Mark: The UK’s largest board game convention came back for its sixteenth year at the end of May, attracting thousands of fans from across the UK and beyond. There were gaming groups, LARPers, families, couples, and cosplayers who all came together to enjoy board gaming, card gaming, role playing, live action role playing… the list really is endless. But each and every one was catered for at the show. Last year, Kat and I decided to go for the first time to see what was there. In terms of Star Wars, there were some good things to play, some bargains to be had, and that was about it. Let’s be honest, I wouldn’t expect too much focus just on Star Wars. As a show, we thought the UK Games Expo (UKGE) was enjoyable. There were lots of things to look at, areas to play games, and you could try some new titles brought by the publishers. Last year was also the first convention I took my daughter, Ember, to when she was only six. We did a couple of hours, but it really made an impression on her. So, when this year came around, all of us jumped at the chance to go again.
I had decided for Friday that Kat and I would have the more ‘grown up’ look around as press and on Saturday I could take Ember to see how the day was as a family event. So, after picking the tickets up on Thursday, we met Friday morning to go into the show itself. Looking at the crowds, you could tell this was going to be as popular as ever. Of course, Kat and I were expecting more of the same as last year. Yet even as you started to enter the NEC area, you could see one big difference – Star Wars was everywhere!
Kat: UKGE is a celebration of all things gaming, in all its forms, so there isn’t usually much dedicated to Star Wars. There aren’t actually that many Star Wars games, especially compared to other licensed franchises. However, this year there were over a dozen tables for Star Wars: Unlimited and it was extremely popular. The new trading card game has proven a smash hit already, so there were returning players grabbing the exclusive Grogu promotion card, while others were getting the chance to be led through a demo.
Now Mark has become an expert at Star Wars: Unlimited in a very short period of time. In comparison I am a Youngling. I had never played, and beyond that, I’ve never tried a trading card game at all. I was in uncharted territory but excited to give it a go. I failed miserably, but at least I got to take out the Emperor before I was defeated! For the Rebellion! After being crushed under Darth Vader’s fist, also known as Mark’s brutal playing style, we got the opportunity of trying the first co-op board game coming to the Star Wars gaming universe.
Mark: One of the biggest announcements that has come out for Star Wars this year has been The Mandalorian: Adventures. Why? Because it’s co-designed by one of the industry’s best game designers whose thematic games are amongst some of the most loved by gamers. I’m referring to none other than Corey Konieczka! This was a welcome surprise to gamers and there has been much speculation about the game. Unfortunately, Corey couldn’t be there, however, co-designer Josh Beppler was on hand to show players the game. It was a joy to meet him and the passion he had for the game – and for working with Corey – was so evident.
Kat and I were able to play the first mission of the game. Initially it takes a moment to fully grasp what is going on, but after this adjustment period, the game flows very easily. The theme of The Mandalorian is already evident in this initial mission, which with Corey as one of the designers, doesn’t surprise me. There are a number of characters to choose from, already creating variability. Kat chose IG-11, and I was the man himself, the Mandalorian. As soon as we started using these characters, you could sense the different play styles of each. Din Djarin is a general all-rounder. I loved that in the first round, I shot dead an adversary, rushed to the side of the building and uncovered a token to open a door. It felt thematic and already started creating a narrative to the game, which is such a highlight of Corey’s other games like Battlestar Galactica and Star Wars: Rebellion.
Kat: As IG-11 I felt I took on a more calculated approach that suited the assassin droid. On my first turn I was able to take out a bounty hunter and move to get a better angle on my next adversary. For a first mission, the map does not go easy on you. There are already half a dozen bounty hunters and mercenaries that we had to fight, but each has a speciality, whether long-range or melee. It didn’t help that Mark busting in all guns blazing triggered an event card, which only added more adversaries to the map!
Having the maps as a thematic book, with each one beautifully illustrated, only cements The Mandalorian: Adventures as something completely new within the Star Wars gaming universe. Playing out this initial mission was great fun, aided by the fact that I found Grogu before we were swamped by the adversaries that a certain someone kept spawning. Playing co-op was a fantastic change to the typical games that pitch players as the Rebellion versus the Empire, or other competing Star Wars factions. I’m excited for this game to be released to get an even better feel for the rules and how they tie in Star Wars themes for later missions.
Mark: Josh also told us that there were overlays for the missions as well, further adding to the variability. It’s a game that on the surface seems fairly straightforward in terms of missions, that you could get bored with, yet the more we talked to Josh, the more we heard what else was in the box, the more obvious it became that he and Corey had really thought carefully about replayability. This is a game they want everyone to keep coming back to. Throw in some truly stunning artwork and I think you have a game that fans and gamers will really enjoy. As Kat said, the co-op nature of the game is very welcome, even if your partner in crime gets annoyed with your hot-headedness.
We’ve talked about Josh being at the event and he wasn’t the only one. John Leo, a game designer was also there for Star Wars: Unlimited and Atomic Mass Games head of marketing Ross Thompson was there. It was great to speak to both of them. I mention these two because I think it shows that Star Wars was really out in force this year, more so than in other years. Even the massive screen outside the NEC building was advertising the new Star Wars: Unlimited expansion. Everywhere you went, it felt like people were talking about Star Wars.
Kat: Of course, it wasn’t all Star Wars! There were so many games and new titles to explore. Compared to last year, I think the layout of the halls was far better organised, with more spaces to actually play games. While UKGE has plenty of shopping opportunities, ultimately, we’d like to try out things and maybe even play games we wouldn’t necessarily expect to buy. After saving Grogu from the mercenaries, we went to explore the next hall and found ourselves at Farplace Games, run by the animal rescue charity Farplace.
We got to play their new card games that have only just been released – Cat Days, Woof Days, and Dino Days. They are incredibly simple to learn but full of strategy and sabotage. I also never thought I would see Baryonyx (my favourite dinosaur) in a board game! If you’re a fan of Jurassic Park, then it’s well worth playing. After that we hit Hachette Games and let’s just say things got a little competitive as we raced to demo as many things as possible…
Mark: We played a whole raft of games such as After Us, In the Footsteps of Darwin, and a giant version of Stomp the Plank. But that really sums up the day – there were far more opportunities to play than last year and you never felt like you had to spend money to enjoy the day. Not only were there more spaces to play, but the whole set-up also just felt bigger. Even having only a ten-minute coffee break, we still only managed to explore about a third of the show on the first day! There were entire sections of the halls that we didn’t even know were there. Last year was very different. We both got to the end of the first day and felt like we had explored everything.
I will also mention the game we ended the day on, which was Dragonkeepers, a new title from Kosmos. A simple card game that Kat and I both ended up buying and was sold out from the publisher on Friday. We were expertly guided through the game by one of the many, many amazing volunteers who were helping to man all the booths. If there is one thing I will say, it’s that there were so many games to try, yet almost all of them had people around to help you learn them quickly and easily. It made enjoying the games far easier.
Kat: Absolutely! A big shout out to all the staff and volunteers who kept everyone playing at UKGE. A game is only as good as how it is explained, and the volunteers really know these titles. During a convention like UKGE, you don’t want to be reading an instruction manual for ten minutes. You want to be playing! And the volunteers were experts at explaining things succinctly and clearly.
There were also loads of volunteers encouraging children and families to play, which was so nice to see. Explaining things to adults, who know game themes and styles is one thing, but explaining rules to younger players can be challenging, so it was fantastic that the volunteers were able to engage with players of all ages. If it hadn’t been for our amazing guide at Kosmos, I’m not even sure I would have picked up Dragonkeepers. It just goes to show how important a role these volunteers play.
Mark: On the following day, I took my daughter with me to the show. It was a rather different experience that wasn’t as game focused. She played her first game of Star Wars: Unlimited and was suitably impressed that she wants to play it at home (I was rather pleased about that one). Not only were there games for her to play at her age, but there were a host of other stalls that grabbed her interest. I don’t think I’ve ever come away from a convention with so many plushies! Between that, pin badges and little odd things here and there, there was just so much to keep her attention on the show. There were also some costumers and Ember was beside herself meeting her first real life stormtrooper and Wall-E. I think the look on her face says it all. Last year, I took her for two hours, this year we were there for five. It was a full on five hours, after which Ember was suitably exhausted. Thankfully for the car parks there are free shuttles every ten minutes, so if you are laden with games (or plushies), you don’t have to carry everything back whilst on your feet.
The crowds this year were immense, particularly on the Saturday. UKGE have reported that there were almost forty thousand unique visitors to the show and I really felt that. It’s the largest the show has ever been! You have to make sure that you are patient and realise you are going to have to wait at some points. Getting from A to B is not going to be simple. How did you feel about the crowds on Friday, Kat?
Kat: It wasn’t my first rodeo! Whenever people ask me for advice about their first conventions, I get to do an Obi Wan and say ‘Patience!’ These are incredibly popular shows, and the halls will always be packed. You need to make sure you can stay on your feet, keep calm and always have some hydration handy. I don’t mind crowds because I’m so used to it, but there is definitely a benefit of coming in early if you want to avoid the later rush. One of the other benefits of UKGE though is that there was a whole hall dedicated to gaming tables, which provided somewhere not only to play your purchases but also to decompress.
And I think it helps to set realistic targets. You will never be able to see or do everything. We chose to demo specific games and we each got to play something that we were looking forward to. My standouts were definitely In the Footsteps of Darwin and Dragonkeepers, which I’m excited to play with my family. What were your favourites to try, Mark?
Mark: Being able to try The Mandalorian: Adventures was definitely a highlight for me – it’s probably the game I’m looking forward to most this year. In the Footsteps of Darwin is a very close second though, and one I’m certainly glad we got to try. The other surprise one for me was Spokes, a game about cycling that involves moving blocks around (look out for it on Kickstarter near the end of the year). I think UKGE is a fantastic place to be able to try games that you wouldn’t usually play. It allows you to see exactly what is out there and whether or not they might suit your group without having to spend money.
It’s our second year and I have to say, all I saw were a reinforcement of the positives from last year and a lot of improvements. This is a show that is accessible for the whole family, whether it’s the die-hard Star Wars fan, the casual gamer, or the younger audiences. The Star Wars presence this year was immense, and I really hope that continues next year with even more releases. There is a reason that even after all this time, the show continues to grow and grow. The organisers clearly aren’t happy to just sit back and do the same thing year after year, and they are continually trying to improve on what has gone before. I don’t think I can recommend it enough!
Kat: I completely agree! UKGE 2024 was a resounding success and it’s something that casual gamers or die-hard role-players should definitely attend. With Star Wars: Unlimited only having more cards added to it, and The Mandalorian: Adventures featuring a multitude of campaigns, I’m sure they will be back in full force next year! See what I did there? Pun totally intended. With a universe like Star Wars offering so many opportunities for gamers, it’s exciting to see what may be coming later this year too! I clearly just need to get better at defending the Rebel Alliance. I still feel bad about letting my Rebel Base fall.
