Garrett's Games And Geekiness

After two years away, Shelley and I once again organized our annual Meeplefest Invitational and therefore got to play some interesting and unusual games over the course of 5 fun-filled days. The first two fall into the polyomino genre and may be harder to track down, but are well worth a quick discussion. Alluvium by Yusuke Sawaguchi from Fudacoma Games and Yojohan Pepa Saikei by Shimamuranao from Hallelujah Rockboy Remember that you can sponsor the podcast at www.patreon.com/garrettsgames or buy a game from our Games for Sale list and just pay for shipping to have it arrive safe and sound on your doorstep: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing  

Shelley and I get the deluxe version of Stroganov by Andreas Steding from Game Brewer and then we check out the new revamped version of the 2018 Japanese draw and draw game Let's Make A Bus Route which has now become  Get On Board: New York & London by Saachi from IELLO If you enjoy our weekly blatherings and want to support the podcast, you can either go to www.patreon.com/garrettsgames and send us a donation, OR you can get yourself a game (or a FEW of them) by purchasing something off our Games For Sale list. Games are priced right and if you're local, we can meet up, or just pay for the games and shipping and we'll have them delivered to your door in no time. Here's the list: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing  

The great sound quality returns this week as Shelley and I put our printers hats on and select our movable type in Gutenberg by Katarzyna Cioch and Wojciech Wisniewski from Granna and Portal Games then we hurriedly clean our house to make it look nice in Before the Guests Arrive by Saashi from Saashi & Saashi You can help support the podcast by checking out our Games For Sale Google Doc. Pick out a few games that are priced to sell and then just pay shipping to have them arrive on your doorstep. You'll help keep our little podcast running and have new games ready to hit the table. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing You can also support the podcast by going to www.patreon.com/garrettsgames

This week Shelley and I get ANOTHER Roll & Write version of a title we already love to the table Yokohama Roll&Write by Hisashi Hayashi from Okazu Brand then check out a 2-player game from a few years back that had been sitting on the shelf for far too long - the Mad Max inspired Kero by Prospero Hall from Hurrican You can help support the podcast by checking out our Games For Sale Google Doc. Pick out a few games that are priced to sell and then just pay shipping to have them arrive on your doorstep. You'll help keep our little podcast running and have new games ready to hit the table. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing You can also support the podcast by going to www.patreon.com/garrettsgames Sorry for the less than stellar quality if the sound on this (and last week's) podcasts. I forgot to plug the recorder into the miser properly, hence the echo-y sound quality. I hope the content is still worth your time.

This week Shelley and I get an oldie but goodie to the table playing  Expedition or Expedition Famous Explorers (along with a couple of other names) by Wolfgang Kramer from Ravensburger, Queen Games and 8th Summit among others. then we try out a brand new title from the designer best known for Carcassonne Fire & Stone by Klaus-Jürgen Wrede from Pegasus Spiele You can help support the podcast by checking out our Games For Sale Google Doc. Pick out a few games that are priced to sell and then just pay shipping to have them arrive on your doorstep. You'll help keep our little podcast running and have new games ready to hit the table. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing You can also support the podcast by going to www.patreon.com/garrettsgames Sorry for the less than stellar quality if the sound on this (and next week's) podcasts. I forgot to plug the recorder into the miser properly, hence the echo-y sound quality. I hope the content is still

Shelley and head to out space to design tech trees and explore the galaxy in  Beyond the Sun by Dennis K. Chan from Rio Grande Games then we head into the mystical realm and explore The Forgotten City by Ying-Tan Liu from TWOPLUS Games Be sure to check out our list of games for sale - good deals and you just have to pay shipping - there are even some Freebies with purchase! https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing You can also sponsor the podcast at www.patreon.com/garrettsgames  

Shelley and I check out a quick card game with beautiful artwork Momiji by Dario Massarenti and Francesco Testini from Japanime Games and Deer Games then we pull one that's been sitting onthe shelf unplayed and realize we had been missing out on Franchise by Christwart Conrad from Queen Games Be sure to check out our list of games for sale - good deals and you just have to pay shipping - there are even some Freebies with purchase! https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing You can also sponsor the podcast at www.patreon.com/garrettsgames  

This week Shelley and I run workshops to create beautiful tiles, then head into a steampunk world of grit and grime in Majolica by Yu Wang from Blue Magpie Games and  Corrosion by Stefan Bauer from Deep Print Games and Capstone Games Help support the podcast by sponsoring us on Patreon at www.patreon.com/garrettsgames or buy some games that are priced to sell - you just pay for the games you want, possibly choose a "Free With Purchase" title, and pay shipping. I'll wrap them up carefully and send them on their way to you! Check out the list of games at: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing  

This week Shelley and I build steampunk animal/mech hybrids in Imaginarium by Bruno Cathala and Florian Sirieix from Bombyx then have fun playing with plastic magnetized frames in Magnefix by Roberto Fraga from Amigo

Shelley and I talk a bit about our wonderful trip to Portugal from which we just returned, and then discuss the new big-box game from Quined Games Carnegie by Xavier Georges

Shelley and I place our bets as we play a GREAT new title from Perplext  Long Shot: The Dice Game by Chris Handy then pull a great recent title off the shelf once again to discuss its L'Etoile expanion Paris by Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling from Game Brewer

Shelley and I head to Oaxaca and play  Zapotec by Fabio Lopiano from Board&Dice then we get healthy and eat our vegetables in Veggies by Jog Kung from Devir  We also mention Cafe by Rola and Costa from PYTHAGORAS in our discussion of Veggies as a better implementation of the tableau building by overlaying cards mechanism. Check it out!

Shelley and I got a chance to play Living Forest by Aske Christiansen from Ludonaute and discuss it, along with the other Kennerspiel des Jahres and Spiel des Jahres Nominees and Recommended Games. SdJ Nominees: Cascadia by Randy Flynn from Flatout Games and KOSMOS Scout by Kei Kajino from Oink Games and One More Game! Top Ten by Aurelien Picolet and Cocktail Games SdJ Recommended: 7 Wonders: Architects echoes: The Dancer Magic Rabbit My Gold Mine So Clover! Trek 12: Himalaya KdJ Nominees Cryptid from Hal Duncan and Ruth Veevers and Osprey Games 7 Skelling Games Dune Imperium by Paul Dennen and Dire Wolf Living Forest  KdJ Recommended: Ark Nova Khora: Rise of an Empire Witchstone

Shelley and take on a single game once again this week. This time the physical size isn't as huge as last week, but the depth is certainly there! Golem by Flaminia Brasini, Virginio Gigli, and Simone Luciani from Cranio Creations

Shelley and I tackle a literally HUGE game this week...it's so big it deserved its own show! Foundations of Rome by Emerson Matsuuchi from Arcane Wonders

Shelley and I take a break from reviews to reflect on our favorite Roll & Write or Draw & Draw games, a newer genre that certainly has exploded in the past few years. Shelley's Honorable Mentions: Silver & Gold by Phil Walker-Harding from NSV On Tour by Chad DeShon from Boardgametables Shelley's Top 5: 5) Explorers by Phil Walker-Harding from Ravensburger 4) Hadrian's Wall by Bobby Hill from Garphill Games, CMON Global & Renegade Game Studios 3) Second Chance by Uwe Rosenberg from Edition Spielwiese and Stronghold Games 2) The Clever Series (Ganz Schon Clever/That's Pretty Clever, Doppelt so Clever/Twice as Clever, Clever Hoch Drei/Clever Cubed) by Wolfgang Warsch from Schmidt Spiele and Stronghold Games 1) Welcome To... (+New Las Vegas, The Moon, etc.) by Benoit Turpin from Blue Cocker Games and Deep Water Games Doug's Honorable Mentions: On Tour by Chad DeShon from Boardgametables Let's Make A Bus Route The Dice Game by Saashi from Saashi & Saashi Doug's Top 5: 5) Biblios Quill & Par

Shelley and I get heavy as we wander downriver in Boonlake by Alexander Pfister from Capstone Games and dlp Games then we get dicey as we attempt to raise our levels and take over lands in First Empires by Eric B. Vogel from Sand Castle Games

Shelley and I delve once again into Dr. Knizia's legacy game, talking about the latter chapters of  My City by Reiner Knizia from Kosmos after we spend some time with the little brother of Isle of Cats - this week it's  Isle of Cats: Explore & Draw by Frank West from City of Games

Shelley and I discuss the first 1/2 of My City by Reiner Knizia from KOSMOS (with a few spoilers), but first we tackle the FOURTH in the Azul series Azul: Queen's Garden by Michael Kiesling from Next Move Games

Shelley and I return to Victorian England this week for a look at the Upstair/Downstairs and Wessex expansions for Obsession by Dan Hallagan from Kayenta Games then we head out into the garden and work with corn, beans and pumplins in the new roll & write Three Sisters by Ben Pinchback and Matt Riddle from Motor City Gameworks and 25th Century Games