Pretty Weird Games Podcast

In this episode we’re shaking things up a bit. Together with my guest Peter Jürgensen I’m talking about different elements of game definitions as compiled in Rules of Play by Salen / Zimmerman. And we’re making a game out of it: who can give better examples of games that break those definitions?

Works Cited

Books, Papers and Video

GLUED TO GAMES, Scott Rigby, Richard Ryan, Praeger, 2011

GDC TALK ABOUT TANK TACTICS, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9WMNuyjm4w

IMPRO, Keith Johnstone, Faber & Faber, 1979

RULES OF PLAY, Katie Salen, Eric Zimmerman, MIT Press, 2004

Games (Excluding Sports and Public Domain)

1000 BLANK WHITE CARDS, Riff Conor, Nathan Phoenix, Brybelly, 1996 (Published version of a public domain concept)

BALATRO, LocalThunk, 2024

BIG OR BANG, Peter Jürgensen, Korea Board Games, 2026

CANDY CRUSH SAGA, King, 2012

CANDY LAND, Eleanore Abbot, Hasbro, 1949

CATAN, Klaus Teuber, Kosmos, 1995

DARK SOULS (Series), FromSoftware, 2011 ff

DAS REGELN WIR SCHON, Karl-Heinz Schmiel, Moskito Spiele, 1994

DEMOCRAZY, Bruno Faidutti, Descarte Editeur, 2000

DIPLOMACY, Allan B. Calhamer, Avolon Hill, 1959

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson, Wizards of the Coast, 1974 ff

EL GRANDE, Wolfgang Kramer, Richard Ulrich, Hans im Glück, 1995

FARMVILLE, Zynga, 2009

FINISHED!, Friedemann Friese, 2F Spiele, 2017

FLAPPY BIRD, Dong Nguyen, .Gears, 2013

FOOD CHAIN MAGNAT, Jeroen Doumen, Joris Wierisinga, Splotter Spellen, 2015

GREED INCORPORATED, Jeroen Doumen, Joris Wierisinga, Splotter Spellen, 2009

HANABI, Antoine Bauza, Cocktail Games, 2010

MAGIC: THE GATHERING, Richard Garfield, Wizards of the Coast, 1993

MINECRAFT, Markus Person, Jens Bergensten, Mojang Studios, 2011

MONOPOLY, Elisabeth J. Magie, Chales Darrow, Parker Brothers, 1935

NEPTUNES PRIDE, Jay Kyrbuz, Iron Helmet Games, 2010

PANDEMC LEGACY: SEASON 1, Rob Daviau, Matt Leacock, Z-Man Games, 2015

PECHVOGEL, Peter Jürgensen, Zoch, 2018

RORY’S STORY CUBES, Rory O’Connor, The Creativity Hub, 2005

7 WONDERS, Antoine Bauza, Repos Production, 2010

SIM CITY (Series), Will Wright, Electronic Arts, 1989 ff

SLAY THE SPIRE, Anthony Giovanetti, Casey Yano, Mega Crit, 2019

SLAY THE SPIRE: THE BOARD GAME, Gary Dworetzky, Anthony Giovanetti, Casey Yano, Contention Games, 2024

SNEAKY CARDS, Cody Borst, Gamewright, 2015

SO YOU’VE BEEN EATEN, Scott Almes, LudiCreations, 2022

THE BRAIN, Peter Jürgensen, 999 Games, 2023

THE MIND, Wolfgang Warsch, Nürnberger Spielkarten Verlag, 2018

UNO, Merle Robbins, Mattel, 1971

WARHAMMER 40,000 (Series), Rick Priestly, Games Workshop, 1987 ff

WORLD OF WARCRAFT, Blizzard Entertainment, 2004

ZENDO, Kory Heath, Andrew Looney, Looney Labs, 2001

After having looked at some definitions of the terms “Play” and “Game” in the last episode, today we’re going a bit deeper and we’ll look at possible definitions of “Computer Game”. Which is relevant for board games because those definitions will try and separate computer games from other games. And by looking at those separators we will learn something about board games.

Works Cited

Papers and Books

WHAT IS A COMPUTER GAME?, Veli-Matti Karulahti, John R. Sageng, In: The Routledge Handbook of Philosophy of Games, Routledge, 2026

ART AND THE AESTHETIC: AN INSTITUTIONAL ANALYSIS, George Dickie, Cornell University Press, 1974

HOMO LUDENS, Johan Huizinga, The Beacon Press, 1950

INTERACTIVE FICTION: THE COMPUTER STORYGAME „ADVENTURE“, Mary Ann Buckles, University of California, 1985

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE (Series), Various Authors, Bantam Books, 1979-1998

AVATARS OF STORY, Marie-Laure Ryan, University of Minnesota Press, 2006

THE GRASSHOPPER, Bernhard Suits, University of Toronto Press, 1978

THERE IS NO MAGIC CIRCLE: ON THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COMPUTER GEMES AND TRADITIONAL GAMES, M. Liebe, In: Proceedings of the Philosophy of Computer Games, 2008

Games (excluding Sports and public domain):

PONG, Allan Alcorn, Atari, 1972

GRAND THEFT AUTO (Series), David Jones, Mike Dailly, Rockstar Games, 1997ff

CALL OF DUTY (Series), Uncredited, Activision, 2003ff

POKEMON GO, Matthew Ein, Junichi Masuda, Niantic, 2016

THROW THROW BURRITO, Inman, Lee, Spence, Exploding Kittens, 2019

RUSH HOUR, Nob Yoshigahara, Think fun, 1996

RUBIK’S CUBE, Ernö Rubik, Rubik’s Brand, 1974

EXIT: THE GAME (Series), Inka & Markus Brand, Kosmos, 2016ff

UNLOCK (Series), Carroll, Cauet, Demaegd et all, Space Cowboys, 2017ff

DONKEY KONG, Shigeru Miyamoto, Gunpei Yokoi, Nintendo 1981

SPACE INVADERS, Tomohiro Nishikado, Taito, 1978

PAC-MAN, Toru Iwatani, Namco, 1980

COLOSSAL CAVE ADVENTURE, William Crowther, 1976

CANDY CRUSH SAGA, Uncredited, King, 2012

OATHSWORN: INTO THE DEEPWOOD, Baerald, Buchyk, Jackson, Lu, Lu, Shadowborn Games, 2022

AGEMONIA, Max Wilkström, Lautapelit, 2024

KINFIRE CHRONICLES: NIGTH’S FALL, Wilson, Hardy, Kapuścińska, Perdue, Incredible Dream Studios, 2023

MONOPOLY, Elisabeth J. Magie, Charles Darrow, Parker Brothers, 1935

CATAN, Klaus Teuber, Kosmos, 1995

THE LORD OF THE RINGS, Rainer Knizia, Kosmos, 2000

PANDEMIC, Matt Leacock, Z-Man Games, 2008

SETI: SEARCH FOR EXTRATERRESTRIAL INTELLIGENCE, Tomáš Holek, Czech Games Edition, 2024

FORREST SHUFFLE, Kosh, Lookout Games, 2023

PLANET UNKNOWN, Ryan Lambert, Adam Rehberg, Adam’s Apple Games, 2022

ARK NOVA, Mathias Wigge, Feuerland Spiele, 2021

THE LOST RUINS OF ARNAK, Elwen, Mín, Czech Games Edition, 2020

In this episode I start to look at games philosophy, which is going to be a big part of this podcast. I start off with some definitional groundwork. Looking at different definitions of the terms "Play" and "Game".

Works Cited

Papers and Books:

WHAT’S IN A GAME? HUIZINGA, CAILLOIS, AND CONVENTIONAL BEHAVIOR IN GAMES, Chad Carlson, Routledge, 2026

SUITS ON GAMES AND THEIR VALUE, C. Thi Nguyen, Routledge, 2026

Both of the above can be found in:

THE ROUTLEDGE HANDBOOK OF PHILOSOPHY OF GAMES, Routledge, 2026

MAN, PLAY AND GAMES, Roger Caillois, University of Illinois Press, 2001

HOMO LUDENS, Johan Huizinga, The Beacon Press, 1950

THE GRASSHOPPER, Bernhard Suits, University of Toronto Press, 1978

RULES OF PLAY, Katie Salem, Eric Zimmerman, MIT Press, 2004

Games (excluding Sports and public domain):

BRASS, Martin Wallace, Rowley, 2007

SETI, Tomáš Holek, Czech Games Edition, 2024

FLIP 7, Eric Olsen, The OP Games, 2024

LOVE LETTER, Seiji Kanai, Alderac Entertainment Group, 2012

MAGIC: THE GATHERING, Richard Garfield, Wizards of the Coast, 1993

In this first episode, I introduce myself and tell you about this project. In the main part of the episode I talk about the language we use when talking about board games and what that language tells us about how we see board games.

Works cited:

Novels:

TSCHICK, Wolfgang Herrndorf, Rowohlt, 2010

Games:

EL GRANDE, Wolfgang Kramer, Richard Ulrich, Hans Im Glück, 1995

KANBAN, Vital Lacerda, Stronghold Games, 2014

7 WONDERS, Antoine Bauza, Repos Production, 2010

ABYSS, Bruno Cathala, Charles Chevallier, Bombyx, 2014

PANDEMIC, Matt Leacock, Z-Man Games, 2008

K2, Adam Kałuża, Rebel, 2010

KOLEJKA, Karol Madaj, Instytut Pamięci Narodowej (IPN), 2011

FREEDOM: THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD, Brian Mayer, Academy Games, 2013