Making Monsters

Making Monsters

2026Jonathan Gilmour-Long, David Gordon (I)

Videos
11
Creators
9

Mainly reviews. Making Monsters is covered on BoardGameVideo.com by 5 reviews, 2 how-to-play guides, and 1 recorded sessions.

2 - 4 players
45 - 60 min
2.0/5 weight

From BoardGameGeek

In Making Monsters, players take on the role of mad scientists competing at the Monster Maker Science Fair, where only the most brilliant and bizarre creations will earn prestige and fame. Each round, players secretly choose how many monster parts to order-hoping to outwit their rivals and gather the right materials. Then, using a push-your-luck bag-building mechanic, players simultaneously draw and assemble monster parts, trying to complete powerful creatures before their lab experiments collapse. Build too cautiously and fall behind, but push too far and your monster might fall apart in spectacular fashion. Completed monsters grant points and special upgrades when re-animated, and each one adds to a growing tableau of increasingly wild and strategic upgrade and prestige point options. Players can also earn bonuses from their helpful robotic assistant, Lester, and manipulate the science fair for an edge in future rounds. At the end of the game, the science fair concludes with a Grand Finale: a final simultaneous challenge where each player selects their five favorite monsters from their lab and attempts to build them from their remaining resources. Success earns prestige; failure can cost dearly. It's a final test of strategy, memory, and risk management as players race to complete their ultimate monster squads before the fair closes.

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Creators who cover this

One Board Family
One Board Family
2 videos of this game
Sky Lion Games
Sky Lion Games
2 videos of this game
BoardGameCo
BoardGameCo
1 video of this game
CoffeyHouse Productions
CoffeyHouse Productions
1 video of this game
fenirob
fenirob
1 video of this game
Rolling with the Beard
Rolling with the Beard
1 video of this game
Tantrum House
Tantrum House
1 video of this game
The Dice Tower
The Dice Tower
1 video of this game

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About Making Monsters

From BoardGameGeek:

In Making Monsters, players take on the role of mad scientists competing at the Monster Maker Science Fair, where only the most brilliant and bizarre creations will earn prestige and fame. Each round, players secretly choose how many monster parts to order-hoping to outwit their rivals and gather the right materials. Then, using a push-your-luck bag-building mechanic, players simultaneously draw and assemble monster parts, trying to complete powerful creatures before their lab experiments collapse. Build too cautiously and fall behind, but push too far and your monster might fall apart in spectacular fashion. Completed monsters grant points and special upgrades when re-animated, and each one adds to a growing tableau of increasingly wild and strategic upgrade and prestige point options. Players can also earn bonuses from their helpful robotic assistant, Lester, and manipulate the science fair for an edge in future rounds. At the end of the game, the science fair concludes with a Grand Finale: a final simultaneous challenge where each player selects their five favorite monsters from their lab and attempts to build them from their remaining resources. Success earns prestige; failure can cost dearly. It's a final test of strategy, memory, and risk management as players race to complete their ultimate monster squads before the fair closes.

Designers

Jonathan Gilmour-Long, David Gordon (I)

Artists

Brett Bean, Jordi Planellas

Categories

Abstract StrategyBluffingHorrorHumor

Mechanics

Deck, Bag, and Pool BuildingPush Your LuckSet CollectionSimultaneous Action Selection
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