UKGE 2026: Top 10 Games to Try and Top 10 to Bring Home

0:00 No, there was a horn beetle that was like this size.

0:03 Size of my fist.

0:04 In the center of the No, it was flying. It was not. towards me. I was going to die. It was not. I was going to die. Hello everybody. My name is Ilya.

0:14 name is Tyler. Together we make up Carfrey, a couple that loves to play board games.

0:17 And today we'll be telling you about our adventures to UKGE. Yeah. That's right. The United Kingdom That's it. Games Expo. Yeah. Mhm. That is what the acronym stands for.

0:32 It's going to be our first time attending and our first time actually ever in the UK. So, we're pretty excited. But, of course, we have things that we want to break down for you going into the convention. First of all, if you see us and you're going, please say hello. Mhm. We would love to say hello to you. We also may have something special.

0:52 Mhm. I I pins.

0:58 Pins. We have pins. We have Carfrey pins. It's our first official piece of merch. So, if you feel like having one, literally just come up and ask us and uh hopefully we don't run out, but I really don't think we will. Should we say it Should we do a code word? Code word?

1:16 fun. No, just

1:18 You'll still get it.

1:18 Just remember to ask us for one and we will be happy to give you it. How Look how fun they are. Mhm. And they're little meeples if you put them on the side.

1:26 And if you don't ask for one, we might also just give you one for saying hi. So, there's Exactly. Exactly. But, we'll be playing lots of games and hang out. So, if you see us, please say hello. I know sometimes it looks like we're busy. And we might actually be busy, but that shouldn't stop you from coming to say hi. We actually encourage that you do say hi. Worst comes to worst, one of us will step aside be like, "Hey, we're in a meeting right now, but we'll catch you in a couple of hours, but hello." And I know it's daunting to sometimes say hello. So, please please please say hi. With that said, today we thought we'd share some of our research that we did

2:01 Yes. pre-K G. And the way that we will share it is we're going to give you 10 games to demo and 10 games to buy. Mhm. Tyler, do the theme song. 10 games to demo and 10 games to buy. Yeah. Now, the way that this list will work is we're going to alternate. Because if we give you too many games to buy right away, you're just going to put them all in the list and then it's just going to get out of hand. So, we're going to do moderation. Where we're going to tell you something you can buy, but then tell you something you can look at and get excited for.

2:32 Exactly. And go back and forth.

2:33 Mhm. Now, the way we've made these lists, specifically on the to buy section, some of these games we have indeed played or have and we just love and we recommend for you to get them. Of course. Some of these games are on our own to buy lists

2:45 Uh-huh. that we are going to go and check them out and buy them. As in for the demo games, same deal. Some of these games Actually, I don't know if we played any of these games in the demo list. But all of them we want to demo or try. So, we're going to tell you about them so we can compete for spots or maybe share one of the demos together. Yeah, that. With that said, should we get started?

3:07 Let's get started.

3:08 First up, to demo, Mhm. Eight Dragons. Eight Dragons.

3:12 How many dragons are there? Eight. Well, there's actually only five, I think. But the Eight Dragons is such or Eight Dragons is such a wonderful game. We've got to play it multiple times and we fell in love with it.

3:24 Mhm. It's from the same folks that have brought you Kelp.

3:26 Mhm. And essentially in this game you're pushing dragons and taking actions of where your dragons are. But because little wormlings attached to a variety of dragons, everybody gets variety of actions.

3:37 Mhm. And all this is to build up your own lair, get lots of treasure, and hoard the most gold because you are a dragon after all.

3:45 Mhm. Yeah, we talked about this game a couple times now, but it is really interesting the action sequencing that goes on, particularly how it like cascades through the different actions that are going to be going on. It's a lot of fun. Some of the turns feel like they're a bit longer than they um like they would be, but that's because everybody is involved most typically in all of that at the turns and it makes for an a fun dynamic game. Dynamic. All right, on our to buy list, the first one is Forestry. This is a game that we played at Canada Plays and honestly sort of just fell in love with it right away. It's easy to do in the sense of actions, but it has this like heavy Euro feel, but it's also a really neat theme and there's a lot of different strategies that you can go on. There's a lot of variability, just playing through it and wanting to discover more of it. It's something that makes it to buy. And the presentation of this game, the art, the way it looks, it is very beautiful.

4:41 It's so beautiful.

4:42 Mhm. Now back to demo. Yes, exactly.

4:44 Now speaking about Forestry Forestry

4:47 and building things back up, another game that you can demo is Ringyo. Yeah, I'm going to demo this one. You are? You're actually signed up for it. So, basically this is a simultaneous worker placement game. The designer is also the same designer as Skyrockets and Four Humors, which I think is a very underrated game and more people should know and play cuz that game is wonderful.

5:10 like Four Humors. So, Tyler's going to get to play it. It's simultaneous worker placement and I can't wait. I'm sure it's one we'll talk about after the convention as well.

5:19 Yeah, I'll debrief you anyways, so. You'll have to debrief me. I want I want in. I want to know what's happening.

5:24 Mhm. And then on our to buy is a game that we played at Canada Plays called Circadia. This is a card game, uh basic set collection essentially, where you're going to be playing a a number card in from your hand and then uh you're going to be drawing that many cards. But, the interesting thing about that is the management of the sets and how you are going to be collecting them because there's three different types of colors that you're going to be working with. And you have to go in from like day and night cards, but the goal switching is really interesting. And also the lack of cards that you're able to draw by playing a lot of ones, you still only draw one card. But by playing a single four, you draw four. So there's this dynamic of like when do you do it? What do you hold on to? Do you actually play all of the same cards from your hand if you need to? It's a lot of fun and we need it in our collection. It's really clever. We actually don't have it. And I think this is one of the first times it'll be available for sale. So we have to get it. Also, you have an eyelash.

6:22 Make a wish. What was your wish?

6:25 To buy Circadia.

6:28 Okay, Tyler, I don't think I've told you about this one.

6:30 All right, let's hear it. This game is called Odysseus. Odysseus. It's from Gigamic. Okay. And you know what? We are in the Renaissance of the Odyssey because we had last year Epic: The Musical, which if you have not listened to is fantastic.

6:49 It wasn't just last year. It started a few years back, but last year concluded.

6:52 pretty epic.

6:53 And now it actually got picked up for an animated either series or show, which is incredible. And then this summer, we have The Odyssey from Christopher Nolan. So we have a lot of Odyssey and Odysseus type lore happening. And now we have a board game from Gigamic. It looks the cover actually looks a lot like Acropolis. Oh, cool.

7:12 And it's top I believe it's top placement. It looks really interesting, but you follow Odysseus's journey. So I'm curious how that'll be implemented. I feel like Gigamic usually does really good games with these types of games. So I'm excited. I want to see it. I want to demo it and tell you more about it. Maybe you want to demo it. Now back to Tubby. I want to talk about Fetching Feathers. What a great name. And the art in this game

7:42 Can you do it more time. So, this is a simultaneous card drafting game, but honestly what sold me was the art and the presentation. I want to try this game. I want to see what it's like. I want to buy it. I want to share it. And there's a peacock on the cover, which is just fantastic. So, get me in there. I want to learn more about it, and let's do it. Sometimes that's all it takes. Have my money. Let's get the game. Okay, my turn to talk about a game to demo, and it's called Shogendo, I believe that's how you pronounce it. And Simone Luciani is a co-designer in this one, so for me that's pretty big. I think he has fantastic designs. Darwin's Journey is one of like up here for me.

8:23 of your top 10?

8:24 Top three, probably. You're already there.

8:27 it is such a good game, I love it. And anytime I see Simone on a cover or a part of a game, I want to try it. So, basically in this game, for what I understand, is it's sort of got like this deck building aspect to it, where you're going to be revealing a bunch of cards, activating them, and then upgrading them to do things throughout the entire game. I'm really excited to see how it actually plays out. I don't know actually too much about it, but that's why it's on the demo list.

8:55 Exactly. So, we can learn more, come back to you, and share that information. It's also set in Japan, which is Yeah. I feel like we've been really drawn to lately. I'm always drawn I've always been drawn to Japan.

9:05 Always been drawn to Japan? Another one to buy is Kitsune. Mhm. This is a Lucky Duck game, and it's team trick taking, I believe. And you can play in two players, four players, or six players. Oh, okay. Restrictions on player count. I like it. Recently, Tyler and I have been loving trick taking games. Well, not recently.

9:26 Not recently, we've always liked trick taking games. I feel like it's always been like But I feel like recently

9:31 more and more of them.

9:32 We've played more and more of them, discovered more and more of them, especially after going to Tokyo Game Market and kind of the trick taking month last year. So now it's it's fun to play them and then see how they compare cuz we did tier all of our trick taking games back in the past. I feel like we're due for another tier video soon. [clears throat]

9:48 Yeah, I think I still agree with all of the things that I made. Well, I mean for all the new games cuz now we've played so many more trick taking games. So if it's a trick taker A it's usually affordable, too. Mhm, so half my mind.

10:01 And it's easy to travel with. It is. And then we can play one V one two player. Yeah. Let's do it. Another game on our list to demo is called Stag. This is about beetles and yeah.

10:15 Maybe I like beetles, maybe I don't. I don't know yet, but this is from the team that did My Celia or yeah, My Celia. I keep on mixing up the mushrooms.

10:24 so there's so many names for them. But My Celia is so good and in in North America it's now with Burnt Island Games. And Stag I I saw it and I immediately got really really intrigued by it. And I do have a beetle story to share with you.

10:42 Fun beetle story.

10:42 Fun beetle story. I know exactly where you're going with this. We were in France and our first I think we

10:48 We were in Nice. just started dating like a year and a half ago. Two years ago maybe.

10:54 Mhm, at least two years. So it was it was our first big trip together and we were on the streets of Nice and just walking and we're on this cobblestone path and then no one else was around and we stopped and we looked and it was like a cartoon moment

11:08 even think we stopped and looked.

11:10 There was a horned beetle that was like this size.

11:13 Size of my fist.

11:14 In the center of the No, it was flying towards me.

11:18 I was going to die. It was not. I was going to die. So we had to literally do a U-ey. We had to turn around and go all the way back because Tyler

11:28 did not want to pass. The horned beetle just did a It did not fly. It did a stance and it looked at us and Tyler got a little spooked.

11:36 like big bugs. But it had a horn. Yeah, exactly. So Stag is one of the games we have to demo.

11:45 Maybe it'll be good exposure there.

11:48 Another buy though because it's my turn to talk about buy games is Flip 'n' Pick Towers. This is a game we we didn't play at Canada Place but we played on our trip to Canada Place and it is a heavy flip 'n' write sort of heavy flip 'n' write. It's not a heavy it takes a bit longer to get through yeah.

12:09 It it is a longer flip 'n' write and it sort of gives me vibes of like Welcome To because you're going to be selecting between three different cards every round and then you're going to be implementing that into your fiefdom. Once you do that then you're going to either like activate things but there's like dragons and princesses and Princesses.

12:29 no princes and queens and kings that you're going to have to be like placing strategically cuz they all score in different ways and it's just a really fun game. So we need to add it to our roll 'n' write shelf. It's just so unique too and there's so much modularity with it.

12:45 lot of modularity.

12:46 It's one of those games that I can I feel like I'll never get sick of. Okay. To demo. Yep. This is a big one. Let's hear it.

12:54 I feel like this could be like one of those games of the year. It is Night at the Zoo.

12:59 Oh yes. So first of all it's the same designer as Seti but the game is plays a little bit lighter where you're essentially helping animals get out of the zoo through tile placement.

13:08 Nice.

13:08 But the art presentation of this game is just Very cool.

13:12 Incredible. The box glows in the dark. Oh yes. I remember. That's a really cool. We saw this one we have not played it yet. We saw it briefly set up we got the quick pitch for it but I want to sit down and fully play this game because seeing and Seeing is believing. Seeing is believing. And I And I have a good feeling that this is going to be a really big one.

13:33 Mhm. So, if you have a moment to check it out, definitely do.

13:36 Mhm. Okay, another game on the buy list, but I have to give full disclosure that I work for this company. That being said, I really like this game.

13:44 It's really good.

13:45 It's called Crits and Tricks, and it's being released as the deluxe version at UKGE, which I'm really excited about. There's a limited number of copies, not not to push you that way or anything, but it's a trick-taking game with polyhedral dice. So, you're going to be

14:01 polyhedral mean? Multi-sided. Like a There's There's multiple dice that are different sides. So, there's like a D4 all the way up to a D20 in this game. And you're going to be rolling those dice, but also playing cards from your hand, and then making full cards with the or or like a full card with suit and number with the card and the die. And the combinations that happen, there's different ways to play it cuz there's like different um character types that you'll be adding to the deck. And when you play them, those leading will win differently. And it's just a really interesting, plays really smooth. I love the objectives cuz it's one of those trick-taking games where you don't always have to win the trick to actually win the game. And you're kind of playing the table, which I think is a lot of fun. As you do in a lot of trick-taking games,

14:53 Mhm. this one's really fun. I would also highly recommend, and I don't work for the company.

14:58 There you go. Now, another demo that we both are demoing. We have a scheduled demo time.

15:04 Yeah. That is Whisper Wood.

15:06 Yeah. Now, this is from Cardboard Alchemy, who has brought you Andromeda's Edge, Flamecraft, Flamecraft Duels. Uh their booth is also having a really fun passport. Yeah. And if you fill it out throughout the stuff going through UKGE, you can actually get like a little goodie. So, that's that's really fun. But, Whisperwood is the big event of the summer. It is coming to crowdfunding, I believe, in July, and it is a bag building game.

15:31 Mhm. The thing is, with bag building games me, I love them.

15:39 There's just not that many of them.

15:42 yet. And I just There's something about reaching into a bag, taking out a little thing, and then seeing what happens. It's just such a good feeling, and I want more of it.

15:51 Yeah. There is some chaos to it, and it is a lot of fun. This art, though, it looks phenomenal. And you just know they're going to go all out. I think there's miniatures in this game. The presentation is just like They The Cardboard Alchemy has created this reputation, and I'm just I'm in. Yeah. I'm in. Me, too. Me, too. I love them.

16:14 Next up on the buy list, we have a Bunny Kingdom Town, which is a the two-player version of Bunny Kingdom. And not is it only the two-player version, it's different.

16:24 It is different. The funny thing, though, is this is on our most anticipated list for 2026, and we had not played Bunny Kingdom until this year. And I had so much fun with Bunny Kingdom that I'm

16:36 Why did we wait so long?

16:37 even more excited now about Bunny Kingdom Town. It was just like that motivation we needed to play the original, and now that there's a new version, a two-player version that's got like a whole new twist on it, excited to figure that out. And you know what we say about two-player games. What do we say? We love them.

16:57 WE DO LOVE THEM. THE NEXT GAME TO demo Mhm. is a game called Gaudi. I hope I'm pronouncing that right.

17:04 Yeah. Now, this is a Daddy Garcia game, who has recently did Vinhos puzzle, uh Barcelona, Windmill Valley, very up-and-coming designer of really great games. Now, this is a Devir game, and it looks like it's a little bit lighter. There's a tile placement element in it, but basically it's played over three rounds where you'll be working around this chandelier in the center and where you stop you're going to take a variety of actions. And once everyone's gone all the way around, that's the round. So it's kind of like a move, take actions, and play. The visual look of this looks spectacular. Devir continues to do really cool games and paired with Danny Garcia, I'm really really curious what this one will be like. I think I'm most curious about the weight of this game. Yeah. Like is this going to be an hour game? Is it cuz a lot of Danny Garcia's games have been quite heavy? On the heavier side. But this one does feel like it's a little bit lighter than the others, but maybe I'm wrong. So I will demo and I'll get back to you. I mean we'll be happy with either of them. As long as the game is good.

17:58 As long as

17:59 the game is good. We're going to take a look at Fox Glove Farm.

18:05 Is this is this a to buy? It's not a to buy thing and that's because it's this game Foxglove Farm is based in the same world as Timber Town. Which is so good. That was a lot of fun. I think that this is a Timber Town is a two-player game. Foxglove Farm is a two to four player game.

18:24 Or maybe one to four.

18:25 Maybe one to four. Maybe I have a solo. Regardless, it is a larger player count, so I want to see how that plays out. I liked the push and pull that Timber Town have. I want that to exist in Foxglove Farm, but I also think that with the four players it could be just a different dynamic totally. The art is phenomenal in this game. I think that alone would make me buy it, so yeah, there we go. Sequels? Same universes? Easy peasy. I agree.

18:53 I'm in. Uh-huh. Now to demo. Speaking of beautiful art. Last year a game called Fame and Fable Yes. the Kickstarter of the crowdfunding of the world by Owen Davey who's an incredible artist And he designed it.

19:07 He did.

19:08 Designed and did all the art.

19:10 The art is spectacular It's so unique. It is so him and I love it. Now, Mariners is a second game yeah and he will have it up there for demo. Now, this game is a competitive sci-fi game with a little bit of deck building and a little bit of exploration. Nice. Of course, it features the delightful art and I want to learn what it's all about. That's what demo is. I love demoing because you very you don't have to play the whole game although it's nice to play the whole game. Sometimes I demo

19:43 because I want and I want to play the whole game and it makes me so sad cuz they'll show us two or three rounds and it hurts my soul cuz I'm having so much fun. How am I supposed to figure out who wins? We can't just score now. I had a late game strategy. So, but sometimes it's a good thing because you'll play and you'll be like, "Hmm, maybe this isn't fully for me."

20:03 Maybe not. I don't have to buy it or I must have it. Either [clears throat] or, excited to check this one out. So, we have two more games to talk Oh, wait, no. I guess four more games to talk about because two to buy and two to demo. Wait, one more to demo, two buy. Oops, silly little figured. So, yeah, one to demo, two more to buy. The one that that I want to talk about to buy is called Pirates of the High Tea and we've talked

20:31 Teas, teas. We've talked about this game before, but it is a worker placement set collection game where you're going to be making wonderful desserts to go with the wonderful teas.

20:43 Sometimes savory. Yeah, that's true. But, essentially you're just collect you're taking these actions to collect cards to fill fulfill these recipes and then you're going to fill your tummies up. Well, when the captain's tummy

20:56 And yeah, you're going to make your captain happy and I think that's the ultimate goal of the game. Score yourself the most points and be the best pirate out there. I believe this is the first game from Pink Hog Games and this is one of those games that you're going to play and you're going to instantly get hungry cuz all the unique illustrations and of all the little treats are just And I believe there's only a little bit of amount of copies at UKGE. So, if this is on your interest list, definitely check out. I think it's in the All Play Partner booth. So, that's where you can get it. Now, last game on our demo list is Circle of Conflict.

21:33 Yes.

21:33 This is a The Lord of the Rings. The Lord of the Rings and it is a roll and write. It is a roll and write.

21:39 And it is a heavy roll and write. So, my understanding is that this game is actually heavier than Hadrian's Wall. Really? Dang. So, there's not a lot of heavy roll and writes out there that are crunchy crunchy, long play. So, I want to see if it's worth it. I want to demo it. I want to find out more about it. Yeah, I understand the game being like very much you're playing the person on your right and you're playing the person on your left. You're taking the role of like the good and the bad in this game to uh go on against the opposite on the right and the opposite on the left and I think there's a lot of interactions that go on, a lot of communication that will have to happen around the table to make sure that the turns are flowing. It looks really interesting.

22:24 I'm a little daunted by it only because it looks like a pretty heavy game. I will say what it has going for it is it is by Office Dog.

22:33 Yes.

22:33 And they have been bringing bangers left, right, and center to us. So, hopefully this is continues to be a banger and doesn't ruin the whole trajectory. Exactly. And now we have a one more game that we need to talk about. That's right. Take it away, Ilya. I'm a huge fan of Sashi and Sashi and they will be debuting to move Railway Porters at UKGE. Now, the thing is is I love just going in, not doing a ton of research for these cuz I love the art style. I mostly like these games. I know there's a heaping amount of dice in this one and it just looks really interesting. It is one I'll be probably going to pretty early cuz I feel like their booth gets really busy. So I'm going to pick up that copy of Rail Railway Porters.

23:25 Now Tyler, I do have one more. Of course you do. I I might as well add another to buy game. Sure. Now this the reason it's an extra is because we actually talked about this game last week when talking about Tokyo Game Market Spring 2026. It was there and lo and behold, it is also at UKGE. It is a game called Can't Win. It is by Taiki Shinzawa and it's a trick taking game where every player has a condition that they must follow in their trick taking. But every condition is different. And I don't remember if you know each other's conditions or you have to kind of start to deduce. I think you do know them. That's what I remember. There also might be a deduction element. I don't know. But this is one of the games that luckily one of our friends has picked up for us. So we will have this game eventually.

24:12 But if we did not have it, we would definitely be picking it up at UKGE.

24:16 That's why we're putting it on your radar.

24:17 That is why it is on the list. Lucky Ilya getting his honorable mentions. Tyler, you enjoyed it as well. I'm excited for this game.

24:28 Now that's our 10 games to demo and 10 games to buy. Now if you enjoyed this video, make sure you hit that thumbs up button, hit that subscribe button if you're new cuz we love talking board games. We do. Hit that little bell cuz you know when our next videos come out, which will include a UKGE recap. What did we do there? What did we see? What did we end up buying? Maybe we'll even be in the hotel. A hotel recap? Hotel recap. Fine. Now for our question of the day today, are you going to UKGE? Do you Have you been to UKGE before and do you have any tips for us as it is our first UKGE? Have you ever been to the UK?

25:03 Oh my goodness.

25:04 have any tips for us in the UK adventures? Cuz we will be spending a week around after UKGE there as well. And last but not least, if you are not attending UKGE, what game would you want to learn more most about from this list or from something that we didn't mention that maybe it should be on our radar? Question of the day more like exam of the day.

25:28 Well, please answer the exam down in the questions below and have a wonderful day ahead. We'll see you in the next one. Bye.

25:35 Bye.