Take That! – Meeples And Wine

Show Notes: Hover – A Brutal Game of Hummingbirds | Meeples & Wine Podcast

In this episode Michael and Suzy sit down with Hover: A Brutal Game of Hummingbirds, a fun hummingbird theme board game where you play as the aggressive little birds fighting over nectar (energy) while racing to build a nest and win a mate. We break down the rules for this area movement game that mixes take that elements, bluffing, and direct conflict in a light strategy package perfect for couples.

We paired the game with the Cherry Kirsche 2024 from Von Stiehl Winery in Algoma, Wisconsin. It is an old-world style cherry brandy dessert wine that works really well with rich chocolate or cheesecake.

The Hover board game comes from designer Victor Shiu and artist Shawna Shiu, published by Ibis Tea. It plays 2 to 4 players and features area movement, resource gathering, stealing from other nests, attacks resolved with hidden energy and beauty, and a big courting call finale to win the game. We talk about how the two player version changes, how the “take that” mechanics feel at the table, and whether it stays friendly enough for couples.

Hover is launching on Kickstarter on May 19, 2026, so we mention that for anyone looking for new Kickstarter board games in 2026.

We walk through the complete rules summary including setup, movement, area actions in the field, garden, forest and feeder, building your nest with twigs and spider silk, adding lichen for protection, attacking other birds, and pulling off a successful courting call. We also share our fun scores, couch scores for relationship safety, thoughts on the learning curve for this hummingbird board game, and the optional rules like 15 second turns.

Contact Meeples & Wine

We’re Michael and Suzy, your hosts dishing out honest board game reviews for couples, blending wine (or in this case, beer) tastings with gameplay breakdowns. Got feedback? Hit us up at [email protected], or connect on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn. And hey, leave a voicemail at (707) 572-5282 – we love hearing from you!

If you enjoy board game reviews for couples, especially area movement games or take that board games with a bit of bite, share this episode with a friend. Thanks for listening and we will see you next time on Meeples & Wine. Buh-bye!

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In this episode, we review Fire Tower and taste Toasted Head 2022 Chardonnay, along with the Last Call Kickstarter “Wild Imaginary West”.

00:00 Welcome to Meeples and Wine
00:24 Meet Your Hosts: Michael and Susie
00:47 Contacting Meeples and Wine
01:02 The Voicemail Debate
02:13 Today’s Game: Fire Tower
02:39 Wine Tasting: Toasted Head Chardonnay
08:41 Fire Tower: Game Overview
12:04 Fire Tower: Game Mechanics
16:42 Fire Tower: Strategy and Gameplay
21:04 Fire Tower: Special Cards and Roles
22:25 Winning Strategies for Shadow of the Wood
22:47 Champion of the Wood: Special Abilities
23:34 Fire Tower: Rising Flames Expansion
25:23 Playing Fire Tower with Two Players
26:11 Balancing Offense and Defense
27:51 Fun Score and Relationship Impact
29:17 Final Thoughts on Fire Tower
32:35 Wild Imaginary West RPG
41:06 Meeples and Wine: Where to Find Us

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We’re back and this week we’re reviewing Rocket House Games‘ Potion Panic a frantic race to become the Alchemist a la Mode by completing potion recipe’s components, smashing vials to get more cards in your hand or to deny your opponents those super valuable crystals! Ten crystals gets you the Philosopher’s Stone, which wins you the game and grants you powers beyond explanation in the next game (well, there is a card that explains them…). How does Potion Panic rate on our Fun scale? How does is rate on our Couch Score (how likely it is for Michael to wind up sleeping on the couch due to the game?)

We also taste a 100% blueberry wine from Three Lakes Winery in Wisconsin. Made from whole ripe blueberries, this isn’t a “blueberry flavored wine beverage” but the real thing!

If you’ve got a game that you’d like us to demo get in touch at [email protected], at our Twitter (@Meeplesandwine) or Facebook or if you’d like to leave us a voicemail you can go to https://www.speakpipe.com/MeeplesandWine!

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Welcome to Meeples and Wine Na Pod Pomo 2023, hosted by Michael and Suzy, where they review board and tabletop games for couples. They explore how well games play with two players, their fun factor, complexity, and whether they might “destroy the marriage.” Each episode also includes a thematic wine, beer, or drink tasting to accompany the game.

Exploring ‘Take That’ Games and Related Mechanics: From Munchkin to UNO Flip

In this episode of ‘Meeples and Wine’, Michael explores the popular board and tabletop game mechanic known as ‘Take That’ or ‘Screw Your Neighbor”. They discuss games including ‘Munchkin’, ‘Flux’, ‘Kittens in a Blender’, and ‘UNO’, with a specific focus on ‘UNO Flip’. These games involve players using cards or actions to harm their opponents, often leading to strategic moves and exciting gameplay. The hosts also highlight some of their own experiences with these games, how the rules keep changing, the level of strategy involved, and how different players may respond to such mechanics.

00:10 Introduction to Meeples and Wine Podcast
00:50 How to Connect with Us
01:13 Introduction to ‘Take That’ Games
01:48 Exploring Munchkin: A ‘Take That’ Game
03:21 Diving into Flux: A Game of Changing Rules
06:50 Kittens in a Blender: A Quirky ‘Take That’ Game
07:17 UNO: The Classic ‘Take That’ Game
09:22 Customizing UNO: Creating Your Own Rules
10:11 Conclusion and Farewell

If you’ve got a game that you’d like us to demo get in touch at [email protected], at our Twitter (@Meeplesandwine) or Facebook or if you’d like to leave us a voicemail you can go to 

https://www.speakpipe.com/MeeplesandWine or call at (707) 572-5282!

You can also check out our quicklinks page! https://podcast.show/meeplesandwine/

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