18th Nov2020

‘Marvel: Crisis Protocol – Venom and Shuri & Okoye Expansion(s)’ Board Game Review

by Matthew Smail

Following on from the Black Panther and Killmonger review that we did for Atomic Mass’s Marvel: Crisis Protocol a few months ago, I’m delighted to have picked up the other two expansions that were released at the same time, namely, Venom and Shuri and Okoye. The addition of Shuri and Okoye to my roster enables […]

Off
20th Feb2020

‘Marvel: Crisis Protocol – Black Panther Expansion’ Review

by Matthew Smail

If you’re a regular reader of our board game coverage, you’ll struggle to miss the fact that I have a new favourite miniatures game in the form of Marvel’s Crisis Protocol, a game that delivers the perfect mechanical theme for a game about superheroes, whilst also keeping things fast paced and simple. We were a […]

Off
10th Feb2020

‘Marvel: Crisis Protocol’ Board Game Review

by Matthew Smail

The idea of a miniatures game is so simple that you’d have thought it would have been done by now, wouldn’t you? Whilst there are numerous games that use Marvel characters in miniaturised form, and even some that have the kind of combat that characterises this genre, Crisis Protocol is the first “proper” miniatures game […]

Off
24th Jul2019

‘Century: A New World’ Board Game Review

by Matthew Smail

After three years, Emerson Matsuuchi’s Century trilogy is finally complete. The latest and final edition, Century: A New World is now available and players of the previous games (Century: Spice Road and Century: Eastern Wonders) will be keen to see how the new game plays on its own, as well as when integrated with the […]

Off
22nd Oct2018

‘Smiles and Daggers’ Card Game Review

by Matthew Smail

Smiles and Daggers is a brief, multiplayer card game that features very unusual artwork and an unusual betting style of play that involves a lot of player interaction. Three to six players each take control of a unique looking faction that is presented in a deck of six cards: three knights, two lady’s and one […]

Off
15th Oct2018

‘Cosmic Encounter’ Board Game Review

by Matthew Smail

If there was ever a list of board games that were most recognised as those capable of conjuring up incredible stories of near misses, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat and getting one over on your friends, Cosmic Encounter would be on it. With Cosmic Encounter now over forty years old, the Fantasy Flight Games […]

Off
12th Sep2018

‘The Voyages of Marco Polo’ Board Game Review

by Matthew Smail

When it comes to euro games, there are no shortage of options that focus on trading in a historic setting. Whether we’re talking about games focused on the Mediterranean during The Age of Antiquity, or later, perhaps during the Renaissance, with a setting in Asia or the far reaches of Europe. With a name like […]

Off
13th Aug2018

‘A Feast For Odin’ Board Game Review

by Matthew Smail

Certain things in popular culture – wether movies, games, records or even board games – come with an aura of expectation around them that can be a little unfair. In the board gaming world, products that fall into this category are often the massive Kickstarters from CMON or Restoration Games. For some board gamers (perhaps […]

Off
27th Jul2018

‘Century: Eastern Wonders’ Board Game Review

by Matthew Smail

I have fond memories of Emerson Matsuuchi’s Century: Spice Road, because it was among the first batch of board games that I reviewed for Nerdly. I’m also a fan of the game play, which has proven to be hugely popular among my family and friends, regardless of age or experience with board games overall. A […]

Off
23rd Jul2018

‘Pot de Vin’ Board Game Review

by Matthew Smail

Trick taking Games come in a wide variety of forms, but relatively few manage to create a feeling of thematic relevance in the same way as Pot de Vin does. Set during the aftermath of a political coup, each player takes the role of a powerful figure vying for control of the most influential guilds […]

Off
18th Jun2018

‘History of the World’ Board Game Review

by Matthew Smail

Some board game designs prove to be just right first time, whilst others apparently fail so hard (either critically, or in terms of pure revenue) that the risk of re-implementing them just isn’t worthwhile. Others, however, are remade and revamped time and time again – either with completely new themes or mechanics by different designers, […]

Off
14th Jun2018

‘The Climbers’ Board Game Review

by Matthew Smail

At first glance, you would be forgiven for thinking that The Climbers was just an alternative, multicolored version of Jenga, but in actual fact it’s an abstract strategy game about climbing a mountain by any means possible – including by moving unoccupied blocks, adding miniature ladders and even blocking opponents progress either with specific tokens […]

Off
10th Apr2018

‘Indian Summer’ Board Game Review

by Matthew Smail

Walking through picturesque countryside and playing board games has always gone hand in hand for me. I’m not quite sure why that is, but it might well be because I link both activities to an idealistic daydream of sitting in a warm pub in front of an open fire. Another thought is that the link […]

Off
21st Feb2018

Nerdly declares Total Wargames!

by Matthew Smail

Thanks to generous support from GMT Games, Asmodee, Academy Games, The Plastic Soldier Company, Hollandspiele and Griggling Games, Nerdly will now be featuring wargames on a regular basis! We are already incredibly proud of our tabletop and board game coverage, and we hope that the introduction of wargame features will help to introduce a whole […]

Off
12th Feb2018

Mayfair Games sells board game catalogue to Asmodee

by Phil Wheat

Mayfair Games, the publisher behind the hugely popular Settlers of Catan franchise have announced that they are to shutter the business after a whopping 40 years in the tabletop gaming business. Recognised as one of the leaders in the current board game revolution, Mayfair games has sold its remaining games catalogue to Asmodee North America, […]

Off
03rd Jan2018

‘First Martians’ Board Game Review

by Matthew Smail

I feel remarkably lucky to have received First Martians at Christmas time, when more or less the whole country downs tools and gorges themselves on turkey and chocolate for several days before looking for something else to do. That something, for me, is almost always board games, but at this time of year I’m also […]

Off
16th Oct2017

‘Catch the Moon’ Board Game Review

by Phil Wheat

Essentially a skill game of stacking ladders – think Kerplunk or Jenga in reverse, adding pieces rather than taking them away – Catch the Moon sees players stack ladders on top of each other in order to build the ladders into the sky and literally… catch the moon. Only these ladders aren’t as sturdy as […]

Off
16th Feb2016

Game Review: ‘Timeline – Music & Cinema’

by Phil Wheat

It’s safe to say there has been a recent resurgence in tabletop gaming, RPGs, board games, card games – you name it and nerds like me are playing it. Whereas gaming for the longest time remained the domain of the hardcore gamer, tabletop gaming and in particular card games have made the move into the […]

Off
16th Aug2015

‘Dobble’ Review

by Phil Wheat

Everyone loves a good board game right? Although these days it seems more are likely to play board games on their tablets – myself included. After all who doesn’t love a good game of Carcassone on the iPad? It’s great time-filler and it’s a lot easier than cracking out all the pieces for ‘one quick […]

Off
Pages:«12