For Part I:
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For this second part, I thought I would take a look at putting together some mini-reviews of some of the board game inserts I have tried, along with some comments on others that look interesting to me, but I have not yet had the chance to use.
The Broken Token
This is the original wooden insert for me and they are just fantastic. If there are multiple companies offering wooden inserts for the same board game, I have always gone with The Broken Token first. The only times I have not is when they did not have one available at the time and then I always have a regretful feeling once they finally do and I have something else. The inserts are usually well thought out for maximum organization and accessibility while playing and the quality is top notch. For some games they have come out with luxury crates as a storage solution for the base game and expansions, such as for Galaxy Trucker and Rising Sun. While very expensive, it is hard to deny the looks and functionality.
Meeple Realty
Meeple Realty hit my radar when I found out they had an insert for Twilight Struggle. I have since bought quite a few insert from them when The Broken Token does not have one. These inserts have fun names all to do with buildings (i.e. Twilight Bunker, Tzolk'in Temple, Keyflower Port) and some of the inserts are really thematic with official licenses. I find the organization sometimes lacking compared to the Broken Token, such as the Terra Mystica organizer not having individual player trays, and the quality is also a step down as I have had a few components break on me. I don't think this is a material issue but rather a design issue as some components require a bit of force to be put together, but the way they were designed resulted in the connection or piece breaking when said force was applied. Still, The Broken Token cannot make everything and these are a fine alternative.
Go7Gaming
Once I started using Broken Token inserts, I was still on the lookout for a wooden insert for Agricola. I saw that Go7Gaming had one available (officially licensed too!) but held off for quite awhile because it did not look like it would fit The Goodies expansion that I had. Eventually I gave in and purchased it and my suspicions were confirmed. In general, the quality of these inserts is quite good but the design is uninspired. For my purpose, the Agricola insert did not have enough room for components from The Goodies expansion, but it also did not advertise that it would. Again, if a Broken Token or Meeple Realty insert is not available, I would consider getting one from Go7Gaming but it would not be my first choice.
Zen Bins
My one and only Zen Bins insert is for Star Wars: Rebellion. In fact, I think it actually is their only insert. In my fervor to organize this highly-rated game, which I still have yet to play, I heard great things about this molded plastic insert so I picked it up. It is a great insert that fits the pieces perfectly and is lightweight because it is plastic. However, there is a lot of wasted space and I realize that after the expansion for Star Wars: Rebellion came out that the insert would not be able to accommodate it. Then I realized that Meeple Realty came out with a wooden insert and as good as the plastic insert was, I prefer the aesthetics and feel of wooden ones. So in the end, I was disappointed by this insert. It isn't a knock on its quality or functionality, but it just isn't my style. If you're looking for an insert for the base game of Star Wars: Rebellion only, this might work for you.
Gaming Trunk
This is a new company from Canada that first caught my attention as the first one with inserts for Gaia Project and Clans of Caledonia, which are at the top of my list for games I want to play. Then I saw that they too had an Agricola insert. I have since bought a couple of inserts from them and I am very impressed. The quality of the wood is very good and fits together very snug. It sometimes takes quite a bit of force to put the pieces together but nothing has broken yet as I slam away and everything feels secure in the end. I also think that the painted finish gives it a distinct visual appeal compared to the other wooden inserts available. It has quickly become my #2 insert behind The Broken Token and is nipping at the heels of that #1 spot.
Meeple Realty
Meeple Realty hit my radar when I found out they had an insert for Twilight Struggle. I have since bought quite a few insert from them when The Broken Token does not have one. These inserts have fun names all to do with buildings (i.e. Twilight Bunker, Tzolk'in Temple, Keyflower Port) and some of the inserts are really thematic with official licenses. I find the organization sometimes lacking compared to the Broken Token, such as the Terra Mystica organizer not having individual player trays, and the quality is also a step down as I have had a few components break on me. I don't think this is a material issue but rather a design issue as some components require a bit of force to be put together, but the way they were designed resulted in the connection or piece breaking when said force was applied. Still, The Broken Token cannot make everything and these are a fine alternative.
Go7Gaming
Once I started using Broken Token inserts, I was still on the lookout for a wooden insert for Agricola. I saw that Go7Gaming had one available (officially licensed too!) but held off for quite awhile because it did not look like it would fit The Goodies expansion that I had. Eventually I gave in and purchased it and my suspicions were confirmed. In general, the quality of these inserts is quite good but the design is uninspired. For my purpose, the Agricola insert did not have enough room for components from The Goodies expansion, but it also did not advertise that it would. Again, if a Broken Token or Meeple Realty insert is not available, I would consider getting one from Go7Gaming but it would not be my first choice.
Zen Bins
My one and only Zen Bins insert is for Star Wars: Rebellion. In fact, I think it actually is their only insert. In my fervor to organize this highly-rated game, which I still have yet to play, I heard great things about this molded plastic insert so I picked it up. It is a great insert that fits the pieces perfectly and is lightweight because it is plastic. However, there is a lot of wasted space and I realize that after the expansion for Star Wars: Rebellion came out that the insert would not be able to accommodate it. Then I realized that Meeple Realty came out with a wooden insert and as good as the plastic insert was, I prefer the aesthetics and feel of wooden ones. So in the end, I was disappointed by this insert. It isn't a knock on its quality or functionality, but it just isn't my style. If you're looking for an insert for the base game of Star Wars: Rebellion only, this might work for you.
Gaming Trunk
This is a new company from Canada that first caught my attention as the first one with inserts for Gaia Project and Clans of Caledonia, which are at the top of my list for games I want to play. Then I saw that they too had an Agricola insert. I have since bought a couple of inserts from them and I am very impressed. The quality of the wood is very good and fits together very snug. It sometimes takes quite a bit of force to put the pieces together but nothing has broken yet as I slam away and everything feels secure in the end. I also think that the painted finish gives it a distinct visual appeal compared to the other wooden inserts available. It has quickly become my #2 insert behind The Broken Token and is nipping at the heels of that #1 spot.
Daedalus Productions
This is the first of inserts on my radar but that I have not tried yet. Specifically, I've had my eye on the Le Havre insert. There are good reviews and the inserts look great, but because they are custom and don't seem to be manufactured on a large scale there is a long lead time and right now I am not ready to pull the trigger on it. I also want to note that I do buy a lot of my inserts through other retailers and not normally through the manufacturer itself and in this case I believe their website is the only place to purchase them. I do eventually want a Le Havre insert, so it might only be a matter of time.
Insert Here
Insert Here makes foamcore inserts for a very large number of board games that some of my preferred companies do not have, such as Viticulture and Camel Up. However, similar to Daedalus, these are custom and the lead time is long. I think that I also prefer wooden inserts to foamcore for the feel and weight, so that is another reason why I have held off. Still, there have been many times that I have gone through their website adding inserts to my cart and it is probably just a matter of time before I make a purchase.
Folded Space
Insert Here
Insert Here makes foamcore inserts for a very large number of board games that some of my preferred companies do not have, such as Viticulture and Camel Up. However, similar to Daedalus, these are custom and the lead time is long. I think that I also prefer wooden inserts to foamcore for the feel and weight, so that is another reason why I have held off. Still, there have been many times that I have gone through their website adding inserts to my cart and it is probably just a matter of time before I make a purchase.
Folded Space
I recently discovered this company out of Europe that also makes foamcore inserts. They also just completed their second Kickstarter which I had seriously considered backing. Again, they have a good variety of inserts for games that aren't available from other manufacturers, including Concordia and Twilight Imperium. This time what is holding me back is shipping from Europe. Although it may have been somewhat alleviated if I went through the Kickstarter, I also have enough projects being backed right now and didn't need another. Anyway, it is new on my radar and probably just a matter of time before I end up adding some of these to my collection.
Midgard Creative Studio
I stumbled upon a review for the WOODEN insert for Twilight Imperium made by Midgard Creative Studio, which blew me away. I'm very tempted to pick this one up because anything to improve the chances of Twilight Imperium being played is a positive. There are a few others that look good as well, such as for Vast or Camel Up, but the main pick up would be the aforementioned one. Of the inserts I have not tried, this is most likely going to be added to my collection first to assist with getting Twilight Imperium to the table.
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