This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas leave the sprawling epics behind for a cozy journey through Middle-earth with The Hobbit: There & Back Again by Reiner Knizia. Sometimes a lighter adventure is exactly what the table needs, and this charming little trek proved that simple doesn’t mean shallow.

The hosts talk about how the clever dice drafting creates plenty of meaningful choices, with every roll offering opportunities, risks, and just enough strategy to keep things engaging from start to finish. But the real magic lies in the maps. With essentially eight different adventures packed into one box, each journey feels fresh, distinct, and full of its own personality.

From quiet paths through the wilds to tense races for treasure, There & Back Again captures that classic Tolkien sense of adventure in a breezy, approachable package that still gives players plenty to think about. A warm hearth, a well-packed backpack, and just a little luck with the dice. What more could a hobbit ask for?