Just Play

Sometimes producing content is just too big to fit in one episode, so this time we've got two.  JP returns back from Essen SPIEL 2026 ready to share his experience of the convention, the games that where played and much much more.

IN THIS EPISODE
- JP takes us through Tuesday to Thursday in this first of two parts of the Essen SPIEL 2026 convention.
- Core overviews on the following games including Drillers, Codenames: Critical Role Adventures, Hegemony: Shadows of Authority, Tedoku, PowerPunch and Carpet Racers
- Will JP every get his annual schnitzel?

LINKS REFERENCED IN THE SHOW
N/A

CHAPTERS
00:00:00 - OPENING
00:00:20 - PHASE A: PULL UP A CHAIR
00:01:02 - PHASE B: SPIEL 2026 PART ONE
00:01:55 - Our Travel Group
00:03:26 - TUESDAY - TRAVEL DAY
00:05:17 - DECKO
00:06:24 - WEDNESDAY - PRESS DAY
00:09:42 - Meeting People
00:15:15 - Drillers
00:21:05 - Codenames: Critical Role Adventures
00:24:55 - THURSDAY - DAY 1
00:27:37 - Hegemony: Shadows of Authority
00:29:52 - Tedoku
00:30:45 - Trigger Warning
00:32:27 - Power Punch!
00:36:47 - Gaming Rules! Meet-Up
00:37:41 - Carpet Racers
00:41:45 - PHASE C: END OF PART ONE

Get in touch with the show

Support the show

GET IN TOUCH
Website - https://www.justplaypod.co.uk
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@JustPlayPodcast
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/JustPlayPod
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/justplaypod
Discord - Join us on Discord

INTRO / OUTRO CREDITS
Intro / Outro Music: Getaway by D0d
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/d0d/getaway

The final day of Essen SPIEL has now drawn to a close and today has been a half day of halls, Diablo and finally a first play of Kingdom Come Deliverance.

Get in touch with the show

Support the show

GET IN TOUCH
Website - https://www.justplaypod.co.uk
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@JustPlayPodcast
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/JustPlayPod
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/justplaypod
Discord - Join us on Discord

INTRO / OUTRO CREDITS
Intro / Outro Music: Getaway by D0d
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/d0d/getaway

Saturday has been a long day with a late VLOG recorded for you guys, yep I know my duty :-).  With a late start to halls and the meet & play event there was still time to bust out a couple of games tonight.

Get in touch with the show

Support the show

GET IN TOUCH
Website - https://www.justplaypod.co.uk
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@JustPlayPodcast
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/JustPlayPod
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/justplaypod
Discord - Join us on Discord

INTRO / OUTRO CREDITS
Intro / Outro Music: Getaway by D0d
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/d0d/getaway

Day 2 of Essen SPIEL wraps up and we're half way through the show.  Come and check out the latest vlog to see what JP has been up to today.

Get in touch with the show

Support the show

GET IN TOUCH
Website - https://www.justplaypod.co.uk
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@JustPlayPodcast
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/JustPlayPod
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/justplaypod
Discord - Join us on Discord

INTRO / OUTRO CREDITS
Intro / Outro Music: Getaway by D0d
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/d0d/getaway

Now the first day of Essen SPIEL 2026 has been completed, so naturally JP want's to chat about the first day exploits.  The hauls, the carrying of heavy bags and will that bloody cold ever go away.

Get in touch with the show

Support the show

GET IN TOUCH
Website - https://www.justplaypod.co.uk
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@JustPlayPodcast
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/JustPlayPod
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/justplaypod
Discord - Join us on Discord

INTRO / OUTRO CREDITS
Intro / Outro Music: Getaway by D0d
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/d0d/getaway

JP gets to the mic and recounts the travel day and Day 0 (Press Event) of Essen SPIEL 2026.

Get in touch with the show

Support the show

GET IN TOUCH
Website - https://www.justplaypod.co.uk
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@JustPlayPodcast
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/JustPlayPod
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/justplaypod
Discord - Join us on Discord

INTRO / OUTRO CREDITS
Intro / Outro Music: Getaway by D0d
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/d0d/getaway

When you've been playing boardgames for a while you'll inevitably have to answer this question "What's your favourite Lacerda?".  So to answer this question JP decides to try and rank the big box Lacerda games on Tiermaker, lets see what ends up where.

IN THIS EPISODE
- In "Centre of the Table" JP jumps on Tiermaker and ranks Lacerda games and highlights why each one is ranked they way it is. 
- JP brings a economic gaming vibe in "Just Played" to talk about Chicago 1875: City of the Big Shoulders by Quined Games and Nippon: Zaibatsu by CrowD Games
- In "Just Ask" our listener / viewer ask about dealing with disruption on game nights

LINKS REFERENCED IN THE SHOW
N/A

CHAPTERS
00:00:00 - OPENING
00:00:26 - PHASE A: PULL UP A CHAIR
00:00:45 - PHASE B: CENTRE OF THE TABLE
00:03:21 - Escape Plan
00:05:41 - CO2 Second Chance
00:06:37 - Inventions: Evolution of Ideas
00:09:08 - The Great Library
00:09:34 - Kanban EV
00:11:38 - Lisboa
00:14:19 - The Resort
00:14:39 - On Mars
00:17:04 - Speakeasy
00:19:28 - Vinhos
00:22:01 - The Weather Machine
00:24:33 - The Gallerist
00:26:37 - PHASE C: JUST PLAYED
00:26:48 - Chicago 1875: City of the Big Shoulders
00:35:57 - Nippon: Zaibatsu
00:41:00 - PHASE D: JUST ASK
00:43:19 - PHASE E: JUST ABOUT TO PLAY
00:44:36 - PHASE F: THE LAST PLAY

Get in touch with the show

Support the show

GET IN TOUCH
Website - https://www.justplaypod.co.uk
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@JustPlayPodcast
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/JustPlayPod
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/justplaypod
Discord - Join us on Discord

INTRO / OUTRO CREDITS
Intro / Outro Music: Getaway by D0d
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/d0d/getaway

Did you know that Deckers was once a game called Renegade and originally it was themed around historical Anglo-Saxon times.  Well JP gets some time with Richard Wilkins (aka Ricky Royal) to talk about his experience in the hobby, his designs and of course the new Deckers expansion called Deckers: Duplicity being released at Essen SPIEL 2026.

IN THIS EPISODE
- Learn about Ricky's entry into the board game world and how his early designs with Mentis sparked more and more love for the hobby
- We talk about the importance of solo gaming evoking emotions during play compared to multiplayer games
- Learn about the genesis of Deckers by Deep Print Games when it was known as Renegade all the way up to the new expansion Deckers: Duplicity
- Ricky talks about his current work designing a solo mode for An Infamous Traffic by Wehrlegig Games

LINKS REFERENCED IN THE SHOW
Box of Delights YouTube Channel - https://youtube.com/@boxofdelights
Box of Delights Website - https://www.boxofdelights.net/

CHAPTERS
00:00:00 - OPENING
00:00:38 - PHASE A: PULL UP A CHAIR
00:02:39 - PHASE B: INTRODUCING RICKY
00:02:49 - What have you "Just Played" recently?
00:11:28 - How did Ricky get into the hobby?
00:17:49 - PHASE C: BOX OF DELIGHTS
00:21:00 - Have you always been into games design?
00:24:24 - PHASE D: RENEGADE TO DECKERS
00:35:29 - Evoking emotions through solo gaming
00:41:59 - Crafting the world of Deckers
00:50:30 - PHASE E: DECKERS DUPLICITY
00:58:42 - PHASE F: WHAT'S COMING UP
01:08:27 - Thanking Ricky
01:09:50 - PHASE G: THE LAST PLAY

Get in touch with the show

Support the show

GET IN TOUCH
Website - https://www.justplaypod.co.uk
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@JustPlayPodcast
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/JustPlayPod
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/justplaypod
Discord - Join us on Discord

INTRO / OUTRO CREDITS
Intro / Outro Music: Getaway by D0d
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/d0d/getaway

Essen SPIEL 2026 is nearly upon us and JP has pulled together his top 12 picks from the preview list. 

IN THIS EPISODE
- JP talks in the "Centre of the Table" about his 12 preview picks to check out for Essen SPIEL 2026 and why they've made the list which include Courtroom, -60 Below, Timespan, Kingdom Come Deliverance, Carpet Racers, Carl von Linne, Forestry: Growing Further, Hegemony: Shadows of Authority, Drillers, Deckers: Duplicity, Prague Unseen and Chivalry.
- In "Just Ask" we learn what movie posters made the studio wall and what that dangling thing is behind JP
- In "What's Hot, What's Not" JP looks through Cola Wars, Timespan, Hellas, Magical Athlete, Dino Battle

LINKS REFERENCED IN THE SHOW
N/A

CHAPTERS
00:00:00 - OPENING
00:00:19 - PHASE A: PULL UP A CHAIR
00:01:27 - PHASE B: CENTRE OF THE TABLE
00:04:22 - 12. Courtroom: The Noir Trilogy
00:08:35 - 11. -60 Below
00:10:31 - 10. Timespan 
00:13:26 - 9. Carpet Racers
00:17:00 - 8. Forestry: Growing Further
00:20:02 - 7. Chivalry
00:21:03 - 6. Hegemony: Shadows of Authority
00:22:21 - 5. Carl von Linne
00:24:39 - 4. Drillers
00:26:16 - 3. Deckers: Duplicity
00:28:04 - 2. Prague Unseen
00:30:45 - 1. Kingdom Come Deliverance
00:35:35 - PHASE C: JUST ASK
00:38:38 - PHASE D: WHAT'S HOT, WHAT'S NOT
00:42:17 - PHASE E: JUST ABOUT TO PLAY
00:44:36 - PHASE F: THE LAST PLAY

Get in touch with the show

Support the show

GET IN TOUCH
Website - https://www.justplaypod.co.uk
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@JustPlayPodcast
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/JustPlayPod
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/justplaypod
Discord - Join us on Discord

INTRO / OUTRO CREDITS
Intro / Outro Music: Getaway by D0d
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/d0d/getaway

A listener once asked JP how he felt about asymmetry in board games and it sparked an idea to talk about it, what it means, how he feel about it and would he recommend it for new players.

IN THIS EPISODE
- We start now with the "Centre of the table" where JP dives into the topic of asymmetry and the variations of it in board games
- JP has got more games to the table in "Just Played" where a classic from 2015 Forbidden Stars finally gets played "For The Emperor" and then we look after a heavy crunchy zoo in Zoo Tycoon: The Board Game
- We now have a dedicated segment for questions called "Just Ask" and todays question talks about running campaign games and my approach for rules clarifications
- "What's Hot, What's Not" returns again this episode so lets see what the latest BGG has to offer

LINKS REFERENCED IN THE SHOW
Forbidden Stars Playthrough on NinjaGeekGames - https://www.youtube.com/live/2z1mcRVmIS4?si=BdiA1j4HWHlQHJAR

CHAPTERS
00:00:00 - OPENING
00:00:32 - PHASE A: PULL UP A CHAIR
00:01:06 - PHASE B: CENTRE OF THE TABLE
00:01:49 - What does asymmetry mean?
00:05:53 - What are the positives of asymmetry?
00:10:26 - What don't I like about asymmetry?
00:12:53 - PHASE C: JUST PLAYED
00:13:06 - Forbidden Stars
00:20:44 - Zoo Tycoon: The Board Game
00:30:14 - PHASE D: JUST ASK
00:32:23 - PHASE E: WHAT'S HOT, WHAT'S NOT
00:35:58 - PHASE F: JUST ABOUT TO PLAY
00:37:05 - A thank you to my latest exhibit in my studio
00:37:49 - PHASE G: THE LAST PLAY

Get in touch with the show

Support the show

GET IN TOUCH
Website - https://www.justplaypod.co.uk
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@JustPlayPodcast
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/JustPlayPod
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/justplaypod
Discord - Join us on Discord

INTRO / OUTRO CREDITS
Intro / Outro Music: Getaway by D0d
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/d0d/getaway