Decrypto

Welcome

It’s hard to imagine my childhood without TCGs: hours

At a Glance

KING OF TOKYO, SUSHI GO!, KINGDOMINO, SUB TERRA AND THE CHAMELEON CREATORS BRINGING AWARD-WINNING FAMILY FAVOURITES AND PARTY HITS TO TABLETOP GAMING LIVE

First Turn

Before stranding us as Robinson Crusoe or those First Martians, Poland’s top designer bashed together a silly party game named Machina that accidentally changed his life

10 of the Best

Unplug and give those square eyes a rest: plenty of digital games have made the leap into the analogue world, but the results can be varied. If you’re looking for a high score, though, you won’t go wrong by getting the download on these

Role Call

Ninjas, superspies, Middle-earth and a journey to the far wilds of Venus

All the Jahres

Replaying the winners of the Spiel des Jahres so you don’t have to

My Favourite Game

The Wordsy designer, ferret fan and channel-surfer behind The Networks recalls how he went from being shocked to electrified by the messiness of Power Grid

Have You Played?

The sci-fifavourite takes place in a universe full to the brim with alien races, but it’s the game’s human elements that have kept it just as electrifying – and hilarious – for more than four decades. That’s just about the only thing not open to negotiation…

Kickstarting from Scratch

With Art Deck’s campaign underway, Holly Gramazio takes us through the anxiety and excitement of the first 24 hours of launching a project… once you finally manage to press ‘GO’

The Independent Shelf

If you spent hours playing retro sports games, this fast and fluid American football star will have you cheering in no time

Through the Ages

Games are better together, and teaming up with friends serves as the basis of some of the tabletop’s very best experiences: from cracking crimes to fighting evil

Play it Smart

As tabletop tournaments grow in prestige and popularity, could we see games stand alongside athletics on the world stage? Our professors give it a spor ting chance

Unearthed Artefacts

++YEAR 3122++INCOMING TRANSMISSION++ found sector n4: pastime x17 – board game – “wildlifefisafari”

Tabletop Time Machin

You would think a board game about the news would become

25 Years of Magic

The world’s biggest card game remains just as enchanting and utterly engrossing a quarter-century on. Designers, artists and fans join us to celebrate the ultimate creature comfort

Runequest

Greg Stafford turned his teenage spiritual soul-searching into a remarkable fantasy world. When he found Steve Perrin, the result was a D&D-rivalling RPG that would change roleplaying forever

How We Made

The flexible RPG system put no limits on creativity and let players take their story into their own hands, leading to some of the most imaginative roleplaying experiences out there

Ogre

One massive armoured robot tank against an entire army. 30 years on, the battle is still raging. Steve Jackson looks back at his monster creation

CIA Games

When the CIA revealed it was using board games to train its agents, no-one expected them to ever see the light of day. Then, suddenly, the tabletop secrets were out there for all to play

Capstone

When Clay Ross found himself craving meatier board games, he started up his own label to resurrect tabletop heavyweights. Now Capstone is diving fully into the deep end with its first original design

Champions of the Galaxy

For most of his life, Tom Filsinger has been working on his dream project: a sci-fiwrestling card game inspired by comic-book legends. Meet the Champions of the Galaxy

Century: Eastern Wonders

A sequel/expansion that proves that spice is the variety of life

A Song of Ice and Fire: Tabletop Miniatures Game

All minis must die

The Mind

It’s the year’s most controversial game, and it’s mental

RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha

Adventure in a Bronze-Age world of magic and mysticism

Imaginarium

Construct your own contrabulous fabtraptions in a steampunk fantasy plant

Dungeons & dragons: Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes

Devils and demons for your Dungeons & Dragons

Kero

Get your fill in this frantic dice-chucker

Drop it

It’s Tetris meets Connect Four - but its rulebook drops the ball

History of the World

The rise and fall of empires ascends to new heights

Space Base

Too much base in your face?

Big Trouble in Little China: The Game

This retro trip to the ‘80s is style over substance

Shards of Infinity

To Infinity and beyond deckbuilding

Helionox: Deluxe Edition

Space, the final dominion

Fae

A simple surface hides a game with plenty of spirit

Barker’s Row

Step right up and try your luck!

Unlock! Secret Adventures

Designers: Lewis Cheshire, Arch Stanton, Thomas Cauët

Fantastiqa: Rival Realms

Designer: Alf Seegert | Artist: Caspar David Friedrich

Hexpanse

A future not to look forward to

Painting guide

Dive into the dreamy domain of Jerry Hawthorne’s family-friendly fantasy adventure by giving its squad of huggable heroes a colourful makeover

Dungeon Master’s Guide to Roleplaying

A few sentences can give your world the delicious splash of flavour needed to bring it to life in the minds of your players. But what should you say? And how do you make sure it’s brevity rather than blathering? Here are a few choice words…

Event Report

Keary Birch runs us through the biannual Leicester-based roleplaying meet-up that emerged from one of the UK’s longest-running conventions

Shop Spotlight

Ross Bingham went from talking about games on a podcast to running his own hobby café. He tells us how he ended up turning his dream into a reality