Mechs vs. Minions

Mechs vs. Minions is a cooperative board game from Riot Games, taking place within the League of Legends universe. Players work together by planning and sharing commands to pilot mechs toward a shared objective. Each player manages a Command Line with six slots, placing Command Cards into these slots and then carrying out the instructions from left to right. Commands remain mostly fixed, changing only a little each turn, so players must plan ahead and choose the right actions as the difficulty increases.

Key game terms include the Command Line, which stores a mech’s command cards; Command Cards, which players place on their Command Line; and Damage Cards, which are penalties for taking damage—some have immediate effects, while others occupy a Command Line slot and create ongoing problems, making the mech harder to control. Objectives in the game include Crystal Shards, Bombs, and a Lava Wall Cardboard. The map is built from cardboard Map Tiles, the player units are called Mechs, and the main enemies are Minions.

Play is divided into three phases. In the Player Phase, players plan and execute their command lines. In the Minion Phase, the Minions move, spawn, and attack. The Danger Phase is a special part where the campaign’s mechanics advance—such as a lava wall or a boss encounter.

The game is structured as a series of campaigns. Some campaigns require players to protect a bomb from minions, others to escape a lava wall, and still others to defeat a boss.

Mechs vs. Minions was generally well received. Critics praised its creative blend of programming-style gameplay with cooperative play, as well as its high product value relative to the price. However, it was criticized for low replayability, as many players stop after finishing all the campaigns. In response, Riot Games launched a page where players can create and share their own campaigns.