Lairs Board Game Review | A Cozy Dungeon Puzzle You Didn’t Expect to Love
The exciting thing about Lairs is that it just hit retail — and honestly, I didn’t expect to love it as much as I do.
Dungeon-style games don’t usually pull me in. But when Kids Table Board Gaming asked me to take a look, I thought, the box art is cute… and they always make great kid-friendly games… so let’s give it a try.
And wow.
I was pleasantly surprised.
What Lairs Feels Like to Play
Lairs is a really fun balance of exploration, light battles, and trying to outsmart your opponent.
At its core, you’re building a secret labyrinth filled with:
- walls
- monsters
- traps
- treasure
All for your opponent to explore.
You’re mining, gathering resources, and racing to secure the exit before they do — while also navigating whatever chaos they’ve built for you.
A Mix of Nostalgia and Puzzle Play
This game immediately brought me back to simpler games.
The first comparison that came to mind was Battleship — that hidden-information tension where you’re trying to outthink your opponent without seeing the full picture.
But it also feels like Minesweeper.
If you grew up with early computers, you know the feeling:
You click… and just hope there’s no bomb underneath.
That same tension exists in Lairs. Every move feels like a calculated risk.
Strategy, Risk, and Resource Tension
You have to manage your cubes carefully.
Spend too many, and suddenly you can’t battle when you need to.
Don’t roll enough damage? Now you’re injured… fatigued… and stuck in a cooldown that costs you movement and momentum.
It’s not overly complex — but it creates just enough tension to make every decision matter.
Table Presence & Components
This game is beautifully made.
- The dual-layer board locks walls into place
- The wooden pieces create a clean, immersive look
- The dice feel like sandstone artifacts — almost like something uncovered after years hidden underground
It’s one of those games that feels good just sitting at the table.
Exploration, Treasure, and Replayability
As you explore your opponent’s dungeon, you’re searching for treasure chests.
When you find them, you uncover:
- a mystery treasure card
- a face-up treasure card
These add to your end-game scoring and give each playthrough a slightly different feel.
And honestly? It made me want more.
What else is hiding deeper in these caves?
Player Count & Expansions
The base game plays at 2 players, and it’s fantastic in that format.
Expansions open it up to more monsters, road blocks and increasing to 4 players, and I’m already interested in seeing how that changes the experience.
I’m fully in on this system.
Final Thoughts
I was genuinely blown away by how much I enjoyed Lairs.
It’s clever, nostalgic, strategic without being overwhelming, and just incredibly fun to explore. The mix of hidden information, light combat, and puzzle-solving creates a unique experience that feels both cozy and tense at the same time.
This is one I want to introduce to everyone.
A huge two-thumbs-up cozy rating from me.
Where to Buy Lairs
If you enjoy cozy strategy games with exploration and hidden information, Lairs is absolutely worth checking out.