Tom’s Top 92ish Board Games (as of March 2022) 

Tom the kind of guy you wish you'd spoke to more in secondary school

I can't stress enough how much I've loved the addition of Tom and Ava to the SU&SD family. Everyone has their own energy and voice and those little differences season the vibes perfectly. I know SU&SD was founded on the notion that board game reviews lacked the enthusiasm that they deserved and here we are now luxuriating in the unrepentant joy of the teams own treasure collections!

2:20 Tom did this on purpose and I love him for it 6:30 Watch the light fade from his eyes for a moment 7:05 Our life choices have indeed led us to this 15:43 A bleak reminder of past mistakes 27:05 We can't look away 32:07 How the mighty have fallen

This video reminded me why SU&SD are so good. None of them have huge flashy studios with organised walls of games. They are normal people folk like me with a messy half ass collection and they don’t pretend to be perfect. Big love ❤️

This was such a view into Tom's brain and I'm surprised we all survived the experience

Not since I watched Pulp Fiction have I been so curious about the contents of a briefcase

These videos are always my favourite, its a really interesting peek into what the people behind SU&SD actually like to play more generally. Also I think Ava's collection and an update to Quinns' collection is now mandatory, I dont make the rules its just true.

The most anticipated video of 2022 dont @ me

Respect to Tom for having bought the Nisei Netrunner cards. I did recently as well buy all the cards they had made including the new starter sets. Love it all and so glad someone is keeping Netrunner alive. Quinns, make a video about them! I wanna hear your opinion of having Netrunner still run by fans as a non-profit effort!

A Distant Plain is maybe my favorite of the COIN games. I don’t think any in the series are a walk in the park, in terms of learning the COIN system, but with a good teach I think you’d find it’s quite an elegant system overall. The player aids really help make the rules stick. And once you know one COIN game it really helps unlock the rest.

Can y'all unlist this so it's not so obvious to my friends that I am slowly copying Tom's collection?

I don't know exactly what it is, but I really, really appreciate the energy Tom brings to SU&SD. He has been such a great addition to the team.

I saw Evolution and I thought finally some love for a great game!.... I watch as Tom snakes his way around... I'm getting excited... 'it's my housemates game'

As a person who lives in a place with lots of earthquakes, the gallery section made me really nervous. Thought we'd see more big plastic-y games since Tom entered the channel as the big plastic boy

After watching this video all I can say is Tom's editing style makes so much sense now.

The fact that even you lot have so many games in the "I'd like to get it to the table" category makes me feel better about my massive mountain of games I love to own but haven't played much of. X)

I used the redacted TYOV book as an unknowable eldritch tome in my Call of Cthulhu game and it worked FANTASTICALLY as a creepy handout.

Immediately reorganizing my root boxes, Tom is a genius

Monopoly deal! I think I got a lot of people hooked on that when i was starting out with boardgames almost 10 years ago... Practically got all local stocks in my small city emptied and had people ordering online... I still have an unopened copy stashed because my copies would disintegrate from too many plays with different people (around 50 different people)

Yay! Was lovely to see the shout-out to the ELL deck! ^_^ I really want to get that properly back in print and get a book out to make it more accessible for folk who don't know what game to start with.

Gotta love the minor look of panic on Tom's face at the 12:42 second mark when he thinks Quinns is talking about a child dieing instead of forgetting where a child is.

The stacks of Netrunner cards are just stressing me out.

This was so chaotic and I loved it

I was stressed almost every second of this video

The poker chips part killed me 🤣

I love how utter chaos Tom's collection is. Makes me feel less alone for having an eldritch horror organise and shelve my games

This video has all the classic tomfoolery elements: chaos, mess, charm, and just enough order in the chaos that it all comes together. I think every collection should include the card game Bohnanza. It's a fun easy-to-teach trading game which, by design, makes every player deeply involved in every other player's turn. Trading, begging, forming temporary bean-cycling cartels just to avoid having the ever-feared bad turn where you can't play the right kind of bean card. Delicious.

Spotted those NISEI Netrunner cards: now that's exciting!

That was just so Tom. I reckon everyone would want him as your game night buddy. Awesome video, awesome collection. Thanks for sharing.

Loved this, thanks for sharing. Given you and your group's love for Root and Oath, I was surprised that you've found Dune hard to get to the table. But more importantly, when's the SUSD Netrunner tournament happening?

Im so happy we got Tom into Netrunner

Tom you mad genius! I had to pause the video for like 20 minutes while I hunted down my expansion big boxes for Galaxy Trucker so I could rearrange all my GT stuff like you have Root! So nice to have it all in "one" box now. Thank you!!

1) No West Kingdom (or North Sea) games? very sad! 2) the other good Oink game is Deep Sea Adventure! 3) the Root storage system is pure genius

Quinns, enjoying Tom’s Root box combopolis sorcery as much as you do I need to let you know you can do a similar thing with Merchants and Marauders and it’s expansion! (I’m making the bold assumption you have the expansion.) Flip the base game lid upside down and put the expansion box bottom in, then put the base game bottom on top which is slightly housed in the base lid and finally the expansion lid on top. Fully separates base and expansion content in a very aesthetically pleasing way!

I'm happy to hear that you still have the same sentiments towards Oath. The only thing keeping it out of my top spot is that I haven't found the right group for it. His magnum opus.

It made me irrationally happy to see Dune, Pax Pamir 2E, and A Distant Plain in your collection. That's 3 of my 4 favorite games (with the fourth being the long out of print Milton Bradley game Samurai Swords, mostly for nostalgic reasons). I think you're pretty well covered in the area control category already. If you're looking for suggestions of what to look at next, perhaps something swashbuckle-y like Merchants and Marauders or Xia? Or a thematic hidden traitor game like Dark Moon or Dead of Winter?

Babylonia is great. It plays well at all player counts (and strategies shift based on player count), it ends quickly, the variation with the bonus tiles is good, and it's fairly simple to explain. I think the biggest barrier is the incremental scoring phases breaking up the game rhythm and the need for everyone to be relatively similar in skill to prevent runaway leaders. Once those are accounted for, I think it's never just an "okay" experience. It always results in a memorable game. With that said, it's not a T&E but I don't think every game can or should be.

Tom needs the king of roll and write games, Hadrian's wall to fill out that one cube.

About to start watching the video, just wanted to express how much I'm looking forward to it. These videos are the best, both Quinns' and Matt's were delightful to watch. See you in 32 mins

PSA: The Labyrinth RPG is a genuinely lovely game.

What is the final score on the goof counter? I'm guessing Tom won 5-3, since he spilled everything on the floor

It's like seeing the music your favorite artist listen to!

Great video - love the interaction between Tom & Quinns

Love these low key videos where it feels very casual about games.

tom will you share a little about your netrunner history and why you have a big stack of nisei cards out

I think Survive! Escape from Atlantis should be in everyone's collection! Such an easy came to teach and a great combo between team work and cut throat. I missed seeing that in your collection Tom.

Man I love these more casual videos, felt like having a mate show me his collection and it was great

Really enjoyed this, like a delightful chat with a quirky friend. A few surprises, I didn't expect Tom to like TI. Find it interesting that Quins loves Modern Art but doesn't like High Society.

I wonder if Tom has noticed that he's started to do that little flick that Quinns does to hit the board games he's pointing out...every time he does it, he looks like he has to catch himself from doing it again, so I'd guess he has noticed and is trying to fight it.

I missed what he was implying when he was talking about Catacombs being on the way out at 30:00. Anyone able to shed some light?

my eyes immediately found the netrunner cards

Happy to see Thousand Year Old Vampire is still in the collection, absolutely adore that game.

For sale. Food chain magnate. Never played.

whee! I love these videos because it's nice to see how you all feel about them when things are chill and what you like to play repeatedly. Also I'm encouraged that Terra Mystica is in everyone's collection. Hoo boy is it hard to teach though, for real!

As a box combiner myself I need to try this two lid Root situation

I've been waiting for this! Thanks Tom for sharing your favourites.

Because you asked… El Grande! Should I say it again? Yes, I think I will. El Grande!!!! Every collection is incomplete without it. Oh, and the simple dudes on a map game that you are looking for that beats all the rest, Conquest of the Empire 🤯 everything you could ask for. Loved the video!!!!

I would absolutely love a list of those solo RPGs to see if any pique my interest.

Tom, you need some pretty storage boxes for your ButtonShy games and Netrunner cards! I have some tubs from Ikea that fit two aside in a Kallax cube, they're white with a green interior (surprise!) but also come in plain white, my Button Shy games fit two across in them. I have also found that many solo RPGs have a very melancholy theme. I was one of the original backers of TYOV - after seeing Quinns talk about it in the SUSD news, actually - but still haven't played it because I feel that my mental health is too fragile right now. But I did also back Apothecaria and I have played that a little. It is much more fun and joyful, if you want it to be. I really love that you own and cover so many of the small, weird quirky games that exist. It was a joy to see Bez's Ell deck in your collection, for example. I'd love to see you cover some more of the great indie solo or solo-ish games that are out there such as Assembly, Crystallo, Orchard, Maquis and Black Sonata. As for a game to play with everyone from kids, idiots and experienced gamers alike, I'd suggest Llama. It's so easy to teach and a game always ends up with everyone around the table laughing. And guess who designed it?

20:40 = mind blown. I'm never going to run out of space for my expansion stuff ever again!

Me seeing the stacks of cards: Are those Netrunner cards? Quinn's seeing the stacks of cards: Are those.....Netrunner cards? *Strokes cards gently and remembers a past life*

I know it’s on “the way out” pile but I NEED to know your thoughts on Capone. In fact I’d love a rapid fire video on everything on the out tray.

NISEI (former Netrunner) is the absolute top game here

I'm really hoping one of these videos will be deeply underwhelming at some point: "Here's Monopoly and a dog-eared copy of Scrabble, along with a pack of playing cards and a few loose dice... Oh, and somewhere there's a mini Domino set that came with a Christmas cracker!"

Tom throws a Netrunner mat at Quinns. The video ends and Quinns is never heard from again.

One of my favorite board games is Dune, and my brother's favorite board game is A Game of Thrones. So thank you, Tom, for validating both of our tastes in board games based on books.

Why the heck does this new fella Tom Brewster get to play Vagrantsong before me? (UK comment.. Vagrantsong still does not exist in this realm). Great bottom-up video! Thanks people.

Is there some beef with the dicetower that Tom was hinting at when he pointed to the seal at 29:58?

The board game collection trilogy is complete! I wonder if it will get an Ava sequel soon.

Wow...our collections are surprisingly similar. I don't think I would have said that Tom is the SUSD member I share tastes with the most, but after seeing this I think it's clear.

Stares angrily at screen …. Puts away phone proceeds to drive to the nearest boardgameshop and buys way too much AGAIN

Shots fired at Dice Tower!

Roll and Race in the same box is insane! They have expansions!! 😂

What Tom needs is Flamme Rouge

The return of Netruner! Nice! Thanks for sharing. These are nice videos. Tom's taken so much. And given too. :)

North Berkeley, where the game is set, is in California, and it pains me to inform you that Californians pronounce "Berkeley" to rhyme with "quirk-lee," not "starkly." Americans also pronounce "Derby" to rhyme with "Furby," and I live in Ohio, where "Medina" rhymes with a word that I suspect my post will not be visible if I write, and if you're thinking, "It can't possibly be pronounced that way," you are at least thinking of the right word. (It begins with V.)

Tom, absolute definition of chaotic good

I'd love to hear more discussion on The Estates. I absolutely adore everything that it can be, but it takes a very specific kind of take-that mindset that makes it hard to casually pull out

Yall should review NISEI's continuation of netrunner! Great exposure for an amazing game!!

Really glad to hear You're all still playing and enjoying the glory that is Innovation

I just want to add, I'm very happy to see another person who stores their boardgames (mostly) flat rather than vertical! I see everyone's shelves with vertical games and I think, don't all your pieces just fall around?

Such a fun watch. Makes me want to go back to the other tours. I hope Ava will feel comfortable sharing. Maybe Tom could have a shelf or three decicated to games that are not his? :p

9:48 describes my entire collection honestly

after looking at my collection i’ve realized how much of a Monopoly addict i am because my eyes instantly tracked the camera the moment the camera flashed past the Monopoly logo

I have a similar size collection to Tom (one giant Kallax) and around 15-20 games in common. Guess I've found my SUSD spirit animal.

I also have A Distant Plain, and it took me actual ages to wrap my head around what the heck is going on. But once it clicks, it clicks, and you realize how wonderfully simple all the actions in the game actually are. It's pretty much either moving cubes from one place to another, adding some cubes or discs, and/or doing some very simple combat. It really surprised me that, for how difficult it is to understand the game, the core actions are some of the simplest of any wargame I've ever played. I strongly recommend pushing through the headache of learning the game, because once you do it's an extremely rewarding experience.

Excellent! I have exactly the same shelving but about a quarter of the games on it 🤪 most of mine are box beasts such as Gloomhaven, Eclipse and Shadows of Brimstone 🙄 with expansions, oh so many expansions 🥰

Not to flog a dead horse but... T&E is my favourite game of all time but Babylonia is: easier to learn, simpler, quicker and 'friendlier' without losing any of the strategic special sauce. For that reason I've convinced people to play Tig once in the last year, and Babylonia 20+ times. That's probably less of a concern to a reviewer but as a consumer with limited space to buy and try stuff i need games that I will actually be able to play

At this point I wish there was just a list of every game that’s in this collection (even the out games) cause these all look fantastic XDD.

The team version of The King is Dead is FANTASTIC!

OH MY GOD TOM THE ROOT SANDWICH. I"M DOING THAT IMMEDIATELY UPON RETURNING HOME.

The best games of Root I've ever played were two player with my wife, where we both played vagabonds against the marquise bot. It was amazing. There's also a website that makes running the bot a breeze.

I'm much more insync with Tom's collection than Quinns or Matts. Love it!

To help Tom with the feeling bad on the internet, Spirit Island is missing! Tied with TI as my favorite game of all time =p ! But I connect with theme a lot more than you boys do, so that may be part of why you don't like it as much. EDIT: Also, very much enjoyed the Space Cats Peace Turtles shoutout =) .

I have all of root and now I am intrigued by your storage solution...

I really love solo roll and writes!

Tom is missing "In The Hall of the Mountain King". It is a fantastic game that I think really flew under the radar.

"It's me Quinns" 😂😂😂😂😂

Paraphrasing: "On a segment of the Board Game Barrage podcast, I told them I would get all of their top games of all time. I haven't." Okay, that hurts Tom. But I can deal with it. Later.... "I have Feast for Odin." Later... "I have Innovation." Never said: "I have Biblios." And this is after I edited out your credit card number!! Well, of course, I cannot let this stand. There will be retribution. You've left me no choice. And here it is....a link to Tom's unedited credit card numbers: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-gEk8C6mmMr0.html

I finally understand how to do double lid boxes! Time to bring out my Ankh copy