A family Unmatched bracket that stays close to the table.
First Player Token closes out its 2025 Unmatched run with a plainspoken family-game story: favorite fighters, real decisions, and a steady focus on card play.
First Player Token, a short board game review show
Derek Bruff
77 episodes listed below
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In their own words
A board game review podcast for people who enjoy playing games with family and friends
As heard by us
Based on 4 episodes we listened to · September 2026
Derek Brough makes board-game choices legible by connecting rules and components to how games behave around an actual family table.
First Player Token follows board games from the rulebook to the family table. Derek Brough explains how a design works, then pays attention to what happens when real players test it: a teenager finding the right Unmatched tactics, a three-year-old reaching the edge of his…
Why you'd press play
Shakespeare faces a T-Rex at Derek Brough's table; you get the tactical debrief afterward.
Press play if you want
- to hear how a teenager's T-Rex got past Shakespeare's actors, and what Derek wishes he'd tried
- games a three-year-old can join without consigning your whole table to Candyland
Talks about
Best episodes of First Player Token, a short board game review show
Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
Two successful games return in second editions that make the play clearer, smoother, and easier to live with.
First Player Token takes on a straightforward question: what changes when two successful board games return in editions that smooth out the rough edges? Derek Brough compares Santorini Pantheon Edition and Tortuga 1667 Deluxe Edition with a practical, game night focus.
A practical look at games that can work with a three-year-old without flattening game night.
First Player Token treats getting a three-year-old into game night as a real household problem, not a novelty. Derek Brough talks through the age mix at the table, the pull of heavier games like Wingspan and Unmatched, and why Candyland is not much help when the goal is to keep…
A brisk Unmatched recap that keeps the bracket talk clear and the table chatter lively.
This episode treats the 2025 Unmatched tournament like a friendly table side rivalry, and Derek does a solid job explaining the core system before the bracket talk takes over.
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Episodes
- 1
72. Club Spooky (First Play)
·11m - 2
68. Hollywood 1947
·21m - 3
66. Sky Team
·21m - 4
62. Back to the Island(s)
Host Derek Brough reviews second editions of two popular board games, Santorini and Tortuga 1667.
·17m·1 clip - 5
64. Mr. Cabbagehead's Garden
Hidden gemHost Derek Brough reviews the charming solo board game 'Mr.
·12m·1 clip - 6
71. Gaming with a Three-Year-Old
Hidden gemHoot Owl Hoot gives three-year-olds real choices, not just Candyland-style movement.
·29m·1 clip - 7
Parks (Encore)
First Player Token revisits Derek Brough's 2020 review of Parks while previewing the second edition by Henry Audubon and Keymaster Games.
·21m·1 clip - 8
65. Wingspan (2025)
Derek Brough revisits Wingspan with Emily on the First Player Token Podcast, five years after their 2020 discussion of the 2019 board game.
·27m·2 clips - 9
70. Unmatched 2025 Tournament (Part 2)
Derek wraps up the 2025 Unmatched tournament.
·41m·2 clips - 10
67. Unmatched 2025 Tournament (Part 1)
Hidden gemFirst Player Token opens its 2025 Unmatched tournament with a plainspoken look at how the game works.
·37m·2 clips - 11
63. Challengers
Host Derek Brough reviews the board game Challengers, a deck-building auto-battler for 2-8 players that won the 2023 German Kinnerspiel des Jahres award.
·13m·1 clip - 12
69. Imhotep
Dec 15, 2025·7m - 13
61. Black Orchestra (First Play)
Apr 1, 2025·14m - 14
60. Knarr
Mar 1, 2025·9m - 15
59. Keep the Faith
Feb 18, 2025·20m - 16
58. Everdell Duo (First Play)
Feb 1, 2025·10m - 17
57. Kariba
Jan 1, 2025·10m - 18
56. Dead of Winter
Dec 1, 2024·16m - 19
Jonathan Chaffer (Designer Interview)
Nov 1, 2024·22m - 20
55. Holiday Hijinks
Oct 25, 2024·19m - 21
54. Finca
Oct 1, 2024·13m - 22
53. Sirens (First Play)
Sep 1, 2024·20m - 23
52. Tír na nÓg (First Play)
Aug 16, 2024·18m - 24
51. Daybreak
Aug 1, 2024·24m - 25
50. Five Games to Start Your Collection
Jul 1, 2024·19m - 26
49. Color Field (First Play)
Jun 1, 2024·12m - 27
48. Raiders of the North Sea
May 1, 2024·10m - 28
47. Tortuga 1667
Apr 1, 2024·13m - 29
46. The Wolves
Mar 1, 2024·16m - 30
45. Under Falling Skies
Feb 1, 2024·13m - 31
44. The Blood of an Englishman
Jan 2, 2024·12m - 32
43. Tennessee Game Days
Nov 6, 2023·17m - 33
42. In Vino Morte
Sep 26, 2023·11m - 34
41. After Us (First Play)
Aug 27, 2023·21m - 35
40. Unmatched
Aug 18, 2023·18m - 36
Giveaway - Gartenbau and Blazon
Jul 26, 2023·2m - 37
39. Blazon (First Play)
Jul 16, 2023·11m - 38
38. Royal Visit
Jun 10, 2023·12m - 39
37. Isle of Skye
Apr 26, 2023·13m - 40
36. Kohaku (First Play)
Feb 25, 2023·11m - 41
Mysterium (Color Commentary)
Jan 23, 2023·18m - 42
35. Mysterium
Jan 21, 2023·22m - 43
34. Power Plants (First Play)
Jan 7, 2023·11m - 44
33. Gobblet Gobblers
Dec 20, 2022·9m - 45
32. Outfoxed
Nov 20, 2022·12m - 46
31. Carcassonne
Oct 21, 2022·11m - 47
30. Gartenbau (First Play)
Oct 7, 2022·10m - 48
29. Bristol 1350
Sep 8, 2022·20m - 49
28. Age of Ambition
Sep 6, 2022·16m - 50
27. Takenoko
Jul 16, 2022·22m - 51
26. Tsuro
Jun 30, 2022·11m - 52
25. Clank!
Mar 27, 2022·10m - 53
24. Incan Gold
Feb 13, 2022·14m - 54
24. Patchwork
Jan 16, 2022·11m - 55
22. Splendor
Dec 13, 2021·15m - 56
21. Oros
Nov 20, 2021·19m - 57
20. Sleeping Queens
Oct 10, 2021·16m - 58
19. Space Explorers
Sep 28, 2021·16m - 59
18. Santorini
Aug 22, 2021·11m - 60
17. Tokaido
Jul 29, 2021·11m - 61
16. The Crew
Jun 25, 2021·17m - 62
15. Sprawlopolis
May 23, 2021·9m - 63
14. Abandon All Artichokes
Mar 28, 2021·10m - 64
13. Sheriff of Nottingham
Feb 14, 2021·12m - 65
12. ICECOOL
Jan 16, 2021·11m - 66
11. Rocky Road a la Mode
Dec 18, 2020·11m - 67
10. Gizmos
Nov 12, 2020·10m - 68
9. Herbaceous
Oct 9, 2020·10m - 69
8. Wingspan
Sep 20, 2020·21m - 70
7. PARKS
Sep 13, 2020·18m - 71
6. Forbidden Island
Aug 23, 2020·8m - 72
5. Deep Sea Adventure
Aug 16, 2020·10m - 73
4. Sushi Go!
Aug 9, 2020·11m - 74
3. Love Letter
Aug 3, 2020·9m - 75
2. Space Park
Jul 26, 2020·9m - 76
1. Kingdomino
Jul 20, 2020·7m - 77
0. Introduction
Jul 17, 2020·7m