This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas set sail with A Feast for Odin, Uwe Rosenberg’s sprawling Viking epic and a true modern classic. From raiding and trading to crafting and exploring, the game offers a remarkable range of paths to prosperity with each one weaving into the next like the threads of a well-worn saga.

The hosts talk about why the game has earned its legendary status, especially the endlessly satisfying polyomino puzzle that turns every haul of goods into a careful exercise in planning and efficiency. With so many ways to build your Viking legacy, no two journeys feel quite the same. It’s big, bold, and deeply rewarding; exactly the kind of feast that keeps players coming back to the table.

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas finally venture into Feya’s Swamp, a long-anticipated journey into a shifting landscape of settlements, trade, and careful positioning. As the swamp slowly fills with villages and pathways, the board begins to tighten around the players, turning every placement into a meaningful decision. Tactical positioning, clever interaction, and the evolving map create a game full of thoughtful choices and satisfying moments of planning.

The hosts talk about how much they enjoy the core mechanisms—especially the negotiation and trading that lie at the heart of the design. At two players, however, the certain design decisions change the dynamic a bit, making trade less enticing and leaving certain actions feeling a little unusual. Even so, Feya’s Swamp remains a strong design with a lot to offer, and one that clearly shines brightest when more players gather around the table to explore the swamp together.

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas chart a course through history with Sid Meier’s Civilization: A New Dawn, bringing the legendary computer franchise to the tabletop. From humble beginnings to world-shaping influence, the game captures the sweeping arc of building a civilization: expanding territory, advancing technology, and pursuing victory on your own terms.

They explore how the clever focus-row action system streamlines the grand strategy of the video game into something tabletop-playable, preserving the spirit of progress and adaptation while embracing the limits, and strengths, of the board game format. While no tabletop version can replicate every layer of its digital ancestor, A New Dawn delivers a thoughtful, engaging experience that keeps the march of history moving and makes the rise of your empire feel earned.

It’s a confident translation of a beloved series; ambitious, accessible, and well worth another turn through the ages.

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas step through the gates of The White Castle by Isra C. and Shei S., a sharp and elegant euro set in feudal Japan. Beneath its serene exterior lies a game of razor-focused decision making, where every die placement matters and every action feels consequential.

The hosts talk about how the streamlined design delivers big strategic choices in a surprisingly quick play time, proving that depth doesn’t require a sprawling footprint. With its tightly interwoven systems, spot-on theme, and beautiful artwork that brings Himeji Castle to life, The White Castle is a compact masterclass in thoughtful euro design.

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas head to the zoo with Ark Nova, the heavyweight strategy title currently ranked #2 on BoardGameGeek. Tasked with building the most successful modern zoo, the hosts dive into a design packed with clever decisions, long-term planning, and a steady stream of satisfying combos.

They chat about the game’s standout action-selection system, where timing and card strength shape every turn and the unique scoring track that keeps progress dynamic from start to finish. With deep strategy, meaningful choices, and plenty of room for clever plays, Ark Nova delivers a rich, engaging experience that shows exactly why it continues to sit near the very top of the hobby.

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas travel to ancient Jerusalem with Ezra and Nehemiah, a game of rebuilding, restoration, and carefully chosen actions. From the first turn, the engaging action-selection system takes centre stage, with three shared action areas that interlock in satisfying ways and reward thoughtful timing. Watching those spaces fill, shift, and interact gives the whole game a sense of momentum, much like a city slowly rising back to life.

They talk about how much they enjoy the way the mechanisms support one another, creating a steady rhythm of planning, adapting, and finding just the right moment to act. As always with Garphill Games, the theme is deeply integrated and ultimately a strong foundation for a genuinely great game. It’s a measured, engaging experience where every decision helps shape the rebuilding effort and the journey is just as rewarding as the result.

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas kneel before the throne of The Old King’s Crown—and emerge utterly enchanted. What begins as a simple, elegant contest for power quickly reveals itself as a masterclass in subtle manipulation, clever timing, and razor-fine positioning. Every move feels like courtly intrigue: a quiet nudge here, a delicate shift there, and suddenly the entire kingdom tilts in your favour.

The hosts gush over how effortlessly the game delivers depth without complexity, rewarding players who can read the board like a royal decree and twist it just enough to claim victory. The design is packed with smart choices and satisfying little moments that make it genuinely hard to believe this is Pablo Clark’s first published game.

And then there’s the artwork, which is absolutely mind-blowing. It’s the kind of visual splendour that makes the table feel like a storybook kingdom come to life, where every card and component looks worthy of the crown itself.

In short: The Old King’s Crown is a jewel-box of a game; deceptively simple, endlessly clever, and fit for royalty.

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas set out on a gentle journey with Creature Caravan by Ryan Laukat and Red Raven Games. It’s a relaxed, mid-weight adventure where clever planning and quiet efficiency guide your caravan across a beautifully illustrated world brought to life by Laukat’s signature artwork.

They chat about why this one feels so comfortable at the table: a smooth multiplayer solitaire experience, thoughtful decisions without pressure, and gameplay that feels fresh while still easy to settle into. Creature Caravan is the kind of game that invites you to slow down, enjoy the journey, and appreciate the charm along the way—and that made it a delight to explore together.