Whirly Derby is Major Fun!

12/23/202512/23/2025 - Stephen Conway

Designers: Tedman Getschman
Publisher: Big Potato Games
Developers: Ed Naujokas, Drew Richards, James A. Vaughan
2-6 players | 20 min. | ages 8+ | MSRP $24.99 | BGG Entry
Time to teach & learn: 2-3 minutes

Game Synopsis

Eight races down a metal cone stand between you and marble racing immortality. Secretly choose how many of your marbles to risk on each race, then load everyone’s marbles into the launcher and let them fly! They will spin around and around the metal disc until one marble drops through the center hole and wins the race. Finish first, second, or third and you get to claim a trophy and score points. Be careful as you spend your marbles, though, because you lose them as you use them. And even if your marbles are slow, there’s an underdog bonus that will keep you in contention. Whose marbles will score big and rule over the Whirlyverse?

Why We Love Whirly Derby

The subtitle to this game should be: Physics is Major Fun! Who knew gravity and centripetal acceleration could produce so many laughs and so much joy? The simple truth of Whirly Derby is this: everyone picks a number of marbles, then we all cheer them on as they spin toward the center of a gently sloping metal funnel. If this sounds both silly and ridiculous, by god, it is. You have very little control over the outcome of any race but, if you let yourself, you will become totally invested in how each marble traces its course around the track. You’ll indignantly curse the marbles who shoulder yours out of the way and you’ll take a victory lap and look for fist bumps when your marble rockets to the finish first. You’ll claim skill when it suits you and cry foul when physics betrays you. The advanced rules introduce an element of tactics and strategy with scoring cards that require some added thought and the Thunderball, a giant marble that can prevent any player’s marble from winning. The genius of Whirly Derby, though, is its gentle but stubborn invitation to relax and give in to the essential absurdity of the game. Whirly Derby reminds us that a game doesnt require skill or grand strategy or even success to produce lasting moments of pure fun.

Congratulations to designers Tedman Getschman

More information on Whirly Derby at: Big Potato Games

Short List 2019

12/30/201905/28/2025 - Stephen Conway

We play hundreds of different games every year. Each one is given due consideration for The Major Fun Award and The Spiel of Approval.

Inevitably, there are games that might not fit all of the award criteria, but are games we really enjoy nonetheless.

These games make our Short List.

They might not have made the final cut, but any game on our Short List is one we think is engaging and fun.

Read on to explore the list.

I bet you’ll find at least a couple you’ll be itching to try!

Explore The Short List for the Spiel of Approval here.

Bugs on Rugs BGG | KTBG

LLAMA BGG | Amigo

Noctiluca BGG | Z-Man

Someone Has Died BGG | Gather Round Games

Claim BGG | White Goblin

Most Wanted BGG | North Star Games

The Bears & The Bees BGG | Grandpa Beck’s

Railroad Ink BGG | Horrible Games

Walking In Burano BGG | Emperor S4 | AEG

The Short List

12/27/201805/28/2025 - Stephen Conway

We play hundreds of different games every year. Each and every one is given due consideration for our two award programs: The Major Fun Award and The Spiel of Approval.

Out of these hundreds only 12-15 games are selected per award. And these are the games we cover with in-depth audio and written reviews.

Every year, though, inevitably, there are games that might not be a good fit for the award criteria but are games we really enjoy nonetheless.

So, starting this year, we are going to do a round up of games that made our short list. It’s not a comprehensive list by any stretch, but rather a snapshot look at some games that may have slipped past your attention.

Think of the Short List as an Honorable Mention category from this point forward. These games didn’t make the final cut, but we think they’re engaging and fun.

Read on to explore the list.

I bet you’ll find at least a couple you’ll be itching to try!

Big Money BGG | Wonderforge