Dan Thurot
@danthurot.bsky.social
I'm just some dude. A cardboard cowboy. I also write Space-Biff!, the world's first and only board game review site.
Sleeving Persuasion!
November 27, 2025 at 12:41 AM
Sleeving Persuasion!
I mean, I'm totally fine and all, I wouldn't classify it as "assault," but it is nice that somebody noticed I had a rough Sunday earlier this month.
November 25, 2025 at 8:35 PM
I mean, I'm totally fine and all, I wouldn't classify it as "assault," but it is nice that somebody noticed I had a rough Sunday earlier this month.
In Mac McAnally's This Is Not a Game About a Pipe, players must craft studiously sensical statements about their cards. This one is a strange but enjoyable trick-taker. My review: spacebiff.com/2025/11/25/t...
This Is Not a Review of a Pipe
All I play anymore is trick-takers. And while some of them are challenging, others risk disappearing down their own pipe-hole in a semantic puff of tobacco smoke. That isn’t a bad thing. This…
spacebiff.com
November 25, 2025 at 7:54 PM
In Mac McAnally's This Is Not a Game About a Pipe, players must craft studiously sensical statements about their cards. This one is a strange but enjoyable trick-taker. My review: spacebiff.com/2025/11/25/t...
Reposted by Dan Thurot
Dan is an extraordinary writer but this may be his best work yet. It is a very tough read. Be warned.
I don't know how to introduce this one. After three titles about opium peddling, I figured the rest of SDHistCon would be breezy by comparison. I was wrong. The next day, I experienced one of the toughest board games I've ever played. Perhaps *the* toughest. spacebiff.com/2025/11/24/u...
Unnameable
After the first day of SDHistCon, where I played three games about opium peddling, I figured the second would be easier on my stomach. I could not have been more wrong. It has no name. Its designer…
spacebiff.com
November 25, 2025 at 5:56 AM
Dan is an extraordinary writer but this may be his best work yet. It is a very tough read. Be warned.
My 11yo was so excited to get the new Compile today that she insisted we stay up and play a hand.
November 25, 2025 at 4:16 AM
My 11yo was so excited to get the new Compile today that she insisted we stay up and play a hand.
Reposted by Dan Thurot
This is a really important read. And not just for games and the hobby, but as a piece of the time we live in.
I don't know how to introduce this one. After three titles about opium peddling, I figured the rest of SDHistCon would be breezy by comparison. I was wrong. The next day, I experienced one of the toughest board games I've ever played. Perhaps *the* toughest. spacebiff.com/2025/11/24/u...
Unnameable
After the first day of SDHistCon, where I played three games about opium peddling, I figured the second would be easier on my stomach. I could not have been more wrong. It has no name. Its designer…
spacebiff.com
November 24, 2025 at 9:15 PM
This is a really important read. And not just for games and the hobby, but as a piece of the time we live in.
Reposted by Dan Thurot
This was the most affecting board game experience of my life, and I don’t see that ever changing. Although I know each person at the table had their own unique response, Dan does an incredible job here of putting words to it.
I don't know how to introduce this one. After three titles about opium peddling, I figured the rest of SDHistCon would be breezy by comparison. I was wrong. The next day, I experienced one of the toughest board games I've ever played. Perhaps *the* toughest. spacebiff.com/2025/11/24/u...
Unnameable
After the first day of SDHistCon, where I played three games about opium peddling, I figured the second would be easier on my stomach. I could not have been more wrong. It has no name. Its designer…
spacebiff.com
November 24, 2025 at 8:27 PM
This was the most affecting board game experience of my life, and I don’t see that ever changing. Although I know each person at the table had their own unique response, Dan does an incredible job here of putting words to it.
Reposted by Dan Thurot
I played this game with Dan and I'm not sure I've ever played a game that was so immediately and successfully impactful.
It's been almost a month and I am still thinking about it.
Deep down it made Stonewall feel like a weak attempt compared to how elegantly its message was communicated via play.
It's been almost a month and I am still thinking about it.
Deep down it made Stonewall feel like a weak attempt compared to how elegantly its message was communicated via play.
I don't know how to introduce this one. After three titles about opium peddling, I figured the rest of SDHistCon would be breezy by comparison. I was wrong. The next day, I experienced one of the toughest board games I've ever played. Perhaps *the* toughest. spacebiff.com/2025/11/24/u...
Unnameable
After the first day of SDHistCon, where I played three games about opium peddling, I figured the second would be easier on my stomach. I could not have been more wrong. It has no name. Its designer…
spacebiff.com
November 24, 2025 at 8:19 PM
I played this game with Dan and I'm not sure I've ever played a game that was so immediately and successfully impactful.
It's been almost a month and I am still thinking about it.
Deep down it made Stonewall feel like a weak attempt compared to how elegantly its message was communicated via play.
It's been almost a month and I am still thinking about it.
Deep down it made Stonewall feel like a weak attempt compared to how elegantly its message was communicated via play.
I don't know how to introduce this one. After three titles about opium peddling, I figured the rest of SDHistCon would be breezy by comparison. I was wrong. The next day, I experienced one of the toughest board games I've ever played. Perhaps *the* toughest. spacebiff.com/2025/11/24/u...
Unnameable
After the first day of SDHistCon, where I played three games about opium peddling, I figured the second would be easier on my stomach. I could not have been more wrong. It has no name. Its designer…
spacebiff.com
November 24, 2025 at 8:01 PM
I don't know how to introduce this one. After three titles about opium peddling, I figured the rest of SDHistCon would be breezy by comparison. I was wrong. The next day, I experienced one of the toughest board games I've ever played. Perhaps *the* toughest. spacebiff.com/2025/11/24/u...
While everybody was having a great time at Pax U, I was having a great time in my cozy living room.
What did you play this week?
What did you play this week?
November 24, 2025 at 6:25 PM
While everybody was having a great time at Pax U, I was having a great time in my cozy living room.
What did you play this week?
What did you play this week?
With one day left in the Hollandspiele Hollandsays Sale, here are a few of the titles I have recommended that are currently available. hollandspiele.com
Hollandspiele
European and UK customers: our games are available exclusively at Second Chance Games. We no longer sell to Europe through our own site.
We are a small weird publisher that specializes in small weird ...
hollandspiele.com
November 23, 2025 at 2:38 AM
With one day left in the Hollandspiele Hollandsays Sale, here are a few of the titles I have recommended that are currently available. hollandspiele.com
Reposted by Dan Thurot
✨ Reminder!! ✨
Indie Games Night Market is tonight @ 7pm!!
When the Expo Hall closes, come down to Hall C to buy the freshest indie games!!
“More even than last year, these games seem like they’re pushing boundaries. They capture the spirit of what it means to be ‘indie.‘“ @danthurot.bsky.social
Indie Games Night Market is tonight @ 7pm!!
When the Expo Hall closes, come down to Hall C to buy the freshest indie games!!
“More even than last year, these games seem like they’re pushing boundaries. They capture the spirit of what it means to be ‘indie.‘“ @danthurot.bsky.social
Pax Unplugged is right around the corner!!
Looking back at all the IGNM coverage—I’m so proud and impressed at how much our community came together to promote these awesome indie works!
There’s a game for everyone in this lot!
Here’s a thread of all the incredible coverage of IGNM 2025: 🧵 🎲✂️
Looking back at all the IGNM coverage—I’m so proud and impressed at how much our community came together to promote these awesome indie works!
There’s a game for everyone in this lot!
Here’s a thread of all the incredible coverage of IGNM 2025: 🧵 🎲✂️
November 22, 2025 at 1:20 PM
✨ Reminder!! ✨
Indie Games Night Market is tonight @ 7pm!!
When the Expo Hall closes, come down to Hall C to buy the freshest indie games!!
“More even than last year, these games seem like they’re pushing boundaries. They capture the spirit of what it means to be ‘indie.‘“ @danthurot.bsky.social
Indie Games Night Market is tonight @ 7pm!!
When the Expo Hall closes, come down to Hall C to buy the freshest indie games!!
“More even than last year, these games seem like they’re pushing boundaries. They capture the spirit of what it means to be ‘indie.‘“ @danthurot.bsky.social
Reposted by Dan Thurot
Three great reviews here; I'm very excited for both of these other games! They'll all be available at the Indie Games Night Market this Saturday evening.
And Crownfell (regular paper edition) can be purchased at the link in my pinned post. 🧡
And Crownfell (regular paper edition) can be purchased at the link in my pinned post. 🧡
Today I investigate three more indie games, all of which are ambitious and explorative of what games can accomplish. These are good'uns. spacebiff.com/2025/11/18/h...
Nebulae, Medusae… Crownae?
Yesterday on BlueSky, Marceline Leiman asked a great question. Using only one or two extremely vague words, how would I describe the titles on offer at this year’s Indie Games Night Market? N…
spacebiff.com
November 21, 2025 at 4:07 AM
Three great reviews here; I'm very excited for both of these other games! They'll all be available at the Indie Games Night Market this Saturday evening.
And Crownfell (regular paper edition) can be purchased at the link in my pinned post. 🧡
And Crownfell (regular paper edition) can be purchased at the link in my pinned post. 🧡
Reposted by Dan Thurot
Playing a couple of rounds of Medusa's Garden in the parking lot was a very surprising highlight of SDHistCon for me. I'm not usually a social deduction fan, but that one was a delightful distillation of the genre. Great writing on it (and two more games) from Dan here.
Today I investigate three more indie games, all of which are ambitious and explorative of what games can accomplish. These are good'uns. spacebiff.com/2025/11/18/h...
Nebulae, Medusae… Crownae?
Yesterday on BlueSky, Marceline Leiman asked a great question. Using only one or two extremely vague words, how would I describe the titles on offer at this year’s Indie Games Night Market? N…
spacebiff.com
November 20, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Playing a couple of rounds of Medusa's Garden in the parking lot was a very surprising highlight of SDHistCon for me. I'm not usually a social deduction fan, but that one was a delightful distillation of the genre. Great writing on it (and two more games) from Dan here.
Reskeet with a time I looked cool? Um, right now, baby. Right fucking now.
November 20, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Reskeet with a time I looked cool? Um, right now, baby. Right fucking now.
The Two Towers: Trick-Taking Game follows up on last year's Fellowship trick-taker, and like that inaugural release it's an innovative and excellent adaptation of Tolkien's fantasy novel. My review: spacebiff.com/2025/11/20/t...
Trick-Taking’s Back on the Menu, Boys!
The problem with sequels, especially in board games where sequels are mechanical artifacts first and narrative artifacts a distant second if at all, is that there isn’t necessarily more to sa…
spacebiff.com
November 20, 2025 at 7:46 PM
The Two Towers: Trick-Taking Game follows up on last year's Fellowship trick-taker, and like that inaugural release it's an innovative and excellent adaptation of Tolkien's fantasy novel. My review: spacebiff.com/2025/11/20/t...
I keep trying to get my grubby mitts on Eternal Decks, but to no avail. Reached out to someone on BGG who had it listed for trade, and they wanted like five games in exchange. Five full games! New games! Hotness games!
Anybody have a lead? I'm bad at this, haha.
Anybody have a lead? I'm bad at this, haha.
November 19, 2025 at 5:25 PM
I keep trying to get my grubby mitts on Eternal Decks, but to no avail. Reached out to someone on BGG who had it listed for trade, and they wanted like five games in exchange. Five full games! New games! Hotness games!
Anybody have a lead? I'm bad at this, haha.
Anybody have a lead? I'm bad at this, haha.
I sincerely hope people will check out this year's Indie Games Night Market at Pax Unplugged! I covered nine of the games that will be featured there, each of which has something to recommend it. With any luck, some of them will be picked up by publishers or continue to be sold by their creators.
@danthurot.bsky.social returning from last year has done incredible write-ups of so many of the games that will be available at the market!
Dan has an uncanny ability to capture the very spirit of the things he critiques.
We’re so so lucky to have such a skilled writer on our backs!!
Dan has an uncanny ability to capture the very spirit of the things he critiques.
We’re so so lucky to have such a skilled writer on our backs!!
Indie Games Night Market – SPACE-BIFF!
Posts about Indie Games Night Market written by Dan Thurot
spacebiff.com
November 19, 2025 at 4:32 PM
I sincerely hope people will check out this year's Indie Games Night Market at Pax Unplugged! I covered nine of the games that will be featured there, each of which has something to recommend it. With any luck, some of them will be picked up by publishers or continue to be sold by their creators.
Fun factoid: Some ancient Mediterranean peoples believed that many creatures spontaneously generated from inorganic matter. Flies from soil, fleas from dust, maggots from dead flesh, oysters and scallops from sea mud.
Bees came from dead cows.
Bees came from dead cows.
November 19, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Fun factoid: Some ancient Mediterranean peoples believed that many creatures spontaneously generated from inorganic matter. Flies from soil, fleas from dust, maggots from dead flesh, oysters and scallops from sea mud.
Bees came from dead cows.
Bees came from dead cows.
Reposted by Dan Thurot
It is only because of indie designers did I feel comfortable trying designing myself. Once I saw the strange, the unique, and the expressive thriving in their communities, i felt comfortable enough to be vulnerable and make my games
Today I investigate three more indie games, all of which are ambitious and explorative of what games can accomplish. These are good'uns. spacebiff.com/2025/11/18/h...
Nebulae, Medusae… Crownae?
Yesterday on BlueSky, Marceline Leiman asked a great question. Using only one or two extremely vague words, how would I describe the titles on offer at this year’s Indie Games Night Market? N…
spacebiff.com
November 19, 2025 at 2:37 AM
It is only because of indie designers did I feel comfortable trying designing myself. Once I saw the strange, the unique, and the expressive thriving in their communities, i felt comfortable enough to be vulnerable and make my games
Reposted by Dan Thurot
Thank you, Dan, for putting the spotlight on the edges of tabletop design, where some truly exciting experiments and provocative design is happening. I can't wait to check out the Indie Night Market for myself! Getting into the Market has become one of my goals as a designer.
Today I investigate three more indie games, all of which are ambitious and explorative of what games can accomplish. These are good'uns. spacebiff.com/2025/11/18/h...
Nebulae, Medusae… Crownae?
Yesterday on BlueSky, Marceline Leiman asked a great question. Using only one or two extremely vague words, how would I describe the titles on offer at this year’s Indie Games Night Market? N…
spacebiff.com
November 18, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Thank you, Dan, for putting the spotlight on the edges of tabletop design, where some truly exciting experiments and provocative design is happening. I can't wait to check out the Indie Night Market for myself! Getting into the Market has become one of my goals as a designer.
Reposted by Dan Thurot
I loved Dan's perfectly succinct description of the #Crownfell playmat:
November 18, 2025 at 8:20 PM
I loved Dan's perfectly succinct description of the #Crownfell playmat:
Reposted by Dan Thurot
It may not be an 'official' DVC creation, but Medusa's Garden is some real silly nonsense that came out of our friend group and game nights. Phil also did a ton of the best work here... if you are at PAXU, come play a round with us.
Today I investigate three more indie games, all of which are ambitious and explorative of what games can accomplish. These are good'uns. spacebiff.com/2025/11/18/h...
Nebulae, Medusae… Crownae?
Yesterday on BlueSky, Marceline Leiman asked a great question. Using only one or two extremely vague words, how would I describe the titles on offer at this year’s Indie Games Night Market? N…
spacebiff.com
November 18, 2025 at 8:05 PM
It may not be an 'official' DVC creation, but Medusa's Garden is some real silly nonsense that came out of our friend group and game nights. Phil also did a ton of the best work here... if you are at PAXU, come play a round with us.
Reposted by Dan Thurot
“Even when I’m getting walloped, Heavenly Bodies feels so good to handle that it’s hard not to keep coming back.”
Thanks so much!!! It’s a fun conversation to have your second review from a writer.
I so appreciate you covering Heavenly Bodies and the many of us capturing the indie spirit! 🎲✂️
Thanks so much!!! It’s a fun conversation to have your second review from a writer.
I so appreciate you covering Heavenly Bodies and the many of us capturing the indie spirit! 🎲✂️
Today I investigate three more indie games, all of which are ambitious and explorative of what games can accomplish. These are good'uns. spacebiff.com/2025/11/18/h...
Nebulae, Medusae… Crownae?
Yesterday on BlueSky, Marceline Leiman asked a great question. Using only one or two extremely vague words, how would I describe the titles on offer at this year’s Indie Games Night Market? N…
spacebiff.com
November 18, 2025 at 7:43 PM
“Even when I’m getting walloped, Heavenly Bodies feels so good to handle that it’s hard not to keep coming back.”
Thanks so much!!! It’s a fun conversation to have your second review from a writer.
I so appreciate you covering Heavenly Bodies and the many of us capturing the indie spirit! 🎲✂️
Thanks so much!!! It’s a fun conversation to have your second review from a writer.
I so appreciate you covering Heavenly Bodies and the many of us capturing the indie spirit! 🎲✂️
Reposted by Dan Thurot
🏆 Getting reviewed by Dan has been a bucket list item for me...
Getting such an incredibly positive review... I don't even know what to say. 🧡
Getting such an incredibly positive review... I don't even know what to say. 🧡
Today I investigate three more indie games, all of which are ambitious and explorative of what games can accomplish. These are good'uns. spacebiff.com/2025/11/18/h...
Nebulae, Medusae… Crownae?
Yesterday on BlueSky, Marceline Leiman asked a great question. Using only one or two extremely vague words, how would I describe the titles on offer at this year’s Indie Games Night Market? N…
spacebiff.com
November 18, 2025 at 7:15 PM
🏆 Getting reviewed by Dan has been a bucket list item for me...
Getting such an incredibly positive review... I don't even know what to say. 🧡
Getting such an incredibly positive review... I don't even know what to say. 🧡