Garrett's Games And Geekiness

Shelley and I go abstract this week as we get Azul: Summer Pavillion by Michael Kiesling from Next Move Games to the table, followed by a fun filler  Twisty by Faouzi Boughida from Djeco We then end the episode with a quick final conversation from Essen with Pontus Nilsson, a gamer friend and Instagram reviewer from Sweden.

Shelley and I spend our week in Paris for this episode, heading back to the Belle Epoque for  Paris La Cité de la Lumière by Jose Antonio Abascal Acebo and published by Devir then we go to post-apocalyptic Paris as humanity rebuilds in Paris New Eden by Florian Grenier and Ludovic Maublanc and published by Matagot

Shelley and I spend some time with two games from Hungary's A-Games Grund by Máté Brunner, Sámuel Lackner, Márton Ollári, and Patrik Venczel and Portolano by Adam Geri then I finish up my conversation with BGG's W. Eric Martin Other games discussed/mentioned: Wingspan Zoom in Barcelona Alubari Catan Tribune (new version due from Spielworxx) 10 Days in the USA China Hansa Traders of the Air

Shelley and I spend some time delving into the mancala mechanisms of R&R Games' new title  Humboldt's Great Voyage by Remo Conzadori and Nestore Mangone and then I begin a conversation with W. Eric Martin about Essen, games played, and thoughts on the industry. Other Games Discussed: Die Crew Maracaibo Spring on a String Magic Maze on Mars Azul Summer Pavillion The Mind Deep Blue Qwirkle Innovation

Shelley and I have a great time with Snowdonia's brand new cousin Alubari by Tony Boydell from Studio H then I sit down for a chat with BGG's own Scott Alden (Aldie) for a discussion of Essen, BGG and the games we love.

Shelley and I have a great time racing around Barcelona taking photos in Zoom in Barcelona by Núria Casellas, Eloi Pujadas, and Joaquim Vilalta from Cucafera Games Then Beth Heile, the Geek Up Bits Goddess and fantastic on-camera interviewer joins me on the microphones from Essen for a discussion of coach houses, games, and bits. Other games mentioned: Glen More II Mystery House Kraftwagen Thebes Targi Quacks of Quedlinberg Krass Kariert

Shelley and I get MEBO Games' family-style new release Porto by Orlando Sá then I sit down at Essen for a quick chat with Ted Alspach of Bezier Games to discuss their current and upcoming releases, as well as something that piqued his interest at the fair. Games Mentioned: Silver Silver Bullet Suburbia Collector's Edition Minecraft: Builders and Biomes

Lincoln Damerst of Game Night, the Boardgamegeek Show and other BGG projects joins me on the microphones while we had a break at Essen last week. Lincoln reflects on our 11 years of working the largest board game convention together for BGG, as well as the shows he produces and games he's looking forward to getting to the table that were released at the fair. Some of the games mentioned: Yellow and Yangtze Babylonia Set & Match Greenville 1989  

Shelley and I have fun building our respective record collections in our games of  Vinyl by Eric Alvarado from Talon Strikes Studios then compete to dam rivers and generate power for our respective countries in Barrage by Tommaso Battista and Simone Luciani from Cranio Creations

Shelley and I spend a few minutes discussing and reviewing  Bloom Town by Asger Harding Granerud and Daniel Skjold Pedersen from Sidekick Games which is releasing at Essen and (I just found out) will be a WalMart exclusive title here in the US (here's the pre-order link if you're interested in getting it that way: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sidekick-Games-Bloomtown-Board-Game/929325378 Then we delve into the Essen Preview from L-Z (you'll find A-K in last week's episode). Here's a list of the games mentioned: Category 1: Pre-Ordered Post Scriptum: Florenza The Dice Game  Ostia Spiele: Vilnius Te oder Cafe Quined Games: Terramara Taiwan Board Games: Electropolis Formosa Tea UBike Tours Taiwan Category 2: Check out & Possibly Buy Laurapelit.fl 3-J115 Amul: Another one by the Manitoba designer Lookout Games 1-F135 Newdale: Pfister Foothills: Boydell Mandala: 2-player Looping Games 5-J114 1942 USS Yorktown: 1-4 players 1987 Channel Tunnel: 2-player only Ludonova 5-D112 Babylonia: Knizia Yukon Airways: Interes

Shelley and I spend a few minutes previewing a game that will be readily available at Spiel 2019, then dive head first into the Essen Preview with a look at publishers A-L. Sierra West by Jonny Pac Cantin from Board&Dice Preview Titles in order of discussion: Category 1: Pre-Ordered The Magnificent Santa Maria: Exploration Deck Trails of Tucana Era of Tribes Montmartre Save The Meeples Cooper Island Masters of the Renaissance: Lorenzo Il Magnifico The Card Game Trimau: Grand Tour Orchard Ocean On The Origin of Species Maracaibo Orléans Stories   Category 2: Check out & Possibly Buy A-Games 4-F101 Grund: Kids on playground try to gain happiness points/cat messes with plans Portolano: Random tiles to make up sea around which players sail/goods collection & simultanesous planning/run out of rum and the player’s sailors rebel  Abacusspiele 3-E114 Tajuto: Knizia with beautiful plastic bits making up pagodas which are drawn from a bag. Amigo #MyLife: Card Game about Birth to Death 6 Nimmt! Brettspiel: I

The Meeplefest 2019 episodes finish up with conversations about inclusion of non-gamers, the use of VR and AR in games, as well a technology's role and possible problems going forward. Then we finish with some words about games we enjoyed and can see playing going forward. Joining Shelley and me at the table are Joe Huber (Caravan, Ice Cream, Cream Machine) Ric Bretschneider of the Fanboy Planet Podcast as well as Amanda, Anne, Denis, Jessica, John, and Shoana

The youngest Meeplefesters join the conversation as we delve into why they enjoy gaming, and then continue long-standing conversations about teaching games, reading game rules, and using tech in board games. On the mics are  Susan McKinley Ross (Qwirkle, Qwirkle Cubes, Color Stix, Hoot Owl Hoot) and Joe Huber (Caravan, Ice Cream, Scream Machine) along with Ric Bretschneider of the Fanboy Planet Podcast,  Amanda, Shoana, Anne, Denis, John, Jessica and, of course, Shelley and me

The roundtable for Night 2 continues with discussions of publishing and the tsunami of games AND gamers that have been building over the past few years. Joining Shelley and me on mics are Matt Leacock (Pandemic, Pandemic Legacy, Era: Medieval Age, Forbidden Sky, Thunderbirds) Susan McKinley Ross (Qwirkle, Color Stix, Qwirkle Cards, Cirplexed!, Skippity) Joe Huber (Caravan, Ice Cream, Scream Machine) Ric Bretschnieder of Fanboy Planet Podcast Denis Begin John Morrow Anne Brosnahan Shoana Hunt  

Designers, podcasters and gamers get on the mics once again for Night 2 of the 2019 Meeplefest Roundtable. Matt Leacock (Pandemic, Pandemic Legacy, Era: Medieval Age, Forbidden Island, Mole Rats in Space, Roll Through the Ages) Susan McKinley Ross (Qwirkle, Color Stix, Qwirkle Cards) Joe Huber (Caravan, Ice Cream, Scream Machine) join Ric Bretschnieder of Fanboy Planet Podcast as well as Shelley, Denis, Anne and me for a free-wheeling discussion of design and the board game marketplace. Other games mentioned: The Taverns of Tiefenthal Heartland and Gunkimono Mondrian The Dice Game King's Breakfast

Night 1 of Meeplefest winds up with a great discussion about the Spiel des Jahres nominees, as well as the effect of both Kickstarter and the tsunami of games released has on the hobby. Joining Shelley and me once again are designers Tom Lehmann (Race for the Galaxy, Res Arcana, Fast Food Franchise, The City and many others) Scott Caputo (The One Hundred Torii, Whistle Stop, Volupsa, etc.) and Joe Huber (Caravan, Scream Machine, Ice Cream) as well as podcasters and gamers Ric Bretschneider - The Fanboy Planet Podcast Doug Richardson - The Spiel Podcast Denis Begin

Meeplefest Night 1 continues with Part 2 as the designers and gamers sit around talking more about games we have enjoyed or had some problems with, then turn specifically to the Kennerspiel des Jahres. Joining us on the microphones are Tom Lehmann (Race for the Galaxy, Res Arcana, 1846, Fast Food Franchise, New Frontiers, To Court the King) Joe Huber (Caravan, Ice Cream, Scream Machine, Starship Merchants) Scott Caputo (Kachina, The One Hundred Torii, Voluspa, Whistle Stop) Simon Hunt (Pick & Pack, Take Stock) Ric Bretschneider - Fanboy Planet Podcast Doug Richardson - The Spiel Podcast Denis Begin    

Night 1 of Meeplefest's podcasting roundtable extravaganza begins with awesome designers and podcasters hanging out around the table discussing design and development. On the mics for this part: Tom Lehmann: (Race for the Galaxy, 1846, The City, Pandemic, and Res Arcana) Joe Huber: (Caravan, Burger Joint, Ice Cream, Scream Machine) Scott Caputo: (Kachina, Whistle Stop, The One Hundred Torii) Ric Bretschneider: The Fanboy Planet Podcast Doug Richardson: The Spiel Denis Begin  

Shelley and I get a bunch of players together to challenge everyone's karate skills (or at least ability to collect and play cards) in Karate Tomate by Reiner Knizia from Amigo then enlist numerous anthropomorphic animals to gain status in Shobai All Right by Hisashi Hayashi from Okazu Brand

Shelley and I work as rival shipping conglomerates in South Asia in East Indiaman by David Wang from David Wang Studio then get more contemplative with the beautiful garden-building game Horticulture Master by Lin Yen-Kuang from MOZI Game