Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Eat Lunch and Board Game

A few weeks ago, I had professor and author Marco Arnaudo on the show. We talked about his amazing book, Tabletop Revolution. One of the many games I bought because this book was A Universal Truth. It was in the card games section. Marco talked about how cards have evolved from their rudimentary beginnings as just a suit and a number to multi-use, multi-functional components. He mentioned A Universal Truth:  The Strategic Game of Courtship, designed by Patrick Einheber, self-published by Danger Toad Games via The Game Crafter.

What drew me to this game truly was Marco talking about how Patrick used every inch, every side, every bit of the card to move the game forward.

As happened many times while I was reading Tabletop Revolution, I put my copy down, picked up my phone, and immediately did some digging into A Universal Truth. I reached out to the designer, who graciously mailed me a copy. When it arrived, Edward and I carefully tore into it.

In A Universal Truth, you and your coworkers are trying to woo your loved one. To do this, you must meet or exceed all of their requirements: affection, social amity, accomplishments, and of course money. That is just the basic version of the game. I will explain more later in the episode. So, put on your ascot and monocle, gather your coworkers, and see who can court their love first in A Universal Truth.

Directing people to the get the games tab

Just a routine reading of Board Game Geek put me onto the release of today’s focus game, King of Tokyo: Duel. There was a banner ad on the homepage. From there, a quick click over to my local game shop webpage allowed me to preorder the game. I did not need any more information. It was King of Tokyo. It was designed by Richard Garfield. It was two-player.

Upon further inspection, it appeared to be a tug of war style game. It had the established characters. Well, my copy arrived. I went to get it. Edward and I sat down to play it.

King of Tokyo Duel sets you and your opponent in a mano a mano battle over Tokyo. As with the original game, there are multiple ways to win: knock the other monster out,  get both the star and building markers into your spotlight zone, or one of the markers reaches the last space on your side of the board.

Directing people to the get the games tab

My family loves this game. My sister has not yet played it because it's a little over her skill level. But my mom, dad and I love this game. We have played this game dozens of times. When it comes to the expansion (which I will talk about later), we have only played it a few times.

In Chili Mafia, you are a mob boss building gangs of various chili peppers. You can either build a gang of different peppers, or one of similar peppers. Both have their benefits. The game ends when the cards run out. The gang worth the most points wins!

So, gather your gang, and let's get into the review for “Chili Mafia”

Directing people to the get the games tab

In this episode, I’m joined by Brian Reynolds, one of the founders of The Bridge Teachers. We dive into his secret weapon for Two Truths and a Lie, the art of playing Monopoly by the rules, and the challenge of teaching Bridge to a 6-year-old, and that’s just the beginning.

Brian also shares an online comic recommendation and a book that’s now on my list to read. Plus, his wife makes a few surprise appearances, she could hear us through the wall and couldn’t resist chiming in to keep him honest.

All this and more. Thanks for listening!

Directing people to the get the games tab

In a past episode, our guest Camilla Zamboni mentioned The Tabletop Revolution, a fascinating book by fellow professor Marco Arnaudo. In it, Prof. Arnaudo explores the dramatic evolution of board games—how mechanics have transformed from simple numbered cards to dynamic, multi-functional game elements. We dive into this revolution, celebrating classics like Acquire—a game so essential that Prof. Arnaudo calls it "foundational." (And honestly, he's right—everyone should play it!) Plus, we squeeze in a fun Planes, Trains, and Automobiles shoutout along the way. He also talks about donating some games to the Lilly Library. To find out how many, keep listening.

Get the book HERE!

Directing people to the get the games tab

Last year at Geekway to the West, the local gaming convention here in St. Louis that you have heard me talk about a lot, fellow game designer and past guest on this show, Phill Wamser and I sat down and played this one evening after a long day in the booth. We were surprised by the feel of the cards, but other than that, we played two or three games back to back without really realizing it. As soon as we realized it, we decided we like this elegant game design!

In Sea Salt & Pepper, you are trying to collect duos of animals or boats, collections of sea creatures, and mermaids to score seven or more points as fast as you can to catch your opponents off guard. Push too long and your opponents might score more than you, or steal a card ruining your hand. All of this is beautifully illustrated with origami creations that bring this aquatic world to life!

Directing people to the get the games tab

In this episode, I am joined by author Steve Dee. His book The Book of Carcassonne was an early bedtime read for Edward. His other books are equally as entertaining. Steve and I talk about playing at lunch and feeling that you are misbehaving a little. In a good way...

We also reminisce about Tabletop with Wil Wheaton and the great games that he introduced us to. Steve also mentions having a "home game" because he lives close to Birmingham. All this and more. Thanks for listening.

Steve Dee on Amazon
Ticket to Carcassonne

Directing people to the get the games tab

I came across an article while reading a different article that I came across while reading another article that was referenced in a book I was reading about board games. I enjoyed the story and the experience that author talked about. So, I reached out to the writer, Morgan Ebbs.

Morgan joins me to talk about her entry into the gaming hobby, answer the standard questions, and how she has a $60 limit on games. We talked about this and more. Thanks for listening.

From Candy Crush to Catan article

Directing people to the get the games tab

Another great game from designer Steve Jackson. I love this game. In zombie dice you are a zombie trying to eat brains. My family takes this game of trips to play before bed. My sister wanted to play “The brain game”, we had no idea what she was talking about so we asked her to go get it. Then she brought in this game. It is based on a push your luck mechanic, and this game is simple enough a 5 year old can play it, but adults can also enjoy it.

So, gather your horde, sit down, and try to be the first to eat thirteen brains with Zombie Dice.

Directing people to the get the games tab

Facebook strikes again! A group that I follow had a post by a fellow member that her book was finally published. Of course, I had to read it. Professor Camilla Zamboni's book, Roll for Learning: 51 Micro Tabletop Role-Playing Games to Use in the Classroom, is a collection of TTRPGS with a lot of other information to help implement them. She graciaously joined me in this episode to talk about gaming in the classroom, gaming online, expansions (good or bad), and the usual questions. Thanks for listening.

Get the book in various formats: HERE

Directing people to the get the games tab

Facebook got me again! I am an easy target for ads about board games. I had heard of this one, but when the ad hit, and I clicked over, and it was only $50, I had to order Farms Race. It is the debut game from Medium Brow Games. (What a great name, by the way) This publisher was founded by one of the creators of Cards Against Humanity, Daniel Dranove. The other designer credited is Tom Weiner. This is his first game.

So, what drew me to Farms Race? It looked and sounded Catan-ish. The box art was beautiful. Intrigued, I did some digging into it. Turns out, the rules were available on BoardGameGeek. So, I gave them a peek. I was on the fence, but when the ad targeted me, I went for it.

Directing people to the get the games tab

Edward and I are always up for a good racing game. We have mentioned this in the past. We have a lot of different types of racing. When watching videos on YouTube of great racing games, 1500M came up. It is a racing game that came out in 2018 where you are a track runner in a, well, 1500M foot race. I instantly reached out to the creator, Eduardo Crespo, and his company Lucky Loser Games. Edward is a cross country and track runner. It seemed like a perfect fit.  It arrived just before a vacation! I packed it, we didn’t play it, and it sat longer than anticipated. However, at the last gaming meetup at the local library, Edward and I took it with us and learned and played it with two of our friends.

In 1500M, you are a runner who has to balance mental health with your pace as you make the 3 and ¾ laps around the track. Gather your fellow athletes, and see who has the mental fortitude to push the limits and be the first to cross the finish line after a grueling 1500M.

Directing people to the get the games tab

In this episode, I am joined by father and son designers Cory and Gavin Neslon. They are the duo behind The Naughty Jester. Their debut game, Chivalry is Dead: Race for the Crown, is currently up on Kickstarter. It is a fantasy themed racing game. I can't wait for it. We talk about Kickstarter, racing games, inspiration, and ha lot of other fun things. Thanks for listening.

Chivalry is Dead: Race for the Crown

Directing people to the get the games tab

I preordered Horrified: Greek Monster Edition against my better judgment. Once I was not overly impressed with the American Monsters Edition, I do not know what possessed me to preorder this newest edition. Anyway, I did, from Target. It was scheduled for delivery on October 9. Oddly, I received a notification from Target that it was out for delivery on September 29. When I clicked for more details, the UPS website said it was out for delivery, scheduled to arrive on 10/9. This meant it was going to be riding around on the UPS truck for 10 days. Well, it showed up on that Friday, September 29, and I played it September 30. As I said in my Horrified episode, I was stoked for this edition. I was hoping that with all the rich lore Greek Mythology offers, this edition would be ripe with theme.

In the Greek Monsters Edition, Pandora’s box has been opened and six mythological monsters have escaped. You and your team are trying to track down 2-4 monsters per game and trap them. Let’s see if the Greek Monsters Edition was worth the impulsive purchase.

I came across De'Von Truvel's board game while trying to find a book for the kids about the Greenwood Massacre, as we were planning a trip to Tulsa. I found a book on Amazon, Black History Adventures of Rose and Rodney: Greenwood and Tulsa's Black Wall Street. The book said it was from the creators of Play Black Wall Street the Board Game. So, I bought both.

De'Von talk about the game, the event, and much more. He talks about his work with schools and the community to promote good financial decisions and education. He is a truly inspiring individual.

Thanks for listening.

Directing people to the get the games tab

Dad found Kuddly Kymera at a gaming convention. It was designed and published by Mythica Gaming. They are the same team behind one of our other favorite games, Dueling Dice! Kuddly Kymera is a game about creating the cutest animal possible. Players take turns playing down cards from their hand onto themselves or other players. My dad, sister, and I had a blast playing it so we introduced it to my grandparents on vacation, and they really enjoyed it.
The true definition of chimera is spelled with a “C” and it is a “fire breathing monster with a lion's head, goat's body, and a serpent's tail. But luckily we are making cuter animals than that.

Why they spelled them both with a “K” when they are truly spelled with a “C” I don't have a clue.

Gather your friends and family to see who can create the cutest animal.

Get your copy HERE

Directing people to the get the games tab

I first came across CJ Connor's debut cozy novel Board to Death my usual way. I simply searched "board game" in the library online catalog. I recognized that I had not read it, so I checked it out. After about two chapters, I just decided to buy it. Edward read it before I had the chance. Anyway, we both loved it, and I reached out to CJ to be on the show. CJ and I talk the usual and when the next book is due out. Also, his connection to the narrator of the audiobook version of the book.

Get a copy of Board to Death now! Thanks for listening!

Directing people to the get the games tab

Edward and I took a trip down to Paducah, Kentucky, to visit some friends we made at a convention. We taught kids our game, Fences, and I interviewed one of the owners of The Play Portal. Shannon mentions some great games, that Edward and played off the shelf. She also mentioned a game after we wrapped recording, Brutality. It looks and sounds like a great team, and more brutal, version of King of Tokyo. We obtained a copy off ebay, and we look forward to getting it to the table.

Anyway, here is the interview with Shannon Cope. Thanks for listening.

Directing people to the get the games tab

I won’t beat a dead horse, but I will say it one more time: I love a good roll and write. Of course, there are variations on this mechanic, like the flip and write. So, when I first heard of Inside Up Games’s Draft & Write Records, I was immediately curious.

In Draft & Write Records, designed by Bruno Maciel, you are trying to build a band, take it on tour, release tracks and albums, and do press, trying to be better than your opponents. 

It plays 1 - 6 players. Oddly, I played it solo first. Why? Well, I was on a work trip back to my alma mater. One of my gaming cousins lives in the same town. She “forgot” I was coming into town, and ended up playing Draft & Write Records solo in my hotel room. At first, I was mad at her for bailing on me. Then, after playing this solo, and another game I had with me solo, I was no longer mad at her. It actually gave me a greater appreciation for the solo gaming realm.

Anyway, enough complaining about family disappointments. Gather your crew, name your band, and try to be the most successful manager in Draft & Write Records.

Directing people to the get the games tab

As you know, I have been playing a lot of Long Shot and Long Shot: The Dice Game. I have been waiting for the next release, WIN, to finally hit the stores. Well, last week, I received the email that my preorder was in! So, I drove out to the FLGS to pick up my copy of Chris Handy’s seventeenth game in the Perplext Pack-O-Games series, WIN: A Long Shot Game.

Once again, in WIN, you and your opponents are betting on the horses at the track. The bettor who has the most cash at the end of the race, is the winner!

I was curious how Chris could pair the game down to fit into the gumpack sized box. I was worried that the game would lose its fun, its chaos, its hilarity. So, how did he do? Let’s find out, as we wait for the bugle call….there it is, and we are off to the races once more, with WIN!

Directing people to the get the games tab

Sometimes, you just buy a game because of the name. You know nothing about it. But, the price is right, and it is called Butts in Space. I came across this card game on Etsy. I am starting to think that I should not be allowed on the internet unsupervised. Anyway, I added it as a favorite to come back to buy at a later date. Well that date came, but when I went back, the shop/publisher, The Dusty Tophat,  was on a hiatus or vacation. I got an alert that they were back, but the game was no longer listed. Concerned, as you can imagine, I reached out to the shop to inquire what had happened to the card game I decided I needed. They told me that, “Etsy just removed the listing - we’ve reached out to Etsy so hopefully it gets relisted soon.” About 4 agonizing weeks later, it was relisted. I purchased it, packed it, and took on my family’s vacation. We played it three times in one night.

The lore to Butts in Space is fantastic. The Son read it out loud through fits of laughter.

“Oh no! Evil Butt has stolen all of the toilet paper in the universe and destroyed your toilet spaceship. Play as Bow Butt, Hairy Butt, Classy Butt, and Butt Butt as you try to gather more toilet paper than your friends before your spaceship is repaired.”

It goes on, butt… you get the point. So let’s take a look at how we go about getting toilet paper in Butts in Space.

BUTTS IN SPACE ON ETSY

Directing people to the get the games tab

Brian and I had a rough time with the recording website, but we still managed a fantastic conversation. He gave insight to working with an IP as a small designer, the differences with working with digital versus analog games, and we found out that we have a lot of the same tastes in games. Thanks for listening!

Directing people to the get the games tab

Well, it took me little time to hunt down an affordable copy of Chris Handy’s original Long Shot in the United States. I found it via BoardGameGeek Market. I had it delivered straight to work, and we played it the lunch hour of the day it arrived. It might be the shortest time from purchase to play ever!

In Long Shot, you and your opponents are gamblers at the race track vying to make the most of your money. You can make money by placing bets that pay out, buying horses, or just playing cards that get you more money.

I have mentioned it before many times on this show, Edward and I love racing games. One evening, he and I were at a local game shop looking through the used games section. We found two games that caught our eyes: Long Shot: The Dice Game and Elfenland. Long Shot caught our attention because it was designed by Chris Handy and published by Perplext, the same designer publisher duo behind Roland Wright. That was, well, a roll and write game that I impulsively bought for $5 at a convention and we played on vacation. It was a blast. So, getting this game was a no-brainer.

In Long Shot, you and your opponents are watching a horse race. You are betting on the horses, buying the horses, and trying to push your horses over the finish line. One great thing about this game in the workplace, it plays up to eight people! You could even play this over a video call, if you so chose.

In this episode, I am joined by Larry Saunders. I came across Larry when searching for Christmas presents for my coworkers. He has an Etsy shop where he makes various game related stickers. I reached out to him, and he told me that board games had helped him through a tough part of his life. Well, after almost two months of trying to get a night free together, Larry and I finally got to have our conversation. He has a great, but sad, story to tell. Thanks for listening.

A few of my past guests have suggested Cockroach Poker for a lunchtime game. I put it on my Christmas list a few years back. I never received it from friends, family, or Santa. One day while I was perusing the local game shop, there it was, hanging on a peg board. I was surprised that it was in a box that was barely four inches square. I don’t know what I was expecting, but not that. I immediately took it off the peg and purchased it for $11.99. Then, it sat unplayed for a month or so. It wasn’t until I was revisiting an old interview where the guest mentioned it that I remembered having bought it. I found it, took it to work, and learned to play Cockroach Poker.

In Cockroach Poker, you are trying to NOT collect sets of the creepy crawly critters. However, the first to collect four of a kind, well, they LOSE. They don’t win. You are trying to bluff your way to victory. Can you lie better to your friends than they can lie to you? Test out your thoughts with Jacques Zeimet’s Cockroach Poker.

My dad found Outfoxed on the clearance section of Target and got it as a gift to the family for Easter. We played it right away with my sister who was 4, my mom who is 10 times that and some change, and my dad who is a little younger than mom.

In outfoxed you work together as chickens trying to stop a fox from reaching the fox hole and escaping. WHY is the fox on the run? Because, the clever fox has stolen Mrs. Plumpert's pot pie and is high-tailing it to the foxhole! Can you and your chicken friends catch the sly fox? Or will the fox elude you?

At a recent board game day at the library, I was left as the odd man out. That did not bother me. I was happy to see so many people playing games. A fellow game nerd has his bag of games there. He said I could have a look, so I did. He had For Sale, a game that has been mentioned by a few guests and has come up in a few books. I sat down with it, opened the box, and was immediately distracted by the insert advertising the Bookshelf Series. Now, this was an old advertisement. It only listed games one through ten or twelve. There are now twenty-nine.

Anyway, I had heard of a few of these games, and recognized a few of the designers. Reiner Knizia had a few games in this collection, and I was curious how much they would be. Being in a library, I just walked next door to the computer lab to take a look. I bought three of his games: Gem Dealer, High Society, and Looting London. I got all three, shipped, for under $40.

What started off as learning a game that I wanted to play turned into a purchase of three games, and an episode about Reiner Knizia’s High Society.

In High Society, you and your coworkers are wealthy influencers in the 19th century. You are trying to bid for luxury items and multipliers of your wealth while avoiding misfortune. While you amass your luxurious possessions, it is imperative to keep an eye on your fortune. While the player with the most luxurious collection wins, that player must NOT have the lowest fortune left in hand. In other words, can you balance your wealth and opulence better than your coworkers, and be part of the High Society?

HIGH SOCIETY on BGG

Directing people to the get the games tab

I was talking with a fellow designer at a Protospiel about past Spiel des Jahres winners. About how it is sad that some of these games, these games that helped propel the board game hobby to the heights it is today, are no longer available. We then started looking at some of the games, and I couldn’t help purchasing a few. One that struck my interest was Andreas Seyfath’s Manhattan, 1994’s winner. He is better known for creating the 2002 game Puerto Rico. He and his wife won the 2006 Spiel des Jahres for Thurn and Taxis, which is also on my list to procure but it is quite, QUITE, expensive. Anyway, back to Manhattan, the subject of this episode. What caught my eye was the table presence. You are physically stacking buildings to build skyscrapers in the eponymous city.

In Manhattan, you and your opponents are fighting to construct skyscrapers in six different neighborhood districts of the island: Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Midtown, Downtown, Soho, and Wall Street. Points are scored in three ways: owner of each building (player with the top floor), control of each district (player controlling the majority of buildings in a district), and owner of the tallest building (player with top floor of the building with the most floors). When the game ends, the player with the most points wins. Can you outthink, outwit, and outbuild your opponents?

Manhattan on BGG

Directing people to the get the games tab

In this episode, I am joined by Freddie Carlini. He is the mastermind behind Mixtape Massacre, a highly thematic board game where you are the slasher hunting down victims to collect souvinirs. Freddie talks about how Mixtape Massacre is NOT TSA Friendly! It is a hilarious story. We also talk about running over zombies on a motorcycle, chunky dice being cool, and how dice trays save time and dice! All this and more coming up. Thanks for listening!

Get a copy of Mixtape Massacre!

Directing people to the get the games tab

Spencer Mohr joins me on this episode. His company, Dastardly Fun Entertainment, has put out two games a year, and I have played and enjoyed both. Their second game, Dastardly Drivers, was a finalist in the game design competition I sponsored last year. Thanks for listening.

Dastardly Fun Entertainment on The Game Crafter

Directing people to the get the games tab

My grandmother, who I called Mee-Maw, bought Michael Marra’s 13 Dead End Drive for me back in 1993 when it came out. I am not 100% sure why, but I am so glad she did. It is hard to believe that the game is 30 years old! That makes me even older.

Anyway, 13 Dead End Dr got a lot of playing when I was young. My little sister, brother, and I played a lot of Clue, and this gave us a new mystery to solve, a new toy to play with. 13 Dead End Drive feels like Clue and Mouse Trap had a baby.

In 13 Dead End Drive, rich Aunt Agatha has died with no related heirs. So, her 12 closest friends (and her cat) have gathered to claim her considerably large fortune. You and your opponents control a hand of the characters, vying to be rich. During the game, you are trying to knock off other1 characters to be the last one standing. Or, be the one featured above the fireplace when the detective arrives. 

Winning Moves

Directing people to the get the games tab

Pied Raven

Directing people to the get the games tab

John J. Wick, the game designer and RPG creator, joins me in this episode. He is the man behind CAT, a great RPG where you play a cat protecting your human from forces they cannot see. John and I talk about the usual stuff, and also his fun RPG's that can be played in a lunch hour. (Links below) 

PLAY
CAT

Directing people to the get the games tab

In early 2019, The Son and I were watching a lot of Watch It Played with Rodney Smith. One episode that caught my eye was Horrified, by Ravensberger. Then, for some reason, I forgot about it. It kept coming up on lists of games that are great to play in an hour. While attending a convention, I saw it at the flea market event and snatched it right up. I sat down that night and played it with a fellow game designer. We both enjoyed it.

In Horrified, you and your teammates are working together as characters right out of the Universal Monster movies, to rid the town of the monsters haunting the streets. Two to four monsters, of the seven available, are wandering around the streets terrorizing the villagers. You and your team must collect specific items that are scattered around the town. These items are then used to confront and defeat each different monster in a unique and specific way.

All this must be achieved before the monsters terrorize the locals too much or the Monster deck runs out. Do you think you and your friends have what it takes to stand your ground, defend the town, and save them from Frankenstein’s monster, Wolf Man, Dracula, Creature from the Black Lagoon, Invisible Man, or Mummy? Did the Son and I enjoy it after 3.5 years of waiting? How did it go over at the office? Thanks for listening!

Directing people to the get the games tab

Corey Clark, founder of Blue Falcon Board Gaming, joins me to talk about his organization and what they do. He has one of the most original ways to get into gaming. We try to come up with a term for people that are not board game literate. He also has one of the more obscure hidden gem games that I feel like I must own. All of that an more. Thanks for listening!

Hidden Gem

Directing people to the get the games tab

When you think of the classic games, what comes to mind? Monopoly, Risk, Candyland, Chutes & Ladders, and of course Clue. It is unfortunate that Clue doesn’t get more respect in today’s board gaming community. The playtime is short. The rules are simple. And dammit, it is just plain fun! We had a copy of Clue when I was growing up. I am the oldest of three, and my sister, brother, and I would play Clue for hours. That is the best part about the game. You can just sort the cards out, draw a new set, and start again in about 3 minutes! This episode is long, as I cover a lot of versions and intersting facts about this amazing classic. Thanks for listening!

Directing people to the get the games tab

A month ago, I was quarantined to my bedroom with COVID. One night, I had a bout with insomnia. Then, it occurred to me! I had a few solo print and play games printed in my print and play box (link in the show notes) that were specifically designed for solo play. So, I got up, grabbed my D6’s and played 1472 The Lost Samurai. I did not win, but I was then encouraged to try 1972 The Lost Phantom. Again, I did not win. This time, I was encouraged to reach out to their designer Mike Heiman. He joins me today to talk about his journey in board gaming. He tells about his adventure creating his incredible solo print and play, USS Laffey: The Boat that wouldn’t sink, and his plans for other solo games in the XX72 franchise. All of the XX72 are available for free on Board Game Geek.  All this and more are coming your way. Thanks for listening.

Print and Play Box
XX72 Games

Directing people to the get the games tab

As you faithful bridge-building listeners know, I am a huge fan of reading about board games. I then like to try and interview the author. This happened with The Beginner’s Board Game Bible and its author Ben Hoppe. In his fantastic book, (if you haven’t bought it yet, do it) he mentions games to help break people into this great hobby. Many of his game suggestions I had heard of, or already had played. Yet, one game nagged at me that I really wanted try. It was 1995’s Mystery of the Abbey. It was described as a next-level Clue. Clue with a little more. I was extremely interested, but then disappointed to learn that it was out of production. I then went out to look for a used copy. Prices fluctuated from $30-$60. As I was hunting down a copy, I came across one at a board game flea market for $35, and I pounced on it. Sadly, it sat on the Shelf of Shame for over a year. Finally, I got it to table at a library board game event.

In Mystery of the Abbey, you and your fellow players are visiting monks at the serene Abbey. The next morning, the body of Brother Adelmo is discovered at the foot of the cliffs. You group is asked by the Abbot to look into the mysterious death of the Brother, and investigate the Abbey and its inhabitants to discover who killed the beloved Brother Adelmo.

So, does Mystery of the Abbey do enough to separate itself from the classic game Clue? What it worth the hunting and searching for it? Did Ben Hoppe lead me astray? Can it be played in a lunch hour? Let’s find out!

Directing people to the get the games tab

I wish that I could say that I bought just a few games that came to my attention via Wil Wheaton’s Tabletop on YouTube, but that would be a lie. What I can say though, few games have come to my attention and immediately jumped into my top 5, if not top 3, like Champions of Midgard. Ole Steiness’s worker placement game made an immediate impact on me. I love worker placement games, yet there was something different about this game. Something about the way it played. Something about the interaction between players. Something about the overall feel of the game. It didn’t hurt that the episode featured an actual Viking playing the game. Well, ex-Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe. Close enough. I held off buying it as it was a play and win game at Geekway to the West, the local game convention here in St. Louis. So, I went to the convention, learned to play it, loved it, and hoped I would win the game. Sadly, I did not. Even sadder, Grey Fox Games, the St. Louis based game publisher that publishes Midgard in the US was at the convention, but they sold out. So, I went to my friendly local game shop and purchased Champions of Midgard. It has since seen plenty of table time.

In Champions of Midgard, you and your fellow players are Viking warriors who are vying for the spot of the recently deceased Jarl, leader of the clan. The creatures in area know of his passing and are coming to terrorize the village. You are trying to prove that you are the worthy successor by defeating these enemies and collecting glory (points). Over 8 rounds, you and your opponents will collect warrior dice, food, wood, get blessings, and fight enemies to prove once and for all, you are the Champion of Midgard!

Directing people to the get the games tab

Who doesn’t love a good pun? I know I do. Also, who doesn’t know some form of rummy? I believe most people that have a grandma have been exposed to rummy. My grandma, my aunt, my cousins and siblings, and I used to play rummy all the time. There were stenographer notebooks filled with scoring tallies. Not just scores for their games, but also tally marks for the wins. My grandma recently passed, and a scorebook was buried with her.

So, when Turn for the Wurst came out by Wam Wam Games, I had to give it a try. I had Phill Wamser on the show back in May 2022. This was his company’s first game. He and his brother Jake took the idea of rummy, and instead of making runs or sets of numbered cards from a standard deck of cards, you were trying to collect hot dog toppings to complete recipes. I was intrigued, of course, so I sat down, at lunch, to play Turn for the Wurst.

Directing people to the get the games tab

It is no secret that I love racing games. I have many racing games in my collection. I have talked about many racing games on this show. I love them! Whether I am racing cars, postal vehicles, boats, bikes, chariots, or even camels, I am drawn to a racing game like a moth to the flame. While perusing the used games section at the local Half-Priced Books, I saw Asger Harding Granerud’s cycling racing game, Flamme Rouge. The Son and I have wanted this game for some time. It goes in and out of production. So, I took the opportunity to purchase it when I could.

In Flamme Rouge, you are a team of cyclists trying to strategically and tactically maneuver your riders to victory playing cards from an ever depleting deck. Can you out-race your opponents?

Directing people to the get the games tab

I am very active with the public library systems here in St. Louis City and County. I have taken many courses through them online. I have taken the kids to events. Heck, I took my kids to every single St. Louis Public Library branch. That was 15 branches. A let me tell you, some of those buildings were absolutely stunning.

During the pandemic, I used the library to print off many print and play games that I downloaded. When the restrictions lifted, I found out that the public library system offered even more services. They had a recording room, 3D printers, plotters, and now, at one location, a Glowforge.

Anyway, I saw that there was going to be a presentation on making a board game. So, you know I signed up and went. There, I met Ana Gomez. She is the Creative Experience Specialist, and a board gamer. She encouraged me to do a presentation at the library on Board Game production. I then encouraged her to be a guest on my show.

She joins me in this episode to talk about her gaming habits and how to utilize your local library to feed your board gaming addiction. Thanks for listening.

Directing people to the get the games tab

A few months back, like six or more, I sponsored a design competition on past guest JT Smith’s The Game Crafter. The competition was to design a lunchtime game. It had to be playable in a lunch hour and appropriate for work. There were 77 entries! Of those, seven were selected to be finalists. Those seven were then shipped to me to playtest. I took all of these to work to play with my coworkers. I mean, that was literally the purpose of the competition.

So, with the help of 2 or 3 of my coworkers each day, we played all seven games. Some were instant successes requiring another play, hopefully with a different player count. Some were not so lucky. As a group, we narrowed down the finalists to the top three. In the end, we made the decision to award Locked Out by Little Rhombus Games as the winner.

In this episode, I am joined by René Uittenbogaard, the designer of Locked Out. We talk about the usual questions, but also about his game.  He also had a lot of great game suggestions.

Stay tuned for future updates for the publishing of Locked Out by Bearded Board Games

Design Competition
Locked Out

Directing people to the get the games tab

A few months back, I reviewed a hilarious game about a group of cats on their ninth and final life. I then interviewed the man that handmade each copy of that game. Then, out of the blue, Colby Lippencott reached back out to me to inform me that his new game, Quest for the Trident, was available. I couldn’t resist. I had to try the latest from Lab Rats Board Games. I received the handmade, custom designed, wooden box with the familiar 3D printed components holding it together, three different decks of cars, and 3D printed tokens. Also included was a small expansion. Colby also informed me that he had the help of two students in his Game Design Class with the design of Quest for the Trident.

In Quest for the Trident, you and your opponents are trying to steal the Trident from the almighty god of the sea Posiedon himself. Why? Well, he has been angry with the humans and the people can no longer wait for him to be appeased. So, stealing his trident will take his power. All that is required is exploring the seas, obtaining the Tome of the Gods, taking it to Posiedon’s Palace, stealing the trident, and hiding it. In that order. Oh, and avoiding your fellow sailors who are attempting the same thing, but there is only one trident. And, this isn’t cooperative…

I took the game to work, sat down at lunch with a few coworkers, and set up Quest for the Trident, and set sail to steal a God’s most precious item.

Buy it Here

COUPON CODE for 10% off: EATLUNCH

Directing people to the get the games tab

I have mentioned a few times, like dozens probably, that The Son and I love to read books about board games at bedtime. I have also mentioned one such book many times, Family Games The 100 Best by Jeremy Lowder. Recently, I organized the first Protospiel St. Louis where we had over 40 designers come and show their game designs and over 50 playtesters come and play them. As part of the badge purchase, the store where we were holding the event offered 10% off purchases. So, I perused the store, and found Sid Sackson’s 1980 classic, Can’t Stop. What really drew me to it was that it was in the ding and dent section at an already low price. This was due to the box being really banged up (photo in the show notes). So, I could not turn it down with an additional 10% off. Can’t Stop was one of the 100 games from that book, designed by Sid Sackson, and was under $5. Needless to say, that game found its way into my game bag with all its packaging tape. The Son and I sat down to play it a few nights ago. He wanted to play a video game instead, but humored me. We ended up playing it twice in a row, and he didn’t bother with the video game!

Directing people to the get the games tab

7 Wonders is one of my favorite lunchtime games of all time. I have played it probably close to one-hundred times. I did a very long, 18-minute, podcast episode on it a long time ago. It was actually the third episode of the show. At the time, I covered all the expansions that I had, which was all of them except Babel. I still have not purchased Babel. No interest. But, the completionist in me is calling to procure it. I am not going to lie. After writing that sentence, I went and looked into buying Babel. It looks to be about $30, as it is not in production right now.

Anyway, this episode is to talk about the two newest expansions, Armada from 2018 and Edifice from 2023. I purchased Armada right around the time of the start of the pandemic. I was excited to have the time to learn it and then play it when we all went back to the office. 7 Wonders was one of our favorite games to play at lunch. Well, as you can guess, we never went back to the office. I changed jobs, as many of my former coworkers have done. Armada just sat on my shelf of expansion shame.

Earlier this year, Repos Games released Edifice. I immediately delved into finding out if it was compatible with my version of 7 Wonders. They released a second edition back in 2020 with new artwork. This changed the card backs, so you cannot combine the editions. When I found out that it was compatible, because there are no new cards (a rarity in 7 Wonders expansions). Then, for Lent, I gave up buying new games and expansions. Of course, Edifice was released at the start of Lent this year. So, I had to look at it on the shelf of the game shop everytime I went. I tried to limit how often I went to limit my temptation. Now, with the Easter holiday behind us, I went to Fortuna Games on Easter Monday, and made my first new purchase.

Luckily, I was also able to wrangle my gaming buddies into playing both expansions, in the same night. Was the wait for Armada (nearly 3 years) worth it? Was Edifice worth being the first new game since Easter? Answers are given, just keep listening.

Directing people to the get the games tab

In this episode, I am joined by designer James Cole. He designed and tested a game at work. His game, Thrown Under the Bus, is currently on Kickstarter. Give it a look. He also had some amazing game suggestions. Thanks for listening.

Thrown Under the Bus Kickstarter

Directing people to the get the games tab

 Well, quite simply put, I am now obsessed with the Pandemic world. After a rough relationship at the start with the original base game, my love was rekindled with Rapid Response and Hot Zone, coincidentally during the COVID pandemic. As I have been working my way through the Pandemic expansions, I branched out, like a disease, and decided to try some of the other versions of the game. First up, I located, purchased, and played The Cure. That’s right, I played it relatively soon after purchasing it. Like within few days. That is simply unheard of, hence the reason I have a healthy Shelf of Shame. What drew me to The Cure is that it has its own expansion. Anytime a variation is successful enough to warrant its own expansion, I get curious. As I was trying to locate a copy for a respectable cost, I came across a new website that buys and sells used board games. This website has been a game changer for me. Anyway, back to Pandemic: The Cure. Let’s take a look at it and see if I should buy the expansion. (Spoiler: I have)

 meeplove.de 

Directing people to the get the games tab

A few years back, I bought a game of Kickstarter. It was designed by Adam Collins. I was shocked to know I designed a game and didn't know it. Turns out, there is another Adam Collins in the board game industry, the podcast market, and in a construction related day job. He joins me in this episode, with his business partner. We talk the usual, and get some great game recommendations. They also have a Kickstarter currently up at the time of this recording. Link below.

BOARD GAMES BUILD BRIDGES

Deadline on Kickstarter

Directing people to the get the games tab