Conventions
A Tale of Two PAXes
It was the best of times, it was the PAX of times. No no no. Sorry, that was bad. Delete! I suppose such an atrocious
April 14, 2023
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Reflections On The First Part Of 2023 / I’m Back
I knew The Thoughtful Gamer would look different in 2023, as I couldn’t sustain what I was doing last year, but I didn’t think I
March 24, 2023
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Podcast
Podcast Episode 104: PAX Unplugged 2022
Apologies for the sound quality — Lindsay got a new mic and it… did not work well, to say the least. Anyways, we all went
December 23, 2022
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Reviews
Oceans: Legends of the Deep Review
Oceans: Legends of the Deep will be on Kickstarter November 1 If there’s any doubt that Oceans is the wilder, freer, more combo-tastic game in
October 26, 2022
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Reviews
Wind the Film (aka Photograph) Review
Wind the Film, blandly re-named “Photograph” in its English printing, is one of the best card games I’ve played in years. It’s the kind of
September 23, 2022
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Reviews
Silent Ships Review (w/ bonus: Can’t Touch This)
Silent Ships, from independent designer Jorge Zhang, tries to capture the sneaky mind games of Stratego in a small-box card game. In doing so it,
August 17, 2022
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Video
7 Games I’m Glad Exist (because they’re interesting and quirky, even if they may not fully succeed)
Let’s embrace creativity! These 7 games are all interesting and unique in their own way, and I hope they serve as inspiration to other game
August 10, 2022
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First Impression
3 Impressions, 3 Questions: Small Railroad Empires
Some thoughts after my first play of this small-ish box pick-up-and-deliver game.
August 3, 2022
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Reviews
Medici: The Card Game
Knizia’s Medici: The Card Game rides a thin line. Like so many other simple games that rely on a healthy dollop of luck, it’s at
August 1, 2022
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Video
Nonsense Short 5 – Box Lid Championships
if you’re not exploiting your cat for internet clicks, what are you even doing with your life?
July 28, 2022
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Podcast
Podcast Episode 103: Q’s and A’s
You’ve got questions and I’ve got answers! I cover everything from wargames to babies to cooking to economics. 2:43 – #1: Most impactful game of
July 22, 2022
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Video
July 20, 2022
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Reviews
Catch the Moon Review
A version of this review was published on a site, I have discovered, no longer exists. Catch the Moon is delightful, with its tone somewhere
July 18, 2022
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Commentary
Reviewers: Stop Saying “Not for me”
I know a good number of you are probably upset, or at least skeptical, right now because of how I’ve titled this article. But, if
July 13, 2022
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Reviews
Can’t Stop Review
Sometimes you feel like you’ve arrived late to the party. Everyone’s moved on from a game, but you weren’t there when it was popular so
July 11, 2022
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Theory
Thoughts on Asymmetry Part 2: Design Challenges
Last week I attempted to classify asymmetry in games, and I think I was fairly successful at doing so (let me know if you have
July 9, 2022
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Uncategorized
12 Great Affordable Board Games
Here are 12 of my favorite games that are in stock, right now, for under $25. I’ve reviewed most of them, which you can find
July 7, 2022
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Theory
Thoughts on Asymmetry Part 1: Classification
Asymmetry’s all the rage these days. It gained traction with the promise of unique player experiences each game and has only been bolstered by the
July 1, 2022
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Video
Trick-Taking Game I’d Never Heard Of Before: How To Play
A friend taught me a new semi-trick-taking game last weekend and I thought I’d share it with you all. I don’t even think it’s up
June 30, 2022
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Reviews
Spades and the Appeal of Trick-Takers
I’ve played Spades more than any other game the past two years. It’s become our go-to game on those nights when we’re too exhausted to
June 27, 2022
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Commentary
4 Thoughts About Board Gaming in Digital Space
When I, along with the rest of the world, began to realize that we’d be spending a lot more time at home in early 2020,
June 24, 2022
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Video
Nonsense Short 4 – GWT
what is seen cannot be unseen I need your help for The Thoughtful Gamer to continue: https://thethoughtfulgamer.com/2022/06/08/i-need-your-help-for-the-thoughtful-gamer-to-continue/—Support The Thoughtful Gamer on Patreon: http://patreon.com/thethoughtfulgamer Main Site:
June 22, 2022
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Reviews
Anno 1800 Review
Martin Wallace’s Anno 1800 is an odd duck. It shouldn’t work. I’m not yet convinced it does. It’s the sort of thing one would make
June 21, 2022
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Podcast
Podcast Episode 102: A Conversation With Jackson Pope and Paul Willcox about FlickFleet
I sit down with Jackson Pope and Paul Willcox from Eurydice games to talk about their gaming journey and the design and (handmade!) production of
June 17, 2022
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Video
Ryan Laukat’s Art is Beautiful
An appreciation of Ryan Laukat’s fantastic art as seen in Dominion, Above and Below, Near and Far, Empires of the Void 2, and Sleeping Gods.
June 16, 2022
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Reviews
Shobu Review
It’s all about the rope. Shobu looks and plays like a game that’s been around for centuries. The genre trappings—black and white pieces, square grids,
June 14, 2022
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Theory
When/Why is Calculation Fun?
How much of the board game experience is basic arithmetic? I know that there are some people who actively reject any game that resembles a
June 10, 2022
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Uncategorized
I Need Your Help For The Thoughtful Gamer to Continue
Straight to the point: 2022 is the make or break year for The Thoughtful Gamer and I need help if this site is going to
June 8, 2022
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Reviews
Through the Ages Review
After a recent game of Through the Ages, a friend to whom I had just introduced the game remarked that, “you have to do everything,
June 7, 2022
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Podcast
Podcast Episode 101: Sports as Game Design
Sports are games too, you know. In this episode, Marc, Matt, and Bubba sit down to talk about various sports rules and controversies and analyze
June 3, 2022
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Reviews
Two Final EXIT Games: Forgotten Island and House of Riddles
I had two EXIT games sitting in my basement and I didn’t even know it. Once you have a large enough board game collection I
May 31, 2022
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Commentary
Methods of Board Game Criticism
This article is a loose continuation of some of the thoughts I offered here and here. I have a keen interest in how we analyze
May 27, 2022
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Video
Nonsense Short 3 – Reaction
I’ve been thinking it over and I think The Thoughtful Gamer needs to go in a new direction. I noticed “reaction” videos have been popular…
May 26, 2022
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Reviews
Babylonia Review
The first time you play Babylonia you’ll probably play poorly. Fair warning. I’ve taught this game to at least 4 groups of people and no
May 25, 2022
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Commentary
How Board Games Communicate
This article is sort of a continuation of this article from last week, inspired by discussions on twitter mostly located here and here. I made
May 22, 2022
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Video
An Appreciation Of The Cube
Cubes are the best. Don’t believe me? Watch the video. Cubes, man. Cubes. Music from Abstraction: http://abstractionmusic.com — Support The Thoughtful Gamer on Patreon: http://patreon.com/thethoughtfulgamer
May 18, 2022
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Reviews
Pan Am Review
The games made by Prospero Hall/Funko have a distinct visual style. I’m not an expert on art or graphic design, but they look cleaner and
May 17, 2022
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Commentary
Criticism is Conversation
A little over a decade ago on a night like tonight I’m probably outside, briskly walking through the cool Pennsylvania evening, talking on the phone
May 14, 2022
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Video
Top 5 Games With The Biggest Potential Upside
Here are the five games I think have the most potential to rise in my estimation once I play them more. These could potentially become
May 12, 2022
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Reviews
Blackbrim 1876 Review
I enjoy puzzle games but I often feel a bit out of my element when I try to review them. Puzzles are, in some sense,
May 10, 2022
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Podcast
Podcast Episode 100: Pax East 2022
We’re back where it all started for episode 100: Pax East. Marc and Orion discuss a number of heavy euro games they played at the
May 8, 2022
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Video
3 Impressions, 3 Questions: Tales From The Loop Board Game
My first thoughts on the Tales From The Loop Board Game Music from Abstraction: http://abstractionmusic.com—Support The Thoughtful Gamer on Patreon: http://patreon.com/thethoughtfulgamer Main Site: http://thethoughtfulgamer.com Social
May 4, 2022
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Commentary
Entrepreneurial Foresight: Market Lessons in Brass
This is part 2 in a series about economic concepts in board games. You can check out part 1, about Sidereal Confluence and trade, here.
May 3, 2022
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Reviews
That Time You Killed Me Review
Spoiler warning: I’ll try to not reveal particulars but this is technically a campaign game with sealed material so fair warning. I want to recommend
April 27, 2022
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Reviews
Broken; Unbroken
I’ve got a copy of Unbroken and I’m not sure what to do about it. I received it from another game reviewer a while back.
April 19, 2022
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Video
Nonsense Short 2 – Sunk Cost
I contain multitudes. Music from Abstraction: http://abstractionmusic.com Support The Thoughtful Gamer on Patreon: http://patreon.com/thethoughtfulgamer
April 14, 2022
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Commentary
On Deluxification
After seeing the announcement for a new, super-deluxe version of Castles of Burgundy, I was prepared to sit down and write a screed. Sure, the
April 12, 2022
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Video
Go is Beautiful
Some thoughts on perhaps the world’s greatest board game. Music from Abstraction: http://abstractionmusic.com Support The Thoughtful Gamer on Patreon: http://patreon.com/thethoughtfulgamer
April 7, 2022
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Theory
Downtime Isn’t a Four-Letter word
One of the most impressive feats of televised commentating I can remember was during the famous Go matches between Lee Sedol and the AlphaGo computer
April 4, 2022
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Uncategorized
Some changes (improvements, I hope!) to The Thoughtful Gamer
Hello fine readers. I hope you all enjoyed yesterday’s bit of April Fools silliness. Believe it or not I’ve had that idea for years and
April 2, 2022
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Podcast
Podcast Bonus Episode: “The Mind” Liveplay
Here at The Thoughtful Gamer we’re no strangers to innovation. We look risk and uncertainty in their faces and say “what, that’s all you’ve got?
April 1, 2022
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Video
3 Impressions, 3 Questions: Fox in the Forest and Why I Otter
Marc and Lindsay just played two different 2-player trick taking games, The Fox in the Forest and Why I Otter, and discuss their first impressions
March 30, 2022
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Reviews
Codenames Duet Review
Codenames Duet is more than simply a 2-player version of the most popular party game of the last few years. It’s transformed, different, and compelling
March 28, 2022
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Podcast
Podcast Episode 99: Top 100 Games Of All Time 2022 Edition (Part 4)
It’s finally here, and bigger than ever! Marc, Lindsay, and Orion count down their respective top 25 games of all time for triple the list.
March 25, 2022
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Conventions
Granite Game Summit 2022 Recap
One of the last pre-pandemic board game events I participated in was an epic play of Dune at the Granite Games Summit. The new edition
March 22, 2022
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Podcast
Podcast Episode 98: Top 100 Games of All Time 2022 Edition (Part 3)
Marc, Orion, and Lindsay sit down to go over Marc’s top games list, numbers 50-26. There are some big movers on this section of the
March 18, 2022
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Video
March 17, 2022
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Reviews
Letter Jam Review
For those reading this in the distant future: Wordle is all the rage right now. Maybe it’s still the bee’s knees in your time too,
March 16, 2022
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Podcast
Podcast Episode 97: Top 100 Games Of All Time 2022 Edition (Part 2)
The countdown continues, with Marc, Marc, Lindsay, and Orion! SPOILERS BELOW . . . . . . . . . . 0:42 – A peek
March 11, 2022
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Reviews
Xenon Profiteer Review
Remember when deckbuilding was new and fresh? In those times of old it seemed like every single new release was messing around with the system.
March 9, 2022
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Podcast
Podcast Episode 96: Top 100 Games Of All Time 2022 Edition (Part 1)
We’re back! Marc, Marc, (that’s not a typo) Lindsay, and Orion discuss the first quarter of Marc’s top 100 games of all time. This segment
March 5, 2022
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Theory
When Does Knowing The Odds Ruin The Experience?
Never Tell Me The Odds Star GIFfrom Never Tell Me The Odds GIFs Scenario 1: I’m playing a game of Pandemic and we’re reaching the
March 1, 2022
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Reviews
Q.E. Review
At one of my first gaming conventions I attended a discussion about game design. There, I first heard about the double/halve rule. So many people
February 26, 2022
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Theory
Sidereal Confluence and the Beauty of Trade
This is part 1 of a series where I explore how games illustrate economic concepts. I’ve got at least one more planned. After that, who
February 21, 2022
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Reviews
Pictomania Review
Sometimes I think if Vlaada Chvatil was a new designer today he would have a terrible time trying to get his games published. The board
February 18, 2022
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Video
Experiment – The Crew Review Audio
This is a test to see if anyone would be interested in me slowly uploading my written reviews to youtube. If this is someone you
February 17, 2022
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Reviews
Nightlancer Review
I think cyberpunk works so well in the medium of games because it depicts a gamified society. People can cybernetically enhance their skills and abilities.
February 16, 2022
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Reviews
Dual Powers Review
Imagine an area control game where you and one opponent are fighting over control of one space. On each turn you roll a die and
February 13, 2022
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Video
Chill Unboxing and Sorting of Magnate: The First City and Anno 1800
Relax, listen to some chill music from Abstraction, and watch me unbox and sort the pieces in two games I hope to play very very
February 9, 2022
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Theory
Can Horror Work In Board Games?
It strikes me as odd that there are so many board games with horror themes but no board game has ever come close to horrifying
February 7, 2022
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Podcast
Podcast Episode 95: Best Games of 2020 (and more!)
Amber and Marc talk about the best games of 2020. The pandemic slowed down game playing so we’ve delayed this episode a year to allow
February 4, 2022
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Reviews
The Search for Planet X Review
Deduction is rigid, which makes it difficult to incorporate into board games, which thrive best in the rivers of uncertainty and doubt. If a deduction
February 1, 2022
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Reviews
Oceans Review
Going scuba diving was one of the most surreal experiences of my life. It’s at once impossibly serene, a blanket of subaqueous white noise and
January 28, 2022
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Commentary
Why Hubris is a Great Board Game Theme
When I wrote my article about theme a few months ago I made a quick remark about eurogames, asking, “I mean, from a literary-thematic point of
January 26, 2022
2 Comments
Reviews
Nidavellir Review
Nidavellir assembles together a number of tried and true mechanisms with such a sure hand that I didn’t realize until my second play how completely
January 20, 2022
6 Comments
Commentary
Reviewers: Describe The Game For What It Is
If there’s anything I’ve become more aware of in my nearly five(!) years of reviewing board games, it’s that I don’t need to feel obligated
January 14, 2022
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Reviews
Bat Flip (prototype) Review
Bat Flip will be available on kickstarter on the 18th You’d think there would be more sports board games, with both sports and board games
January 10, 2022
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Reviews
The Field of the Cloth of Gold Review
Amabel Holland’s The Field of the Cloth of Gold is a game of extreme passive aggressiveness. With a smile and a wink it puts players
January 4, 2022
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Some Changes To The Podcast For 2022
Just a quick announcement about some changes that’ll be happening to the podcast and The Thoughtful Gamer generally going forward. In short, I’m going to
January 1, 2022
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Podcast
Podcast Episode 94: PAX Unplugged 2021
Conventions are sort of back! Marc, Amber, Lindsay, and Orion drove down to Philadelphia a couple of weeks ago to go to one of the
December 27, 2021
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Conventions
PAX U 2021 Recap (part 3)
Am I about to become obsessed with Netrunner again? I’d sort of packed it away as a great memory after it stopped getting support from
December 23, 2021
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Conventions
PAX U 2021 Recap (part 2)
I admit I get a bit of a rush during convention days where I’m learning and playing games back to back for 12 hours straight.
December 20, 2021
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Conventions
PAX U 2021 Recap (Part 1)
The first thing I discovered at PAX U is that I’d forgotten how to speak to people. Not that I was ever good at it
December 17, 2021
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Commentary
The Thoughtful Gamer’s Super-Mega 2021 Holiday Gift Guide Spectacular
The time has come for everyone to scramble for those last minute Christmas gifts to pile up under the tree and once again The Thoughtful
December 16, 2021
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Commentary
My Case Against Review Metrics
I don’t understand the thought process that leads to using established metrics in game reviews. That sounds pompous but I’m being earnest. I’m open to
December 9, 2021
1 Comment
Reviews
SpaceCorp 2025-2300AD Review
I can explain a lot of the emotions that board games give me. Tension and release; the satisfaction of solving a difficult puzzle; the greedy
December 1, 2021
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Reviews
Suburbia Review
Ted Alspach’s Suburbia combines two simple pleasures, drafting and tile-placement, as well as any game ever made. Like an ice cream parlor displaying its sweet
November 24, 2021
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Podcast
Podcast Episode 93: Chillcast 4: Chill Again
It’s another chillcast, this time with Marc and Amber. It…well, it gets a bit silly. I’m sorry. 1:09 – Literally we talk about the weather3:52
November 20, 2021
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Reviews
Dinosauria Review
Honestly, I’m split. Now that the paleontological scholarship has shifted towards dinosaurs being feathery and perhaps occasionally brightly colored, I can appreciate the appeal of
November 17, 2021
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Reviews
Carpe Diem Review
Stefan Feld’s Carpe Diem is so clearly riffing on many of the same ideas in his masterpiece The Castles of Burgundy that I can’t help
November 11, 2021
2 Comments
Podcast
Podcast Episode 92: A Conversation with Austin Smokowicz about Robotech Reconstruction
Austin’s enthusiasm for Robotech Reconstruction is plain to see (hear?) in this podcast. As one half of the Dr. Wictz design team, he’s gone deep
November 5, 2021
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Reviews
Dice Command Review
Dice Command, the small box WWII game debut from Ejected Planet, caused me to reflect on the expression that “war is the continuation of policy
November 1, 2021
2 Comments
Reviews
Battle for Biternia Review
Adapting an outside property into board game form is simple. I mean, it’s not. But it also is. Bear with me here. Board games, insofar
October 27, 2021
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Podcast
Podcast Episode 91: A Conversation With Jason Perez On Colonialism In Board Games
Marc sits down with Jason Perez from Shelf Stories to talk about colonialism in board games. Along the way they also touch on social media,
October 23, 2021
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Reviews
Union Station Review
Union Station is on kickstarter now. Travis D. Hill’s Union Station is admirable in its transparency. It doesn’t disguise itself with excess; it’s confident in
October 12, 2021
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Card and Dice Poll
Podcast Episode 90: Card and Dice Poll Discussion
Marc sits down with Erik Twice, Ryan LaFlamme, and Andrew Holmes to ask each of them about their approaching to selecting their 10 greatest board
October 10, 2021
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