Playing a game for the first time is often quite an undertaking, unless the game is quite light. There is a lot to learn and take in and the first few turns can feel a bit awkward, because you don't really know what you're doing. You have a vague idea of what you're trying to achieve, but how you get there is usually unclear. In this article, I want to look at the expectations people often have of a first play.

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It was unheard of, but here they were: cats and dogs working as a team. They were busily scouring the village green for toys to take home or return to the Lost & Found. It was really hard to believe and when you looked closer, things weren't quite as peaceful as they seemed - and they were even stranger than you could imagine. The cats and dogs weren't all working together as one big pack or clowder. No. One cat and one...

When you really enjoy something, when you have something that you get a lot out of, that makes you happy or otherwise has a positive impact on you, you probably want to share that joy with others. For me, board games are one of those things that I really love and want to share with others. It's something that has been shared with me, that one of my friends introduced me to and it's wonderful when I can spread this love even...

Look! There's another shiny toy! I'm going to grab it and take it home. It's mine! Oh, I could show it off to the other cats in the neighbourhood. Then they can see my amazing new toy. It's extra special after all. Look over there though! Another toy. I need to get that one too. All right, it's not strictly mine, but it will be. Well, at this rate, there will be plenty of Feline Felonies by Atikin Games.

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Melissa Douglas, also known as Kittykatmaniac, or Kitty for short, is a 2D artist known for neon art and their love of villains. They have been an artist for almost 30 years and will continue to be for many more years to come. Currently, Melissa is a full-time toy designer and not working or doing freelance. Melissa has got a dorky cat named Venom, after one of their favourite comic book characters.

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Our weekly games night has been running for many, many years now and even though the day of the week has changed over the years and we've had one person leave while another one joined, in its core, it's become something of an institution. It's something I always look forward to, because it's time I can spend with friends, talking about what they have been up to and immersing myself in the game, or games, we play tha...

There was something iffy going on in our little country village. My nose was twitchy and I was soon on the trail of some interesting clues. It was clear it was going to take some time and some clever snooping, but I was on a roll and knew I would be able to solve the Canine Capers by Atikin Games.

Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2021/07/03/canine-capers-saturday-review/

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We probably all have a favourite children's story that we loved as a child or maybe a favourite book that we've read many times or a favourite film or TV show that we love watching and that takes us away from our day-to-day. In this article, I want to look at how games tell stories and how they draw us into their world.

Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2021/06/29/storytelling-topic-discussion/

Intro M...

Progress was slow, but it was very satisfying seeing the little pea seedlings grow and then, eventually, flower before finally producing pods that slowly swelled up to bursting with new peas inside. We carefully crossed different plants in the hope that they would create new varieties and over time we were able to predict the height of the plant, its flower colour, the pod colour as well as whether the peas were smooth or wrinkly b...

When you're starting out as a freelancer, things can be tough. You haven't got any clients yet, you probably also have no prior work to show to prospective customers, at least no professional prior work and you're probably still working out a few things to make sure you can work effectively and efficiently. After all: time is money. At least that's how it should be. In reality though, as a new freelancer, you will p...

Having played Oath by Leder Games a few more times since my review, I felt it was time to share with you what I have learned since and to see if my view of the game has changed in any way, which is why this article is under the Takebacks heading. There is a lot of ground to cover and for me to put the cards on the table so let's begin.

Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2021/06/19/oath-chronicles-of-empire...

When you play board games, you usually don't think about the wide variety of emotions that they can create. Playing, board games or otherwise, is mostly associated with fun. Yet, board games aren't always fun, as we all know. They're sometimes frustrating or disappointing. They can be calming. They can create anticipation and excitement. There can be tension, love, hate, surprise and much more. In this article, I want t...

A massive magnetic storm had hit our moon base. All of our supplies had been hit and were now scattered in a 20-mile radius around the base. The base itself was intact and secure, but we only had a handful of supplies left, including oxygen. We had to work together to recover as much as we could to have any chance of leaving the Moon and returning to Earth. It was going to be tough, but we were all ready for our Moon Adventure by O...

According to the online Cambridge Dictionary, a preview is "an opportunity to see something such as a film or a collection of works of art before it is shown to the public, or a description of something such as a television programme before it is shown to the public." It's generally something you can attend, either virtually, in the case of watching a preview of a film online, or in person, by going to an early screenin...

It was going to be a tough project. The local geography wasn't on our side: mountains, pine forests, rainforests and a number of rivers. However, there were also many plains that would make it easier for us to lay tracks. Whichever way you looked at it, it was going to be a huge undertaking, but the economical benefits were even bigger and many investors were ready to put their money into the stocks of Luzon Rails by Robin Davi...

The board game community continues to work towards inclusivity, representation and diversity, which is great to see, but of course, the road is rocky and we're still a long way away from where we should be. It is important we continue to call out bad behaviour and it is great to see more people and companies are prepared to own up to their mistakes and genuinely try to do better. In this article, I want to look at a related que...

Someone had hidden the Emperor's dogs. It was an outrage. The Emperor suspected their cabinet ministers who strenuously, but politely, denied the accusations and pointed their fingers at their counterparts. They eagerly offered to help the Emperor find their dogs, but they clearly had something to hide. When the Emperor was convinced that they could hear a dog behind one of the closed doors leading to one of the ministers' ...

I really enjoy writing reviews for board games, but maybe not quite as much as I enjoy writing my "Topic Discussion" articles, like this one. For some reason, reviews require a bit more effort from me and often don't quite flow as easily as my thought pieces. In this article, I want to show you what goes into writing a board game review for the blog.

Read the full article here: https://tabletopgamesblog.com/2021/05/25/su...

Nectar, when you think about it, is just a sugar-rich liquid, produced by plants, to attract pollinators. Depending on where in the world you are, pollinators could be humble insects, such as the highly adored, busy bees, or they could be magnificent hummingbirds or other birds, or they could even be bats. A free source of sugar is highly prized, as it will give a quick boost of energy, and possibly a little sugar rush too, which m...