Guest Elizabeth Hargrave (Wingspan, Mariposas) drops a hint about her next project while we discuss our four new topics:

1. Learning factoids in non-educational games

2. How we can make board gaming more inclusive for everyone

3. Games whose themes have inspired innovative gameplay

4. Designing games and finishing prototypes

Games discussed in this episode:

Intro:

• Wingspan
• Tussie Mussie
• Mariposas

Christina’s topic: How theme can lead to innovative gameplay

• Wingspan
• Mariposas
• Photosynthesis
• Wind the Film
• Remember Our Trip
• Here Comes the Dog
• Abomination: The Heir of Frankenstein
• Castell
• The Search for Planet X
• Viticulture
• Dead of Winter
• Battlestar Galactica
• The Thing: Infection at Outpost 31 
• Scooby-Doo! Escape from the Haunted Mansion

Shoe’s topic: Educational games that aren’t educational games

• Wingspan
• Mariposas
• Tussie Mussie 
• The Search for Planet X
• Beez
• Arraial
• Tokaido
• Cytosis: A Cell Biology Board Game
• Virulence: An Infection Card Game
• Pandemic
• Photosynthesis 
• Castell
• Ticket to Ride
• 7 Wonders

Nick’s topic: How do you know which prototypes to move forward with; how do you know when a game design’s finished?

• Mariposas
• Wingspan

Final thoughts:

• Mariposas
• Wingspan: Oceania
• Beez
• The Search for Planet X
• Morels
• 7 Wonders
• 7 Wonders Duel
• 7 Wonders Duel: Pantheon
• Tokaido
• Hanabi

Guest Timm Metivier of Meepleville (a board game cafe in Vegas and a channel for board game content) joins us to discuss the top 3 games we can't wait to get to the table, the business of running a board game cafe (you'd be surprised how he works around COVID), how we discover the games we want to buy, and more.

The games talked about on this episode:

Timm’s topic: The top games we can’t wait to get to the table

• Food Chain Magnate
• Trickerion
• Pax Porfiriana
• Telestrations: Upside Drawn
• Tekhenu: Obelisk of the Sun
• Tzok’in: The Mayan Calendar
• Teotihuacan: City of Gods
• Master Word
• Anachrony
• Barrage
• The Gallerist
• City of the Big Shoulders
• 18XX
• Escape Plan
• Vinhos
• On Mars
• Viscounts of the West Kingdom
• Sleeping Gods

Shoe’s/Christina’s topic: Running a board game cafe during COVID + how we discover games

• Bridge
• Pinochle
• Backgammon
• Catan
• Ticket to Ride
• Life
• Connect Four
• Tekhenu: Obelisk of the Sun
• Scooby-Doo: Betrayal at Mystery Mansion
• Pendulum
• Trois 
• Ginkgopolis

Mike’s topic: What does a board game cafe’s business model look like?

• Cards Against Humanity
• Monopoly
• Sorry
• Risk
• Ticket to Ride
• Pandemic
• Battleship
• Lorenzo il Magnifico
• Hansa Teutonica

Final thoughts: 

• Fingabol 
• Crokinole

The big games of the year have been announced. What do we think of them? The Dice Tower's Roy Cannaday joins us to discuss the Spiel and Kennerspiel des Jahres 2020 nominees/winners; if we still use "Euro" and "Ameritrash" to define those genres; video production during quarantine times; and his new, upcoming game, Last Light.

The games we talk about on this episode:

Intro:

• Last Light
• Eclipse
• Twilight Imperium
• Concordia

Christina's topic: Spiel des Jahres 2020 nominees/winners

• My City
• Nova Luna
• Pictures
• Just One
• Machi Koro Legacy

Shoe's topic: Kennerspiel des Jahres nominees/winners

• Hearts
• Spades
• The Crew
• Cartographers
• The King’s Dilemma

Roy's topic: "Euro" vs. "Ameritrash"

• Settlers of Catan
• Carcassonne 
• Arkham Horror
• Risk
• Century
• Concordia
• Black Angel
• The Magnificent
• Pret-A-Porter
• Abomination

Final Thoughts

• Luna
• Belfort
• Loot of Lima
• The Search for Planet X
• Marvel Champions

Game designers Jon Gilmour (Dead of Winter, Dinosaur Island) and Ian Moss (Duelosaur Island, Wonderland's War) join us to discuss video games that would make cool board games, what video games have taught them about game design, our ideal gaming group, and how new RPGs make themselves stand out from the crowd.

Here are the games covered on the show:

Intro

• Dead of Winter
• Dinosaur Island
• Wasteland Express
• I Dissent
• Duelosaur Island
• Wonderland’s War
• Bunkers and Badasses

Ian’s topic: How do newer RPGs make themselves stand out?

• Bunkers and Badasses
• Kids on Bikes
• Jiangshi: Blood in the Banquet Hall
• Kids on Brooms
• Blades in the Dark
• Apocalypse World
• Fiasco
• ATMA
• The Quiet Year

Jon’s topic: What video games have you played recently that would make cool board games?

• Path of Light and Shadow

Shoe’s topic: What have video games taught Jon and Ian about game design?

• Dinosaur Island
• Duelosaur Island
• Taverns of Tiefenthal
• Quadropolis
• Dead of Winter
• Slide Quest
• Machi Koro Legacy
• My City

Christina’s topic: What makes the ideal gaming group for you?

• Innovation
• Sagrada
• Azul
• Concordia

Final thoughts:

• Sonora
• Crokinole
• Bunkers and Badasses
• Santa Monica
• Smartphone
• Food Chain Magnate

It's our 50th episode! We celebrate by discussing:

• Our top 3 games in BoardGameGeek's top 100
• Our favorite genres (and our favorite game in that genre)
• The best moments from our podcast so far
• The board game that got us into board gaming

Here are the games we mention on the show:

Mike's topic: Favorite game in our favorite genre

• Gloomhaven
• Hansa Teutonica
• 7 Wonders
• Libertalia
• Campy Creatures
• R (BraveRats)
• Orleans
• Caverna
• A Feast for Odin
• Alien Frontiers

Shoe's topic: Top 3 games in the BGG Top 100

• Caverna
• Tzolk'in: The Mayan Calendar
• Codenames
• 7 Wonders
• La Boca
• Wingspan
• Innovation
• Caverna: The Forgotten Folk
• Terra Mystica
• Crokinole
• Lords of Waterdeep
• The Castles of Burgundy
• Broom Service
• Hansa Teutonica
• Lords of Vegas
• Troyes
• Terraforming Mars
• Chess
• Boggle
• Monopoly
• Go
• Black Angel
• San Juan
• Concordia

Nick's topic: The game that got us into board gaming

• HeroQuest
• Magic: The Gathering
• Vampire: The Masqerade
• Talisman
• Catan
• Monopoly
• Monopoly: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Edition
• Sorry!
• Trouble
• Puerto Rico
• Bohnanza
• Thunderstone
• Illuminati
• Car Wars
• Arkham Horror

Final thoughts

• War of the Ring

Two guests! Nick Brachmann (Leder Games) and John de Campos (Terrible Games) join us to discuss their upcoming games (Fort and Token Terrors Battlegrounds, respectively) and our four new topics:

1. Deckbuilding games with a unique twist
2. Our other hobbies that we'd like to see brought to life for tabletop gaming
3. The differences between "design" and "development"
4. Establishing a visual identity for a game company

Here are the games discussed/mentioned in this episode:

 

We're talking so many "favorites" today: our favorite games where points don't matter, favorite games that revolve around illustrations (not necessarily drawing), favorite board game universes, and favorite game-induced social interactions.

Our guest is Eric Slauson, designer of Tattoo Stories, Nerd Words, and the upcoming MonsDRAWsity.

Here's a list of the games discussed on the show:

Intro

• Tattoo Stories
• Nerd Words: Science!
• MonsDRAWsity
• Welcome To...
• Tumblin' Dice

Christina’s topic: Favorite type of social interactions

• Twilight Imperium
• Exit
• Unlock!
• Level 7: Omega Protocol
• Forgotten Waters
• Charterstone
• Arcadia Quest
• Dead of Winter
• Telestrations
• MonsDRAWsity
• The Crew
• Deckscape

Eric’s topic: Favorite games where the points don’t matter  

• Medium
• Mobscenity
• Bye, Felicia!
• Just One
• Wavelength
• Telestrations
• Alcatraz: The Scapegoat
• Flip Ships
• FUSE
• Tokaido
• Namiji 

Shoe’s topic: Great games that revolve around illustrations (not drawing)

• MonsDRAWsity
• Dixit
• Muse
• Visitor in Blackwood Grove
• Pictures
• Imagine
• Drawful 
• Mangaka: The Fast & Furious Game of Drawing Comics
• Cartooner: The Fast & Furious Game of Drawing Comics
• Escape the Dark Castle

  Jess’s topic: Favorite game universes

• Above and Below
• Near and Far
• Roam
• Sleeping Gods
• Roll Player
• Cartographers
• Lockup: A Roll Player Tale
• Kingdomino
• Queendomino
• Dragomino 
• Ex Libris 
• Star Trek Ascendancy
• Scythe
• Eclipse
• Cthulhu Wars

Final thoughts

• Stellar
• MonsDRAWsity
• Tattoo Stories
• Nerd Words: Science!

What do we really mean when we want to play a "storytelling" game? Designers Sen-Foong Lim and Banana Chan join to discuss this as well as the upcoming Jiangshi RPG, our favorite board game themes, and board game cultural appreciation vs. appropriation.

Here's a full list of games discussed on the show:

Intro

• Jiangshi: Blood in the Banquet Hall
• Scooby-Doo: Betrayal at Mystery Mansion
• Sea of Legends
• Dune RPG
• Junk Art
• Dungeons & Dragons: Rock Paper Wizard
• The Legend of Korra: Pro-Bending Arena
• Scooby-Doo: Escape from the Haunted Mansion
• Mind MGMT
• Kingdom Rush
• Betrayal at House on the HIll

Christina's topic: What are inspirations for the settings in your games?

• Jiangshi: Blood in the Banquet Hall
• Scooby-Doo: Escape from the Haunted Mansion

Banana's topic: Favorite game themes that you don't see as often

• Succulent
• Pret-a-Porter
• Abomination: Heir of Frankenstein
• Alice is Missing
• Wait for Me
• Anachrony
• T.I.M.E Stories
• Belfort

Shoe's topic: Story-based/RPG-style board games

• ATMA
• Forgotten Waters
• Mice & Mystics
• Aftermath
• Dead of Winter
• Sea of Legends
• Warp's Edge
• Tales of Arabian Nights
• Once Upon a Time
• Fiasco
• Paranoia
• Kobolds Ate My Baby
• Apocalypse World
• Monster Hearts
• Dungeons & Dragons
• Pathfinder
• Kids on Bikes
• Samurai

Sen's topic: Cultural appreciate vs. appropriation

• Jiangshi: Blood in the Banquet Hall
• Arkham Horror
• Puerto Rico

Final thoughts

• Jiangshi: Blood in the Banquet Hall
• Wait for Me
• Dissident Whispers
• The Shivers
• Gloomhaven
• Surrealist Dinner Party
• Mechanica

Uber content creator Ruel Gaviola (Geek & Sundry plus a million other things) joins us this week to talk about under-the-radar games that need more love, games we can play outside that won't get blown away, genres we don't like (and exceptions to them), and online communities.

Here's a full list of games discussed on the show:

Mike's topic: Games we can play outdoors

• Heckmeck
• Pickomino
• Q.E.
• Hanabi Deluxe
• Shobu
• Backgammon
• Dominoes
• Secrets
• Wavelength
• Pinnacle
• Jenga
• Azul

Shoe's topic: Recent under-the-radar board games

• The Shipwreck Arcana
• Deep Vents
• Oceans
• Pre-a-Porter
• London
• Mechanica
• Steam Park
• Brass
• MonsDRAWsity
• Telestrations: Upside Drawn
• Telestrations
• FUSE
• Dead Men Tell No Tales
• Stellar
• Arboretum
• Little Town
• Tiny Towns

Ruel's topic: Online gaming communities

• Wingspan
• Railways of the World
• 18XX
• City of the Big Shoulders
• Tokaido
• 7 Wonders
• Viscounts of the West Kingdom
• King's Dilemma

Christina's topic: Board game genres we tend to dislike

• Cthulhu Wars
• Rising Sun
• Kemet
• Eclipse
• Twilight Imperium
• The Shipwreck Arcana
• Werewolf
• Mafia
• Poker
• Deception: Murder in Hong Kong
• A Fake Artist Goes to New York
• Let's Make a Bus Route
• Kokoro
• Cartographers
• Fleet: The Dice Game
• Magic: The Gathering
• Level 7: Omega Protocol
• Star Wars: Imperial Assault

Final thoughts

• The Oracle of Delphi
• Time's Up
• Trial by Trolley
• Carpe Diem
• Scooby-Doo: Escape from the Haunted Mansion

We talk (non-roll-and-write) board games that are perfect for streaming to your friends, and we delve into how a game company like The Op works with so many big-name licenses (Marvel, Harry Potter, and...um, Golden Girls).

Plus, what is that X factor that makes a game really great? And Mike Zipkin gives impressions on Nintendo's Clubhouse Games.

Here's a full list of games discussed on the show:

Intro

• Star Wars: Dark Side Rising
• Harry Potter: Death Eaters Rising
• Die Hard: The Nakatomi Tower Heist
• Monopoly
• Yahtzee
• Scrabble
• Trivial Pursuit
• Telestrations
• Clubhouse Games
• Russian Railroads
• Grand Austria Hotel

Christina's topic: Streamable non-roll-and-write games

• Blank Slate
• Just One
• Hues and Cues
• Codenames
• MonsDRAWsity
• Telestrations: Upside Drawn
• Telestrations

Shoe's topic: Game design when working with different licenses

• Courth of the Dead: Mourner's Call
• Scooby-Doo: Escape from the Haunted Mansion
• The Shining: Escape from Overlook Hotel
• Monopoly Hallmark Channel Board Game
• Unlock!
• Munchkin
• Codenames
• Match-o-Rama
• Quests of Yore: Barley's Edition

Pat's topic: That X-factor in gaming

• Russian Railroads
• Just One
• Codenames
• Hansa Teutonica
• The Gallerist
• Kanban
• Terraforming Mars
• The Quacks of Quedlinberg
• Hues and Cues
• Court of the Dead: Mourner's Call
• Tiny Towns
• Medium

Mike's topic: Nintendo's Clubhouse Games

• Clubhouse Games
• Chess
• Checkers
• Yacht Dice
• Mancala
• Shogi
• Go
• Connect 4
• Uno
• Hanafuda
• Texas Hold 'Em
• Ludo
• War
• Takoyaki
• Air Hockey
• Darts
• Bowling

Final thoughts

• Blank Slate
• Court of the Dead: Mourner's Call
• The Batman Who Laughs Rising
• Plankton Rising
• Quests of Yore: Barley's Edition
• Forgotten Waters
• Era: Medieval Age
• The Shipwreck Arcana
• Smartphone Inc.