Dead Channels
2026Daniel Newman
3 - 4 players
20 - 30 min
From BoardGameGeek
Digging around in your uncle's creepy basement, you find an old wood-paneled television set. You turn it on but it doesn't seem to get any reception, just a blank red screen. You turn a knob and the screen turns blue. You smack the side and get static. You turn the knob and it's still static, but in a different pattern. So weird. You turn it off and go to unplug it from the wall…but…it wasn't plugged in? You hear a menacing laugh just before you hear a door slam and the lights go out. Dead Channels is a trick taking game, but one that oscillates between Must-Follow and Must-Not-Follow. Players also will need to shift the direction they splay their cards as the mode of play shifts. The goal is to win exactly 2 tricks at 4 players (or exactly 3 tricks at 3 players). Deviations from that goal will be rewarded with points. Points are bad. The player with the least points after 4 hands (or 3 hands at 3 players) is the winner.
Watch first
Which Dead Channels video should I watch?
Dead Channels has 2 videos from 2 creators: 1 review and 1 how-to-play guide. They date from June to July 2026.
To learn the rules, start with "Dead Channels | How to Play" by One Rule Wrong, which runs 5 min.
For an opinion before you buy, start with "Many Stories Mansion & Dead Channels ~ Taylor's Trick-Taking Table" by Taylor's Trick-Taking Table.
If you like it, try Gachapon Trick, Mori, Watch and London Necropolis Railway, also by Daniel Newman.
All videos
Creators who cover this
One Rule Wrong
1 video of this game
Taylor's Trick-Taking Table
1 video of this game
Games like this
2022Daniel Newman
- Videos
- 3
- Creators
- 3
Mostly how-to-play and playthroughs
2 - 4 players60 - 90 minMedium weight
About Dead Channels
From BoardGameGeek:
Digging around in your uncle's creepy basement, you find an old wood-paneled television set. You turn it on but it doesn't seem to get any reception, just a blank red screen. You turn a knob and the screen turns blue. You smack the side and get static. You turn the knob and it's still static, but in a different pattern. So weird. You turn it off and go to unplug it from the wall…but…it wasn't plugged in? You hear a menacing laugh just before you hear a door slam and the lights go out. Dead Channels is a trick taking game, but one that oscillates between Must-Follow and Must-Not-Follow. Players also will need to shift the direction they splay their cards as the mode of play shifts. The goal is to win exactly 2 tricks at 4 players (or exactly 3 tricks at 3 players). Deviations from that goal will be rewarded with points. Points are bad. The player with the least points after 4 hands (or 3 hands at 3 players) is the winner.
Designer
Daniel Newman
Artist
Daniel Newman
Publisher
New Mill Industries
Categories
Mechanics
Trick-taking & Climbing