Tulikko

• Designer: Jerome Soleil and Nicolas Melet 
• Publisher: Studio H
• Players: 2-4
• Age: 8+
• Time: 20 mins
• Played with review copy provided by Pandasaurus

 Legend has it that Tulikko, the fire fox, lives hidden among the animal spirits in the depths of the forests of the far north. On certain winter nights, he runs so fast that he produces sparks that rise into the sky to create the Northern Lights.  Explore these mystical forests to discover the territories of the animal spirits and be the first to reveal their secrets!  Tulikko is a game of tile-laying and optimization set in a dreamlike Scandinavian world!

Carefully choose the Forest tiles by sliding them of the central board and arrange them as best you can on your personal board to accommodate your Animal Spirits.
Complete objectives and trigger special powers and be the first to place all your tokens to win the game!

Continue reading →

1975: White Christmas

• Designer: Albert Reyes 
• Publisher: Looping Games
• Players: 1-4
• Age: 12+
• Time: about 25 mins per player
• Review by Derek J

1975: White Christmas specifically simulates Operation Frequent Wind. The “White Christmas” song isn’t just flavor text; it serves as the thematic anchor for the evacuation signal. On April 29, 1975, the operation began in the morning when the following message was heard on Saigon radio: “The temperature in Saigon is 105 degrees and rising.” followed by a broadcast of the Bing Crosby song “White Christmas”. The mechanics reflect real-world logistics, such as helicopters needing to return to carriers to unload rescued civilians before the city falls. 

Continue reading →

Shallow Sea

• Designer: Yeom.C.W
• Publisher: Bad Comet
• Players: 1-4
• Age: 14+
• Time: 30-45 mins
• Played with review copy provided by publisher

In Shallow Sea, a multi-layered puzzle board game inspired by the breathtaking beauty of the Great Barrier Reef, players create their own vivid ocean landscapes by strategically arranging an array of marine life, colorful fish, and corals. Unlike typical puzzle games in which pieces merely stack up, the elements in Shallow Sea can activate, deactivate, and even move, creating exciting combos and thought-provoking dilemmas that keep you on your toes.

On your turn, choose tiles showing fish, coral, or sea life, and place them on an empty space on your board. When fish surround a coral of the same color, you flip over the completed coral, which becomes a home for fish. Choose which fish will inhabit the coral, keeping the puzzle and ecosystem cards in mind. Use seashells to lure fish and move them, ideally completing multiple coral at once if you build them strategically.

Invite other creatures to enrich your ocean, trying to match the distinct scoring requirements of the ecosystem cards in order to score the most points.

  Continue reading →

Countryside

• Designer: Peter Prinz
• Publisher: nanox games 
• Players: 1-4
• Age: 10+
• Time: 60 mins
• Played with review copy provided by publisher

In Countryside, you are a farmer with a vision, and you want to build the most thriving and efficient farm the land has ever seen. To do so, you will expand your territory by playing area cards and cultivate it with trees, vegetables, animals, and more. Will you raise live-stock in lush meadows, plant trees in your garden, or focus on growing hearty crops? Every decision counts as the right combination of items, perfect timing, and smart planning will bring you step by step closer to your goal. Balance your strategy and manage your resources wisely in this competitive game as you race to earn the title of the region’s top farmer.

  Continue reading →