Tabletop Simulator
" Versatile tabletop simulator with vast community content and customization but occasional bugs and connection issues "
Tabletop Simulator Review
Tabletop Simulator (TTS) is widely praised as a versatile and powerful platform for playing and creating tabletop games online, especially when in-person gatherings aren't possible. It acts as a sandbox physics simulator, allowing players to enjoy a vast variety of board games, card games, war games, and RPGs through an extensive Steam Workshop community. Many users highlight its value for game prototyping and testing, as well as for playing popular games like Magic: The Gathering, D&D, and Warhammer remotely with friends.
Despite its strengths, TTS has some drawbacks. The physics and dice-rolling mechanics can be inconsistent or frustrating. Workshop content occasionally breaks due to unreliable hosting of assets. Stability issues such as crashes and connection problems are reported, especially on certain platforms. Single-player mode is limited due to lack of AI opponents. However, the social experience and creative freedom it offers often outweigh these negatives, making it highly recommended for multiplayer tabletop gaming.
Highlights
Players consistently praise TTS for its extensive modding community and the ability to play virtually any tabletop game imaginable. The game offers a highly customizable sandbox environment that supports creativity and game prototyping. Users enjoy the immersive feel of playing with friends online, with features like visible mouse movements enhancing social interaction. The platform is also valued for supporting popular games like Magic: The Gathering, D&D, and Warhammer, and for facilitating remote multiplayer experiences.
Criticisms
Common criticisms include unstable physics and dice mechanics that sometimes frustrate players. Connection issues and frequent crashes, particularly on Mac, affect the user experience. The reliance on external hosts for workshop assets leads to broken or missing content over time. Single-player mode lacks AI opponents, limiting solo play. Some users find the interface and learning curve challenging, and the VR mode is considered underdeveloped. Overall, stability and polish could be improved.
Pros
- • Extensive Steam Workshop with thousands of user-created games and mods available.
- • Enables playing virtually any tabletop game remotely with friends worldwide.
- • Highly customizable sandbox environment for creating and prototyping games.
- • Supports popular games like Magic: The Gathering, D&D, and Warhammer.
- • Immersive social experience with visible player interactions and mouse movements.
- • Affordable price with frequent sales makes it accessible to many players.
- • Great tool for game designers to test and share board game ideas online.
Cons
- • Physics engine and dice rolls can be inconsistent and frustrating at times.
- • Frequent connection issues and crashes reported, especially on Mac systems.
- • Workshop assets sometimes break due to reliance on unreliable external hosting.
- • Single-player mode lacks AI opponents, limiting solo gameplay options.
- • User interface can be unintuitive and has a learning curve for new players.
- • VR mode is considered half-baked and less polished than main game.
- • Occasional bugs and glitches detract from smooth gameplay experience.
Rating Criteria
About This Game
VR Support
Take your tabletop gaming to a whole new level in virtual reality with the HTC Vive & Oculus Rift! And what's more, both VR and non-VR players alike can play together in the same game room!
About the Game
Create your own original games, import custom assets, automate games with scripting, set up complete RPG dungeons, manipulate the physics, create hinges & joints, and of course flip the table when you are losing the game. All with an easy to use system integrated with Steam Workshop. You can do anything you want in Tabletop Simulator. The possibilities are endless!
Endless Games
Tabletop Simulator has it all. The base game includes 15 classics like Chess, Poker, Jigsaw Puzzles, Dominoes, and Mahjong. Additionally, there are thousands of community created content on the Workshop. If you’re the tabletop gaming type, we include an RPG Kit which has tilesets & furniture, as well as animated figurines that you can set up and battle with your friends, with even more options in the Chest. There’s even an option for Game Masters so they can control the table!
Create Games
If you’re into creativity and prototyping, you can easily create your own games by importing images onto custom boards & tables, create custom decks, import 3D models, create scripts, and much more. You can choose to upload your creations on the Steam Workshop or share them privately with your friends.
Fun For All Ages
Everyone can play Tabletop Simulator! Play a classic board game with grandma, have poker night with the guys, or start your epic RPG adventure with your crew. Play almost any tabletop game you can think of! Being a multiplayer-focused game, up to 10 players can play at any given time.
DLCs
Our downloadable content (DLCs) are different from other games, as we partner with developers and publishers to bring their games into Tabletop Simulator. Each DLC is custom created with high quality assets and special themes that match their games. And best of all, only the host needs to own the DLC for everyone at the table to play.
Key Features:
- Online sandbox with unlimited games to play how you want.
- Multiplayer physics with objects that collide and interact just how you would expect.
- Create your own mods easily with full Steam Workshop support and 3D model importing.
- Take games to the next level with Lua scripting support.
- Play just like you do in real life; pick up, rotate, shake, and throw any object.
- Up to 10 people can play together on the same table.
- Team system with voice and text chat.
- Save & load individual objects and complete games.
- Hotseat allows you to play locally on the same computer with your friends.
- Browse the internet, listen to music, and watch videos in multiplayer, in-game on a tablet.
- Perfect for RPGs - build your very own roleplaying dungeons with our modular tileset, RPG Kit, Multiple States and Tablet (useful for character sheets).
- Great admin tools to enable or disable player permissions and to eliminate griefing in public games.
- 360° panoramic backgrounds that change the lighting and atmosphere.
- Included games: Backgammon, Cards, Chess, Checkers, Chinese Checkers, Custom Board, Dice, Dominoes, Go, Jigsaw Puzzles, Mahjong, Pachisi, Piecepack, Poker, Reversi, RPG Kit, Sandbox, Solitaire, and Tablet.
Rock, Paper, Shotgun
“The ingenuity that went into making this [Tabletop Simulator] is pretty impressive.”
Polygon
“It’s just a really nice way to play and experiment with new board games.”
Nerd³
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Tabletop Simulator is the only simulator where you can let your aggression out by flipping the table! There are no rules to follow: just you, a physics sandbox, and your friends. Make your own online board games or play the thousands of community created mods. Unlimited gaming possibilities!