Matching: Board Game Designers 01
Tag: board games
Whatcha Playing, Geekly: January 2026
Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. Today, our writers share what they’ve been playing over the past month. We should have plenty of games to share because our Christmas haul of games was immense. I’ll start things off, but don’t be shy with sharing what you’ve been playing over the past month. We’re all part of the Geekly Gang.
Kyra’s Board Games
I heard of Abomination: The Heir of Frankenstein, but never got around to playing it, and honestly, I forgot it existed. I love the theme. Abomination occurs twenty years after the events of Frankenstein. Players assume the role of scientists tasked by the creature to build them a partner. The game pulls few punches. It leans into its subject matter, seldom shying away from gore. Abomination: The Heir of Frankenstein’s choice of Paris as its setting is perfect. I like how execution via the guillotine factors into the gameplay. Yes. Abomination is on the longer side (and some turns can feel repetitive after a handful of rounds), but I can see myself breaking out this game every four to six weeks.
Canvas is another game I knew about and was interested in, but never played, and forgot about it. Despite picking up a 3D printer this year (I may have to share pictures of some of my 3D prints), my Christmas haul of board games rocked. In short, Canvas is gorgeous. Just look at that cover. We may need to do a battle of beautiful board game covers this upcoming March for March Madness. Anyway. Canvas’s core mechanism revolves around adding transparent cards (with painting elements to them) to set backgrounds inside card sleeves. The game’s scoring feels familiar. And while the game’s core mechanism leans toward simplicity, Canvas stays engaging. This is one competitive game I don’t mind losing. I care more about making an awesome painting. And it doesn’t hurt that each completed piece earns a name. I’ll take “Whimsical Nightmare” for zero points, because it’s Whimsical Freaking Nightmare. Metal!
I didn’t know what to expect with Challengers!. Yet another game on my to-be-tried list that made it under the tree. Challengers! accommodates up to eight players. I don’t have a lot of games that do that–outside of party games–and I suppose Challengers! can be considered party game adjacent. Turns and rounds are quick. The game plays out like the classic card game War with plenty of fun twists. Players attempt to capture the flag from their opponents. The last player with the flag–or the last player standing in one of up to four arenas–earns a trophy for the round. The player with the most points after seven rounds wins. The name of Challengers!’s developer, 1 More Time Games, fits. I seldom play just one game of Challengers!. And I can see why Challengers! was a Spiel des Jahres finalist.
I knew little about Hex Effects. It’s a small card game one can find at Barnes & Noble, but Hex Effects surprised me. I love the tarot cards. Not enough games use this card size. They feel great in your hands. And I love the theme. In Hex Effects, players have accidentally hexed themselves and must cure themselves before any other player can do the same. I’ve only played Hex Effects with two or three players. I can only imagine how zany turns can get with more players. Hex Effects plays up to eight players. Another new eight-player game. But I can see Hex Effects dragging with more players. If someone gets close to curing their final Hex, I can see the remaining players ganging up on them. At two and three players (maybe even four) Hex Effects works. This is another game I’ve never only played once during a sitting.
Rolling Realms is the only board game I’m including on this list that I didn’t get at Christmas. But it is yet another game I forgot–only this time, I forgot I owned a copy. Not only is Rolling Realms a great series of roll-and-write mini games (think Yahtzee meets WarioWare), it’s a great marketing tool. Jamey Stegmaier seldom makes a bad board game, and each Rolling Realms mini game is a fun and simplistic roll-and-write variant of a previously published Stonemaier Game. Each turn, one player rolls two standard six-sided dice. Then, players simultaneously plug the numbers on the dice into two of the three mini games. Some game combinations are better (or easier to score) than others, but I love the challenge of getting the highest possible score. And Rolling Realms is a lightning-fast game. Any game with simultaneous play skews toward shorter run time.
I could go on about other board games, but I’ll let Season share which games she got for Christmas. Before I pass this post to Season, I’ll share the one notable video game I began playing again this past month.
Kyra’s Video Game
It has been almost two years since I last played Apex Legends. It’s official. I stink at the game. Despite some gripes with the updated battle pass system and a new in-game currency (both of these are money-grubbing tactics🙄), I enjoy Apex Legends’s core gameplay. Sure. I’ve experienced plenty of lag. Matchmaking is atrocious at times. And the Apex Legends community may have gotten more toxic in the past two years. I encountered plenty of people who were salty that not enough people play the game. Maybe, don’t be jerks.
Then, there’s Respawn itself. They punish people for leaving meaningless games (we’re not talking ranked games with the casual play of mix tape), even when other players cheat, and plenty of players cheat. I’m tempted to report people who pickoff others at respawn points (if you play long enough, you’ll know where people respawn). I don’t know how many times I die before I reload into a game because I have just enough latency for someone else to take advantage. This reminds me of a famous video game design quote: When given the chance, players will optimize the fun out of a game. This quote sums up Apex Legends.
But don’t report anyone who cheats. The devs are so brain dead that they’ll ban the person who reported a player, rather than the actual player who cheated. And still, Apex Legends’s mechanisms hold up years after its initial release. Oddly enough, few legends were new to me despite my nearly two-year hiatus. I have no idea what the meta is, but I’m having fun–whenever everything works correctly, and no, being the beneficiary of cheaters on my team isn’t fun either. I hop into a handful of mixed tape matches most days. I don’t know if I’m back for good. An Apex Legends lobby can be hell on Earth.
Oh. And delete Control from mixed tape. The other two game modes within mixed tape’s rotation (Team Deathmatch and Gun Run) have ten-minute time limits. Control has a thirty-minute time limit. Cue Sesame Street. One of these things is not like the other.
Now, I’m ready to hand over the post to Skye. Let’s see what games she’s been playing over the past month.
Skye’s Video Games
I hope y’all had a good Holiday Season. Mine resulted in quite a few new games for me to play, with Resident Evil 2 being among them. I’ve had a blast (literally and figuratively) running and gunning my way through the virus-riddled streets of Racoon City. Despite my masochistic tendencies to start all my games on the hardest difficulty setting, I somehow managed to make my way through Resident Evil 2. It was a hard-fought but satisfying battle. While Resident Evil 2 is supposed to be played multiple times from both protagonists’ perspectives, I decided to hold off for the time being. I have plenty of other games to get through anyway, such as the next game on my list.
Huh, I suppose it was a very game-sequel Christmas for me. Either way, both Resident Evil and Silent Hill are game franchises I’ve been meaning to play for a while. With Resident Evil, I decided that it’d be fine to skip the first one since it’s not very story-driven and more of a proof-of-concept for the series. In Silent Hill’s case, I wanted to start with the first one. I just couldn’t find a copy of it that was compatible with any of my consoles. Bummer. But Silent Hill 2 is just as good, if not even better than the original. I’ve been on edge every moment. Resident Evil 2 could be tense and thrilling, but Silent Hill 2 is legitimately creepy. There’s fog everywhere, no explanation for anything that’s going on, enemies on the prowl, and all you have is a stick for protection. Hold me.
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here again. That’s all our writers have for the video games and board games we’ve played this past month. Let us know what you’ve been playing in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Fifth Wednesday: New Year’s Resolutions
Happy New Year’s…Eve, Geekly Gang! The holiday happens to fall on the fifth Wednesday of December, and whenever a month has five Wednesdays, our writers share personal updates. So, today sounds like a great day for New Year’s Resolutions. Feel free to share your New Year’s Resolutions in the comments. I’ll get us started.
Kyra’s Resolutions
I may have spoiled some of my resolutions with a previous writing brain dump, so you may find some repeats here. I’ll try to keep this short.
1) Write something every week. First, this needs to be something outside Geekly. Yes. I write something every week–or at least most weeks–for the site, so this is personal writing like a short story or chapter in a novel. But this could be as little as a single word. I’m not putting a word count on this resolution. My idea is that one word usually leads to a sentence, which will lead to much more.
2) Work on a game every week. This could be playtesting, developing an existing design, or even designing a new game. Again, the simple act of working on a game every week should lead to more than a single design or development session.
3) The above images remind me that I need to be more consistent with posting brain dumps–at least one of each per month.
4) Read one book a month in a genre that I write or a genre I’m interested in writing. It’s always a good idea to stay current with what sells. And reading helps with one’s writing. Don’t worry about reading another person’s writing impacting your writing. You have your own unique perspective.
5) Read one writing craft book or publishing business book next year. 2025’s book was Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style, and I barely got that one under the wire. Reading about the act of writing is crucial if one wants to write. And I could stand to learn more about the writing/publishing business.
6) Read at least one book next year in a genre I don’t intend to write. This past year, I read I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I’m Trapped in a Rom-Com. I don’t know if I’ll ever write a romantacy novel, but I’m glad I read this title. Kimberly Lemming did a great job balancing comedy, steamy romance, and social commentary. Kudos! And romantacy sells. I needed to read at least one book from the genre. I may read another one or two in 2026. Romance and fantasy are two of the best-selling genres. Put them together, and you get a powerful combination.
7) Play at least six board games with themes or mechanisms I don’t usually gravitate toward. This is the board game design equivalent of the previous resolution. Nuff said.
8) Get something published. This resolution is largely out of my control, but I’m not so sure. If I don’t share a publication in a literary journal or board game through a publisher in the next twelve months, I may post a short story or poem on JK Geekly by the end of 2026. Let me know if you’d be interested in this style of content. I’ll even offer this invitation to our other Geekly writers. I can’t wait to see what they have in store.
9) I have plenty of other personal goals, like staying active and volunteering more with Extra Life, but I’ll still primarily focus on writing and board game design with these resolutions. Case in point, I’ll be at ScroogeCon in Lincoln, NE, January 10, 2026, with Extra Life. If you’re in the area, stop by and say hi. I helped raise thousands of dollars for the Children’s Hospital in 2025 and hope to raise even more this upcoming year.
Looks like I’m flying solo this week. Season and Skye aren’t sharing any New Year’s Resolutions in this post. I guess that means they won’t fail at any resolutions by next Friday. They don’t have to sweat Quitter’s Day (January 9, 2026). Smart.
What are your New Year’s Resolutions, Geekly Gang? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading this past year, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a fantabulastical New Year’s Celebration.
Tabletop Game Review: Robin of Locksley
Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another board game review. Full disclosure: Today’s game is one of my go-to 2-player board games, Robin of Locksley by Uwe Rosenberg. I’ll try to stay as neutral as possible, but it’ll be difficult. I love this game that functions as a race between two players. You control two pawns, Robin and a Bard. While Robin steals Loot from the rich, that Loot is used to move the Bard on a Race Track. The first player to finish the race wins. We’ll get to the daring do soon, but first, let’s discuss some of the less swashbuckling aspects of Robin of Locksley.
The Fiddly Bits
Designer: Uwe Rosenberg
Publisher: Funforge, Rio Grande Games, Wyrmgold GmbH
Date Released: 2019
Number of Players: 2
Age Range: 8 and up
Setup Time: 5-10 minutes
Play Time: 20-30 minutes
Game Mechanisms
Game Setup
We’ll use Robin of Locksley’s rulebook for this section. I don’t know if words can express how to set up the game. We’ll include the picture the rulebook provides. I always use it when building the board.
* Shuffle all Loot tiles (gold coin side up) and build a 5×5 grid.
* Choose a player to go first. The first player takes one loot tile from any corner of the board. The second player takes the tile from the opposite corner. Each player flips the tile they chose back over to the side showing the gold coin and forms their personal supply.
* The players put their Robins in the now empty corners.
* Place the remaining loot tiles with the gold coin side up in a draw pile.
* Find the corner pieces labelled “The Beginning” (start) and “Long Live the King” (end). Put them together in one of the corners. Place “The Beginning” piece (as shown above) in the inner corner.
* Shuffle the remaining corner pieces, draw three, and put them in the remaining corners.
* The players put their Bards in their color next to the start tile.
* Shuffle the small fame tiles and put three of them between the corners.
* When complete, the game layout should look similar to the picture above.
Game Flow
Moving Robin
* Players alternate turns. The start player begins the game.
* Players move their Robin in the shape of an “L” composed of three tiles (just like the knight’s move in Chess).
* The player takes the tile they landed on into their personal supply.
* At the end of their turn, the player fills the now empty space (the space their Robin left) with a Loot tile from the general supply. Do not fill the square occupied by a Robin.
The Racing Track
Players win the game by moving their Bard along the Racing track (the one surrounding the loot tiles). There are two ways to move with your Bard.
1) Every Fame tile (the ones that compose the Racing Track) shows one task. If the player is able to fulfill the task indicated on the Fame tile, they may move their Bard 1 tile forward on the Race Track. These tasks range from possessing a specific color of Loot or having your Robin in the corner of the 5×5 Loot tile grid.
2) The player may spend 1 Gold coin (and discard it to the open discard pile with the Loot side up) to move their Bard 1 tile forward (clockwise) on the Race Track. The player may continue to move their Bard forward as long as they can meet the requirement or pay the bribe for each tile they encounter.
Loot Collection
A Loot collection is a set of 1 or more Loot tiles of the same color. Loot collections may never be split into smaller collections.
Selling a Loot Collection
Anytime during their turn, players may sell a Loot collection which consists of 3 or more Loot tiles of the same type.
Discard two of the Loot tiles on the open discard pile and collect the remaining ones as Gold coins by turning them over.
Game End and Winning
There are two ways the game can end, and a player can win.
1) The game ends immediately if one player’s Bard “laps” the other player’s Bard on the race track. To “lap” the other player, one player’s Bard must have made a full extra lap around the track thus passing the other player’s Bard a second time. The player whose Bard has passed the other is the winner. If both Bards are on the same spot on the Race Track, the game does not end.
2) The player who first completes two full laps of the Race Track and fulfils the challenge on the goal tile is the winner.
Review
I love the way the Robins move. Robin of Locksley’s new players will have an easier time picking up the move mechanisms, but the way knights in Chess move isn’t straightforward. The Robins have familiarity, and each move functions as a spatial puzzle. One of the Fame tiles (the spaces on the Race Track) requires a player’s Robin to be one move away from their opponent. I don’t know how many times I’ve spent a Coin to skip this requirement, but I get a rush every time I can meet that requirement naturally. Then, it becomes a race, so my opponent can’t finish that Fame tile during their next turn.
The Fame tiles have varied requirements. Robin of Locksley’s modular board ensures no two games will ever be the same. And planning spaces ahead is fun, making each turn meaningful, even if your move this turn won’t help you progress right away. Robin of Locksley also has that volta, a turn where the game shifts, and it’s usually during the mid-point. Players bide their time, collecting Loot, meeting easier requirements, and accruing enough Coins to skip five or six spaces on the Race Track during a single turn. I love this volta (turn). As soon as this happens, the race is on. The other player will pop off a five or six spaces of their own, and Robin of Locksley begins in earnest. Typically, this momentum continues until the game ends.
And games of Robin of Locksley don’t take too long. BoardGameGeek and the rules list games as lasting up to 40 minutes. This hasn’t been my experience. My first game of Robin of Locksley may have taken close to 40 minutes (with the teach), but as soon as you have two players who know what they’re doing, turns take no time at all. Sometimes, I must call time and raise my hand if I want to move those five or six spaces in a turn, because it’s easy to get into a rhythm. The game’s rhythm getting interrupted raises the stakes during the volta. It’s so good.
Looking up a Fame tile’s requirement is one of the few ways a game of Robin of Locksley slows. None of the Fame tiles has any text; they’re all conveyed through icons. The Robin of Locksley rulebook contains a glossary of what each icon means, but it will slow down the game to look up that information during your first lap around the Race Track. Despite this occasional slowdown, I like how both game elements work with each other in Robin of Locksley. It’s a healthy balance of figuring out how best to maximize your Loot with your Robin piece and looking ahead on the Race Track to see what you may need.
Robin of Locksley is my go-to 2-player only game. My spouse and I have played a ton of 2-player games lately, but Robin of Locksley is one of the few competitive 2-player-only games that consistently make our rotation.
Too Long; Didn’t Read
Robin of Locksley has short, punchy turns that lead to a satisfying race to meet Loot (or spatial) requirements. With its modular board, each game is unique, but one thing stays constant: the volta (turn). Each game will have an exciting turn where one player moves multiple spaces, and then the race is on.
Timeline: Deckbuilding Board Games
Top 5 Tabletop Games from 1999
Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another Top 5 Tabletop Game List throughout the years. Today we’re gonna party like it’s 1999. 1999 finishes the decade strong with another major collectible card game release, and Reiner Knizia dominance. Oh! Did Knizia ever own tabletop games in 1999? We’ll get to the games in a bit, but first, let’s review our list’s criteria.
1: Cultural relevance plays as much of a factor as overall quality. A game might make a list that doesn’t hold up to others of its type, but you must admit the game is everywhere.
2: Only one game from a franchise makes the list. This will become more of an issue the closer we get to games with expansions.
3: Longevity plays a role, too. A game doesn’t have to fly off the shelves today, but it had to have some widespread appeal for a decent time.
5: Schotten Totten (1999)
Get ready to hear Reiner Knizia’s name a lot on this list. Schotten Totten is the first Knizia design. In Schotten Totten, players take on the role of Scottish clan leaders. Nine boundary stones lie between you and your opponent. In front of each, you build poker-like formations of three cards on a side. Whoever plays the higher-ranking formation wins the stone. But you may use powers to claim a stone before your opponent has played all three of their cards. Successfully claim five stones, or any three adjacent stones, and you win.
Schotten Totten has received multiple reprints. Its game mechanisms have been reimplemented by many games. There’s even a Schotten Totten 2. Few designers could top Knizia in 1999.
4: Lost Cities (1999)
Lost Cities is another Knizia design. Lost Cities also continues Kosmos’ excellent two-player game series. Kahuna (another game from this series) made our 1998 list. I love Lost Cities’ theme. Players mount archaeological expeditions to different sites represented by the cards’ colored suits. Lost Cities incorporates a push-your-luck mechanism, as you can choose to continue an expedition (with the possibility of busting) or you can return to base with what you have (and play it safe). Many games have copied Lost Cities’ formula. Including Knizia himself.
While Lost Cities wasn’t considered for the Spiel des Jahres (German game of the year), Keltis, which reimplemented Lost Cities’ gameplay, took home the Spiel des Jahres in 2008. To this day, I prefer to play Lost Cities to Keltis. Lost Cities has staying power.
3: Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game (1999)
Speaking of staying power, Yu-Gi-Oh! has that in spades. While new collectible card games (CCGs) continued to be released in the mid to late Nineties, few grabbed hold of the gaming community or stayed longer than a handful of sets. Heck! Even some of the CCGs that made previous lists in this series struggled to make it to ten sets. Yu-Gi-Oh! doesn’t have that issue.
You could argue that Yu-Gi-Oh! at the three spot is a little low. I’ll give you that. What started as the middle ground between Pokémon the card game and Magic: The Gathering has grown into its own dominant brand. From a cultural relevance standpoint, Yu-Gi-Oh! may take 1999’s number one spot.
2: Tikal (1999)
Tikal earned 1999’s Spiel des Jahres. This Walfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling co-design is a brilliant game. Tikal claims our second spot on this list, but I can see someone switching 1 and 2. Tikal deserved the Spiel des Jahres; I just think another game has more relevance today. Tikal is the first of Kramer and Kiesling’s Mask Trilogy of games: Tikal (1999), Java (2000), and Mexica (2002). Tikal is a game of exploration within the Central American jungles in search of lost temples and treasure.
Players send their team of explorers into the jungle, unearthing more and more of the terrain. Along the way, you’ll find temples that hold secrets and treasure. Players try to score points for occupying temples and holding treasure. I’ve played the Tikal mobile app, and it’s a good implementation of the game. If you like the idea of exploring the jungle, check out Tikal.
1: Ra (1999)
Three! Reiner Knizia has three games on the Top 5 1999 Tabletop Games List, and his auction game Ra takes our top spot. Ra highlights what makes Knizia games excellent. Take one simple concept (in this case, auctions) and do it better than most designs. Ra is an auction and set-collection game with an Ancient Egyptian theme. Players purchase lots of tiles through bidding. While every player can win three lots during an epoch (round), tension builds because an epoch can end before every player obtains three lots. The various tiles either give immediate points, prevent negative points (for not having certain types at game’s end), or give points after the final round. Ra is easy to learn and quick to play.
While overlooked for 1999’s Spiel des Jahres, Ra has proven it has longevity. Ra received a reprint in 2023. This year (2025), Ra was inducted into the BoardGameGeek Hall of Fame. My only guess as to why Ra wasn’t considered for the Spiel des Jahres (yes, Ra wasn’t even considered) is that the committee grew tired of seeing Knizia’s name. To date, Reiner Knizia is the most prolific board game designer in history. I can’t blame the Spiel des Jahres committee for getting Knizia fatigue. I played a few new-to-me board games this year. I thought, wow, that game was great, who’s the designer? Reiner Knizia. Of course. Keep them coming, Knizia.
Did we get the list mostly correct? Let us know which games you’d add in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Geekly News: December 7, 2025, Netflix Buys Warner Bros.
Happy Sunday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here! I haven’t done a Geekly News article in a week or two, so we may have a handful of new releases (board games and video games) to cover. But before we get to new releases, we just received big news. Netflix buys Warner Bros. What? I was surprised by Warner Bros. putting itself up for sale a couple of months ago, and the twist of the streaming giant Netflix purchasing Warner Bros. is shocking.
Netflix Buys Warner Bros.
The Warner Bros. sale escalated quickly. In October 2025, Paramount had offered a large deal (rumored to be around $100 billion) for the entirety of Warner Bros. Discovery. Quick question. How many banks/investors would be needed to raise $100 billion? Anyway, the deal fell through, and Warner Bros. Discovery suggested splitting its various business pieces. This allowed Netflix to enter the bidding.
Netflix was only ever interested in Warner Bros.’ streaming business and studios, and (according to a Hollywood Reporter article) early Friday (December 5, 2025) Netflix purchased Warner Bros.’ streaming business and studios for $82.7 billion, financing $59 billion through banks and investors. After Warner Bros. suggested splitting its assets, the Netflix purchase was less of a surprise. While Netflix hides its viewing numbers from the public, it has shared that Warner Bros.’ titles have dominated Netflix viewing numbers in recent months. Why not buy the studio? It makes great sense from a business perspective. But this merger raises concerns.
The first concern is that mid-sized, legacy studios–like Warner Bros.–cannot survive in the current media landscape. The second is that Netflix never releases films in movie theaters, and if it continues this trend with Warner Bros.’ properties, this could be the death knell for movie theaters. And currently, the European Union questions whether this merger works within its anti-monopoly statutes. There’s a lot to discuss. I’ll try and be brief.
First, it doesn’t look good for mid-sized studios. The media landscape has been mirroring the United States’ wealth gap for well over a decade. You’re either a massive studio or you’re an indie filmmaker. Sorry, Fox. There is no middle class. Netflix’s acquisition of Warner Bros. furthers this trend.
Second, I’ve always enjoyed going to movie theaters. It’s a vibe. But I’ve gone to fewer movies at the theater in the last several years. Call it a COVID hangover. Major cities will most likely have a movie theater or two, but smaller cities may lose theirs. Again, this was already happening. Disney demands more profits than other studios, especially for Star Wars and Marvel movies (making these films less profitable for theaters), while Netflix refuses to release films in theaters at all. We’ll have to wait and see if Netflix will extend its policy to Warner Bros. releases. I’ll be sad if the next Wonder Woman movie never makes it to a theater near me, but at least the DCU will continue. More on that later.
Third, monopolies are on the rise. Okay. Some folks may correct me and say that these are oligopolies (a market structure with few competitors controlling most of the market), not monopolies. True, but semantics. Fewer competitors mean that these companies have more power during negotiations. You know, like Disney demanding more profits from theaters. These negotiations also extend to consumers. While Netflix insists it will not raise its subscription price (yet), I imagine a $59 billion loan might tempt it to raise prices in the not-so-distant future.
What does this mean for the future? Nothing much will change in the next year or two. Famous last words. The DCU’s slate of shows and movies remains the same, as far as we know. I can’t wait for Lanterns in early 2026. I can’t imagine Netflix firing James Gunn or Peter Safran. They’ll stay onboard for the DCU’s next chapter. And there have been some hints that the Snyderverse could return. What?
Netflix has stated that some of its newly acquired intellectual properties (including DC Comics and DC Studios) will allow other creatives to release content for those IPs on Netflix. Fans of the Snyderverse interpreted this statement as the Snyderverse returning. And it makes sense if it does. James Gunn has already okayed a second The Batman movie, despite actively casting a new Batman for the DCU. No. We still don’t know if Gunn has cast anyone as Batman. We’ll keep you posted. Gunn fully embraces the Elseworlds framework. So, multiple interpretations of the same characters can exist. Bring on the Snyderverse.
Ultimately, I can see why Netflix’s acquisition of Warner Bros. has people on edge. I’m concerned, too. We lost one more mid-sized, legacy film studio. That sucks. Thanks for the memories, Fox and Warner Bros.. Netflix insists it won’t stop releasing Warner Bros. films in theaters. Perhaps. Fingers crossed. Netflix also says it won’t raise its monthly subscription cost. But $59 billion is a lot of money to repay. We’ll wait and see.
The Great Library Launches on KickStarter
The dynamic duo of game designer Vital Lacerda and artist Ian O’Toole reunite with The Great Library. I have yet to play a Lacerda original, and The Great Library looks as if it’s right up my alley. Players attempt to reconstruct the fabled Great Library of Alexandria. I adore this theme.
Lacerda is known for his strategic board games, and O’Toole is one of my favorite board game artists. The biggest reason why I’ve hesitated to pick up a Lacerda/O’Toole collaboration is that I fear I may make a wrong move on turn one that’ll come back and bite me. But I may make an exception for The Great Library. Look at the detail in this game. There’s a reason O’Toole is one of my favorite board game artists.
With a little context, one could make out what they can do during a turn. O’Toole is one of the best at graphic interpretations of game rules. The Great Library offers a couple of pledge levels. The base pledge of $118 offers a few add-ons. It’ll ship around September of next year, but gamers could back the advanced copy pledge at $225 and receive The Great Library a month earlier. If you’re interested in The Great Library, check out its KickStarter page.
Queen of Spies Launches on GameFound
I love historical board games. Queen of Spies is based–loosely–on Louise de Bettigries, who is known as the Queen of Spies. The Queen of Spies board game has players organize a network of spies to turn the tide of World War I in Belgium. Bettigries did exactly that during World War I. I love it! A solo game steeped in history should surprise no one with a Salt and Pepper game. This board game publisher has produced some of the best historical games in recent memory: The Voynich Puzzle, Witchcraft!, and Resist!.
Ah! I know little about Queen of Spies’ gameplay, but I can’t wait to get my hands on this game. Gamefound campaigns are notorious for showing little of the game before launch. We also know little–if anything–about Queen of Spies’ pledge levels before its release. If you’re interested in Queen of Spies, check out its Gamefound page.
Byzantion: The Justinian Era Launches on Gamefound
Truth time. I hate Take That as a mechanism, especially when used in a longer game. So, when I saw the following image on Byzantion: The Justinian Era, I cooled on the project.
Everything else looks amazing with Byzantion: The Justinian Era. I’d like more board game companies to include graphics like the one above. This gives players an idea of what kind of game to expect. While I may dislike strong Take That in an hour-plus game, other games may enjoy it. And to be honest, everything else on this graphic looks like it’d be something I’d play, so I could overlook the strong Take That. And why not? While publisher Meeple Pug is new to the gaming space, they’ve had some interesting releases over the past year with Mesopotamia and Dark Blood. Meeple Pug games include stellar miniatures, and Byzantion: The Justinian Era is no exception.
While the image above is most likely from a digital tabletop engine like Tabletop Simulator, one can’t generate files like this without files from the core game. I love the upstart Greek board game publisher Meeple Pug. They stick to their roots, and I can’t wait to see what they release next. If you’re interested in Byzantion: The Justinian Era, check out its GameFound page.
Dragon Eclipse: The Grand Quest Ventures onto GameFound
Dragon Eclipse returns with its first full sequel, Dragon Eclipse: The Grand Quest. Honestly, I haven’t considered too many Awakened Realms games, because they tend to get pricey. Like hundreds of dollars pricey. If that doesn’t give a frame of reference for how expensive Awakened Realms games can get, Awakened Realms is the board game publisher attached to GameFound, the crowdfunding site that thinks board games should be so expensive that games should be able to pay for them in monthly installments. But Dragon Eclipse’s standalone sequel, Dragon Eclipse: The Grand Quest, is affordable. About $70 for the standard edition and $139 for the deluxe.
At $70, I may pick up a copy of Dragon Eclipse: The Grand Quest. From what I hear, Dragon Eclipse plays like a fusion between Gloomhaven and Pokémon. And I dig the storybook feel. Ah! My heart skipped a beat. My biggest issue with Gloomhaven is its setup, and two flipbooks should limit the amount of setup. And I love Pokémon. I may not have grown up with Pokémon–like my children–but I have a soft spot for cute mythical creatures, and Dragon Eclipse: The Grand Quest has plenty of cute mythical creatures. If you’re interested in Dragon Eclipse: The Grand Quest, check out its GameFound page.
Marvel: Cosmic Invasion Releases
Classic video game arcade players, rejoice. Marvel: Cosmic Invasion captures the feel of classic arcade games like The X-Men, The Simpsons, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Side-scroll fight your way through the levels and defeat denizens of the Negative Zone. Not gonna lie. Annihilus (ruler of the Negative Zone) is one of my favorite Marvel villains, and I’m stoked for this game. I didn’t know Marvel: Cosmic Invasion existed before writing this post, but I’m so in.
Let me at those bad guys. As I write this entry, I have no idea what the reviewers will say about this game. Does it matter? If classic side-scroll combat interests you, Marvel: Cosmic Invasion may interest you. Depending on the version you purchase, the cost varies from $40 to $60. Marvel: Cosmic Invasion is available for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and Xbox Series S/X.
Sleep Awake Releases
I didn’t know Blumhouse made video games. Surprise! Undoubtedly, as a result of Blumhouse’s involvement, Sleep Awake was included in the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival. How many video games are included in a prestigious film festival? Not many. I don’t know much about Sleep Awake other than people disappear in their sleep, and it’s up to you to save the last remaining people on Earth. From the designer of the stellar Spec Ops: The Line, Cory Davis, and featuring the music of Robin Finck of Nine Inch Nails, Sleep Awake blurs the lines between dream and reality.
Like Marvel: Cosmic Invasion, I knew little about this game, but the more I learn, the more I want to see more of Sleep Awake. Sleep Awake is available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox Series S/X.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Releases
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond needs no introduction. The Metroid series is one of Nintendo’s greatest, and we haven’t seen a new entry in this series in over a decade. No. I don’t count Metroid Prime: Federation Force, released for the Nintendo 3DS. Handhelds are a separate animal. The last main console release for a Metroid game came in 2007, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption for the Wii. The Wii!
And I’m grateful that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will be available for the Nintendo Switch as well as the Nintendo Switch 2. I can hold off upgrading my Switch. I picked up my Switch late in its cycle. I deserve to have the occasional high-profile game. And Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is certainly a high-profile Nintendo release. Let’s hope it lives up to the hype.
Octopath Traveler 0 Releases
Okay. Another truth time. I picked up Octopath Traveler for the Nintendo Switch several years ago and have yet to play it. Eek! The series looks amazing. Sure, Octopath Traveler features pixel art, and even though I have written for a website called The Pixels (they tended to give every pixel art game a baseline 8 out of 10 for graphics that I’d call 4 out of 10), I don’t automatically say a game is gorgeous because it uses pixel art. But look at Octopath Traveler’s pixel art. It’s stunning. Look at that detail. It’s delicious.
I love the graphics, and from what I hear, Octopath Traveler has an amazing story to match these graphics. Yes! Octopath Traveler 0 is a prequel to the original game. While I’m not a fan of prequels, I can enjoy them, given the proper context. I don’t yet know what the context is for Octopath Traveler 0, but we’ll keep you informed. What I do know is that Octopath Traveler 0 features town-building gameplay. What? Players may construct 500 buildings on the Nintendo Switch 2 and 250 buildings on the original Nintendo Switch. This is yet another title I love that gets an original Nintendo Switch release, despite the older system’s limitations. But players may also pick up a copy of Octopath Traveler 0 on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
That’s all the Geek News we have for this week. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Tabletop Game Review: Little Devils
Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another board game review. Today’s game is Michael Feldkötter’s Little Devils, a quick trick-taking game with a twist. Little Devils has no suits. Instead, players must follow the first card (in a series of 54 numbered cards) that’s played per round. The second card dictates which direction every other player must follow (up or down from the original number). The player who either plays in the wrong direction (up instead of down) or plays the furthest number from the original card wins the trick; you’re trying to win as few tricks as possible. Little Devils takes a simple concept and bakes in some interesting choices.
Before we get any further, we’ll get devilish with Little Devils’ details.
The Fiddly Bits
Designer: Michael Feldkötter
Publisher: Arclight Games, Stronghold Games, White Goblin Games
Date Released: 2012
Number of Players: 3-6
Age Range: 8 and up
Setup Time: Less than a minute
Play Time: About 15 minutes
Game Mechanisms
Game Setup
Little Devils consists of a 54-card deck. Depending on the number of players, remove a number of cards numbered between 28-54 from the game. The rulebook will state which specific cards need to be removed at each player count. Ultimately, players will be dealt 9 cards each, which should be the entire deck.
After you’ve prepared the deck, deal out all the cards.
Game Flow
For the first round, the player to the left of the dealer begins the trick; for every round after the first, whoever “won” the previous trick, begins the next trick. The first player starts the trick by playing any card from their hand that doesn’t have five little devils beneath the number. Quick note: most cards in Little Devils will have at least one little devil underneath its number. Players cannot lead a trick with a card with five little devils, unless they have no other card in their hand.
The player to the left of the starting player will play a card from their hand. If the second player plays a higher card, all other players must play cards valued higher than the first card if possible. Whoever played the highest card gets the trick, unless a player is unable to play a higher card. This player will get the trick unless more players are unable to play higher cards. If a player (or players) plays a card in the opposite direction of the second player, the player with the furthest valued card from the original card wins the trick.
After all cards have been played, a round ends. Players score the number of little devils from their tricks. As soon as someone scores 200 points, play ends, and whoever has the fewest points wins.
Review
Little Devils has a built-in catch-up mechanism: the player who wins a trick can’t possibly win the next one; they begin the next trick. I love that. It’s simple and offers plenty of strategic choices. I could play a card closer to the low or high end, thinking the players in front of me (on the scoreboard) might get stuck with a trick or two. There are even cards that have no little devils on them. Often, when I know I’m going to get stuck with a trick, I’ll play one of the one devil or no devils cards to net the fewest little devils I can.
While you could card count during Little Devils, it doesn’t matter that much. Little Devils plays quickly. It’s more fun to play a second game. Even when I’ve finished last (triggered the end game), I feel like I did something if I stiffed someone else with a bunch of points during one round. Little Devils is a great filler game. It may get overshadowed by Cat in the Box (we still need to review that game), but it requires less setup, is an easier teach, and I’ve found more gamers catch on to Little Devils a lot faster.
Too Long; Didn’t Read
Quick to pick up and easy to teach, Little Devils is an excellent trick-taking game that offers plenty of strategic choices, a brilliant built-in catch-up mechanism, and fun gotcha moments.
Whatcha Playing, Geekly? December 2025
Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here! Today, our writers share the games (video games and board games) they’ve been playing over the past month. Feel free to share which games you’ve been playing this past month, because we’re all part of the Geekly Gang. I’ll start off this post with what I’ve been playing this past month.
Kyra’s Video Games
I received Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles two weeks ago. Thank you, Season. And it didn’t take me long to finish the game and earn the platinum PlayStation trophy. Oh, yeah!
I’ve played most–if not every–rendition of Final Fantasy Tactics. It’s one of my favorite video games of all time, and Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles does a fantastic job of updating this classic. Let’s begin with some of Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles’ best new additions.
It’s easier than ever to see turn order during combat. Character portraits line the left-hand side. Numbers show whose turn is coming next. When you choose an action that requires any charge time, like a spell or jumping as a Dragoon or aiming as an Archer, you’ll see where your action would fall in turn order, should you choose to pick it. I love this update. In an instant, I can see if I want to commit to an action or not. While many of the charge times have been reduced (making some classes like Dragoon and its jump viable and borderline overpowered), the Archer’s aim ability still takes too long. Better luck next time, Archers.
I went into Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles knowing I would enjoy the game’s combat (and mix-matching job abilities, like dual-wielding monks), but I didn’t anticipate how this version would step up the game’s story. I always liked Final Fantasy Tactics’ story, but with The Ivalice Chronicles’ “State of the Realm” interactive map, I can better follow the story. If you’ve ever struggled to keep Final Fantasy Tactics’ political intrigue clear, The Ivalice Chronicles may be the perfect edition. Throw in some great voice acting–by whom my spouse dubs as out-of-work Shakespearean actors–and Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles elevates a story that may resonate more today than when the original was first released in 1997.
Even with all the great additions Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles brings to the table, I do have some gripes. I loved the War of the Lions’ cutscenes. The art is unique and has an ethereal quality. These cutscenes are available in Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles, but gamers need to surf submenus to find them. I don’t think many gamers will do this. I would prefer an option to insert these cutscenes during my playthrough. This could be included in a simple update. Speaking of simple updates, Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles brings back all original unlockable characters and jobs. I’d like the game to include all the unlockable characters and jobs from every version, making Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles a definitive version.
I could go on with other nitpicks. I love the fast-forward option, but I’d like it as a toggle button, not as something I need to press and hold down, and there are a handful more, but Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles does more things right than things wrong. If you’ve been holding off playing this classic, Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles is the closest to a definitive version of the game. And I’ve heard that Square Enix may release a sequel if Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles does well. Fingers crossed!
Auto Chess just had a major update (November 30, 2025, literally a few days ago). When this update posts, I’ll still be trying to understand all the balance changes. In short, I’m not enjoying this new update. Egersis is eliminated from the normal unit pool, but you can still gain Egersis units through a relic. That’s kind of good. Unfortunately, a couple of unit types have gained similar abilities to Egersis, so effectively, Auto Chess has quadrupled down on the game mechanism I hate. Great!
Certain units (like the Hill Clan Swordsman or the God of War) would dominate Auto Chess lobbies in the early to mid-game before this patch. After the patch, these units may have gained more power. Again, I haven’t had much time to play this new major patch, but there are far too many match-ups where I don’t know why I lost. That’s bad. I should at least know why I’m losing. Maybe I have inferior units or poor synergies or fewer units in general. But during the early stages of this latest patch, I’ve lost to opponents who had no synergies (poor or not), cheaper units, and fewer units. Evidently, my seven great units with six good synergies can’t defeat a team of four weenies with no synergies. I’m left scratching my head with Auto Chess.
Maybe I didn’t add the correct weenie.
Kyra’s Board Games
This past month, I’ve played board/card games I forgot I enjoyed. I rediscovered some favorites. The first of these favorites is Rüdiger Dorn’s Las Vegas. I remembered shockingly little about Las Vegas’s scoring rules. Lol! Players roll standard six-sided dice, take turns placing all the dice of one number on one of six casinos (numbered 1-6, corresponding to the numbers players can roll). Whoever has the most dice in a casino wins the pot. The player with the most money after four rounds wins.
And that’s how to play–for the most part. Las Vegas has simple to learn rules but offers plenty of strategy. After playing Las Vegas for the first time in years, I remembered why I love it so much. It’s a game I love bringing on road trips. In fact, I believe I brought Las Vegas to my Vegas trip almost ten years ago. Who needs to gamble when you can play Las Vegas?
Wolfgang Kramer’s 6 nimmt! is another classic I played this past month. I’m going to take this moment to thank one of our game night regulars (Kenneth) for remembering how to play Las Vegas and 6 nimmt!. 6 nimmt! was another game where I could remember how the game was played but forgot to explain specific rules or edge cases. In 6 nimmt!, points are bad. You want the fewest points. Small bullheads (shown in the middle of the top and bottom of each card) score players points at the end of each round. Every round, players are dealt 10 cards. You will be playing all cards. Players simultaneously pick one card to play and then, in number order, play those cards to rows. If a row gets filled (has five cards and you would then play a sixth card), you claim all five cards in that row and start a new row with the sixth card you played.
6 nimmt! is another easy to learn game with plenty of strategy. Who am I kidding? 6 nimmt! is pure chaos. You may attempt to play a card, squeezing it into a tight window of numbers, only to find someone else played a card that torpedoed your plans. And that’s the fun.
There are equal parts strategy and luck with 6 nimmt!. Are you the least bullheaded?
Those are the games I played this past month. Let’s see what Season has been playing.
Season’s Video Games
I’ve been getting into Fallout lore lately, so I decided to try the first Fallout game. I know Wasteland came before Fallout, but I’ve yet to check it out.
Fallout was a different experience from other games of the franchise after Bethesda took over. I like the isometric movement. It’s definitely reminiscent of earlier computer games. I get distracted easily in video games, so side questing and taking my time to explore the world is what I’m used to. I wasn’t anticipating being put on a timer to find the water chip. I think this adds to Fallout’s replayability. If I don’t get to everything, I’ll definitely play again.
What have you been playing, Skye?
Skye’s Video Games
Mass Effect is my newest video game obsession. “Obsession” is the right term. Mass Effect suddenly fell into my lap. I’m lucky enough to have a copy of the Legendary Edition, which contains the three games from the original Mass Effect trilogy. I’m fully submerged in the Mass Effect rabbit hole, and I don’t expect to be out until mid-2026. Especially since, if I really like a game, I’ll grind until I get all three Platinum Trophies. Wish me luck!
Skye’s Board Games
I played Castle Panic during this week’s game night, and it was a fun and engaging experience. I enjoyed the amount of planning and collaboration involved, which made each of our team members feel important. A lot of what happens in Castle Panic is discussion about which threats are the most pressing and how to deal with them. In a way, Castle Panic felt like we were all military commanders deliberating in the war room. Despite the good experience I had with Castle Panic, I can see how the game can turn sour. Castle Panic could suffer from Alpha Gamer Syndrome (one player making decisions for everyone). Remember to stay calm, work together, and get rid of those monsters. The kingdom is at stake!
And I’m hungry now. Pizza Roles is a party game that leans hard into its premise. The game is quick and entertaining. While I don’t see myself regularly playing Pizza Roles, I’d be happy to argue with a large group of friends about which toppings do and don’t belong on pizza. In a lighthearted way, of course. Since Pizza Roles can be played competitively or cooperatively, one can tailor the game to almost any friend group. Just make sure you order pizza.
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here again! Those are the games (video games and board games) our writers have played over the past month. Let us know what you’ve been playing in the comments, Geekly Gang. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Top 5 Tabletop Games from 1998
Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another Top 5 Tabletop Games throughout the years. 1998 saw the continued dominance of collectible card games (CCGs). Fewer CCGs were released this year, but established ones kept board game stores afloat. 1998 had a lot of great board games, but many of them didn’t have the same staying power as previous years in this series. There may be more than one forgotten gem on today’s list. We’ll get to the games in a minute, but first, let’s look at our criteria.
1: Cultural relevance plays as much of a factor as overall quality. A game might make a list that doesn’t hold up to others of its type, but you must admit the game is everywhere.
2: Only one game from a franchise makes the list. This will become more of an issue the closer we get to games with expansions.
3: Longevity plays a role, too. A game doesn’t have to fly off the shelves today, but it had to have some widespread appeal for a decent time.
5: Kahuna (1998)
Kahuna fits the bill of a forgotten gem. This two-player game has players assume the role of ancient sorcerers of the Pacific. You compete for dominance of an archipelago consisting of twelve small islands. Players use cards to place bridges between islands and remove opponent’s bridges. If you get the majority of bridges around an island, place one of your marker stones on it and remove any of your opponent’s bridges to that island. This could, in turn, cause your opponent to lose a bridge majority on an adjacent island.
Kahuna plays in three rounds. A round ends when all cards from the face-down deck and the three face-up cards have been used. Kahuna is a fast-paced area control/majority game. It’s one of the better two-player games from this era, but Kahuna’s status as a two-player only game may have prevented it from seeing wider gameplay. Still, Kahuna was a finalist for the Spiel des Jahres (the German game of the year).
4: Elfenland (1998)
We go from a Spiel des Jahre finalist to 1998’s Spiel des Jahre winner, Elfenland. Elfenland is a redesign of the original White Wind game Elfenroads. The game is set in an elvish world. Players begin in the Elf capital, draw one face down movement tile, and are dealt eight transport cards and a secret “home” city card that they must reach at the end of the fourth round or lose points for each city space away from “home” they are at the end of the game.
Elfenland’s designer, Alan R. Moon (Ticket to Ride), has a knack for route-building games. Elfenland marks the first time Moon has made one of these lists. I may have just spoiled the game, but this won’t be the last time we’ll see Moon on one of these lists. Elfenland shares some similarities with Moon’s more popular Ticket to Ride. Elfenland is another forgotten gem.
3: Guillotine (1998)
Guillotine is yet another forgotten gem, and its theme is one of the most macabre and interesting of 1998. Players take the role of executioners during the French Revolution. In Guillotine, you’re doing your best to manipulate the execution line and score as many points, claiming the lives of nobles, clergy, and former military as you can. Off with their heads!
If you like Gallow’s humor, you’ll love Guillotine. I say this a lot, but this will not be the last Paul Peterson design to make one of these lists. Peterson has a knack for taking traditional card games in strange and exciting directions. Guillotine is bloody fun.
2: Cranium (1998)
Cranium marks the first mass market board game (a game one can find in department stores) to make one of these lists in several years. While it may have faded in popularity, Cranium took elements from various party games and formed what it claims is “the whole-brain” game. Cranium identifies four main party quiz game elements and gave them names: Creative Cat, Data Head, Word Worm, and Star Performer.
Creative Cat involves sculpting and drawing. Data Head is trivia. Word Worm has players unscrambling words, challenging them to spell a word, and guess definitions. And Star Performer includes whistling songs, impersonating a celebrity, or acting out a clue. Cranium managed to assemble as many party quiz game elements into one game as one can. In fact, I still don’t think a party quiz game has managed to include as many elements as Cranium’s into a single game design.
1: Through the Desert (1998)
Reiner Knizia takes another top spot on one of these lists with Through the Desert. Through the Desert is one of those games players remember fondly and hold in high regard. But I rarely see anyone playing Through the Desert, making it yet another forgotten gem on this list. I’d argue Cranium, despite its status as a mass market board game, is another forgotten gem. This entire list is made up of forgotten gems. Getting back to Through the Desert, it takes inspiration from the classic game of Go. Through the Desert also completes Knizia’s tile-laying trilogy of games: Tigris & Euphrates (1997), Samurai (1998), and Through the Desert (1998).
In Through the Desert, players attempt to score the most points by snaking caravan routes through the desert, trying to reach oases and blocking off sections of the desert. Two to five players control a tribe of nomads vying for control of the desert. Strategy is key in building your tribe’s caravans. There are multiple paths to gain points, but Through the Desert manages to keep its cognitive load low, meaning it’s easy to learn but difficult to master. Through the Desert is deserving of its Spiel des Jahres recommended status.
Did we get the list mostly correct? Let us know which games you’d add in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
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