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Past, Present, Future of Board Games: A Game Designer's Guide

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Game Designer Adam Porter (Emberheart, Pikoko, Kompromat, Flip Pick Towers) guides us through 5000 years of board game design, and offers his views on where the industry is heading.

'Adam in Wales: Legacy' is available worldwide, via Amazon's print on demand service, and as an ebook.

Use the links below, or IF NOT LISTED BELOW, search on your local Amazon for Adam in Wales: Legacy.

UK: https://amzn.eu/d/2Wc4yk9
USA: https://a.co/d/hDl7MUQ
France: https://amzn.eu/d/5wH6HFs
Germany: https://amzn.eu/d/4C6pqFl
Italy: https://amzn.eu/d/4QCLmFb
Spain: https://amzn.eu/d/2NeYSnv
Australia: https://amzn.asia/d/4u29iKy
Netherlands: https://amzn.eu/d/9MKyx6M
Poland: https://amzn.eu/d/fZq8DTt
Sweden: https://amzn.eu/d/bIiIFbU
Japan: https://amzn.asia/d/8Y5GALV
Canada: https://a.co/d/2sKWNdw

For five thousand years, people have gathered together to play games. Each of those games has something to teach us; not just about rules, mechanisms, and themes, but also about the business of games, publishing, and achieving lasting success.

Award-winning designer Adam Porter explores the 100 most influential tabletop games in history, from timeless classics like Chess, Go, and Mancala, through mass-market icons such as Monopoly, Connect 4, and The Game of Life, to modern strategy hits like Terraforming Mars, Gloomhaven, and Wingspan.

Each chapter examines a landmark title, uncovering the design choices behind its impact and the lessons today’s creators can draw from it. Whether you’re a designer, player, or student of game design, this book offers inspiration, insight, and actionable advice, derived from the games that shaped the hobby.

About the author

Adam Porter is an award winning game designer from the United Kingdom, known for making accessible games suitable for families, and for his popular YouTube channel Adam in Wales where Adam talks candidly about his experiences pitching and licensing games to publishers. Many new designers have looked to Adam for guidance when taking their first steps in the board game industry. Adam's published games include Pikoko, Doodle Rush, Kompromat, Qwuzzle, Zooligans, Thrown, Big Bazar, Happy Hoppers, Ballot Battle, and Zing-a-Zam.

Adam's four previous books are available from Amazon worldwide.
- Adam in Wales: Board Game Designer Journal
- Adam in Wales: Playtesting
- Adam in Wales: Product Design
- Adam in Wales: Getting Published as a Board Game Designer

0:00 Introduction
2:20 Types of Designers
2:39 Ancient Era
5:00 Medieval Era
7:32 Early Modern Games
8:03 Kriegsspiel
9:45 The Mass Market
16:32 Hobby Games
17:40 German Games
19:05 Avalon Hill
19:38 Dungeons and Dragons
20:22 Games Workshop
22:10 Internet & Video Games
25:05 Fantasy Flight Games
26:08 Board Game Geek
26:43 YouTube Channels
27:32 Kickstarter
28:33 Asmodee
31:32 The Present
32:45 A Saturated Market
33:36 The Video Game Crash
35:24 The Comic Book Bubble
36:40 A Sustainable Future

25 New Board Games

29. November 2025 um 23:48

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PATREON

https://www.patreon.com/chairmanoftheboard

INSTAGRAM

https://instagram.com/chairman_board

KIENDA DISCOUNT LINK

Use my Kienda link below to receive a 5% discount off your first order (£60+ spend)

https://kienda.co.uk/login?ref=1028908&create_account=1

THALAMUS

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/426319/thalamus

https://youtu.be/QwftMw5sk64

available for purchase on BGG, eBay, or by direct contact for international sales.

CONTACT

chairmangames@hotmail.com

Tokyo Game Market Autumn/Fall 2025 Haul – 60+ Games! 😅|ゲームマーケット秋2025 戦利品まとめ

29. November 2025 um 13:59

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We're back after a quick 1 week trip to Tokyo for Tokyo Game Market Autumn / Fall 2025. We were able to pick up every game on our most anticipated list, as well as close to 40 extras that were not on that list. 😅 Turns out that researching the games only makes you discover more that you want!
This is our fifth trip to Tokyo Game Market. Check out our other videos for more tips and tricks if you're visiting Japan for this amazing convention.
As always, let us know in the comments which games you're most intrigued about!

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ゲームマーケット秋2025で、私たちは60本以上のゲームをゲットしました!
気になる作品があれば、ぜひコメントで教えてください。レビュー動画もお楽しみに!

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Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction (time in Japan)
00:47 - Arclight
01:33 - Gamers from everywhere!
02:28 - Most anticipated games of TGM
15:15 - Most anticipated games of Essen
17:23 - Planned purchases
36:37 - Impulse purchases
47:27 - Review copies / gifts
54:26 - More shopping in Tokyo


Thanks for stopping by! We're Amy & Maggie aka ThinkerThemer. We're an Australian couple with two very different perspectives of what makes a great board game - Amy (Thinker) is all about the mechanics and enjoys tight, competitive games, and Maggie (Themer) is all about the storytelling and the theme of the game, and the 'world' that the designer is trying to create. Subscribe to our channel to hear us talk about these two elements of a game, and how well integrated we feel these are in delivering a cohesive and wonderful game experience.
#boardgames #tabletopgames #thinkerthemer #ゲームマーケット秋2025 ❤🏳️‍🌈🇦🇺

Clans Of Caledonia Industria Review - Brilliant Addition or Budget-Burning Pish?

28. November 2025 um 15:55

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In this video, we dive into *Clans of Caledonia: Industria* to find out whether this new expansion is actually worth your cash… or just another steaming pile of pish. Expect a no-nonsense look at what Industria adds, how it changes the gameplay, and whether it genuinely improves Clans of Caledonia or simply bloats it.

If you want an honest and fully unsponsored review before you spend your hard-earned money, you’re in the right place.

#ClansOfCaledonia #Industria #BoardGameReview #BoardGames #TabletopGaming #BoardGameExpansion

You can purchase the expansion here:

https://karma-games.com/BoardGameBollocks-IND-20251128

Quatre Bras with Paolo Mori — Battlefields of the Napoleonic Wars Play & Teach

27. November 2025 um 22:10

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In this video, I sit down with designer Paolo Mori to play through the Quatre Bras scenario from Battlefields of the Napoleonic Wars, his new Napoleonic wargame system co-designed with Alessandro Zucchini. We walk through the rules, tactics, and historical considerations behind this fast, elegant system while trying to determine whether Wellington can hold the line against Ney’s assault.

This stream is also a chance to discuss Paolo’s design intentions, how the system evolved, and why he believes Battlefields can appeal both to experienced grognards and newcomers.

A review copy of the game was kindly provided by Paolo.

If you enjoy this type of content, consider supporting the channel on Ko-fi — it keeps the show independent and ad-free, and grants access to the Homo Ludens Discord:
👉 https://ko-fi.com/homoludens1871

Timecode:
00:00 Intro
03:40 Play
01:09:14 Debrief Chat

Galactic Cruise: Epic Journey, or a Waste of SPACE?

27. November 2025 um 20:49

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This week's video sees Matt truly haunted by a gigantic box of cogs and space-travel fiddling. Is Galactic Cruise a holiday worth pursuing?

Support the Show: https://bit.ly/SupportSUSD / http://ko-fi.com/shutupandsitdown / https://www.patreon.com/shutupandsitdown
Buy Galactic Cruise: In US: https://bit.ly/3JYwoTV In UK: https://bit.ly/4pbExUm
Visit SU&SD for more cardboard antics: http://www.shutupandsitdown.com/

~FOLLOW US AROUND, WHY DON'T YOU~
Podcast: https://anchor.fm/susd
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Cosmic Encounter Review — A decade later, I bought this Anti-Euro again

26. November 2025 um 22:31

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Download RAID ios/android/PC ➡️ https://t2m.io/Shelfside_Nov25 to unlock a new free mystery Legendary Champion inspired by an iconic franchise and get 2 free Epics 🎉 Available after downloading through this link only
✅ 1 - Epic Ultimate Galek from the start
✅ 2 - Epic Zargala after reaching level 15
✅ 3 - Promo codes for a Legendary Champion of your choice ⚡️
➡️ UDKING / DESERTQUEEN / DEMONSLAYER / TREEHUGGER / GETALICE / MONKEYKING
Available only for new players. Redeem within 48 hours after registration.

We review one of the most famous and influential board games of all time, with the Fantasy Flight Games reprint! Cosmic Encounter is a political sci-fi party game with tons of asymmetric variable alien powers and take-that. With shifting alliances and lots of hand management, games are rightfully swingy and memorable. There’s prisoner’s dilemmas abound with interrupts on other player’s turns! This negotiation game really isn’t for everyone, and as stated the game negates a lot of modern design (unintentionally). Is it worth buying in the kickstarter fueled landscape of 2025? Or should you return to a more normal area control of less fiddly party game?

Games featured: Eclipse 2nd Edition, Twilight Imperium 4th Edition, Cosmic Encounter Duel, Munchkin, Coup

Table of Contents:
Overview/Backstory - (0:00)
How to Play - (3:46)
Pros - (5:53)
Cons - (21:44)
Recommender Score - (29:27)
Ashton's Personal Score - (35:04)

Support us:
https://www.patreon.com/shelfside
https://ko-fi.com/shelfside

Our Website!
https://www.shelfside.co/

Purchase Games We’ve Reviewed! (Paid Link)
https://amazon.com/shop/shelfside

Shelfside Social Media:
https://twitter.com/ShelfSideYT
https://www.instagram.com/shelfsideboardgames/
https://www.facebook.com/ShelfsideYT/
https://discord.gg/U7QQKqYT62

Links to our other stuff:
Ashton's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ashtonwu
Daniel's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/doyduh2

#boardgames #tabletop #review

Gundam Miniatures Gaming (with Gamma Wolves)

26. November 2025 um 08:02

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Gundam Miniatures Gaming (with Gamma Wolves)

Not a review copy. I bought this.

If you would like to donate to Drive Thru Games, you can use the "Thanks" button under the video, or please check out the Gamefound Pledge Manager - https://tinyurl.com/2p8tbhpu

Intro (00:00);
models and scale overview (07:06);
game overview (16:47);
final thoughts and review (26:48);

Gamma Wolves: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/281732/gamma-wolves-a-game-of-post-apocalyptic-mecha-warf
by
Osprey Games: https://www.ospreypublishing.com/us/osprey-games/

Cheap bases for contact markers: https://www.greenstuffworld.com/en/oval/4111-plastic-bases-oval-pill-120x92mm.html

Order Gamma Wolves: https://www.ospreypublishing.com/us/gamma-wolves-9781472837745/
Gamma Wolves Video Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzrPO7KIAtwXo_y42YrAFNekZAIKiCM9B

Chrome Rangers: https://www.wargamevault.com/en/product/545962/snarl-2025
Samurai Robots Battle Royale: https://www.ganeshagames.net/product_info.php?cPath=1_11&products_id=228&osCsid=a2ki7am37ojjtq36epp5s6n266
USA Gundam Store: https://www.usagundamstore.com/

Subscribe to Drive Thru Review: http://goo.gl/LrTiG5

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DriveThruGames
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drivethrugames/
BGG Geeklist: http://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/65519/drive-thru-review-video-reviews

You can also find an audio podcast at the Drive Thru Review Audio feed. You can subscribe to the feed in multiple locations.

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/drive-thru-review-audio/id1065301287

Saltfjord Board Game Review | Dice-Driven Fishing Euro in 3 Tight Rounds

25. November 2025 um 18:00

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In this video, I review Saltfjord, a medium-heavy Euro from Aporta Games where you’re running a Norwegian fishing village in the late 19th century. You’ll be drafting dice to fire off powerful row/column actions on your player board, upgrading resources, completing crate orders, investing in technology tracks, and pushing your fishing boat deeper into the fjord for big points.

I’ll walk through how Saltfjord plays, what the dice-driven grid system feels like at the table. I’ll also talk about complexity, who this game is best for, and the kinds of cognitive skills it can help players practice.

In this video:
• Overview of the theme
• How the dice drafting and grid activation work
• Crates, tech tracks, fishing, and retiring to taverns
• Final thoughts: who will love Saltfjord and who might bounce off it

Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
00:30 Complexity & Victory Conditions
00:50 Play Count
01:33 How It’s Played
05:55 Cognitive Skills Practiced
08:11 Final Thoughts
14:09 Contact & Socials

If you enjoy board game reviews that focus on both gameplay and the skills practiced through play, consider subscribing and checking out the other videos on the channel.

#Saltfjord #BoardGames #BrainsOnGames #Tabletop #BoardGameReview #AportaGames #EuroGame #FishingGame #DiceDrafting #EngineBuilding

Top 10 Board Games for Family Gatherings

24. November 2025 um 17:16

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If you're wondering what games would be good to take to your family or holiday gathering HAVE NO FEAR I have a whole bunch of games to recommend for just that purpose! In this list I talk about 17 games, including some Honorable Mentions, Party Games, Card Games, Light Strategy Games, and a "wild card" game.

Thank you so much to my Patreon supporters. You can join them in supporting my work here by checking out https://www.patreon.com/thingsgetdicey

00:00 Hello!
03:00 Honorable Mentions
07:28 Party Games
15:19 Card Games
29:22 Light Strategy Games
38:54 Wild Card Game!
41:42 Goodbye!

Formula D(é) — Side-by-Slide Board Game Comparison 👥

23. November 2025 um 19:15

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In this video I compare, with commentary, ye olde Formula Dé from the late-90s to the newer (but not that new) Formula D from the late-00s and beyond.


Board Gems highlights older board and card games that are still great games today, and deserve to not be forgotten!

Join & Support: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX9Ab6egkU1ru3sgP8TUI2A/join
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgems.com
BGG Blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/10011

Brought to you by Pizzeria Ludica! https://www.ludica.ca/

BGG Listings:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/173/formula-de
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/37904/formula-d

Music provided by Chillhop Music
Blue Wednesday, juniorodeo - Find Yourself
https://chll.to/fe3f99b4

#boardgames #tabletop #vancouver #ludica

War Room - The WW2 Board Game So Big You’ll Need a New House

22. November 2025 um 15:36

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Dive into our War Room board game review as we take on this massive WW2 strategy beast and decide whether it’s a masterpiece of global conflict… or just a colossal pain in the arse. In this video, we break down how War Room plays, what you actually get in the box, and whether this table-eating mega-game is worth your time, money, and sanity.

Expect honest opinions, a bit of bollocks, and a proper look at one of the biggest strategy board games ever made. If you’re into WW2 board games, heavy strategy, or just watching someone suffer through giant rulebooks, this one’s for you.

What’s inside the video:
• War Room gameplay overview
• Components and production quality
• Thoughts and first impressions
• Is War Room worth it in 2025?

If you enjoy the chaos, give it a like, subscribe, and join us for more board game bollocks every week.

Ion Game Design - MinIon and other updates

21. November 2025 um 16:39

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In this interview I speak with Besim Uyanik and Jon Manker of ION Game Design about their bold 2026 initiative: MinION — a monthly subscription program delivering a compact, standalone board game each month, designed as an entry point into ION’s award-winning strategy universe. We explore the thinking behind making “big game” depth accessible in a smaller format, how MinION bridges into their core titles, and why they’re launching it in early 2026.

We also dive into ION’s production update: how they manage physical game manufacturing, their approach to video game adaptations, and their educational initiatives aimed at bringing strategic gaming to wider audiences.

Timecode:
00:00 Intro
01:30 Essen
06:23 MinIon Games
17:04 Educational Games
24:12 Ion Game Design and Video Games
32:44 Production Pipeline

For more info on the MinION project, see:
https://iongamedesign.com/pages/minion

☕ If you enjoyed the video, please consider supporting the channel via Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/homoludens1871

Primal Just Got Even Better

21. November 2025 um 14:01

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Primal the Awakening expansion pre-orders just dropped! Reggie Games hit us with more peak campaign board game content in the form of extra player characters who use a spear and wardrum, 10 new biome playmat maps that can modify your boss battles, and the nightmare variation cards of the last 13 monsters without them! There's so many new combos and strategies to deck build with, plus challenges to take on! And of course, there's new organizers to avoid any tabletop clutter to support the new components.

Check out Primal here: https://reggiegames.com/

Support us:
https://www.patreon.com/shelfside
https://ko-fi.com/shelfside

Our Website!
https://www.shelfside.co/

Purchase Games We’ve Reviewed! (Paid Link)
https://amazon.com/shop/shelfside

Table of Contents:
What this is - 0:00
New Hunters - 1:52
Nightmares & Biomes - 14:06
Buyer's Guide - 19:15

Shelfside Social Media:
https://twitter.com/ShelfSideYT
https://www.instagram.com/shelfsideboardgames/
https://www.facebook.com/ShelfsideYT/
https://discord.gg/U7QQKqYT62

Links to our other stuff:
Ashton's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ashtonwu
Daniel's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/doyduh2

#boardgames #tabletop #tabletopgames

Returning to Slay the Spire - ACT 1

20. November 2025 um 21:19

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Back by popular demand, Matt returns with special guest Dani to delve once more into Slay the Spire. Cozy up: It's time to get DEFECTIVE.

Support the Show: https://bit.ly/SupportSUSD / http://ko-fi.com/shutupandsitdown / https://www.patreon.com/shutupandsitdown
https://youtu.be/aJ-10DAOJSE

Buy Slay the Spire: In US: https://bit.ly/3GmIJPw In UK: https://bit.ly/3ZaAm0q
Visit SU&SD for more cardboard antics: https://www.shutupandsitdown.com/videos/susd-play-slay-the-spire/

~FOLLOW US AROUND, WHY DON'T YOU~
Podcast: https://anchor.fm/susd
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/shutupshow
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shut.up.and.sit.down
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/shutupandsitdown
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shutupshow

Shallow Sea Review — Immaculate Tile Laying

20. November 2025 um 16:30

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We review Shallow Sea, a tile-laying Euro with incredible design, no kidding! This 1-4 player low-conflict game has players managing their own coral reef, juggling fish tokens and coral/Sealife to get the most victory points come end game. There are some objectives to pursue (rewarding set collection), but it’s mostly about just building the best reef with lots of biodiversity! You tackle grid coverage in the pattern building of tiles every turn. Also the solo mode is incredibly clean with no automa needed! Is this game too solitaire, or does Bad Comet truly have another gem on their hands?

Other games featured: Wondrous Creatures, Earth, Splendor, Brass Birmingham

Table of Contents:
Overview - (0:00)
How to Play - (0:53)
Pros - (2:15)
Cons - (13:34)
Recommender Score - (15:32)
Ashton's Personal Score - (18:18)

Support us:
https://www.patreon.com/shelfside
https://ko-fi.com/shelfside

Our Website!
https://www.shelfside.co/

Purchase Games We’ve Reviewed! (Paid Link)
https://amazon.com/shop/shelfside

Shelfside Social Media:
https://twitter.com/ShelfSideYT
https://www.instagram.com/shelfsideboardgames/
https://www.facebook.com/ShelfsideYT/
https://discord.gg/U7QQKqYT62

Links to our other stuff:
Ashton's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/ashtonwu
Daniel's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/doyduh2

#boardgames #tabletop #review

O/U Discussion with Pierre, Joe, Luke Gearing and Seedling

20. November 2025 um 07:05

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Joe Dewhurst and I recently took part in a massive, month-long, real-time play-by-post, multi-faction sci-fi roleplaying game called OVER/UNDER, based on the Prospero’s Dream Mothership module, which billed itself as a wargame! More than 1,600 players took part, and it was a genuinely unique experience.

A small number of players were assigned as faction “bosses,” and we’ve managed to wrangle a couple of them to come talk about the game and how things looked from their side: indie RPG designers Luke Gearing and Seedling. OVER/UNDER's designer, Sam Sorensen, also created his own wargame called Cataphracts - seemingly built from TTRPG first principles - which is fascinating in its own right so we'll likely chat about that too.

Check out Luke's work at lukegearing.blot.im
Check out Seedling's work at https://seedlinggames.com/

Top 100 Board Games | Which Games Have Risen or Fallen? Several New Entries

18. November 2025 um 18:39

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PATREON

https://www.patreon.com/chairmanoftheboard

INSTAGRAM

https://instagram.com/chairman_board

KIENDA DISCOUNT LINK

Use my Kienda link below to receive a 5% discount off your first order (£60+ spend)

https://kienda.co.uk/login?ref=1028908&create_account=1

THALAMUS

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/426319/thalamus

https://youtu.be/QwftMw5sk64

available for purchase on BGG, eBay, or by direct contact for international sales.

CONTACT

chairmangames@hotmail.com

Ink Board Game Review | A Gorgeous Tile-Laying Puzzle of Color & Combos

18. November 2025 um 18:00

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Dive into Ink, a stunning tile-laying board game where colour, creativity, and clever timing collide. In this review, I take a close look at how Ink blends strategic placement, area building, and cascading objectives into one of the most visually striking puzzle games of the year.

If you enjoy games like Cascadia, Azul, or Calico, Ink might be your next favourite. With its growing “painting,” smart bottle-management system, and powerful bonus actions, this one delivers huge combo moments and a ton of replay value.

00:00 Intro
00:29 Complexity & Play Count
02:10 Victory Conditions & How It Plays
07:46 Skills
08:35 Final Thoughts
14:30 Contact & Socials



#BoardGames #TabletopGaming #BrainsOnGames #InkBoardGame #BoardGameReview #KasperLapp #FinalScoreGames #TileLaying #StrategyGames #AbstractGames #FamilyBoardGames #PuzzleGames #BoardGameCommunity #LearnToPlay
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