WELCOME

Oh, hello. You might have noticed that your regularly scheduled

BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO

Whoa! Did you feel that? The axis of the tabletop

BON APPÉTIT ASMODEE

If you’ve been playing ‘Who does Asmodee own now?’ bingo,

AS IF IN A DREAM

What’s that? You’re not sick to death of Cthulhu board

BLOODY BRILLIANT

RPG fans can breathe a big sigh of relief: a

BEAR WITH ME

Here’s some news that will likely leave half of you

WAYLAND GETS WILD

Just four years after sci-fi alt-history miniatures title Wild West

THE YEAR OF AGRICOLA

Agricola turns the big 10 next year, and publisher Lookout

ABSOLUTE MADNESS

We really enjoyed Mansions of Madness’ app-powered second edition when

LET SLIP THE EXPANSIONS OF WAR

Not had enough of Cry Havoc? Good, because publisher Portal

THE NEW BLACK

Chain-smokers, womanisers, alcoholics, murderers and fans of Stetson hats, rejoice

ELEMENTARY, MY DEAR WATSON

If you were paying attention towards the end of last

A DASH OF KINGS

Fans of lesser-known localised delights, rejoice! Mayday Games has struck

OUTSIDE THE BOX THOMAS PIKE

The writer and games designer answers the question on everyone’s lips

MY FAVOURITE GAME ANNE-MARIE DE WITT

Fireside Games’ CEO and designer of The Village Crone reveals the impact traditional count-and-capture title Mancala has had on her own work

COUNTER VIEW BECKY OTTERY

The co-owner of Reading’s Eclectic Games examines how a games retailer deals with the overwhelming number of new releases unveiled during Essen

10 OF THE BEST… PARTY GAMES

With the festive season fast approaching, it’s a good bet

ROLE CALL

John Dodd picks out a Christmas selection of upcoming roleplaying game releases for the end of 2016 and the start of the New Year

ALL THE JAHRES

James Wallis replays the winners of the Spiel des Jahres in order

MECH IT HAPPEN

Scythe lead designer Jamey Stegmaier recalls the origins of the strategy game’s alternate-history setting, working with artist Jakub Różalski and taking the ‘extermination’ out of 4X

The magnificent 7

As RPG publisher Cubicle 7 turns a decade old, Matt Jarvis and CEO Dominic McDowall look back on the British company’s work with Doctor Who, Lord of the Rings and Cthulhu, before asking what comes next

THE RESISTANCE

Matt Jarvis spies on Don Eskridge’s Werewolf-like social deduction party game and discovers its irresistible charm

THE MAKING OF... CODENAMES

Vlaada Chvátil – if that is his real name – tells Owen Duffy how growing up in the Soviet bloc, his dad’s homemade Monopoly and learning to code video games led to the creation of his acclaimed party hit

MALIFAUX

Wyrd Henchman David Brown takes on novice Nobby in this magic-fuelled gang war in a parallel dimension

CAST A SPIEL ON YOU

We run through the exciting new announcements, ones to watch and tabletop highlights from the biggest Essen yet

PANDEMIC: REIGN OF CTHULHU

What happens if you cross deadly disease with unspeakable horror? It’s bad news for the human race but good news for tabletop fans, as Matt Jarvis finds out

A NEW REIGN

Pandemic creator Matt Leacock and Reign of Cthulhu lead designer Chuck D. Yager talk about swapping deadly diseases for the wrath of ancient cosmic deities

CRY HAVOC

Thomas Pike lets slip the dogs of war on the card-driven strategy title

CAPTAIN SONAR

Climb aboard as Matt Jarvis dives into the frantic co-op party game

TICKET TO RIDE: RAILS & SAILS

Rob Burman discovers whether it’s smooth sailing for Alan R. Moon’s latest or if it’s all gone off the tracks instead

MEAL TICKET

Ticket to Ride creator and two-time Spiel des Jahres winner Alan R. Moon reveals Rails & Sails’ unlikely origins in ‘50s trading cards and why he’ll work on the series forever

HIT Z ROAD

Thomas Pike sets off on a journey to discover whether the zombie genre can be saved by this quirky entry

THE DRAGON & FLAGON

Matt Jarvis hopes he’s not cruisin’ for a bruisin’ with this review of Stronghold Games’ bar brawler

BETRAYAL AT HOUSE ON THE HILL: WIDOW’S WALK

Matt Jarvis ventures into the co-op horror title’s expansion

‘MOSTLY WE'RE LOOKING FOR REALLY GOOD IDEAS THAT MAKE PEOPLE'S EYES BUG OUT’

Betrayal at House on the Hill: Widow’s Walk lead designer Mike Selinker and Avalon Hill brand lead Shelly Mazzanoble discuss the first expansion for the co-op horror game

FINAL FANTASY TRADING CARD GAME

Matt Jarvis finds out whether the video game spin-off is more than a simple Magic clone

ESCAPE FROM COLDITZ: 75TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

Matt Jarvis shines a spotlight on a revamped version of a British board game icon

THE GREAT ESCAPE

Escape from Colditz co-creator Brian Degas and Osprey Games developer Duncan Molloy discuss restoring the 1973 British classic for a modern audience

BEASTS OF BALANCE

Tired of trying to get his cat to balance on the dog’s back, Matt Jarvis turns to this quirky connected game of zoological stacking

3 WISHES

Is Strawberry Studio’s new micro game a dream come true? Rob Burman makes a wish

D&D: TYRANTS OF THE UNDERDARK

Is it a board game? Is it a card game? Where does D&D come into it? Matt Jarvis casts some light on the underdarkness

ISLEBOUND

Thomas Pike sets sail anticipating shallows but encounters unexpected depth in this naval strategy title

THE WALKING DEAD: ALL OUT WAR

Matt Jarvis checks out Mantic's miniatures take on the comic book hit

FANTAHZEE: HORDES & HEROES

Matt Jarvis finds a lightweight dice game to love in Ryan Miller's latest

A GAME OF THRONES: HAND OF THE KING

This lightweight card game has certainly earned favour with Matt Jarvis

POTION EXPLOSION

Does this lightweight marble-matcher have the formula for success? Matt Jarvis gets all mixed up

ELFENLAND

Amigo spiel+ Freizeit GmbH | £19.99 | Family 2-6 Players

CODENAMES: PICTURES

Czech Games Edition | £15.99 | Party | 2- 8

THE CIVILIZED GUIDE TO TABLETOP GAMING: RULES EVERY GAMER MUST LIVE BY

Teri Litorco’s handbook is a lighthearted intro to the tabletop world, writes Matt Jarvis

TABLETOP WARGAMES: A DESIGNERS’ AND WRITERS’ HANDBOOK

Thomas Pike digs into this exploration of wargaming design

MAGNUS

Is this documentary about the ‘Mozart of chess’ a checkmate or a blunder? Matt Jarvis finds out

DEEP CUT NEO-TOKYO PLAY MAT

Deep Cut | £35(3*3') £50(4*4') £65(4*6') PVC, cloth, mousepad |

FLAT MINIS SECOND WAVE

The second wave of Flat Minis’ eponymous 2D miniatures introduces

PAINTING GUIDE: BUSHIDO JUNG PIRATES STARTER SET

Andy Leighton of Deathwatch Studios demonstrates ‘brushido’ – the way of the painter – by bringing the latest faction of GCT Studios’ oriental fantasy miniatures game to life

GAMESFEST

Mark Lucas, co-founder of the Tring-based convention, talks about attracting a mainstream audience to Hertfordshire, why X-Wing and D&D are the perfect games for the show, and plans for the event’s tenth anniversary in 2017

LUDORATI

Nicholas J Higgins, managing director of the Nottingham board games café, discusses the growing popularity of mixing the tabletop with tea – and reveals the best dice and drink combinations

MONOPOLY: PRISONERS OF WAR EDITION (1941)

There are few households that don’t own a copy of