Derek Bruff
@firstplayertoken.bsky.social
Host of First Player Token, a short podcast for folks who enjoy playing board games with family and friends, https://linktr.ee/firstplayertoken
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Derek Bruff
@firstplayertoken.bsky.social
· Sep 29
First Player Token
A board game review podcast for people who enjoy playing games with family and friends
firstplayertoken.buzzsprout.com
Hello new followers! I make a short monthly podcast with each episode fearing a different game that’s been a hit with my family and friends. It’s perfect for sharing with people new to the world of board games. Listen here: firstplayertoken.buzzsprout.com
And here’s my 2025 year in review. That’s 275 plays, up from 229 the year before, mainly because the 3yo is a regular at the table now! Also, I played with 73 people this year! Board games are about community for me.
January 1, 2026 at 10:15 PM
And here’s my 2025 year in review. That’s 275 plays, up from 229 the year before, mainly because the 3yo is a regular at the table now! Also, I played with 73 people this year! Board games are about community for me.
Let’s start with December! Twenty different games isn’t half bad!
January 1, 2026 at 5:22 AM
Let’s start with December! Twenty different games isn’t half bad!
The nephew loves Kingdomino, so I thought it was time to teach him Middle Ages, which has similar vibes. He loved it. And won his first game against me, naturally.
(We played Unmatched right after, where I made sure to keep him humble.)
(We played Unmatched right after, where I made sure to keep him humble.)
December 31, 2025 at 10:57 PM
The nephew loves Kingdomino, so I thought it was time to teach him Middle Ages, which has similar vibes. He loved it. And won his first game against me, naturally.
(We played Unmatched right after, where I made sure to keep him humble.)
(We played Unmatched right after, where I made sure to keep him humble.)
Just finished a very fun game of Fit to Print with the niblings. I didn’t get a photo, but I did get some audio of our reporting and layout phases. I’m excited to cover this game on the podcast in the new year.
December 31, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Just finished a very fun game of Fit to Print with the niblings. I didn’t get a photo, but I did get some audio of our reporting and layout phases. I’m excited to cover this game on the podcast in the new year.
Reposted by Derek Bruff
I’ve been having fun looking through my board game photos from the year. Here are nine games that were new to me in 2025. See the alt text for the list.
December 30, 2025 at 5:56 AM
I’ve been having fun looking through my board game photos from the year. Here are nine games that were new to me in 2025. See the alt text for the list.
The new Wingspan expansion coming January 21st features South America, Central America, and the Caribbean!
Watch the @stonemaiergames.com live stream now!
www.youtube.com/live/7rREr_m...
Watch the @stonemaiergames.com live stream now!
www.youtube.com/live/7rREr_m...
December 31, 2025 at 4:13 PM
The new Wingspan expansion coming January 21st features South America, Central America, and the Caribbean!
Watch the @stonemaiergames.com live stream now!
www.youtube.com/live/7rREr_m...
Watch the @stonemaiergames.com live stream now!
www.youtube.com/live/7rREr_m...
It was two or three years ago that I got my nephew Flipships for his birthday. He had never played it until tonight when we finally tried it out. So much fun! Definitely worth the wait. #BoardGames #UncleLife
December 31, 2025 at 5:34 AM
It was two or three years ago that I got my nephew Flipships for his birthday. He had never played it until tonight when we finally tried it out. So much fun! Definitely worth the wait. #BoardGames #UncleLife
The 3yo’s second attempt at Santorini went much better than his house-toppling first attempt. This time he teamed up with his brother, and he only knocked things down once or twice! #BoardGames #DadLife
December 30, 2025 at 11:31 PM
The 3yo’s second attempt at Santorini went much better than his house-toppling first attempt. This time he teamed up with his brother, and he only knocked things down once or twice! #BoardGames #DadLife
Reposted by Derek Bruff
At long last, we have arrived at the final day of Best Week 2025. To the surprise of myself-minus-a-few-years, today I'm celebrating the best games that let me spend a few quality minutes with my daughters. Read the list here: spacebiff.com/2025/12/30/b...
Best Week 2025! All My Children!
In those now-unreachable years before my daughters came along, I remember balking at certain statements. “Some things you simply can’t understand until you have children,” someone…
spacebiff.com
December 30, 2025 at 4:07 PM
At long last, we have arrived at the final day of Best Week 2025. To the surprise of myself-minus-a-few-years, today I'm celebrating the best games that let me spend a few quality minutes with my daughters. Read the list here: spacebiff.com/2025/12/30/b...
I’ve been having fun looking through my board game photos from the year. Here are nine games that were new to me in 2025. See the alt text for the list.
December 30, 2025 at 5:56 AM
I’ve been having fun looking through my board game photos from the year. Here are nine games that were new to me in 2025. See the alt text for the list.
This isn’t all the games we reviewed on the podcast this year, but it’s a lot of them! How many can you name?
December 28, 2025 at 10:37 PM
This isn’t all the games we reviewed on the podcast this year, but it’s a lot of them! How many can you name?
Visiting family and came across this 1964 edition of Sorry. It’s very stylish.
December 28, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Visiting family and came across this 1964 edition of Sorry. It’s very stylish.
Why they keep letting us land planes is beyond me, but we did it again! Our first “exceptional conditions” landing (one of the yellow ones) and we successfully parked the plane at London Heathrow. #SkyTeam
December 23, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Why they keep letting us land planes is beyond me, but we did it again! Our first “exceptional conditions” landing (one of the yellow ones) and we successfully parked the plane at London Heathrow. #SkyTeam
Still mad at the finale of Veronica Mars.
December 21, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Still mad at the finale of Veronica Mars.
We’ve played twice more since then. The 3yo now requests the “cat game”! But Calico is a little long for his attention span, even playing it using the family variant. Can y’all recommend similar games that have shorter play times?
Since there’s only so much Hoot Owl Hoot a dad can take, we introduced the 3yo to Calico tonight. He played along with the family variant pretty well! Naturally, the 12yo won. #BoardGames #DadLife
December 19, 2025 at 4:09 PM
We’ve played twice more since then. The 3yo now requests the “cat game”! But Calico is a little long for his attention span, even playing it using the family variant. Can y’all recommend similar games that have shorter play times?
Since there’s only so much Hoot Owl Hoot a dad can take, we introduced the 3yo to Calico tonight. He played along with the family variant pretty well! Naturally, the 12yo won. #BoardGames #DadLife
December 17, 2025 at 2:32 AM
Since there’s only so much Hoot Owl Hoot a dad can take, we introduced the 3yo to Calico tonight. He played along with the family variant pretty well! Naturally, the 12yo won. #BoardGames #DadLife
Reposted by Derek Bruff
Today on the podcast, I review Imhotep, my favorite @philwh.bsky.social game! Players step into the sandals of the original Imhotep to build pyramids and obelisks and other great monuments. It’s a tight, interactive game, and I can’t get enough of it. Listen here: www.buzzsprout.com/2292265/epis...
December 15, 2025 at 10:50 PM
Today on the podcast, I review Imhotep, my favorite @philwh.bsky.social game! Players step into the sandals of the original Imhotep to build pyramids and obelisks and other great monuments. It’s a tight, interactive game, and I can’t get enough of it. Listen here: www.buzzsprout.com/2292265/epis...
Today on the podcast, I review Imhotep, my favorite @philwh.bsky.social game! Players step into the sandals of the original Imhotep to build pyramids and obelisks and other great monuments. It’s a tight, interactive game, and I can’t get enough of it. Listen here: www.buzzsprout.com/2292265/epis...
December 15, 2025 at 10:50 PM
Today on the podcast, I review Imhotep, my favorite @philwh.bsky.social game! Players step into the sandals of the original Imhotep to build pyramids and obelisks and other great monuments. It’s a tight, interactive game, and I can’t get enough of it. Listen here: www.buzzsprout.com/2292265/epis...
I finally got Trickadee to the table! A little bit of tricktaking and lot of adorable birds made for a fun play.
December 14, 2025 at 3:45 AM
I finally got Trickadee to the table! A little bit of tricktaking and lot of adorable birds made for a fun play.
Imhotep! Getting a play in with friends as a way to prep for my next podcast episode. This game is so good.
December 13, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Imhotep! Getting a play in with friends as a way to prep for my next podcast episode. This game is so good.
Evening soccer practice for the teenager means two-player games with the 12yo! Christmas Patchwork and (her favorite) Royal Visit.
December 12, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Evening soccer practice for the teenager means two-player games with the 12yo! Christmas Patchwork and (her favorite) Royal Visit.
I’m am stuck on deciding what game to cover next in the podcast. Here are my most played games of 2025. Which one that I haven’t covered should I review next?
December 7, 2025 at 1:48 PM
I’m am stuck on deciding what game to cover next in the podcast. Here are my most played games of 2025. Which one that I haven’t covered should I review next?
November was a big month for games! Lots of #Thanksgaming, plus Tennessee Game Days, a regular monthly game nights, and more! My favorite new games were (very different) Duel for Cardia and SETI. I would gladly play either again!
December 1, 2025 at 10:12 PM
November was a big month for games! Lots of #Thanksgaming, plus Tennessee Game Days, a regular monthly game nights, and more! My favorite new games were (very different) Duel for Cardia and SETI. I would gladly play either again!
Six-player Fit to Print! The real-time element makes for a lot of fun with cousins. We’ll have to cover this on the podcast soon.
November 30, 2025 at 6:49 AM
Six-player Fit to Print! The real-time element makes for a lot of fun with cousins. We’ll have to cover this on the podcast soon.
Some post-Thanksgiving Nidavellir! Played twice this weekend. Got a different rule wrong each time. I’m so used to Board Game Arena keeping track of things for me!
November 30, 2025 at 3:23 AM
Some post-Thanksgiving Nidavellir! Played twice this weekend. Got a different rule wrong each time. I’m so used to Board Game Arena keeping track of things for me!