Garrett's Games And Geekiness

Shelley and I build pastel buildings as we wander through the beautiful Venetian island of Burano in Walking in Burano by Wei-Min Ling from EmperorS4 and then create fantasy islands and try to score the most points in doing so in Skylands by Shun from Queen Games

Shelley and I race to build the best fleet of space ships and send them out into the void in  Space Base by John D. Clair from AEG and then send our crusading knights across Europe to defeat the heathen hordes in Crusaders: Thy Will Be Done by Seth Jaffee from Tasty Minstrel Games

Shelley and I get a chance to preview the forthcoming Bezier Games' title  Cabo by Mandy Henning and Melissa Limes from Bezier Games and then have fun burning our brains, building a pyramid, and attempting to earn the gods' favors in Teotihuacan: City of Gods by Daniele Tascini from NSKN Games

Shelley and I take on 2 titles that start with F, but vary markedly in their play and fun value! Fuji by Wolfgang Warsch from Feuerland Spiele had us running (unsuccessfully) from Fuji's volcanic eruption...and not enjoying the experience. and Futuropia by Friedemann Friese from Stronghold Games has us working to create a utopian condominium experience where food and energy are provided by robots doing the work so we no longer have to! Fun planning from the guy who loves green.

This week Shelley and I enjoy some sand castle building from Stronghold Games, then have a bit less fun (possibly due to playing it 2-player) trying to win the favor of the Emperor. Fine Sand by Friedemann Friese from Stronghold Games and Gugong by Andreas Steding from Game Brewer

Shelley and I become competing gods as we build separate worlds with worshippers in pyramids for Orbis by Tim Armstrong from Space Cowboys and 5x5 City by Hisashi Hayashi from Okazu Brand

Shelley and I start off with lighter fare as we draft, then place polyominoes in Polyssimo Challenge by Alain Brobecker from Djeco and then try to win favor and protect our interests in Portugal in Coimbra by Flaminia Brasini and Virginio Gigli

Shelley and I head to Japan to duke it out as competing companies building our power and influence in  Yokohama Duel by Hisashi Hayashi from Okazu Brand and then head under the sea as environmental problems have forced humanity to build Underwater Cities by Vladimir Suchy from Delicious Games

Shelley and I have some fun as competing space agencies in 1950's inspired artwork of Lift Off by Jeroen Vandersteen from Hans im Glück and then explore uncharted forest where monsters roam and rewarding artifacts can be obtained in The Boldest by Sophia Wagner from Stronghold Games

Shelley and I have more fun with a roll & write polyomino game, then a fantastic time building our ancient Roman colonies. Brikks by Wolfgang Warsch from Schmidt and Forum Trajanum by Stefan Feld from Stronghold Games

Shelley and I check out a quick filler and a solid family game from well-known designers: Trellis by Teale Fristoe from Breaking Games and  Okavango by Michael Kiesling and Wolfgang Kramer from Jumbo

Shelley and I attempt to make the best of our tea plantations in  Ceylon by Chris and Suzanne Zinsli from Ludonova and then expand our reach in the solar system with colonies in Terraforming Mars: Colonies by Jacob and Jonathan Fryxelius from Stronghold Games

Shelley and I have some fun building rival zoos, then attempt to make the best of a BAD situation as the lights go out and stay out in Hong Kong! WonderZoo by Florian Fay from Djeco and Blackout: Hong Kong by Alexander Pfister from eggertspiele

Shelley and I have a great time rolling dice and creating frescoes for our competing Viking clans, then have a LOT less fun competing to grow veggies in Iceland. Lindisfarne by Damien Fleury and Alain Pradet from RUNES Editions and Reykholt by Uwe Rosenberg from Frosted and Renegade Games

Shelley and I plant rival gardens this week, hoping our neighbors don't disturb our crops too much, then build sections of Rome in two games that involve player building their own tableau. Mr. Cabbagehead's Garden by Todd Sanders from LudiCreations and Great City of Rome (or City of Rome depending on the publisher) by Matthew Dunstan and Brett J. Gilbert from Z-Man (if it's Great) and Abacusspiele (if it's just a City).

Shelley and I get rolling BIG time on two fantastic Essen releases. The first is a small-box game with a BIG box feel 1906 San Francisco by Perepau Llistosella from Looping Games followed by a double rondel card management game Crown of Emara by Benjamin Schwer from Pegasus Spiele

Shelley and I get our party hats on as we organize a cool party in Portugal Tetris-style, then work with our glaziers to make the most beautiful stained glass windows! Arraial by Nuno Bizarro Sentieiro and Paulo Soledade from Mebo Games and Azul: Stained Glass of Sintra by Michael Kiesling from Next Move/Plan B Games  

Shelley and I work hard to rebuild our reefs with cool plastic Duplo-like blocks, then attempt to be the best sponsors of classical composers! Reef by Emerson Matsuuchi from Next Move/Plan B Games and Symphony No. 9 by Frank Liu and Hung-Yang Shen from Moaideas  

Shelley and I check out the new Knizia game that's a cousin to Through the Desert, then try the second BIG game from Hungarian publisher A-Games. Blue Lagoon by Reiner Knizia from Blue Orange Games and  PreHistory by Attila Szogyi from A-Games

Shelley and I tackle two sequels of sorts this episode as we recover from Essen by adding this quick episode to the feed (recorded back in September). This time it's the recent releases Lost Cities Rivals by Reiner Knizia from KOSMOS and My Little Scythe by Hoby and Vienna Chou from Stonemaier Games