This is a thoroughly fun book that walks the reader through the principles of designing and board game. It makes it possible for an older child or adult to think through the things a game needs to be a great play, how to avoid possible problems to gameplay and rules, and does it all well. My family is enjoying crafting their own games with favorite themes and topics personalized just for them.

Wow, what a fun and creative book! This definitely woke up the board game lover in me and now I want to build my own board game more than ever! I enjoy playing board games and have done so since I was a child, even as an adult I enjoy going to board game nights at my local comic book store! So I just knew I needed to peek into this lovely book!

The layout is beautiful and creative and perfect for this book. The author manages to capture the essence of creating an own board game in a simple and understandable way so that the reader knows exactly what to focus on and which are the important steps that need to be thought of. With some classic examples the author illustrates ideas and strategies behind games.

I think this will be a fun summer project for me and I am definitely looking forward to using this as a guide book once I have enough time to start creating my own board game that I can play with my family.

The author is very thorough and carefully explains each aspect of game play, options for modification, rationale behind different styles of games, etc. He also offers interesting historical tidbits related to board games and includes a few examples of games at the back of the book.

I'll definitely be using this book in my classroom this year - board games can be created based on books, historical events, geography, and more.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC!

This was such a creative read! Highly recommend for an activity to do with kids or tweens.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Make Your Own Board Game is a well thought out and thorough book for both adults and children to help influence, guide and support making their own board games.
I really want to get to trying to make my own board game after reading this book. Not only does it get your creative brain juices flowing but it helps you to contemplate what you will need, what will work (in the way of components) and what will make a satisfying and enjoyable game to play and share with others.
This book goes through every aspect and component I can think of to help you make and create your own board game and suggests using items at hand too.
If you love games and gave wondered about how to form your own- you definitely need this book! With the summer holidays coming speedily closer, this is a great book to give a try with your children or family!

Free Netgalley book for review!~. If you’re a board gaming nerd like me, you’ll definitely appreciate this book! There’s even some games in the back of the book to print out and play.

The author covers all the design aspects of making a board game, mostly focusing on presenting different types of game play from worker placement to wargames, different betting methods, rpgs and how to change familiar concepts into something new and different.

The cute art gives the book almost a childish feel, although I’m pretty convinced no eight year old is going to be reading this… but I could be wrong and more power to them if they want to make their own games too. I mean kids are learning how to program and at its heart making a board game and various rules is a bit similar to that idea.

I get that this book will have a pretty niche community of readers, but if you’ve ever thought that maybe you could make Snakes and Ladders more fun or tried to make a new card game this will be appealing. There’s no directions for artwork or how to make game components but there’s plenty of info to delve into over at boardgamegeek website for the really curious DIYer.

This review is from my 11-year-old son, who likes to make up his own games:

I liked that the book explains so many different parts of board games. There are so many examples, this book would be better used as reference guide, rather than a book you read all the way through at once. If you want to create a more developed board game, then it would be a good book for you. It would help you create a more complex board game (rather than a simple one.)

I've received an e-arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was an amazing book! In my opinion from beginner to veteran board game players, everyone can find something new and interesting in it.
The book feels well thought out, cohesive and easy to understand. I love board games but compared to some of my friends I am but a novice in the field. This book helped me to understand not just the mechanics of creating a new board game but undertsanding the ones I've already played or intend to pay in the future.

There is a logical and smooth flow between chapters, the artwork feel just right and just enough. I also really enjoyed the game examples at the end and the rundown of their components and mechanics .

My only advice would be to market it it with a name and in a way that is for board game beginners/likers as well not just with the goal of creating a new board game, since it was so useful just as a tutorial about board games in general.

This colourful book breaks down the elements needed to create board games with useful examples along the way. The stepped approach is really helpful for all age groups while the colourful presentation will appeal particularly to the younger audience.
It was hard to take everything in online so I'm looking forward to having the hard copy in my hands when it is eventually published here in the UK.

Disclaimer: I received this as an ARC. No compensation was received other than the chance to read this book.

This book is a "how to" guide for those wishing to make their own board game, tabletop RPG, dice game, etc.

The book breaks down traditional gaming terms and features, gives examples of classic games, and has customizable sample games to try out.

The artwork is engaging, and the text was informative without being dry. However, the reader group for this might be slightly limited as those who enjoy playing games but aren't so interested in the mechanics might not find this book to be as engaging for them.

If you have someone (or are someone) who enjoys games, and has had ideas for your own game, this book is a great starting point on the various features and the thought process needed to build a great game.

Recommended for those who enjoy spending time in game shops, tabletop gamers, and those looking for a hobby that combines planning, handicraft, and creation sharing.

I adore board games and tabletop games. I love the competitive ones, the ones you have to think about, the quirky-off-the-wall ones. The ones with catapults, or strategy. The ones with good design.

This book is for prospective game designers. It gives a detailed look at the game mechanics of a game (pieces, turns, rounds, rules, actions, movements, currency, negotiation, story telling, puzzles, chance, randomisations, levels and so on), giving real-life examples of such games in each category.

After the nitty-gritty, we get into design! Here the author provides their own experiences with game design, offers tips, and gives some examples of different types of games in each general category for the prospective designer to explore further.

While I'm not likely to be designing games in a hurry, this was a excellent introduction into the different mechanics behind what I enjoy so much.

**Many thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**

Looking to learn about how to create a game? Want to know the parts of a board game? Than this book is for you. This book identifies the parts and pieces of games including the use of dice and cards. This book talks about all the parts of games. There are even a few game outlines at the end to help get you started creating your own game.

A well written book that is straight forward and informative. A brief history of board games then follows instructions on creating a board game. A good book for beginners.

What a fun book! A wealth of knowledge available to readers, with tons of great topics and new terminology to help ignite the imagination!

The art was super cute and fun, and the overall aesthetic contributed to the wealth of information. The book goes on a deep dive into game pieces and the nitty-gritty of game design, which was interesting. I might have liked to see more examples of solo game objectives (there was a mention or two), but otherwise, an interesting and accessible title.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy for review.
This was a really interesting guide book. Good illustrations and a solid beginners guide to game making. Could be considered a little basic for more mature game players.

Although growinh up, I tended to enjoy making my own board games from scratch, I like the ideas presentrd in here as a wat for young readers to be creative and develop something they can enjoy. I always appreciated board games and I can see them making a slight comeback if kids made their own. However, I think I'd classify this more in the tween category because I can see some of these being a bit of a challenge for readers youbger than that, in general. It still won't take over PS or xbox, but could be a good project to give them something to do and be proud of upon completion.

First of all, I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an eARC of Make Your Own Board Game by Jesse Terrance Daniels.

I found the book to be extremely helpful and informative. It would be great to use with your friends and/or family to create something that anyone can enjoy.

This book does a good job of explaining what goes into creating a board game, in simple language that would be accessible even to non-board game aficionados. For someone who has played a lot of board games and perhaps even dabbled in game design, some of the information is perhaps overly simple/something they already know. However, this is a great guide for the beginner game designer, and would be especially great for someone trying to introduce a younger kid to the idea of game design.

This is a practical guide that is very well researched and written. The book manages to summarise the most common elements in popular and time tested games across the world. It also explains clearly what ratio of luck and skill is needed to make a game interesting. It defines the different game elements or "mechanics" and why they are necessary for gameplay. It is expertly thought out from beginning to end.

The illustrations are exciting, fun and ideal for conveying the intended message.

For people who love to play board games, this book is a gem. Young and old will be equipped to create a board game universe that makes sense and moves towards a final, satisfying win.

I am grateful to NetGalley and Storey Publishing for the ARC of this book. I will definitely be on the lookout for more from Jesse Terrance Daniels and Storey Publishing.