5 Games That Take Up A Surprising Amount of Table Space

I know you can never judge a game by its box, but usually you can judge the scale of the game from the size of the box. Place a hefty Twilight Imperium or Gloomhaven down on a table and players will instantly brace themselves for a meaty game with lots of pieces, boards, tables, and figures. However, today we're looking at 5 games that come in deceptively small boxes but take up as much space on the table as a big box game.

Tiny Epic Dungeons - Gamelyn Games

We seem to always end up writing about the Tiny Epic series, but that's just because of how many boxes they seem to tick. In this case, Tiny Epic Dungeons ticks the box of being a table-filler. Arriving in a deceptively small box, you would be wise not to underestimate quite how much space this randomly generated dungeon crawl is.

In TE Dungeons, players race to find and battle a number of evil minions in the form of minotaurs, ogres, giant spiders, and more, to unlock the door to the boss' lair before their torchlight runs out and they are plunged into darkness. As Dungeon Crawls go the game is a perfect example of how the genre can be streamlined to just the basics and remain an engaging experience. The combat is satisfying, the loot rewarding, and the enemies deadly. The base game comes with a large number of different enemies to face and characters to play as, each with their own abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. We've had a copy for a few years now and it is one of the more regularly played titles, but no two games have ever felt alike.

This is a table filler of a game, and as the dungeon expands it's likely you'll wish you sat at a bigger table.

Tranquility - James Emmerson

Tranquility by James Emmerson comes in a delightfully small box, with some truly gorgeous artwork, but, you guessed it, takes up a surprising amount of table space. The cards, each sharing a similar footprint to the box, are arranged into a 6x6 grid pattern over the course of the game. This space is marked out at the start with a border of artwork cards, essentially extending the table space required to 7x7 of the box size, which I think beats Gloomhaven, or any of the 'havens, in box-to-table ratio (no I haven't measured this exactly).

Tranquility deserves this level of table space, however, as it is a beautiful and mindful experience. Albiet a very tricky one to get right. Players take turns laying cards down to fill the aforementioned grid with island pictures as you guide a sailor peacefully back home. The catch is that all cards must be placed in ascending order, providing a bit of intuition and guess work to keep things interesting. The game guide also recommends playing the game in silence, or next to silence, to enhance the peaceful tones of the game.

Bandido

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Bandido is another tile placement game and it really feels like the theme for games that take up an unexpected amount of space require some form of tile placement. In this game, players cooperate to thwart the escape attempts of the titular Bandido as he tunnels his way out of prison. Players will place cards in turn, with limited communication, to guide the tunnels to dead ends, eventually closing off all open ends.

Because the tunnels are randomly generated, there is absolutely no way of knowing at the start of the game which direction it's likely to sprawl off in. Meaning that no matter where you place the starting tile, by about halfway through you'll be desperately trying to reconfigure the table to accommodate the chaotic tunnels.

The pocket-sized nature of this game could easily lull you into the false idea that it would be perfect for a quick game in a cafe. And while that is certainly possible, be prepared to panic when the drinks arrive and they have to be strategically placed around the table!

Lord of the Rings: Duel For Middle Earth

While the other games so far on this list have almost pocket-sized boxes, LOTR Duel is a little bigger from the start. However, we still feel like this game is surprising in the amount of space it takes up, and with good reason.

In LOTR Duel, 2 players take on the roles of the forces of Mordor and the free peoples of Middle Earth in a race for supremacy. Much like its older cousin 7 Wonders Duel, there are multiple ways to win this race. You can focus on uniting the various races, progressing the quest of the ring (or the Ring Wraiths if you are Mordor), or simple military might. It is a terrific game that has done amazingly in condensing the 3 different win conditions into a single game, where each one could have existed in its own right. 

The board itself is only about as large as the game box but the real table hog comes from the card drafting. Cards are laid out in each of the 3 chapters of the game in a configuration that restricts what cards can be drafted at any one time. In a layout that resembles a tarot reading, cards are laid over each other to form shapes that slowly diminish as cards are revealed and drafted.

LOTR Duel is a brilliant game that had us hooked from the beginning, but you'll definitely need more space than the box suggests.

Any TTRPG

Not all Table Top Role Playing Games are created equal. Some are like Lasers & Feelings, requiring little more than a notebook, a pen, some dice, snacks, drinks, fidget toys for those that need them, GM notes, maybe a GM screen. Others, like Dungeons & Dragons, require all that plus the many source books required for playing each scenario, battle maps, miniatures, etc.

Our years playing TTRPGs have taught us one thing, there is never quite enough room for everything that's needed. Players and their bits and bobs, like water, always seem to expand to fill the space they have. Why do you think character sheets always get stuff spilled on them?

Hand Limit 2025 Event: Canterbury Pride Board Game Club

On Saturday we held our first ever Hand Limit Event, Pride Board Game Club, and it was a huge success. We seated approximately 58 people playing games throughout the day, plus a further 22 who came in to browse our stalls. We had a lot of fun demoing games, making recommendations, and helping people get set up. The games played ranged from Molly House, to Fluxx, to Ghost Castle. It was particularly nice to meet some fans of the blog as well!

Now that the dust has settled and we've had a chance to take stock of everything that happened, we thought it would be good to share a few thoughts and highlights of the day.

Drawn and Quartered tattoo studio ran a stall selling art prints and temporary tattoos, which were very popular. It was great to see so many people from the alternative community come out and be board game nerds for the day.

Dice & Destiny, our Friendly Local Gaming Store (FLGS) came along to sell and demo some board games including Yogi and Bad Trevor, which were both received really well and were both prizes to be won at the charity tombola.

Kitsch Flamingo ran our tombola, which was hugely popular and had some truly awesome prizes, including tickets to an immersive Grease experience in London, a free aerial fitness course from Inspire Fitness, and a tattoo voucher for Drawn and Quartered, which were all claimed before the end of the day.

Fruitworks Coworking and Coffee Shop, the spiritual home of Hand Limit, was the perfect environment for the day. Their event space was the perfect size and many people enjoyed the fantastic coffee and cakes they offer.

Huge thanks are due to all of our sponsors and contributors. Needless to say we would not have been able to get this far without their support and they helped make the day truly unique.

Throwing this event was a learning curve for us and we have certainly come out the other side with some valuable lessons on what we can change to throw future events and offer the best possible experience to our guests. 

We asked all those attending to fill out a questionnaire giving us feedback and valuable data that will help us run future events. Some highlights of the data we have received so far indicate that 50% of the people attending heard about the event through word-of-mouth, 100% of replies stated that they would like to see more events like this one, 100% said that we had created a safe and inclusive space, and 85% of people said that their mood improved as a result of Pride Board Game Club (the other 15% indicated that their mood hadn't improved, but it hadn't worsened, which is a win as far as we're concerned!). This last point is particularly important to us, as Hand Limit is all about the promotion of tabletop gaming as an aid to positive mental health and community building. Also interesting is the largest group of people (35%) stated that Pride Board Game Club was the first time they had played table top games in a very long time. We will be going through all of the responses carefully and apply any learning to our future activities to make sure we continue to provide a service that is beneficial to the communities we hope to serve.

So where do we go from here? After such a successful first event, Hand Limit is certain to host more in the near future. We are already looking ahead to Pride next year and are starting talks with local community centres to arrange for smaller gaming events targeting specific communities. We want to use this momentum to grow and strengthen the Hand Limit brand and continue to help people by using board games to promote positive mental health and community building.

Finally, I would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who came along on the day. It was all our lovely guests that made this event what it was.

Do you have an event or community group and would like to collaborate with Hand Limit? Please contact us using the Contact Us form on the website.

Hand Limit 2025 Event: Canterbury Pride Board Game Club Update

With only a few days to go, we are all very excited to host our first ever Hand Limit event. Everything now has been pretty much organised and we're confident that it's going to be a fun day for all.  We've had an incredible response to our marketing campaign with many people telling us that they will be along on the day to play some of the games on offer. On the day we will have seating for about 50 people, which we originally thought would be plenty, but considering the feedback we have received we are now looking at options for overflow seating. However the day turns out, what we consider most important is that everyone who comes has a great time.

Attendees are welcome to bring their own games or make use of our library. We are working on compiling the list of games that will be available on the day and so far have reached about 90 options. These range from fun party games, games for children, and more advanced games for adults who are more familiar with gaming as a hobby. Dice & Destiny will also be demoing games on the day if you fancy giving something new a try and would benefit from being lead through the rules. Our volunteers  will also be happy to recommend games and help get you settled.

Canterbury Pride is a great event every year with the whole community getting together to celebrate LGBTQ+ people and support each other. It feels like now more than ever it is important to be able to be proud of who you are and recognise the struggle of LGBTQ+ people all over the world. It is our aim to compliment the main Pride event by offering a calm, welcoming, and relaxing space for people who need a break from the sights and sounds of the day. Board games are an incredibly powerful tool for building and strengthening community bonds, and we hope that everyone who attends will feel the benefit to this and their mental wellbeing.

We've had some terrific contributions to our tombola ranging from tickets to an immersive Grease show in London, a voucher for a tattoo at Drawn and Quartered in Canterbury, vouchers for Inspire Fitness, plus board games and some Warhammer models for the miniatures enthusiasts among us. All money raised from this tombola and from donations throughout the day will go to supporting the BeYou Project, which supports LGBTQ+ youth in the Kent area.

We have also confirmed accessibility arrangements for the venue. There is a fairly steep step up to the coffee shop, which some people may find difficult. If this is the case, our guests are advised to ring the doorbell and a member of staff will come and deploy the access ramp.

If you are unable to make it on the day, but still wish to show your support, our Just Giving page is now live and accepting donations.

We are very excited to see you there on the day but if you have any questions beforehand, please get in touch with us in the comments below or by filling out the Contact Us form on our website.

Gaming the System: Changing the World One Game at a Time

"Playing political board games as if it really mattered" was the promise from Gaming The System's website. It further explained: "Games are not reality but sometimes provide a representation of the forces and power at play in society." 

Gaming the System is a Canterbury-based board gaming group that meets twice a month at The Long Rest gaming cafe and promises the prospect, as stated above, of playing games through a political lens. That is not to say that all the games they play are explicitly political, only they are choosing to look deeper beneath the surface at what lessons the games we play may teach us, from climate change to LGBTQ+ history. 

I was lucky enough to be invited along to their most recent meet up by one of their members, Rea, and the evening did not disappoint. I was introduced to many lovely members and had the opportunity to play Molly House, a game about the secret gay clubs of Victorian London. It was a great experience and I really enjoyed the opportunity to play something that was not only entertaining but provided an insight into the struggles of the LGBTQ+ scene in the 18th century. Conversation was enthusiastic and varying, and without having known each other more than an hour previously, all the players around the table were working together to create joy for the miniature gay community. Albeit we did have a couple of traitors around the table (I admit, I was one of them - I do love chaos). It was a perfect example of how board games give people the space and structure to meet new people and open conversation on larger subjects.

"Just don't ask us to define what we mean by political," said one of their members when asked. They went on to say that games offer the opportunity to build dialogue across political divides and allow for the exchange of ideas in a safe environment and one that encourages empathy.

As a believer that politics is morality in practice, I couldn't agree more that board games have the power to raise political questions, and the playing of games can even be seen as a political act in itself. I have written before about Play as an Act of Rebellion, and I truly believe that everything we do, especially that which affects others around us, can be seen as an act of politics (with a lower-case p).

I think what Gaming the System is doing is fantastic and shows genuine thought and understanding of the table top hobby. Board games are escapism and entertainment, yes, but they can also be a social tool to develop community and promote positive well being. The more groups like this, the stronger the local and global community of gamers will become. Political discourse should be embraced and we should all be encouraged to view all that we do, even our entertainment, in terms of its wider moral and philosophical meaning.

I was completely charmed by the group and will make sure that I attend future gaming events. I also look forward to seeing them at our upcoming Pride Board Game Club, which is raising money for the BeYou project.

Review: Molly House - Party Hard or Hardly Party

I recently had the opportunity to play Molly House by Jo Kelly, Cole Wehrle, and Ricky Royal and had a thoroughly brilliant time.

"It's 1723. You walk through the streets of London, hiding your inner-most desires from the Society of the Reformation of Manners as you head to Mother Clap's. This may look like a coffee shoppe but inside are back rooms where loud festivities, intimate gatherings, and a thriving queer community is growing."

Over the course of 5 weeks, which act as rounds, players take the roles of gender-defying mollies and work together to grow the joy of the community, whilst also competing to be the most joyous individual. There is a risk-reward aspect to this, however, as while throwing excellent parties helps move counters along the joy track, they also have the potential to increase the gossip spreading about each of the four Molly Houses on the game board. Too much gossip will bring evidence against the Houses which can result in them being closed down. Even worse, players with too much reputation at these Houses risk getting indictments, the punishments for which can either be a reduction in joy or death by hanging. In classic Wehrle style, more mechanics is better, and there is also a system by which you can choose to betray your own community for your own selfish gains.

A key part of the game is the throwing of parties, which involve players taking it in turns to play cards in an attempt to create a poker-like communal hand that dictates how successful the party is. These range from dances, to christenings (in the historical Molly House sense), and if the communal hand played is a complete dud, a "quiet gathering". These quiet gatherings are likely to lose you reputation but can also be handy ways of throwing the Society of the Reformation of Manners off the scent.

I am fairly new to Cole Wehrle games, having only played Root once before and relatively recently, but the game definitely had his signature mark of very in-depth rules and numerous different play styles available. However, I have been informed that the real brains behind the game was Jo Kelly, an LGBTQ+ board game designer from Bristol. 

The art style is very satisfying and each of the cards that players use to build hands, which can be played at parties or to increase their reputation at the different Molly Houses, contain lovely imagery and quotes from actual historical indictments of the individuals mentioned in the game. Everything about the experience shows that the core theme was a true passion project and it has been handled with great care. It was a great experience to play a historical-political game that doesn't revolve around global conflict and instead provided an insight into a key moment in LGBTQ+ history.

While I am a fan of a good crunchy experience, I did find that the multitude of different mechanics in Molly House was slightly overwhelming at the beginning of the game, and by the time the game ended (which admittedly was early because we accidentally got one of the Molly Houses raided twice - a game ending condition) I still only had the barest of grasps on how the game worked, let alone be able to properly strategise. In comparison with Root, which also has a steep learning curve, I would say it comes off slightly more complex and probably requires a couple of games before you can understand it well enough to truly play the game as intended.

Overall, it was a very fun experience and there was a lot of laughter and joy around the table as we played in the most chaotic way possible. I would love the opportunity to play this game again with a better understanding of how it all works.

Review: Wandering Towers - Dude, Where's My Wizard?

We first played Wandering Towers, from Capstone Games, in December 2024 at our local tabletop convention, and I instantly fell in love with it. It perfectly balances strategy and luck, while being quick to learn and relatively quick to play to offer a very smooth and well designed experience for 1 to 6 players.

The board itself is unique in that it comprises a circular ring that the players will move their wizards and towers around. The towers are lovely, 3D folded card models that look intriguing and are great fun to play with.

The central premise of Wandering Towers is that players are attempting to get all of their wizards into a tower named Ravenskeep and fill all of their potion bottles while doing so. As soon as one player satisfies both of these win conditions the game comes to an end. The way in which players move their wizards around the board is by playing action cards that either move their wizard meeples, or the towers they stand upon. When towers land on the same space they stack on top of each other in a very satisfying way. This stacking of towers not only allows players to steal mana from wizards and therefore fill potion bottles, but it also provides an additional difficulty and is becomes increasingly difficult to keep track of where all of your wizards are, in the classic "ball under a cup" style. Whenever a wizard finds their way to Ravenskeep, it moves around the board, creating an almost constantly moving target. This element of chaos keeps all players on their toes and never lets anyone get too comfortable with their strategy.

The gameplay is smooth with very little downtime. Each turn, players will play two action cards, or discard their entire hand and move a tower of their choice, clockwise around the board. As they begin to fill their potion bottles there is a risk-reward mechanic where these can be spent to cast spells that unlock further opportunities to move wizards and towers clockwise or anti-clockwise around the board. These spells are chosen at random at the start of the game from those available in the box, and the instructions indicate that the more spells you make available, the more strategic the game becomes. However, I would suggest that rather than strategy, these spells inject a satisfying amount of chaos as it becomes harder to predict what each player is able to do on their turn.

While the theme of the game is charming, the core mechanic and purpose is abstract enough that the theme never gets in the way if magic and wizards are not your thing. You could easily strip the wizarding theme from the game entirely and it wouldn't lose anything from the enjoyment. That being said, the artwork is charming and definitely draws the eye.

Since first playing it at the tabletop convention, I have since picked up a copy of the game and it has made it to the table a number of times and never fails to entertain. Designers Michael Kiesling and Wolfgang Kramer have delivered to us a real tabletop staple that deserves as much space as other modern classics.

Horrified: Dungeons & Dragons - Horror is in the eye of the Beholder!

Horrified, the Ravensburger classic that has seen players take on monsters from Universal fame, North American cryptids, Greek monsters of legend, and even our lord and saviour Cthulhu himself, is set for a new outing. This time teaming up with Wizards of the Coast, Ravensburger will bring us a dungeon-themed adventure in the form of Horrified: Dungeons & Dragons, which is set to release in the UK in October 2025.

Initial previews suggest the new edition will bring with it four of the classic TTRPG's most fearsome enemies, and will include new game play mechanics inspired by D&D such as the use of a D20. Current box-art circulating online suggests that the foes will be a Beholder, a Displacer Beast, a Mimic, and as the name promises, a Dragon. Though this may change between now and the final release.

Horrified first graced our table tops in 2019 with the release of its Universal Monsters edition and quickly became a fan favourite. Its pick-up and deliver mechanics, coupled with unique puzzle solving for the different enemies, offered a streamlined experience that was quick to learn and satisfying to play. The quality of the assets and the artwork made this a pleasing addition to the Hand Limit library and it became a favourite recommendation to those who wanted an entry-way into the hobby.

The latest addition to the series, Horrified: World of Monsters, failed to hit the same level of excitement as the other editions, which was largely due to the confusing theme that blended real-world creatures of myth with a peculiar steam-punk aesthetic. Although still an enjoyable game that offered a lot of replayability, the rare-misstep on theme definitely damped our reception. So it is of great interest to us that the next edition will be using a proven and solid theme in Dungeons & Dragons. There can be little chance of the same mixed-message concept with something so universally recognisable.

While we wouldn't go so far as to say that the series was at risk of losing its shine, an injection of D&D could well be precisely what it needs to keep things interesting. The promise of new mechanics, in particular, will help things from feeling like a simple reskin, which series such as this are often at risk of doing.

Needless to say, we have already pre-ordered our copy so will wait in eager anticipation of its arrival, and will no doubt have more to say on the game when we can get it to the table.

What classic D&D monsters would you want to see in the Horrified format? Leave your answers below in the comments.