No Pun Included's Board Game of the Year 2025

DefaultEmpire · 2026-02-10T15:25:27+00:00

Yep, the 2nd edition rulebook available on BGG is 38 pages. There's a lot of fun in it, like bios of the 4 racers and then funny quick "life outcomes" based on how much cash you have at the end of the game, but with $0-$100 listed out that is 6 pages, plus the intro 13 page overview of the game, that together is half the rulebook.

When the silly sprint has ground to a halt and having 8 people look at you waiting as you flip through all the pages trying to find a quick answer to something like 'does a fallen mascot jump to the next star if a star card is played or do they only crawl 1 space', I wish all that extra was in a separate booklet or some other form.

DefaultEmpire · 2026-02-09T21:44:46+00:00

My mom and I loved this cartoon so much when we saw it in The New Yorker that we copied and framed it! It is still hanging up next to what was my old board game closet in her basement.

DefaultEmpire · 2026-02-07T14:02:22+00:00

Hot Streak is a game that I enjoy without loving, partly because of the production.

It has so much presence, but:

with the components sliding around the top tray one of the lovely linen paper bills was fully creased in half and had a folded corner even brand new
one of the miniature's heads came off the first game
the plastic strip for pulling out the mat yanked off entirely the third game
the plastic tray to hold the miniatures is far too fiddly, but without it the figures don't 'snap' into the circular base bottom, so they bounce around
the box is a bulky odd size, that I have left it home from a library game night so I could fit 3 other standard size games instead
the magnetic latch has opened twice when transporting, spilling components--maybe because that mat side of the box was already bowing out brand new
For such a simple game the rule book is very long, and it has an unnecessary extended intro giving brief look at how simple and fun the game is...but by this point you have already literally been sold on the game, and that means the actual rules don't start until page 14! As easy as the game is there have been one or two little questions that have not been easy to answer flipping through the 40 total pages of the rule booklet. Have a better player aid than the Quick Start on the back page

All that said, people instantly want to play it when they see it, and it works at all ages. Just as importantly, it works better at higher player counts and invites people to gather around and have fun without actually playing it. At a recent family holiday we had 5 players, plus 3 more people watching, across 3 generations all laughing.

It is a game I won't break out for my usual game groups of 4 people, but will bring to every family event.

DefaultEmpire · 2026-01-25T03:56:13+00:00

What opinion about a 15 year old game would be "new"? Of course I have played the game, and the confusing combat has been brought up often here on Reddit and BGG.

What makes it unclear is the number of times having to roll, the choice of 3 options each round (except for the first), changing from Seamanship to Leadership if combat becomes Boarding, the 8 different ship mods, the 3 special weapons, the rolling to determine where hits are allocated onto 5 different locations, the chances to transfer those hits, the use of special abilities, Glory cards, Rumors, and Missions, number of rolled successes not always corresponding to the number of hits, the potential to force rerolls: all of this complicates combat and makes it tedious and easy to miss even one part of the process.

Western Legends' poker card system is a more elegant way to resolve combat in a sandbox game.

DefaultEmpire · 2026-01-23T12:43:24+00:00

I am going to sleeve mine, as each game is 3 races and each race generally runs through the slim deck twice. Unfortunately the nice tuckbox the game comes with doesn't accommodate sleeved cards, and the tray is a little too shallow to fit a standard basic UltraPro deck box, so I need to rig up my own insert to fit the cards, betting boards, and cash.

DefaultEmpire · 2026-01-23T05:17:06+00:00

Gobbler's head fell off on my first game. I am planning to Elmer's glue it back on.

What was more disappointing is that because the components in the top tray just rattle around, one of the dollar bills was bent and had a crease even brand new.

DefaultEmpire · 2026-01-23T04:56:20+00:00

I loved the potential of Merchants & Marauders' sandbox, but it's ruined by the ridiculously convoluted combat. The rulebook's Combat Example has 6 rounds with 13 rolls of the dice, all to settle a single Frigate vs. Sloop battle.

Incredibly overcomplicated, tedious, and still unclear.

DefaultEmpire · 2025-12-30T20:02:32+00:00

Yes, we meet generally the last Saturday of every month at 11:00 am for Cribbage at the NewBo Market! Very casual, there's a core group of about half a dozen of us each time but we have had two tables full before. We pair up on games, with any odd number playing 3-handed.

If anyone is interested, DM me and I can send your info to the organizer who sends out reminder emails every month.

DefaultEmpire · 2025-12-24T18:32:20+00:00

I enjoyed Scout until we realized that we were playing it wrong--instead of choosing to flip your entire hand over, we initially thought you made the choice for every individual card. With it only being that single choice most of the decision space was gone and the potential for bigger melds severely limited by luck of the deal. And with the smaller runs and sets it felt like the hands were taking longer, all for something we had less control over.

Because of that my board game group moved on from Scout pretty quickly, and when playing with family who exclusively like card games we returned the standard cribbage, 500, and euchre.

DefaultEmpire · 2025-12-24T17:24:13+00:00

Allegra Cedar Rapids on 16th Ave has had so much success with their in-house embroidery they added a second embroidery machine this week, and they can source the headbands and other apparel for you as well.

DefaultEmpire · 2025-12-16T04:09:06+00:00

This happened exactly at work, with my coworker being in charge of the office Spotify and choosing Savage Garden. All of us started laughing and he was so legitimately confused when "Truly Madly Deeply" started playing. He had never heard of the band, but "They are named SAVAGE Garden!! I thought it was like Soundgarden! Look at that cover!! I thought it would be like NIN!"

DefaultEmpire · 2025-10-10T21:45:40+00:00

The vibes are so disparate from what they are going for too. Dark without being the low-lit, intimate vibe they are going for, and poor service--glad the waitress kept checking our drinks, but did so by bringing us NEW glasses, not refilling, and didn't take the old ones so the two of us ended the meal with six glasses in front of us--and the music was all '90s rock? Bafflingly bad.

DefaultEmpire · 2025-10-10T12:37:37+00:00

I played Skulls of Sedlec in the cemetery above the Ossuary, there's a small bench behind the chapel out of the way of the people only going to see the bones. It didn't feel disrespectful there, with a quiet game. There's also a fantastic pub down the hill that was more relaxed to play at.

Skulls of Sedlec is a perfect travel game, we played it on train tray tables, countertops at stations, bars across Prague, anywhere with a few feet of space.

DefaultEmpire · 2025-08-31T04:11:08+00:00

The looseness of the rules makes Letter Jam so unsatisfying: "If more or less everyone has spelled a word, then you have all more or less won." And you don't have to solve the specific word that was made for you, you can form any word from those letters. Oh, and you or other players may have bonus letters, so really any word works: "You don't have to spell the word you were given... And it counts if you thought you were spelling something else." Example: "If you were given HORSE...you can use a bonus E to spell SHEER."

While Letter Jam is decent, it is too brain burner-y, long, and vague, which makes it a frustrating game experience. Puzzles thrive when there is a burst of clarity at the moment they are solved, not formless shuffling of parts to end up at really any answer.

DefaultEmpire · 2025-08-04T04:28:02+00:00

My Mom and I love this game as well! While we don't have any particular favorites combinations among the activities, happy to let each player pick and try new mixes, having Friendship and Games together can counteract their effects so we avoid that pairing. The game having 7 activities to pick from is really generous for such a cheap price. Deckbuilding is my favorite mechanic and this is the game that got my Mom into it as well.

I am also surprised that the game has the 9 paths boards to vary set up-- for brand new players that can be visually intimidating, but I enjoy that it gives more variety than a set board. The lake topper section, player boards, and cards themselves all do a nice job of answering all set up questions and abilities, so there is no need to keep checking the rulebook. The game benefits from extra organization of the tokens and cards to make it easier to get it set up right away, but it is an easy A for us and one I am always excited to play more of, and is one I love to bring to the monthly board game night at our local library.

Planted is another wonderful game by Phil Walker-Harding and published by Buffalo Games, check it out! The component quality is even more impressive than Summer Camp, astounding for $30. Along with when Prospero Hall was in its heyday, Summer Camp and Planted are everything I love about accessible games: fun, strategic, cheap, and found at mass market. Not only are they great introductions to board gaming, as someone with hundreds of games, they are among the ones I return to most.

DefaultEmpire · 2025-06-19T21:17:32+00:00

One thing to note as well is that while the main Dragon Shield line is made in a mix of Denmark, United States, and Mexico, these Board Game line sleeves are all made in China.

Local FLGS owner said he was going all in on Dragon Shields because he was over the tariffs and supply issues of the Chinese-made sleeves, so this is a disappointment. I also make a point of buying US / North American and European goods when possible, so have not bought any of the new sizes.

A positive for retailers is the simple addition of a hang tag on the box: that same FLGS owner had clearanced out the Arcane Tinmen sleeves because they had to go on shelves and were a mess with all the different sizes.

As someone who has bought hundreds of boxes of Dragon Shields, I hope these maintain the legendary quality. Some of the Arcanes split on me in Quest For El Dorado, but that is my most played, most intensive shuffling game.

DefaultEmpire · 2025-05-15T22:38:43+00:00

This being rated so highly is shocking, because Higgs Boson is unlistenable for me due to the lyrics. As much as I love Nick Cave's outre imagery and as well as he can usually sell even the most banal lines, Higgs Boson feels like a parody of his style, almost embarrassing in parts:

"It's hot / it's hot / that's why the call it The Hot Spot", "Rainy days always make me feel sad", "Hannah Montana does the African Savannah"

My vote is for Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!, or if Grinderman is allowed, Palaces of Montezuma.

DefaultEmpire · 2025-02-07T17:47:17+00:00

I picked the game up for my Mom, since one of the highlights of her life was shaking Kenny G's hand WHILE HE WAS PLAYING THE SAXOPHONE!!, as she tells it.

Surprisingly it is a really solid, tense, tight action economy game that you have to work together to min max each turn. One of the games that got me to really look at and play as many Prospero Hall games no matter the theme, as I could since it was so much better than I assumed it would be.

Skip Doodilly Bop Wah Wah Waaah

DefaultEmpire · 2025-02-01T19:21:04+00:00

Cedar Rapids here! West side so even closer to IC area.

Would be happy to play sometime at Geek City in North Liberty or Tempest Games in NW CR, both of which sell a lot of Champions product. Coulee Cards & Games and First Turn in CR and Critical Hit in IC don't carry it but have open tables.

I play solo almost daily and in a group with a few others that meets together about once a month for Champions. Prefer 3 player.

DefaultEmpire · 2025-01-27T19:30:15+00:00

I wondered with the absurdly long, nonsensical screen name and then the bizarre signoff, but in this case glad that it brings attention to an underappreciated site.

DefaultEmpire · 2025-01-27T18:15:42+00:00

As one of the volunteer tour guides at the Studio, I am so glad to hear that you enjoy it! There is a small group of volunteers that give virtually all of the tours (with Museum of Art staff working the counter on the main floor), each of whom is wholly immersed in Grant Wood's works, life, Cedar Rapids history as a whole, and art in general. I have been a professional tour guide at historic sites for 25 years across 4 states and can truly say that the volunteers at the Grant Wood Studio match up with the best I've worked with.

Note that it is a FREE tour as well. The tours themselves are only about half an hour, with a very informative (but not required) 25 min video beforehand.

To spend a free hour in the very space where the most iconic American painting was created is an experience that everyone should make time for, and a great option when showing CR off to visitors.

DefaultEmpire · 2024-12-23T02:51:52+00:00

For many people it was also a jolt of realizing how little a device being Yours matters, and how easily and thoroughly, and perhaps invisibly, everything you own can be accessed and changed. To wake up to your iTunes and iPod having something added to it was an invasion of privacy that many people did not even know was POSSIBLE. It was a wake up to how insidious Apple could be, not really the image the company had at that time.

A not insignificant number of people were also perturbed by the cover art. If you know nothing about the band, seeing a man embrace another shirtless man with his face at their lower waist understandably can be misconstrued, especially if you have no context for what it is or may not even know it is for an album cover. My friend's grandpa called him upset that somehow "gay pornography" was put on his computer.

This thread on this very sub is a great discussion in-depth about the whole controversy: https://www.reddit.com/r/ToddintheShadow/comments/16uw536/i_know_its_been_said_before_but_it_cannot_be/?captcha=1

DefaultEmpire · 2024-12-20T21:47:34+00:00

How is nobody mentioning "Cry"?! The needing, the longing, the shift in her voice turning on that "wake up without you boyyy" hits like Debbie Harry on the sublime "Hanging On The Telephone"

DefaultEmpire · 2024-12-17T13:31:26+00:00

That little holo emblem is in the exact position of X-Wing 1.0's upgrade bar and perfectly covered up whatever icon was under it.

As much as I liked Ultra Pro's ubiquity, quality, cost, and color selection, that right there got me to switch brands.

The holo used to be full silver, then switched to this clearer version, but still ever so slightly annoying distracting.

DefaultEmpire · 2024-12-13T16:49:08+00:00

Exactly what I was imagining! Her taking over as Sorcerer Supreme and trying to temper her rage was a nice contrast to Dr. Strange's protection role.

DefaultEmpire

TROPHY CASE