Munchkin Deluxe, By Steve Jackson Games - REVIEW

Nature / Type:             Board game 

Rating:                        ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 

Recommended age:     10 year-old ++ 

Who would love this:  Older kids/ adults who love strategy games with sneaky tactics 

I wasn’t too sure about diving into a “long” game like Munchkin Deluxe from Steve Jackson Games - a 1 to 2-hour session isn’t usually our go-to. But once we started playing, we were completely hooked! Big thanks to Let's Play Games for providing a copy. 

Why I love ❤️ this game: 

(1) Fight Monsters + Be The First To Reach Level 10 

In Munchkin Deluxe, the goal is simple: be the first to reach level 10. You start off as a basic human. Each turn, you kick down a door by flipping a “Door Card” that might reveal a monster to fight, a curse to suffer, or a new class or race. If it’s a monster, you battle using your current level and whatever “bonus” you’ve collected. Win the fight and you level up and grab some treasure! Lose, and you’d better roll a die of 5 or more to escape - or face the dreaded “Bad Stuff.” No monster? You can either go looking for trouble by fighting one from your hand or “loot the room” for more cards. Players can sell loot to level up, trade gear, backstab each other - all while wearing ridiculous boots or gears. 

(2) Each Card Is Unique And Quirky

Each card is unique and cleverly self-explanatory - from race and class cards that grant quirky perks (like Halflings who can sell items for double, Dwarves who can carry big gear), to treasure/ item cards with surprises (like a Wishing Ring that cancels a curse, a stylish Bow with Ribbons, or Leather Armour that offers just +1). Munchkin is all about grabbing what you can and causing enough chaos to trip up your friends.

(3) Sneaky Tactics - Team Up To Defeat Monster / Sabotage Each Other!

Munchkin thrives on sneaky tactics. Players can team up to defeat monsters, or sabotage each other by boosting enemy monsters or unleashing surprise twists. For example, you might save a “+10 to monster” card to ruin someone’s Level 9 victory attempt. With a 5-card hand limit, timing is everything. The chaos keeps everyone involved - you’re never just sitting there, even when it’s not your turn. 

(4) Pure, Silly Fun

This game is pure, silly fun - even the rulebook is entertaining to read! The monsters are hilariously absurd, like a Tongue Demon that plants a disgusting kiss, a headgear-eating Bigfoot, or a Lame Goblin swinging a crutch. The gear is just as ridiculous: think Horny Helmet or Boots of Butt-Kicking! 

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.m-g.com.au/product/munchkin-deluxe/

https://www.gamesparadise.com.au/munchkin-deluxe

Find your local game stores here: https://www.localgamestores.com.au/'

Enjoy the video! 

Nature Challenge – Dogs, By Bioviva - REVIEW

Nature / Type:             Card game 

Rating:                        ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 

Recommended age:     7 year-old ++ 

Who would love this:  Dog-lovers! And anyone who enjoys educational card games

“Nature Challenge – Dogs” by Bioviva is an absolute treat for dog lovers! This easy-to-play card game features adorable dogs and bite-sized facts that are hard to resist. A big thanks to Divisible by Zero for providing a copy!

Why I ❤️ it: 

(1) Learn Height/ Weight/ Lifespan/ Year Of Appearance Of Your Favourite Dogs!

Each card features a different dog breed. Players take turns comparing stats like height, weight, lifespan, or the breed’s year of appearance - whoever has the highest value wins the round and takes the cards. A bit like “Top Trumps,” but with a cuter, furrier twist! To play: deal out all the cards evenly. On your turn, pick a characteristic from the top card in your hand. All players reveal their top cards and compare that stat. The highest value wins the round and collects all the top cards. The goal? Be the first to collect the whole deck! It’s the perfect way to learn quirky facts about man’s best friend. Did you know a Labrador can weigh around 35kg, while a Chihuahua weighs just 1.5kg? Or that a Greyhound stands tall at 72cm, while a Bulldog only reaches about 32cm?

(2) Colour-Coded Cards Showing Rarity

Each card is colour-coded to show how rare a breed is: green means common, yellow is vulnerable, orange is endangered, and red signals critically endangered. And here’s the twist - rarer dogs give you special powers! If you play a yellow, orange, or red card, you can change the battle category mid-round. The elegant Afghan Hound and the iconic Dalmatian are both marked red, reminding us that even famous breeds need protecting.

(3) Each Card Packs In Fun Facts

Every card packs in fun fact about the breed - Discover the Irish Setter’s incredible sense of smell that makes it a fantastic hunter, and German Shepherd, who can do it all - from herding to police work to avalanche rescues. And the photos? Absolutely heart-melting. Just look at those soulful eyes of the Siberian Husky or the gorgeous smile of the Golden Retriever!

(4) Compact Size- Perfect For Travel

Perfectly sized for travel, this compact game is easy to take anywhere. And bonus—it’s planet-friendly too! Bioviva is known for its eco-conscious approach, using FSC-certified materials, vegetable-based inks, and sustainably sourced paper. Fun for dog lovers and kind to the Earth!

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.cowtrees.au/educational-toys/29-nature-challenge-dogs.html (Australia) 

https://www.dragonflytoys.com.au/collections/bioviva/products/nature-challenge-dogs-card-game (Australia) 

Check out more games from Bioviva: 

• Crok, Crok, Crok, By Bioviva
• Mission Jungle, By Bioviva 
• Bioviva - The Game, By Bioviva
• Operation Survival, By Bioviva

Enjoy the video! 

Big Fish Little Fish, By Format Games - REVIEW

Nature / Type:             Card game

Rating:                        ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 

Recommended age:     7 year-old ++ 

Who would love this:  Kids that love speed/ reaction-based spotting games 

We’ve played plenty of reaction-based spotting games before—they’re always a big hit in our family. But Big Fish Little Fish from Format Games takes the challenge (and the giggles) to a whole new level.

Why I love ❤️ this game: 

(1) Speedy Game - Sharp Reflexes + Quick Thinking

This is a speedy game of sharp reflexes and quick thinking. Each card shows 10 quirky items across 4 colours—but the twist comes from the symbol on the back of the next card, which sets one of 6 conditions: spot the biggest thing in the world (big Earth), the smallest thing (small Earth), the item that appears the most (four dots), the item that appears the least (one dot), the colour shown the most (multi-colour dots), or the colour shown the least (single-colour dot). Flip a card, reveal the condition, and race to shout the answer! It sounds easy, but the wacky illustrations love to confuse you—we kept calling out the biggest object drawn, instead of the biggest in the reality. Add in colour-count mix-ups and you’ve got chaos! Fast, fun, and packed with laughter, this game kept everyone alert and giggling.

(2) Big Fish & Little Fish - Game With A Twist!

So why the name Big Fish Little Fish? Here’s the twist! If a card shows a Big Fish or Little Fish, players must drop the usual rules and shout ‘BIG FISH!’ (with hands wide apart) or ‘LITTLE FISH!’ (hands close together). The fastest player wins the card—and gets to steal one from the slowest! It’s not just a speed game now—it’s quick thinking plus fast-moving hands, adding an extra layer of chaos. 

(3) Add Penalty Points To Spice Up The Game

Want to spice it up? Add penalty points (as long as no one’s a sore loser!). Shout a wrong answer and you’ll lose a card from your won pile to the centre. The fastest correct player then wins those extra cards. Miss a Big or Little Fish and answer normally? Oops—hand over a card to the player who got it right! These little punishments really crank up the pressure and the laughs.

(4) Compact Game For Road Trips

This is the perfect compact game for road trips—fun for adults but easy enough to play with younger family members too. The game comes in a sturdy, cheerful box with bright, playful graphics—I especially love the colourful puffer Big Fish and Little Fish in their rainbow colours.

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.cowtrees.au/educational-toys/839-big-fish.html

Enjoy the video! 

Machi Koro, By Pandasaurus Games - REVIEW

Nature / Type:            Board Game 

Rating:                        ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️    

Recommended age:    8 year-old ++ 

Who would love this:  Board-gamers who enjoy city-building games

Machi Koro by Pandasaurus Games is a much-loved game that’s been delighting players for years—and I’m thrilled to have recently received a copy from Let's Play Games ! It’s a light-hearted, city-building, dice-rolling game full of money-earning fun—a perfect addition to our collection.

Why I love ❤️ it: 

(1) Develop Your City & Complete 4 Landmarks To Win

This is a stylish yet surprisingly easy-to-learn game, designed for 2–4 players. Each player works to develop their own city and be the first to complete all four landmarks. Everyone starts with a Wheat Field and a Bakery, plus four face-down landmarks marked as ‘under construction.’ On your turn, you roll one or two dice. If the total matches a building you own, you activate its effect. After rolling and activating, you can either buy a new building or construct a landmark, if you’ve got the funds. As your city grows, so does your income, helping you build landmarks faster. The first to complete all four wins!

(2) Light Decision-Making + Dose Of Luck

Machi Koro is a great entry-level game that mixes light decision-making with a healthy dose of luck. It’s one of those games that’s fun for adults while still simple enough to play with kids. Do you stock up on high-reward cards like the Convenience Store (3 coins on a roll of 4 for just 2 coins), or go for nastier options like the TV Station (steal 5 coins on a 6) or the powerful Mine (5 coins on a roll of 9 by anyone)? It’s a casual, family-friendly game with just enough strategy to keep things interesting. While the base set is fairly simple, there’s plenty of fun here—and even more in the expansions!

(3) Special Power For A Twist

Each landmark also unlocks a special power that can really shift the game. Building the Train Station lets you roll two dice instead of one—useful if you’ve collected higher-number buildings. The Amusement Park gives you an extra turn when you roll doubles, the Shopping Mall boosts income from certain cards, and the Radio Station lets you re-roll once per turn. Timing when to build these can make a big difference.

(4) Clean, Modern Art Style

I love the clean, modern art style - it’s whimsical and artistic. The coins are simple but functional, with clear denominations in different sizes and colours.

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.gamesworld.com.au/product/machi-koro-5th-anniversary/

Find your local game stores here: https://www.localgamestores.com.au/

Enjoy the video! 

Wooden Fantasy Puzzle - Dragon Flight, By Let’s Play Games - REVIEW

Nature / Type:             Jigsaw puzzle 

Rating:                        ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 

Recommended age:     14 year-old ++ 

Who would love this:  Older kids/ adults that enjoy challenging, wooden jigsaw puzzles

Let's Play Games has done it again with their mesmerizing series of wooden puzzles! This “Wooden Fantasy Puzzle - Dragon Flight” takes things to a whole new level. This isn’t just a puzzle—it’s an epic quest wrapped in rich colors, intricate pieces, and magical design.

Why I ❤️ this puzzle: 

(1) 200 Uniquely Shaped Jigsaw Pieces

The Dragon Flight puzzle features 200 uniquely shaped pieces. Forget the usual clean borders of a traditional puzzle. This one embraces the wild, untamed outline of a soaring dragon—from the dramatically spiked tail to the wide, sweeping wings stretched in mid-flight. Even before the first piece clicks into place, the challenge is on. We began by sorting the pieces by color and pattern: deep blue-granite tones for the massive boulders in the dragon’s shadow, a dazzling blend of rainbow hues trailing from its tail, fiery red spikes, jagged teeth, textured scales along its powerful body, and the ornate designs etched into each wing. Between the smoky blues and the blazing scene unfolding within the wings, every section is a vibrant work of art just waiting to be revealed.

(2) Surprises Hidden Within - A Treasure Hunt

These are no ordinary puzzle pieces—each one is a miniature masterpiece, carved with wild, unpredictable shapes that twist and curl like ancient symbols or hidden runes. This puzzle challenges your spatial awareness and intuition at every turn. And as you fit piece after piece, the magic unfolds: a phoenix bursts into flight, a shooting star streaks across the sky, a mysterious indigo butterfly hovers in the shadows, and symbols of flame, heroism, and wonder emerge from within the dragon’s form. It’s a fantasy treasure hunt where every discovery feels like unlocking a secret—an adventure layered with intricate surprises that make the journey as rewarding as the final image.

(3) High-Quality, Laser-Cut Pieces

Crafted from high-quality, precision laser-cut wood, every piece of this puzzle feels as premium as it looks. The vibrant colors are rich and bold, the pieces fit together with satisfying smoothness, and the artwork—once complete—is utterly mesmerizing. It all comes beautifully packaged in a charming wooden box, perfect for storage or display as a keepsake.

# gifted in exchange for review 

Where to buy this: 

https://www.amazon.com.au/Lets-Play-Games-Dragon-Fantasy/dp/B0D6B9P1T3

https://www.gamesworldsa.com.au/products/dragon-flight-lpg-wooden-puzzle

Find your local game stores here: https://www.localgamestores.com.au/

Read more reviews of similar puzzles from Let's Play Games: 

• Oceanic Animals Series 1 - Kangaroo, By Let's Play Games 
• Oceanic Animals Series 1 - Kookaburra, By Let's Play Games
• Fantasy Series- Mermaid, By Let's Play Games

Enjoy the video!