07 March 2025
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Flow, the animated film that scooped the Oscar for best animated film is coming to our tabletops with a board game releasing later this month, and here's everything we know about it so far.
Written by Charlie Pettit
What is Flow?
Flow is a beautiful animated film that's been critically acclaimed. It's the story of a black cat on a journey to safety, in a post-apocalyptic world that's been ruined by a flood. Of course, it's a heartwarming story of finding other animals, working together as a beautiful alliance, and trying to survive against the odds.
The film took five years to make, but was made using Blender, an entirely free software, and is wholly without dialogue. The result was an Academy Award, as well as a Golden Globe.
What is the Flow Board Game?
The board game adaptation of Flow is being published by Brain Games (publishers of Ice Cool), with UK distribution being completed by Hachette Boardgames UK. It should be on our shelves shortly, releasing 15th March.
The game itself will be for 1-6 players and a cooperative game that follows the same feeling as the film does. Teams are challenged to guide animals to safety by creating escape routes using tiles and contending with an ever-rising flood. Each minute, the game pauses, and a tidal wave destroys some of the tiles that have been placed. It sounds like a tense race against time, but one which makes the teamwork all the more important. There are also additional modes included that allow the difficulty to increase.
"The story of Flow is a timely one with lessons for future generations," says Rob Trounce, Head of Marketing at Hachette Boardgames UK. "Board games can be an ideal way to help them engage with those lessons in a new and exciting way—one in which kids work together to solve problems, fostering the very skills they need to hopefully solve the biggest ones of their generation. We're thrilled with the success of this film, and we're honoured to be launching its board game counterpart."
Related article: Best Animal Games
Will Flow Work?
We've seen some fantastic film to board game adaptations in the past, but we've also seen some real stinkers. We're feeling optimistic about Flow however, as it's got a lot of aspects going for it. Firstly, the story behind it is strong but easily understood, and especially as the film releases in cinema this month, can be wholly experienced. Secondly, the topic – a team of animals working together – is a popular one that can be done really well, and with the rise in cosy board games as a genre, this might be on the more stressful end of it, but is pitched well as a cooperative game. Additionally, Hachette Board Games UK's catalogue is filled generally with hits, so it's got every chance of succeeding if they're choosing to bring it to market. We're excited to see how it plays – so stay tuned for 15th March!