PlayDNA

From ball mazes, to Blow Football, to Meeple Circus, dexterity games have blossomed and grown into a rich, diverse genre of tabletop experiences. Sarah takes us through some historical delights and modern favorites.

Considered by many to be the first "modern" board game, The Game of the Goose has grown and evolved with European culture for 400 year. Cassandra takes us through its strange rise to popularity and the proceeding explosion in branded and rethemed versions of the game.

Not every game is for every gamer. And choosing the perfect game is often more complicated than just staying inside of a single genre or theme. So how should you go about choosing a game that everyone in your group will love? Damon discusses how to discover someone's gamer personality, and how you can use that knowledge during game selection.

Inductive reasoning games are as rare as they are spectacularly fun. Cassandra discusses her favorite genre and the differences between induction and deduction. 

Warning: We do discuss spoilers relating to the card game Mao!

We've all experienced it- trying to teach a board game to a friend or parent utterly unfamiliar with the gaming world and getting nowhere. This week Damon discusses game literacy and how we can design and teach games differently to reduce the stress of learning and get closer to the coveted "let's just play." 

Archaeologists have found hundreds of ancient board games dating back thousands of years, most of which, unsurprisingly, had no instruction manual included. The Digital Ludeme Research Project is using artificial intelligence to discover how these games were played.

Which came first, the playing card, or the tarot card? From Tarot decks in the 18th century to the Satanic Panic and backlash against Ouija in the 90's, board games and fortunetelling have evolved in parallel, and often intersected.

The tactile feeling of a game can make or break the experience. Damon talks about how a game can be elevated (or hindered) by the materials it is made up of, and the board games that offer the most unique and satisfying tactile experiences.

Horror board games- how are they defined, and how do they differ from horror movies, video games, and books? Sarah goes over some of the best horror games out there.

Find podcast notes at www.playdnapodcast.com

Check out Tabatha's horror podcast Test Pattern at www.testpatternshow.com/