Worker Placement

Players use tokens to select actions or spaces on a shared board, determining what actions are available to them. Examples include “Agricola,” “Lords of Waterdeep,” and “Viticulture.”

The Flood: Box Cover Front
Rating: 4/5

The Flood Review

From saving animals to dodging my friends’ ‘accidental’ floods, The Flood kept us laughing and scheming all night. Strategy beats luck here—mostly. Just don’t blame me if the animals get a little seasick.

Taverna: Box Cover Front
Rating: 4.5/5

Taverna Review

Taverna tosses you into a wild night of bribery, beer, and backstabbing. The art’s a treat, the rules are simple, and the only thing messier than my last game was the bar floor!

Carson City cover
Rating: 4.5/5

Carson City Review

Carson City throws you into a gunslinging, land-grabbing Old West. With tense duels, clever worker placement and heaps of replayability, it’s a rootin’-tootin’ good time—just watch out for Lady Luck sneaking up on your cowboy hat!

Gutenberg - Gutenberg, Portal Games / Granna, 2022 — front cover - Credit: W Eric Martin
Rating: 4.3/5

Gutenberg Review

Gutenberg lets you pretend to be a printing tycoon, juggling ink, gears, and deadlines. Smart choices rule here—luck sits quietly in the corner, sipping glue. If you like brains over dice, this game deserves a spot on your shelf.

Fool's Gold: Box Cover Front
Rating: 2.8/5

Fool’s Gold Review

Fool's Gold is a wild, luck-heavy mining game where friends turn into gold-crazed maniacs. Fun and noisy for casual nights, but strategy lovers will leave scratching their heads. Bring snacks, leave your well-laid plans at home.

Copycat: Box Cover Front
Rating: 3.8/5

Copycat Review

Copycat mashes up deck-building and worker placement in a clever game that rewards planning over luck. It’s not a looker, but it keeps the brain buzzing and the table noisy with all the blocking and scheming.

Pilgrim: Box Cover Front
Rating: 4/5

Pilgrim Review

Pilgrim made us laugh, grumble, and pray for better moves. With sharp strategy and gorgeous art, it’s a treat for thinkers—but the rulebook is beefy, so bring snacks and patience!

Venice: Box Cover Front
Rating: 4/5

Venice Review

Venice lets you steer gondolas, dodge scandals, and scheme your way to the top. It's fast and clever, though the luck makes me twitchy. Still, for fans of sneaky strategy, it's a real splash.

The Pursuit of Happiness cover
Rating: 4.3/5

The Pursuit of Happiness Review

If you ever wanted to pack a whole life into one evening (without taxes or cavities), The Pursuit of Happiness is your game. Plenty of laughs, some real choices, and only a little luck messing things up!

Rio Grande: Box Cover Front
Rating: 4.3/5

Rio Grande Review

Rio Grande blends strategy with vibrant design, offering dynamic player interaction and engaging gameplay. Each session feels unique, making it a must for board game enthusiasts. Just watch out for unbalanced mechanics if luck’s not your thing.