a little more thematic, but the new board is a lot cleaner and easy to see exactly what's going on.
It just works. It really does work. There's so much cool stuff and it is one of the first John D. Clair card crafting games that I've played that I'm like, yes, this I want to play over and over and over again. Just really, really satisfying.
It's a Euro that oozes theme, crushes the theme. It's complicated. Definitely a complicated game, but I'm really looking forward to getting it back to the table and being terrible at it.
And they actually put a sticker on the inside of the box, and it was a blessing. You're seeing it on the screen right now. And it just tickled me to no end.

References (from this video)

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Video v1tV7xRomas Analysis at 1:13

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Pros

none

Cons

none

Thematic elements

none

Comparison games

none

Mechanics (from transcript analysis)

Mechanics unknown.

Video topics + discussion points

No key topics recorded for this video.

Quotes (from this video)

ooh that looks tasty welcome folks to the hunger gamer
beatric the board game dog game of the year tournament
so our final four is Conquest princess versus factions of Soul factions of Soul very much being the underdog here coming out of nowhere from the playin game
the unique movement system alone makes this game worth having in your collection
Conquest princess which was my game of the year I think this is a fantastically themed game it is batshit crazy and it is a wonderful crisis management style game
andromeda's Edge has had a heck of an award season here for me it was in my top five games of the year
this is one of those types of games that's just at the edge of the weight of game that I like to play regularly it is at the very top of the edge before I'm like okay that's a little bit too heavy for me to play on the regular but very cool game beautiful looking game
this is to me one of the best games for con is fast lots of simultaneous play you can teach people really quickly it is beautiful on the table it's got this lovely bidding system that it's just a joy to play I really really love this game
Factions of Soul the Cinderella story of the of this tournament
apparently all you need to do for victory is come and give her more blueberries than she can eat and lots of scritches
beatric the board game dog had a moment where she had to think about it
she eats our blueberries she immediately goes down and takes a nap for about an hour or two it's very very taxing when you're a board game dog
I really do hope that you go check out any of the games that you saw that look interesting especially those final four games they're all just delightful games

References (from this video)

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Deep Shelf

The Hungry Gamer Previews Deep Shelf

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Deep Shelf

The Hungry Gamer Previews Deep Shelf

Images

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