Shelf Stable: A Board Game Podcast

Imagine you were Flat Stanley and a scientist experimented on you by branding and perforating your body with Quacks pieces. Now imagine that it's seven years in the future. You've recovered from the horrific event known only as "the incident". You now have a spouse and two beautiful children. A representative from CMYK shows up at your door with a megenta-colored suit and matching sunglasses. They politely request that you get into the car. Inside is the very scientist that ruined your life. They say they have a great new direction. Things will be different this time. The doors lock. Your children cry as the car drives away... GEDAGADIGADEGIDAGO

Games we played:

6:34 - Quacks (2018, Wolfgang Warsch, Schmidt Spiele)

13:38 - Cthulhu Death May Die (2019, Rob Daviau & Eric M Lang, CMON)

20:15 - Equinox / Colossal Arena (2021 og1997, Reiner Knizia, Plan B)

26:45 - Everdell (2018, James A. Wilson, Starling Games)

100 games before you die:

32:33 - Welcome To (2018, Benoit Turpin, Blue Cocker)

https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/321471/100-tabletop-games-to-play-before-turning-100

Topic:

39:49 - Games That Should Get A Reprint

A good thread on potentail reprints : https://www.reddit.com/r/boardgames/comments/1gagmjn/the_2024_list_of_games_that_need_to_be_reprinted/

Join us:

THIS FRIDAY Podfort, Mar 28 https://treefortmusicfest.com/podfort-2025/

Songs:

100 Games to Play Before You Die by Michael, Tyler, Devon, and Josh of The Boise RainBeaus

ROT by Bone Haus https://bonehaus.bandcamp.com/album/in-mourning

All our socials https://linktr.ee/shelfstablecast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What if I told you there was a lifestyle that could make your heart healthier, your brain smarter, your looks smokin', and the world a better place? I mean, there probably is something like that (punch reading? sex charity?) That's about as far as we got with the hypothetical. We're talking board games as usual. But hey, those can be good for you too! This episode features considerably more positivity and coincidentally more games we played together. It wasn't intentional, but we'll take it.

Games we played:

10:02 - Samurai (1998, Reiner Knizia, Fantasy Flight)

17:53 - Deus (2014, Sebastien Dujardin, Pearl)

26:46 - Las Vegas Royale (2019 og2012, Rüdiger Dorn, Alea)

30:36 - Power Grid The Card Game (2016, Friedemann Friese, Rio Grande)

100 games before you die:

34:40 - Ticket to Ride (2004, Alan R. Moon, Days of Wonder)

https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/321471/100-tabletop-games-to-play-before-turning-100

Topic:

37:04 - The Benefits of a Gamer Lifestyle

Amabel Holland Mechanisms as Metaphors video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG4zLcKsCiA

Cardboard Ghosts by Amabel Holland https://www.routledge.com/Cardboard-Ghosts-Using-Physical-Games-to-Model-and-Critique-Systems/Holland/p/book/9781032813448

Reality is Broken by Jane McGonigal https://janemcgonigal.com/2020/01/13/hello-world/

Relationship Between Puzzles and Cognitive Function in Adults 50+ https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/gps.5085

Michael Walker Revolutionizes Physical Therapy https://www.sowronggames.com/322-michael-walker-revolutionizes-physical-therapy

The Role of Board Games in the Lives of Autistic People https://autism.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/ARI-game-changer.pdf

Join us:

Podfort, Mar 28 https://treefortmusicfest.com/podfort-2025/

Songs:

100 Games to Play Before You Die by Michael, Tyler, Devon, and Josh of The Boise RainBeaus

ROT by Bone Haus https://bonehaus.bandcamp.com/album/in-mourning

All our socials https://linktr.ee/shelfstablecast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Grab a couple of your favorite kids/pets and strap them to you by a warm fire. It's time to get cozy. Or is it? Is cozy a thing? Was it a thing and now it's just blasé? Perhaps even cozé? Kenny pulls a Tom on this one and absolutely rags on cozy games for a good century. Also: the appearance of everyone's favorite Disney animal companion, Aladdin's jolly blue genie.

Games we played:

3:23 - Catlantis (2019, Prospero Hall, Ravensburger)

11:49 - Autumn Harvest / Tea Dragon Society (2020/2018, Steve Ellis II and Tyler Tinsley, Renegade)

23:08 - Cosmic Frog (2020, Jenna Felli, Devious Weasel)

31:00 - Five Tribes (2014, Bruno Cathala, Days of Wonder)

100 games before you die:

37:20 - Splendor (2014, Marc Andre, Space Cowboys)

https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/321471/100-tabletop-games-to-play-before-turning-100

Topic:

43:00 - Are Cozy Games A Thing?!?!

Join us:

Podfort, Mar 28 https://treefortmusicfest.com/podfort-2025/

Songs:

100 Games to Play Before You Die by Michael, Tyler, Devon, and Josh of The Boise RainBeaus

ROT by Bone Haus https://bonehaus.bandcamp.com/album/in-mourning

All our socials https://linktr.ee/shelfstablecast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In case it's not clear from the recording, Tom destroyed his voice.

Games we played:

3:57 - Res Arcana (2019, Thomas Lemann, Sand Castle)

7:15 - Die Macher (1986, Karl-Heinz Schmiel, Spielworxx)

13:45 - Cat Blues (2024 og1998, Reiner Knizia, Bitewing)

18:58 - Letter Tycoon (2015, Brad Brooks, Breaking Games)

100 games before you die:

23:01 - Magic Maze (2017, Kasper Lapp, Sit Down)

https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/321471/100-tabletop-games-to-play-before-turning-100

Topic:

28:41 - Con-Maxing

43:57 - Q and A

Join us:

Podfort, Mar 28 https://treefortmusicfest.com/podfort-2025/

Songs:

100 Games to Play Before You Die by Michael, Tyler, Devon, and Josh of The Boise RainBeaus

ROT by Bone Haus https://bonehaus.bandcamp.com/album/in-mourning

All our socials https://linktr.ee/shelfstablecast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If we ever get into professional wrestling, let's call ourselves The Reverse Draft and The Steam Roller. Have we already forgotten Jimmy Carter?!?! Try not to blink as we absolutely derail into rulebooks and forget to talk about the actual game we played.

Games we played:

4:18 - Village (2011, Inka & Markus Brand, Stronghold)

10:49 - The Castles of Burgundy (2011, Stefan Feld, Alea)

17:17 - Hansa Teutonica (2009, Andreas Steding, Argentum Verlag)

21:35 - Dream Home (2016, Klemens Kalicki, Rebel)

100 games before you die:

30:05 - Azul (2017, Michael Kiesling, Next Move)

https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/321471/100-tabletop-games-to-play-before-turning-100

Topic:

33:52 - How to Pick What to Play

Join us:

SaltCON Spring, Feb 27 - Mar 2 https://saltcon.com/spring

Podfort, Mar 28 https://treefortmusicfest.com/podfort-2025/

Songs:

100 Games to Play Before You Die by Michael, Tyler, Devon, and Josh of The Boise RainBeaus

ROT by Bone Haus https://bonehaus.bandcamp.com/album/in-mourning

All our socials https://linktr.ee/shelfstablecast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If Ed Sheeran were ever to listen to an episode, this is the one. He'd learn all about loving the shape of games (although only a few dexterity games push and pull via magnets). Unrelated, if somebody could get me a bottle of Ed Sheeran's flesh-colored promotional Heinz bottle I would absolutely adore that. No, I won't let the ketchup inside of it rot in the shrine. I'll make sure to consume it all, clean out the bottle, and only then place it in the shrine. Duh.

Games we played:

6:03 - Bear Valley (2016, Carl Chudyk, Stronghold)

11:31 - Knit Wit (2016, Matt Leacock, Z-Man)

16:02 - Underwater Cities (2018, Vladimir Suchy, Delicious & Rio Grande)

20:52 - 51st State (2016, Ignacy Trzewiczek, Portal)

100 games before you die:

29:20 - Hearts (1850, Uncredited, Public Domain)

https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/321471/100-tabletop-games-to-play-before-turning-100

Topic:

34:03 - How People Shape Games

Join us:

SaltCON Spring, Feb 27 - Mar 2 https://saltcon.com/spring

Podfort, Mar 28 https://treefortmusicfest.com/podfort-2025/

Songs:

100 Games to Play Before You Die by Michael, Tyler, Devon, and Josh of The Boise RainBeaus

ROT by Bone Haus https://bonehaus.bandcamp.com/album/in-mourning

All our socials https://linktr.ee/shelfstablecast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The code word is "Sexy Spiderman in Magic." If you say it three times quickly, any game store employee is legally required to give you a copy of Finspan below retail AND a giant Galactus figure at a discount of $900.

1:09 - Intro Jacob Kinney of Phoenix Fire Games

https://www.phoenixfiregames.com

Games we played:

4:43 - Mottainai (2015, Carl Chudyk, Asmadi)

12:42 - Sidereal Confluence (2017, TauCeti Deichmann, WizKids)

Accessibility kits https://64-ounce-games.myshopify.com/

20:33 - Nidavellir (2020, Serge Laget, GRRRE)

100 games before you die:

27:02 - Santorini (2016, Gord!, Roxley)

https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/321471/100-tabletop-games-to-play-before-turning-100

Topic:

34:31 - Game Store Secrets

Join us:

SaltCON Spring, Feb 27 - Mar 2 https://saltcon.com/spring

Podfort, Mar 28 at 3pm https://treefortmusicfest.com/podfort-2025/

Songs:

100 Games to Play Before You Die by Michael, Tyler, Devon, and Josh of The Boise RainBeaus

ROT by Bone Haus https://bonehaus.bandcamp.com/album/in-mourning

All our socials https://linktr.ee/shelfstablecast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We give the hall of fame three BOOMs all day and a double chocolate cookie. If you're a Blood on the Clocktower fan or a member of the secret society of Knizias, please skip this episode. Speaking of Knizia, did you know they made a tv show based on him where he solves medical mysteries?

Games we played:

4:35 - The Red Cathedral (2020, Isra C. & Shei S., Devir)

9:25 - Hive Mind (2016, Richard Garfield PhD, Calliope)

14:34 - Royal Visit (2006, Reiner Knizia, Iello)

18:21 - Res Arcana (2019, Thomas Lehmann, Sand Castle)

100 games before you die:

24:44 - The Resistance Avalon (2012, Don Eskridge, Indie Boards & Cards)

https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/321471/100-tabletop-games-to-play-before-turning-100

Topic:

33:39 - BGG Hall of Fame

https://boardgamegeek.com/geekpreview/72/the-boardgamegeek-hall-of-fame

Join us:

SaltCON Spring, Feb 27 - Mar 2 https://saltcon.com/spring

Podfort, Mar 26 - Mar 30 https://treefortmusicfest.com/podfort-2025/

Songs:

100 Games to Play Before You Die by Michael, Tyler, Devon, and Josh of The Boise RainBeaus

ROT by Bone Haus https://bonehaus.bandcamp.com/album/in-mourning

All our socials https://linktr.ee/shelfstablecast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tuck, meld, then splay. Repeat but return the card, then draw and score to the waiting area and do so additional times for every clientele. If this sounds like gobbledegook, you have yet to be indoctrinated into the cult of Chudyck. Join us on an adventure that is out of this world and tuck yourself into an alien landscape full of magic.

Games we played:

5:39 - Risk Express (2006, Reiner Knizia, Hasbro)

13:33 - Blockbuster (2019, uncredited, Big Potato)

18:55 - Import / Export (2017, Jordan Draper, Dark Flight)

25:38 - Unlock! Secret Adventures - A Noside Story (2018, Vincent Goyat, Space Cowboys)

100 games before you die:

34:28 - Flamme Rouge (2016, Asger Harding Granerud, Lautapelit)

https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/321471/100-tabletop-games-to-play-before-turning-100

Topic:

39:26 - Carl Chudyk Tuckstravaganza

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/6001/carl-chudyk

Glory to Rome Black Box story https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/09/how-a-ceo-fiddled-while-beloved-board-game-glory-to-rome-crashed-and-burned/

Custom Glory to Rome print - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvmXYEjP234

Join us:

SaltCON Spring, Feb 27 - Mar 2 https://saltcon.com/spring

Podfort, Mar 26 - Mar 30 https://treefortmusicfest.com/podfort-2025/

Songs:

100 Games to Play Before You Die by Michael, Tyler, Devon, and Josh of The Boise RainBeaus

ROT by Bone Haus https://bonehaus.bandcamp.com/album/in-mourning

All our socials https://linktr.ee/shelfstablecast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Probably our wildest episode yet. Hope you like Park Place cause we're going to be stuck on it for about 35 minutes paying rent in the form of words.

Games we played:

4:02 - Clank Legacy (2019, Andy Clautice & Paul Dennen, Dire Wolf)

8:41 - Fantasy Realms (2017, Bruce Glassco, WizKids)

15:09 - Root (2018, Cole Wehrle, Leder)

21:10 - Smash Up (2018 og2012, Paul Peterson, AEG)

100 games before you die:

28:11 - Hanabi (2010, Antoine Bauza, R&R)

https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/321471/100-tabletop-games-to-play-before-turning-100

Topic:

32:14 - Mass Market Tier List

Join us:

SaltCON Spring, Feb 27 - Mar 2 https://saltcon.com/spring

Podfort, Mar 26 - Mar 30 https://treefortmusicfest.com/podfort-2025/

Songs:

100 Games to Play Before You Die by Michael, Tyler, Devon, and Josh of The Boise RainBeaus

ROT by Bone Haus https://bonehaus.bandcamp.com/album/in-mourning

All our socials https://linktr.ee/shelfstablecast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices