Playing Card Information

Dale Yu: Review of Carnuta

Carnuta Designers: Yohan Goh, Hope S. Hwang, Gary Kim Publisher: Repos Production Players: 2-4 Age: 10+ Time: 25 minutes Played with review copy provided by publisher Welcome to the annual ceremony that brings together druids from distant lands! … <a href="https://opinionatedgamers.com/2026/02/10/dale-yu-review-of-carnuta/">Continue reading →</a>

Battlegroup Clash: Baltics - a professional wargame for a commercial audience

by <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/1?bloggerid=19169" >James Buckley</a> <div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8596236"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/oBnxPs9Ib14XggFjR1qqpA__small/img/hJVY3h1AMuGUICViI_jKTQRX9kI=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8596236.jpg" border=0></a></div> As the geopolitical environment becomes more tumultuous, the use of digital and analogue games by professionals to understand, model, and prepare for the future is coming to prominence. Professional wargaming is having its moment in the sun. I moved into the world of professional game design having been the head of development at a hobby board game publisher. My first professional role was helping with the development and production of Battlegroup Wargame System (BGWS). The game was commissioned by the British Army to encourage the development of a wargaming mentality in the organisation. While there are plenty of commercial wargames that cover tactical level combat, few are interested in capturing elements that precede a real life engagement: planning based on mission objectives, force capacity, tasking against specific time lines and geographic boundaries, and map work. That’s why they are not used for training by the army. BGWS is interested in that. I believed that a commercial audience would be too. So I began work on transforming BGWS - an umpire led-game specifically designed for military professionals - into what was to become <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/434134/battlegroup-clash-baltics" >Battlegroup Clash: Baltics</a>. A professional wargame, designed for a commercial audience. A game you can read about on BGG. Step 1 - What To Keep The two essential elements from BGWS I wanted to port to Battlegroup Clash: Baltics were the use of grid-based, real world maps, and the requirement to plan your operations before the game begins. To my knowledge, no land-based tactical commercial wargame uses real world maps. Very few give much focus on operational planning, at least not how modern armed forces actually do it. Step 2 - What To Drop BGWS requires both an umpire and an understanding of military concepts and approaches that is beyond most civilians. It uses off-the-shelf 1:10,000 mapping, and off board cards to track lots of information on the units in play. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/9385561"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/8HzvBkcdSpjLMoXaiVvw7A__small/img/GlVoz9rC1ng14kC5lf73DL5xUjE=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic9385561.jpg" border=0></a></div></center> <center>User playtest by British Army junior officers of Battlegroup Wargame System, the game that inspired Battlegroup Clash: Baltics.</center> To make it playable beyond the classroom, these features needed amending, and the game overall needed streamlining. A first major decision was to move away from maps that require judgement to understand and parse. I commissioned the creation of bespoke maps, created by computer-aided design. These are real world, based on satellite imagery of Estonia, but with overlaid borders to identify key terrain types. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/9371288"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/j0N5cteYQiw6ZtiBH023Hg__small/img/Iirb97CLqVmZfb6_Hewytk2972I=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic9371288.png" border=0></a></div></center> <center>Map B from Battlegroup Clash: Baltics. The game uses 1:10,000 maps developed from satellite imagery from Estonia, with grid lines overlaid. </center> A second major decision was to move the stats for each unit onto its counter, rather than having them on a separate sheet. This significantly eases game play at a lower play count; everything is in front of the player on the map. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/9371289"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/Raykeo1W9E74T8ZlIPrFCw__small/img/TZxW4xTpmGl2tSxyFB1a4OhMufU=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic9371289.jpg" border=0></a></div></center> <center>Battlegroup Clash: Baltics moves all the necessary information about the unit onto the counter (right). BGWS uses separate force cards for this instead of its counters (left).</center> A third major decision related to narrative. I wanted to move away from a generic ‘blue’ versus ‘red’ approach to the real world. The presence of a British Army Battlegroup in Estonia made that an obvious choice, and the game became NATO versus Russia in a hypothetical invasion by the latter of Estonia. Step 3 - What To Add Emphasising the present day narrative, and in keeping with my desire to create something that stood out from other tactical wargames, I decided to concentrate a lot of the design for Battlegroup Clash: Baltics on drones and electronic warfare. The war in Ukraine has shown the degree to which drone warfare has changed the battlefield. Electronic warfare has been around for longer, but its intersection with drones and cyber attacks makes it now almost as important as kinetic effects on the battlefield. In the game, every action that would generate some kind of radio or electronic transmission has the potential to be intercepted by the enemy. Intercepted transmissions can be used to target units for direct or indirect fires. Each side also gains access to Electronic Warfare Chits, that can be used on the battlefield for a variety of effects such as jamming your opponent’s recon drones. This is important as reconnaissance drones, called UAS, completely transform the battlefield in the game, providing virtually unlimited line of sight for indirect fire. Another type of kamikaze drone, known as a first person video drone (FPV), can be used to directly attack enemy units, providing a more accurate, if less powerful, alternative to mortars and artillery. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/9371291"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/0aMSll70HceqB2MGyZr9Kg__small/img/WplVj624b6OnzJWdHoiZ4iLP5Lc=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic9371291.jpg" border=0></a></div></center> <center>UAS effect. In the game a UAS gives unlimited line of sight to the four adjacent grid squares.</center> Testing the Game I wanted my playtesting team to combine folks with experience in both professional as well as commercial wargaming, and through a combination of persistence and good luck I was able to get both. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/9371311"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/htfvrxTc3JIaVwc7ibdPXg__small/img/tFDevZqwygGuDK_-i3u3DcepWs4=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic9371311.jpg" border=0></a></div></center> <center>Prototype counters used in a play test.</center> While Tabletop Simulator played a crucial role in the development and testing process, I learnt from my time as a hobby game developer that digital is not a substitute for a physical prototype, so I had physical copies made and tested them both at home, at my local club and at conventions. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/9371292"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/6vC8jns7wwclwxagMHQ_Dw__small/img/rq3g_ryElY7lW0YgkWBYO8uKJb4=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic9371292.jpg" border=0></a></div> Testing the two-mapper scenario at PunchedCON in Coventry, UK. </center> Making the Game Independent of the tariffs saga, I made a decision very early on that I wouldn’t get the game printed in China. China is funding Russia’s war in Ukraine, so it didn’t make sense to me to pay a Chinese company to make the game. Instead I chose EFKO in the Czech Republic. The price is higher than the Chinese alternative, but I can sleep easier with my choice. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/9371312"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/qRnvYLKN_OTQQnVIG1rCXw__small/img/e2gx8eyYH_UBeOP4QZWhGxWdfug=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic9371312.jpg" border=0></a></div> The box cover</center> Selling the Game Battlegroup Clash: Baltics is self-published, in the sense that I am releasing via my own company. I have sufficient experience of the board game industry to be able to do this, rather than having to use another publisher to release the game. This approach also allowed me to get the game to market very quickly. I considered using crowdfunding as the vehicle for selling the game, but I was concerned that the concept might not fly with customers from a professional background. Furthermore, I didn’t need funding to develop the game, just to print it, and decided that a simple pre-order system via the Sapper Studio website, which I use for my game development consultancy business, would suffice. I decided to make use of professional channels as well as traditional board game media to promote the game. This involved posting on LinkedIn and via the Fight Club Discord server, as well as hobby channels and events such as SD Histcon and Armchair Dragoons. The success of the game in terms of generating pre-orders very much exceeded my expectations. I had several hundred pre-orders within the first few months, meaning I could opt for a larger print run than I had anticipated. Now the game is out for general release, and it’s time to see if my customers agree that I have been able to create a professional wargame for a commercial audience. You can purchase a copy of Battlegroup Clash directly from Sapper Studio via this link <a target='_blank' href="https://www.sapperstudio.com/battlegr" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">https://www.sapperstudio.com/battlegr</a>. Alternatively check your with FLGS in your country that you know stock a good wargame selection.

Alison Brennan: Game Snapshots – 2026 (Part 7)

New-to-me games played recently include … SEERS CATALOG (2024): Rank 4270, Rating 6.9 Hand shedder where each player is dealt some secret powers to help shed. Which aren’t enough to help a bad hand and they slow things … <a href="https://opinionatedgamers.com/2026/02/09/alison-brennan-game-snapshots-2026-part-7/">Continue reading →</a>

Dale Yu: Review of EXIT: Adventures on Catan

EXIT: Adventures on Catan Designers: Inka and Markus Brand Publisher: KOSMOS Players: 1-4 Age: 10+ Time: 1-2 hours on the box (92 minutes IRL with our group of 4) Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/4rEcP3j Played with review copy provided by Thames&Kosmos … <a href="https://opinionatedgamers.com/2026/02/08/dale-yu-review-of-exit-adventures-on-catan/">Continue reading →</a>

Designer Diary: Abbates - From idle notion to publishing house

by <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/1?bloggerid=19741" >Robby Boey</a> <div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8555920"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/fHHfEKA-n3PSbebrI7ya9A__small/img/cNg6d2iKFgBduyDxUOpJCdun2LU=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8555920.png" border=0></a></div> The Museum Spark The whole story of <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/421014/abbates" >Abbates</a> traces back to a single weekend outing: a perfectly ordinary visit to museum M in Leuven, Belgium. Museums usually inspire me to admiration, contemplation, and maybe jealousy when confronted with artists who clearly have a greater talent than I do. Yet, halfway through the galleries, it was the museum gift shop that lodged the fateful splinter in my brain. Among books and postcards sat a board game derived from one of the museum’s artworks. That’s when my wife, who works at Bornem Abbey, turned to me and said, almost mischievously, “Wouldn’t it be great if we used Bornem Abbey as our own board game?” At first, it was just a thought experiment. But museums have a way of making ideas feel serious, as though monks, curators, and old medieval books are silently nodding in approval. By the time we were back home, the little notion had become a not-so-little itch; this could actually work. The abbey is practically begging to become cardboard: artifacts, stained glass, libraries, abbots, architecture, history, the works. And there’s something magical about transforming physical cultural heritage into a playful, interactive medium… a kind of preservation-through-play. Tiles, Heraldry, Cards, Grids, and the First Meeple The first draft was tile-based because of course it was: tile-layers are the early evolutionary stage of most Euro designs. I imagined players building a stylized abbey using square tiles, connecting rooms via coats of arms of abbots printed along the edges. It wasn’t terrible. It was even charming in that “this should probably be sold next to puzzles and tea towels” kind of way. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/9366979"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/VE06e75KYSmjaAYJm0IIww__small/img/hOASyLZ5qd0Vf_a6IRT1uC2Yb8E=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic9366979.png" border=0></a></div></center> But testing quickly revealed its limits: calm, pleasant, and almost entirely devoid of tension. It was the board game equivalent of a monk humming a lullaby in Gregorian chant. I felt the abbey deserved more verve, not chaos, but interaction. I wanted something where players would look up, watch each other, second-guess each other, and occasionally mutter mild insults under their breath. Shifting from tiles to cards unlocked new design space. The game transformed into a 4×4 grid of cards on the table, with a solitary meeple marching around like a tiny abbot conducting inspections, moved by the roll of a die. Activating a row or column allowed players to claim a card from it. A neat mechanism with just enough positional tension to matter, especially as every row and column also had their own effect that would benefit the winner of that round. But who got to claim first? Enter the first appearance of bidding cards numbered 1–13. Simple, but competitive. A touch of interaction, without turning into a knife fight. Already players were comparing intentions: “You want that stained-glass? Or are you bluffing?” The game was learning to talk socially. Shrinking the Abbey and Growing the Puzzle The next breakthrough came by shrinking the central 4×4 grid into a tighter 3×3. That small reduction made everything more deliberate as fewer spaces meant fewer choices and more pressure. Adding in a personal player tableau on which you would place the cards you won was another needed layer of gameplay. Now players didn’t just acquire cards, they needed to store them in their personal tableau. Rows and columns formed gentle patterns and scoring lines. Then I mirrored the central meeple onto each personal tableau. Your own meeple determined where newly drafted cards could be placed. No longer could players lazily optimize. The game began to tease, challenge, restrict. And when games tease, players lean in. With three cards per side around the 3×3 grid, there were three opportunities per round to bid. Initially, all bids were submitted blind and simultaneously. The idea worked logically; emotionally it felt bone-dry. Everyone revealed, shrugged, assigned cards, and moved on. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8555923"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/0lUstUOkgEkQsMFVmFJ90Q__small/img/q4x-RkFMzY_55_mJVp5jst7m22w=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8555923.jpg" border=0></a></div></center> What finally clicked after several test sessions with the amazing team of Bornem Abbey was sequential - open bidding. Each bidding moment became a micro-auction: clockwise, highest card wins, ties forbidden. Suddenly players had agency in tempo. Adding an advantage to the lowest bid, made underbidding a tactic by itself. Seize the initiative next round and additionally force oneself into taking the blind from the draw pile; a form of gamble that often paid off in surprising ways. The scoring system also matured around this time: three of a kind in a line scored 10, two scored 6, mismatches 3. It meshed beautifully with the abbey’s thematic triad: artifacts, stained glass, library books, and gave visitors a taste of actual abbey content without forcing it down their throats. Beans, Beans, the Monastic Currency and Rules And then… beans. Yes, beans. With rows of cards on your personal tableau now providing points, I added a central tableau, the abbey chapter room, on which you had a score track for… negative points. Tying this in with the cards proved to be a fresh new mechanic, another layer in the game. Low bidding cards gained white beans (up to four), indicating how far the central meeple marched on this track. High values bore fewer or none. Efficient for winning auctions, disastrous for bean logistics. Meanwhile collected cards bestowed black beans, advancing the personal meeple. And at game’s end, the distance between central and personal meeples produced negative points, resulting in a monastic bean-based tug-of-war. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/9366984"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/1SpgFSRtnaQ3cht46yXKvA__small/img/7AOxcUgb535tJA3uCZsHisqNbD0=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic9366984.png" border=0></a></div></center> Mechanically it added tempo management, shared-race pressure, and a new layer of tension. Thematically it became a playful abstraction of the actual voting system in abbeys. More importantly, playtesters kept talking about beans afterward. When players talk about a mechanism after the table is packed up, design is doing its job. The cards proved to be even more of a treasure vault for new mechanics. Every abbey needs rules, so ours gained one: St. Benedict’s. It rewarded players for sequencing bids cleverly: 1–7 first, 8–13 second, then even, then odd. Do it right and you earned a glorious 14-value card, worth a victory point at the end. It nudged players toward intentionality without being prescriptive. It also supplied flavor as monks love order, after all. Now everything clicks and the different mechanics just click. Feedback Thus armed, we marched to the Spel convention in Antwerp in November 2024 with five professionally printed prototypes. The booth was lively, feedback plentiful, and best of all, genuine strangers smiled while playing. This cannot be overstated: strangers are the ultimate calibrators of fun. Friends lie. Family lies. Colleagues lie because they must see you at lunch. Only random convention-goers express truth. People praised the tension and pace, but they also nudged the weak spots: scoring was a little too predetermined, patterns a bit too solvable, and the Rule of St. Benedict too predictable after repeat plays. All fair. All fixable. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8555928"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/pi3UpQB-7-odZoYh-vHsdg__small/img/dAd4RGD8ooPmeNN_wgUNT__brQo=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8555928.jpg" border=0></a></div></center> Back in our “war room,” scoring underwent surgery. Fixed 10/6/3 lines melted away and three starting revealed cards determined scoring values: 3/2/1 points per card for the three types. Instantly every game became a different economic ecosystem. Mission cards entered next with spatial objectives promising five points for pattern completion and halving negative bean-distance if fully satisfied. They gave structure, identity, and long-term ambition to players’ tableaus. The Rule of St. Benedict became modular via two double-sided guides per player, offering unique sequences and higher replay value. Suddenly players had strategic identities instead of purely tactical reactions. The prototype now felt alive and, importantly, replayable. A Deadline, a Printer, and Several Sleepless Months Then came the twist worthy of a thriller; the city of Bornem joined forces with the abbey to help fund a first run on the condition that the game launch by April 2025. When this condition was agreed, it was January. We still needed to finalize rules, translate gameplay into precise language, prep InDesign files, negotiate printing, and manufacture on time without resorting to cargo ships that behave like slow, unpredictable sea turtles. We selected Fabryka Kart: European, reliable, communicative, and they delivered with clock-like precision. Rulebooks printed, components boxed, meeples lacquered, games shrink-wrapped. In April, copies stood proudly for sale at the abbey. All this done at the end with many sleepless nights, working and editing, typing and designing. Nineteen months all-in-all from spark to shelf. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8555925"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/juQhI7gzP_IaP-da3n1dYg__small/img/OrRAgRdtriksiJIS5xsoqMQTzjE=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8555925.jpg" border=0></a></div></center> Pontifex Games Begins & Closing Reflections The funniest part of the whole odyssey is that the game was meant to be a one-off cultural project. Instead, it became the cornerstone of a publishing house: <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamepublisher/59452/pontifex-games" >Pontifex Games</a>. As of writing, we already have our second game, <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/456091/sacra-maioritas" >Sacra Maioritas</a> out, an <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/446692/abbates-bibliotheca" >expansion for Abbates</a> and our third release, <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/462442/via-peregrina" >Via Peregrina</a>, slated for February 2026. Apparently once you’ve printed one game, it’s difficult to stop. Monastic vices take many forms… In retrospect, designing for a real institution, with its own history, identity, and a tourism footprint, shaped countless design decisions. It demanded theme without theatrics, elegance without sterility, accessibility without boredom. And it revealed how physical sites and cultural spaces can find new life in cardboard. If I learned anything, it’s that creativity also thrives on constraints: theme, deadlines, and funding all played their part. And through all of it, the game stayed fun. Which, in the end, is the only reason to make one. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/9366986"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/ejJY4Mzxuk2kyauELmDFDg__small/img/6T5hcR0H_i4mf46fIjo21WaxnJM=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic9366986.png" border=0></a></div></center>

Dale Yu: Review of Teto

Teto Designers: Jorge J. Barroso, Eugeni Castaño Publisher: 2 Tomatoes Players: 4-10 Age: 8+ Time: 20-30 mins Played with review copy provided by publisher Teto? You mean hero? hello? memo? zero? But do something with your hands and feet, please, … <a href="https://opinionatedgamers.com/2026/02/07/dale-yu-review-of-teto/">Continue reading →</a>

A Rising Culture of Angels Find a Stash of Aquatic Games

In this game, players create their own vibrant pond by carefully placing cards featuring various frog species and pond environments while collecting different insect types.The core mechanisms involve grid building and card management, with pond construction as a spatial puzzle. In each round, players choose cards from a shared display and add one card to their pond, aiming to fulfill specific conditions set by different frog species to earn points, with larger groups of the same frog type yieldi

Dale Yu: Review of Cozy Stickerville

Cozy Stickerville Designer: Corey Konieczka Publisher: Unexpected Games Players: 1-6 Age: 8+ Time: 30 min/year (10 years to complete campaign) Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/4rllnfe Played with review copy provided by publisher Explore the land, uncover mysteries, and follow your … <a href="https://opinionatedgamers.com/2026/02/06/dale-yu-review-of-cozy-stickerville/">Continue reading →</a>

From NASA app to Tabletop: The Journey to "4 Years to Mars"

by <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/1?bloggerid=19755" >S G</a> <div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8370010"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/RGgHzSEQpwOvUh1itBWZdA__small/img/G-pYH3DAAmIPu6fCa_9q03WfwK0=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic8370010.jpg" border=0></a></div> In the early 2000s, I had the privilege of connecting with a NASA scientist who would change the course of my career. She posed a simple but powerful challenge: How do we share all the amazing work happening on the International Space Station in a way that actually excites the general public? My answer was immediate — games. With her support, I started down a path that would eventually lead to the successful Kickstarter of 4 Years to Mars. But like any real space program, the road wasn’t paved with yellow bricks. It was littered with asteroids, craters, and — oh yes — funding and budget issues. History and Design (Feel free to skip ahead to Gameplay if you'd like) 4 Years to Mars began life as a humble paper prototype for a NASA outreach mobile game called To the Moon and Beyond. My lab had already launched two successful mobile games, and this would be our third—and, in my opinion, the most challenging. NASA periodically publishes a document called Benefits for Humanity. In its most common form, it’s a dense, 25+ page technical report filled with fascinating information about how NASA research benefits life on Earth and advances exploration. Unfortunately, it’s not exactly light reading and many people find it intimidating. The mission I accepted was clear: translate that information into something people could understand—and enjoy. After many hours of brainstorming, we landed on the idea of a card game. Players would: - Conduct research based on the real research in the document - Fund technology projects that used that research based on the projects in the documents and in NASA Spinoffs - Use the funded technology to build mission components. From this, a paper prototype was born. The first cards were printed on sticker paper and slapped onto old playing cards. The “board” consisted of images printed on cardstock. We cannibalized games from home to scavenge money, tokens, and components. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/9376396"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/ZWzjyO7V4_P5zeoWDiWY-w__small/img/6l6UAzLPpXSwX1b53zqeN-JAal8=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic9376396.jpg" border=0></a></div></center> Once funding was approved, playtesting began with people from across the agency, and development of the mobile game followed. If you’re curious, To the Moon and Beyond is still playable—just search for it along with “NASA” on Google Play, Xbox, or the Apple App Store (Yes, there’s actually an Xbox version). From Mobile to Tabletop In 2021, after 37 years in government and extensive experience using gamification across projects, I decided it was time to venture out on my own. One lingering dream was to turn To the Moon and Beyond into a family-friendly board game—one that taught players about NASA while being genuinely fun. I secured permission to create the game and use NASA imagery (with restrictions), recruited my son—fresh out of college with a game design degree—and launched my company, Game2Learn. The design challenges were significant. The biggest? Transforming a single-player mobile game into a 1–6 player tabletop experience that worked both competitively and cooperatively. Our first attempts failed spectacularly. Copying the mobile formula directly just didn’t work. We scrapped the “one research topic discounted one project” system and replaced it with broad research categories that discounted multiple projects. To increase player interaction, we added Sabotage cards. We also rebalanced the mission objectives to create a consistent mission track. To the Moon and Back—the board game—was born. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/9376500"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/pd8mQBGZmcQMTLzUhOJFbA__small/img/JoYjiRAMNfY_VA28-nWj-R_XHN0=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic9376500.png" border=0></a></div></center> Iteration, Evolution, and Failure (the Fun Kind) Testing continued in 2022 with a rough prototype at Origins Game Fair. Feedback was honest and invaluable: - The board was too big - The artwork felt unfinished - This is fun! - And, frankly, Mars is sexier than the Moon I hired an artist, regrouped, and rebranded the game as 5 Years to Mars. Artwork required many iterations. I had a clear picture in my mind, but conveying that across the continent via zoom was harder than I thought. Thankfully, my amazing artist grew adept at reading my mind and we settled on a design that not only fit the genre, but allowed players to stack the project cards for easier point computation. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/9376501"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/bfv5B1pPpc4LUO-1jLeJRQ__small/img/Fr3tawVZJ4uS1JbPLqDB6RkDjcs=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic9376501.png" border=0></a></div> <div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/9376505"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/PhhVgsjksQ8G02uK1Ft0EA__small/img/rWBXSuNQpErO7dqtfQqmEB5H0MU=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic9376505.png" border=0></a></div></center> While the card design stabilized, the board continued to be a challenge. A large board with designated spaces worked great—but was far too expensive to manufacture. We explored multiple layouts, tracks, and even tried to recreate some of the parts building fun from the mobile game. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/9376508"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/Y_rd5q3RhgjZ98JRzas9mA__small/img/9vrvc2RF2BG4lfp2hFD-gXUba5c=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic9376508.png" border=0></a></div></center> Eventually, we settled on a smaller fold-up board for 5 Years to Mars. In 2023, after Origins, we launched the Kickstarter. And then… we canceled it. We had reached over 50% of our goal, but something was still missing. The Final Countdown: 4 Years to Mars Determined to fix what was missing, I sought out mentors and publishers and connected with Sean Brown of Mr. B Games. With his guidance, and additional feedback from convention players, I made several crucial changes. The game was split into a Base game, an Events deck, and a Cutthroat deck which broadened the game's appeal. The game was rebalanced to remove a game year, which shortened the play time and aligned with what seemed to be the industry standard length. In addition to broadening the game’s appeal, the modular approach reduced the funding goal since the Events deck and Cutthroat deck could be made into stretch goals for the campaign. In 2024, the game successfully funded on Kickstarter, and I was able to include the Events deck and the Cutthroat deck with my funding. After manufacturing hiccups and tariff nightmares, 4 Years to Mars became a reality. Game Play Synopsis 4 Years to Mars is a card-based game for one to six players that can be played competitively or cooperatively. The game is played over four rounds, called Program Years. These represent the four years you have to complete your program. To succeed, you must complete eight Mission Objectives by accumulating 6 points in each objective. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/9376523"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/ByUtcQAqx0StQENh1_qU7g__small/img/cAuxMdrhVr0FVJpysP8YsYrwMMI=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic9376523.png" border=0></a></div></center> During the first Program Year, you will fund Research cards. Research cards represent topics you are researching in one of your four bays on the International Space Station. Your Research cards reduce the cost of Projects that you will fund in order to advance your Mission Objectives. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/9378382"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/Yf2L47L-Ve3gAYWruHLj_Q__small/img/qJJXPanuam4O3FXQNzRAfhnAe3g=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic9378382.jpg" border=0></a></div></center> In the second through fourth Program Years, players can purchase Project cards as well as Research and Action cards. Project cards provide advances in your Mission Objectives as well as income for the next year of your program. Projects are categorized based on what benefits they provide in Scientific discoveries, helping life on Earth, advancing space Exploration, or inspiring youth through STEM programs. When combined into sets, these benefit categories also advance your Mission Objectives. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/9378384"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/xBxZq67odDN7fOyNK5L7ug__small/img/5l2H2enpDP_nCnakRYM29CPpOH8=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic9378384.jpg" border=0></a></div></center> At the end of a Program Year, players advance their Mission Objective tokens once per mission icon on their funded Projects. Mission Objective tokens are also advanced based on what sets are made with card categories. The first and second players to complete a Mission Objective receive an Award from the government. This reward can be used to augment the next year's budget or can be saved for end of game calculations in case of a tie. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/9378386"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/4DtWDGra0hWDxV0vlkbLvA__small/img/T9izcdJSIrfHztp6MsMPaF0WKd8=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic9378386.jpg" border=0></a></div></center> After Mission Objectives have been advanced and Awards earned, players receive 20 Spucks (space bucks) from the government and any income their products have generated. The first player token then passes to the player with the smallest budget for the next year. The first person to complete all 8 mission objectives wins the game. The game difficulty can be varied with the inclusion of Event cards or played more competitively with the inclusion of the Cutthroat cards. Rules are provided for solo play as well as cooperative play. <center><div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/9378385"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/yxYYWwkm-U6mANxJpfnlLQ__small/img/Gn1ghB2GdDhhga7hlOzaEYt_RD8=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic9378385.jpg" border=0></a></div> <div style=''><a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/image/9376531"><img src="https://cf.geekdo-images.com/SiCH5AfpgSWuy5OXp6sOYA__small/img/O0RaO6-Ji8CKYPIkYht2Kg9K_HY=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic9376531.png" border=0></a></div></center> Conclusion Even with its ups and downs, this has been a wonderful experience. I encourage everyone: If you have an idea, don't dream it, do it! I typically run the game at Origins, so if you're around, stop by and say hi. I may even have a NASA sticker left to hand out.

Dale Yu: Review of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Trick Taking Game

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Trick Taking Game Designer: Bryan Bornmueller Publisher: Office Dog Players: 1-4 Age: 10+ Time: 20 minutes per hand Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/4t83bHT Played with review copy provided by publisher The … <a href="https://opinionatedgamers.com/2026/02/05/dale-yu-review-of-the-lord-of-the-rings-the-two-towers-trick-taking-game/">Continue reading →</a>

Dale Yu: Review of Everdell Silverfrost (Collectors Edition)

Everdell Silverfrost (Collectors Edition) Designers: James Wilson, Clarissa Wilson Publisher: Tabletop Tycoon Players: 1-4 Age: 10+ Time: 30-120 minutes Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/4pRSx57 Played with review copy provided by publisher Silverfrost is the next standalone edge of the … <a href="https://opinionatedgamers.com/2026/02/04/dale-yu-review-of-everdell-silverfrost-collectors-edition/">Continue reading →</a>

12 DIYs that transform a deck of playing cards into stunning home decor

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Dale Yu: Review of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea Designer: Alberto Millan Publisher: Looping Games Players: 1-5 Age: 10+ Time: 45 minutes Played with review copy provided by publisher 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is a thematic exploration game inspired by … <a href="https://opinionatedgamers.com/2026/02/03/dale-yu-review-of-twenty-thousand-leagues-under-the-sea/">Continue reading →</a>

Designer Diary: Skybridge

With this new flexible version, Skybridge was now adaptable to a wider range of table sizes.We also streamlined the gameplay and its essential mechanisms to make Skybridge less complex and more accessible.Streamlined prototype versions of the game board, player board, and SkybridgeMichael:Instead of communicating across the Atlantic, we were suddenly able to work collaboratively at the same table and try out new ideas together in smaller steps. But what was left of our game, after all? Our “old”

Josiah’s Monthly Board Game Round-Up – January 2026

January 2026 Games I played for the first time this month, from worst to best, along with my ratings and comments. Cabanga – 5/10 Cabanga is a very simple card game, about the weight of the very lightest games … <a href="https://opinionatedgamers.com/2026/02/02/josiahs-monthly-board-game-round-up-january-2026/">Continue reading →</a>

Dale Yu: Preview of Bayou Boss

Bayou Boss Designer: Simon Weinberg Publisher: R&R Games Players: 2-8 Age: 8+ Time: 45 minutes Amazon affiliate link: Played with review copy provided by publisher Down in the Big Bayou, you’re just gettin’ started, lookin’ to make a … <a href="https://opinionatedgamers.com/2026/02/01/dale-yu-preview-of-bayou-boss/">Continue reading →</a>

Dale Yu: Review of Planepita

Planepita Designer: Eisuke Fujinawa, Kazunori Hori Publisher: Szpi lab Players: 2-4 Age: 10+ Time: 15 min Played with review copy provided by publisher Planepita is a dexterity game where players flick discs onto a central playing area. Discs … <a href="https://opinionatedgamers.com/2026/01/31/dale-yu-review-of-planepita/">Continue reading →</a>

Advocacy group finds ‘Ace of Spades’ playing cards listing ICE office

Advocacy group claims ‘Ace of Spades’ playing cards found in vehicles of people removed by ICE - Immigration and Customs ...

Dale Yu: Review of Uber den Wolken

Uber den Wolken Designer: Konstantinos Karagiannis Publisher: Zoch Players: 2-4 Age: 10+ Time: 45 minutes Played with review copy provided by publisher Winter is coming, so it’s time to head south! In Über den Wolken (“Above the Clouds”), players maneuver … <a href="https://opinionatedgamers.com/2026/01/30/dale-yu-review-of-uber-den-wolken/">Continue reading →</a>