Meeple Nation Board Game Podcast: Recent Episodes
Meeple Nation
A weekly 30 minute show about board games. Most weeks, Ryan, Brent and Nathan talk about a single game. What we like about it, what we don't, theme, audience, quality, and fun.
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 618: August 2026 Turn One
Episode release date is August 5, 2026
Show Notes
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Nathan
- Positano
-
Pyradice
-
Douglas
- Star Wars: Imperial Assault
- Heart of the Empire
-
Under Falling Skies
-
Andy
- Marvel Zombies: A Zombicide Game - Brad's first play
-
The Taverns of Tiefenthal-Adrienne showed-up to play (without Dave)
-
Amberlee
- Unmatched: Stars and Stripes
- Mondrian: Color in Motion
New Game Radar
- Nathan
- Lodge
- Windmill Valley Duel
-
GI Joe: Operation Cobra
-
Doug
- Spirit Train
- Isle of Penguins
-
Wingspan Pocket
-
Andy
- Wingspan Pocket
- Lodge
-
XCOM: The Miniatures Game
-
Amberlee
- The Hobbit: There and Back Again
- Dune Imperium: Uprising
Episode 617: July 2026 Bonus Round
Episode release date is July 29, 2026
Show Notes
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Nathan
- Deep Regrets
- Fountains
- Booty Dice
- Bomb Buster times 5
- Mycelia
- Galactic Cruise
- Pina Coladice
- Excalibur times 2
- Art Society
- Chicken!
- Really Bad Art
- Odin
- 12 Rivers
- Ra and Write times 2
- Stellar Drift: Pull and Write
- Secret Identity Times 2
- Take 5 & Take a Number
- Brilliant
- Century: Golem Edition
- Puerto Rico
- Skyrise
- Patchwork Doodle times 2
- Parks (Second Edition)
- Freelancers: A Crossroads Game
-
The Bat
-
Unstopable
- Take Time times 3
- Salem 1692 times 2
- Hitster
- Green Team Wins
-
Julie for the win
-
Bullseye
-
Douglas
- Excalibur
- 12 Rivers
- Ra and Write
- Lost Ruins of Arnak
- Secret Identity
- Take 5 (The whole Dang Game)
- Green Team Wins
- Really Bad Art
- Freelancers: A Crossroads Game
- Parks (Second Edition)
- Salem 1692
-
Hitster
-
Andy
- Forest Shuffle
- Dead Reckoning
- Hitster
- Really Bad Art
- Apiary
- Forges of Ravenshire
- Click a Tree
- Salem 1692-Moderator only
- Green Team Wins
- Puerto Rico
- Secret Identity
- Deep Regrets
- Stellar Drift: Pull and Write
Episode 616: July 2026 Turn Two
Episode release date is July 15, 2026
Show Notes
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
-
Nathan
- Brilliant
- Mistborn: The Deck Building Game
- dnup
-
Douglas
-
Arkham Horror LCG
- Heat: Pedal to the Medal
-
Andy
-
Descent: Legends of the Dark
- Map Masters
New Game Radar
- Nathan
- Clank! A Deck-Building Adventure: Master Thief Edition
- Altera
-
Escape from Mars
-
Doug
- Forest Shuffle: Smokey Mountains
- Timespan
- P.I. Second Edition
- Everdell Journeys
- Forbidden Legacy
-
Mystic Lands
-
Andy
- War of the Dragon: The Wheel of Time
Episode 615: July 2026 Turn One
Episode release date is July 1, 2026
Show Notes
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Nathan
- 12 Rivers
- Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game 3-Player Option
- Obsession
- Leylines
-
Cover you A$$ets
-
Douglas
- Lairs
- Star Wars: Villainous
- Finspan
-
Terrorscape
-
Andy
- Grimcoven
- Tiny Turbo Cars
- Akropolis: Pantheon
- Mycelia
Episode 614: June 2026 Turn Two
Episode release date is June 17, 2026
Show Notes
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Nathan
- Stonespine Architects
- Loco Momo
- he Wolves
-
Dozito
-
Douglas
- Undaunted Stalingrad (Update)
-
Lands of Evershade
-
Andy
- Descent: Journey into the Dark
- Dominion
New Game Radar
-
Nathan
- Star Gazers
- Kalypso
- Observatory
-
Doug
-
Recall
- Horrified: Dungeons and Dragons - Ravenloft
- Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game - Rebels and Imperials
- Lord of the Rings: Ascension
-
Andy
-
All In: Predictions
- Totally Human
Episode 613: June 2026 Turn one
Episode release date is June 3, 2026
Show Notes
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Nathan
-
Perch
-
Douglas
- Ticket to Ride Legacy
- Moon Colony Bloodbath with Lydia
-
Bomb Busters
-
Andy
- Star Wars: Imperial Assault
- TIME Stories
- Arkham Horror Card Game
- Destinies
New Game Radar
- Nathan
- Army of Darkness
- Escape From New York
- They Live
-
Big Trouble in Little China
-
Thunder Road: Ignition
-
Galaxy Trucker
-
Douglas
- Nemesis: Retaliation
- SETI sells over 100,000 copies
- Mistborn: The Deckbuilding Game - The Well of Ascension
- 105 new cards to shuffle in
- Focus on book 2
-
Siege of Luthadel solo and co-op mode
-
Andy
- CMON moving into video games
- Investing 2.1 million into company Blissful Link
- Transition titles like Massive Darkness and Super Fantasy Brawl Reborn into digital versions.
- DCeased
- Dead Keep
Episode 612: May 2026 Turn Two
Episode release date is May 20, 2026
Show Notes
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Nathan
- High Season: Grand Hotel Roll & Write
- Orapa Mine
- Flaming Pyramids
- Tacta
- Positano
- Bomb Busters
- Arigato
-
Moonlight: The Land of the Wolves
-
Douglas
-
Arkham Horror: The Card Game (new revised core set - season 2)
-
Andy
- Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Wrath of the Righteous
- Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Rise of the Runelords
New Game Radar
- Nathan
- FLOE
- Cross the Line
- Drillers
- Formidable Farm
- Kalypso
- Aspens
-
Compania
-
Douglas
- Nemesis Legacy
-
TM: The Legacy of Mars
-
Max
-
Cyberpunk TCG
-
Andy
- Flowers
- Botany: Floral Dragons
- Radiance
- Voidfall: Resurgence
Episode 611: May 2026 Turn One
Episode release date is May 6, 2026
Show Notes
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Nathan
- They Live: Assault on Cable 54
- Zombicide Second Edition on BGA
-
Lairs
-
Douglas
-
Undaunted Stalingrad
-
Max
-
Mantis
-
Andy
- Marvel Zombies: A Zombicide Game
- Sentinels
-
Fantastic Four
-
Descent: Legends of the Dark
New Game Radar
- Nathan
- Undaunted 2200: Revolution
- Azure
-
Moytura
-
Douglas
- Zombicide: Dead Men Tales
-
Asmodee
-
Brass Pittsburgh
-
Andy
- The discontinuation of Descent: Legends of the Dark
-
No Act III coming
-
Reactor Rescue kickstarter
- The Cats of Mont Saint Michel
- Fight! Mortal Kombat 1
- 1988 Film, Puss in Boot starring Christopher Walken
- Mortal Kombat Motion Capture
Episode 609: April 2026 Turn Two
Episode release date is April 15, 2026
Show Notes
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
If you like Okay Podcasts.. Welcome home..
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Nathan
- Streetcar (Line 1)
- Deep Rock Galactic
- Winnie the Pooh: Serious Detective
- Tend
-
Folklore: The Affliction
-
Douglas
-
Arkham Horror: LCG (Finished Drowned City)
-
Andy
- Middara: Unintentional Malum – Act 1
-
The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game – Revised Core Set
-
Max
- Creature Caravan
New Game Radar
- Nathan
- Robo Rally Dice
- Forbidden Legacy
- Aquatica Duellum
-
Monty Python and the Holy Grail: The Game
-
Douglas
- Codenames Expansions
-
Dinogenics: New Arrivals
-
Andy
- Gold Country
- The Game Makers
- Vampire Survivors: The Board Game
Episode 607: March 2026 Turn Two
Episode release date is March 18, 2026
Show Notes
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Nathan
- Obsession
- Apothebakery
-
Ready Set Bet
-
Douglas
- Mistborn: The Deckbuilding Game
- Steampunk Rally Fusion
- Cthulhu: Dark Providence
- Sovereign: Fall of Wormwood
- SETI with Space Agencies
-
Apothebakery
-
Andy
- Grimcoven
- Return to Dark Tower
- Apiary
- Gang of Dice
New Game Radar
- Nathan
-
Legendary DC Deck building Game
-
Douglas
-
The Malice of Light Adventures
-
Andy
- Deckers
Episode 606: March 2026 Turn One
Episode release date is March 4, 2026
Show Notes
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Nathan
- Unstoppable
-
Flash Point: Fire Rescue
-
Douglas
- Unstoppable
- Stellar Drift: Pull & Write
- Heat: Petal to the Metal
- Earth
-
Endeavor: Deep Sea
-
Andy
- Unstoppable
- Stellar Drift: Pull & Write
- Earth
New Game Radar
- Nathan
- Cities USA
- Cities: City Achievements and Theaters
- The Gang: Deluxe Edition
-
The Gang: More Players Expansion
-
Douglas
- Invincible: The Card Game
-
Evenfall: The Crystal Path
-
Andy
- Chronicles of Crime: Eldritch Secrets
- Chronicles of Crime: Courtroom Justice
- PDX
Episode 605: February 2026 Turn Two
A Little Lost and a Little Late. I had some technical issues but we still made it.
Episode release date is February 18, 2026
Show Notes
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Nathan
- Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era
-
Bomb Busters
-
Douglas
- Elder Scrolls: BotSE
- Biome
-
Grimcoven
-
Andy
- Vantage
New Game Radar
- Nathan
- Forage (BGA)
- Heat: Rocky Roads Expansion
-
Heat: Legends
-
Douglas
- The Lord of the Rings: Fate of the Fellowship
-
War of the Ring: Sieges of Middle Earth
-
Andy
- Odalin: Dungeons of Doom
- Sail Legacy
Episode 604 February 2026 Turn One
Episode release date is February 4, 2026
Show Notes
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
Episode 603: January 2026 Turn Two
Episode release date is January 28, 2026
Show Notes
MXC Most Extreme Elimination Challenge
Wheel of Fish from UHF
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Email from Professor Dax
Josh 4138 games in 2025 Al Stewart 896 Seth 128
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Coatl
- Fountains
- Lord of the Rings The Card Game
-
Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-earth
-
Matchstick Tycoon
- Tianxia
- Unstoppable
New Game Radar
- Nathan
- Forage
- Lost Cities: Roll and Write
-
Trails of Tucana
-
Battle Monsters
- Battle Monsters: Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah
- Battle Monsters: Kong vs Mechagodzilla
-
Battle Monsters: Mothra
-
Odalin: Dungeons of Doom
- Reef Gardens
- Labyrinth: Chronicles
- Wingspan: American Expansion
-
Wingspan Standalone Game
-
Duel Game for Scythe & Expeditions
Episode 602: January 2026 Turn One
Episode release date is January 7, 2026
Show Notes
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Nathan
-
Living Forest: Duel
-
Douglas
- Lairs and Lost Chambers
- Underworld
- Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game
- Clank! Catacombs w/ Expansions
-
Andy
- Click A Tree
New Game Radar
-
Nathan
- GI Joe: Operation Cobra
- GI Joe: Heroscape
- Azure
- Threshold
-
Douglas
-
Lands of Evershade
- Stonesaga
- Dinogenics: New Arrivals
- Harakiri: Blades of Honor (Re-release)
- Long Dark Sea
- Horror on the Orient Express
- Odalin: Dungeons of Doom
- Cthulhu: Death May Die Forbidden Reaches
- DCeased
- Into the Godsgrave
- Andy
-
- Agent Avenue
- 7 Wonders Duel Pantheon
- INK
- Five Three Five
- DC Forever
- Flash Point: Fire Rescue
- Railroad Tiles
- Bomb Busters
- Line-It
- Flowers
- Flash Point: Fire Rescue
- New Frontiers
- Barrage
- Lorenzo il Magnifico
- Flaming Pyramids
- Fractured Sky
- Twinkle Twinkle
- Tacta
- 6 Nimmt (Take 5)
- Dracula vs Van Helsing
- Star Wars Villainous: Cold Tactics
- Legions (Abyss)
- Rest in Peace
- Mr Jack
- Parks (Second Edition)
- Booty Dice
- Dice Theme Park
- Secret Identity
- The Fox Experiment
- Explorers of Navoria
- Ready Set Bet
- Horrified: Dungeons & Dragons
- Kites
- Mind Up!
- Exhibition: 20th Century
- FlipToons
- Challengers!
Episode 601: December 2025 Bonus Round
Episode release date is December 31, 2025
Show Notes
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty) 2025 Edition!
- Nathan
- Most Played Games
- Conspiracy Abyss Universe
- Pixies
- Captain Flip
- Azul
- Flip 7
- Middle Ages
- Dice Hospital ER
- River Valley Glassworks
- Fromage
- Lucky Numbers
-
Hadrian's Wall
-
This Year's Favorites
- Flip 7
- Star Wars: Battle of Hoth
- River Valley Glassworks
- Conspiracy Abyss Universe
- Break the Code
- Dead Cells: The Rouge-Lite Board Game
- Ticket to Ride: Legacy: Legends of the West
-
Azure
-
Douglas
- THE BEST OF THE YEAR!
- MOST PLAYED (MIXED)
- Nature (37) (Table + App)
- Oathsworn (34) (Table)
- My City (34) (BGA)
- Let's Go to Japan (29) (Table + BGA)
- Jump Drive (27) (BGA)
- Arkham Horror (21) (Table)
- Cthulhu: Death May Die (18) (Table)
- My Island (18) (Table)
- The Crew: Mission Deep Sea (18) (BGA)
-
Sky Team (18) (BGA)
-
MOST PLAYED (TABLE ONLY)
- Oathsworn (34)
- Arkham Horror (21)
- Cthulhu: Death May Die (18)
- My Island (18)
- Slay the Spire (13)
- Marvel Champions (13)
- Flip 7 (12)
- The Gang (11)
- Elder Scrolls: BotSE (8)
- The Hunters A.D. (8)
-
Unstoppable (8)
-
STANDOUTS (My top 5 of 2025)
- Elder Scrolls: BotSE
- SETI
- Unstoppable
- The Gang
- The Hobbit: There and Back Again
- Bonus: The Mandalorian Faction for Star Wars: The DB Game
- Bonus: Dice Throne Outcasts
Episode 600: December 2025 Turn Two
Episode release date is December 17, 2025
Show Notes
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Nathan
- BGA
- Barrage
- Lorenzo il Magnifico
- Legions (Abyss)
- Booty Dice
- Abyss
- Agent Avenue
-
7 Wonders Duel Pantheon
-
Douglas
-
Nature (Digital)
-
Andy
-
Lizard Wizard
-
Amberlee
- Ticket to Ride Legacy: Legends of the West
- My Island
- And That's How I Died
New Game Radar
- Nathan
- Robo Rally Dice
- I'm Going to Risk It
-
Lightning Train
-
Douglas
- My Island
- Cthulhu: Death May Die: Fear of the Unknown
-
Wandering Towers: The Magic Tower
-
Andy
- Aqua Garden
- Sky Garden
- Dino Garden
- Chronicles of Crime: Cryptid Cases
- Spirited
-
Amberlee
- Nature: Natural Disasters
- Jurassic World: The Legacy of Isla Nublar
Episode 599: December 2025 Turn One
Episode release date is December 3, 2025
Show Notes
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Nathan
-
The Children of Morta
-
Amberlee
- The Hobbit: There and Back Again
-
If Princess Bride Married Railroad Ink
-
Andy
- 7 Wonders Dic
- Hadrian's Wall
-
Twilight Inscription
-
Douglas
-
The Gang
-
Nathan
-
Pina Coladice
-
Andy
- Secret Identity
New Game Radar
- Douglas
-
Grimcoven
-
Andy
-
Clank! Catacombs: Underworld
-
Amberlee
- Everdell: Mistwood
- Everdell: Newleaf
- Everdell: Duo
- Everdell: Farshore
-
Everdell: Silverfrost
-
Nathan
- Call of Cathulu: Miskatonic Tales Journeys in Innsmouth
- The Hunters: A.D. 1492
-
Hunters AD 1942: Boardlands
-
Douglas
-
All-In: Predictions
-
Nathan
-
Fountains
-
Andy
- Mystic Lands
- Dead Reckoning
- Mystic Vale
-
Edge of Darkness
-
Paragliders
-
Douglas
-
Room 25
-
Amberlee
- Azul Duel
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 598: November 2025 Turn Two
Episode release date is November 19, 2025
Show Notes
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Nathan
- Duel for Cardia
- Caverna: The Cave Farmers
-
Agricola
-
Douglas
- Oathsworn
-
Cthulhu: Death May Die
-
Andy
-
The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game – Revised Core Set
-
Amberlee
- Fleet: The Dice Game
- That's Not a Hat: Pop Culture
- That's Not a Hat: Incognito
New Game Radar
- Nathan
- Deep Rock Galactic Second Edition
- Winnie the Pooh: Serious Detective
- Harry Potter Miniatures Adventure Game: Wizarding Duels Starter Box
-
Three Kobolds in a Trench Coat
-
Doug
- The Elder Scrolls: Heroes of Tamriel
- Slay the Spire: Downfall
- Legions: Abyss Universe
-
Conspiracy: Abyss Universe
-
Andy
- Speedpaint Marker – Starter Set
- Click A Tree
- Ruinborn: Dungeons of Cabora
- Shadows of Brimstone: The Impossible Hell Train
-
Tenpenny Parks: Collector's Edition
-
Amberlee
- Let's Go to Japan
-
Let's Go to France
-
Lord of Rings: Journeys in Middle-earth
Episode 597: November 2025 Turn One
Episode release date is November 5, 2025
Show Notes
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
- Become a Chanameeple
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Nathan
- Sagani
- Nova Luna
- Framework
- Habitats
- Deckscape Crew vs Crew The Pirate
-
Schotten Totten
-
Douglas
- Everdell: Farshore
- Cloud City
-
Tokyo Highway
-
Andy
- Legacy at Sea
- Wondrous Creatures
New Game Radar
- Nathan
- Into the Machine
-
Shallow Sea
-
Doug
- Storm Weavers: Stronghold
- Mystic Curling Club
- Icecool
- Icecool 2
- Crokinole
- Klask
- Sonora
-
Spor O Bor (Polish version of Schotten Totten)
-
Andy
- Mythic Battles: Isfet
- Dead Reckoning: Port of Call
- Windmill Valley: Blooming Sails
Episode 596: October 2025 Bonus Round (Gift Guide)
Episode release date is October 29, 2025
Show Notes
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
- Become a Chanameeple
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Nathan
- Azure
- Duel for Cardia
- Five Three Five
- DC Forever
- Flash Point: Fire Rescue
- Railroad Tiles
- Moon Colony Bloodbath
- Caverna: The Cave Farmers
- Bomb Busters
- Cities of Venus: Lost Contact
- Zombicide White Death
- Zombicide Green Horde
- Line-It
- Flowers
- Flash Point: Fire Rescue
- New Frontiers
- Barrage
- Lorenzo il Magnifico
- Flaming Pyramids
- Fractured Sky
- Twinkle Twinkle
- Wondrous Creatures
-
Tacta
-
Douglas
-
Concordia
-
Andy
-
INK
-
Amberlee
- Stella: Dixit Universe
Gift Ideas for the Gamers in your World
Nathan
- Games
- INK
- Star Wars: Battle of Hoth
- Bomb Busters
-
Moon Colony Bloodbath
-
Goodies
- Metal Coins
-
Nice addition Star Wars Outer Rim
-
Iron Clays
-
Universal Monies or Counters
-
Game Topper Mats
-
Thematic Mats
-
Etsy Upgrades
-
Battle of Hoth
-
Card Sleeves
- Baggies
- Cloth Bags
Doug
- For Families
- Stella: Dixit Universe
- Star Wars: Battle of Hoth
-
Reef
-
For Gamers
- SETI
-
Vantage
-
Other Goodies
- Metal coins, poker chips (iron clays)
- Generic markers (tube of stones)
- Baggies, sleeves, trays
- Dice (lots of choices out there - know your recipient)
- Clothing
- Etsy
Andy
- Amazon.com: Ch ristmas Advent Calendar 2025, Mystery DND Dice Set
- Amazon.com: The Gamefather Board Games Board Games T-Shirt
- Amazon.com: D20 Dice Shaped DND Fantasy Whisky Ice Cube Mold - Roll for Refreshment, Level Up Your Drinks
- Other Goodies
- Dice Trays and Dice Towers
- Game bags
- Luxury Dice
-
Game mats
-
Amazon.com: The Ultimate Gamers Cookbook: Recipes for an Epic Game Night
- Pirates of Maracaibo
- Forest Shuffle
Amberlee
- Kingdomino
- Patchwork
- Flip 7
- Goodies
-
Iron Clays
-
Shelf Candy
Episode 595: October 2025 Turn Two
Episode release date is October 15, 2025
Show Notes
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Nathan
- Slide
-
Dark Heist
-
Douglas
- Altiplano
-
Tribes of Wind
-
Andy
- The Hunters A.D. 1492
- Foundations of Rome
New Game Radar
- Nathan
- Ofrenda
- Signal
- Spectral
-
Infiltraitors
-
Doug
- Wingspan, Finspan, Wyrmspan Expansions (Dragon Academy)
-
Arctica
-
Andy
- S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
- VANEA: Guardians of the Eldertree
Episode 594: October 2025 Turn One
Episode release date is October 1, 2025
Show Notes
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Nathan
- Up or Down
- Emerald Skulls
-
Black Orchestra
-
Douglas
- Storm Raiders
-
Vantage
-
Andy
- Escape: The Curse of the Temple
- Patchwork
- Dead Reckoning
- Sword & Sorcery
New Game Radar
-
Nathan
- For the Emperor
-
Doug
-
Cthulhu: Death May Die
- Vantage
- Scythe: Rise of Fenris
- Everdell: Farshore
- Everdell: Silverfrost
- Film Fatal
-
Andy
-
Don't Starve: The Board Game
- Don't Starve: The Board Game
Episode 593: September 2025 Turn Two
Episode release date is September 17, 2025
Show Notes
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Nathan
- Lying Pirates
-
Star Wars: Outer Rim
-
Douglas
- Battle of Hoth
-
SETI
-
Andy
- Project L
- Unstoppable
New Game Radar
Nathan
- Saltfjord
Doug
-
- Brink
- G.I. Joe Special Announcement
-
Andy
- Threshold
- BattleTech: Gothic
Episode 592: September 2025 Turn One
Episode release date is September 03, 2025
Show Notes
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
-
Web Page
- Become a Chanameeple
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
-
Nathan
- Nathan’s Notes
- Sagani
- Hutan: Life in the Rainforest
-
Douglas
- Pergola
- And That’s How I Died
-
Andy
-
Shadows of Brimstone
- Aeon Trespass: Odyssey
New Game Radar
-
Nathan
- Perch
- Toriki
-
Doug
-
- Forest Shuffle: Exploration Expansion
- Forest Shuffle: Dartmoor
- The Two Towers Trick Taking Game
-
Andy
-
Galaxy Trucker: Do What?!
- Thebai
Episode 591: August 2025 Turn Two
Episode release date is August 20, 2025
Show Notes
This week we kick off our new format.
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
- Become a Chanameeple
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Nathan
- Chromino
-
Bunny Kingdom
-
Douglas
-
TREOS
-
Andy
- Inori
New Game Radar
- Nathan
- Pergola
-
Up or Down
-
Doug
- Song of Silveranth
- Brass: Pittsburgh
-
Star Wars: Battle of Hoth!
-
Andy
- Vantage
- The Lord of the Rings: Fate of the Fellowship
Episode 590: Meeple Nation August 2025 News
Show Notes
Episode release date is August 13, 2025
It is time again for our news episode. We will be talking about some gaming highlights, new games, new game announcements, and we may even manage to get to some crowdfunding games too. Come join us at the game table.
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Intro of Meeple Nation The World’s Okayest Podcast.
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
- Come watch us on YouTube
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights
- Andy
-
Kids
-
Nathan
-
Life Update
-
Douglas
- Hawaii
This episode as with all of our news episodes is broken into three sections. New Game releases: games that can now be found in the wild, new game acquisitions, and games we are eager to try. Game announcements: This is a list of games that are fulfilling maybe and have not yet reached the store shelves, unless it is a CMON game then it is on the game shelf and backers are waiting disgruntled. New game announcements also include games that are in late production and will be released at a future time. Crowdfunding is games that have piqued our interest and maybe have even been backed by us. So with that, let's turn to the table and see what games we are talking about today.
- Zombicide Second Edition: Monty Python’s Flying Circus: A Rather Silly Expansion
- Monty Python & The Holy Grail: The Game
- Army of Darkness: The Board Game
- Lost Ruins of Arnak: Adventure Chest (Twisted Paths)
- Above and Below: Haunted
- Ascending Empires: Zenith Edition
- The South Tigris Moonsaga
- Inventors of the South Tigris: Era of Experts
- Scholars of the South Tigris: Body of Books
-
Wayfarers of the South Tigris: Tides of Trade
-
Unmatched: Battle of Legends Volume 3
- Brick Like This
- Square One
-
Chicken!
-
Solar Gardens
- Frozen Frontier
- Spokes
- The White Castle: Duel
- Return to Dark Tower: Expeditions
- Thunder Road: Vendetta - Interstate of Decay (Campaign!!)
- Koinobori
- Pirates of Maracaibo: Bermuda Triangle
-
Pirates of Maracaibo: Commanders
-
Aqualuma
- Tea Garden
- DreamEscape
- Phoenix New Horizon
- DOOM: The Dark Ages - Arena Board Game
- DOOM: Arena Board Game
- Heroes of Might and Magic: The Card Game
- The Void Unveiled: Echoes of Arkham
- The Witcher: Legacy
- Ascension 15th Anniversary
- Teburu Dungeon: Sword and Sorcery:
- Unmatched: Stars and Stripes
Episode 589: Player Elimination Games
Episode release date is July 30, 2025
Show Notes
This week we are discussing Player Elimination Games. This is not a mechanic we all love, but we have a surprising amount of player elimination games.
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
- Become a Chanameeple
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Andy
- Zombicide: White Death
-
Zombicide: White Death - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
-
Nathan
- Mythicals
The Player Elimination mechanic is one where one or more players are removed from the game before it officially ends. This can happen with two players or 16. When a player is eliminated, they typically can no longer take actions, score points, or influence the outcome, and must simply observe the rest of the game unfold.
This mechanic can create tension and urgency, as players try to avoid being eliminated and race to stay in the game. However, it can also lead to long periods of downtime for eliminated players. So lets turn to the game table and see who gets eliminated.
Player Elimination Games
- Gloomhaven Jaws of the Lion
- Clank!: A Deck-Building Adventure Game
- Clank! In! Space!: A Deck-Building Adventure
- Clank! Catacombs
- Clank! Legacy: Acquisitions Incorporated
- Nemesis
-
Nemesis: Lockdown
-
Shadows over Camelot
- Battlestar Galactica
- Arkham Horror: The Card Game
- Magic: The Gathering
- Star Wars: Customizable Card Game
- Star Trek: Customizable Card Game
-
Overpower
-
Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game
- Star Wars: X-Wing (Second Edition)
- Star Wars: Miniatures
- Memoir ‘44
- Twilight Imperium: Third Edition
- Mythic Battles: Pantheon
- The Castles of Burgandy
- Merchants of the Dark Road
- Cyclades: Legendary Edition
-
Lords of Waterdeep
-
Legendary Encounters: An Alien Deck Building Game
- Tiny Towns
- Ankh: Gods of Egypt
- Skull
- Feed the Kraken
- Risk Legacy
- Betrayal Legacy
- Betrayal At House on a Hill
Episode 588: Pick-up and Delivery Games
Episode release date is July 23, 2025
Show Notes
This week we complete our discussion of Pick up and Delivery games. So, we are going to line up a bunch of games and choose some to discuss.
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
- Become a Chanameeple
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Nathan
- Gonza index
-
Solar 175
-
Douglas
-
Marvel Zombies (X-Men)
-
Andy
- Architects of the West Kingdom
Top Pickup and Delivery Games on BGG
- Clank! Legacy: Acquisitions Incorporated
- Pandemic Legacy: Season 2
- Darwin’s Journey
- Final Girl
- Age of Steam
- Istanbul
- Xia: Legends of a Drift System
- Star Wars: Outer Rim
- Railways of the World
- Horrified
- Western Legends
- Steam
- The Witcher: Old World
- Istanbul: Big Box
- Indonesia
- Merchants and Marauders
- Firefly: The Game
- Flash Point Fire Rescue
- Bus
- Macao
- Black Orchestra
- Forbidden Desert
- Mansions of Madness
- Freedom: The Underground Railroad
- In the Hall of the Mountain King
- Broom Service
- Roads and Boats
- High Frontier 4 All
- The Oracle of Delphi
- Railways of Europe
- Coal Baron
- Leaving Earth
- Century: Golem Edition - Eastern Mountains
- Stationfall
- My Little Scythe
- Deep Sea Adventure
- Vast: The Crystal Caverns
- Evacuation
- Panamax
- Clinic: Deluxe Edition
- Imperial Steam
- Lords of Xidit
- Forbidden Island
- Container
- Akrotiri
- Horrified: American Monsters
- Genoa
- Merchants of the Dark Road
- Wasteland Express Delivery Service
- Flick ‘em Up!
- Container: 10th Anniversary Jumbo Edition
- Empires of the Void II
- Explores of the Empires of the Void II | Board Game | BoardGameGeekNorth Sea
- Wiz War
- Black Fleet
- Ghost Fightin’ Treasure Hunters
- Islebound
- Cafe
- Via Nebula
- Merchant of Venus (Second Edition)
- Zombie Teenz Evolution
- Fortune and Glory: The Cliffhanger Game
- Dead Men Tell no Tales
- Tiny Epic Zombies
- Maglev Metro
- Maximum Apocalypse
- Hansa
- Whistle Stop
- Santiago de Cuba
- Ahoy
- Yukon Airways
- Thunderbirds
- Merchant of Venus
- Aftermath
- Fire and Axe: A Viking Saga
- Fireball Island: The Curse of Vul-Kar
- Merkator
- Solenia
- Curious Cargo
- Ride the Rails
- Empire Builder
- Alien: Fate of the Nostromo
- Pirates Cove
- Giants
- Himalaya
- Nuns on the Run
Episode 586: Pickup and Delivery Games
Episode release date is July 9, 2025
Show Notes
This week we kick off our discussion of pickup and deliver games. So, we are going to line up a bunch of games and choose some to discuss.
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
-
Web Page
- Become a Chanameeple
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Nathan
Sequoia
- Sequoia is a quick, light dice-rolling and area majority game where players compete to grow the tallest trees in 11 different "forests."
- Objective: Have the tallest tree (most tree tokens) in as many forests as possible to score victory points.
- Over 10 turns, all players simultaneously roll five dice. They then secretly form two pairs from four of those dice (leaving one die unused). The sum of each pair determines which "forest" (numbered 2-12) they can place a tree token in.
- Strategy: You have to decide whether to focus on a few forests to dominate them, or spread your efforts to secure second-place consolation prizes.
- After 10 turns, the player with the most trees in a forest gets the first-place points, and the second-place player gets a smaller consolation prize. Ties are resolved with special tie-breaker rounds.
- Quick and Portable: Sequoia is known for its fast gameplay (around 10-15 minutes) and small box size, making it easy to bring to game nights.
Switchback
- Switchback is a quick and engaging tile-laying board game where players are trying to create the longest continuous paths of numbers (representing hiking trails up a mountain).
- Score the most points by having your "hikers" on tiles that form continuous numerical sequences of four or more tiles.
- Players take turns placing a tile from their hand onto the board. After placing a tile, they either place one of their hikers on that tile, or "buddy up" two of their hikers for a future double move.
- You'll constantly be making choices like:
- Where to place your tile to extend your own paths or block opponents.
- When to place a hiker versus buddying them up for a better placement later.
-
Whether to join an opponent's path to share points or create your own.
-
At the end of the game (when all tiles are placed), only hikers on paths of four or more consecutive numbers score points.
-
Simple rules but tough decisions, all with a quick playtime (10-20 minutes).
-
Douglas
- Tiny Epic Cthulhu
This week we are kicking off our discussion of pickup and delivery games. The "Pick-up and Delivery" (P&D) mechanic in board games is a core gameplay loop where players acquire specific items or units from one location on the game board and then transport them to another designated location to complete an objective or earn points. It's a fundamental concept that simulates logistics, trade, and transportation challenges within a game's theme.
Here's a breakdown of its characteristics and how it's used:
Core Characteristics of Pick-up and Delivery: 1. Goods/Passengers/Resources: There's always something to be picked up. 2. Pick-up Locations (Sources): Designated spots on the board where the goods originate. These can be:
* Fixed locations: Factories, farms, cities, ports.
* Player-controlled locations: A player's own production buildings.
* Dynamically generated: Cards drawn that specify a pick-up point.
- Delivery Locations (Destinations): Designated spots where the goods need to be dropped off.
-
Movement/Transportation: Players use their game pieces (vehicles, ships, trains, pawns representing workers) to move from the pick-up location to the delivery location. This often involves:
- Movement costs: Spending actions, money, or specific movement points.
- Route planning: Deciding the most efficient or strategic path.
- Obstacles/Competition: Other players, terrain, or events that impede movement or make certain routes less desirable.
- Capacity Limits: Players usually have a limited capacity for how many items they can carry at once, forcing strategic decisions about what to pick up and when.
-
Reward/Completion: Successfully delivering an item typically grants:
-
Victory points: The most common form of reward.
- Money or resources: To fund further actions.
- Unlocking new abilities: Access to new routes or upgrades.
- Advancing on a track: Progressing towards an endgame condition.
The P&D mechanic is incredibly versatile and appears in many genres:
-
Logistics and Trade Games:
- Theme: Often about managing a transportation network or economy.
-
Economic Games:
-
Theme: Focus on resource management, production, and supply chains.
-
Adventure and Quest Games:
-
Theme: Characters embarking on journeys, completing tasks, or rescuing individuals.
-
Worker Placement Games (often integrated):
-
Theme: Players assigning workers to perform actions.
Overall, the Pick-up and Delivery mechanic adds a layer of logistical challenge and strategic depth to board games, forcing players to think about movement, resource management, and timing to achieve their objectives.
Pickup and Delivery Games
- Dead Men Tell No Tales
- Space Dealer
- Century: Golem Edition - Eastern Mountains
- Escape Zombie City
- Forbidden Desert
- Maglev Metro
- The Witcher: Old World
- Pirates Cove
- Waste Knights: Second Edition
- Evacuation
- Pandemic Legacy Season 2
Episode 585: Meeple Nation July 2025 News
Show Notes
Episode release date is July 2, 2025
It is time again for our news episode. We will be talking about some gaming highlights, new games, new game announcements, and we may even manage to get to some crowdfunding games too. Come join us at the game table.
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Intro of Meeple Nation The World’s Okayest Podcast.
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
- Come watch us on YouTube
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights
- Nathan
- Games with Dianne
- Azul
- Lucky Numbers
-
Tsuro
-
Douglas
- Azul Duel
- Dorfromantik
- Dorfromantik Duel
- Res Arcana Duo
This episode as with all of our news episodes is broken into three sections. New Game releases: games that can now be found in the wild, new game acquisitions, and games we are eager to try. Game announcements: This is a list of games that are fulfilling maybe and have not yet reached the store shelves, unless it is a CMON game then it is on the game shelf and backers are waiting disgruntled. New game announcements also include games that are in late production and will be released at a future time. Crowdfunding is games that have piqued our interest and maybe have even been backed by us. So with that, let's turn to the table and see what games we are talking about today.
New Game Releases
- Wondrous Creatures
- DC Forever
- The Anarchy
- Marvel Champions: Falcon
- Marvel Champions: Winter Soldier
- https://arkhamdb.com/
- https://marvelcdb.com/
- https://ringsdb.com/
New Game Announcements
- Clank!: Catacombs - Underworld
- Point Galaxy
- Fortunes of Scoundrel Bay
- Gwent: The Legendary Card Game
- Azure
- Wispwood
- Wroth
- Recall
Crowdfunding Games
- Kickstarter
-
Endeavor Deep Sea: Uncharted Waters
-
Gamefound
- Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation
SaltPOD 0006, Summer 2025 Release date: June 30, 2025 Welcome gamers! If you are a board gamer, a social gamer, or someone who loves RPGs, SaltCON is a place for you. Welcome back to SaltPOD, your dedicated deep dive into the vibrant world of SaltCon and the incredible community that makes it tick! If you're new here, SaltPOD is your backstage pass, your insider scoop, your direct line to all things SaltCON. SaltCON – the biggest and best tabletop gaming convention in the Mountain West! We're here to explore the amazing games, the fantastic people, and the unforgettable experiences that make SaltCon a must-attend event year after year. Get ready to level up your excitement!" This episode we are reviewing all the great things that happened at SaltCON Summer which happened June 6th through the 8th at the Davis Conference Center, in Layton City. The first Summer event is the smallest of the events that happen at the Davis Conference Center, but that does not mean there is a shortage of events and fun to be had. This was still three days that were packed full of RPG events, Board Game events, Social gaming events, and even a tournament or two to be played in. So sit back and let’s dig in. We have a lot to talk about. Vendor Hall Some very cool stuff for gaming drinks, games, and gaming accessories.
- https://www.facebook.com/diethuludimension/
- https://www.etsy.com/shop/DiceChaos/
- https://wyvernwarfare.com/
- https://www.facebook.com/Fictionmobile/
- https://binarycocoa.com/
- https://aalazersquirrel.com/
- https://www.4xpgaming.com/
Hot Games:
- Andromeda’s Edge
- Cat Blues: The Big Gig
- Creature Caravan
- Critter Kitchen
- Finspan
- House of Fado
- SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
- Slay the Spire: The Board Game
Play to Win Games
- I played a handful of games from this game on the shelves, there were around 30 games that were there to try out and to get a chance to win them. Even if you just wanted to review the rules and enter to win the game that is an option, but this is a great way to try a game and see if you want to have a chance to win them.
- https://saltcon.com/summer-play-to-win/
Gaming library
- A huge game library with over 2500 games to check out and play.
- Classic games, and new games alike.
There were 278 different events the attendees could sign up for. 178 Total RPG events.
- 85 RPG events
- 26 Pathfinder events
-
67 Dungeons and Dragons Adventurers League events
-
Pathfinder Society: Salt of the Ocean Multi Table Event
- In the Eye of Abendego, the storm has receded just enough to reveal two particularly interesting new sites: one is a wrecked Pathfinder ship and the other an ancient island associated with prophesiers and demons. With some help from an old pirate friend, the Pathfinders are kitted up in order to investigate these two new occurrences, however it seems like she wasn't the only pirate with her eyes on these strange new prizes. The Society will have to face the dangers of sea and storm as they sail to their goal, hoping to beat their rivals to the hidden secrets!
- This event was played with multiple tables running simultaneously, at multiple level tiers. The Pathfinder Society came out victorious!
- D&D Adventurers League: Hold Back the Dead Multi Table Event
- The Adventurer's League had some close calls, and not everyone made it out alive this time... but the dead have been vanquished. For now.
- Hold Back the Dead is a multi-table Dungeons & Dragons adventure where heroes must defend a stronghold under siege by an overwhelming undead force. As the tide of the dead rises, players work together across tables to uncover the source of the invasion and prevent an ancient evil from breaking through. Designed for epic coordination and tense decisions, it blends horror, heroism, and high-stakes combat in a dynamic battlefield setting.
- Playtests for new RPG systems were available at SaltCON Summer with the highlights being
- Untold RPG and
- Nephilim the Forsaken, brought in by local game designers.
-
-
SaltCON End of Summer will have a stronger focus on prototype RPG systems and welcomes game developers to join the SaltCON GameMasters Guild on Discord or Facebook to learn more about bringing their systems to the convention.
- Total sessions run: 175
- Other popular games included Cyberpunk Red, Shadowdark, Call of Cthulhu, Shadowrun, Vampire the Masquerade, The Electric State, BESM, Nimble 2, Dragonbane, DC20, and many more!
Game Swap
Flea Market Saturday for 2-hours
Tournaments
- Sabacc
EventsBroadway Murder Mystery - Groomed for Murder!
-
- This was a big hit and will return for End of Summer with rumor of a second game being added. Grilled to Death
- Nebula: A 4X inspired Big Group Game
-
Tichu around with Danny
- We had about half of the attendees learning Tichu for the first time, it was really cool to see them pick up strategies after each hand! There were many surprising outcomes, including many successful and unsuccessful Tichu calls, hands that looked certain, than turned upside down, and many laughs. Everyone that I spoke to that was learning for the first time was excited to get the game, and play some more!
-
Blood on the Clock Tower
-
Nine different event and one how to play event
-
Mini Painting Seminar
-
Saturday 1:30
64 total board game events
Board Game Events
- 30 Board Game Events
Meeple Nation events
- 34 Meeple Nation Board Game Events
What a way to start the Summer of Gaming. So what is next?
-
SaltCON End of Summer
- August 29-31
- 1000 badges
- Game library
-
RPG area
-
Tons of RPG events
- Hot Games
- No-Ship Math Trade
- Game swap
-
Open all three days
- Flea Market
-
Saturday 9-10AM
- Figure Painting
-
Saturday 12:30 -3:30PM
- Vendors
- Reserved tables
-
Four left
-
Next Year SaltCON is adding a Sixth Event. One that will have many people very excited.
SaltCON Cruise August 7-14
Leaving Seattle and cruising up to Alaska and then back to Seattle.
Limited to 100 spots
Gaming Library
Room Block
If you have any questions feel free to email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com. We are always excited to hear about new games and exciting events and great times. And with that we have completed another deep dive into the salty goodness of SaltCon! We hope you're as excited as we are for all the fun and games. Remember, SaltPOD is your ongoing connection to these amazing events. But the board gaming adventure doesn't stop here! If you love in-depth discussions, diverse perspectives, and talking about all things board games, be sure to check out our regular podcast, Meeple Nation! There we have episodes serving up fantastic content week after week. Until next time, keep rolling those dice, and we'll see you at SaltCon!"Thanks for listening.
isode 584: A Look at Market Games
Episode release date is June 25, 2025
Show Notes
This week we in contrast with the open drafting mechanic we discussed the last few episodes, this week we are focusing on games that have and use a market, and how a market game is different from an open drafting game.
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
- Become a Chanameeple
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Nathan
- River of Gold with Cheryl
-
Azul with Madi and BGA
-
Andy
- Aeons Trespass Odyssey
The Market mechanic, in essence, simulates a dynamic economy within a board game. Unlike a simple "take one from a pile" or a closed draft where items circulate, a market presents players with a publicly available pool of goods, actions, or resources. This pool often changes, either by new items being revealed, existing items being bought, or even prices fluctuating.
What makes the Market mechanic so engaging is the tension it creates. Players are constantly evaluating not just what they need, but also what their opponents might be eyeing. With what is currently available in the market. Is it worth paying a premium for that crucial item now, or should you wait and hope a cheaper option appears? Do you play the jerk role and counter draft to deny an opponent a vital resource by taking it yourself, even if it's not your absolute top priority?
Markets can take many forms:
- Static Markets: Where a set of items is always available, and players choose from it.
- Dynamic Markets: Prices might change based on supply and demand.
- Rotating Markets: Items might enter and exit the market over time, creating a flow of new opportunities.
- "I-Cut-You-Choose" Style Markets: While sometimes a separate mechanic, some games blend this, where one player sets up a market or splits resources, and another player chooses first.
We discussed how open drafting games are very closely related to market games, but ultimately, the Market mechanic adds layers of tactical decision-making, player interaction, and often, an exciting push-your-luck element.
It's about optimizing your purchases, anticipating others' moves, and adapting to the ever-changing landscape of available options. So next time you're sitting down to play and see a row of tempting cards or a pile of valuable resources, you're likely engaging with the dynamic world of the Market mechanic!
Top Rated Market Games
- Power Grid
- Puerto Rico
- Clans of Caledonia
- The Pillars of the EarthDIY Expansion link
- Tiny Epic Pirates
- Wasteland Express Delivery Service
- Foundations of Rome
- Foundations of Metropolis
-
Skyrise
-
Merchants of the Dark Road
-
Ark Nova
-
Jaipur
- Glen More II: Chronicles
-
Glen More
-
Kutna Hora: The City of Silver
- Brass: Birmingham
- Galactic Cruise
- Windmill Valley
- Cubitos
- Honey Buzz
- The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-earth
- Acquire
- Queendomino
- Catan
- Distilled
- Archipelago
- Gentes
- River of Gold
- The Vale of Eternity
- The Vale of Eternity: Artifacts
-
The Vale of Eternity: Curses
-
Architect of the West Kingdom
Games we did not discuss
- Brass: Lancashire
- Food Chain Magnate
- Paladins of the West Kingdom
- Nucleum
- La Granja
- Hallertau
- Anno 1800: The Board Game
- 1830: Railways and Robber Barons
- The Manhattan Project: Energy Empire
- Navegador
- The Great Zimbabwe
- Pax Renaissance: 2nd Edition
- Bonfire
- At the Gates of Loyang
- Fresco
- Stockpile
- Pipeline
- Port Royal
- 1846: The Race for the Midwest
- Pax Porfiriana
- Paperback
- Shikoku 1889
- Pax Renaissance
- Cuba
- Arkwright
- CO2: Second Chance
- Raccoon Tycoon
- Imperial Steam
- Akrotiri
- Age of Industry
- Genotype: A Mendelian Genetics Game
- Vanuatu
- Planet Steam
- The Rich and the Good
Episode 583: Top Rated Open Drafting Games
Episode release date is June 18, 2025
Show Notes
This week we are concluding our discussion of open drafting games. This episode we will be picking out games off the top Open Drafting Games, some games we missed and some we don’t own.
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
- Become a Chanameeple
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Nathan
- Living Forest
-
Siege of Rundar, Game I could not remember The Guild of Merchant Explores
-
Andy
- D&D 5.5 Japanese Setting
In board game mechanics, open drafting is a specific type of drafting where players take turns selecting items (like cards, tiles, dice, or tokens) from a shared, visible pool of options.
To touch on the key points again. Open Drafting and Market games will have a lot of overlap. Key Characteristics of Open Drafting:
- Shared Pool: There's a central display or common area where all the items available for selection are laid out.
- Visibility: All players can see all the available options in the pool at all times. This is the defining feature of "open" drafting.
- Turn-Based Selection: Players take turns choosing and taking one or more items from this shared pool. Once an item is taken, it's removed from the pool (or sometimes replaced immediately, depending on the game).
-
Strategic Interaction: Because everyone can see what's available and what others are taking, open drafting encourages a high level of player interaction and strategic depth. Players aren't just thinking about what they need for their own strategy, but also:
- "Hate Drafting": Taking an item that might not be optimal for you, but is crucial for an opponent's strategy, thereby "denying" them that piece. This can be a friendly jab or a crucial tactical move.
- Anticipation: Trying to predict what other players will take on their turns based on their visible boards or strategies.
- Adapting: Adjusting your own plans if a key item you wanted is taken by an opponent.
How it Differs from Other Drafting Types:
The main contrast to open drafting is closed drafting (often called "pick-and-pass" or "hand drafting"):
- Closed Drafting: Players typically receive a hand of cards (or a set of items) and select one (or more) to keep, then pass the rest of their hand to the next player.
- The key difference is that the pool of options available to the next player is unknown until they receive the new hand. Players don't see the full communal pool; they only see their current hand.
Top Rated Open Drafting Games
- Dune: Imperium
- Dune: Imperium - Uprising
- Railways of the World
- Concordia
- Concordia Venus
- Ticket to Ride Legacy: Legends of the West
- Food Chain Magnate
- Everdell
- Lost Ruins of Arnak
- The Gallerist
- Clank!
- Clank! Legacy
- Clank! Catacombs
- Clank! In! Space!
- Dominion
- Legendary Encounters: An Alien Deck Building Game
- Wingspan
- Wyrmspan
- Harmonies
- Star Realms
- Lisboa
- Cascadia
- Endeavor: Age of Sail
- Endeavor: Deep Sea
- Mage Knight: Ultimate Edition
- Mage Knight: Board Game
- Space Base
- Tyrants of the Underdark
Games not Mentioned
- Ark Nova
- Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization
- The Castles of Burgundy
- 7 Wonders Duel
- The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-earth
- Pax Pamir: Second Edition
- Anachrony
- Blood Rage
- Obsession
- Paladins of the West Kingdom
- Mechs vs Minions
- The White Castle
- Azul
- Revive
- Aeon’s End
- El Grande
- Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization
- Splendor Duel
- Architect of the West Kingdom
- The Quest for El Dorado
- Lorenzo il Magnifico
- Mombasa
- Patchwork
- Trajan
- Wonderland’s War
- Aeon’s End: War Eternal
- ISS Vanguard
- Targi
- Res Arcana
- Alchemist
- Ticket to Ride: Europe
- The Isle of Cats
- Undaunted: Normandy
- Planet Unknown
- Kemet
- Jaipur
- Forest Shuffle
- Welcome To…
- Meadow
- Sagrada
- Star Wars: Deck Building Game
- Azul: Summer Pavilion
Episode 582: Our Top-Five Open Drafting Games
Episode release date is June 11, 2025
Show Notes
This week we are continuing our discussion of open drafting games. This episode we are hitting on our top-five Open Drafting Games
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
- Become a Chanameeple
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Nathan
- BBQ
- Cheryl teaching games
- Ribs tonight
-
Summer cooking
-
Douglas
-
Barenpark
-
Andy
- Everdell Duo
In board game mechanics, open drafting is a specific type of drafting where players take turns selecting items (like cards, tiles, dice, or tokens) from a shared, visible pool of options.
To touch on the key points again. Open Drafting and Market games will have a lot of overlap. Key Characteristics of Open Drafting:
- Shared Pool: There's a central display or common area where all the items available for selection are laid out.
- Visibility: All players can see all the available options in the pool at all times. This is the defining feature of "open" drafting.
- Turn-Based Selection: Players take turns choosing and taking one or more items from this shared pool. Once an item is taken, it's removed from the pool (or sometimes replaced immediately, depending on the game).
-
Strategic Interaction: Because everyone can see what's available and what others are taking, open drafting encourages a high level of player interaction and strategic depth. Players aren't just thinking about what they need for their own strategy, but also:
- "Hate Drafting": Taking an item that might not be optimal for you, but is crucial for an opponent's strategy, thereby "denying" them that piece. This can be a friendly jab or a crucial tactical move.
- Anticipation: Trying to predict what other players will take on their turns based on their visible boards or strategies.
- Adapting: Adjusting your own plans if a key item you wanted is taken by an opponent.
How it Differs from Other Drafting Types:
The main contrast to open drafting is closed drafting (often called "pick-and-pass" or "hand drafting"):
- Closed Drafting: Players typically receive a hand of cards (or a set of items) and select one (or more) to keep, then pass the rest of their hand to the next player.
- The key difference is that the pool of options available to the next player is unknown until they receive the new hand. Players don't see the full communal pool; they only see their current hand.
Top Five
Number Five:
- Andy
-
The Taverns of Tiefenthal
-
Douglas
-
Undaunted Normandy
-
Nathan
- Beowulf: The Legend
Number Four:
- Andy
-
Architects of the West Kingdom
-
Douglas
-
The Reckoners: Steelslayer
-
Nathan
- Corsari
Number Three:
- Andy
-
Reavers of Midgard
-
Douglas
-
SETI
-
Nathan
- Akropolis
- Arkropolis: Athenna
Number Two:
- Andy
-
Paladins of the West Kingdom
-
Douglas
-
Everdell
-
Nathan
- River Valley Glassworks
Number One:
- Andy
-
The Castles of Burgundy
-
Douglas
-
Ark Nova
-
Nathan
- The White Castle
Episode 581: Open Drafting Games
Episode release date is June 4, 2025
Show Notes
This week we kick off our discussion of open drafting games. So, we are going to line up a bunch of games and choose some to discuss.
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
-
Web Page
- Become a Chanameeple
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
-
Nathan
- Doomlings
- Douglas
- Andy
- David
In board game mechanics, open drafting is a specific type of drafting where players take turns selecting items (like cards, tiles, dice, or tokens) from a shared, visible pool of options.
Here's a breakdown of its key characteristics and how it differs from other drafting types:
Key Characteristics of Open Drafting:
- Shared Pool: There's a central display or common area where all the items available for selection are laid out.
- Visibility: All players can see all the available options in the pool at all times. This is the defining feature of "open" drafting.
- Turn-Based Selection: Players take turns choosing and taking one or more items from this shared pool. Once an item is taken, it's removed from the pool (or sometimes replaced immediately, depending on the game).
-
Strategic Interaction: Because everyone can see what's available and what others are taking, open drafting encourages a high level of player interaction and strategic depth. Players aren't just thinking about what they need for their own strategy, but also:
- "Hate Drafting": Taking an item that might not be optimal for you, but is crucial for an opponent's strategy, thereby "denying" them that piece. This can be a friendly jab or a crucial tactical move.
- Anticipation: Trying to predict what other players will take on their turns based on their visible boards or strategies.
- Adapting: Adjusting your own plans if a key item you wanted is taken by an opponent.
How it Differs from Other Drafting Types:
The main contrast to open drafting is closed drafting (often called "pick-and-pass" or "hand drafting"):
- Closed Drafting: Players typically receive a hand of cards (or a set of items) and select one (or more) to keep, then pass the rest of their hand to the next player. The key difference is that the pool of options available to the next player is unknown until they receive the new hand. Players don't see the full communal pool; they only see their current hand.
- Examples of Closed Drafting: 7 Wonders (the original), Sushi Go!, Blood Rage.
Why Designers Use Open Drafting:
- Increased Player Interaction: Players are constantly engaged with the overall game state, not just their own limited hand.
- Tactical Depth: Decisions often involve weighing immediate personal gain against denying opponents.
- Transparency: All information about available items is public, allowing for more calculated and less luck-driven decisions regarding the draft itself.
- Emergent Strategy: The way the pool changes based on player choices creates dynamic and evolving strategic opportunities.
Open Drafting Games
- Alchemist
- Land vs Sea
- Azul
- Azul Duel
- Azul: Stained Glass of Sintra
- Azul: Summer Pavilion
-
Azul: The Queen’s Garden
-
Storm Raiders
- Res Arcana
- Firefly: The Game
- Project L: Collector's Edition
- Altiplano
- P.I.
- Planet Unknown
- Truffle Shuffle
- The Gang
-
7 Wonders: Duel
-
Faraway
- Thunderstone Advance
- Dominion
- Ticket to Ride: Europe
- Ticket to Ride
- Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game
- Gizmo
- Queendomino
- Clank!: Catacombs
- Nightfall
- Bootleggers
- Dice Forge
-
Star Trek Deck Building Game: The Next Generation
-
Doug’s Rapid Fire Mentions
- Cloud City
- The Witcher: Old World
- Revive
- Wonderland’s War
- Wingspan
- Wyrmspan
- 51st State
- Scarface 1920
- Waste Knights
- Rurik: Dawn of Kiev
- Champion of Midgard
Episode 580: Meeple Nation May 2025 News - New Games, Announcements, & Crowdfunding! Release Date: May 28, 2025
Welcome to Episode 580 of Meeple Nation, The World's Okayest Podcast!
This week, Nathan, Douglas, and Dave pull up a chair to the game table to dive into all the exciting news from the board gaming world for May 2025. We're covering a ton of ground, including:
- New Game Releases: Discover what's just hit the shelves and is ready for your game night!
- New Game Announcements: Get the scoop on upcoming titles that have the community buzzing.
- Crowdfunding Games: We'll highlight some intriguing projects currently seeking support on Kickstarter and Gamefound.
In this episode, we chat about:
-
Our Gaming Highlights:
- Nathan:
- Twilight Inscription
- Flip 7
- Hadrian’s Wall
- Twilight Inscription
- Douglas:
- Arkham Horror
- Dave:
- Dominion
-
Hot New Releases:
-
Marvel Champions: Silk Hero Pack
- Marvel Champions: Black Panther Hero Pack (Suri)
- Cyclades: Legendary Edition
- Parks Second Edition
- Knitting Circle
- Zombicide 2nd Ed: PariZ
- Marvel Zombies
- Marvel Zombies: X-Men Resistance
- Santorini: Pantheon Edition
- Toy Battle
- Tiny Turbo Cars
- Dragon Eclipse
- Pokemon
- Critter Kitchen
- Emerald Skull
-
Exciting Announcements:
-
Battle for Hoth (Command and Colors)
- Risk GI Joe: Special Missions
- Risk Legacy
- 7 Wonders Dice
- Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-Earth
- 7 Wonders Architects
- Slam Throne
- Pogs
- Sea Salt & Paper: Extra Pepper
- Lorcana: Reign of Jafar
- Grand Central Skyport
- Skyrise
- Cloud City
- The Anarchy
- Hadrian’s Wall Dry Erase Board
- SETI: Space Agencies
- Mystery of the Abbey
- In the Footsteps of Darwin: Correspondence
- 7 Empires
-
Crowdfunding Spotlight:
-
Kickstarter: Flamecraft Duels
- Gamefound: Aeon’s End: Beyond the Breach
- Nathan:
A huge shout-out to our amazing sponsors, Game Toppers and SaltCON!
Whether you're a veteran gamer or just getting into the hobby, there's something for everyone in this action-packed episode. Join us for your essential dose of board game news and discussion!
Connect with Meeple Nation:
- Website: Meeplenation.com
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast: SaltPOD
- Email: MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon: Meeple Nation
- Instagram: @meeplenation
- Facebook Page: Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group (Meeple Nation Off Air): Meeple Nation Off Air
- X (Twitter): @MeepleNation
- Discord: Meeple Nation
- YouTube: Meeple Nation
Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed the show, please subscribe, rate, and review us on your favorite podcast platform!
SaltPOD 0005, SaltCON Summer 2025 Release date: May 27, 2025 Welcome gamers! If you are a board gamer, a social gamer, or someone who loves RPGs, SaltCON is a place for you. Welcome back to SaltPOD, your dedicated deep dive into the vibrant world of SaltCon and the incredible community that makes it tick! If you're new here, SaltPOD is your backstage pass, your insider scoop, your direct line to all things SaltCON. SaltCON – the biggest and best tabletop gaming convention in the Mountain West! We're here to explore the amazing games, the fantastic people, and the unforgettable experiences that make SaltCon a must-attend event year after year. Get ready to level up your excitement!" This episode we are discussing SaltCON Summer which is happening June 6th through the 8th at the Davis Conference Center, in Layton City. This event is smaller than the Spring event but still has three action packed days of events, tournaments, open gaming and amazing people. Vendor Hall The Gauntlet of vendors and wears and gaming goodies.
Hot Games:
- Andromeda’s Edge
- Cat Blues: The Big Gig
- Creature Caravan
- Critter Kitchen
- Finspan
- House of Fado
- SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
- Slay the Spire: The Board Game
Play to Win Games
- Friday and Saturday
Gaming library
- A huge game library with over 2500 games to check out and play.
- Classic games, and new games alike.
There were 278 different events the attendees could sign up for.
178 Total RPG events.
- 85 RPG events
- 26 Pathfinder events
- 67 Dungeons and Dragons Adventurers League events
Game Swap
Flea Market
- Saturday for 2-hours
Tournaments
- Sabacc
Events
- Broadway Murder Mystery - Groomed for Murder!
- Nebula: A 4X inspired Big Group Game
- Tichu around with Danny
- Blood on the Clock Tower
-
Nine different event and one how to play event
-
Mini Painting Seminar
- Saturday 1:30
64 total board game events
Board Game Events
- 30 Board Game Events
Meeple Nation events
- 34 Meeple Nation Board Game Events
What a way to start the Summer of Gaming. So what is next?
- SaltCON End of Summer
- August 29-31
- 1000 badges
- Game library
- RPG area
- Hot Games
- Game swap
- Flea Market
- Miniature painting
- Vendors
- Reserved tables
If you have any questions feel free to email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com. We are always excited to hear about new games and exciting times. And with that we have completed another deep dive into the salty goodness of SaltCon! We hope you're as excited as we are for all the fun and games. Remember, SaltPOD is your ongoing connection to these amazing events. But the board gaming adventure doesn't stop here! If you love in-depth discussions, diverse perspectives, and talking about all things board games, be sure to check out our other podcast, Meeple Nation! There we have episodes serving up fantastic content week after week. Until next time, keep rolling those dice, and we'll see you at SaltCon!"Thanks for listening.
Episode 579: Narrative Choice or Paragraph Games
Episode release date is May 21, 2025
Show Notes
Meeple Nation discusses several games that include the narrative or paragraph game mechanic. Come join us at the game table and find some new and amazing games.
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
- Become a Chanameeple
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Nathan
-
Welcome to the Moon
-
Douglas
- Clans of Caledonia
-
From the Moon
-
Andy
- Return to Dark Tower
- Zombicide White Death
Narrative Choice and Paragraph Games.
The Narrative Choice or Paragraph Games mechanic puts a strong emphasis on storytelling and player agency through making decisions that directly influence the narrative's progression. Instead of relying solely on traditional game mechanics like dice rolling or resource management to drive the plot, these games present players with textual descriptions, scenarios, and choices that lead to different outcomes and further narrative branches.
Think of it like a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book integrated into a board game experience. Players often read paragraphs of text that describe a situation, and then they are presented with a set of choices. Each choice directs them to a different paragraph or section, unfolding the story in a unique way based on their decisions.
Here's how the mechanic typically works:
- Narrative Presentation: The game presents story elements through text, often in the form of cards, books, or even app-based interfaces. These descriptions set the scene, introduce characters, and present challenges.
- Choice Points: At key moments in the narrative, players are given distinct options on how to proceed. These choices can range from dialogue options and actions to strategic decisions that have narrative consequences.
- Branching Narrative: Each choice leads to a different part of the story. This might involve reading a specific paragraph number, drawing a particular card, or triggering a new event within the app. The narrative unfolds non-linearly based on the collective decisions of the players.
- Consequences: The choices players make often have consequences that affect the ongoing narrative. This could involve changes in character relationships, the availability of future options, the acquisition of items, or even the overall outcome of the game.
- Emergent Storytelling: While the core narrative is pre-written, the combination of player choices leads to a unique emergent story for each playthrough. Different groups of players, or even the same group playing again, will likely experience the narrative in a different sequence and with different outcomes.
Narrative Choice or Paragraph Games
- Scythe
- Chronicles of Drunagor
-
Stars of Akarios
-
Above and Below
- Near and Far
- Star Wars: Outer Rim
-
Star Wars: Outer Rim - Unfinished Business
-
My Father’s Work
- Folklore the Affliction
- Gloomhaven
-
Frosthaven
-
Clank! Legacy: Acquisitions Incorporated
- SeaFall
-
Wingspan
-
ISS Vanguard
- Bureau of Investigation: Investigations in Arkham & Elsewhere
- Lost Ones
- Too Many Bones
- Tainted Grail
- Sleeping Gods
- The Witcher: Old World
- Vagrantsong
- Waste Knights
-
Tamashii
-
T.I.M.E. Stories
-
Forgotten Waters
-
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – The Adventure Game
- Sea of Legends
- Abomination: The Heir of Frankenstein
-
Oil Town
-
Roll Player Adventures
- Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island
- Kingdom Death: Monster
- Maracaibo
- This War of Mine
- The Witcher: Old World
- Legacy of Dragonholt
- Aftermath
- Oltree
Nathan
Andy
- Aeon Trespass: Odyssey Clank!: A Deck-Building Adventure Game
- Near and Far
- Folklore: The Affliction
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – The Adventure Game
- Abomination: The Heir of Frankenstein
- Sea of Legends
- Oil Town
- Etherfields
- Dragon Quest
- Sleeping Gods
Douglas
- Scythe
- Too Many Bones
- Tainted Grail
- Sleeping Gods
- Sleeping Gods: Distant Skies
- TIME Stories
- ISS Vanguard
- The Witcher: Old World
- Star Wars: Outer Rim
- Clank! Legacy
- Earthborn Rangers
- My Fathers Work
- Waste Knights
- Tamashii
Episode 578: Network or Route Building Games We Don’t Own
Episode release date is May 14, 2025
Show Notes
This week we are at the final connection of our Network or Route building games discussion. All routes are closing in this episode. For those who may have missed it, network or route building games where players are establishing connections between points on the board or map.
For this last episode in this series, we will be looking at the larger list of top rated network or route building games according to BGG. I selected the Network or Route building Mechanic and limited that search to games that are rated with 7 stars or higher, and each of these games must have a minimum of 2000 user ratings.
So let’s get on board and punch the ticket of this discussion of network building games at the game table.
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
- Become a Chanameeple
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Nathan
- Beer and Bread
- Gift of Tulips
- Tower Up
- 3000 Scoundrels
- Great Western Trail
- Ahoy
- Targi
- Stamp Swap
- Welcome to the Moon
- Living Forest
-
Bonsai
-
Douglas
- Biome
-
Gray Knight Games
-
Andy
Top network or route building games
- Concordia
- Concordia Venus
- Smartphone
- Yokohama
- The Guild of Merchant Explorers
- Age of Innovation
- Terra Mystica
- Gaia Project
- Terra Nova
-
Ginkgopolis
-
Carnegie
- Imperial Steam
- Empire Builder
-
1846: The Race for the Midwest
-
Clans of Caledonia
- Dinosaur Island: Rawr ‘n Write
-
DinoGenics
-
Near and Far
- Pipeline
- Framework
- Keyflower
Episode 577: Our Top Five Network or Route Building Games
Episode release date is May 7, 2025
Show Notes
This week we are at the middle point of our Network or Route building games discussion. Once again network or route building games mean players are establishing connections between points on the board or map.
For this episode we will be focusing on our top five games that make use of the network or route building.
So let’s return to the game table and continue the discussion of network building games at the game table.
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
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Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
-
Nathan
- SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
-
Douglas
-
SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
-
LCGs!!!
- Marvel Champions
- Arkham Horror
- Lord of the Rings: Card Game
Our top five Network or Route building games.
Douglas
- In the Hall of the Mountain King
- Trails of Tucana
- Cloud City
- Ticket to Ride: Japan
- Railroad Ink Challenge
Andy
- Empire Builder
- Underwater Cities
- Terra Mystica/Gaia Project
- Planet Unknown
- Windmill Valley
Nathan
- Ticket to Ride Legacy: Legends of the West
- Planet Unknown
- Power Grid
- Looot
- Attika
- US Telegraph
Episode 576: Network or Route Building Games Episode release date is April 30, 2025
Show Notes
This week we kick off our discussion of games that involve network building. The "network building mechanic" refers to the gameplay element where players construct and expand interconnected systems, often representing transportation, communication, and resource distribution. It's about establishing links and leveraging those connections for strategic advantage.
Some of the main concepts of network and route building include:
Connectivity: The fundamental element of establishing links between nodes, such as locations, cities, or points of interest. These links from a network.
Expansion: Players progressively expand their network, reaching new destinations and making further connections. Expansion is often tied to resource management, technology advancement, or through fulfilling objectives.
Strategic advantage: A well-developed network provides: efficient resource movement, faster travel or delivery, control over locations, increased scoring opportunities, and influence over other game elements.
Player interdependence: Networks can create interdependence between players, either through competition for resources and routes or through cooperative efforts.
Come join us at the game table where we are going to talk about networking games, and I bet it includes more than train games.
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
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Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Nathan
-
Clans of Caledonia
-
Douglas
-
Aqua: Biodiversity in the Oceans
-
Andy
- That Escalated Quickly
Network or Route Building Games
- Ticket to Ride: 10th Anniversary
- Ticket to Ride: Europe - 15th Anniversary
- Ticket to Ride: London
- Ticket to Ride: New York
- Transamerica
- Tsuro
- Carcassonne
- Metro
- Street Car
- Fairy Trails
- Thurn and Taxes
- On Tour
- Iwari
-
Web of Power
-
Airlines Europe
- Terminus
- Revive
- Next Station: London, Tokyo, Paris
- Get on Board: Paris & Roma, New York and London
- Metorunner
- Brass Burmingham
- Hansa Teutonica: Big Box
- Nucleum
- Dice Hospital: ER - Emergency Roll
- Tokyo Highway
- Maglev Metro
Games not Mentioned
Douglas
- Smartphone
- Land vs Sea
- Catan
- Cloud City
Andy
- Railways of the World
- Near and Far
- Catan
- Kingdom Builder
- Android
- Catan: Junior
- Aeroplanes: Aviation Ascendant
Nathan
- Concordia Venus
- Maglev Metro
- Dinosaur Island: Rawr ‘n Write
- Takenoko
- Catan
- Terra Nova
- Maharaja: The Game of Palaces Building in India
- Free Ride
- Wormholes
- Saboteur 2
- Dice Manor
- Sanora
- Globetrotting
- Tucana Builders
- The Settlers of the Stone Age
- Spy Connection
- Falconry
It is time for the SaltCON SideCast. Episode 4. This week the hosts of Meeple Nation talk about the four ways to buy, sell, and trade games during SaltCON Spring, Summer, and End of Summer Events. There are four organized options, the no ship math trade, the virtural flea market, the game swap, and the in person flea market. Come join us at the game table as we discuss and come join us at the next SaltCON event, SaltCON summer this June from the 6th through the 8th.
Episode 575: Meeple Nation April 2025 News
Show Notes
Episode release date is April 23, 2025
This week we are talking about new games, new game announcements, new game releases and we also just had our HUGG-A-Meeple gathering. We may even manage to get to some crowdfunding games too. Come join us at the game table.
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Intro of Meeple Nation The World’s Okayest Podcast.
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights
- Nathan
- Fantastic Factories
- Stamp Swap
- Living Forest
- Enchanted Plumes
- Ready Set Bet
- Feed the Kraken
-
Next Station
-
Douglas
- Yokohama
-
Life of the Amazonia
-
Andy
- Endeavor: Deep Sea
New Game Releases
- Innovation: Ultimate
- Flamme Rouge: Grand Tour Expansion (2024) (Reprint)
- Arkham Horror LCG: The Drowned City Campaign Expansion
- Everdell Duo
- Elden Ring: The Board Game
- Spectacular (2024) (Reprint)
- Tiny Epic Cthulhu
- Lying Pirates: The Race for the Pirate Throne (Deluxe Edition)
- Mythicals
- Crafting Cosmos
- Survive The Island / Monster Pack
- Castle Builder
- Mesos
New Game Announcements
- Stonemaier Games Email
- Confirmed Expansions in the works for all “-span” games
- Wingspan
- Wyrmspan
-
Finspan
-
For fans of the “Trailblazer” series (John Muir & Arizona)
-
The Colorado Trail
-
Single-Player Solitaire with great looking art
-
Hercules and the 12 Labors
-
Maglev Maps: Volume 2 (Maglev Metro)
- The Wolves: Apex Expansion
- Underwater Cities: Data Era
- Tower Up: Paradise Island
- Earth: Animal Kingdom (Abundance isn’t even here yet!)
- StarCraft Tabletop Miniatures Game (2026)
- For fans of Arc Nova
-
Sanctuary
-
For fans of Terra Mystica
-
Terra Mystica: Fan Fictions
-
Quacks: All-in Edition (Causing some turmoil over the art style)
- Heat Tunnel Vision Expansion
- Galactic Cruise
- Fantasy Realms Greek Legends
- The Lord of the Rings: Fate of the Fellowship
- The Crew: Family Adventure - Marooned in Paradise
- Arkham Travel Guide
- Flash Point: Legacy of Flame
- How to Save the World
Crowdfunding Games
- Kickstarter
- Project L: Ultimate All-In Collection
- Project L All-In
- Plus Square One
Episode 574: Games that use movement points
Episode release date is April 2, 2025
Show Notes
This week we are doing a one episode discussion of games that use movement points as a movement. What are movement points you ask? Well, movement points regulate how far a player can move their pieces during the game. For example, players are given a specific number of "points" that can be spent to move game pieces. Different spaces or terrains on the game board may cost varying amounts of movement points to enter. Players may receive a set number of movement points each turn that can be spread across multiple pieces. Those points could fluctuate depending on card draws or dice rolls.
Sometimes movement points can be part of a larger pool of actions, and movement can be part of or one of those actions.
In short, movement points provide a structured way to manage in game movement while adding a tactical element to gameplay.
So let’s make it a point to move to the game table and discuss some games.
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
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Meeple Nation Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Nathan
- Volunteer Group
-
Flip 7
-
Douglas
-
Outlive
-
Andy
- Orléans
Games that use movement points
Nathan
- Memoir ‘44
- Clank!: A Deck-Building Adventure Game
- Maracaibo
- Specter Ops
- Tiny Epic Pirates
- The Hunger
- Near and Far
- Free Ride
- Secrets of the Lost Station
- Glory Island
- Concordia
- Concordia Venus
Andy
- Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition)
- Clank!: A Deck-Building Adventure Game
- Maracaibo
- Near and Far
- Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Board Game
- Hyperborea
- Warrior Night
- Empire Builder
- Bardwood Grove
- Vanishing Planet
- Tiny Epic Pirates
Douglas
- Scythe
- War of the Ring: Second Edition
- Memoir ‘44
- Clank!: A Deck-Building Adventure Game
- Dinosaur World
- Euthia: Torment of Resurrection - Fierce Powers / Crawling Shadows
- Endless Winter: River & Rafts
Telanislyon
- Carnegie has some interesting management choices in activating departments to move workers around for various economic functions.
-
Carnegie is definitely a good game, I think it's tough to outcompete some of the newer ones though. It was a popular blip for a sec, then kinda floated down to the lower mid of bgg pack. It's still a good game, solid 7.
-
Maracaibo would also have a choice of action to move your ship a certain distance also for triggering spaces. Not sure if that's totally true movement points, but fairly close
- The only other ones I can even think of would be troop movement for war games, like War of the Ring/for Arrakis or Axis & Allies.
- War of the Ring is awesome! Great 2p strategy game.
- War for Arrakis, same designer, basically the truncated version of War of the Ring in Dune!
Top games that use movement points
- Scythe
- Robinson Crusoe: Adventures of the Cursed Island
- War of the Ring: Second Edition
- Descent: Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition)
- Twilight Imperium
- Concordia
- Memoir ‘44
- Clank!: A Deck-Building Adventure Game
- On Mars
- Maracaibo
- Combat Commander: Europe
- Advanced Squad Leader
- Space Empires 4X
- Here I stand
- Descent: Legends in the Dark
- Near and Far
- Clash of Cultures
- Carnegie
- Spartacus: A Game of Blood and Treachery
- Triumph and Tragedy: European Balance of Power 1936-1945
- My Little Scythe
- Hyperborea
- Concordia Venus
- Ambush
- Dinosaur World
- Specter Ops
- Washington’s War
- Merchant of Venus
- Lacrimosa
- Squad Leader
- Blood Bowl
- The Magnificent
- The Hunger
- BattleTech
- Tribes of the Wind
- Tiny Epic Pirates
- 3 Ring Circus
Episode 573: Games with Multi-Use cards we don’t own- Show Notes
Episode release date is April 2, 2025
This week wraps up our look at games featuring Multi-Use cards, focusing on highly-rated titles we haven't yet added to our collection. As a reminder, Multi-Use cards offer strategic depth by allowing a single card to serve multiple purposes. These purposes can include acting as text-based abilities, resources, life counters, or even determining player order, as well as many other options. Come join us at the game table as we discover games with multi-use cards that we do not own.
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Nathan
-
The Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era
-
Douglas
-
Azul: Summer Pavilion
-
Andy
- Aeon Trespass: Odyssey
Cory
- I would say that my favorite multi-use card game is the old Decipher Star Wars CCG. How your deck of cards was used as resources and life was a mechanic I really liked. I wish there were other games that used a similar mechanic. Too bad this game is long and gone.
Telanislyon
- Blast from the past! Good game. I actually heard they were still running tournaments for this game. I also think the entire set is available for print online somewhere for free.
- I haven't played Disney Lorcana, but I thought the layout looked very similar to SWCCG.
Sopdebop
- On the subject of multi use cards, I’d like to nominate SETI. Cards have 4 definite uses and can also be exchanged for other resources (free action, scan, tuck and card effect). I think that’s impressive.
- I also really like the cards in windmill valley. The assistant cards can be used for ongoing game bonus OR end game bonus. There is always one initial assistant left over which doubles as the queen’s contract on the reverse too, which is neat imo.
Castle Combo Clarification
- Cory pointed out something I had missed when I taught Castle Combo.
- You can spend a key to wipe the current row of cards.
Top Multi-Use Card Games
- Dune: Imperium
- Dune: Imperium - Uprising
- Lisboa
- Lewis & Clark: The Expedition
- La Granja
- Imperial Settlers
- Kunta Hora: The City of Silver
- Rune Stones
- Cry Havoc
- San Juan
- San Juan (Second Edition)
- Fantastic Factories
- Furnace
- Lacrimosa
- Deus
Episode 572: Part two? or something like that.
Episode release date is April 2, 2025
This week we are creating a filler bonus episode because Nathan pushed out two episodes last week and we still wanted something to release today, because we want to make sure you all have something to enjoy today. Come join us at the game table as we decide together what we are going to talk about today.
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
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- Facebook Meeple Nation
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- X Meeple Nation
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Meeple Nation Media Highlights (Highlight-Thirty) Movies, TV, Books, Work or Other Hobbies
Nathan
- Video Setup (Meeple Nation Patrons Thank You!)
- Daredevil (Disney+)
- Umbrella Academy (Netflix)
- The “Bobiverse” series by Dennis E. Taylor (We Are Bob)
- Jumanji
- Atomic Habits by James Clear
- Before Happiness by Shawn Achor
- The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor
- The Seven Principles for Making a Marriage Work by John Gottman
- Big Bang Theory
- Stuart Fails to Save the Universe (Big Bang Theory Spinoff Show)
- Neverwinter Nights
- Gaming Goals
- Andromeda’s Edge
- Arcs
- Ticket to Ride Legacy: Legends of the West
- Flash Point: Legacy of Flame
- G.I. JOE: Operation Cobra:
- Wizard of Paws
- Spring coming Yard work is coming!!
Andy
- Daredevil (Disney+)
- His Dark Materials (MAX)
- Star Trek the Next Generation (Paramount+ )
- Reacher (Amazon Prime)
- The Great British Baking Show (Netflix)
- Kobra Kai
- No More Mr. Nice Guy by Dr. Robert Glover
- Young Sheldon (MAX)
- Knights of the Old Republic
- Spirit Island
- Arena: The Contest – Tanares Adventures
- Dungeon Universalis
- Conan
- The Hunters a.d. 1492
- Gaming focus: campaign games
Douglas
- The Wheel of Time (Amazon Prime)
- The Rookie (Hulu)
- He Who Fights with Monsters by Travis Deverell
- SETI
- Euthia: Torment of Resurrection
- Gaming Goals Shelf of Shame reduction
- Life of the Amazonia
- The Dark Quarter
- Teburu
Episode 571: Games with Multi-Use cards - Show Notes Andy
Episode release date is March 19, 2025
This week we kick off our discussion of games with Multi-Use cards. A fascinating mechanic that adds layers of strategic depth and decision-making, and one we love very much. Instead of a card having only one specific function, multi-use cards can be used in different ways, offering players choices about how to best utilize them. This could involve:
- Playing the card for its stated effect:
- Using the card as a resource:
- Using the card for set collection or scoring:
- Using the card to build something:
Why Use Multi-Use Cards?
- Increased Strategic Depth:
- Reduced Luck Factor:
- Greater Replayability:
- Thematic Immersion:
Come join us at the game table.
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
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Meeple Nation Highlights
- Nathan
- That Escalated Quickly
-
Poetry for Neanderthals
-
Douglas
- Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era
-
Tamashii: Chronicle of Ascend
-
Andy
- Pirates of Maracaibo
- From the Moon
- Horrified: Greek Monsters
Games that use Multi-Use Cards
- Gloomhaven
- Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion
- Frosthaven
- Jump Drive
- The City
- San Juan
- Race for the Galaxy
- Bohnanza
- Marvel Champions
- Castle Combo
- Expeditions
- Mage Knight: The Board Game
- Mage Knight: Ultimate Edition
- Star Trek: Frontiers
- Evenfall
- Isle of Trains: All Aboard
Episode 572: Our Top-Five Games with Multi-Use cards - Show Notes
Episode release date is March 26, 2025
This week we dig into our discussion of games with Multi-Use cards by hitting our top five. Just to recap, the Multi-Use cards game mechanic adds layers of strategic depth and decision-making. Something that we all love in a game. Come join us at the game table as we reveal our top five games with multi-use cards.
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Intro of Meeple Nation The World's Most Okayest Podcast
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights (Highlight-Thirty)
- Andy
-
Forest Shuffle with the Alpine and Woodland Edge expansions I was able to introduce Sabrina to this game as well.
-
Douglas
- Aquatica with Cold Waters & Coral Reefs
- King of Tokyo Duel
-
Azul Duel
-
Nathan
- The Fellowship of the Rings: Trick Taking Game
- Gray Knight Games
Our top five pick
Andy
- Pirates of Maracaibo
- Revive
- Maracaibo
- Apiary
- Comet
Douglas
- Etherfields
- Arkham Horror The Card Game
- Endless Winter Paleoamericans
- Revive
- Lost Ruins of Arnak
Nathan
- Hadrian’s Wall
- The White Castle
- Pirates of Maracaibo
- 7 Wonders Duel
- The Quest for El Dorado
- Dead Cells: The Rouge-Lite Board Game
Episode 570: Meeple Nation March 2025 News - Show Notes
Episode release date is March 19, 2025
This week is all about SaltCON Spring! We managed to sprinkle a little news in there to boot. Come join us at the game table.
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Intro of Meeple Nation The World’s Okayest Podcast.
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights SaltCON Spring
- Nathan
- Mezen
- The Gang
- Pixies
- River Valley Glassworks
- Planet Unknown
- Castle Combo
- Welcome To…
- Lucky Number
- Wilmot’s Warehouse
- Room 25
- White Castle with Matcha expansion
-
Salem 1692
-
Douglas
- Finspan
- Mezen
- Unstoppable
- The Gang
- Planet Unknown (w/ Supermoon)
- Mille Fiori (w/ The Masterpieces)
- Pixies
- Salem 1692
- 51st State
- Worms: The Board Game
- Horrified: Greek Monsters
- River Valley Glassworks
- Fleet: The Dice Game
- Forest Shuffle (w/ Alpine & Woodland Edge)
- The White Castle (w/ Matcha)
- Room 25
-
Thurn and Taxis
-
Andy
- Marvel Zombies X2
- Planet Unknown with the Supermoon expansion
- Inventors of the South Tigris
- From the Moon
- Pirates of Maracaibo
- Akropolis with the Athena expansion
- Earth Under Siege: Flashpoint
New Game Releases
- Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era
- Marvel Champions: Agents of SHIELD
- Arkham Horror LCG: The Drowned City Investigators
New Game Announcements
- Lost Ruins of Arnak: Adventure Chest
- Storage Solution
-
Twisted Paths Expansion
-
Pirates of Maracaibo: Commanders
Crowdfunding Games
- Kickstarter
- Champions of Midgard: 10th Anniversary Edition
Episode 569: Games with Card Play Conflict Resolution Episode release date is March 12, 2025
Show Notes
This week we are doing a single episode discussing games with card play conflict resolution. Card play conflict resolution is a versatile mechanic that can add depth, strategy, and thematic flavor to board games. It allows for player agency and decision-making in situations that might otherwise be left to chance. Card play conflict resolution in board games means that instead of using dice rolls or other randomizers to determine the outcome of a conflict, players use cards from their hand or a shared deck to influence or directly decide the result.
- Conflict arises:
- Card selection:
- Reveal and resolve
Why use card play for conflict resolution?
- Reduced randomness
- Strategic depth
- Thematic connection
- Variety and replayability
Come join us at the game table.
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Intro of Meeple Nation
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights
- Andy
-
Inventors of the South Tigris
-
Nathan
- Loco Momo
- Fromage
Top games with modular boards
- Gloomhaven
- Dune: Imperium
- Star Wars Rebellion
- Marvel Champions
- Mage Knight: Ultimate Edition
- Mage Knight: The Board Game
- Oathsworn: Into the Deepwood
- Kemet
- Ankh: Gods of Egypt
- Dune
- Western Legends
- Lords of Hellas
- Mythic Battles Pantheon
- Cooper Island
- Mythic Battles Ragnarok
- Mythic Battles Isfet
- The Witcher: Old World
- Battlestar Galactica
- A Game of Thrones: The Board Game (Second Edition)
- StarCraft: The Board Game
- Earthborne Rangers
- Star Wars: The Card Game
- Star Wars: Customizable Card Game
- Fury of Dracula (Third/Fourth Edition)
- SeaFall
- Jaws
- Halloween
Games on the list that we did not get too.
- Forbidden Stars
- Cosmic Encounter
- Unmatched: Battle of Legends, Volume One
- Battle Line
- Summoner Wars (Second Edition)
- Air, Land, & Sea
- Schottne Totten
- Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation (2005)
- A Few Acres of Snow
- Regicide
- War of the Ring: The Card Game
- Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation (2002)
- Bloodborne: The Board Game
- My Little Scythe
- Heroes of Land, Air, and Sea
- Brazil: Imperial
- Fridrich: Anniversary Edition
- Resist!
- Super Fantasy Brawl
- Sylvion
- Sun Tzu
- War of the Ring: Second Edition
- Scythe
- Blood Rage
Meeple Nation Podcast: Episode 568 - Games with Modular Boards that we don’t own
Show Notes
Episode release date is March 5, 2025
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 568: Games with Modular Boards. This week we end our discussion of games with modular boards by hitting on some that we do not own and dip into why that may be. Will we be adding any of these to our game shelves? Let’s find out. Come join us at the game table.
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Intro of Meeple Nation
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast Bios Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com Patreon Instagram @meeplenation Facebook Meeple Nation Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air X Meeple Nation Discord Meeple Nation
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights
-
Nathan
- Dead Cells: The Rouge-Lite Board Game
- Federation
-
Andy
-
The Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the 2nd Era
Top games with modular boards
Gloomhaven Twilight Imperium: Fourth Edition Spirit Island Gaia Project Eclipse: Second Dawn of the Galaxy 7 Wonders Duel Mage Knight: Ultimate Edition Nemesis Frosthaven Arkham Horror: The Card Game Mage Knight: The Board Game Food Chain Magnate Oathsworn: Into the Deepwood The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-earth Mansions of Madness: Second Edition Age of Innovation Clans of Caledonia Star Wars: Imperial Assault Mechs vs Minions Clank!: Catacombs Five Tribes: The Djinns of Naqala Eclipse: New Dawn of the Galaxy Inis Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon Dwellings of Eldervale Keyflower The Quest for El Dorado Voidfall The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-Earth Twilight Imperium: Third Edition The 7th Continent Everdell: The Complete Collection Yokohama Clank! In! Space!: A Deck-Building Game Forbidden Stars Parks Targi Undaunted: Normandy Istanbul Viscounts of the West Kingdom Xia: Legends of a Drift System Star Wars: Outer Rim Memoir ‘44 Descent Journeys in the Dark (Second Edition) Ora et Labora Commands and Colors: Ancients Clash of Cultures: Monumental Edition Under Falling Skies Flamme Rouge Vindication Hallertau Endless Winter: Paleoamericans Oath Marvel United Cryptid
Meeple Nation Podcast: 567 Top Five Games with Modular Boards
This week is all about modular boards. This board goes here, this board goes there...no, wait...what? Come join us at the game table.
Episode 566: Games with Modular Boards - Show Notes
Episode release date is February 19, 2025
This week we kick off our discussion of games with Modular Boards. A fascinating mechanic that adds layers of strategic depth and decision-making, and one we love very much. A modular board in a board game is a game board that is made up of multiple pieces or tiles that can be arranged in different ways. These pieces can be rearranged before the game starts, or even during the game itself, to create a different board layout each time you play.
Modular boards usually consist of smaller sections or tiles that can be connected in various ways. These might be hexes, squares or tiles of cards of any shape.
Come join us at the game table.
Sponsorship
- Game Toppers
- SaltCON
Intro of Meeple Nation
- Web Page
- Links to Episodes
- SaltPOD: A SaltCON Podcast
- Bios
- Email us at MeepleNation@gmail.com
- Patreon
- Instagram @meeplenation
- Facebook Meeple Nation
- Facebook Group Meeple Nation Off Air
- X Meeple Nation
- Discord Meeple Nation
Meeple Nation Gaming Highlights SaltCON Spring
- Nathan
-
Castle Combo
-
Douglas
- Shelf of Shame update??
- Took off 3 but added 13 new titles.
-
Worms the Board Game
-
Andy
Games that use Multi-Use Cards
Nathan’s Games
- 7 Wonders Duel
- Attika
- Azul
- Azul Stained Glass of Sintra
- Carolus Magnus
- Cartagena
- Catan
- Clank! in Space
- Dice Hospital
- Dorfromamtik: The Board Game
- Ecos: First Continent
- Endless Winter: Paleoamerican
- Escape: The Curse of the Temple
- Flamecraft
- Flamme Rouge
- Frosthaven
- Gloomhaven
- Heroscape
- HEXplore IT
- Lair
- Looot
- The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-earth
- Magic Maze
- Masters of the Night
- Memoir ‘44
- Monumental
- New York Zoo
- Nunatak: Temple of Ice
- P.I.
- Parks
- The Quest for El Dorado
Doug’s Games
- 7 Wonders Duel Cards
- 7th Citadel Cards
- Arkham Horror: The Card Game Cards
- Azul
- Azul Stained Glass of Sintra
- Burncycle Unplayed
- Catan
- Century: Golem Edition - Eastern Mountains
- Deliverance !!
- Endless Winter: Paleoamerican !!
- Etherfields Cards
- Euthia: Torment of Resurrection Unplayed
- Expeditions !!
- Fallout Shelter: The Board Game Cards
- Flamecraft Cards
- Forbidden Desert !!
- Frostpunk: The Board Game Unplayed
- Heroscape Unplayed
- Last Bastion Unplayed
- The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-earth Cards
- Mage Knight: Ultimate Edition Unplayed
- Mansions of Madness: Second Edition !!
- Massive Darkness 2 !!
- Memoir ‘44 !!
- Monumental !!
- Nemesis Unplayed
- New York Zoo
- Nova Aetas Resistance Unplayed
- Nunatak: Temple of Ice !!
- Oathsworn: Into the Deepwood
- Parks !!
- The Quest for El Dorado !!
- Skytear
- Star Wars: Imperial Assault !!
- Thunder Road: Vendetta !!
- Worms the Board Game !!
- Undaunted !!
Andy’s Games
- 7 Wonders Duel
- Aeon Trespass: Odyssey
- Andromeda
- AquaSphere
- Archipelago
- Bantam West
- BattleLore
- Betrayal at House on the Hill
- Catan
- Century: Golem Edition - Eastern Mountains
- The City of Kings
- The Colonists
- Dead Reckoning
- Descent: Journeys in the Dark Second Edition
- Descent: Legends of the Dark
- Dungeonology: Circe’s Bay
- Dungeons and Dragons: Castle Ravenloft Board Game
- Dungeons and Dragons: The Legend of Drizzt Board Game
- Dungeons and Dragons: Waterdeep - Dungeon fo the Mad Mage Board Game
- Dungeons and Dragons: Wrath of Ashardalon
- Dwellings of Eldervale
- Eclipse: New Dawn for the Galaxy
- Ecos: First Continent
- Endless Winter: Paleoamerican
- Escape: The Curse of the Temple
- Etherfields
- Everdell: The Complete Collection
- First Martians: Adventure on the Red Planet
- Folklore: The Affliction
- Forbidden Sky
- Frosthaven
- Gaia Project
- Gloomhaven
- Heroes of Might and Magic III
- HeroQuest Advanced Quest
- Heroscape
- Hyperborea
- Ignite
- Imhotep
- Kingdom Builder
- Kingdom Rush
- Kingburg: To Forge the Realm
- Mansions of Madness: Second Edition
- Marvel Zombies: A Zombicide Game
- Massive Darkness
- New York Zoo
- Petrichor
- Runewars
- Shadows of Brimstone
- Sid Meier’s Civilization: The Board Game
- Sky Traders
- Spirit Island
- Star Wars: Imperial Assault
Extras
- Secrets of the Lost Tomb
- Secrets of the Lost Tomb Epic Edition
- Secrets of the Lost Station.
- Betrayal at house on the Hill
- Magic Maze on Mars
Meeple Nation Podcast: 565 February 2025 News
This week is all about BryceCON! We managed to sprinkle a little news in there to boot. Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 564: Income Games We Don't Own.
We close out our section on income games talking about some great income games that are missing from our collections, and Andy gets to talks about his games too.
Join us at the game table
SaltCON Podcast Episode 001: What is SaltCON?
SaltCON is Utah's largest Board Game Convention which has events 5 times each year. But, it is more than just board games. There are RPG events, Social Gaming, Puzzle Hunts, Game Shows and so much more.
Come Join us at the table as we discuss all things SaltCON.
Meeple Nation Podcast: 563 Our Top Five Income Games
We could all use a little more income...Am I right? These are the games that make the income magic happen! Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 562: Income Games.
We are kicking off our discussion of income games, we waffle on our ideas and definition of what make a game an income game, but we have some fun discussing them.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast: 561 What We're Looking for in 2025
It's a new year full of new games! This week we talk about what were looking forward to most in 2025. Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast: Episode 560 - January 2025 News
A new year and it is time for the first news episode of the year. Looking forward to new games, games that are coming soon, and awesome games on crowdfunding.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast: 559 Top 10 Games of 2024
What kind of year was 2024 for games? We thought it was pretty great! Let us know what your favorites were at meeplenation@gmail.com. Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast: Episode 558 - Top Thirty Games of All-Time... At Least for Now.
Here it is, our top 10 games of all-time. We have some more crossover, but mostly we have a list of some amazing games.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast: 557 Top 30 Games of All Time (20 - 11)
This week we continue our countdown of the the best games EVER!! According to us...for now! Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 556 Our Top 30 Games of All-Time.
We went through the games we have played and came up with our top thirty games. This is part 1 of 3 episodes as we go over these great games.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast: 555 November 2024
This week we talk mostly about BGGCON, amazing games, and weird flights. There's even a little news mixed in there too. Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast: Episode 554 - Five games that need expansions.
This week we discuss some amazing games that we love and we just want to love them some more with some new content. Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast: Episode 554 - Five games that need expansions.
This week we discuss some amazing games that we love and we just want to love them some more with some new content. Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast: 553 Top Expansions That Made the Base Game Better (and improved it!)
This week we discuss the expansions that made the base game better! Are they "essential?" Maybe..!? Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast: 552 our 2024 holiday gift guide.
It is that time of year, when we think about giving gifts to those we love. The gamers in our lives, and even those who we want to be gamers. We have something for everyone. Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast: Episode 551 - Spooky Games for Halloween
Beware! This weeks episode is rated "S" for Scary! Oh, I've just been informed the "S" stands for Silly. Beware all the same!
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 550: 2024 October News.
New game releasees, new game announcements for Nathan, and some crowd funding for Andy. I bet there is something here for you too.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast: Episode 549 - Why Do You Have So Many Games?
This week we try to answer questions about why we buy games. Do we come to any solid conclusions along the way? Maybe, maybe not. But the ride is fun anyway!
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast: Bonus Episode 15 - Hex Game Showdown. It is time to join us ringside for another showdown episode. 14 games enter the arena, and only one can be the Meeple Nation number one game. What will it be? Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 548: Top Hex Grid Games on BGG.
We are trying something a bit different. We are looking at the top 50 hex grid games and talk about some that we do not own or have not played yet.
Come join us at the Game Table.
Meeple Nation Podcast: Episode 547 Top Five Hex Grid Games
This week we discuss some highlights and our top five hex grid games.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast: Episode 546 - Hex Grid Games
This week we are kicking off our discussion of games that employee the gamers shape, the hex. The hex is such a versatile shape in so many different board games.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast: Episode 545 - September 2024 News
It's time to talk about the news! SaltCON, new games announcements, and crowdfunding.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 544: Our Top Five Games Still On Our Shelf of Shame. Time to review what games we are still hoping to get the the game table. These are great games that we need to get learned and played. Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast: Episode 543 - Top Hand Management Games We Don't Own
This week we talk about a few games we've missed...or have we? You decide!
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast: Episode 542 - Top Five Hand Management Games.
This week we focus on our top five games. There is some great discussion about the hand management mechanic and four awesome list.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 541: Hand Management Games
This week while Doug is away we are kicking off our discussion of hand management games. We are welcoming Sierra on a regular basis and having a good time.
Come Join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast: August 2024 News.
GenCON has come and gone, that means there are a lot of new games to talk about. It is time to start making that shopping list for those of us who did not make it.
Come Join us at the game table.
MN Podcast episode 539
This week we review the best convention we've ever attended! Seriously...it was awesome!
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast: Bonus Episode 13 - End Game Bonus Showdown.
Get your ringside seat to find out of our collective top five lists, which game makes it to the Meeple Nation number one game with end game bonuses.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast: 538 - Games with end game bonuses that we do not own.
We have a list of 14 games that are in the top 40 games that we do not own. We look at these games and find out why they missed our radar.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast: 538 - Games with end game bonuses that we do not own.
We have a list of 14 games that are in the top 40 games that we do not own. We look at these games and find out why they missed our radar.
Come join us at the game table.
MN Bonus Episode 12: Board Game Art
This bonus episode is an answer to the big question, "What board game art has moved us?". Well tune on in and listen to us discuss it. Art, minis, and game appeal.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 537: Top five games with end game bonuses.
This week is all about games with those sometimes hidden points that show up at the end of the game and can make or break someone's chance of victory.
Come join us at the game table.
MN Bonus Episode 11 Mail Bag Question 1.
How has the evolution of the gaming hobby changed over the years? How has it affected us, and how do we see it affecting us in the future?
Come join us at the games and we discuss this thought.
MN Podcast episode 536
This week we're talking about games that feature end game scoring and bonuses.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast: Episode 535 July 2024 News.
It is time for news. We have some highlights from some games that Arcane Wonders sent us, as well as all the fun and excitement that was had at SaltCon Summer. Plus some news too.
Come join us at the game table.
MN Podcast episode 534
This week we're talking about the amazing crowdfunding projects out there that have us reved up!
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast Bonus Showdown Episode.
Join us ring side as we discuss our top deduction games and by using Pub Meeple we determine the Meeple Nation top five deduction games.
Come join us at the Game Table.
MN Podcast episode 533
This week we talk about some great highlights and discuss some of the deduction games that have slipped through our fingers.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 532, Our Top Five Deduction Games. This week we are concluding our continuing our discussion of deduction games with our individual top five games. Do any of your games make our list?
Come join us at the game table!
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 531
This week we are talking all about deduction games. The game is afoot dear listener!
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 530 June, 2024 News.
In this episode Doug deals with some new revelations about BGA. We also discuss new games releases, new game announcements, and a couple of crowd funding games on our radar.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 529
This week we are talking about games that have their origins in book, movies, television, and video games, and now can be found on the game table. There is a wide scope of games in this realm and we only hit the tip of mountain of what we have and enjoyed. Come see if some of your favorites made our discussion.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast, Episode 528 Top Deck, Bag, & Pool Building Games We Don't Own
This week we continue our discussion of deck, bag, and or pool building games by talking about a few of them that have slipped under our radar.
Come Join us at the game table.
Are you ready to rumble? It's time for Meeple Nation's Bonus Episode 9: The Deck, Bag, and Pool Building Brawl!
We've combined each of our top five games - a whopping 14 games across the deck, bag, and pool building mechanics. Using the power of PubMeeple, we'll settle the score and crown the champions of the Meeple Nation top games.
So grab your dice, shuffle your deck, and get ready for an epic showdown! Come, join us at the game table!
Meeple Nation Podcast, Episode 527 Top 5 Deckbuilding Games
This week we continue our discussion of deck, bag, and or pool building games by listing our top five picks. Some games my surprise you, some may not. Have a listen and see if any of your games make or lists.
Come Join us at the game table.
MN Podcast episode 526.
This week we talk about some great highlights, and open up our discussion about deck, bag, and pool building games...some of our favorites!
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 525.
It is time for news! We have several games that we are talking about this episode. There are new games that can be found in the wild. Games to keep on your radar. And, crowdfunding options to watch for too. Come join us at the game table.
MN Podcast episode 524.
This week we talk about some great highlights, and discuss some of the games we've finally been able to pull off our shelf of shame.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast: Bonus Episode 8 - Cooperative Game Showdown. Are you Ready? It is time for another showdown episode, where we take each of our top five cooperative games and discover what the Meeple Nation top five Cooperative Games are. Come join us at the game table.
MN Podcast episode 521.
This week we talk about some great highlights, dip into the mailbag, and discuss some of the cooperative games that have slipped through our fingers.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 522 Our Top Five Co-op Games.
This week we dive into another great game mechanic. Cooperative games are just plain fun. Did you favorite make any of our top five lists? Let's find out.
Come join us at the game table.
MN Podcast episode 521.
This week we talk about some great highlights and discuss one of our favorite game mechanisms - cooperative play!
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 520 March 2024 News. This week we have a lot of news to cover and 120 minutes to do it in. We discuss new games available now, and games to look for in the future. Also, we cannot skip looking at some new crowd funding. Come join us at the game table.
MN Podcast episode 519.
This week we hit some highlights and count down our top five gateway game suggestions.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast, Bonus Episode 7:
Are you ready? It is time for the campaign, battle card driven showdown episode. We discuss our combined top five games and together, we work out the Meeple Nation top five.
Come join us at the game table.
MN Podcast episode 518.
This week we hit some highlights and talk about more games we don't own, and maybe even a few we might want to try.
Come join us at the game table.
Highlight Games:
Paleo Heat: Pedal to the Metal Foundations of Rome Stars of Akarios Oathsworn Ticket to Ride Europe: 10th Anniversary Edition
Other Games Discussed:
Twilight Struggle War of the Ring: Second Edition War of the Ring Inis Commands & Colors: Ancients Combat Commander: Europe Paths of Glory Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage Here I Stand Labyrinth: The War of Terror, 2001-? Up Front Command & Colors: Napoleonics Bloodborne: The Board Game 1960: The Making of the President Gears of War: The Board Game Black Rose Wars Battles of Westeros Triumph & Tragedy: European Balance of Power 1936-1945 Hammer of the Scots Churchill
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 517.
Our top five war campaign or battle card driven games. Plus a great question and several other tangents.
Come join us at the game table.
MN Podcast episode 516.
This week we hit some highlights and discuss "camapign" games!
Come join us at the game table.
MN 515 February 2024 News
This week we discuss the art of culling games, and we have new game and freshly announced games and even some crowdfunding games. Put them all together and you have another Meeple Nation News episode.
Come join us at the table. Highlights:
Framework My City Roll & Write My Island It's a Wonderful World New Releases: Portals Virtual Revolution Among Cultists Knarr Aqua Horrified Greek Monsters Mythwind Havalandi Wyrmspan New Announcements: Catan: Starfarers Duel Interstellar Faraway The Paradox Initiative And That's How I Died GI Joe: Battle for the Arctic Circle Patchwork 10 Anniversary edition Builders of Sylvan Dale Barbaric Keystone: North America Second Edition Ready Set Bet High Roller Edition That's So Cleaver Deluxe Ticket to Ride Paris The Search for UAPs King of Tokyo: Origins Crowdfunding: Dante: Inferno Thunder Road: Vendetta - Carnival of Chaos Wormwood
MN Podcast episode 514.
This week we hit some highlights and talk about area movement games that don't sit on our shelves.
Come join us at the game table.
MN Podcast episode 513.
This week we talk highlights, break down what type of gamers we are, and count down our top five area movement games!
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast episode 512: Area Movement Games This week we are kicking of our discussion of the area movement mechanic and some games that we own that include this. Area movement is different than grid or path movement, so let's see what games we get to discuss. Come join us at the game table.
MN Podcast episode 511.
This week we talk about some of memories we made last year and count down our top 5 games of 2023!
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 510 January 2024 News
Our first news episode of the year! There is a lot of new games to talk about and also we talk about four games from Good Games Publishing. Four Games we quite liked.
Come join us at the game table as we talk about news.
Meeple Nation Podcast Bonus Episode 5
Are you ready? Let the battle begin! It is time to rank the Meeple Nation top 15 Area Control / Area Influence games. Whose games will be at the top of the list?
Come, join us at the game table.
MN Podcast episode 509.
Dave is Back! This week we get excited about game highlights, meander off the beaten path more than once, and look forward with hope in our eyes at what 2024 will bring!
Come join us at the game table.
MN Sit Down with Sierra Bonus Episode 1. Join us as we sit down with Andy's daughter Sierra and discuss what it is like growing up surrounded by board games. Come join us at the game table.
MN Podcast episode 508.
This week we discuss our weekly highlights, spend way too much time talking about game upgrades, and eventually get around to complaining about some of the games we don't own.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 507, our top five area majority, or area influence games. This week Andy and I talk about our top five games. Are any of your games on our lists? Lets find out. Come join us at the games table.
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 506. This week we are discussing a game mechanic that we all thought we each highly disliked. Turns out, we have a large amount of area majority and area influence games.
Are your favorites on our list? Come join us at the game table and find out.
MN Podcast episode 505.
December 2023 news. We have new game announcements, new games in the wild and of course, crowdfunding.
Come join us at the game table.
MN Podcast episode 504.
It's time to send board games into space! What do we send and why? Will our choices invite an alien race to become our new overlords, or will we scare them away from Earth permanently?
Come join us at the game table.
MN Podcast bonus episode 4 action point games showdown. Are you ready!! It is time to have our top five action point games battle it out and to determine what our top 15 action point games really are. Come join us ring side, at the game table.
MN Podcast episode 503.
This week we talk about all the action point games we don't own and why. Plus, is it ok to destroy children and innocent players when teaching them new games? We have opinions! Come join us at the game table.
MN Podcast episode 502, our top five action point games. This week we bring our top five action point games to the table to discuss the games we feel are the best action point games we own. Plus, we discuss an interesting question about when we cull games. Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast, Episode 501. In this episode we discuss action point games! Here's how it works: you have two actions on your turn! You can use them to listen to the Meeple Nation Podcast, or Listen to the Meeple Nation Podcast. The choice is yours, so choose wisely. Come join us at the table!
Meeple Nation Podcast, Episode 500. November 2023 news. We have new game announcements, new games in the wild and of course, crowdfunding of course. Come join us at the games table for episode 500.
Meeple Nation Bonus Episode 3 Wargame Showdown.
This is time for our next showdown episode! We are facing off with our top wargames and decide our Meeple Nation Top Wargames.
Come join us ring side, at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 499, Our 2023 Holiday Gift Guide.
It is time for our annual holiday gift guide. As gamers, we want to share the love of board games with all those around us, but sometimes we overload those new to the hobby. Hopefully we have some ideas that will help bring your friends to the game table more often. Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast Bonus Episode 1 One on One with Ashley.
Wow more bonus content! We are hoping this is a regular thing that will happen once a month. A sit down with Ashley as we discuss some fun games that her and I have played.
Come Join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 498
This week we are exploring Wargames that we do not own and discussing why they are not on our shelves or why they are not hitting our game table. Come join us at the game table!
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 497.
This week we cry "Havoc!" and let slip the dogs of war! It's time for our top five wargames! Come join us at the game table
With it being game night the biggest question that seems to be on everyone's mind is what are we going to be playing tonight? Well we have some friends who have some options. What are you playing this week?
MN podcast episode 496 Wargames. This week we open our discussion of wargames, this is not a theme that we gravitate to often, but we do have some games that we do like. Join the conversation by reaching out to us at Meeplenation@gmail.com Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 495.
This week we share highlights, answer some listener mail, and cover some juicy news! Come join us at the game table
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 494.
This week we discuss some of the inside jokes from the Meeple Nation game table. Now you can join us in the laugh...maybe...we say a lot of silly things. Come join us at the game table
Meeple Nation Bonus Episode 2: Spies and Secret Agent games showdown.
This week we take all of our top five spies and secret agent games, put them into Pub Meeple and do our live showdown episode. Let the fun begin.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 493
This week we are trying something new and we have come up with a list of spies and secret agent games that we do not own and trying to figure out why, and determine if we need to seek them out.
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Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 492.
This week is shaken, not stirred. We're discussing our favorite spy and secret agent games, so load up your surveilance van and leave no witnesses.
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Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 491
This week we are opening our discussion of spies and secret agent games. We find out Nathan likes spy games more than the Andy and Doug, but we have some good ones.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 490
This week we discuss changes to the podcast, answer a listener question, share some highlights, and...you guessed it...cover the news!
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Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 489.5
This is it! Our first bonus episode. We will most likely be doing each time right before our news episodes, so let us know what you think at MeepleNation@gmail.com.
This episode, we find Meeple Nation's real top five!
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 489.
This week we each list five games we think should absolutely be in every game collection. So, if these games aren't on your shelf, time to get shopping!
Come join us at the game table
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 478
This week we are talking our top five cards games. Some of us cheated and made more than one list. We had hard time limiting what games counted as card games and games that are card driven.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 487.
This week we discuss our top five favorite train and transportation games. Hold on tight...this could be a bumpy ride!
Come join us at the game table
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 486.
This week we open up our discussion of train and transportation games. Gather around the game table with us as we talk about some great games.
Come join us at the game table
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 485.
This week we talk about some of the amazing games we've been playing lately, and discuss a few new releases and croudfunding projects.
Come join us at the game table
Meeple Nation Podcast episode 484
This week we creep into the Oathsworn: Into the Deepwood. An amazing campaign driven game. Something we love a lot of, but this one we all really liked.
Come Join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 483.
This week we talk about some gaming experiences that made us cringe as we played and maybe considered bumping the table or maybe even flipping the table. Come share in the pain, or maybe laugh at our pain.
Come join us at the table.
MN Episode 482.
This week we are talking about our top five game in the territory building category. What game is your number one pick? See if it made our lists.
Come join us at the Game Table.
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 481
This week we are opening our discussion of territory games. We are claiming land, growing in influence and finding a successful path to victory.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 480
This week we are talking about our June 2023 news and highlights.
Gaming highlights, from SaltCon Summer, new games that hit the table, and other fun moments.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 479
This week we an exciting episode talking about our HUGG-A-MeepleCon highlights from the past and introduce some new friends to what is like to hangout with the Meeple Nation team.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 478
This week we an excited to be talking about our new favorite campaign game that is base in space. And maybe our new favorite campaign game currently. That game is Stars of Akarios.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 477
This week we have picked our top five science fiction games in space. Bet there are some Star Wars games here, and something to do with Mars.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 476
This week we begin our discussion of science fiction games that are all in space. And oddly enough not a ton of the games are Star Wars related.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Podcast Episode 475 This week we are talking about May 2023 news. Gaming highlights, from our first trip to ICON in Idaho, gaming highlights from our Hugg-a-Meeple Con and other amazing games that we have played since our last news episode.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 474
This week we have a new top five list we are talking about. Top Five Gateway Games. We each picked our top gateway games, come see if your gateway game made our list.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 473
This week we are talking about your top Earth-Based Science Fiction games. This is your list and our feedback for you. What games have we played, which ones will we be looking to add to our collections?
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Meeple Nation Episode 472
This week we are narrowing our discussion of Earth-Based Science Fiction games to our top five games. Let's find out if your top choice made it onto our lists.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 406
This week we are opening our discussion of Earth-Based Science Fiction games. Sci-Fi is such a wide subject we had to split it in two two categories and this group is all close to home.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 475 This week we are talking about April 2023 news. SaltCon gaming highlights, along with so many other highlights. We also mention some new game announcements, Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 469
This week we are talking about our top five games that we have ever bought. This list varies from our top five games in that these games may not be rushing the to table, but they come with some found memories.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 468
This week we are talking about our top five favorite games. See how they have changed and find out some of us still has the same number one, but the others have changed for sure.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 467
This week we are talking about our top five gaming pet peeves. These are things that drive us nuts. Sometimes we are the ones doing these thing, sometimes we are suffering through these things. Let's see how our list compares to yours.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 466
This week we are talking about our top gaming moments. Gaming experiences that made a game or a game night stick in our minds. One of those moments that we want to build on and have more of.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 465 This week we are talking about March 2023 news. Gaming highlights, new game have hit our tables and games that we are excited about playing. Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 464
This week we are talking about Endless Winter: Paleoamericans, a 1-4 player game designed by Stan Kordonskiy. Brave the cold, build your tribe and thrive.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 463
This week we are responding to your favorite two-players games or games that you feel play best with just two players. How many do we play, and what will be added to the game shelf? Let's find out.
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Meeple Nation Episode 462
This week we are talking about our top two-player games. Not all of our top games are limited to two players. However, we feel that they really shine when played with only one other person.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 461
This week we are opening our discussion of two-player games. Not just games that are limited to two players, but games that shine playing them with just two people.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 460This week we are talking about 2023 February news. We had an amazing time at SaltCon Bryce. We played a lot of new games. Also, since this is the first news episode of the year, we talk about gaming goals for 2022, and goals for 2023 Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 458
This week we are talking about five different racing games. Steampunk Rally: Fusion, Can't Stop, High Risk, Quest for El Dorado, and Camel Up!
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 459
This week we are talking about an amazing racing game, Tiny Turbo Cars, a 2-4 player game designed by Hjalmar Hach and published through Horrible Guild Games.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 457
This week we are kicking off our discussion of racing. Games that have a threshold or finish line that needs to be crossed to end the game.
There will be cars, dog sleds, and even some deep sea divers.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 456This week we are talking about what we are looking forward to during the year 2023.
There are already a ton of games expected out this year. We hit several that are exciting to us now. Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 455This week we are talking about December 2022 news. Gaming highlights. We mention some new game announcements, several new games that can be found in the wild.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 454This week we are talking about our highlights for the year 2022. We are focusing on events, memories, and of course we will be talking about some amazing games that all hit the table in 2022. Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 453
This week we are talking about Tortuga 2199. A game of space pirating as battling captains seek fame and control in order to unite the pirate clans and become Tortuga's pirate leader
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 452
This week we are talking about four widely different pirate games; Skull King, Cartagena, Forgotten Waters, and Tiny Epic Pirates. From trick takers to rondels, pirate games ahoy!
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 451
This week we are talking about Andy's favorite theme of games, pirate themed games. We start with sea pirates but the changes to include space pirates too.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 450A
It is here!! The 2022 Holiday Gift Guide!
Looking for games to buy for your friends who are just tipping their toes into the boardgaming hobby, or buying something for the gamer that seems to have it all, we have all sorts of options.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 400
This week we are talking about November 2022 news.
BGG Con gaming highlights, BGG Con Kickstarter plays of games coming out Q1 2023, and other fun highlights too.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 449
This week we are talking about Bardsung. Choose your path, find adventure, be a legend. Inspire tales for the bard's to sing for years to follow.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 448
This week we are talking about The Initiative, a game for 1-4 players, designed by Corey Konieczka, and released through Unexpected Games. Play as one of four teens and they play through The Key.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 448
This week we are talking about The Initiative, a game for 1-4 players, designed by Corey Konieczka, and released through Unexpected Games. Play as one of four teens and they play through The Key.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 447
This week we are talking about five puzzle games. Doug talks Mansions of Madness 2nd Edition, Nathan Covers Canvas, Andy discusses Potion Explosion, Logan picks Scarabya, and David speaks about Feasts for Odin.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 446
This week we are talking about Puzzle games and games that have some sort of puzzle mechanic in them. We range from games like Azul to escape room style games.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 445
This week we are talking about October 2022 news.
We talk gaming highlights, new game announcements, new games that can be found in the wild, and a crowdfunding project or two.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 444
This week we are talking about My Father's Work, a 2-4 player game designed by TC Petty the third. After finding their father's journal of full of both inspiring and dark discoveries, players carry on in those grim experiments.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 443
This week we are talking about five Halloween games. Nightfall, Zombie Dice, Betrayal Legacy, Cult of the Deep, Horrified and Horrified: American Monsters.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 442
This week we are talking about Halloween style games. There could be spooky games, maybe even some scary games, but there will for sure be some fun games
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 441
This week we are talking about Zombicide: 2nd edition, 1-6 players team up to find supplies and defeat zombies before they get you. An amazing game designed by Raphael Guiton, Jean-Baptiste, Lullien, and Nicolas Raoult
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 440
This week we are talking about September news.
Gaming and SaltCon End of Summer highlights, new game announcements, new games that can be found in the wild, and a fun Kickstarter?
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 439
This week we are talking about Return to Dark Tower, this 1-4 player game is designed by: Tim Burrell-Saward, Isaac Childres, Noah Cohen, Rob Daviau, Justin D. Jacobson, and Brian Neff.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 438
This week we are talking about Aquatica, and it's expansion, Aquatica: Cold Waters. Designed by Ivan Tuzovsky this 1-4 player game is released through Cosmodrome Games plays in about 30-60 minutes.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 437
This week we are talking about five games based on an aquatic theme. We discuss, Merchants Cove, Sea of Legends, Pirates Cove, Underwater Cities, and Oceans.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 436
This week we are kicking off our discussion of Nautical themed games. Walk don't run as we take a deep dive into these water based games.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 435
This week we are talking August 2022 news.
Gaming highlights, new game announcements, new games that can be found in the wild, and a crowdfunding project or two.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 434
This week we are talking about Merchants of the Dark Road, a 1-4 player game designed by Brian Suhre, released through Elf Creek Games, and plays in 60-120 minutes.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 433
This week we are talking about Abomination: The Heir of Frankenstein, a 2-4 player game designed by Dan Blanchett, distributed through Plaid Hat Games and plays in 90-180 minutes
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 433
This week we are talking about Abomination: The Heir of Frankenstein, a 2-4 player game designed by Dan Blanchett, distributed through Plaid Hat Games and plays in 90-180 minutes
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 432
This week we are talking about four games with murder in the theme of the game. We discuss, Clue: Master Detective, Mysterium, and P.I.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 431
This week we are talking about games that all involve an act of murder! Some game are social deduction games, and some involve rituals to Elder gods. Either way put on the crime scene gloves and come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 430
This week we are talking about May news.
Gaming highlights, new game announcements, new games that can be found in the wild, and a Kickstarter to late pledge.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 429
This week we are talking about Dead Reckoning, the latest Game from Designer John D. Clair and AEG. Each player commands a ship and crew and seeks to amass the greatest fortune.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 428
This week we are talking about Meeples and Monsters, the latest Game from Designer Ole Steiness and Alderac Entertainment Group. The peaceful city of Rowan is in peril. Citizens must fortify the city. Warriors, clerics, knights, and mages, are called to service.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 427
This week we are talking about Ankh: Gods of Egypt, from designer Eric Lang and CMON Games. Play as a god of ancient Egypt, competing to survive as society begins to forget the old ways, so that only you and your followers remain.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 426
This week we are talking about mythology or folklore themed games. We discuss games with Greek gods all the way to Robin Hood, and games that land somewhere in between.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 425
This week we are talking about June 2022 news. We discuss gaming highlights, new game announcements, new games that can be found in the wild.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 424
This week we are talking about Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle: Designed by Forrest-Pruzan Creative, Kami Mandell, and Andrew Wolf. Released through The Op. You and up to four friends fight to save Hogwarts Castle.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 407
This week we are talking about four games based on TV movies or books. We discuss, James Bond, Journeys in Middle-earth, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Villainous:
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 422
This week we are talking about our HUGG-A-Meeple event with our friends from Herriman, Doug, Cory, and Max. We talk about some of the groups favorite games. Sorry the audio is a bit off. Too many people.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 421
This week we are talking about board games that are based on TV shows, movies, even a video games and handful of books. Did we talk about one of your favorite properties?
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 400
This week we are talking about April 2022 news.
Gaming highlights, new game announcements, new games that can be found in the wild, and a Kickstarter or two.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 419
This week we are talking about Lizard Wizard, the latest game from designer Glenn Dover and Forbidden Games. Arch-Mages are vying for loyalty of wizards across the land so they can wield ultimate power.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 418
This week we are talking about Tiny Epic Dungeons, the latest Tiny Epic game from Scott Alms and Gamelyn Games. This is our third episode in our "games with miniatures" series.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 417
This week we are talking about four different games with minis. We discuss, Big Trouble in Little China: the Game, Folklore: the Affliction, several Awaken Realms games, and Sewer Pirates.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 416
This week we are talking about several games that include miniatures. We discuss several of our favorites, Gloomhaven, Nemesis, Shadows of Brimstone, among other games.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 415
This week we are talking about March 2022 news.
Gaming highlights, one new game announcements, some new games that can be found in the wild.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 414
This week we are talking Dune Imperium, a 1-4 player game designed Paul Dennen, and published through Direwolf Games. Join as we explore Arrakis, or the planet Dune.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 413
This week we are talking about All things West Kingdom. This includes Architects, Paladins, Viscounts of the West Kingdom. We also discuss Tomesaga, which ties all three games together in a campaign.
Come join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 412
This week we are talking about four different medieval games. We discuss, Web of Power, Storm Dragons, Castles of Burgundy, and Carcassonne.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 411
This week we are talking about games the are set in medieval times or have a medieval theme. From Dominion to Champions of Midgard, plus I bet someone mentions Gloomhaven at some point.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 410
This week we are talking about February 2022 news.
Gaming highlights, new game announcements, new games that can be found in the wild, and a Kickstarter or two.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 409
This week we are talking about The Lost Ruins of Arnak. 1-4 play game designed by Elwin Min. Players explore an uncharted island to discover the lost ruins of Arnak.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 406
This week we are talking Shadows of Brimstone. Designed by Jason Hill, 1-4 players form an adventuring party to explore the Dark Mines and fight the darkness that waits within.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 407
This week we are talking about three different fighting games. We discuss, Pirates Cove, Aeon's End, and Mythic Battles Pantheon. Let the fighting begin!
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 406
This week we are talking Jumping into the ring with Fighting games. There are so many games that use combat as a gaming element. We just bruise the surface of this topic.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 405
This week we are talking about January news.
The first news episode of the year, so we talk about games from the end of last year of course. Plus we talk about new game we have played.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 404
This week we are talking about what we are looking forward to in this brand new year. Kickstarter's we hope that will be fulfilled this year and gaming events we are looking for this year
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 403
The Year 2021 is at an end. This week we are all of our highlights of 2021. We will be discussing game we play this year and the people we played those games with.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 402
This week we are digging into civilizations games. Should these games all have epic playing times, or can a shorter play time still provide enough civilization to scratch that itch?
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 401
This week we are talking all about animal games. From tales of simple games with pigs, to complex games like Agricola, and some many more in between.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 400
This week we are talking about December news which includes a ton of highlights from November and BGG Con 2021. Games, Food, and Friends!
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 399
This week we are discussing Altiplano. A 60-120 minute game for 2-5 players, designed by Reiner Stockhausen and released through Renegade Games
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 398
This week we are talking about four different economic games. We discuss; The Game of Life, Acquire, Xenon Profiteer, and Terraforming Mars.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 397
This week we are talking about economic games. Games that have some level of economy that needs to be managed.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 396
This week we are talking about our Holiday Gift Guide for the year 2021. Want some suggestions on what to get those people on your shopping list? No matter what their gaming level is, we have a few ideas.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 395
This week we are talking about November news, which includes a review of games we played at HUGG-A-Meeple Con South. We played a ton of games over two days.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 394
This week we are talking about Descent: Legends of the Dark. A game for 1-4 players, designed by Kara Centell-Dunk, and Nathan Hajek. Plays in 120-180 minutes, and is released through Fantasy Flight Games
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 393
This week we are talking all about Halloween games. It is Logan's favorite time of the year, and we dedicating the whole episode to his dark side.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 392
This week we are talking about four different fantasy games. We discuss, Avalon, Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-earth, Ascension, and Beowulf: The Legend.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 391
This week we are talking about fantasy games, or games that have a fantasy theme. A very large number of games fall into the group we try to fit as many as we can into our 30 time slot.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 390
This week we are talking about September 2021 news.
Gaming highlights, new game announcements, and new games that can be found in the wild.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 389
This week we are talking about Beyond the Sun. Players compete to score the most points by deciding on spacefaring technology and leading their faction to victory. A game for 2-4 players. Designed by Dennis Chan. Released through Rio Grande Games.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 388
This week we are discussing Destinies. A competitive, story-driven game of adventure and exploration. A game for 1-3 players. Designed by Michal Golebiowski, and Filip Milunski. Released through Lucky Duck Games.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 383
This week we are discussing four different exploration games. Break In: Alcatraz, Pandemic Legacy, Above and Below, and Dead Men Tell No Tales.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 386
This week we are talking about exploration games. Join us as we discuss several games and chat about the thrill of exploring new games.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 385
This week we are talking about August news.
Gaming highlights, SaltCon End of Summer 2021, some new game announcements, and some new games that can be found in the wild, and maybe a Kickstarter or two.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 384
This week we are talking about Masters of the Night. Players are part of a vampire family and must work together to survive in a new unfamiliar City. For 1-5 players. Designed by Nikolay Aslamov. Released through Ares Games.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 383
This week we are talking about Die of the Dead. Players compete to be the first to reach the 9th level of the stairs, helping the dead visit the living. A game for 2-5 players. Designed by James Allen and Mark Stockton-Pitt. Released through Radical 8 Games.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 382
This week we are talking about four different dice rolling boardgames, Runebound 2nd edition, Taverns of Tiefenthal, Medici Dice, and Monopoly, yes I did say Monopoly.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 381
This week we are talking about dice games. Dice are in so many games, we are talking about games where rolling dice is one of the main elements of a game.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 380
This week we are talking news. We are discussing highlights, several new games, and some cool games that are found on Gamefound
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 379
This week we are talking about Merchants Cove, an asymmetrical game, where players play individual mini games in order to produce items to sell at the cove. Designed by Jonny Pac, Carl Van Ostrand, and Drake Villareal. Released through Final Frontier Games.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 378
This week we are talking about The Thing: Infection at Outpost 31, a hidden role deduction game for 4-8 players. Designed by Joe Van Wetering, and released through Mondo Games.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 377
This week we are talking about four deduction games. We are talking about: How to Host a Murder Mystery, Chronicles of Crime 1400, Alchemists, and Mystery of the Abbey.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 369
This week we are kicking off our discussion of deduction games. From the early games like Clue, to games like Mysterium and Decrypto.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 375
This week we are talking news with HUGG. We are finding out which new games they have been playing, what are some Kickstarters they backed, and other new to them games.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 374
This week we are talking with the ladies of HUGG. HUGG is a group of gamers who have been gathering together for several years. We talk about how are two groups formed and the fun we have all had meeting at SaltCon
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 373
This week we are talking about both King and Queendomino. Designed by Bruno Cathala, and published by Blue Orange Games.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 372
This week we are talking about four different city building games, La Citta, Architects of the West Kingdom, The City, and Underwater Cities
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 371
This week we are jumping in the city building game category. These are games that build, buildings, cities, and empires. Most are Earth bound, but some are in space.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 370
This week we are talking about May news.
Gaming highlights, new game announcements, new games that can be found in the wild, and a Kickstarter or two.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 369
This week we are talking about Folklore: The Affliction, A campaign game for 1-5 players. Designed by Nick Blain, and Will Donovan, and released through Greenbrier Games.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 368
This week we are talking about Mariposas, a 2-5 player game, from Elizabeth Hargrave and released through AEG games.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 367
This week we are talking about four different animal games; Bunny Kingdom, Sewer Pirates, Everdell, and Agricola.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 366
This week we are talking about animal games. There are so many animal games out there, and we can't talk about them in in such a short time, but we talk about as many as we can in 30 minutes.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 365
This week we are talking news. New games out, new game announcements, and new gaming highlights.
Plus we look at Pirate's Mark.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 364
This week we are talking about each of our all-time top five games. Well, we are still questioning Dave's number one pick.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 359
This week we are talking about Museum. Designed by Eric Dubus, and Oliver Melison. This game plays in 30-60 minutes and is for 2-4 players.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 359
This week we are talking about three different trading games; Above and Below, by Ryan Laukat; Bootleggers, by Don Beyer, Ray Eifler, and Steve Gross; and Space Dealer, by Tobias, Stapelfeldt.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 361
This week we begin our discussion of different trading games. There is a big pool of games that all include a trading element. Have a listen and see if we discuss one of your favorites.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 360
This week we are talking News, we discuss new games we have played, new games coming out, and also mention some Kickstarters.
Come, join us at the game table
Meeple Nation Episode 359
This week we are talking about Nova Luna, by Uwe Rosenberg. This is a tile placing game where players add tiles from the moon wheel to their tableau in order to complete color patterns.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 358
This week we are talking Uwe Rosenberg's New York Zoo, an puzzle animal park building game for 1-5 players. Simple to learn yet very challenging to be the first player to fill your park.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 357
This week we are talking about Forgotten Waters, a crossroads pirate game. This game was full of fun and laughs with an amazing companion app that supplies great voice acting with awesome script writing that all make for a great game experience.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 356.
This week we are talking all about action and dexterity games. We cover games like Loopin Louie, and Flyin Goblins, and expand to many others.
Come, join us at the game table
This week we are talking January news, Not a lot on Kickstarter right now, so we are focusing on new games played like Nova Luna, New York Zoo, and Pandemic Legacy Season Zero. Plus we discuss some new games that are coming out soon.
Come, join us at the game table.
Meeple Nation Episode 354: Abstract Strategy Games
This week we discuss several games that all fall in the category of abstract strategy games. We go from Chess to games like Azul, Tiny Towns, and Reef.
Come join us at the game table.
Episode 353
Join Meeple Nation as we discuss new gaming goals, and what we are looking forward to in this upcoming year.
Fingers crossed, we can go to conventions at some point in 2021.
Come join us at the Game table.
Join Meeple Nation for episode 352 for our year end review of 2020.
It has been a tough year for sure, but there are always silver linings.
We are going to focus on those.
Come join us at the game table for the last episode of the year 2020.
Join Meeple Nation at the game table as we have our last news episode of the year. Yup, 2020 is almost in the books. We talk about gaming highlights and new games that have recently come out or are heading to the shelves soon
Come join us at the game table.
Join Meeple Nation as we discuss very asymmetric hand management game Root.
Designed by Cole Wehrle
Players play one of the four forest faction and fight to be the first player to score 30 points and claim that victory.
Join us at the game table.
Join Meeple Nation as we discuss four different hand management games.
Wingspan
The City
Charterstone
Marvel Champions
Each game is a takes that hand management mechanic a bit different.
Join us at the game table.
Join Meeple Nation, as we jump into the world of Hand Management games. We talk about several games in this episode and explore the variety of different hand and/or tile management games that are out there.
Come join us at the game table.
Join Meeple Nation at the game table as we share our 2020 gift giving suggestions. We have ideas for the gamer in your life, and ideas of gift to give to people to help them get into gaming.
Come, join us at the game table.
Join Meeple Nation at the game table as we discuss new games. This month it is more about new games than new Kickstarters, but there is always room for some Kickstarters.
Join Meeple Nation at the game table as we discuss the 2019 game, Black Angel.
Designed by: Sebastien Dujardin, Xavier Georges, and Alain Orban
Published by Pearl Games
Join Meeple Nation at the game table as we discuss Halloween games, or games that more likely to hit the table because of the Halloween season.
Let us know what you plan to play this season.
This week we talk about four different grid movement games. Each of us picked a game to discuss.
Robo Rally
Secrets of the Lost Station
Betrayal Legacy
Battle Tech
Join us at the game table
This week we begin our series of grid movement games. Games that players move their tokens along the grid.
Come join us at the game table as we discuss the grid.
This week we are talking October news. We discuss new games we have been playing, new Kickstarters, and at least one new game.
Come join us at the game table, for this weeks episode.
Join us at the game table this week as we discuss the board game Sanctum. Designed by Filip Neduk, and released through Czech Games Edition. 2-4 players fight monsters gain skills and attempt to defeat the Demon Lord.
Come join us at the game table
This week we talk about bidding and bluffing games. Bluffing can be found in several games from poker to hidden role games. This episode we talk about several.
As far as bidding games we talk about the thrills and fun that come with games like Camel Up.
Come Join us at the game table.
Join us at the game table this week as we discuss the board game Tapestry. Designed by Jamey Stegmaier, and released through Stonemaier Games.
In Tapestry, players create a civilization that starts with the discovery of fire and then moves forward from there. Players build their capital city and some may even reach to the stars.
Come, join us at the game table.
This week we are talking about games that use the follow mechanic. One player picks and action, and other players may follow that action. Often but not always the first player taking the action will get a bonus for picking that action.
Join us at the game table for this week's discussion.
This week we are discussing September, 2020 News.
We talk about games we have played.
Game that should be available soon.
And of course, we talk about some great Kickstarter games.
Join us at the game table.
This week we are talking about games that were first a board game but have been converted to a dice game.
Join us at the game table
This week we are discussing Dice Forge.
A 2-4 player game designed by Regis Bonnessee.
Released through Libellud games.
Players make offering to the gods in order to improve the dice they are rolling hoping to earn the most points and be victorious.
Join us at the game table.
This week we talk about four different dice rolling games.
Boggle, one of David's favorite word games.
HEXplore It, a dice rolling adventure game.
Kingsburg, a game of growing your influence in the King's court.
That's Pretty Clever, and Twice as Clever, two dice rolling games all about combos and bonuses.
Join us at the table for this weeks discussion.
This week we talk about the very large pool of games that include the dice rolling mechanic. There are over 30,000 games. Too many to get to so we only discuss a handful of them.
Join us at the table as we discuss dice rolling games.
This week we talk about Pictures and The Crew, the winner of Spiel and Kennerspiel des Jahres for 2020. We talk about the excitement from the announcement of Pandemic Legacy: Season 0. We also talk about several exciting Kickstarters, and we also talk about Ignite, a Kickstarter that is in late pledge for a few more days.
Join us at the game table.
This week we discuss Great Western Trail, a 2-4 player game where players compete to get their cattle to Kansas City and ship them across the United States. Shipping cattle alone won't win you the game, you will need to build buildings, advance your train, and overcome hazards. Whomever scores the most points wins.
Come join us at the game table as we discuss Great Western Trail.
This week we discuss the Libellud's game Obscurio.
2-8 players must watch the Grimoire closely as it provides clues on how to exit the evil Sorcerer's library. If the players can work together and find the correct exit six times they will have escaped. If they cannot, the Sorcerer, will have you trapped forever in the library.
Come join us at the game table as we discuss Obscurio.
This week we discuss four different games with communication limits.
First, we talk about about Time's Up! and Time's Up!: Title Recall.
Second, we talk about Blood on the Clocktower.
Third, we talk about Dixit.
Four we talk about Pantone: the Game.
Come join us at the game table.
This week we are talking about games that have some forum of communication limits. We go from Taboo, to Gloomhaven and several games in between.
Join us at the game table as we discuss games with communication limits.
Join us at the table this week as we discuss Kickstarters, new games and even some puzzles.
This week we discuss the 1-4 player game Isle of Cats, designed by Frank West and distributed through City of Games.
Join us at the game table.
This week we are talk about Azul in its three forms.
Azul
Azul: Stained Glass of Sintra
Azul: Summer Pavilion
We also cover the expansion for the base game, Azul: Crystal Mosaic.
Join us at the game table.
This week we talk about three different pattern building games.
Logan talks about Welcome to.. and several of the expansions. Welcome to... is designed by Benoit Turpin and produced by Blue Cocker Games.
Nathan discusses Copenhagen designed by Asger Harding Granerud, Daniel Skjold Pedersen and produced by Queen Games.
Ryan shares with us the joy that can be found in building the Best Treehouse Ever designed by Scott Almes and produced by Green Couch Games.
Join us at the game table.
This week we are talking about pattern building games. We get some Facebook feedback and then we talk about games like; Reef, Tiny Towns, Attika, NUMBR9, Kingdomino, and some how we include Boggle.
Join us at the game table.
This week we talk about current Kickstarters, new games that are coming out, and some recently released games.
Come join us around the news game table.
In this episode we are talking about end game bonuses. Where you may think you are winning, but it is not proven until all the cards are counted.
We discuss It's a Wonderful World, Hawaii, Raiders or the North Sea, Majesty: for the Realm, and even Ticket to Ride.
Join us at the game table.
Join us this week we discuss action games.
Action queue games, which players program their turn and hope they planned for the best (Robo Rally, Tiny Epic Mechs).
Action drafting games, where all players have a limited pool of actions to pick from (Puerto Rico).
Action retrieval games, where players can only play the action they control once until they spend an action to retrieve those actions (Centenary: Spice Road).
This week we discuss some online gaming options. We go from phone apps like Terraforming Mars, to Charterstone.
We talk online gaming sites such as:
Boardgamearena.com
Yucata.de
Tabletop Simulator.
Come join us at the virtual table.
This episode we respond to a question on how to keep games civil.
We talk about experiences we have had and how we have dealt with them. We offer some advice on maybe what not to play with some people and what mechanic might cause the most contention.
This week we talk about Kickstarters and new released games, including Frosthaven, They Live, and three Ten-minute games.
We cover new games such as Azul: Crystal Mosaic, The Crew, Tajuto, and Sanctum.
This week we practice our social distancing as we discuss the new game from Everything Epic, Secrets of the Lost Station. This game was designed by Christopher Batarlis and Jim Samartino.
This is a 1-6 player campaign game that has a lot of hidden content to explore.
This week we discuss the Mariucci J Designs, LLC game, HEXplore it.
Designed by: Kat Kimoundri, Nathan Loos, and Jonathan Mariucci.
This is a fully cooperative game where players must gain enough experience to survive and defeat the threat of the Dead King.
This week we each talk about four different games with modular boards.
The Reckoners
Descent
Mage Knight
Cities Skylines
This week we discuss a wide list of games that all have modular boards, such as Catan, The Quest for El Dorado, Takenoko, Nemesis, Clank! In! Space!, HeroQuest, and many others.
This week we discuss It's a Wonderful World, designed by Frederic Guerard.
It’s a Wonderful World is a cards drafting and engine building game from 1 to 5 players. Each round, players will draft 7 cards and then choose which ones will be recycled to immediately acquire Resources, and which ones will be kept for construction to produce Resources each round and/or gain victory points.
This week we discuss Bunny Kingdom, a game designed by Richard Garfield.
In Bunny Kingdom, you draft cards, many of which represent a space on the board where you place one of your bunnies. As you connect territories, you create fiefdoms. The score for a fiefdom is the number of castle spires times the number of unique resources that fiefdom produces. Other cards can add resources and castles, connect territories, and provide end game scoring.
Build your fiefdoms to their greatest scoring potential and be named Big Ears by the Bunny King.
This week we discuss some of our favorite card drafting games. Each game uses the card drafting mechanic in a different way. Each game we discuss we think is awesome.
Agricola
Fairy Tale
El Grande
Trekking the National Parks
Join us at the game table.
This week we discuss the card drafting mechanic. It was a little surprising to find non-card games in this episode, but they fit the mold. We include games with trade rows like Clank! or markets like Aeon's End and Thunderstone Quest, and also games with tiles like Azul and Kingdomino.
Have a listen and share us your thought on our Facebook page Meeple Nation Off Air.
This week we announce our contest winners from episode 300. We sprinkle in some news and all this before the computer runs out of power.
This week we talk about the board game The Menace Among Us by Jeff Gum, published by Smirk and Dagger Games. Hidden roles, space theme, and asymmetrical setup.
This week we talk about all things Legendary, from Marvel to James Bond. Legendary was one the first game to use the semi-cooperative mechanic. We even suggest some new properties for Upper Deck. Who knows what is coming down the road?
This week we share our thoughts Semi-Cooperative games. We're a little loose on the definition of this mechanic a bit. Okay, maybe more than a bit.
This week we talk recap and review the year 2019 as far as the board game hobby. None of that other stuff. We talk about our game of the year. We talk about some of our greatest game memories.
Oh, and Nathan plays way too many game and has some way crazy game goals. Like a lot of goals. Think of a lot of games played. Nathan came close to that mark, or maybe blew it away. Find out inside.
This week we discuss the changes we have seen in the board gaming hobby over the last 5 and a half years, since our first episode.
Also there are some free games to win. Not two or three contests, but four contest where you can win a free game.
This week we discuss Marvel Champions, the new game from Fantasy Flight. This is a 1-4 player, fully cooperative game where players take on the role of one of the five heroes in the core box, Spider-man, She-Hulk, Captain Marvel, Black Panther, and Iron Man. The heroes face off against one of the three super villains, Rhino, Ultron, or Klaw.
Tune in to hear our thoughts and to see if it is a game the Ryan will like. (ed. note: why does Nathan keeps wondering if Ryan will like games?)
Last month, Brent and Nathan got to spend the week in Dallas Texas to attend Board Game Geek Con 2019. We talk about the experience of the con, the people of the con, and of course the games we played. Nathan adjusts his game list mid cast. Learn what game Nathan missed playing.
There's an app for that, Nathan.
We continue our discussion of fully cooperative games by focusing on one games each. We discuss three very different games that appeal to us and highlight the mechanic.
Spirit Island, City of Kings, and Chronicles of Crime.
We talk about a bunch of cooperative games, not team, or semi-cooperative games. We are only talking fully cooperative games. Marvel Legendary, you don't count. No one winner, secret winner, secret goals, or extra score steps.
We discuss Hanabi, Arkham Horror the card game, The Mind, Magic Maze, Mysterium, One key, Just one, and we mention many more.
Christmas shopping got you geared up to buy more board games? We feel the same. We put our stocking caps on and came up with a bunch of awesome suggestions to get the gamer in your life or to gift to a home that could use a little more gaming action.
In this episode we discuss Elizabeth Hargrave's widely popular game Wingspan. You play birds, place eggs, gather food, and create engines for fame and glory of the birding world.
If that doesn't sound awesome, you still need to play this game. Wingspan contains just enough player interaction to keep Ryan invested, and lives up to the hype.
This week we discuss Hako Onna which is a creepy deduction game that has a pick up and delivery element to it.
This has a US release through WizKids and plays 3-5 players.
There are a lot of great elements about this game, and Ryan feels its theme.
Does he like a new game?
Tune in and find out.
We'll see you at the game table.
Logan talks about the mild touch of Pick Up and Deliver in Nemesis. Is there more than the aliens picking up larva and delivering it into players chests?
Ryan gushes over crayon rail games again and focuses on Martian Rails. They take the core mechanic and build a wonderful mess of a map. Simplicity and a little magic make these games fabulous.
Train game and pick up and delivery mechanics make a lot of sense.
Nathan brings up Pirates Cove. Ryan likes it but is not a fan of combat system which punishes the losers dramatically through a whole lot of random.
Give us a listen.
We discuss Pick Up and Delivery games, a mechanic that seems to be lacking in our game group, but we have still played some very fun games.
Ryan chats up crayon rail games like Empire Builder, and Nathan tries to understand how Ryan can like a game with so little theme.
We bring up Firefly (of course) and games like Star Wars: Outer Rim, Deep Sea Adventure, and Pandemic. Still hoping for a Pandemic Legacy: Season 3.
Come join us at the game table.
Nathan and Ryan talk Arkham Horror: the card game. Meeple Nation will represent at SaltCon! Our highlight is the Meeple Nation hosted game show.
New games coming out:
- Wingspan European expansion
- Gloomhaven: Subtitle
- Will it have new content or a retread of the old stuff and who is the target of this game new players, existing players?
Nathan brings up Pandemic Legacy: Season 2. He and his wife have only one game left. David compares Gloomhaven to Agricola.
- Codenames: the Simpsons
- Caroline and the Other Mother from Wizkids.
- Azul: Summer Pavilion
- Do we need more Azul games?
KickStarters:
- Oathswon
- Minis vs Standees
- Hard West
- Rome and Roll
- Hey Cutie? Really Ryan??
- What happens to a kickstarter when it doesn’t fund
- Tiny Epic Dinosaurs
This week we talk about some great ideas for spooky games for the Halloween season.
We discuss Mysterium, Fury of Dracula, Nycophobia, Horrified, and Fearsome Floors.
We also mention Hako Onna, Arkham Horror, and a host of other games.
Join us for some spooky fun that even Ryan can have.
In this episode we discuss different ways that apps have become a part of the board gaming hobby.
We discuss gaming websites like Brettspiewelt.de, BoardGameArena.com, and Yucata.de. We talk gaming apps for the phone like Dominion, San Juan, and Suburbia app, and Ryan brings up Star Realms for some reason.
We also discuss board games that have app integration.
We talk Pathfinder Adventure Card Game, Arkham Horror TCG, Agricola, Terraforming Mars, Marvel Legendary and Lord of the Rings the Living Card Game, Star Wars: Outer Rim, Chronicles of Crime and The Reckoners.
And then Ryan had to bring up Firefly.
We discuss the art of playing games alone, games designed to be played with only one player. Games discussed:
Proving Grounds, Onirim, Hostage Negotiator, and Ambush!
We don't play games alone that much, but we tried a few out for this episode and were not disappointed.
Some great games coming down the pipe to report about this month.
Clank! In! Space! Cyber Station 11 - We love this game and want more always.
Fox in the Forest Duet
Hako Onna - It's out and we have it in our grasp.
Marvel: Crisis Protocol
Wingspan in Digital
Alien: Covenant expansion for Legendary Encounters: An Alien Deck Building Game. - We love this one too, so this is a great excuse for this one to hit the table again.
Fired Up - A game where you are the spectators. Hmm. Maybe they pull it off.
Moonrakers
Solar Storm
Rare Roses
and more.
We finally review Star Wars Outer Rim. Is this the Firefly killer? Can the rebels and empire dethrone the browncoats in the Verse?
Even though the games are similar and we like both, Outer Rim doesn't blow the ship out of the trenches.
Still, it's fantastic. Check out our podcast review now!
Game of Thrones: Oathbreaker
-
Kevin Spak
-
Dire Wolf Digital
-
5-8 players
-
30-45 minutes
This is social deduction at it's socialist, to the point that one player's job is to watch people to determine if they are helping or not. Nathan and Logan loved it.
Find out what Ryan thought inside.
Inside your ears. When you listen.
Join your hosts as we discuss some great games. Nathan loves him some hidden roles, and these four games highlight a great use of the mechanic. Games discussed:
Don't Mess with Cthulhu
Bang! and Bang! The Dice Game
Salem
and
Sheriff of Nottingham
We're not sure if that last one is hidden roles or not, but Dave is special, so we didn't tell him to take his sweet voice and go home.
We talk all things hidden roles. What does Nathan find so appealing about seeking out the traitor or becoming one to turn the tables on the heroes?
We discuss:
- Dead of Winter
- Don’t Mess with Cthulhu
- Battlestar Galactica
- Shadows over Camelot
- One night anything
- Werewolf
- Betrayal at House on the Hill
- Resistance
- Secret Hitler
- Spyfall
- Dark Moon
- Betrayal Legacy
- The Thing: infection at Outpost 31
- Werewords
- TimeBomb Evolution
- Deception: murder in Hong Kong
So much news coming out of GenCon. Join your GenCan'ter hosts as we discuss all of the hot new game announcements.
The Lord of the Rings - Journeys in Middle-earth is an app-driven exploration game in the world of Middle-earth by Fantasy Flight.
This is a spiritual successor to the app-driving plugged into their Imperial Assault and Decent properties, but this game was designed that was from the ground up.
If you love Middle-earth, you will enjoy this game. If you don't mind a phone giving you all of the game's details, this will work.
Ryan is unconvinced.
Dinosaur Island by Pandasaurus Games utilizes Action Points, Dice Rolling, Set Collection, Tile Placement, and Worker Placement all to replicate the great documentary Jurrassic Park.
We only lose a few patron in the process. Well, every turn. It's okay. They keep coming anyway.
Your hosts each pick a tile placement game that make great use of the mechanic and talks about why we like it. Our game choices are:
Nathan - Number 9
Logan - Escape
Ryan - Between Two Cities
Tile placement is awesome. We love it, and we discuss for a half hour our favorite games that use tile placement well. Games we talk about are, in no particular order:
- Carcassonne
- Azul
- Galaxy Trucker
- Suburbia
- Takenoko
- Patchwork
- Castles of Mad King Ludwig
- Dinosaur Island
- Kingdomino
- Tsuro
- Scrabble
- Vikings
- Viceroy
- Magic Maze
We definitely don't mention Attica again.
Join your hosts as we discuss some great new games coming out soon. We talk:
- Clank! Expeditions: Temple of the Ape Lords
- Magic Maze: On Mars
- Robin Von Locksley
- Aftermath
- Star Wars: Outer Rim
- Proving Grounds
- 3 Laws of Robotics
- Monster Slaughter
- Deep Blue
- Tasty Humans
- The Isle of Cats
We discuss three games or two players or best with two players:
- Reckoners
- Designers: Brett Sobol, Seth Van Orden
- Publisher Nauvoo Games
- One Deck Dungeon
- Designer: Chris Cieslik
- Publisher: Asmadi Games
- Battle Line
- Reiner Knizia
- GMT Games
Nathan finally gets to review Star Wars: Legion by Fantasy Flight and talk about his expanding troops and terrain. SW: Legion is a 2 player game where players pit the rebellion against the might of the Empire.
Assemble your point based squad, heroes, villains and vehicles and try to destroy your opponent. Fun times. Just watch out for Darth Vader.
Join your hosts as we talk about playing awesome games two player. We hit games designed specifically for two people, co-op games, and games of variable player counts, but shine with two players. Also Nathan talks about raising his girls to love games too.
Some games we discuss include:
- Star Wars Rebellion
- Not Attika
- Star Wars X-wing
- Lost Cities
- Ballon Cup
- Patchwork
- Catan Card Game
- Starship Catan
- Star Realms
- Tally Ho
- 7 Wonders: Duel
- Splendor
- Chronicles of Crime
- Codenames: Duet
Dave joins us again as we talk gaming goals and SaltCON Summer. We discuss:
-
Chronicles of Crime
-
The Reckoners
-
Big Trouble in Little China
-
Ultimate Werewolf
-
Magic Maze
-
Robo Rally
-
Shadows over Camelot
-
Deception: Murder in Hong Kong
-
Don’t Mess with Cthulhu
And others.
Spiel des Jarhes nominees.
Catan: Starfarers, Asmodee
Ecos: First Continent, John D. Clair and AEG
Dead Reckoning, John D. Clair and AEG
Pandemic: Rapid Response and Z-man
Raccoon Tycoon: The Fat Cat Expansion
Fickle: A Fairy Board Game, BARD Games
Tiny Towns: Peter McPherson and AEG
The exciting journey into the world of Aeon's End, Legacy style. Nathan loves legacy games already and Ryan even said that he likes the game at one point! Friend Dave joins us again as we talk about this fun new deck builder!
In this episode, we discuss all things Legendary, including Marvel, Alien, Buffy, and the rest. We talk The Quest for El Dorado, which mixes deck building with a spacial race across platters full of different terrain types. We end on Clank! In! Space!, which is a glorious ride through science fiction pop culture with deck building while stealing artifacts from a space ship. It's beautiful.
Deck/bag/dice builders are games where your starting deck or pool changes throughout the game as you buy more cards or cull cards. We love this mechanic and talk through the game that started it all: Dominion. Other games we discuss are:
Thunderstone (all varieties)
Clank!
Mystic Vale
Arkham Horror TCG
Star Realms (Hero Realms)
Tyrants of the Underdark
The City of Kings is a co-operative tactical role-playing board game for 1 - 4 players. Your unique hero ventures out from the City of Kings to explore tiles, gather resources and vanquish monsters.
Designed by Frank West and Published by The City of Games
Meeple Nation talks April 2019 News. We cover
Abomination: The Heir of Frankenstein!
Space Base: Command Station
Game of Thrones: Oathbreaker
Pathfinder Adventure Card Game: Core Set
Kingdom Rush: Rift in Time
Venom Assault: Villains and Valour
Takendo Giant: Chibis
and
Terraforming Mars : Turmoil
Call to Adventure challenges 2-4 players to create the hero with the greatest destiny by acquiring traits, facing challenges, and overcoming adversaries.
Designed by Johnny O'Neal and Christopher O'Neal
Published by Brotherwise Games
Tableau Building is a fantastic family of games. In this episode, your hosts select a game each and detail how their chosen game utilizes tableau building for fun and profit.
Innovation by Carl Chudyk and Asmadi Games
Charterstone by Jamey Stegmaier and Stonemaier games.
Near and Far by Ryan Laukat and Red Raven Games
Your hosts, Nathan, Ryan and Logan discuss Tableau building games and what makes them great.
From Race for the Galaxy and 7 Wonders to Citadels and Terraforming Mars, tableau builders give players an array or components (cards, tiles, player boards, etc.) to buy, build, manipulate and combine for victory points.
You hopefully create an engine for fun and profit.
Meeple Nation was at SaltCON 2019 and ran a bunch of games. Listen to get our highlights of the con. We hosted Brent Mair's Puzzlehunt, the Game Show, a bunch of Werewolf and a dozen other social deduction games. We had a blast.
The hosts of Meeple Nation deliver your March 2019 News with special guest Ashlee Howard. We discuss a bunch of forthcoming games including:
Star Wars: Outer Rim from Fantasy Flight
Terraforming Mars: Turmoil from Stronghold
Ravnica Inquisition from Wizkids
Time Breaker from Looney Labs
Talisman: Kingdom Hearts from USAopoly
Hako Onna from Ejin and Wizkids
and Kickstarters:
Creature Feature by our friend Kristopher McClanahan of Deeply Dapper Games
Throw Throw Burrito from Exploading Kittens
High Rise from Formal Ferret Games
*The Silver River from Robert Burke Games*
Join the Nation as we gush about the board game Nemesis by Awaken Realms, designed by Adam Kwapiński. This epic board game is loosely based on the Alien franchise.
You start the game waking from hibernation to find a crew member with a hole in their chest and blood everywhere. Each player has hidden objectives they need to complete in order to win, but you first have to survive.
Mechanics:
- Campaign / Battle Card Driven
- Cooperative Play
- Dice Rolling
- Modular Board
- Partnerships
- Player Elimination
- Variable Player Powers
The theme is spot on, the components excellent, and the play experience tense and exciting.
Nathan has been itching to bring Star Wars Rebellion from Fantasy Flight to the podcast. Nathan is a sucker for all thing Star Wars, and he's pretty lucky because Fantasy Flight always delivers a quality play experience. Logan has Nathan's back.
Ryan just doesn't seem to like games.
Listen as we discuss the flavor and mechanics of Star Wars Rebellion.
Join Meeple Nation as your hosts discuss three of their favorite area control games. We each chose a game that uses the mechanic in different ways, and different than Risk.
The chosen games are:
Carolvs Magnvs (2000) by Leo Colovini
Carcassonne (2000) by Klaus-Jürgen Wrede
A Game of Thrones: The Board Game (Second Edition) (2011) by Christian T. Petersen
All of these are older games. We think they show great and unique ways that area control can be used in board games. Plus, they are fun and a little cutthroat.
Area Control games like Risk tend to have a bad rap in our playgroup, but does that make the mechanic problematic? Many players love area control and seek out games like Heroes of Land, Sea, and Air, Twilight Struggle and Scythe. Join Meeple Nation as we discuss those games as well as Area Control games like El Grande.
Other games discussed:
- Spirit Island
- Terra Mystica
- Carolus Magnus
- Attika
- Carcassonne
- Tyrants of the Underdark
- Bunny Kingdom
Join the Meeple Nation with your hosts Nathan and Ryan as they discuss the board game news for February 2019. Will every property release a roll & write version? Will Nathan buy all the kickstarters? Only one way to find out...
We discuss:
- The Lord of the Rings: Journeys in Middle-earth
- Chronicles of Crime: Noir/Welcome to Redview
- Gloomhaven: Forgotten Circles
- Tuki from Next Move Games
- Imperial Settlers: Roll & Write
- Dracula’s Feast: New Blood
- Aftershock
- Valor and Villainy
Join Meeple Nation with your hosts Ryan, Nathan, and guest host Logan as we discuss Big Trouble in Little China The Board Game. Big Trouble is Nathan's all time favorite movie, so the game has a lot to live up to. Will Nathan ever choose a different character than Jack Burton? Will he stop quoting the movie long enough to take his turn? Only one way to find out? I'm a reasonable guy. But, I've just experienced some very unreasonable things.
- Year 2018
- Designers Christopher Batarlis Boris Polonsky Jim Samartino
- Artists Henning Ludvigsen Boris Polonsky
- Publisher Everything Epic Games
This week we continue our discussion of press-your-luck in games as we talk card flips in Dead Man's Draw, gear dice selection and dice rolling in Formula D, and progressing deeper and pushing clank in the game Clank!
This week we review the press-your-luck game, winner of the 2018 Kennerspiel des Jahres, Quacks of Quedlinburg
Just flip one more card or roll the dice on more time, right? This week we are talking press your luck games such as Quacks of Quedlingburg, Dead Man's Draw, Incan Gold, or Deep Sea Adventure.
Join us as we talk about gaming goals, what we accomplished and what we didn't. We celebrate Nathan's fantastic gaming year.
We also talk news including
- New Frontiers
- The City
- Suburbia Collectors Edition
- Clank Legacy: Acquisitions Incorportated
- Proving Grounds
- ...More
We dip into the mailbag and answer a few questions from listeners, starting with the question of Time Travel in board games.
We talk everything Pandemic including:
Pandemic 2008
- On the brink 2009
- In the Lab 2013
- State of Emergency 2015
Pandemic: Contagion 2014
Pandemic: The Cure 2014
- Experimental Meds 2016
Pandemic: Legacy Season 1 2015
Pandemic: Reign of Cthulhu 2016
Pandemic: Iberia 2016
Pandemic: Rising Tide 2017
Pandemic: Legacy Season 2 2017
Pandemic: Fall of Rome 2018
We discuss NaNoWriMo, Social Deduction, Gaming Goals, App Supported Board Games, and answer a few questions.
Brent and Nathan sit down and talk about their last few days of gaming from BoardGameGeek.Con 2018 in Dallas.
Games played:
- Poker
- Two Rooms and a Boom
- Capital Lux
- Rebel Nox
- Discover: Lands Unknown
- Lost Expedition
- Sentient
- Dominion: Nocturne and Renaissance.
We are joined by Matt for this news episode.
We talk Keyforge Names, Kickstarter Games, One Dollar Kickstarter Pledges, Errant Uber Drivers, Layoffs and Acquisition during this Golden Age.
Nathan and Ryan made it to BGG.Con 2018. This recording is their coverage of the first 20 games they play which includes:
Downfall
Brikks
Blueprint
Sherlock: Last Call
Sherlock: Tomb of the Archeologist
Flowerfall x3
The Quest for El Dorado Heroes and Hexes
New York Slice
Thunderstone Quest
A Study in Emerald
Ticket to Ride New York
Big Trouble in Little China
Steamrollers
Big Dig
Fuji
The River
Kashgar: Merchants of the Silk Road
U.S. Telegraph
Firefly
Iron Dragon
This is the episode that everyone, or at least one, has been waiting for. In this episode we discuss dozens of games, and a history of what makes up the Cthulhu Mythos. We start with the Fantasy Flight games, labeled Arkham Horror Files, including Arkham Horror 2nd Edition, 3rd Edition, Mansions of Madness 1st and 2nd Editions, Elder Sign, and Eldritch Horror.
Then we discuss a good many games that are not Fantasy Flight properties, including Cthulhu Wars, Towers of Madness, Cthulhu Realms, and many more.
Music Clip provided by: Echoes of Time v2 Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
This is our 5th annual Holiday Gift guide. We each bring five recommendations to the table, along with our recommendations for audience.
Nathan
- Muse
- Sagrada
- Space Base
- Azul
- Magic Maze
Brent
- Ticket to Ride
- Pandemic
- Sushi Go Party!
- King of Tokyo
- Exit and Unlock! Escape Room Games
Ryan
- Codenames (Harry Potter)
- The Mind
- Disney's Villainous
- Magic: The Gathering
- Reef
This week we have an intervention of sorts, but who needs intervening, Nathan or Ryan? We discuss how perception, attitude, and enthusiasm affect enjoyment in gaming, for everyone.
What is your attitude towards games? What types of games do you enjoy?
Ryan, Brent and Nathan sit down with Matt and Barb and talk news and Kickstarters.
Make sure you look for us at BGG.con and consider donating to our Extra Life effort at https://extra-life.org/team/nugg
Thanks for listening!
Once again Brent is away which somehow means that Sam comes over to play. Sam Aho from Sam Says Game Reviews joins Ryan and Nathan while they discuss Introducing New Games to Players.
What should you do when an experience player teaches a game to a new player? Should there be strategy discussion, commentary on moves, warnings about game timing and more? Tune in to listen to a few differing opinions on the subject.
We discuss games from the past, ones we consider hidden gems including Taj Mahal, Balloon Cup, Cartagena, Pirates Cove, Around the World in 80 Days (Michael Reinick version), and Mutant Chronicles: Siege of the Citadel, among other games from the listeners.
This week, Sam Aho, of Sam Says, joins Ryan and Nathan to talk about two games from Gamelyn Games and Scott Almes, Tiny Epic Zombies and Tiny Epic Galaxies, including the Into the Dark expansion.
Listen to hear their thoughts!
Nathan, Ryan and Sam Aho from Sam Says sit down to discuss their experience with this Scott Almes creation from Gamelyn Games.
Heroes of Land Air and Sea is a 4X game, and definitely not tiny. Listen to hear their thoughts.
In this month's news episode we discuss expansions including The Quest for El Dorado: Heroes and Hexes, Magic Maze: Hidden Roles, remixed games including Between Two Castles of Mad King Ludwig, and many more original games.
This week we talk about Raiders of the North Sea along with the Hall of Heroes and Fields of Fame expansions.
These games are now published in the US and are designed by Shem Phillips with art by Mihajlo Dimitrievski.
The many games played at SaltCON end of summer including Hail Hydra, Battleline, Reef and many more.
This week we talk through five games we've been playing. We start with Majesty: For the Realm, Ryan continues with Terraforming Mars: Prelude, Nathan talks Mountains of Madness, I bring up Fast Forward Fortress and we end with more Decrypto.
When you picnic or camp do you game, or just enjoy the outdoors? Do you beat up your cards, watch over them carefully, or choose tile based or pencil games?
We discuss all manor of games from our past and suggestions from you, Meeple Nation.
It is again time for news. We talk Power Rangers, Unique Games, Keyforge and Discover, the exit of Christian Peterson from Asmodee North America, and the merger of Stronghold Games and Indie Boards and Cards.
We discuss Root, Everdell, Monster Crunch, Flotsam Fight, and many more games.
Join us in the guild or at Meeple Nation Off Air on Facebook.
This week we are again joined by Matt and Barb of the Players Wanted Podcast. We discuss their recent trip to GenCon including Oink Games, Pikoko, Ice Cool 2, and Matt's GenCon Hat, which is not a game.
We cover all that and over a dozen other titles, including Keyforge, Welcome To..., Reef, and more.
We've been deep in the hobby for 20 years now and we are surprised when some games remain for sale continually, or in other words, become evergreen games, and why some don't.
What makes Ticket to Ride, Catan, Pandemic, and many others stand out and sell thousands of times more copies than the average hobby game.
We have some ideas. Let us know what you think.
This episode Ryan, Brent and Nathan each choose five games from the massive list of 615 titles previewed on boardgamegeek.com.
This list is found at https://www.boardgamegeek.com/geekpreview/7/gen-con-2018-preview
We talk Robotech, Alien, Aliens, Towers, and many more.
We are joined this week by friend of the podcast, Thomas Roybal, a university professor that has used games and gaming concepts for years in his classrooms.
He gives us examples of games he was occasionally able to play with the kids when he taught high school, and his more subtle way of using games at the university.
Brent, Nathan and Ryan are joined again by Barb and Matt for a lot of fun and a little chaos.
We talk Kickstarters, Games ending, games beginning, and for some reason, real news about Big Trouble in Little China
Sam Aho joins Nathan and Ryan while they discuss their favorite games, including Ryan being on a quest.
What do you play when you have seven or more players and splitting into two or more groups isn't an option? We discuss games we enjoy plus ideas from you, the listeners. Let us know what we missed by contacting us in the BGG guild or on the Meeple Nation Off Air Facebook group!
This week we sit down and talk about the fantastic cooperative game from Greater than Games.
Nathan likes it. Brent likes it. What does Ryan think? Does the theme resonate, do the mechanics and theme come together to provide a nice narrative?
Yes.
This episode we introduce and review two games, starting with Space Base from John D Clair and AEG and The Thing: Infection at Outpost 31 from Mondo games and Joe Van Wetering.
Could Ryan and Nathan like them both?
Nathan finally plays Starfarers of Catan, he raves about his Game Toppers Tables, we talk Kickstarter, more Asmodee acquisitions and Asmodee's possible desire to be acquired, and more June news.
We talk a bit about the nine Spiel des Jahres Nominees. Brent has played them all and Nathan and Ryan talk Ganz Shon Clever, The Mind and Azul. Ryan sneaks in some Terraforming Mars jabs.
Kinderspiel des Jahres Nominees:
- Shaky Manor
- Emojito
- Dragon's Breath
Kennerspiel des Jahres Nominees:
- Heaven & Ale
- Ganz Shon Clever
- Die Quacksalber von Quedlenburg
Spiel des Jahres Nominees:
- Luxor
- The Mind
- Azul
Ryan and Nathan are joined by Daniel Hadlock. Brent and Sam are conspicuously absent. Daniel is president of Tasty Minstrel Games and caries out a variety of tasks in order to get games out to market. Sit back and listen while Daniel answers Nathan and Ryan's quetions.
We discuss a number of games we have been playing including 7th Continent, Muse, Illusion, Mystic Vale: Conclave and the Estrella Drive expansion for Time Stories
Be sure to support our sponsors: The TMG Podcast and Game Toppers!
This week we talk about what we are playing including a non-spoiler wrap-up of Charterstone, Roll Player, Eldritch Horror, Arkham Horror: TCG, and despite an attempt to move this off 6 months, even more Cthulhu Mythos games.
Pardon some Audio Glitches that caused occasional loss of audio.
Make sure you support our sponsors, the TMG Podcast, and GameToppersLLC.com
Nathan is now interested in Thanos Rising: Infinity War. We talk about games we are playing (or watching) including Clank! The Mummy's Curse, The Quest for El Dorado, Welcome To Your Dream Home, Space Cadet: Dice Duel.
Meatball Nation is now available through Google Home or Amazon Echo. On the Play say: Play Meeple Nation Board Game Podcast. On the Echo say: Enable Meatball Nation then Play Meatball Nation. Yeah, that's right.
X-Wing is getting a second edition, Robotech is getting two new games from a new publisher (despite the issues with the previous licensee), we banter minis vs standees, then talk Kickstarters, Hellboy, a return of Thunderstone Quest, Homesteaders, and The City of Kings.
Remember to support our sponsors, the TMG podcast and Game Toppers! Let them know that Meatball Nation sent you.
A dozen years ago many of us talked about how to grow the gaming community. Now, the chatter has changed. Now, the question is more about when or if this golden age will end, and many of us wonder when we will get to play the games we already own, or possibly have on order.
What do all these games mean to the industry, to gamers, and to me? Why won't anybody play my game?
We often hear people ask what makes a game a game. We've formed our own opinions and parroted others.
Well after some reflection, and with excited and odd new games entering the market, we have come to a different conclusion.
So what exactly comprises our hobby? Many many different types of games. Listen for more.
We talk about the creative process and puzzle hunts, including those created at BGG.Con and those for SaltCON
Please consider supporting our sponsors, The Tasty Minstrel Games Podcast and Game Toppers LLC.
We discuss two new games this episode.
The Mind is a cooperative game of non-communication. What level can you reach?
Thunderstone Quest is the newest iteration of Thunderstone and while it is yet another improvement, how much has it approved?
We are again joined by Matt and Barb while we discuss gaming news including an almost update on Big Trouble in Little China, World War Hulk Legendary, Thanos Rising: Avengers Infinity War
We are excited to announce that Game Toppers is our new sponsor, check them out at http://gametoppersllc.com
We also discuss Kickstarters past and present including Fire in the Library, AuZtralia, Dragon Keepers, and many more.
We review the games that won the Golden Geek Awards for 2017 from Boardgamegeek.com and we talk a bit about the Stonemaier Games and Steve Jackson Games Stakeholder Reports.
https://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/1955324/12th-annual-golden-geek-awards-winners-2017
https://stonemaiergames.com/2017-behind-the-scenes-stakeholder-report-for-stonemaier-games/
http://www.sjgames.com/general/stakeholders/
This week we discuss Gloomhaven, the monstrous game by Isaac Childres. Ryan, Brent, and Nathan are joined by Dennis Holliday for this podcast.
We talk about more games played at SaltCON including Fast Forward: Flee, Fast Forward: Fear, Verflucht!, Dominion: Nocturne. We discuss Con Games feedback, and have a few more interviews from attendees.
We have just returned from SaltCON 2018 and we have reports on the events we ran for the convention inlcuding a Game Show, Werewolf, and a Puzzle Hunt.
We also (mainly Nathan) played large group games of Deception Murder In Hong Kong and Salem 1692.
We also talk about other convention events, games, dealers, and other SaltCON stuff.
And is that Brent and Sam on the same episode? This episode might explode in 60 seconds.
Ryan, Brent, Nathan and Matt sit down and discuss current news and Kickstarters.
They start by talking about convention expectations, meander into prototypes, then jump into what is new!
We sit down with Tim Fowers of Fowers Games creator of Wok Star, Burgle Bros, Hardback, Paperback, Now Boarding and Fugitive. We talk his company and distribution philosophy and what is going on at his company.
Then we talk pacing in games, strong finishes, and alternate win conditions.
This week we are joined by Shane Larsen as we talk about complexity in games including talks about Puerto Rico, Through the Ages, Lorenzo Il Magnifco, and many more. Are complex games better, or just longer?
This week we take a half dozen of your questions and answer them. Why do people play cooperative games? How do you make sure that hype doesn't affect you when you are evaluating a game? What do you do when you are mathematically eliminated from the game?
Welcome to episode 201 of the Meeple Nation podcast. This week our opener is our origin story. Then we get into the meat of the podcast where we discuss advice for new people entering our hobby, and a reminder that we need to be aware of others as we game. Be nice, Brent!
We have reached 200 episodes and gather to talk news. We discuss Kickstarters from Brian's Got Game, CMoN Unlimited, TMG, and more. Also news from Plan B, and more.
We take time this episode to discuss four games we have been playing. In addition to Nathan's update on Imperial Assault, we discuss Azul, from Michael Kiesling and Plan B Games, Exodus Fleet from TMG, and Tichu, published in English by Rio Grande Games.
Charterstone has begun, and while we say little about it, Ryan riffs on people trying to make permanence temporary in Legacy games.
We also discuss some games we have played recently, including Crosstalk, Nmbr9, Timebomb: Evolution, and Terraforming Mars: Venus Next.
2017 is in the books! We discuss our highlights and report on how we failed (or did we?) at our gaming goals. Bring on the new year, and Nathan's ambitious, 15x10 challenge.
We love deckbuilding games. We each discuss our top three games, explain what deckbuilders are and talk about our recent experience playing Hero Realms The Ruins of Thandar Campaign and Tyrants of the Underdark.
This week Nathan and Ryan and joined by Sam Aho and Matt and Barb Allen to discuss Kickstarters and other news in the board game industry.
This holiday seasons people make lists and people play games. Some even make lists of games they would play. Do you prefer Nathan's Twelve (mostly short games) that he wants to play 1-12 times in the next few weeks? What do you think about Brent's list of games that have the number of the day in them? Even better, Ryan has ideas for mini goals to do while playing games.
Whatever you celebrate this month, we hope you are surrounded by friends and family and board games.
Brent returns, barely, from BGG.Con and we discuss many of the events he enjoyed and games he played including Nusfjord, Majesty: For the Realm, Reworld, Otys, Roll Player, the Puzzle Hunt, and more.
Brent also conducts and interview with a Ravensburger North America representative about their upcoming games!
In November, Meeple Nation helped put on a 24 hour board game event, which collected donations for Extra Life and the Children's Miracle Network. We review and recap the event, which turned out great. Some of the awesome games that we got to the table were Infected, The Quest for El Dorado, Terraforming Mars, Iron Dragon, Crossfire, and Dead of Winter: Warring Colonies. We'd like to thank Tab Bank for hosting, and Tasty Minstrel Games, Mayday Games, Tim Fowers Games, and Red Raven Games for sponsoring.
Our Gift Guide:
Family Games
Ticket to Ride
The Quest for El Dorado
Kingdomino
Fast Forward: FLEE
Transamerica
Century: Spice Road
Delve
Splendor
NMBR 9
Can't Stop Express
Clank! In! Space!
Harry Potter Hogwarts Battle
Children Games
Ice Cool
Rhino Hero
Flick 'Em Up
Bang: The Dice Games
Coconuts
Happy Salmon
Group Games
Fuse
Deception: Murder in Hong Kong
Magic Maze
Stocking Stuffers (Small Games)
Pack O Games
Mint Works
Insider
Timeline
Pirate 21
Don't Mess with Cthulhu
Magic Packs
Ryan, Nathan, and Brent sit down and discuss Kickstarters, new games, what we are playing, and board game art and presentation. Join us on Facebook at Meeple Nation Off Air.
This week, Ryan, Nathan and Dennis sit down and talk about the monstrosity that is Massive Darkness. How does it stand up? Is it better as a stand-alone game or in story mode? Listen to their review.
After a few weeks of discussion we sit down and record this episode on Board Game collections. Brent asserts that a person is a collector if, 1. They identify themselves as a collector and have at least two games, and/or 2. They have more games than they could reasonably play.
Ryan uses a sports analogy to explain how he would select games to buy if Nathan, Brent and his other friends didn't keep him supplied in games, and Nathan waffles on whether he is A True Collector.
This episode is filled with quotations from our tribe. Join us on Facebook at Meeple Nation Off Air or on our BGG guild, 1943.
Join us this week while we discuss three games we have recently played. Ryan explains Pirate 21, a quick game from Indie Boards and Cards. Nathan follows with his explanation of Delve from the same company, and finally, Brent leads off discussion about Codenames Duet, a cooperative version of Codenames.
This week we have a shorter episode than normal due to lost audio. We are joined by Matt. He talks Lisboa, and we talk Downfall, Kahoots, Too Many Bones, and the Kickstarter only model of some massive games such as Batman: The Board Game.
Ryan, Nathan, and Brent meet with Matt Allen to discuss October news, including some Kickstarters we are looking forward to and recently fulfilled Kickstarters we have played, including Massive Darkness, 7th Continent, Table Toppers, and more.
We finally put to bed Seafall, and yet again talk Terraforming Mars.
We start out the episode with Ryan's report of his play in the Magic prerelease, include more details than Brent cared to listen to. Then Brent talks Arkham Horror The Card Game and his trip to Italy.
Nmbr9 is a quick and accessible game were players stack numbers in order to gain points.
Power Grid The Card Game is a scaled down version of Power Grid, with no map.
We are raising money for Primary Children's Hospital at https://extra-life.org/team/nugg/
Despite us continually asking that we not receive a Raxxon invite, we did and Nathan now owns a copy. This much hyped game was talked about quite a bit on the web because of the scarcity created through the invite system. Is the game fun? What is it really?
This week we sit down to discuss a few games we have been playing recently, including Thief's Market, Abandon Planet and First Martians.
Then we move into the main portion of the 'cast and we talk about Clank! In! Space, the sequel to our much loved, Clank! How is it different? Is it an improvement? Listen and find out.
This week we cover five different Escape Room Games. Listen for our commentary, but the summary is:
- EXIT the Game - Three current titles, three more announced. Fantastic games with the best puzzles, contents destroyed during play. In game Hints give solutions if you desire.
- Unlock! - Three current titles, three more announced. These are the hosts' favorite with their humor and fun. Extremely easy to reset for play by another group. Free App required.
- Escape the Room - Nathan and Brent played Mystery at the Stargazer's Manor and found it clever and fun, but much more simple than the previous two. Reset instructions online.
- Escape Room the Game - Core set comes with four different games, but the electronic device that is needed to solve and advance the game did not work properly for the hosts. Not recommended. Reset with a printer and less than 30 minutes.
- Escape Room in a Box: The Werewolf Experience - Huge fun that is pretty pricey and probably hard to find. Can be reset with a printer and a half hour of time, or so.
Don't forget to pick up Ryan Decaria's book, Devil in the Microscope, available from Amazon, and check out Brent's Meeple Sing Shirts, also available through Amazon.
Matt and Barb are recently back from GenCon 50 and have details of the games they purchased and played. They are joined by Ryan, Brent and Nathan and they all discuss additional news out of GenCon and the larger board game world.
We thank Tasty Minstrel games for supporting our podcast. Please support them by buying their great games and listening to the TMG Podcast.
We now have four Meeple Nation shirts on Amazon. Search Meeple Nation there and see our new minimalistic design.
Brent has created 20 board game related shirts with more coming soon. Search Meeple Sing Shirts on Amazon.com
Ryan's book is now published and available on Amazon Kindle and in print. It is called Devil in the Microscope.
This week join Ryan as he talks with enthusiasm about word games! Nathan and Brent are also present.
We discuss a few different categories of word games.
Spelling Games: Scrabble, Boggle, Pick Two, Paperback, Hardback, Word Domination, Boggle Bowl
Guess the Word: Code Names, Word Slam, Werewords, Insider, Codenames, The Chamelon, Mad Gab, Taboo
Matching Words: Apples to Apples, Cards Against Humanity
For years, games made from IPs meant roll and move, trivia, or a reskin of another popular mass market game. Now things are changing as we see more effort and better overall design married to the movies and books we love.
This week we discuss the world of IPs and what we hope to see in future.
Join our guild on Boardgamegeek at https://www.boardgamegeek.com/guild/1943 or our Facebook Group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/MeepleNationOffAir/
This week Nathan, Ryan and Brent discuss what attracts them to games, and what instantly repels them. They start out with introductions and move into talking about deckbuilders, engine builders, and direct attacks.
Don't forget to pick up Ryan Decaria's book, Devil in the Microscope for Kindle. Print and audio versions will be released later this year.
Nathan, Brent and Ryan sit down to talk about games we are excited about that will be released on the next few months, including more Fable games from Friedemann Friese, a game about Einstein, gaining Sentience, news on a couple of Brandon Sanderson games, and much more.
Don't forget to join us at Meeple Nation Off Air on Facebook!
This week we start off the podcast with a nice little rant about how T.I.M.E Stories is going astray. At least that is what Brent and Ryan think.
We have news from the industry including more Target exclusives and we talk about a slew of Kickstarters that have caught our eye.
Next week we will cover GenCon games.
Are you like Nathan, and you haven't ever met an expansion you didn't like? Do you consider expansions unnecessary, or particular expansions essential?
This week we discuss the sordid world of board game expansions.
Are you interested in asking us an audio question or giving us feedback? Please send mp3 emails to brent@meeplenation.com or call our US phone number, 801-784-0743, any time of the day or night and leave a message.
Ryan Decaria's book is coming out August 15th, 2017. Search for Devil in the Microscope on Goodreads or Amazon!
Nathan has returned and he talks travels with Brent. Ryan is out this week but should return for episode 174.
We talk about Raxxon, a game being shared through viral marketing, Monopoly Gamer and how that suddenly reversed many people's view of the core game, feedback, upcoming questions, Our Boardgamegeek.com guild (number 1943), and the SdJ 2017 winners.
Nathan is out and about in the islands of Hawaii so Ryan and Brent face off across the microphone to talk about the integration of theme. Ryan recreates one of his presentations from FryeCon with Brent as a live and sometimes disruptive audience. What do you think about theme? Continue the conversation on Facebook in the Meeple Nation Off Air group or on Boardgamegeek.com in our guild.
We discuss the fantastic website boardgamegeek.com. This stalwart site is chocked full of resources and user-generated content fit for any style and experience level of gamer, although each person is going to use the site in different ways. We discuss ratings, rankings, reviews, geeklists, guilds, logging games owned and played, and many other features of the Geek, including forums, contests, videos, podcasts, images, and flame wars. Join the conversation!
Board Game News for June 2017.
We talk Pandemic Legacy: Season 2, Big Trouble in Little China, Legendary: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Battlestations: Second Edition, andCentury: Spice Road.
We cover the following Apps: San Juan, Race for the Galaxy, Tsuro, Coup, and Colony Wars in the Star Realms app. Let's just say that not all apps are created equal.
We're excited for Deception: Undercover Allies and Triplock on Kickstarter. And we even mention Master Detective Clue for some retro board game action.
Nathan likes tiny boxes packed with lots of game pieces from the Japanese game company, Oink Games.
We start off talking Deep Sea Adventure, a press your luck, 20 minute game for 3-6 players.
We continue telling you more about Insider, a 20-question style game for 4-8 players in less than 10 minutes.
Third up is A Fake Artist Goes to New York, where players collectively draw a picture while trying to guess which player doesn't know what the group is drawing. This game plays 5-10 players in 20 minutes.
The Pyramid's Deadline is a game of building a beautiful resting spot for the Pharoah, but if you fail you will be executed. 2-6 players can play in 10-25 minutes.
We end the discussion with Maskmen, a shedding card game with a Lunchadores theme. It should work well with 2-6 players in about 30 minutes.
Brent chats about the games he enjoyed at BGGCon Spring, and Ryan and Nathan interject about the games played at home. We discuss Archipelago, Escape from 100 Million BC, Codenames: Duel, Flamme Rouge, Insider,The Goonies, H.I.D.E. and The Great Dinosaur Rush.
This week we finish the discussion of the Spiel des Jahres 2017 nominees. We start with Kingdomino, talk about Magic Maze, and end with Race to El Dorado.
This episode we talk more in depth about Ice Cool, Mysterious Forest, and Captain Silver, the three Kinderspiel des Jahres nominees.
We then discuss what we know about Raiders of the North Sea, Terraforming Mars, and EXIT The Game.
We start off this episode by bringing the news of the nine nominees for the three Spiel des Jahres awards and talk about two of the three of those that we played.
We also talk news!
Don't forget to support Counter Magazine at https://boardgamegeekstore.com
Ryan Decaria regales us with a discussion of his adventures in gaming without the other hosts. He discusses Vanuatu and Tinners Trail.
Brent talks the GIPF series of abstract games, which leads to a discussion of the misuse of the word Legacy. We update/correct our discussion of Charterstone, a new Legacy game coming from Stonemaier Games.
Brent then talks about Pack O Games 2 from Chris Handy at Perplext.
This we we discuss Hidden Role Games, Nathan's favorite genre. We discuss what we like about these games, including Don't Mess with Cthulhu, Battlestar Galactica, Shadows over Camelot, Burke's Gambit, Dead of Winter, and many others.
What is your favorite Hidden Role Game?
We recap the NUGG sponsored International Table Top Day event. We discuss 7 Wonders: Duel, Colt Express, Ice Cool, Terraforming Mars, Arkham Horror: the Card Game, and Clank!: Sunken Treasure. We all love Clank!, but we examine a few game-play issues that could be improved through expansions. We also discuss game etiquette when teaching a game to new people.
Good times were had by all!
We cover many subjects including:
- Secrets of the Lost Tomb
- Big Trouble in Little China
- Trick of the Rails
- Diamonds
- Moons
- Solarquest
- Trick-Taking, The Trick-Taking Game
- Deck Building, the Deck Builder Game
- Pathfinder: The Mummy's Mask
- Magic - Amonkhet Cycle
- Arkham Horror: The Card Game - The Path to Carcosa
- Firefly - Big Money
- Kingdom Builder
- Vast - The Crystal Caverns
It's Barb day on Meeple Nation where we give you the latest board game news. We talk Kickstarters with Aeon's End: War Eternal, Gloomhaven, Five Seals of Magic, Rise to Nobility, Hardback, Brass, and Bios Genesis 2nd edition, among other bits-o-news and games, such as Esports tournaments, a new GIPF game, a Seafall non-update, and plenty more. Oh, and Matt was there too.
Cheers!
This week Nathan, Ryan and Brent sit down and talk about games and related books that we have played recently. The list includes:
Hardback Castle Assault Investigator of Arkham Horror Clank: Sunken Treasures The Extrodinary Adventure of Baron Munchausen Jump Drive High Frontier
This week Nathan and Ryan sit down with Sam Aho from Sam Says Game Reviews to talk about Mechs vs Minions, the surprisingly good board game from Riot Games. They talk about the mechanisms of the game while skirting those details that some might consider spoilers.
Enjoy this special podcast with Sam since Brent will be returning next week and will definitely not allow Sam on the show again.
Are you ready to defend the underground city of Gravehold from the Nameless and their hordes of monstrous minions? How are you going to fight them? By playing Dominion. But instead of buying action cards and real estate, you buy gems and spells, and attack them nasty bug-eyed demon things with magic.
Aeon's End is a cooperative deckbuilder with fantastic theme, great art, and plenty of variety to keep things interesting over a plethora of game nights. Designed by Kevin Riley and published by Action Phase Games and Indie Boards & Cards. 1-4 players. 60 min playing time.
Colony by Bézier Games, Inc. is a tableau building dice game set in a post apocalyptic world where the players attempt to put civilization back together competitively. Nathan and his daughter embraced the game play, mechanics, variety of building cards, and dice rolling. This seems like a theme Ryan could get behind, but does the game meet his increasingly high standards for theme resonance in game play? Listen to find out.
Lets start with Rising Sun, move to Gloomhaven again, Dinosaur Island, Thunderstone Quest, even Gamer Deck 2. Should companies do second and third editions of games? MeepleCon and the GAMA Trade Show are right around the corner.
Will Jon Gilmour and team convert Centipede into a compelling board game?
Also check out Counter Issue #75 available now in the boardgamegeekstore.com
Meeple Nation's favorite convention is in the books. We played some games, met with friends, and put on four fantastic events, including a game show, a puzzle hunt, Werewolf and Deception: Murder at SaltCon. Join us as we recap a great weekend, and set your schedule to join us next year! SaltCon is AMAZING!
Exactly one year after releasing episode 98, Consumable Games, we revisit the subject of Legacy games. In this spoiler free episode we talk Seafall, Gloomhaven, Charterstone, and define what we believe Legacy to be, which is a permanence to your choices.
We also contrast these games to other scenario and campaign games and revisit the One Shot games from our past.
Game Companies, we love you! But...get those rules right, let me sleeve my cards, and support the game long term. In other words, make it easy for us to love your games!
Is this game garbage? Tell us what you really think. Seriously. Drop the label and give us the why you didn't enjoy the game.
This week we discuss game audiences and game diversity, and set you free from believing you need to like all games.
This week the Meeple Nation guys sit down with Barbara and Matt Allen to talk about industry news for February 2017. What's going on with BGG.con premium badges? Is Plan B a good idea?
You probably already know that Brent and Nathan love deckbuilders while Ryan is pretty particular on the subject. The Meeple Nation hosts sit down and discuss three small box deck builders.
Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Kings: Afterlife, and Valley of the Kings: Last Rites are all standalone (with interchangeable parts) games from Tom Cleaver and AEG. Playable in under an hour for 2-4 players. Players gain points by obtaining then entombing item cards. Best played with three (maybe four), this game requires you to entomb (place in a scoring pile) the powerful cards you had previously bought.
Dale of Merchants is a cute little game from Sami Laakso and Snowdale Design. Each of the two games, Dale of Merchants and Dale of Merchants 2 comes with six animal sets, allowing each game to be different as different animal sets are combined. It is playable in under an hour for 2-4 players.
Xenon Profiteer is a game from T.C. Petty, III and Eagle-Gryphon Games. It is also playable by 2-4 players in under an hour. Most turns players will add air to their hands then try to remove the unwanted elements while fulfilling contracts and upgrading their distillery.
Do you sleeve your cards before you play with them? Have you invested in a quick start insert, or do you have a favorite game overlay or dice tower?
This week we sit down to talk about the many gaming accessories that enhance our hobby.
You can listen to previous interviews we have done with makers of the gaming accessories in the following episodes:
Episode 116 - Chris Urinko of Daft Concepts, Kris McClanahan of Deeply Dapper
Episode 114 - Greg Spence of The Broken Token
Episode 58 - Ben Hillyard of Daedalus Productions
Episode 41 - Chris Urinko of Daft Concepts
Strap on your armor and get ready to make your way into the deeps beneath the castle. Rumors abound that a sleepy dragon is hoarding artifacts. Can you gain the best treasure and make it out of the dungeon before the dragon wipes you out? Be very quiet!
Nathan, Ryan and Brent review Clank!, a deckbuilder with a map.
Finally, we sit down and talk about Battlestar Galactica. We are joined by Dennis and Adam to talk about this traitorous game and its expansions. Nathan loves it, and is destined for the airlock. Ryan and Brent aren't on that side of the fence (or airlock).
Who is the Cylon? Who wants to be? We discuss these items and more.
Nathan, Ryan and Brent sit down with members of their local game group, Dennis, Everett and Adam, to close out our goals for 2016, discuss our favorite games of the year, and set forth 10x10 lists for 2017. They then take the time to discuss a few news items and a few stats from boardgamegeek.
Sit back while we talk about some of the games we have played but haven't taken the time to talk about.
We start with Freedom: The Underground Railroad, then proceed down the list:
Legendary Encounters: Firefly
Duel of Ages II
Timebomb II
Secret Hitler
Legendary: Big Trouble in Little China
Bloodborne: The Card Game
Holmes: Sherlock & Mycroft
London Dread
Venom Assault
Tyrants of the Underdark
Nerdy Inventions
Ryan Bruns joins the regular hosts to finish out the first Arkham Horror campaign and talk about the newest expandable card game from Fantasy Flight Games.
One core set allows 1-2 players to explore the dismal buildings and forests of Arkham Massachusetts. Add a second core set to allow a third or fourth investigator.
We recommend this game for the storytelling, discovery, and cooperative gameplay.
This week Sam Aho joins Nathan and Ryan, while Brent is AWOL. He brings his Kickstarter version of Themachy, a game that combines poker, ancient gods, and resource management.
What do we think about this game? Listen and find out. And make sure you catch Sam on his Video Channel, Sam Says
Sam's FB page is https://www.facebook.com/Samsaysgamereviews/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samsaysgamereviews/?hl=en Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOKodZmnh7uJl2KQfUR2FHg
Classic Games
- Ticket to Ride
- Pandemic
- Catan
- Splendor
Family Games
- Fabled Fruit
- Dixit
- Potion Explotion
- Mysterium
- Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle
Party Games
- Codenames
- Bang! The Dice Game
- Wits and Wagers
Gamers Games
- Star Wars: Destiny
- Clank!
- Quadropolis
Stocking Stuffers
- Fuji Flush
- Deep Sea Adventure
- Rage!
- Love Letter
- Bohnanza
- Star Realms
- Sushi Go! or Sushi Go! Party
We hope for
- Arkham Horror: The Card Game Expansion
- Someone who will play Star Wars: Rebellion with Nathan
- Tyrants of the Underdark
- Magic Cards
This week we sit down with Matt and Barbara Allen to discuss the industry news which mainly comes out of BGG.Con 2016. We start by talking about Matt's favorite game of the con, Lorenzo Il Magnifico, then talk Star Wars Destiny, Tiny Epic Quest, and Clank! We visit Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle, and Fate of Akalon: Tribes.
Ryan then questions why we would travel to a convention, and we talk a bit more about the why, as if we needed a reason.
We then get back to talking games, starting with The Daedalus Sentence, a cooperative game in a massive box. Ryan brings up Cottage Garden and cats, and we wander from there over to A Feast for Odin. Power Grid the Card Game is explained, and we talk about not playing Great Western Trail. Ryan then moves us to talk about Roll Player, another game we haven't yet played.
Kingdom Death Monster 1.5 is newly on Kickstarter and getting plenty of press. Some predict it will become the most successful Kickstarter project ever.
Finally, Ryan starts a conversation about culling our collections, the subject of the first few articles in the most recent edition of Counter Magazine, issue 74. You can find the most recent issue (and previous issues) at boardgamegeekstore.com
Brent has just returned from BGGcon 2016 and sits down with Ryan and Nathan to talk about some of his experiences. What follows is a larger discussion about friendships and different ways to enjoy conventions.
Brent speaks of Haggle with Rikki Tahta, Werewolf with longtime friends, BGGfit, Poker, Puzzle Hunt, and creative use of an elevator.
There is also a couple of interviews with USAOpoly and Victory Point Games along with a short shoutout from Brent's friend, Nick.
What events happen at your ideal convention? Let us know!
Nathan, Brent and Ryan sit down and discuss Hero Realms after their first play. This game is based on the highly successful deckbuilder, Star Realms but already has additional play options such as cooperative play, solo play, and character packs that provide unique starting hands.
How will these Star Realm loving hosts like this game? Listen to find out.
This week Nathan and Brent sit down and talk with Bubba Washington about Organized Play options and how they benefit both the game companies and the game stores. We talk CCGs, including Magic the Gathering, and about the Asmoplay program from Asmodee.
We also discuss Stronghold Games' release of Terraforming Mars!
In Terraforming Mars each player takes the role of a corporation that works across generations in order to turn Mars into a habitable planet. Work to raise the temperature, create oceans, and create flora that will release oxygen into the atmosphere, all while doing this more efficiently than you competition. Will there be puppies on earth grass when you are done? Let's hope so.
What do we think about this game? Will Nathan play the rules correctly? Can Ryan unsee the uneven artwork? Listen to find out.
On the heels of Essen, Nathan, Ryan, and Brent sit down with Matt and Barbara to discuss the latest news in the board game industry. We discuss Terraforming Mars and Cottage Garden, Kickstarters for C.O.G., Cobras, and Steal This Game, and more digital content for Star Realms and Descent: Road to Legend.
Matt and Barbara will be at BGG.Con, at the Mayday and TMG booths respectively, so make sure you stop by and tell them Hi!
We first fire off a few mini reviews. The first game discussed is Vast: The Crystal Caverns, then we discuss Nathan's sadness over missing out on Captain Sonar.
Then we discuss the dirty little secrets of playing with house rules. Is your favorite space on the Monopoly board Free Parking? Do you enforce certain variable rules when you play a game, in the rulebook or not? Two Captains in Firefly? Is this madness? Listen to find out.
We blitz through a new set of games we've played in the last few months. Games discussed: * Quadropolis * Ravenous River * Legendary: Big Trouble in Little China * Thief's Market * Mottainai * Codenames: Pictures * Cry Havoc
Listen to our 5 minutes reviews of some fantastic games.
It's the cold war and you are a 20 year-old mastermind spy, controlling your network of the three spies you have across Europe. Gather your spy camera, tracking device, lock picks, and other gear, position your spies correctly, use your dice wisely, and complete missions.
Covert is a game for 2-4 that will take a few hours as you compete to be the coldest war spy in the world.
Mystic Vale uses an innovative card crafting system designed by John D. Clair. Druid clans attempt to cleanse the curse upon the land...and competing to do it better than the other clans by gaining the most VP? Meeple Nation takes the system for a spin with mixed results. Does the theme matter? Does Ryan need to put a dollar in the swear jar for invoking the term Multiplayer Solitaire? Listen to find out.
Fantasy Flight and Games Workshop broke up. What will happen with their kids? We discuss this, get stuck talking about theme again, cover three different awards, introduce our favorite Kickstarters, and tell you what we liked most about issue 73 of Counter Magazine.
Friedemann Friese delivers not just 1 new game, but 504 new games in a single, but heavy, box. 504 is a bundle of mechanisms and bits that you combine together using a flip book to discover the ruleset of the selected world. Each world uses three of nine possibilities, configured in a specific order to designate how to gain money, gain points and win the game. Different worlds use different components from the box. It is a brilliant design that will appeal to a specific type of player. Brent might just play it another 491 times.
We sit down with game designer Tim Fowers to talk about four different social games. We first talk about Cockroach Poker, then Grifters, followed by Don't Mess With Cthulhu, and finally Coup: Rebellion G54.
Tim also leads us in contrasting Cockroach Poker and Coup and we talked about this design space and why we like these types of games.
We now have shirts available through Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L2WOF2I
Your hosts talk about the use of rating systems to evaluate board games including the flawed rating system on the popular Board Game Geek website. We discuss 1-10, thumbs up, stars, among others. Nathan prefers the 3-7 rating system within a 1-10 shell. Brent and Ryan are still trying to figure it out. Give us a listen, and maybe you can help us find a review system for our humble podcast.
We've all had that experience. Yes, that one, where a perfectly fine game was ruined by other players. Perhaps last time it was their attitude, or Kingmaking, or someone who refuses to put down their phone. What to do, what to do. We talk about these isssues as we remind ourselves not to be "that guy."
Barbigra Time to celebrate! Barbara is back from GenCon 2016 just in time for our news episode, brand new games in hand. We discuss our plays of Unusual Suspects, Codenames: Pictures, and Ta-Da!. We also talk about all the spanky new games released or announced at GenCon. Our Highlights include Mansions of Madness 2ed., Arkham Horror: The Card Game, Star Wars: Destiny, and Cry Havoc. We also discuss Thunderstone having a 3rd edition and the potential frustration of loyal Thunderstone players at having their copies become outdated. Nathan has a long list, and Ryan and Brent engage in a bizarre definition dance.
The old Jarl has died. Fearsome trolls, draugrs and a smattering of monsters are attacking from all sides. The Vikings need a champion to repel the surmounting threats and lead the people to glorious victory. Are you that champion?
Champions of Midgard is a Viking era worker placement game with dice combat. Your workers collect viking dice, gold, wood, and food, prepare boats for launch, and prepare the way to fight the monsters. You roll your Viking dice to fight the monsters, and the Viking leader with the most glory after 8 rounds is declared the new Jarl. Good times. Ryan is down with the theme, but can the mechanics hold up to Brent's scrutiny. Find out in this week's podcast.
Ragnarök has arrived. We're all going to die, but we're going to die in a blaze of glory and celebrate our victories in Valhalla. Oh, and my clan is going to die better than your clan. Blood Rage is a strategic area control game with card drafting designed by Eric Lang. Blood Rage comes with some truly fantastic minis (viking and monsters) and slick, easy to teach rules. Friend of the podcast, Sam Aho, joins Ryan and Nathan to discuss the carnage, monsters, and strategy, including the Kickstarter exclusives and the rad insert by The Broken Token.
It is a dark time after the last Great War in 1920's Europa where large mech war machines are all that remain from the the capitalistic city-state known simply as “The Factory". When the Factory goes dark and shuts it's doors, the leaders of the surrounding countries set out to make their claim upon the region, hoping to control the secrets and win over the people.
In this amazing "4x" game, players will gather resources, claim territory, and battle with massive mechs. The paths to victory are varied as the starting player positions as each player attempts to maximize their actions to gain popularity, power, and money. Join the dudes as they discuss Scythe by Jamey Stegmaier and Stonemaier Games.
We speak with Craig Nybo, author, musician, and designer of various board games. Quirky Engine Entertainment publishes under a few different games including 3 Headed Giant, Gangrene Games, and GameARama. Games include Eyeball Boxing, Trash War, and Hoagie.
We also speak with Mike from Epic Puzzles and Games, a nice store that supports the board game community in the greater Salt Lake City area.
Ryan, Nathan, and Brent sit down to discuss the News and current Kickstarters including:
- Bluffing in Sheriff of Nottingham
- Mystic Vale
- Guildhall: Fantasy
- AEG does Deckbuilding a little wrong
- Clout will again be released from Crash Games
- A new Buffy the Vampire Game
- Magic's Next Release, not called Eldritch Horror
- Counter Magazine, issue 72 with 120 Pages of Articles and Reviews
We continue our coverage of the fantastic two player games available right now. Star Realms: Colony War was a sure hit with us, but Brent and Ryan discover even more difference in their play styles even in a game they both enjoy. Does Colony Wars stack up to vanilla Star Realms? Find out as we discus the game from drastically different angles. We also cover Onitama, Hive, Tides of Time, and Pinata (formerly Balloon Cup).
We have four interviews from Game Industry professionals!
1:00-7:30 Joshua Githens of CGE Games
7:31-19:22 John Binkley of Bink Inc, Makers of Trekking the National Parks
19:23-36:29 Michael Coe of Gamelyn Games
36:30-46:55 Luke of Sea Pig Games
Two player games are the perfect pastime to spend with your significant other, your soulmate or a random guy at the park. We love our two player games so much, we devoted several new podcasts to the topic, gushing about some of our new favorite games. We discuss 7 Wonders: Duel, Patchwork, Star Wars Risk, ...and then we held hands, and Horrible Hexes in this episode. Hold hands with someone close by awkwardly and with no regrets as you listen.
Brent and Ryan finally get around to editing more interviews from SaltCON 2016. Here are five great interviews recorded back in March. Enjoy!
0:00-1:11 - Introduction
1:12-14:38 Kris McClanahan from Deeply Dapper talks about his geeky products for sale at his Etsy store or at www.deeplydapper.com
14:38-24:57 Chris Urinko of Daft Concepts talks about his current projects on sale at Etsy and www.daftconcepts.com
24:58-32:42 Dale Tolley, designer of Cheesonomics, from Eagle-Gryphon, talks to us about game design and his future plans
32:43-38:19 Matt Saunders, designer of Mow Money, published by Mayday Games, talks about his game. Follow him on Twitter @Matt_Saunders
38:20-47:28 Shaea and Alex Bernard of the Saint George Board Game Convention talk about their inaugural year and what they plan for their 2016 convention. Find out more at www.stgcon.org
Bang! Loses its lawsuit against a copycat game, We talk many Kickstarters, Cthulhu Realms Eats My Batteries is not an expansion, Brent Rants about CMoN, Kickstarter Exclusives, and the Boardgame Bubble
At SaltCON 2016 we sat down with Greg Spence and talked about inserts, how he started the company, and many of his offerings, including his impressive convention schedule. You can find them at their website http://thebrokentoken.com or at Origins, GenCon, BGG.con, or many of the other conventions they have scheduled.
Kennerspiel des Jahres
T.I.M.E Stories 0-7:03
Pandemic Legacy: Season One 7:03-9:56
Isle of Skye: From Chieftain to King 9:57-11:45
We announce our winner of the Kennerspiel des Jahres 11:46-15:02
Kinderspiel des Jahres
Leo 15:03-21:41
Mmm! 21:42-25:18
My First Stone Age 25:19-27:50
Brent's opinion of which should win 27:51-29:29
Spiel des Jahres
Karuba 29:30-36:27
Imhotep 36:28-42:52
Codenames 42:53-47:56
Ryan tells us which game will win 47:57-48:59
The fantastic Dan Wells, author and avid gamer, joins the Nation! Dan Wells is a fantasy, YA, post-apocalyptic author known for the Partials series and his new book, Bluescreen a futuristic science-fiction cyber-thriller. He also writes the John Cleaver series. The first one, I am not a Serial Killer, has been made into a movie starring Christopher Lloyd, Laura Fraser, and Max Records. He is a co-host of the Writing Excuses podcast.
Dan is also a long-time boardgamer. We discuss his favorite board games, his love of storytelling in games, and what he thinks makes a game great. We reminisce about ancient role playing games, Decipher CCGs, and the new Pathfinder Adventures app. We also talk a little Kickstarter.
This bonus episode was recorded by Brent while he attended BGG.Spring in Dallas on May 29, 2016. He sits down with three of the Spiel des Jahres judges and discusses game eligibility, judging criteria, the selection process, and the differences between the three awards.
We then review the nine nominated SdJ games for 2016.
Matt and Barbara join us for another News episode. We talk of Hero Realms, Pathfinder App, Cthulhu Realms App, Descent: Road to Legend App, Campaign Manager, Game Bags, SpielSoap, two versions of Caravan.
We also report the newly announced Spiel des Jahres nominees including Codenames, Imhotep, and Karuba.
You're in the trenches in the first World War, trying to stay alive long enough to return home with your grizzled old friends. The threat are bullets, combat, toxic gas, night, winter, and rain. The only way to survive is a little planning, teamwork, and a whole lot of luck. The Grizzled is a cooperative game for two to five players from Fabien Riffaud and Juan Rodriguez.
We've had mixed experience with the difficulty of this game, but most of the buzz is that it is hard to win, especially with five players. The great thing is that this little game is fun, even you lose.
In March, at SaltCON 2016, we sat down and talked with Seth Hiatt of Mayday Games. We talk about a number of their products including Twist of Fate, a microgame that is finishing up on Kickstarter at the time this podcast is released.
Seth talks about manufacturing, shipping, and the benefit of being Euro Friendly.
This week's podcast come to you from Skye, the largest and most northerly major island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, with soft sand beaches, gently sloping hills and impressive mountain. We're not there, unfortunately. Isle of Skye: From Chieftain to King is an economic, territory building game from Mayfair Games. For 2-5 players and for 60 minutes, Isle of Skye will task you to create the best kingdom in your effort to lead y our clan well enough to become King.
This is a tile laying game, but the real game involves a unique scoring system and mastering a shifting economy. This game seems like it will be a hit for your intrepid hosts, but you're going to have to listen to the podcast to find out for sure.
We interview the awesome dudes, Seth Jaffee, Michael Mindes, and Andy Van Zandt, from Tasty Minstrel Games (www.playmtg.com) at SaltCON 2016. We've got the insights from a game designer, an owner and a developer.
Seth caught us up on his game designs, his work on the Eminent Domain series, and his future releases. Michael talks about the latest releases of TMG and what we can expect in the near future. Andy talks about what it means to be a game developer, his latest projects, and how he likes living in Utah. Don't miss a second of this insider episode.
We’ve hit another 5th episode so it is time for Industry News! Don’t forget to enter our contest on Meeple Nation Off Air on Facebook.
0:00 - 0:47 Introduction
0:48 - 3:07 Mombasa, World 192 of 504 and Ryan hates Stocks
3:08 - 4:59 Contest for Gold West from Tasty Minstrel Games - Ends May 1, 2016
5:00 - 5:53 The Grizzled: At Your Orders
5:54 - 7:51 Star Trek Frontiers
7:52 - 10:12 Descent: Journeys in the Dark 2nd Edition - Road to Legends Companion App
10:13 - 13:30 Charterstone
13:31 - 16:50 Santorini Kickstarter ends April 27, 2016
16:51 - 18:15 Legendary Encounters: Alien Expansion
18:16 - 19:23 Codenames Pictures
19:24 - 20:39 Legend of the Five Rings LCG coming in 2017 from Fantasy Flight Games
20:40 - 22:24 Mistborn: House War
22:25 - 23:16 Galaxy Quest
23:17 - 24:17 Munchking CCG
24:18 - 24:58 Political Kickstarters are bad
24:59 - 26:06 C.O.G. (The Cabinet of Gadgetry)
26:07 - 28:07 Star Trek: Ascendancy
28:08 - 29:21 Star Trek Panic
29:22 - 31:29 Ave Roma on Kickstarter until May 4, 2016
31:30 - 32:31 Daft Concepts Kickstarter for Yakitori ends April 22, 2016
32:32 - 34:58 Xibalba, currently on Kickstarter through May 8, 2016
34:59 - 35:42 Ghostbusters: The Boardgame II on Kickstarter through May 9, 2016
35:43 - 36:48 Dark Moon: Shadow Corporation
36:48 - 37:20 En Route on Kickstarter through May 12, 2016
37:30 - 40:09 Shadows over Innistrad
40:10 - 45:17 Counter Magazine, January 2016
45:18 - 45:59 Contest reminder and Outro
One thing we know for sure: Saucermen are jerks. Except that Brent, for some reason, likes the Saucermen. Something is wrong with Brent. Might be that alien tech sticking out the back of his neck. Rocket Patrol unite. We have to rescue Brent!
Space Cadet: Away Mission is a 1-6 player cooperative adventure game with Retro spacemen fighting aliens, slugs, and space bugs on a modular board. The aliens, including Saucermen, Leaders and a Brain-in-a-jar, act in specific, rule-driven patterns. The game is scenario based with random setups and random encounters, which allows for great replay value.
Months worth of work goes into running a board game convention. We sit with the Organizers of SaltCON and discuss the past, present and future.
Join us in our newly formed Facebook Group, Meeple Nation Off Air, at https://www.facebook.com/groups/MeepleNationOffAir
This week we interview the members of HUGG, Herriman Utah Gamer Girls, a board game club of women. I use the word interview loosely, as HUGG takes over the Nation, explaining their love of heavy board game, strict competition, and the importance of integrity of the game. The worst insult within their group is that someone "isn't a real gamer." We found out quickly that they are all real gamers. Find out how the group was formed, their favorite games, and a little trash talk about who is the most competitive.
Join Meeple Nation as we host a live podcast as a panel at SaltCON, a board game convention in SLC, Utah. We talk to several guests about how they approach attending conventions, including the big one--the long CON, whether that is GenCon or BGGCon or another convention. We grilled two professionals, Ryan Bruns from Mayday Games and Ben Hillyard from Daedalus Productions about attending conventions as a dealer. We also interview Claudine Finlay and Julie Balazs from HUGG about why they love gaming at CONs. Also, we interview Brent Mair. He's kind of a big deal.
Meeple Nation celebrates episode 100! We talk with Barb and Matt about reaching this milestone, talk SaltCON, our local board game convention, and discuss board game news of the day, including new or newly announced games, Kickstarters, and some related events. Games discussed include Goonies, a possible new fantasy version of Star Realms, Pack O Games 2, and expansions to Mysterium, Dominion, Imperial Assault and Dead of Winter. Join the Nation as we look forward to the next 100 episodes.
Pack O Games 2 Kickstarter ends April 2, 2016
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/713947418/pack-o-game-set-2-wee-strategy-games-for-on-the-go
The Manhattan Project Energy Empire ends April 7, 2016
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/miniongames/the-manhattan-project-energy-empire-board-game
Darklight Memento Mori ends March 28, 2016
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/53406598/darklight-memento-mori-miniatures-dungeon-crawler
The Lazy Gamer ends March 31, 2016
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/878938288/the-lazy-gamer
Warhammer Quest: The Adventure Card Game, is a cooperative game for 1-4 players based on the Warhammer property from Games Workshop. This Fantasy Flight game is played mostly with cards, with a few supporting items such as custom dice, and health and exploration tokens.
Each player takes the role of one of the four heroes in the box and uses unique Fight, Explore, Aid, and Rest cards to survive the dungeon and kill the evil nemesis.
Our games took 30-120 minutes to complete. Ages 14 and up.
In October of 2015 we noticed a number of threads complaining about games that get used up or cannot be replayed for other reasons. We sit down and talk about these games
Everyone likes expansions, right? Especially good ones? This episode we talk expansions for games we have already reviewed.
Roll for the Galaxy: Ambition, is the first expansion for this popular dice game. It adds a slightly accelerated start with new black leader dice, and new starting planet and factions. We first discussed Roll for the Galaxy in Episode 37.
Firefly has a number of expansions, including the big box Kalidasa. If you want more Firefly reach back into our archives and listen to Episodes 9 and 12.
Star Wars Imperial Assault now has a smaller box expansion, Twin Shadows, and a bigger expansions, Return to Hoth. We discussed the base game in Episode 61.
It has been six months since we last discussed Kickstarter, and Jeff Siadek joins us to explain why publishers use Kickstarter. Jeff's project, Battlestations Second Edition! Tabletop Starship Simulator, is currently on Kickstarter, with an end date of March 3, 2016.
This is Jeff's tenth kickstarter, with a relaunch of his flagship game, Battlestations. His company, Gorilla Games, has been around for twelve years, and Jeff has been in the industry even longer than that.
Join us as we discuss Battlestations, and how Kickstarter is allowing Jeff to make this game even better.
No one likes a lying cheaterface when playing board games, but what about all of the games that have made lying, cheating, and bluffing core mechanics of game play. This week on Meeple Nation, the primes discuss games with these mechanics such as Sheriff of Nottingham, Coup, Werewolf, Cockroach Poker, Intrige, Lifeboats and Illuminati. We all hate cheating as a mechanic, but find out our take on Bluffing and Lying as core mechanics and hear a few stories of cheaty-cheaterfaces in our past games. Nate owns up, and Ryan finally agrees to let it go. Brent just shakes his head in judgment at us both.
This week, we discuss all things Pandemic, including spoiler free talk of Pandemic Legacy. Luckily, we have Barb and Matt back to keep things from getting too hostile. Everyone seems to like this game, except for Ryan. What's wrong with Ryan? Join us to find out.
We cover Pandemic (2008) by Matt Leacock, including the expansions In the Lab (2013) and On the Brink (2009). We also discuss Pandemic: The Cure (2014) and Pandemic: Contagion (2014). And finally a bit about Pandemic Legacy: Season 1 (2015). Again no Spoilers.
Your caravan arrives in the fabled Sultanate of Naqala. The sultan is dead. Do you have what it takes to maneuver the five tribes, invoke the old Djinns, and gain enough influence to fulfill the prophesy and become the new sultan? Five Tribes is a clever, meeple-heavy work placement game where the workers are already in place on the table and you use a Mancala-like movement on your turn to maneuver the five tribe and gain points. Designed by Bruno Cathala and released in 2014 by Days of Wonder, Five Tribes is a game played best with player of the same experience level and low analysis paralysis.
We finally review Mysterium! For this seance, we all put on our Medium caps and find meaning in our dreams, conveniently provided by the ghost player in the form of full art cards. Mysterium was designed by Oleksandr Nevskiy and Oleg Sidorenko. The English version was released in 2015 by Asmodee.
The Meeple Nation Primes are joined by Barbara and Matthew Allen as we gush about this outstanding and unique gaming experience. Saying Mysterium is like Clue meets Dixit just doesn't do enough to convey the awesomeness of this game.
In this episode we talk about our gaming year, including a review of what goals we completed from those we set back in Episode 33. What were our gaming highlights? Can Brent's highlight be Ryan's lowlight? What are our plans for 2016?
Join us while we enter the new year. Let us know what you are wishing for!
This week, we travel to ancient Egypt and try to win over the big guy, the Pharaoh, with dice. Favor of the Pharaoh,by Tom Lehmann and Bezier Games, is a re-implementation and re-theme of To Court the King. We liked the first version well enough, are were excited to see what Tom came up with. Spoiler--we all thought it was fabulous.
We loved all the options available to randomize each game. We loved the custom dice, the pool building, and the bonus tokens. The quality components and free randomization app make this game top notch. We recommend everyone in the Nation give it a try.
In this weeks podcast, we travel to the ancient Japanese Imperial court, were the Emperor has entrusted us to care for his bamboo garden--home of a giant panda bear, the symbol of peace. Add in some dice rolling, territory building, farming, tile placement and some killer panda bear minis and you have Takenoko. Come for the high-quality/cute components--stay for the solid game play, or vice versa. We cover both Takenoko and the expansion Takenoko: Chibis, which add a Miss Panda figure, baby panda disks, and new tiles and cards.
Surviving on a deep space mining expedition on Titan is hard enough without Nathan always trying to kill you. Sure he's infected, but he doesn't have to be such a jerk about it. Join Meeple Nation as we dissect another hidden role gem like Shadows over Camelot and Battle Star Galactica. In fact, Dark Moon originated from a homebrew game called BSG Express, based on the game, Battle Star Galactica . So how does Dark Moon hold up? Well, the shields are damaged, life support is failing, and Nathan has a stupid grin on his face. Listen to find out what happens next.
This week we continue our discussion of November gaming, concentrating on Brent's report of BGG.con in Dallas. He talks about his work in the game library, hot games, Codenames LARP, the Puzzle Hunt, Poker Tournament and Game Show.
He also explains his experience with Ponzi Scheme, Fische, Flupen, Frikadelen, Fresh Fish, and Rattlebones.
In this week's and next week's podcast, we cover the ins, outs, and triumphs of our recent foray into three gaming events. Meeple Nation (mostly Brent) and the Northern Utah Gaming Guild (again mostly Brent) helped organize and run an Extra Life event to raise money for Primary Children's Hospital. We raised just over $1400 over the 24 hour event. And we gamed. Hard. Among the many games played among the 60+ attendees, we discuss the plays of Ghostbusters, Codenames, Dead of Winter, The Game, Pathfinder, and many others. At one point, Pandemic Legacy and T.I.M.E Stories were set up next to each other, and they had to play so as not to spoil info for the other table. Leave it to Ryan to walk up and blab secrets all over the place. Ryan needs to keep his mouth shut! The next week Brent was away but Nathan and Ryan visited the International Games Day at the Library.
This episode we offer up advice during this gift giving season. Here are our suggestions. Let us know what you suggest!
Party Games
- Codenames
- Spyfall
- One Night Series (Ultimate Werewolf, Ultimate Werewolf Daybreak, Ultimate Vampire, and Revolution)
General Games
- Carcassonne: Star Wars
- Splendor
- Dixit
- Favor of the Pharaoh
- 7 Wonders: Duel
Gamer Gift
- Pandemic Legacy
Stocking Stuffers
- Bang! The Dice Game
- Star Realms or Star Realms: Colony Wars
- Red 7
- Timeline in it’s many forms, Timeline: Americana, Timeline: Invention, Timeline: Discoveries, Timeline: Diversity, and a few more
Kids Games
- Coconuts
- Loopin’ Chewie
What we hope to get for Christmas
Nathan
- Spyfall, still
- Space Cadets: Away Missions
- A Carrying Case for Dominion
Ryan
- Magic the Gathering 2015 Gift Box
Brent
- 504
This week we discuss a deckbuilder initially released on 2009 from Rio Grande Games. Nathan has embraced and enjoyed this game with his 20 plays so far. 1-5 players compete for scarce resources and they try to build the biggest tribe. Brent's along for the ride and Ryan is a bit hesitant based on theme and some blind selection gameplay.
Let us know what you think.
We interview Richard and Emily Gibbs about their game company which makes accessories and kits to make games blind accessible.
Support their Kickstarter at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/64ouncegames/braille-rpg-dice-from-64-oz-games
Visit their store at http://store.64ouncegames.com/
These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. With dice. Lots of beautiful dice. Yellow, blue, and the unfortunate red-shirt 6-sided dice.
In this podcast, we delve into this light dice fest. We all enjoyed the theme, each player taking a role of a bridge crew member from the Original Series or The Next Generation with a unique ability to help overcome the challenges. This game is easy to learn, easy to play, offers a variable challenge level, and allows players to join in at any point in the game, while playing up to 7 players.
Nathan added the game to his "family game list" which he'll bring out often. Brent enjoyed his first play. Ryan felt a little burnout after 6 plays, but admits that there will be times with certain group dynamics where this game will fit perfectly.
In this podcast, we discuss the awesome games that are currently hitting our game tables including Arctic Scavengers, Legendary Encounters: A Predator Deckbuilding Game, Liar's Dice, Space Alert, and Machi Koro: Millionaires Row. We also give an update at the goals we set at the first of the year, and we learn that Ryan is a bad friend. We end by covering our anticipated games including T.I.M.E Stories, The 7th Continent, Gloomhaven, and Pandemic Legacy.
This week we discuss board games with a horror theme that would make for an excellent time at your next Halloween party. The games discussed range from King Of Tokyo and Betrayal at House on the Hill to Gloom and Mansions of Madness to Midnight Party and Ghosts!.
Ryan details his dream Halloween Party including plans to play Mysterium in costume, with atmospheric candles, playing up the seance. Apparently, Brent and Nathan aren't getting an invite.
These are the games we discussed. Let us know your favorite Halloween Game!
Ghosts!
Last Night on Earth
Betrayal at House on the Hill
Mysterium
Gloom
Guillotine
King of Tokyo - Especially with Halloween Expansion
Bring Out Yer Dead
Student Bodies
Eaten by Zombies
Dead of Winter
Midnight Party
Spooks
Until Dawn
Cave Evil
Mansions of Madness
Cthulhu Realms
Gimme the Brain
Lord of the Fries
Tile Placement games are a little too prolific to cover in a single cast, so we limited the games we cover to tile placement games where you are connecting lines from tile to tile. The games discussed include Street Car, Metro, Tongiaki, Fresh Fish, Tsuro and Tsuro of the Seas.
Ninja Ghosts and Killer Plants of Cthulhu don't measure up to the Alien Shapeshifters who took home the prize. We discuss Smash Up by Paul Peterson. In Smash Up, you combine two factions into one deck and compete for the majority at several locations that offer victory points for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in power when the total power reached the locations breaking point. This game, and the rulebook, offer plenty of humor, great art, and a sense of discovery as you learn how your two factions interact, create synergy and win points. In addition to the base game, we cover the expansions Awesome Level 9000, The Obligatory Cthulhu set, and Science Fiction Double Feature.
We discuss Specter Ops by Emerson Matsuuchi and Plaid Hat Games. In this deduction game, you play as Hunters guarding a secret base or as the Agent sent in to discover the secrets. The Agent tracks her moves in secret and the other players try to locate and kill the agent using unique player powers and a cool car. This is similar the Scotland Yard in game play, but in a nifty scifi universe.
Party Games
This week we talk Party Games. First we speculate on what defines a party game. Honestly, who knows? Should it play more than 6? Should it involve teams? Should it be 'light'? Then we talk about our favorite party games, why they count, and why we find them outstanding. We talk Codenames, Spyfall, Times Up!, Ca$h 'n Guns, Wits & Wagers, Liar's Dice, Game of Things, and Two Rooms and a Boom!
Brent reports on his visit to Saint George Board Game Convention. http://stgcon.org
We also mention the International Gamers Awards, which you can find at http://internationalgamersaward.net
We finally review Dominion, the granddaddy of all deckbuilders. Brent and Nathan highly enjoy this new classic and have collected every expansion. We talk about Dominion's legacy and how the expanstion bloat nearly make the game unplayable. Brent discusses his storage solution. Nathan is soon going to have less money is his pocket, recreating said solution. Ryan, though, finds the games' theme lacking and the gameplay repetitious and often lacking in, well, fun. It's 2 to 1 though, so listen as we break down Dominion and expansions, including the newest expansion: Adventures.
We talk with Mike Adams, a NUGG member, friend, and color-blind gamer about the challenges of being color blind at the gaming table. Mike is Red/Green color blind, which means he cannot see red and green colors, including the red and green that are mixed with other colors. He has a hard time distinguishing purples and blue because of the missing red within purple. He also says distinguishing between yellow-green and yellow can be tough. Although you can probably guess how this makes gaming difficult, we let Mike explain how it effects his enjoyment of games and his strategies for minimizing the difficulties.
We talk with Avonelle Wing from Double Exposure about the services they provide for Game Companies, Stores, Conventions, volunteers, and gamers. We encountered the Envoy heralds at SaltCon where they taught players new games at the con, including games in the Play-to-win program.
The Envoy website is: http://dexposure.com/envoy/ The Double Exposure website is at: www.dexposure/com/home.html Aspiring game designers and folks planning kickstarters should look into Metatopia. (google it. check out Ryan Macklin's post. it's my fave.) twitter is: @dexenvoy, @de_gaming, and @avonelle
Facebook: facebook.com/dexenvoy facebook.com/dexposure.gaming
This week we talk about Viceroy, which is designed by Yuri Zhuravlev and produced by Mayday Games and Hobby World. Viceroy is a board game of bidding and resource management set in the world ofBerserk, a Russian collectible card game.
This is a beautiful and colorful collection of cards and bits with excellent artwork. The theme is stretched a bit as the characters provide fairly generic powers depending on where they are placed in your pyramid, including more resources, cards, or tokens for scoring, which is bit of a point salad. We all enjoyed the game, though Ryan is a bit disgruntled at the way Brent and Nathan "taught" him the game, thoroughly whooping him, locking him out of resources, and gloating in their towering pyramid at his expense. It was a tough first play. The tagline on the box says "Build Your Pyramid of Power!" and like a elaborate stack of cheerleaders, you must stack the character cards bought at auction in the most beneficial way possible.
From camp #GenCant, we talk about the latest buzz from GenCon, which was two weeks prior to this podcast's release. It was all brand new to us as we recorded and gushed about new games. We hit the old favorites: Imperial Assault, Firefly, and Legendary. We also hit on new games, such as Blood Rage, Ashes: Rise of the Phoenixborn, Codenames, Mysterium, Star Wars Carcassonne and Champions of Midgard, among many others. We also talk Nathan into spending more money for our own enjoyment. Not that that's hard.
With guest host Dennis Holliday, we discuss the world of Kickstarter, focusing mostly on board games, of course. Dennis has backed over 60 projects and Brent even more. Both seasoned Kickstarter veterans discuss their experiences and joys of this crowdfunding experience. Both are positive and express that the good out way any negative experience that occur. Ryan, on the other hand, expresses his paranoia and criticism of Kickstarter, speculating that it allows creatures the opportunity to skip steps in the creative process and produce inferior products to what might have been. Ryan might be overthinking it. Nathan jumps on board, backing his first project!
Designer: Mike Fitzgerald Publisher: Eagle/Gryphon Games Players: 1-4 Ages: 10+ Play Time: 45-60 min In this episode, we discuss how Baseball Highlights: 2045 is not a baseball simulation, but instead a tight, mechanics oriented deckbuilder, which focuses on the 'highlights' of a game of a baseball game. You don't need to like baseball to enjoy this game, and if you absolutely hate baseball, you could still really like this game. Ryan gushes about the cyberpunky art where the robots are trash cans with a bat for a single arm and steam coming out the top. We talk about how the game has a specific flow to the game play that takes some time to get in to, but when you do, the game plays really well. The flow is different with 3 players and is slightly more challenging to slip into. Baseball Highlights also works great for tournament play. We also talk about the various expansions including the Coach, Rally Cap, Magna Glove, Robot Hitters, and Cyborg Pitcher expansions.
This week we revisit the Pathfinder Adventure Card Game. We are joined by our friend, Dennis Holliday, and we talk about the second and third base games, Skull and Shackles & Wrath of the Righteous.
Pathfinder Adventure Card Game is a cooperative game
Ages: 13 and up
Players: 1-4 (up to 6 with expansion)
Time: 60-90 minutes
Publisher: Paizo Publishing
Designers: Chad Brown, Mike Selinker, Tanis O'Connor, Paul Peterson, Liz Spain, Gabby Weidling
We previously reviewed the base set in 2014 on our fourth podcast, http://meeplenation.com/podcast/mn-podcast-0004-pathfinder-adventure-card-game-rise-of-the-runelords/
This episode we review:
Betrayal at House on the Hill
Publisher: Avalon Hill
Year Published: 2004
Edition: 2nd
Designer: Bruce Glassco
Ages: 12+
Time: 60 minutes
Player Count: 3-6
In this episode we talk about games we have already reviewed and the expansions we hope to see soon. We also talk about new games we anticipate. We cover
- Star Wars: Imperial Assault and the Twin Shadows expansion
- Pathfinder Adventure Card Game
- Dark Moon
- Firefly and the new ships and new expansion, Kalidasa
- Ghostbusters
- Seafall
- Dark Moon
This week we review Castles of Mad King Luwdig.
Designer: Ted Alspach
Publisher: Bezier Games
Time: 30-90 minutes
Ages: 13+
Colt Express is a program movement game for 2-6 players that plays in 40 minutes, ages 10 and up. It is played on a three dimensional train, as players take the roles of competing bandits, trying to get the best haul without encountering the sheriff.
This week we talk about the game Werewolf, originally designed as Mafia as part of a psychology experiment. We focus our talks on Ultimate Werewolf, a set of cards from Bezier Games.
This episode we review Star Wars: Imperial Assault, a game based on Fantasy Flight's Descent series of games.
Released in 2014
Players: 2-5
Time: 60-150 minutes
Ages: 14 and up
This game can be played as a two player head to head skirmish or with one player controlling the imperial side while 1-4 players control 2-4 heroes as they try to complete objectives and level up their characters.
What is theme? What is narration? Do they compete with each other? We discuss Theme and Narration and a few games as we explore this topic.
Games include:
Dominion
Dixit
Mysterium
Duel of Ages
Ben Hillyard of Daedalus speaks with us at SaltCON 2015
Daedalus makes inserts designed to quickly start games. These inserts store the game in the original box but can be pulled out and opened to set up the game. http://daedalusproductionsinc.com
Some of the games they have built these inserts for are
- Merchants of Venus
- Dead of Winter
- Eclipse
- Small World
- Marvel/DC/Dungeons and Dragons, etc Dicemasters
- Robinson Crusoe
- Cosmic Encounters
- Caverna
- Le Havre
You can use their Design It tab to request inserts for your favorite games.
We discuss
- Meteor
- Get Bit!
- Garbage Day
- Chopsticks Megadexterity 3000
- Click Clack Lumberjack
- Mayday Sleeves
- Mayday Sleeve Bundles
Visit www.maydaygames.com
In this episode we speak with new designer and game company owner, John Ogilvie, about his games Bejinx and Skwozen. Bejinx is a game add-on that enhances most any game, adding a little bit more chaos and another level of game.
Skwozen is a card set which takes a traditional set of playing cards and adds eight symbols to each of the square cards. Rules exist for many popular public domain games.
On May the 4th we sat down and recorded this Star Wars specific podcast, reminisced about the movies, the good the bad, the Gungans, and then talked about Gaming in the Star Wars Universe. We talk about the following games:
- Star Wars Trivial Pursuit
- Decipher's Star Trek CCG
- Star Wars LCG
- Queen's Gambit
- Star Wars: Epic Duels
- West End Games' Star Wars Role Playing Game
- Star Wars: X-Wing
- Star Wars: Imperial Assault
This episode we speak with Blake and Curtis, designers of the block stacking game, Kubeni.
This game can be played with 2-8 players. Each set contains 20 blocks a custom die, a timer, and a set of cards. Playtime is 10 minutes or less per player.
www.kubeni.com
Deus was designed by Sébastien Dujardin. It looks like it scales well from 2-4 players in 45-60 minutes. Ages 14 and up. Some direct interaction as players compete to expand across a hex based map.
Seth Jaffee is a game designer and developer best known for the game Eminent Domain. In this episode he discusses the game and the upcoming Exotica expansion. Eminent Domain is for 2-4 players (up to five with the Escalation expansion) in 45-60 minutes.
You can find Seth at http://sedjtroll.blogspot.com
Star Realms is a game for 2 player. It plays in 20 minutes. Ages 12 and up.
Designed by Rob Dougherty and Darwin Kastle.
In this episode we discuss Gamer Snobbery, terms such as Eurogame and Ameritrash, and why Brent doesn't like the term Filler.
We also do a third of the way review of our 2015 gaming goals. How are you doing with yours?
Michael Coe of Gamelyn Games talks about his three Tiny Epic Games:
- Tiny Epic Kingdoms
- Tiny Epic Defenders
- Tiny Epic Galaxies
Machi Koro is a card and dice game from IDW and Pandasaurus Games for 2-4 players in 30 minutes. Ages 8 and up.
The Harbor expansion adds a 5th player but can extend the game past an hour.
SaltCON 2015 took place in Layton Utah on March 12-14, 2015.
Next year the convention will be March 3-5, 2016 at the same location.
Visit their website at http://saltcon.com
In our first episode from SaltCON 2015 we talk with Rick and Joanne Soued about their history, creation of Funagain Games, aquisition of Eagle Games, and creation of Gryphon Games.
Rick spends much of the interview telling us about many of the current games available through their company including Tumblin-Dice, Through the Ages, Baseball Highlights 2045, and many more.
We greatly enjoyed the time we spent with Rick and Joanne and hope to spend more time playing Eagle-Gryphon Games.
In this episode we introduce the SaltCON interviews which we plan to release across the next six or seven weeks. Some weeks we will release two episodes.
We are saddened to report that the podcast recorded live during the Saturday panel was lost.
We discuss the games we played at SaltCON including Deus, Colt Express, Witness, Baseball Highlights 2045, Ultimate Werewolf, and Two Rooms and a Boom.
We talk about future releases Orphan Black Card Game, Abyss Expansion - Black Pearl, Legendary Encounters: Predator, Seafall, and Pandemic Legacy.
Finally we report our contest results. Thanks to Mayday Games for their support of Meeple Nation!
This week we review the 2009 release Thunderstone, and what is considered by many to be its improvement, the 2012 released Thunderstone Advance. This game is for 2-5 players ages 12 and up, in about 60 minutes, which might include setup. There are solo rules in some of the rulebooks.
We focus a bit on the Thunderstone Advance: Numanera set, which is based in the Numanera world created by Monte Cook.
Let us know what you think!
Beowulf the Legend was released in 2005 for 2-5 players (the more the better). It plays in an hours and was designed by Reiner Knizia.
Join Beowulf as he embarks on his epic journey to defeat Grendel, the Sea Hag and the Dragon. Work to aquire the most fame so that you can become Beowulf's successor.
This episode we talk about seven pirate games (in addition to bringing up Corsari again).
We start out with a short mention of Ghostbusters the Board Game and Cuao. Then we dive into these seven pirate games:
- Meuterer
- Pirate Flux
- Get Bit!
- Walk the Plank
- Hold Your Breath
- Dead Man's Draw
- Loot
Finally, a contest from our friends at Mayday Games. Visit our Facebook Page or listen to the podcast for more details.
This week we are releasing a second episode, an interview with Chris Urinko of Daft Concepts, makers of board game accessories. We talk about kickstarter, their current project, Custom Miniatures and Tokens for your RPG and Tabletop Games.
Chris also talks about his experience with the Board Game Designer Guild of Utah and gives advice to new Board Game Designers. He codesigned the game, Hold Your Breath.
Kickstarter Project: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/732415737/laser-etched-miniatures-for-table-top-games-and-rp
Website: http://daftconcepts.com
Email: info@daftconcepts.com
Twitter: @battlejack, @daftconcepts
During this month of love (February 2015) we turn our hearts to two-player games. We discuss
- Battle Line
- Balloon Cup (now Pinata)
- Lost Cities
- Medici vs Strozzi
- GIPF
- TAMSK
- Tally Ho
Nathan also laments his inability to keep up with Living Card Games and figure based games such as X-Wings.
We also discuss three games that at least one of us (Ryan) considers best with 2, even if they play more.
- Attika
- Scrabble
- Carcassonne
Kingsport Festival is steeped in art and lore from the Cthulhu Mythos. In the game you summon one or more of the Outer Gods or their minions in order to increase in Evil, Death or Destruction. The game is similar to Kingsburg but offers unique play.
The game is for 2-5 players in about 60-75 minutes. Ages 13 and up.
In this episode we discuss the Roll for the Galaxy game, for 2-5 players in 45 minutes or less.
Fun for all!
This week we hear a report from Brent on BryceCon 2015, gaming convention with family, and food. We briefly discuss Castles of Mad King Ludwig, Timeline, Dead Man's Draw, Coconuts and Roll for the Galaxy.
After this report Brent talks with Rob Hicks of Midnight Campaign. Then he interviews Gail and Gary Tanner, founders of BryceCon.
In this episode we have a bit of feedback, discuss Splendor again for a few minutes (they fixed the colorblind issue), and then dive into the six racing games we discuss this episode: Hare and Tortoise, Roborally, Fearsome Floors, Cartagena, Formula De, and Snow Tails.
This is a hot release from late 2014 where 2-5 players work together to complete a common goal and each player works on an individual goal. But is one of you a Betrayer?
Recommended by all three hosts.
In this episode we review Brent's 2014 gaming goals:
-
Play 40 games 10 times
-
Play Twilight Imperium with Brian
-
Play Monopoly
-
Play More Games with my Kids
We then discuss the benefits of playing a game multiple times.
Then we dive into our 2015 gaming goals
Brent
-
Play Dominion at least 43 times.
-
Play Games at least 25 times with my kids.
-
Attend 3 game conventions/trade shows.
-
Make 12 videos - likely games played at least 10 times.
-
Play 10 games 10 times.
-
Significantly organize at least five games with better inserts and getting started sheets.
Nathan
-
Play Starfarers of Catan at least once.
-
Play at least 40 games with my kids.
-
Play 10 new games with my family.
-
Play 10 games 10 times.
-
Play 20 new games this year.
-
Play 20 games within my collection that I haven't played for at least a year.
Ryan
-
Play Hanabi and get a perfect score.
-
Find Accessible Games I can play with my blind daughter and my other kids.
-
Thrift 10 gems (games I want to add to my collection).
-
Travel 10 times this year to my friends house to play games.
At the request of a listener we play and review Shogun by Dirk Henn. This game is for 3-5 players and will take 2-3 hours to play. It is a game of conflict in order to determine who will gain the title of Shogun.
Space Alert by Vlaada Chavatl. Fun for 1-5 players, 12 and up, in about 30 minutes.
Highly recommended.
There is no ! in the title.
We discuss over twenty-five games as we review our Feeback and contest entries, then we randomly pick our two contest winners.
Games we discuss: Star Realms, Pathfinder Adventure Card Game, Dominion, Colt Express, Twilight Imperium, Agricola, Caverna and many more!
We used the wrong cable on our microphone so audio suffers a bit this episode. We apologize. The next episodes will not have this problem.
We talk about close to a dozen games that you should consider if you are planning to give a boardgame as a gift this season.
Here is the list in the order we present them:
- Lords of Waterdeep
- King of New York or King of Tokyo
- Forbidden Island or Forbidden Desert or Pandemic: The Cure
- Survive!
- Transamerica
- Times Up! Title Recall
- Wits & Wagers
- Incan Gold
- Love Letter in its many forms
- Hanabi
This episode we talk about many dexterity games and launch a contest where you can win one of two copies of Toc Toc Woodman. Listen to the podcast for details!
This week we review Abyss, a 2-4 player game by Bruno Cathala and Charles Chevallier. Ages 14 and up, 45-60 minutes. The artwork, by Xavier Collette, is simply stunning. Highly recommended by two of the three reviewers.
This week we are speaking with 15 different gamers (and game company representatives) at the International Games Day held at Weber State University on 8 November 2014. We recorded the interviews amongst the gamers so there is a bit of background noise.
Intro - 0:00 - 0:19 Meeple Nation Hosts - 0:19 - 0:57 Jon Sears - 0:57 - 2:32 Everett Johnson - 2:32 - 4:172 Sean MacDonald and Dale Gifford of SaltCON (visit http://saltcon.com/) - 11:57 - 13:56 Troy Hoggan - 13:56 - 14:44 Suzanne - 14:44 to 17:52 Max Holliday of Ginger Ale Games (visit https://www.facebook.com/BringOutYerDead) - 17:52 - 20:29 Payson Mair - 20:29 - 21:55 Alex and Cameron - 21:55 - 24:53 Ryan Laukat with Red Raven Games (visit http://www.redravengames.com/) - 24:53 - 27:36 Alex Montgomery - 27:36 - 32:26 Ryan Bruns, President of Mayday Games (visit http://maydaygames.com/) - 32:26 - 38:40 Ben Hillyard of Daedalus Productions Inc (visit http://www.daedalusproductionsinc.com/)- 38:40 - 43:38 Dan Naylor of SaltCON - 43:38 - 49:19 Outro - 49:19 - 49:27
This week we discuss Expansions, both what we love and their darker sides. We explore Carcassonne expansions from our past as an example.
We then each list 7 boardgame expansions or sequels that we are anticipating.
Bring Out Yer Dead plays in 40 minutes for 2-5 players, ages 12 and up, the first game from Ginger Ale Games. We review the game and talk about the game industry with Max.
The Kickstarter runs through November 26, 2014 at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/808648996/bring-out-yer-dead
Guildhall and Guildhall: Job Fair by AEG and numerous other language publishers.
2-4 players, 45 minutes, ages 10 and up
2-6 players, 30-45 minutes, ages 8 and up.
Like us on Facebook at http://facebook.com/meeplenation
We review five games, each in about five minutes. The first two are card games with only sixteen cards. Love Letter by Seiji Kanai and Lost Legacy: The Starship by Seiji Kanai and Hayato Kisaragi.
The last three games are push your luck. Zombie Dice by Steve Jackson and Martian Dice by Scott Almes. Lastly, the best game of them all, Can't Stop by Sid Sackson.
This week we respond to listener feedback and discuss our favorite worker placement games.
One question we responded to was "Who are the significant female board game designers?" Here are a few geeklists from boardgamegeek.com
http://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/56208/women-game-designers
http://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/33115/good-games-designed-women
Fleet, released in 2014
2-4 players ages 10 and up, 1-4 with the expansion, and 1-6 with additional promo cards. Plays in 30-45 minutes.
This week we discuss the new dice game, King's Forge, for 2-4 players in about an hour. 13+ on the player's age due to the need to read a decent amount of text.
This week we discuss the collectible dice game, Marvel Dice Masters: Avengers vs. X-Men released by Wiz-Kids for 2 players.
This game involves many different heros and villains from the Marvel Universe including the Avengers from the movie and many well known, X-Men.
We answer listener feedback and talk about our favorite mechanics. We spend a large amount of time loving and hating on Battlestar Galactica.
This week we discuss Splendor, the 2014 Spiel des Jahres nominee by Marc Andre and Space Cowboys. For 2-4 players in 30 minutes. It is a great board game enjoyed by all three hosts.
Ryan, Nathan and Brent answer two listener questions, talk about recently played games, Fleet, Splendor, and Monopoly. The we discuss our four favorite designers, and their board games.
Firefly the Game by Gale Force 9. Playable out of the box by 1-4 players but expandable up to 7. Approximately 120 minutes with around 15 setup.
In this episode we discuss Carolus Magnus designed by Leo Colovini and published by Venice Connection and Rio Grande Games. This board game plays in less than an hour for 2-4 players. Each player count plays differently but all are enjoyable. This game is for more intense gamers.
We refer to the region tiles as city tiles, regions, and territories. These are all the same.
We talk about the card games Mamma Mia!, Sole Mio!, Coloretto, Bohnanza, Corsari, Guillotine, and Rage!
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We discuss Galaxy Trucker Anniversary Edition, a game for 2-5 players by Vlaada Chvatil and published by Czech Games Edition
Today we discuss the games that brought us together. It all started with the Star Wars Collectable Card Game by Decipher but didn't stop there. We talk of Magic the Gathering, Scrabble, Settlers of Catan, Attika, Solarquest, Mastermind, and Chess, among other board games.
Brent, Nathan, and Ryan discuss the Pathfinder Adventure Card Game including theme, gameplay, and fun.
Nathan, Ryan and Brent discuss Shadows Over Camelot, a game by Serge Laget and Bruno Cathala and published by Days of Wonder.
Ryan, Brent and Nathan discuss Legendary: A Marvel Deck Building Game. Theme, gameplay and art are all discussed.
Ryan, Brent and Nathan discuss Coup by Rikki Tahta and published by Indie Boards & Cards. We discuss game play and theme and give you information that should help you determine if this meets your boardgame tastes.