Gloomhaven: Buttons & Bugs on Marta's BG Corner

October 2026 Plays

Sat, 07 Nov 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Hello everyone!

October is over, and judging by the shops and the TV, we’ve already entered the Christmas season. But before thinking about Christmas, let’s look back at October.

Last month I was hoping to finally play Dune: Imperium and Planta Nubo, and I’m happy to say I managed both! October was also the month of my very first SPIEL Essen. I shared my adventures day by day, so if you want all the details, have a look at Day 1, Day 2 and Day 3.

This recap is also a bit different from usual. After my favourite game of the month, I’m starting with the games I brought home from Essen. These are first impressions, and proper reviews will follow soon.

Table of Contents

October 2026 by Numbers

18 plays (vs. 11 in September)
11 different games
9 new games to me
Most played: Dune: Imperium, Chopstick Tightrope and Castellion (3 plays each)
Solo plays: 14 (Chopstick Tightrope and Moustache were multiplayer)

The month in numbers

The games of the month

Favourite Game of the Month

Moustache

Designed by Alexandre Aguilar and Jules Messaud, published by KODAMA.

Moustache was my top game of Essen and my favourite of the whole month. I completely fell in love with it! It’s a game for 3 to 6 players, so not my usual kind of game, but it’s so much fun with the right people. I got to try it at Essen with two wonderful players who made the game shine, and we had the time of our lives.

It’s a competitive trick-taking game where each round adds a new rule and you team up with a random player. You’re trying to earn the most points by winning tricks and taking trophies, each with a different value. The added rules are fantastic: a type of card you really don’t want in the early rounds can become the one everyone envies in the last round. In our game, the stars on green cards counted negatively for the first three rounds. Then in round four, a new rule made the team with the fewest stars win the round, the complete opposite, so those green cards became pure gold! It was so funny that we still talk about it today. Thank you, Vanessa and Leticia, for that moment.

My hand in Moustache: are those stars a blessing or a curse?

Moustache gets a 9/10 from me.

My SPIEL Essen Haul

I didn’t lose my head at Essen, and five games came home with me: Karnivorous, Light in the Dark, Gloomhaven: Buttons & Bugs, Chopstick Tightrope and Cat Days. I’ve already played four of them this month. Only Cat Days hasn’t hit the table yet.

Karnivorous

Designed by Inka and Markus Brand, published by inPatience.

The story behind Karnivorous is almost funny. A group of scientists is developing a genetic modification to make apple trees grow faster and bigger, so they produce more and bigger apples. But… they apply it to the wrong plant and trigger a plant apocalypse! And guess who they’re counting on to save them, the lab and the world? The helper robots.

A lab overrun by plants, with my robots trying to keep up

It’s a puzzle-style game where you always seem to be short of actions. You roll dice that help you decide your actions, then solve objectives, but you have to plan carefully which ones you want to tackle. It’s entertaining and a lot of fun. I played it twice, losing once and winning once. I want a few more plays before writing the full review, but it already earns an 8.5/10.

Chopstick Tightrope

Published by Gorilla Games.

This is a party game, and I have to say I love it. I’m not that agile with chopsticks, since I only learned to use them recently, but the game makes me want to improve. All three of my plays were at two players with my boyfriend, which is rare, and that made it even more special. It’s a 9/10 for me, and a full review is coming next week!

Steady hands needed (and spot the blog T-shirt!)

Light in the Dark

Designed by Kai Starck, published by Archona Games.

In Light in the Dark, you’re a plague doctor curing villages and fighting the bad guys. It’s a dungeon crawler with a lot of potential. I’ve only played once (and won!), but I really appreciated the mechanics, especially how the enemies and the doctor move. I’ll need more plays to judge how replayable it is, but so far I’m happy with the game and its theme. Because of those doubts, I’m giving it 7/10 for now, and I’m looking forward to the Fires of Thokaia expansion, which I think will improve the game a lot.

Light in the Dark by candlelight, closing in on the boss

Gloomhaven: Buttons & Bugs

Designed by Joe Klipfel and Nikki Valens, published by Cephalofair Games.

This one isn’t new, but I’d always been reluctant to try the big Gloomhaven. I’d watched some videos and wasn’t convinced at all. So I went to talk to the person at the booth to find out more. The presentation was really good and won me over, and the tiny box fitted in my luggage (otherwise I’d have had to ship it home).

I played it once in October and already twice in November, and so far I’m enjoying it, though I’ve realised I’m not very good at it: I already lost on scenario 2. Finishing the campaign is going to be a struggle! What I like most is how quick it is. Both setup and play are fast, so it’s perfect for a little break or the end of a tiring day. On the downside, the small size is great for carrying it around, but it makes everything hard to read and handle. It’s cute, but not that practical. It’s a 7/10 at this stage, and I’m sure I’ll enjoy the gameplay more once I get the hang of it.

Scenario 1, A Rude Welcome, with the Bruiser

Played at SPIEL Essen

Now let’s talk about the games I played at Essen but didn’t buy (at least, not yet!).

Mayor of Chicago

Designed by Xavier Georges, published by inPatience.

I have to confess that once I got home, I pre-ordered it from my usual shop, and now I’m waiting for it to arrive. That says a lot about how much I enjoyed it! Like most inPatience games, it’s a solo puzzle game. You’re competing against another candidate to become mayor of Chicago, and you need the most votes at the end of the game. You place cards to build the city and bring people in, earning both immediate and permanent bonuses. But be careful: your deck is limited, and each time you complete a column, you need to meet certain conditions to earn more benefits, or bad things happen.

Building my city at the inPatience booth, one headline at a time

You build an engine to earn more points and votes, which I really enjoyed. I loved the artwork and the theme: it’s fun and clever. And yes, I lost, because of a bad move right near the end… I miscounted my cards! It’s an 8/10 so far, and I can’t wait to see how it holds up once my copy arrives.

More Essen Discoveries

Mazing (designed by Jim Deacove, published by inPatience): I played it solo at the inPatience booth. It’s an abstract game where you try to bring the black main pieces to one side of the board and the white ones to the opposite side. Each piece has its own movement rule, and some spaces make you flip a piece face down, leaving it stuck. It’s almost like chess, but you can play it solo. I had a lot of fun! I don’t think I’ll buy it, but I’d happily play it again. I’m giving it 7/10, since I don’t know yet if it stays as fun after several plays.

Black and white messengers, ready to cross the maze

I also tried two games without playing a full game, so they’re not in my numbers.

7th Seal (designed by Julio Falagán, published by Devir): I fell in love with this solo game, where you break the seven seals and fight bosses and minions with dice. I only played one round, but it was enough to enjoy it: the art is really nice, and so is the gameplay. I’ve pre-ordered it too, so I’ll test it more once it arrives.

Facing Teskatlipoka at the Devir booth

The Fog: Escape from Paradise (designed by Robert Müller-Reinwarth, published by XOLLOX Games): a competitive game where you get your people to the boats before a deadly fog catches them. I played a short demo version at three players. My first impression was that you never have enough moves to save your people, or enough of them, but I suppose that’s the whole point: who will you sacrifice, how close to the beach will they get, and who will you save? The closer to the beach someone is when the fog catches them, the fewer points you lose, so you need to find a balance. I’d love to play a full game to form a better opinion, but so far it’s a hit for me.

Everyone racing for the boats before the fog arrives

Other Games Played

Dune: Imperium

Designed by Paul Dennen, published by Dire Wolf.

Dune: Imperium puts you at the head of one of the great houses of the Dune universe, mixing worker placement, deck building and influence majority. The first player to reach 10 points triggers the end of the game.

I’ll confess its dark, strange look made me hesitate for a long time. But the game shines solo, with a deck of cards or a companion app running your two rivals, and it’s probably even better multiplayer. My first game, as Paul Atreides, ended in an 11 to 9 win… with an asterisk, since I played the trash rule wrong in my favour. The next two brought me back down to earth: 6 to 10 with Helena Richese, then 5 to 11 with Duke Leto Atreides. It still earns an 8/10 from me.

The game where Glossu Rabban crushed my Duke Leto

Planta Nubo

Designed by Michael Keller, Andreas Odendahl and Uwe Rosenberg, published by The Game Builders.

In Planta Nubo, you play in a future world where you take care of the Earth, creating your own plantations and forests to deliver flowers. It’s a moderately complex game with lots of small rules. The Botbot is an automa with different difficulty levels: it can be hard to manage at first, but it gets easier after a few turns. I’ve only played once, and I won 94 to 63! I loved it. The components are beautiful, and I love the idea of delivering flowers in so many colours. It gets a 7.5/10, and it will definitely be back on my table next month.

My cloud garden taking shape

Quick Notes

Castellion (designed by Shadi Torbey, published by inPatience): you draw tiles one by one to build your castle, using their powers along the way, and at the end of each ordeal your towers and bastions are put to the test. I’ve played it several times hoping it would click, and it hasn’t yet. I enjoy building with the tiles, and the components are good quality, but losing without any clue how I could have won is frustrating. If I find the right strategy, I’ll probably love it. It’s a 6/10 today, but I’m not giving up.

Codex Naturalis (designed by Thomas Dupont, published by Bombyx): you continue the work of a monk finishing his book about nature, and if you’ve followed my posts about the art in my games, you know how much I love the gold on its cards. This month I tried the solo mode for the first time, after discovering it in a video by Unna, a Spanish reviewer I really appreciate. You play against an automa that takes cards from the same river as you, and I lost 30 to 34. It’s still fun solo, though I need more plays to form a real opinion, and in multiplayer it’s great too. I’m giving it 7.5/10.

All that gold catching the light

Final Thoughts

Even though I’ve been working a lot and had less time to play, I’m really happy with my October. I learnt some new games, and above all, I got to go to SPIEL Essen for the first time. It was a wonderful experience, and I’ll definitely be back next year.

The game that stood out this month is Moustache: such a simple game that made me laugh so much. Its lovely illustrations make it even better.

Looking Ahead

For November, I’d like to play more quick games, like Gloomhaven: Buttons & Bugs and Conservas. As for bigger games, maybe Kingdom Rush: Elemental Uprising, which I’m really eager to try.

Your Turn

And you, were you at SPIEL Essen this year, or did you follow it from home? Which new game caught your eye?

Come share your comments on Mastodon, Facebook, and BoardGameGeek.

SPIEL Essen 2026: Day 2

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Hello everyone!

Here we go with Day 2 of my very first SPIEL Essen! If you missed the start of the adventure, you can catch up on Day 1 here.

Day 2 was a day of contrasts, with some wonderful moments, some frustrating ones, and one big lesson: a good presentation can change everything.

Getting there

The day started with a lovely sunny morning, at least until we left the hotel. Then it turned windy and rainy. 🌧️

Getting to Essen was easy this time, no Uber adventure needed! The metro between Essen Central Station and the Messe was packed, but nothing abnormal.

We were both more tired than yesterday, though, and the Messe was already crowded when we arrived. That brought a feeling of tiredness and impatience for both of us.

Tired, but ready for Day 2!

Esper Games: 99x1 and Dream Hoppers

99x1: designed by Rodrigo Esper · Illustrated by OKU · BGG page Dream Hoppers: designed by Rodrigo Esper and Alex Olteanu · Illustrated by Gou Eisuke · BGG page Published by Esper Game Studio

Our first stop was Esper Games, where we talked with Rodrigo Esper, the founder and designer. He presented two games to us, and the story behind them won me over straight away. They first talked with the artists, and only then designed the games around their art. Instead of art made for a game, you get a game made for the art. I love that idea!

In Dream Hoppers, you are guardians of a child’s dreams, preparing good dreams and memories while keeping the nightmares away. It’s a cooperative game for 3 to 6 players, illustrated by Gou Eisuke in a colourful Japanese style. Even the backs of the cards are gorgeous!

99x1 is a competitive/cooperative game where one player is the swordsman and the others play the demons, to see who wins the fight. It’s illustrated by OKU, and I loved how the red demons are drawn as a family, happy and close together, while the swordsman in blue looks colder and less friendly.

99x1: the red demon family against the cold blue swordsman

Dream Hoppers and its colourful Japanese-style art

We only saw the games presented, without playing. Even though the ideas and art are gorgeous, both are games for 3 players or more, so they don’t really fit my way of playing. Still, I loved the presentation and the games themselves.

Vesuvius Media: the Dwar7s saga

Designed and illustrated by Luís Brueh · On BGG: Dwar7s Fall, Dwar7s Winter, Dwar7s Spring and Flame & Forge

I’ve been following the Dwar7s saga for a while now, so I was curious to hear about it at Vesuvius Media. The person at the booth was so enthusiastic, and it was refreshing: everything made sense. The way he explained the gameplay of each game, and the story that connects them, was magnificent.

What I love most is how the saga follows the cycle of the seasons. In Fall, you fight against each other for power. In Winter, you fight creatures. In Spring, you start exploring more and more. And you end in Summer with Flame & Forge, and a dragon destroying everything. The image of that cycle is wonderful.

The Dwar7s saga, my favourite discovery of the day

I was completely charmed, and I wasn’t the only one: the presenter’s enthusiasm made my boyfriend smile too, and I think he’d say yes to playing it. Unfortunately, only half of the four games in the series can be played solo, and I don’t feel like buying them right now. Maybe another time! Either way, thank you for this joyful moment. 😊

Into the crowds

Next, I went looking for Fame & Fable from Board Game Circus. I was so curious about this one, and the art looks gorgeous, but the only copy available was in German. I’ll try again tomorrow!

After that, we spent a lot of time moving between booths, trying to avoid the most crowded spots. The thing I noticed most today was the big bags and suitcases everyone carries around for their games. They turned moving around the Messe into real confusion and madness.

A tougher stretch: Gaudí and Oniro

Gaudí: designed by Dani Garcia · Illustrated by Edu Valls · Published by Devir · BGG page Oniro: published by Magic Box

After that frustrating moment, I stopped by Devir hoping to try Gaudí, but all the tables were taken. Looking at it more closely left me with mixed feelings. I was expecting a wow moment from the board, but it felt confusing and not as bright as I’d imagined. Maybe I was just too tired to enjoy it, and I’d need to play it to really understand it.

Gaudí, with every table already taken

Then I tried Oniro at Magic Box, a solo puzzle game where you’re in a labyrinth, shown on a single card, and have to find the best combination of moves to get out. The explanation was so superficial that I couldn’t understand the goal or the story behind it. I played two challenges and struggled to solve them, which is unusual for me, as I’m normally good at this kind of game.

Oniro: a whole labyrinth on a single card

Archona Games: Light in the Dark

Designed by Kai Starck · Illustrated by Daniel Cunha · Published by Archona Games · BGG page

At Archona Games, I got a presentation of Light in the Dark, a solo dungeon crawler set in the Pest universe. I love the theme: you defend the city against animals and invaders, while trying to grow your renown and become a reference in the city by fighting the plague and healing it. So it caught my interest, and I came back later to buy the base game! There’s also an expansion in late pledge on Gamefound, but it wasn’t available yet.

The Pest universe at the Archona Games booth

The presentation itself, though, lacked enthusiasm and didn’t explain the theme well, when it could have shone. If I hadn’t already known the theme, I probably wouldn’t have been won over. The purchase was a bit odd too: when I asked for a receipt, I was told it needed the boss’s approval first, which surprised me.

Cephalofair Games: Gloomhaven: Buttons & Bugs

Designed by Joe Klipfel and Nikki Valens · Illustrated by Yanis Cardin and Mofei Wang · Published by Cephalofair Games · BGG page

And then came the presentation that changed everything.

As I told the presenter, I’ve never been able to bring myself to play Gloomhaven. The size of the box, how big the game is, the theme, the way it looks: none of it attracts me. I’ve even tried watching videos on Facebook, and there was no way.

So he presented Buttons & Bugs to us, with a full explanation of the rules. His enthusiasm and clear explanations changed my mind, and I decided to give it a try. I bought it! My boyfriend liked it too, especially the fighting side. A brilliant presentation. 👏

Gloomhaven: Buttons & Bugs, the game that changed my mind

Lovemore Games: Jewel Box

Designed by Zac Loveless · Illustrated by Megan Galura · Published by Lovemore Games · BGG page

At Lovemore Games, we discovered Jewel Box, a lovely-looking game about collecting beetles. Sadly, the presentation didn’t manage to sell it to me: I still don’t know what the goal is, who we are or what we’re doing. It sounded a little like In the Footsteps of Darwin, but I didn’t really get it, which makes me a bit sad, because the game looked beautiful.

Jewel Box and its beautiful beetles

XOLLOX Games: The Fog: Escape from Paradise

Designed by Robert Müller-Reinwarth · Illustrated by Unique Litani Soparie · Published by XOLLOX Games · BGG page

The young woman presenting The Fog: Escape from Paradise was very nervous, even shaking, but her presentation was good! The game takes place on an island where a sudden fog starts spreading, and you need to bring everyone to the boats to keep them safe. Everything sounded nice, and visually it made sense too. They also mentioned their next game, The Voyage, which will follow the journey of the people from the boats, though it wasn’t on display at the fair.

Then I was invited to join a table that was just starting, so I did. The game was shortened on purpose for the fair, and we played three rounds. That was too short to feel its whole potential, but enough to get a taste. My only criticism is the way rounds work, as you can spend a lot of time waiting without playing. Still, I enjoyed testing it and figuring out how to use the different movement types, and having to think about who was left behind is a nice twist.

Joining a table at the XOLLOX Games booth

Racing the fog to get everyone to the boats

My favourite of the day

The Dwar7s saga, without hesitation. The art by Luís Brueh has that childlike touch that is so characteristic of the series, and the cycle of the seasons gives the whole saga a wonderful sense of story. If I ever dive in, Fall would be my first season to play, right at the start of the cycle. ✨

What I take away from Day 2

On the second day, tiredness sets in and people become less patient. The fair is very crowded, and there’s almost nowhere to sit unless you take a booth table to play or a seat in the busy food areas. My boyfriend isn’t that keen on board games, so it would have been nice if he could rest somewhere while I carried on with my visit. In the end, he managed a little break on one of the few booth couches. A fair this big really needs places to rest.

The bags and suitcases alone would be manageable, but a lot of people don’t mind pushing you to get past, and that’s not nice at all.

As for the presentations, today showed me both sides: some people clearly loved board games and shared that love, while others seemed less engaged. To be fair, by the second day, the people working at the booths are probably just as tired as we are. Still, for me, the presentation and the story behind a game are a big part of the experience. I didn’t come here to buy on impulse. I came to discover our industry, and publishers and games I didn’t even know existed. That’s why a presenter who takes a moment to understand who’s in front of them makes such a difference.

End of Day 2

A tiring day, but one full of discoveries, and two new games coming home with me: Light in the Dark and Gloomhaven: Buttons & Bugs.

And a small confession: remember my promise of a notebook full of names? Today I was too tired to write any down. 😅

Tomorrow is my last day, with second attempts at Fame & Fable and Fear of the Dark on my list!

Have you ever been to SPIEL Essen? And what makes a booth presentation win you over?

Come share your comments on Mastodon, Facebook, and BoardGameGeek.