Episode 30 celebrates joyful life updates, Stonemaier’s community-driven Design Day, and a rapid back-and-forth on “old vs. new” tabletop standouts—from hidden-role and drafting classics to fresh co-op poker and a superhero trick-taking design.

Mitchell and Jamey kick off with personal milestones and why sharing “the good stuff” matters. They touch on weekly-release TV culture (Survivor, Tulsa King) before a practical audio tip: even in-studio, headphones help you hear what the audience hears—isolated, accurate monitoring that guides mic technique and levels.

The show’s core is a playful volley between Jamey’s oldest modern games that still earn table time and Mitchell’s recent plays. Jamie spotlights Avalon (The Resistance)—a fast, social deduction staple for large groups—then Hanabi’s limited-communication puzzle where you can’t see your own hand, and the pocket-size, original Sushi Go for approachable drafting and set collection.

Mitchell counters with three “new to him” hits: The Gang, an unexpectedly addictive cooperative poker experience where honest signaling and tempo replace bluffing; Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-earth, a smooth, two-player reimagining with multiple win paths and escalating engine building; and Origin Story, a small-box hero/villain trick-taking game with tableau powers and stamina tokens that make each round’s choice meaningful and replayable.

Along the way, Jamey discusses culling shelves ahead of Stonemaier’s Design Day to keep the library fresh and community-ready, while Mitchell underscores why elegant rules that scale table talk—and create post-game stories—are what make games stick.

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