At the same time, Games Workshop also produced Blitz Bowl, meant as a shorter and easier introduction to Blood Bowl mechanisms. Since 1994, the game had a long hibernation except for supporting articles until Games Workshop released a new edition in 2016 which was the reinvigoration of the game as a dedicated product line.

The second edition (1988) refined the rules and play area, but it wouldn’t be until the third edition (1994) that Blood Bowl more completely resembles the game of today. Indeed, when the game was first released (1986), it was a basic game with cardboard standees for players which eventually (unsurprisingly even today) were replaced with Citadel metal miniatures. There have been a few tabletop sports games over the years, but none have rivaled Blood Bowl for popularity.

This is a rare moment indeed because the history of our next game goes back to 1986 and has just as many misty beginnings as Dungeons & Dragons.

Most of the current crop of review copies that get dropped at our door will go back 10 years at the most, and those games are updated or deluxe editions of games that still commonly hit the table. Over here at the Board Game Quest bunker, it’s not often we get to sample and review games with a deep history.

Download blood bowl second season