Navigator Lana

Hello Crew! I have officially dropped anchor back in Western Pennsylvania after a fantastic trip down to North Carolina for my first-ever TantrumCon!

There’s something special about the energy from a board game convention. It’s not only about the games, but it is also about the board game community. While I sometimes go to conventions specifically with the Level Up Board Game Podcast gang, this trip was also me charting my own course and connecting with the “Crew” of fellow board game hobbyists.

If you’ve yet to attend TantrumCon, here’s my Navigator’s Report on the games, the environment, and why you might want to put this on your itinerary for next year!

🎲 The Games: What Hit the Table?

As an omnigamer, my plays ranged from quick party games to cozy games to strategy games. A few of the treasures I found:

1. The Showstopper (My Favorite Play!)
   • Concrete Canvas
     Designer: David Abelson | Art: Chris RWK | Publisher: Intersection Games
   • Why was it the showstopper? The theme was SPOT ON. In Concrete Canvas, you’re taking on the persona of a graffiti artist and making your mark in NYC. Long story short, I am quite familiar with the world of street art/graffiti art, and I can tell you firsthand that this game holds true to the culture of Graffiti Art while still being an engaging and fun game. With the blend of an established game designer, David Abelson, who knows his audience, and a reputable Graffiti Artist, Chris RWK, they worked together to create the perfect tribute game, easy enough for non-gamers and gamers alike to enjoy together. From the fine details of holding your spray cans in milk crates to the game mechanics of area majority and strategy building, it’s the game that left me dying to take home RIGHT NOW. (Kickstarter launching next month!)
     
     
2. The Hidden Treasure
   • FlipDraw: Mondrian
     Designer: Rosco Schock | Art: YOU | Publisher: Intersection Games
   • If you follow my content, you know I’m an absolute sucker for a few things: polyominos, abstract games, and anything portable. This hit the mark for all of those. FlipDraw: Mondrian is a flip-and-write game where you draw squares and rectangles to create abstract art in the style of Mondrian. What makes it unique? Turning a flip-and-write into Mondrian art with four colors: red, blue, yellow, and white. It turns into a real brain burner when you have to decide which options to choose for your colors, your shapes, where to place them on your paper, and which path to work toward the most points possible. This is one of those games that takes mere minutes to teach, everyone can play, and everyone can become an artist. I can absolutely see myself recruiting this one for a Roll Call segment.
     
     
3. The Experience
   • Cozy Stickerville
     Designer: Corey Konieczka | Publisher: Unexpected Games
   • This was seriously the surprise of the show for me. Yes, I already received a demo copy, but with my crazy schedule, I’ve yet to get it to the table. The demo booth was at TantrumCon, so it was the perfect time to sit there and have someone teach it to me. A legacy where you literally put stickers on the board? As with many others, I had a raised brow and thought, “This is going to be such a gimmick…” and I was SO wrong. It turned out to be the most charming and best cooperative experience I’ve had! I’ve played plenty of cozy and cooperative games, and this blends the two with a balance I didn’t expect. It wasn’t over-the-top cozy, nor was it a walk in the park either. I mean, at one point, we were almost mauled by a bear. However, through our cooperative teamwork (and a good dice roll), we survived! We didn’t want to stop playing at the convention! I picked up a copy for myself because I know Christopher will love this one. With its cozy vibes and meaningful choices along the way, it’s perfect!
     

👥The Vibe: Connection & Community

One of my goals as “Navigator Lana” is to focus on the joy of connection and strive to guide people together through games, and TantrumCon delivered!

This convention wasn’t about the latest-and-hottest games on the market. It wasn’t all about industry and media meetings. TantrumCon was about sitting down and playing games with you. It was about getting together with old friends and the best part, making new friends. The board game community has this special way of creating friendships that I have yet to see in any other hobby. You sit down with a goal in mind: to have fun with a game, and you can’t help but walk away with some sort of bond. TantrumCon was the perfect convention for just that. This event, for me, was meeting fellow creators, seeing old friends, connecting with Crew members I met in person, and recruiting a few new ones to the deck! The community that TantrumCon provides was the true highlight of the entire trip. The atmosphere in North Carolina was welcoming and inclusive, and everything the hobby represents.

🍎 The Educator’s Angle

You know I can’t completely turn off my educator brain, either. The publisher Moon Saga Workshop caught my attention with two titles that have great potential for future Roll Call posts. Both are on their way to my house!

• Parks & Potions: Hidden beneath these cute animals and beautiful artwork is a game filled with logic and STEM!
• Loom: Abstract loom art meets physical cards to create beautiful patterns! Visual sequences, patterns, geometry, and a little history in the textile industry!

⚓Final Thoughts: Should YOU Go?

If you’re looking for a convention that isn’t overwhelming, but big enough to have some very reputable publishers (AllPlay, 25th Century, Bezier, etc), then TantrumCon is an absolute MUST! The southern charm is real, yinz y’all!

Now it’s time to finish unpacking my bags, edit my photos and videos, and get these games to the TABLE!

Question for the Crew: What is the one convention on your bucket list for 2026? Let me know in the comments!