Welcome

We’re only a handful of months into 2018, but it already

At a Glance

Your 30-second guide to the latest in gaming

First Turn

The Fantasy Flight brain behind Star Wars: Rebellion reflects on his first lead designer credit: 2007’s epic adaptation of Blizzard PC game StarCraft

10 of the Best

Looking for your next gaming obsession? You won’t find much better than these card games, with hundreds or even thousands of cards to fine-tune your custom deck. Prepare to surrender your free time – and your wallet!

All the Jahres

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

My Favourite Game

The Magic: The Gathering pro turned deckbuilder designer explains why he finds the simplicity of Fluxx inspiring

Have You Played?

The Cold War heats up in this tense head-tohead battle for global control that’s become one of the most celebrated wargames of all time. Who knew nuclear peril could be so much fun?

Kickstarting from Scratch

Holly Gramazio turns to creators that have already succeeded at finding an audience on Kickstarter – and the crowdfunding site itself – to ask for essential advice on perfecting her campaign

The Independent Shelf

The follow-up to cult horror hit Psycho Raiders is a brutal race for survival in a twisted world. Forget about a fair fight and start running

Through the Ages

Claiming global domination has been a mainstay of tabletop strategy for decades, but taking over the world has come in many forms, from Risk to Small World

Tabletop Time Machine

There was a great boom in the production and playing

Godtear

After Guild Ball and Dark Souls, Steamforged’s most ambitious project yet sees the worlds of miniatures and board games collide. Lead developer Alex Hall reveals why Godtear is the biggest leap for the studio to date – and what we can expect

Critical Role

The world’s biggest Dungeons & Dragons campaign has changed the face of roleplaying forever – and its cast have had an absolute blast along the way. Critical Role’s Matthew Mercer and Liam O’Brien reveal how a birthday treat turned into a cultural phenomenon and what’s in store for season two

How We Made

Don Eskridge’s devious social deduction debut was a rich mix of manipulation, deception and accusation. Nearly a decade on, the designer discusses the influence of improvised comedy, the controversy of teaching people how to lie and his playful approach to what comes next

Board Game Collectors

While most of us buy games for the experience, others make it their lifetime’s work to obtain a complete collection. How far would you go for the ultimate set?

Hellboy

Nazi-punching, devilishly funny and wonderfully weird, Hellboy is the superhero that the tabletop – and the rest of the world – needs right now. James M. Hewitt offers a peek at what his upcoming co-op comic-book adventure has in store

Level 99 Interview

Marvel and DC aren’t the only ambitious shared universes out there. D. Brad Talton Jr. takes us on a tour of the fantasy home of Level 99’s games

Play it Smart

What’s in a game? Our doctors consider what allows the tabletop to stand apart from its digital counterparts

Wolfgang Kramer

He popularised the meeple, revolutionised the way we score games, pioneered countless mechanics from area control to action points and has won the fabled Spiel des Jahres award more times than anyone else. Meet Wolfgang Kramer, a true living legend of gaming

Unearthed Artefacts

++YEAR 3121 ++ INCOMING TRANSMISSI0N ++ found sector v12: pastime x17 – board game – “escape from 100 million bc”

Jellybean

A former animator is bringing a touch of Disney magic to card games. Tania Walker talks monsters, ladies and why every drawing counts

Star Wars: Legion

Adrenaline-pumping tactical battles in a galaxy far, far away

Rising Sun

Is the follow-up to Blood Rage a worthy successor?

Stuffed Fables

Hard times for soft toys in a dungeoncrawler with a fluffy difference

GKR: Heavy Hitters

Rowdy robots mech a good impression

The Palace of Mad King Ludwig

You’re gonna need a bigger moat…

Ancestree

Discover your roots in this drafting game of long-lost ancestors

Civilization (2018 Edition)

The original empire-builder returns, but is it stuck in an age gone by?

Cosmogenesis

Creating a universe gets fiddly

Welcome to Centerville

Building a small town, six dice at a time

The One Ring RPG: Oaths of the Riddermark

Life and death in the saddle

Meeple Circus

Designer: Cédric Millet | Artist: Angelina Costamagna

DreadBall: Second Edition

If Blood Bowl is the fantasy American football of miniatures

Paper Tales

Sheet Fighter

A Handful of Stars

A thrilling but flawed crescendo to a distinguished deckbuilding trilogy

My Little Pony: tails of Equestria: The Official Movie Sourcebook

A roleplaying expansion worth ponying up for

Farlight

Designer: Nicky Sibicky | Artists: Dann May, Zheng

The White Box

The White Box is, according to its lid, a ‘game design

Cowboy Bebop CCG: Spike vs Vicious

Anime card battles with added corgis

Painting guide

The dark world of the Lovecraftian adventure game becomes even more terrifying with a splash of colour. From the horrifying Deep Ones to the even weirder denizens of the Arkham Horror universe, follow our tips to ensure your monsters look magnificent

Dungeon Master’s Guide to Roleplaying

Don’t be afraid of embracing the cliché – borrowing from your favourite books, films and games can be an easy way of creating a fun character that you can then put your own personal spin on

Event Report

Steve Snow reveals what makes the Sheffield show the North’s easiest-going meet-up and plans for a second convention in Derby later this year

Shop Spotlight

Ray Reaney reveals how his childhood friendship (and rivalry) with David Bradburn led them to open the Hull store