It’s been a couple of years since we ventured to Brimingham for the annual epic that is UKGE. Our first time was in 2021, the ‘quiet Expo’ after the previous year was cancelled for Covid reasons. After that we returned for 2022 and were overwhelmed by the increase in visitors. It was a shock to the system for sure.
Because we didn’t handle it too well, we spent the years since trying other things like GridCon and the 24 Hour Board Game Marathon. These were places where playing games is prioritised over buying games. But, while lapping up the posted content for the 2024 show, we start to yearn for a return and decided to give UKGE another go, just the two of us. We’ve gotten to know more folks in the Instagram board game community and we have also grown as board gamers ourselves.
While considering whether to get tickets for this years show, a friend suggested I apply for a Press pass too. This is something I’ve wanted to do before but I figured a small Instagram poster like me would be denied. So it was a pleasant surprise when I was allowed access to the Thursday night preview before the event opened on the Friday.
It was a relaxed setting when we rolled up around 4:00pm. We got our tickets and then latched on to a group of people we know who were there doing the same thing. I was nudged by a friendly Dutch man who was wearing the same Mr Meeples t-shirt as me which led to a nice little selfie. Later, just as the preview doors opened, I managed to grab a quick selfie with Tom Brewster from SU&SD which was really nice of him.
SHOW PREVIEW
The Show Preview took place in Hall 4 at the far end. Designers and Publishers showcase their games, allowing media folks to ask questions, take pictures, and build the hype. Going in I wasn’t sure what was really required of me. It’s my first time, after all. But it was the same for others who helped me along and I was quickly acclimatised to the whole thing.
My wife and I trailed up and down the lines between tables like we were at some colourful, late night car boot sale. Some tables we could see hosted things that weren’t for us like family games for young kids, or Tabletop RPG scenery and miniatures. I hadn’t taken a look at what might be around, only holding on to the odd inkling provided by fellow Instagramers. So instead we just wandered until something pretty caught our attention and lured us in.
LAST WEEK OF SUMMER – If you are drawn by bright and colourful things then this game from the couple who run Allies Or Enemies on YouTube is sure to grab your attention. The full on 80’s vibe sees you newly graduated and ready to enjoy the final week of summer. The game consists of a mix of mini games where you can buy music, rent videos, grab food, and more. My wife has already made it clear that I need to keep an eye out for the Kickstarter campaign when it lands
MALUS HORTUS – This co-op game sees players as Nymphs trying to escape a viscious and evil garden. The art and design is done by Nikita Sullivan of Atikins Games and the game just funded on Kickstarter at the begining of May.
THE OLD KING’S CROWN – Never have I felt the pull of a game so much as when I caught the beautiful art and components out of the corner of my eye. Somehow I missed this one on Kickstarter, and based on looks and the description of gameplay, I’m a little gutted. Thankfully the guys told us that it should be coming to retail later this year, through their website I think, so I’ll get a chance to grab a copy after I find out more about it. I swear I could have stayed there all night to take photos of the board art, the cards, the wooden pieces and the gorgeous metal coins.
I’ll quickly note here that I stopped at a table that had a mix of games on it (one I recently got sent a review copy for). I’d seen a couple covered on Instragram over the weeks building up to the Expo, but an interesting train game on one side of the table peaked my interest. The table wasn’t run by the designers or the publishers behind the games, it seems. Just one man representing them collectivly. So far, so fine. But the next few minutes were my only negative of the evening. It became clear that the gentleman running the table knew very little about the games. When I asked about gameplay and mechanics he started strong before tailing off with “and you know, blah, blah, blah” (to clarify, he actually spoke those words). He was unable to answer any follow up questions either. All this I could have ignored, but then I asked for details and a stall number for the next day. He produced a card, paused and asked me what I do. I said Instagram. The card came closer and paused again as he asked “how many followers?” to which I produced my phone to show him and check if my number was enough to recieve a card. My main issue with this situation is that I feel sorry for the games he representing as it was quite rude and off putting. But I brushed it off and moved onto the next treat.
TIME TROOPERS – Next I literally bumped into @getintogames at the stand for this solo deck builder from Molinarius Games Ltd which I think hits Gamefound around the middle of July. I’d seen a little info about it, but really it’s the championing from @mrs_getintogames that has converted me from ‘interested party’ to ‘must know more’. And it looks good. The mix of experiences due to the amount of cards and time zones means this’ll be one I can sit down and play a lot.
BE LIKE A CAT – My wife saw a cat and I was guided to the next stand (this became a thing across the weekend). This time we discovered, Critical Kit, pervayor of Solo RPG’s like Against The Wind and Wires In The Wood. But what of the cat? Well, BE LIKE A CAT is a solo or 2-player RPG where you play as, you’ve guessed it, cats. I already do a couple of journalling solo RPGs, and we are both part of two different larger group campaigns at the moment (Land Of Eem and Numenera) but this looks like something nice we can do just the two of us. Plus, cats, so a no brainer.
ONODA and CONSERVAS – We passed by a stand that I think was Salt & Pepper Games. These two games were both on display and they are both games that I backed their crowdfunding campains and then pulled out from. And I don’t know why. They both look like interesting solo games but I wasn’t quite sure if they would be something I’d enjoy over and over again. I think I need to demo these before purchase (a sentence I rarely say).
SHUG – This next one looked like something different. Some really nice components, including a pair of proper chonky dice, and some stand out art had us asking loads of questions about the game, but unfortunately for us, the MUFFIN TIME party game feel to the in game contests put us off. It is an odd hybrid of a game and I wonder where it’s audience is, which is a shame because from seeing everything set up on the table, it looked like a perfect game for us.
FOUR SEASONS – As we moved around we caught the eye of a gentleman who called us over to look at some of his prototype games. A couple of seconds in to the conversation we discovered he was from the same neck of the woods as us, regularly went along to the same FLGS as we do, and is part of the Solent Designers Co-operative. He kindly gave us a copy of a prototype called FOUR SEASONS that he is currently working on. It’s a tableau building and hand management game centered around Victorian era gardening.
TENBY – In the weeks leading up to the Expo, this game from Cosy Cub Games was fullfilling its Kickstarter and showing up all over social media with a real positive buzz. The preview show was my first chance to get a closer look and it’s easy to see why people like it. Card drafting with a KINGDOMINO style mechanic as players build up their little seaside village, each card having it’s own scoring mechanism for end game will be littered with things that other cards require for points. It appears to be one of those thinky, light games.
SAKANA STACK – The popular, small box card game from Huff No More that I struggled to pronounce all weekend, has a lot of hype, and rightly so. Card shedding, similar to SCOUT, has you placing cards so that the sum total you put down is higher than the opponent’s stacks placed before it. And the beautiful Japanese style artwork is done by the designers wife. Our stand out from the evening that went straight to the top of our list for chasing down a copy the next day.
YONDER – Our final stop of the evening was at Sinister Fish Games where they had their soon to be fullfilled Worker Placement game from Haakon Gaarder on display. This joins the list of games I regret not backing, though it was a little bit due to finances at the time. It’s an interesting take on my favourite genre with Haakon’s distinct art style and some brilliant looking wooden meeples. Adding this to the list of games I’m impatiently waiting on retail now.
PLAYED GAMES
AGENT AVENUE – We found a place to sit down with some other Instagram gamers and ended up being taught this 2-player only game that does card drafting like TUSSIE MUSSIE, but has your opposing cat and dog meeples chasing each other in a circle. Depending on the cards you select, and how many of the same character you already have in front of you, you’ll each move a certain number of spaces. Clever and thinky. I really enjoyed this one, so much so, we played it again straight away.
COURTISANS – We were starting to flag by this time, but that didn’t stop Nick teaching us another game. Five of us got stuck into this interesting set collection game. You only have control over some of the cards played in front of you, where you can contol if certain suits end the game as positive or negative points, and where you can really, really screw people over. Or in my case, you can struggle to concentrate and really screw yourself over enough that you’re the only player at the end of the game with negative points. The card quality and art is outstanding, but I think I need a few more plays to get the hang of things. The play was fun.
And that was it. After a busy morning, hours of driving, and all the fun of the Preview Show, we were both exhausted and eager to get some sleep before the Expo began properly in the morning.
(continue on to Friday)
Always Play Blue 