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Intro: Let the Dice—and the Snacks—Roll!
What do you get when you mix 42,000+ unique visitors, over a hundred game demos, and one deeply satisfying vegan cauliflower Cornish pasty? You get UK Games Expo 2025, of course—a chaotic, crunchy, card-filled weekend that left our bellies and board game hearts full.
This year we played through a buffet of games, ranging from deliciously light filler fun to full strategy entrées. Between rolling dice, munching on pasties, and demo-hopping, we caught up with friends and soaked up that electric expo buzz. This post is a big one — because this weekend was big. Expect puns, passionate opinions, and plenty of pictures. Oh, and yes, we walked away with some exciting promos and entered some cracking competitions too.
Table of Contents
- Game Reviews (from lightest to heaviest)
Buffet Boss | Cubemelt | 13 Animals | This Game Is KILLER | Piña Coladice | Wispwood | Altered | Terrorscape | Moonrollers | Whale Riders | Time Troopers | Gloomies | Popcorn | Cozy Juicy Real | Kinfire Delve: Scorn’s Stand | Explorers of Navoria | Rock Hard: 1977 | Transgalactica | Black Metro | SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence - Stand Shoutouts
- Food Review & Fun Achievements
- The Last Bite
Game Reviews: Played & Rated at UK GAmes Expo
Buffet Boss
Year: 2025 | Designer: Daryl Chow | Publisher: Origame | Ages: 6+ | Players: 2–5 | Time: 20 min. | Type: Filler, Dexterity, Stacking | Theme: Food, Cute
With its irresistibly adorable food meeples and vibrant presentation, Buffet Boss is an instant hit with kids. The fast-paced stacking gameplay makes it ideal as a quick filler or warm-up round. Great fun for little hands and big appetites — I feel a game-inspired recipe coming up!
Cubemelt
Year: 2024 | Designer: Daryl Chow | Publisher: Origame | Ages: 8+ | Players: 1–5 | Time: 15–20 min. | Type: Dice, Family | Theme: Cute Asian
Instant hit — we’ve played this lots this week with our 6-year-old and with older friends. It’s in a cute box and so easy to get out, teach, and play. Interesting choices in a simple game. Cute artwork seals the deal.
13 Animals
Year: 2024 | Designer: Daryl Chow | Publisher: Origame | Players: 2–5 | Type: Card | Theme: Nature, Wildlife
It had cute red pandas on it! I was sold! My daughters have enjoyed playing this throughout the week — collecting pairs of bears has been a hit.
This Game Is KILLER
Year: 2024 | Designer: Ivan Turner | Publisher: Lucky Duck Games | Players: 3–10 | Time: 10–15 min. | Type: Card | Theme: Alien
Too chaotic for my personal preference — I often felt like I wasn’t getting enough choice. But the cards were funny and others at the table were having a great time. It was selling well and is clearly a hit with fans of light party games. If Nemesis is the dark, This Game Is KILLER is the rainbow end of the Alien spectrum.
Piña Coladice
Year: 2024 | Designer: Yann Dupont | Publisher: Iello | Players: 2–4 | Time: 10–20 min. | Type: Dice game / Filler | Theme: Cocktails
A blend of Yahtzee and Connect 4, this light, tropical-themed dice game is easy to pick up and quick to play. Lovely components, punchy visuals, and a cute coaster freebie made it memorable. Not a must-buy for us, but we were glad to try it. A sweet slice of summer fun.
Wispwood
Year: 2025 | Designer: Reed Ambrose | Publisher: CGE | Players: 1–4 | Time: 30–45 min. | Type: Abstract, pattern builder | Theme: Enchanted forest, cats
Shout out to Alex for the great demo — we really enjoyed playing this with you. Wispwood is as charming as it is strategic. Underneath its whimsical forest-and-felines theme lies a satisfyingly crunchy puzzle game, packed with clever objectives and rewarding decisions. A must-try for fans of Cartographers and anyone who loves a game that looks as good as it plays.
Altered
Year: 2024 | Designer: Régis Bonnessée | Publisher: Equinox | Players: 2–4 (best as a 2-player) | Time: 30–45 min. | Type: Collectible card game | Theme: Fantasy
My bank balance usually steers me away from CCGs, so it’s nice to see a casual friendly option like this that allow you to have a good game from the base cards. Beautiful artwork drew us to the table. Great demo, we soon got into it. Pretty promos. I would play this again.
Terrorscape
Year: 2023 | Designer: Jeffrey CCH | Publisher: ICE Makes | Players: 1–4 | Type: Hidden movement / Horror | Theme: Slasher survival
We were fortunate to get a demo in here. slasher-flick showdown with a chunky vertical house in the middle of the board? Yes please. One side plays as the killer, the others as survivors desperately trying to escape — with limited info and rising panic. If you’re into hidden movement games like Beast, this scratches the same itch but with a cinematic horror twist. Great components, tense turns, and lots of “he’s right behind you!” energy.
Moonrollers
Year: 2024 | Designer: Robert Hovakimyan | Publisher: IV Studio | Players: 2–5 | Time: 30–45 min. | Type: Light strategy / Dice | Theme: Sci Fi
Friends picked this up with a bundle when getting Moonrakers, a larger/longer deck-building game. This lighter game was a dice-chucker with cosmic flair. You start each turn with just a few dice, but can trigger combos and can explode into a glorious cascade of dice rolls. It’s easy to teach, but decisions still matter — especially when supporting missions that benefit others. The ending took us by surprise (in a good way), showing there’s more to this than meets the eye. A fun, satisfying romp with just a touch of moon madness — though it could be tighter time-wise.
Whale Riders
Year: 2021 | Designer: Reiner Knizia | Publisher: Grail Games | Players: 2–6 | Time: 30–45 min. | Type: Racing / Pick-up and deliver | Theme: Arctic trading journey
This game has been hard to get hold of for a while, and we were really keen to try a new Knizia title. Whale Riders surprised us — it’s fast to teach, beautifully illustrated, and filled with meaningful decisions. The Arctic trading theme adds a unique feel to the pick-up-and-deliver mechanic. I’m looking forward to introducing it to the kids, as it hits that sweet spot between accessibility and depth.
Time Troopers
Year: 2025 | Designers: Lee Miller, Mark Pallett | Publisher: Molinarius Games Ltd | Players: 1 (Co-op team) | Time: 45–60 min. | Type: Adventure / Sci-fi | Theme: Time-travel missions
The game’s clever use of time-travel mechanics really immerses you in the action—you’ll feel like you’re right there, shaping history! The designers’ passion for their creation is infectious, and their enthusiasm made the whole experience even more special. After enjoying the demo so much, we’ve backed the game on Gamefound and can’t wait to dive in with the kids when it arrives. Speaking of time-travel and thyme, who’s up for a “Thyme Troopers” recipe to pair with your next game night?
Gamefound: Time Troopers | BoardGameGeek
Gloomies
Year: 2025 | Designer: Filippo Landini | Publisher: Ravensburger | Players: 2–4 | Time: 30–45 min. | Type: Family | Theme: Galactic flowers
From the creators of Mycelia (a family favorite of ours), Gloomies is a visually stunning game with gorgeous artwork and a fun, light puzzle at its heart. The galactic flower theme is both whimsical and unique, and my kids are sure to love it—especially after falling for the adorable plushy freebies! It’s a perfect pick for family game night.
Popcorn
Year: 2024 | Designer: Victor Saumont | Publisher: Iello | Players: 1–4 | Time: 60 min. | Type: Deck/Bag builder | Theme: Cinema
Popcorn is a sweet treat for movie lovers and gamers alike, with its cute popcorn tokens and playful movie titles that add to the cinema theme. The mechanics fit the setting perfectly: building your audience, managing your bag, and scoring points all feel intuitive and fun. While it’s meaty enough to offer a satisfying engine-building challenge, it may take a couple of plays to fully grasp all the strategies. It’s a great choice for anyone who enjoys a thematic, family-friendly challenge with a bit of depth.
Cozy Juicy Real
Year: 2022 | Designed & Published: Jed & Sophia | Players: 3–8 | Time: 120 min. | Type: Party Game | Theme: Relationship connections
Played during Open Gaming on Friday night, this conversation-driven game by an indie design duo helped us really connect. Cozy Juicy Real is all about meaningful prompts, structured in a way that encourages openness, laughter, and those “wow, I didn’t know that about you!” moments. It’s designed to ease you in gently, moving from light-hearted to more thoughtful questions. There’s one base-set card we’d probably skip if playing with younger players, but otherwise this is a great fit for families, friends, and even strangers at a gaming club. A heartwarming change of pace that lives up to its name.
Kinfire Delve: Scorn’s Stockade
Year: 2024 | Designer: Kevin Wilson | Publisher: Incredible Dream Studios | Players: 1–2 | Time: 60 min. | Type: Co-op Dungeon Crawl | Theme: Fantasy
One of my weekend favorites, Kinfire Delve: Scorn’s Stockade is a beautiful, quick co-op dungeon crawl that’s perfect for a mid-week game with my partner. The card art is stunning, and the one-hour playtime makes it easy to fit in after dinner. I’m excited to add it to our collection—especially since we grabbed another Kinfire Delve version to play with up to four players!
Explorers of Navoria
Year: 2024 | Designer: Meng Chunlin | Publisher: Qiling Board Games | Players: 1–4 | Time: 40–80 min. | Type: Set Collection | Theme: Fantasy
This charmed us right away with its cute artwork and simple actions, but it quickly revealed a surprising amount of depth for a set collection game. Of the family-friendly games we played, it was the longest, offering plenty of engaging choices and replay value. It’s a great pick for families who want a bit more strategy without sacrificing accessibility.
Rock Hard: 1977
Year: 2024 | Designer: Jackie Fox | Publisher: Devir | Players: 2–5 | Time: 45–90 min. | Type: Strategy | Theme: Retro rock scene
Leaving the kid-friendly games behind, Rock Hard: 1977 is a real treat for older players. I loved the playful twist of using “candy” as currency to gain extra actions—until you crash out from cravings! As fans of Devir after enjoying Sand and White Castle this year, we were impressed by the excellent demo and immersive retro rock theme. The production quality is top-notch, especially the amp-shaped player boards with turn dials. Designed by Jackie Fox—bassist of The Runaways and co-writer of “Cherry Bomb”—this game is a hit for music lovers. Maybe a cherry-themed recipe is in order for game night?
Transgalactica
Year: 2025 | Designer: Daniele Tascini | Publisher: Devir | Players: 1–4 | Time: 100 min. | Type: Sci-fi / Exploration | Theme: Space, Aliens
Transgalactica is another standout from Devir, packing a galaxy-spanning adventure into a surprisingly compact box. I was impressed by the variety in set-up, which promises that every game will feel fresh and different. With plenty of gameplay depth and replayability, I’m looking forward to diving into a full session soon—this one’s sure to satisfy both strategy and sci-fi fans alike.
Black Metro
Year: 2024 | Designer: Emesh De Zoysa | Publisher: Absolute Ascendancy | Players: 2–4 | Time: 60–120 min. | Type: Worker placement | Theme: Dystopian SciFi
Black Metro brings a fresh, dystopian sci-fi world to life with immersive world-building and artwork that fits the theme perfectly. The game blends worker placement and area control mechanics, drawing inspiration from classics like Lords of Waterdeep but adding its own twist: personnel have strength values, and you can overwhelm opponents to dominate districts. The demo was fantastic—Emesh made it easy to teach and fun to play.
SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
Year: 2024 | Designer: Tomáš Holek | Publisher: CGE | Players: 1–4 | Time: 40–160 min. | Type: Strategy / Science | Theme: Alien contact research
SETI stands out with its beautiful table presence and strong, immersive theme—the art and setting truly shine. The demo was one of the best we experienced, thanks to a scripted opening that got us into the action right away. With a focus on research and discovery, it’s a great fit for fans of strategy and science-themed games who want both depth and visual appeal.
Stand Shoutouts
Tinkerbot Games — Affordable, custom-made board game tables handcrafted in the UK — plus a fun dice raffle! Friendly folks with functional flair.
Stuff by Bez — Bez always brings boundless charm, hand-drawn energy, and wordy wonders. In a Bond was a standout: a clever, stock-taking twist on Yogi. A true indie gem.
Trident Futureworks — Sleek, smart designs for miniature storage and beyond. Intriguing concepts and excellent build quality — definitely a team to watch.
Three Sails Studios — Back with a new title continuing their theme of “Real World Change Delivered by Common People.” We backed Mappa Mundi: An Exploration + Ecology RPG and have been thrilled with the production quality. Genuinely excited to see what’s next from this lovely crew.
Old King’s Crown — A striking blend of trick-taking and crunchy Euro mechanics. Beautiful presentation and loads of table presence — we’re keeping this one on our radar.
Tabletop Inc. — Meeple Inc. lets you live out your board game CEO dreams. Light-hearted, clever, and full of charm. Check it out on Gamefound!
Witch Hunt TTRPG Treasures — D20 earrings, matching necklaces, and mesh tops with dice motifs? Yes please. Affordable, geeky, and gorgeous — keep it coming!
Food Review & Culinary Achievements
Best Bite Award: “Cauli-Flower Power!”
Cornish Bakery‘s vegan cauliflower pasty was an unexpected hero outside hall 4. Flaky, flavourful, and downright fabulous.
Honourable UK Games Expo Munch-ion: “Greece is the Word”
The Hilton-adjacent Greek food truck delivered Souvlaki in pita wraps worthy of the gods.
Roll For Patience Experience: “TGI Fry-Days”
Long wait, missing menu items (baps AND milkshakes), and hangry vibes. But hey, extra time waiting with friends = worth it. Just maybe not the burger-less burger bar.
The Last Bite
UKGE 2025 was an epic blend of meeples and mouthfuls. We got some great bargains at the Bring & Buy (to re-fill that temporary space made from selling). Whether we were crunching tokens or tortilla chips, the energy, creativity, and community spirit filled every hall, stall, and table. Until next time: may your dice roll true and your snacks be crunchy!
Have you played any of these games? Tried the food? Let us know in the comments! And if you’d like more board game and foodie fun, please sign up for our newsletter below — we’d really appreciate your support as we launch Roll & Bite!
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