Eat Lunch and Board Game

Facebook got me again! I am an easy target for ads about board games. I had heard of this one, but when the ad hit, and I clicked over, and it was only $50, I had to order Farms Race. It is the debut game from Medium Brow Games. (What a great name, by the way) This publisher was founded by one of the creators of Cards Against Humanity, Daniel Dranove. The other designer credited is Tom Weiner. This is his first game.

So, what drew me to Farms Race? It looked and sounded Catan-ish. The box art was beautiful. Intrigued, I did some digging into it. Turns out, the rules were available on BoardGameGeek. So, I gave them a peek. I was on the fence, but when the ad targeted me, I went for it.

Edward and I are always up for a good racing game. We have mentioned this in the past. We have a lot of different types of racing. When watching videos on YouTube of great racing games, 1500M came up. It is a racing game that came out in 2018 where you are a track runner in a, well, 1500M foot race. I instantly reached out to the creator, Eduardo Crespo, and his company Lucky Loser Games. Edward is a cross country and track runner. It seemed like a perfect fit.  It arrived just before a vacation! I packed it, we didn’t play it, and it sat longer than anticipated. However, at the last gaming meetup at the local library, Edward and I took it with us and learned and played it with two of our friends.

In 1500M, you are a runner who has to balance mental health with your pace as you make the 3 and ¾ laps around the track. Gather your fellow athletes, and see who has the mental fortitude to push the limits and be the first to cross the finish line after a grueling 1500M.

In this episode, I am joined by father and son designers Cory and Gavin Neslon. They are the duo behind The Naughty Jester. Their debut game, Chivalry is Dead: Race for the Crown, is currently up on Kickstarter. It is a fantasy themed racing game. I can't wait for it. We talk about Kickstarter, racing games, inspiration, and ha lot of other fun things. Thanks for listening.

Chivalry is Dead: Race for the Crown

I preordered Horrified: Greek Monster Edition against my better judgment. Once I was not overly impressed with the American Monsters Edition, I do not know what possessed me to preorder this newest edition. Anyway, I did, from Target. It was scheduled for delivery on October 9. Oddly, I received a notification from Target that it was out for delivery on September 29. When I clicked for more details, the UPS website said it was out for delivery, scheduled to arrive on 10/9. This meant it was going to be riding around on the UPS truck for 10 days. Well, it showed up on that Friday, September 29, and I played it September 30. As I said in my Horrified episode, I was stoked for this edition. I was hoping that with all the rich lore Greek Mythology offers, this edition would be ripe with theme.

In the Greek Monsters Edition, Pandora’s box has been opened and six mythological monsters have escaped. You and your team are trying to track down 2-4 monsters per game and trap them. Let’s see if the Greek Monsters Edition was worth the impulsive purchase.

I came across De'Von Truvel's board game while trying to find a book for the kids about the Greenwood Massacre, as we were planning a trip to Tulsa. I found a book on Amazon, Black History Adventures of Rose and Rodney: Greenwood and Tulsa's Black Wall Street. The book said it was from the creators of Play Black Wall Street the Board Game. So, I bought both.

De'Von talk about the game, the event, and much more. He talks about his work with schools and the community to promote good financial decisions and education. He is a truly inspiring individual.

Thanks for listening.

Dad found Kuddly Kymera at a gaming convention. It was designed and published by Mythica Gaming. They are the same team behind one of our other favorite games, Dueling Dice! Kuddly Kymera is a game about creating the cutest animal possible. Players take turns playing down cards from their hand onto themselves or other players. My dad, sister, and I had a blast playing it so we introduced it to my grandparents on vacation, and they really enjoyed it.
The true definition of chimera is spelled with a “C” and it is a “fire breathing monster with a lion's head, goat's body, and a serpent's tail. But luckily we are making cuter animals than that.

Why they spelled them both with a “K” when they are truly spelled with a “C” I don't have a clue.

Gather your friends and family to see who can create the cutest animal.

Get your copy HERE

I first came across CJ Connor's debut cozy novel Board to Death my usual way. I simply searched "board game" in the library online catalog. I recognized that I had not read it, so I checked it out. After about two chapters, I just decided to buy it. Edward read it before I had the chance. Anyway, we both loved it, and I reached out to CJ to be on the show. CJ and I talk the usual and when the next book is due out. Also, his connection to the narrator of the audiobook version of the book.

Get a copy of Board to Death now! Thanks for listening!

Edward and I took a trip down to Paducah, Kentucky, to visit some friends we made at a convention. We taught kids our game, Fences, and I interviewed one of the owners of The Play Portal. Shannon mentions some great games, that Edward and played off the shelf. She also mentioned a game after we wrapped recording, Brutality. It looks and sounds like a great team, and more brutal, version of King of Tokyo. We obtained a copy off ebay, and we look forward to getting it to the table.

Anyway, here is the interview with Shannon Cope. Thanks for listening.

I won’t beat a dead horse, but I will say it one more time: I love a good roll and write. Of course, there are variations on this mechanic, like the flip and write. So, when I first heard of Inside Up Games’s Draft & Write Records, I was immediately curious.

In Draft & Write Records, designed by Bruno Maciel, you are trying to build a band, take it on tour, release tracks and albums, and do press, trying to be better than your opponents. 

It plays 1 - 6 players. Oddly, I played it solo first. Why? Well, I was on a work trip back to my alma mater. One of my gaming cousins lives in the same town. She “forgot” I was coming into town, and ended up playing Draft & Write Records solo in my hotel room. At first, I was mad at her for bailing on me. Then, after playing this solo, and another game I had with me solo, I was no longer mad at her. It actually gave me a greater appreciation for the solo gaming realm.

Anyway, enough complaining about family disappointments. Gather your crew, name your band, and try to be the most successful manager in Draft & Write Records.

As you know, I have been playing a lot of Long Shot and Long Shot: The Dice Game. I have been waiting for the next release, WIN, to finally hit the stores. Well, last week, I received the email that my preorder was in! So, I drove out to the FLGS to pick up my copy of Chris Handy’s seventeenth game in the Perplext Pack-O-Games series, WIN: A Long Shot Game.

Once again, in WIN, you and your opponents are betting on the horses at the track. The bettor who has the most cash at the end of the race, is the winner!

I was curious how Chris could pair the game down to fit into the gumpack sized box. I was worried that the game would lose its fun, its chaos, its hilarity. So, how did he do? Let’s find out, as we wait for the bugle call….there it is, and we are off to the races once more, with WIN!