Preview: Hellboy The Advent Calendar Game
26th Aug 2026
Dan Mapleston
It may seem a long way off yet...but before you know it, summer will be over, leaves will be falling off the trees, and...
Ah go on then, we'll come out and say it. Even though it's still BBQ season (for now), it'll be time to start thinking about Christmas.
But before that, we all get a joyous month of opening the doors of an advent calendar. This year, we're expanding the range yet again, and the latest addition is...Hellboy! Every morning brings a new surprise, gradually revealing a complete game piece by piece as Christmas draws closer.
A complete experience for 2-4 players ages 10 and up, let's take a look at why this is your new must-have advent calendar game for 2026...
Build a New Hellboy Game, Day by Day
This year, the B.P.R.D. (Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense) invites you to swap out a box of disappointingly forgettable chocolate for something much better: an entire tabletop game you'll collect through the month - ready to play together at the end, and enjoy again and again.
Every day, you'll open a door to see what lurks behind. From frog monsters to agents, custom dice, or even an iconic villain...there's a surprise behind every door. And once you're done, you'll open the end of the box to receive the ruleset and fold out gaming mat. Not just a fun experience in its own right, a tabletop advent calendar is quite simply the best way to count down the days until Christmas.
Note: Some of last year's advent calendars sold through quickly, and Hellboy has already proven one of the most popular additions to this year's range, so we recommend picking yours out now!
A Cast of Miniature Heroes...and a Villain!
From authentic comic art across the board and enemy standees, the Hellboy advent calendar game was always designed with fans in mind.
This full tabletop game includes highly-detailed miniatures of some of the most iconic characters from Mike Mignola's legendary comics. Designed for use during gameplay, a rewarding painter's project - and something to display proudly at home when they're not battling supernatural threats! You'll find these revealed steadily through the month among other components, giving you enough time to paint them up (if you choose) ready for your first game.
If you're new to Mike Mignola's world (in which case you've got an incredible journey ahead - get reading!), here are the stars of the Hellboy Advent Calendar Game - from left to right:
Grigori Rasputin: a Russian mystic and mortal agent of the Ogdru Jahad, Rasputin orchestrated Hellboy's arrival on Earth as part of his long-running quest to bring about the apocalypse.
Johann Krauss: after losing his physical body during a psychic investigation, the gifted medium Johann Krauss continues to serve the B.P.R.D. as a disembodied spirit housed within a containment suit.
Hellboy: a demon summoned to Earth by Grigori Rasputin during World War II, Hellboy rejected his destined role in the apocalypse and chose to fight the world's supernatural threats alongside the B.P.R.D.
Liz Sherman: a powerful pyrokinetic and veteran agent, Liz Sherman has spent her life mastering the devastating abilities that first manifested in a tragic childhood accident.
Abe Sapien: an amphibious field agent with a mysterious past, Abe Sapien gradually uncovers the occult origins behind his transformation and his forgotten life.
Fast, Entertaining, and Easy to Learn
With the cast gathered, plus a whole heap of Frog Monster standees, up to four players will take part in a race to reach and defeat your nemesis atop a building infested with supernatural threats...
You'll grasp the basics straight away, because the foundation of this game is Snakes and Ladders...with a number of Hellboy twists layered on top! Roll dice to move (and fight your enemies), and depending on where you land different things can happen...
- Will you run into a giant tentacle, blocking your progress up the building and forcing you back the way you've come?
- Will you come across a fellow B.P.R.D. agent, spurring you on towards the final fight? Or even a shortcut to a higher level?
- Maybe you'll get ambushed by a Frog Monster, and be forced into dice-based combat...it's time to fight!
- Some threats will stop you dead in your tracks, but overcome everything and you'll soon be facing off against Grigori Rasputin. Defeat him to claim your well-earned victory!
It's a fast-paced, fun game filled with the rush of ascending a ladder, the despair of descending a tentacle, and the unpredictable excitement of dice-based combat with Frog Monsters that can start to move around the board - creating fresh challenges for you and other players. Who will navigate the board first, defeat their foes, and claim victory?
Top tip: Even better, if you fancy a real challenge there's also an alternate play mode in the rules where you have to defeat all the Frog Monsters you encounter - with no option to sneak past them. Keep your Right Hand of Doom at the ready, because this one's tough...
Not long ago, we opened up early access to our advent calendar range to Mantic fans - and so far Hellboy has been an extremely popular choice.
Have you ordered yours yet? And don't forget to check out some great bundle deals to get the whole family gaming this winter!
