A 34-person game retreat, a human-sized round of Codenames, and a marble “Kentucky Derby” set the stage for a conversation about games that surprise us—in the best ways. Jamey recaps three creative big-group “room party” games, while Mitchell shares five titles that defied expectations:Shifting Stones, Number Drop, QE, Fantasy Realms, and One Deck Dungeon. Plus: light banter, a concert detour, family game night picks, and a handy Just One table tip.

00:00 Cold open, smiles you can “hear”

00:xx Show format & quick banter (concert, high-school fame)

00:xx Family game night picks & Just One tip

00:xx Room-party #1: Stardew fishing → communal punch

00:xx Room-party #2: Human Codenames

00:xx Room-party #3: Marble “Derby” racing

00:xx Mitchell’s list: 5 games that surprised him

00:xx Design chat: why QE and Fantasy Realms feel “magical”

00:xx One Deck Dungeon → design inspiration

00:xx Listener questions & wrap

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