I’ve caught the bus to play board games on numerous occasions, but this year marks the first time I’ve played board games on a bus packed with fellow gamers. Public transport will never feel the same again. Such a seismic moment in my tabletop life came courtesy of the UK Games Expo 2025, which somehow crammed one of London’s most iconic means of transport into its halls. And that wasn’t even the weirdest thing there!

It’s time once again for the UK Games Expo Non-Award Awards. Arriving -- like so much of the UK’s beloved transport network -- awkwardly late yet no less welcome. We’ve picked out the funniest and most unusual board games, activities, stalls, and sightings from our time at UKGE2025! 

“Drinks are on them” award: Tokkuri Taking and Adventurer's Guide to Alchemy

What’s this, The Non-Award Awards’ first back-to-back winner? Yes, Tokkuri Taking’s T-Rex booze up made our list last year for its brilliant theme and the fact that we weren’t able to actually grab a copy of the game. This year the drunk dinos were more readily available -- and tempting us back with a bottle of sake.

The stall featured a full flask and four cups to drink from, all of which the helpful attendant gamely proffered alongside the rules. The terrible news? I’d driven to the show that day. That meant settling for emptying bottles within the simple card game itself.

Far more suited to our chosen means of transport was Adventurer's Guide to Alchemy, a D&D-themed cocktail and mocktail book with accompanying encounters for each beverage. I primarily stopped by publisher Misfit Hobbies’ booth to check out the soulslike-inspired Cryptborne but soon found myself offered an energizing mango and ginger mocktail while I nosed through recipes.

Uncomfortably eye-catching art award: Arschmallows

While roasting a marshmallow on a stick, you’ve likely never pondered what your soon-to-be-devoured snack would look like with giant, muscular buttocks. You might even suggest it’d be a bit odd to do so. And yet, the idea clearly bubbled into being somehow for the designers of Arschmallows, which proudly labels itself as “Germany’s favorite marshmallow butt game!” Almost as prestigious an award as appearing in these hallowed halls.

A giant LED banner of the happy mallow and his grand glutes towering above proved such a disconcerting distraction that our group never quite found the nerve to sit down and discover how the game actually worked.

Most dragony dragon award: Me

The UK Games Expo’s mighty and scaled mascot has engendered numerous pretenders throughout the years, but 2025 is when they finally met their match. Courtesy of a giant Yu-Gi-Oh card photo stand, I was able to unleash my ultimate final form: the Blue Eyes White Dragon. Please do try to contain your rapturous applause.

On-theme outfits award: In the Footsteps of Darwin and Tomb Raider: The Crypt of Chronos

We probably shouldn’t judge board games by their covers quite as often as we do. But in the case of a board game’s expo booth, looks matter! And nothing sells a game better than when those presenting it fully commit to the part.

2025’s standout staff highlights included Sam at publisher Hachette’s booth, who taught us the rules to In the Footsteps of Darwin and its Correspondence expansion in full 19th century explorer attire. He also let on that the outfit came from themed board game nights he runs which feature full sets and custom lighting. Can we get an invite?

But Sam wasn’t without competition, because Iconiq Studios’ Tomb Raider: The Crypt of Chronos stall sported not one but two Lara Croft cosplayers (xenomorpheusuk and _athora__) who had arrived packing pistols, a shotgun, and an impressive knowledge of the upcoming board game. Solo games aren’t usually my jam, but if The Crypt of Chronos commits to its theming as strongly as these two, then it could tempt this Tomb Raider 2 fan into a purchase.

Unexpected noble endorsement award: Tatakai

Plenty of board games feature endorsements on the box. Tatakai might be the only one to boast a noble connection. Printed in tiny golden text at the top of this strategy game’s box is the statement: “Originally commissioned by Her Grace, The Duchess of Rutland.”

Designer Tim Grayson, it turns out, is the Poet-In-Residence at Belvoir Castle (that’s pronounced “beaver,” to save you any embarrassment on the unlikely chance of a visit). It’s a role which allowed him to forge a firm connection with the Duchess in question. After growing frustrated with how long games of Risk took to set up with his child, Grayson invented Tatakai, then plucked up the courage to ask the Duchess to commission it. We’re not sure many designers can compete with that for a game’s genesis story.

Dashed our hopes award: 7 Wonders Dice

7 Wonders is a board game checklist for my nerdy interests. Ancient history, science, and card drafting, all packed into a swift playtime? Ideal. The prospect of testing a prototype for a dice-driven variant at UKGE2025 therefore had me rather excited. Unfortunately, it was the biggest letdown of the show. 

The segmented dice rolling box which literally shakes up the price of available dice faces each turn is a great mechanic. But by ditching drafting and making all resources effectively identical, it felt like the core concept and tension of 7 Wonders had been tossed away. All that left was an overly busy roll-and-write sheet of tickboxes that our entire group worked through without much enthusiasm. It’s worth restating that this was a prototype version, so there’s room yet for improvements to be made. But unless some fundamental ideas get rerolled, 7 Wonders Dice isn’t likely to replace the original any time soon.

Bus loads of fun award: Asmodee stall

While 7 Wonders Duel may have disappointed, the rest of Asmodee’s space certainly didn’t. That’s thanks in large part to the double-decker bus parked in the middle of it. Not just for show, the vintage vehicle was packed with smaller games to try including the co-operative card placer Take Time and drawing-by-description game Duplik. The inside of the bus proved rather sweltering, but sitting up top offered a novel view over the expo halls. And more importantly, lifted you slightly closer to the air conditioning.

If all that wasn’t enough board game silliness for you, then check out the Going Analog Podcast. It’s recently featured such chuckleworthy topics as tariffs, and whether they’ll spell an end to our favorite hobby.

Author bio: When he’s not losing himself as a mercenary in Frosthaven, Henry Stenhouse can be found scouring the web for the latest and greatest games, then wondering why he never has time to actually play them. Share your love of deck builders with him on Bluesky, or drop an email to henry@moonrock.biz.

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• Awards
• UK Games Expo
• Non-Award Awards