You know those places you go “just once” and then somehow end up knowing which table you prefer, what drink you will order without looking at the menu, and how close you are to filling another loyalty card? Ancient Robot Games has a habit of becoming one of those places.
Tucked at the foot of Leith Walk in Edinburgh, it is an independent board game café, shop, and community space owned by Dougal Frier. On paper, it sounds straightforward. In practice, it is somewhere you can easily spend an entire afternoon without quite noticing how that happened.
Coffee, Cards, and Settling In
Let’s start with the essentials. The coffee is very good. Not just functional, but genuinely enjoyable, which immediately raises the chances of staying longer than intended. Combine that with shelves full of games and a library you can dip into, and your plans for the day start to loosen slightly around the edges.
Ancient Robot Games offers bookable tables and an in-store collection of games that you can try before deciding whether to take one home. It is an easy way to discover something new without committing on the spot, although it does make it much easier to justify picking something up afterwards.
There is also a steady rhythm of events. Weekly and monthly sessions cover RPG nights, skirmish games, and hobby evenings where painting miniatures becomes a shared activity rather than a solo one. It all adds to the sense that this is not just a place you visit, but somewhere you can return to regularly and feel part of.
A few streets away, the Ancient Robot Workshop continues that idea. Created by Dougal alongside local designer Robert Gelb, it is a co-working makerspace for tabletop creatives. It is where ideas are tested, prototypes take shape, and games begin their journey before eventually making their way onto tables like the ones back in the café.
A Completely Reasonable Number of Loyalty Cards
I spend a lot of time at Ancient Robot Games. Enough that I no longer keep track of loyalty cards, just the quiet satisfaction of completing them. Enough that stopping by briefly is rarely as brief as intended.
It is an easy place to be. Welcoming without fuss, relaxed without feeling empty, and filled with people who are either mid-game or about to start one. There is no pressure to know everything, which makes it just as comfortable for newcomers as it is for regulars.
So, with that in mind, I decided to ask the staff a simple question. If someone walked in and said, “What should I get?”, what would be the one game they would recommend?
No lists. No fussing. Just one.
As it turns out, this is not an easy question.
Dougal Sets the Standard: Courtisans
Going first meant Dougal had to commit without hearing anyone else’s answers. His choice, Courtisans, would later prompt several variations of “I was going to say that”, which feels like a strong endorsement.
Courtisans is the kind of game that settles in quickly. It works well with both small and larger groups, and the core idea is simple enough to grasp within a few turns.
Each player begins a round with three cards. One is kept, one is given to another player, and one is placed into the Queen’s domain at the centre of the table. That central space is where most of the tension builds.
Cards are placed either above or below, determining whether a noble family gains favour or falls out of it. Points are awarded for cards above and deducted for those below, which sounds straightforward until you realise how much influence other players have over where those cards end up.
With spies, assassins, and a steady undercurrent of interference, it quickly becomes a game of careful choices and quiet suspicion. It is also quick enough that one round rarely feels like enough.
Ollie’s Choice: Lacuna
Ollie’s recommendation moves in a very different direction. Lacuna is calm, considered, and visually striking in a way that makes you pause for a moment before starting.
Set across a cloth pond scattered with wooden flowers, the game focuses on collecting sets by placing metal markers between matching colours. The rule is simple: place your marker along an imaginary line between two flowers of the same colour, then resolve ownership once all markers have been placed.
From there, flowers are collected based on proximity to each marker, with the goal of securing the majority across more than half of the colours.
It is a game that relies on spatial awareness and careful placement rather than speed. There is a tactile quality to it as well, from the weight of the markers to the texture of the board, which adds to the overall experience.
Relaxed does not mean effortless, though. There is still plenty to think about, just without any urgency.
Clíodhna’s Recommendation: The Fox in the Forest
Clíodhna’s pick reflects her own introduction to board games, making it an ideal starting point for anyone newer to the hobby.
The Fox in the Forest is a two-player trick-taking game that is compact, quick to set up, and easy to learn. It builds on familiar ideas, with players following suit and aiming to win tricks, but adds a small twist that changes how you approach each round.
Winning is not simply about taking as many tricks as possible. Instead, players aim to hit a specific range out of thirteen rounds. Too few and you fall short, too many and you lose out.
That balance creates an interesting push and pull, where sometimes the best move is not to win at all. It keeps the game engaging without making it complicated, and it is easy to see why it becomes a regular recommendation.
There are also additional versions, including a co-operative variant, which offer different ways to approach the same core idea.
Morgan’s Pick: Coup
For something more direct, Morgan suggests Coup, a game built around bluffing and reading other players.
Each player holds hidden character cards, each tied to specific actions. You might claim to be one character to gain an advantage, but unless someone challenges you, your claim stands.
That is where the tension comes in. Calling a bluff at the right time can shift the balance of the game. Calling it incorrectly can set you back instead.
Players collect coins, take actions, and attempt to eliminate each other until only one remains. It is quick to play, easy to explain, and relies more on interaction than complex rules.
It is also a good way to learn who at the table is comfortable stretching the truth.
John’s Two Choices: The Gang and Compile
John opted for two recommendations, which feels fair given the variety on offer.
The Gang is a co-operative take on Poker. Instead of competing, players work together to rank their hands from best to worst as cards are revealed. The catch is that this must be done without speaking.
Early rounds can feel uncertain, but as players begin to understand each other’s decisions, a shared rhythm develops. It is a different kind of challenge, one that focuses more on observation than calculation.
Compile offers a deeper experience. Drawing on deck-building ideas, it introduces multiple decks with different interactions, allowing players to experiment with combinations and strategies.
Despite this, it remains accessible. New players can engage with it, while those with more experience will find plenty to explore. It strikes a balance that is not always easy to achieve.
Alex’s Recommendation: That Time You Killed Me
Alex’s choice introduces a more complex challenge. That Time You Killed Me is played across three boards representing different points in time: past, present, and future.
Players move pieces not only across the board, but between these timelines, creating interactions that carry across all three. It requires careful thought and a willingness to consider multiple possibilities at once.
What makes it particularly interesting is how it evolves. New mechanics are introduced over a series of rounds, gradually building on what players have already learned. It keeps the experience fresh without overwhelming you at the start.
The rulebook is also worth noting. Rather than simply listing instructions, it guides players through the game step by step, making it easier to understand how everything fits together.
Brian’s Recommendation: Troika!
Brian’s suggestion steps slightly outside traditional board games into roleplaying with Troika!.
It is an unusual game, built around strange characters and imaginative settings. Players are assigned roles, often at random, and set off on adventures that can take them in unexpected directions.
The rules are intentionally light, allowing the focus to remain on storytelling and creativity. It is less about structure and more about what the group brings to it.
For anyone interested in roleplaying, or simply looking for something a bit different, it offers a memorable experience.
More Than Just a Place to Buy Games
What stands out most about these recommendations is the thought behind them. Each one reflects a different aspect of what makes games enjoyable, whether that is strategy, creativity, interaction, or simply the chance to sit down and spend time with others.
Ancient Robot Games brings all of that together in one space. It is not just somewhere to buy games, but somewhere to experience them.
The staff take the time to help you find something that suits you. The events give you opportunities to try new things. The atmosphere makes it easy to stay a while.
Whether you arrive with a group or on your own, it does not take long to feel comfortable.
Final Turn
If you find yourself in Edinburgh, it is well worth making the trip to the foot of Leith Walk and spending some time at Ancient Robot Games.
Try a game. Have a coffee. Stay a little longer than planned.
You will likely leave with a new favourite, a few recommendations, and a good reason to come back.
And if you are unsure where to start, just ask.
About the Author
I have always loved games, but it was not until I found Ancient Robot Games that I truly embraced the hobby. Having a welcoming space to try new things and meet like-minded people made all the difference, and it quickly became somewhere that shaped how I play and connect with others.
That sense of community led me further into the hobby, including joining the Zatu Gaming blogging team, where I now share my thoughts on the games I love.
I enjoy trying the latest releases, with a particular soft spot for cosy games, as well as fantasy and horror RPGs that focus on storytelling and atmosphere.
Living in Edinburgh, I feel very lucky to be part of such a diverse and welcoming community of gamers and hobbyists.
