Hello everyone!

February was a short month, but I managed to make some room to do what I really love — playing board games!

Let’s take a look at how it went.

February 2026 by the Numbers

• 13 plays (compared to 11 in January 🎉)
• 7 different games
• 3 new-to-me games
• Most played: Proving Grounds and Harmonies (3 plays each)

Proving Grounds

Designed by Kane Klenko, published by Renegade Game Studios.

In this game, we play as Maia Strongheart, daughter of the Sun Queen, who has been accused of murdering her. To prove her innocence and reclaim her birthright, Maia must fight in the arena against waves of enemies.

This is a fully solo game where dice are at the heart of everything. It also comes with a companion app that provides both the soundtrack and a timer, and trust me, that combination does things to your nerves! Each round, you face 6 enemies, each associated with a face of the dice, and your goal is to defeat 8 enemies to win. Every round lasts exactly one minute, during which you roll and reroll your dice to find the best combination to injure your opponents.

It’s a really fun game, but genuinely tense. The ticking clock paired with the soundtrack will make your anxiety spike, in the best possible way. I’d recommend it to anyone who loves rolling dice (you’ll be doing a lot of that!) and can handle the pressure of the clock. 😅

Imperial Miners

Designed by Tim Armstrong, published by Portal Games.

Imperial Miners was a pleasant surprise, a quick and satisfying puzzle game where you build your mines to gather resources and diamonds, with the goal of collecting the most diamonds by the end. I played it solo, and it works really well in that format.

What keeps it from feeling repetitive are the events that appear each round, adding a little twist every time. The puzzling aspect is genuinely interesting, and the whole thing is easy to learn. If you’re looking for something light and quick with a satisfying brain-teaser feel, this one is well worth a try.

Sparks

Published by Surfin’ Meeple.

I only got one play of Sparks in February, and I still need one or two more before I can give a proper verdict, but my first impression is very positive!

In Sparks, you work in a robot factory with the goal of assembling robots. The components you use to build them are dice, and each robot has specific requirements, whether a number or a colour. It’s a clever little puzzle, and although the game supports multiple players, I played it solo this time.

The art is beautiful and the game is a pleasure to play. I’m looking forward to exploring it more.

Merchants Cove

Published by Final Frontier Games.

Two more plays this month with two new merchants, the Oracle and the Innkeeper, bringing my total to 5 plays across different merchants and modules from the Secret Stash expansion. And after all that, I can say with confidence: I love this game.

It’s simple and quick once set up, though the setup itself is a bit involved. But when it’s all laid out on the table, it looks really great. The asymmetry between merchants is one of its biggest strengths, just be aware that some merchants are harder than others, and that’s very much part of the fun.

A full review is coming soon!

Other Notable Games

February also gave me some welcome time with games already in my collection, a mix of comfort plays and a couple of games I’m still figuring out!

Harmonies had a strong month with 3 plays, and I’m still not tired of it. This beautiful game puts you in the role of a nature architect, you draft tokens to build landscapes and attract animals to your map. The more you play, the more strategic you become, and the more you want to play again. Almost addictive in the best way. A full review is already up on the blog if you want to know more!

Conservas got one play this month. You play as a fisherman heading out to sea to fish and sell your catch, but you also have to be careful not to deplete the ocean’s species. The theme is really well executed, and there’s a fun mix of bag building and push-your-luck that keeps things exciting.

Sylvion also got one play. In this one, your mission is to save a forest from a devastating fire, using only cards, it’s all about hand management and puzzle solving. It’s part of the Oniverse, and honestly? It’s the one in that family I struggle with the most. I’m not very good at it, and I suspect that’s part of why I haven’t fully warmed to it yet. I need to give it more chances, it deserves a fair shot!

What About You?

Did you discover any new games in February? And has anyone tried Proving Grounds, how did you handle the timer pressure? Come share your thoughts on Mastodon 😊.