Episodes

Pied Raven

John J. Wick, the game designer and RPG creator, joins me in this episode. He is the man behind CAT, a great RPG where you play a cat protecting your human from forces they cannot see. John and I talk about the usual stuff, and also his fun RPG's that can be played in a lunch hour. (Links below) PLAY CAT

In early 2019, The Son and I were watching a lot of Watch It Played with Rodney Smith. One episode that caught my eye was Horrified, by Ravensberger. Then, for some reason, I forgot about it. It kept coming up on lists of games that are great to play in an hour. While attending a convention, I saw it at the flea market event and snatched it right up. I sat down that night and played it with a fellow game designer. We both enjoyed it. In Horrified, you and your teammates are working together as c...

Corey Clark, founder of Blue Falcon Board Gaming, joins me to talk about his organization and what they do. He has one of the most original ways to get into gaming. We try to come up with a term for people that are not board game literate. He also has one of the more obscure hidden gem games that I feel like I must own. All of that an more. Thanks for listening! Hidden Gem

When you think of the classic games, what comes to mind? Monopoly, Risk, Candyland, Chutes & Ladders, and of course Clue. It is unfortunate that Clue doesn’t get more respect in today’s board gaming community. The playtime is short. The rules are simple. And dammit, it is just plain fun! We had a copy of Clue when I was growing up. I am the oldest of three, and my sister, brother, and I would play Clue for hours. That is the best part about the game. You can just sort the cards out, draw a new s...

A month ago, I was quarantined to my bedroom with COVID. One night, I had a bout with insomnia. Then, it occurred to me! I had a few solo print and play games printed in my print and play box (link in the show notes) that were specifically designed for solo play. So, I got up, grabbed my D6’s and played 1472 The Lost Samurai. I did not win, but I was then encouraged to try 1972 The Lost Phantom. Again, I did not win. This time, I was encouraged to reach out to their designer Mike Heiman. He join...

As you faithful bridge-building listeners know, I am a huge fan of reading about board games. I then like to try and interview the author. This happened with T he Beginner’s Board Game Bible and its author Ben Hoppe. In his fantastic book, (if you haven’t bought it yet, do it) he mentions games to help break people into this great hobby. Many of his game suggestions I had heard of, or already had played. Yet, one game nagged at me that I really wanted try. It was 1995’s Mystery of the Abbey. It ...

I wish that I could say that I bought just a few games that came to my attention via Wil Wheaton’s Tabletop on YouTube, but that would be a lie. What I can say though, few games have come to my attention and immediately jumped into my top 5, if not top 3, like Champions of Midgard. Ole Steiness’s worker placement game made an immediate impact on me. I love worker placement games, yet there was something different about this game. Something about the way it played. Something about the interaction...

Who doesn’t love a good pun? I know I do. Also, who doesn’t know some form of rummy? I believe most people that have a grandma have been exposed to rummy. My grandma, my aunt, my cousins and siblings, and I used to play rummy all the time. There were stenographer notebooks filled with scoring tallies. Not just scores for their games, but also tally marks for the wins. My grandma recently passed, and a scorebook was buried with her. So, when Turn for the Wurst came out by Wam Wam Games, I had to ...

It is no secret that I love racing games. I have many racing games in my collection. I have talked about many racing games on this show. I love them! Whether I am racing cars, postal vehicles, boats, bikes, chariots, or even camels, I am drawn to a racing game like a moth to the flame. While perusing the used games section at the local Half-Priced Books, I saw Asger Harding Granerud’s cycling racing game, Flamme Rouge. The Son and I have wanted this game for some time. It goes in and out of prod...

I am very active with the public library systems here in St. Louis City and County. I have taken many courses through them online. I have taken the kids to events. Heck, I took my kids to every single St. Louis Public Library branch. That was 15 branches. A let me tell you, some of those buildings were absolutely stunning. During the pandemic, I used the library to print off many print and play games that I downloaded. When the restrictions lifted, I found out that the public library system offe...

A few months back, like six or more, I sponsored a design competition on past guest JT Smith’s The Game Crafter. The competition was to design a lunchtime game. It had to be playable in a lunch hour and appropriate for work. There were 77 entries! Of those, seven were selected to be finalists. Those seven were then shipped to me to playtest. I took all of these to work to play with my coworkers. I mean, that was literally the purpose of the competition. So, with the help of 2 or 3 of my coworker...

A few months back, I reviewed a hilarious game about a group of cats on their ninth and final life. I then interviewed the man that handmade each copy of that game. Then, out of the blue, Colby Lippencott reached back out to me to inform me that his new game, Quest for the Trident, was available. I couldn’t resist. I had to try the latest from Lab Rats Board Games. I received the handmade, custom designed, wooden box with the familiar 3D printed components holding it together, three different de...

I have mentioned a few times, like dozens probably, that The Son and I love to read books about board games at bedtime. I have also mentioned one such book many times, Family Games The 100 Best by Jeremy Lowder. Recently, I organized the first Protospiel St. Louis where we had over 40 designers come and show their game designs and over 50 playtesters come and play them. As part of the badge purchase, the store where we were holding the event offered 10% off purchases. So, I perused the store, an...

7 Wonders is one of my favorite lunchtime games of all time. I have played it probably close to one-hundred times. I did a very long, 18-minute, podcast episode on it a long time ago. It was actually the third episode of the show. At the time, I covered all the expansions that I had, which was all of them except Babel. I still have not purchased Babel. No interest. But, the completionist in me is calling to procure it. I am not going to lie. After writing that sentence, I went and looked into bu...

In this episode, I am joined by designer James Cole. He designed and tested a game at work. His game, Thrown Under the Bus, is currently on Kickstarter. Give it a look. He also had some amazing game suggestions. Thanks for listening. Thrown Under the Bus Kickstarter

Well, quite simply put, I am now obsessed with the Pandemic world. After a rough relationship at the start with the original base game, my love was rekindled with Rapid Response and Hot Zone, coincidentally during the COVID pandemic. As I have been working my way through the Pandemic expansions, I branched out, like a disease, and decided to try some of the other versions of the game. First up, I located, purchased, and played The Cure. That’s right, I played it relatively soon after purchasing ...

A few years back, I bought a game of Kickstarter. It was designed by Adam Collins. I was shocked to know I designed a game and didn't know it. Turns out, there is another Adam Collins in the board game industry, the podcast market, and in a construction related day job. He joins me in this episode, with his business partner. We talk the usual, and get some great game recommendations. They also have a Kickstarter currently up at the time of this recording. Link below. BOARD GAMES BUILD BRIDGES De...

I remember seeing Rodney Smith’s video for Pandemic: Rapid Response and knowing instantly, this was a game for me! Oddly, it was a Target exclusive. I had to wait a few months before it came out. I ordered it off the site as soon as I could. Then, as most games do, it sat unplayed for a few more months. Finally, March 20th, the son and I broke out the Kane Klenko, real-time, board game. In case you don't recognize that date, it was the start of the COVID lockdown. It just felt fitting. A few mon...

In this episode, I am joined by author James Polczynski. I came across his book, A History of Mystery and Detective Games, and I had to read it. It turns out, James reads everything he can about board games, too! We talk about his book, the 3M Bookcase series, his meeting Sid Sackson, and Clint Eastwood westerns (?). We kept getting disconnected by the online site I use, and it made my mic sound funny. But, the episode is still great, as is his book. Board Games Build Bridges! A History of Myste...

Charles created a game back in 1983 about stock car racing. Now, 40 years later, he and his son have finally produced it and brought it the world. Stock Car Racing Team Game is a fun, huge board, colorful, racing game for 2 to 6 players. This father-son duo have had a lifelong love for racing, and they want to share their love for it with you via their game. Board games build bridges! Get a copy here: https://stockcarracingteamgame.com/

You and your adventuring party are tired and thirsty from your day's fun. You find yourselves at the Red Dragon Inn for some much needed drinks, fun, and tale telling. In this game, you are seeking to get yor friends alcohol content over their fortitude, or steal all their gold in rounds of gambling. Last one sober, or last one with money is the winner. This is not a drinking game, rather a game about drinking. Board Games Build Bridges.

In this episode, I am joined by author Amanda Bridgeman who resides in the land down under. She wrote the book Pandemic: Patient Zero. Yes, that is a tie-in book to the award winning Matt Leacock board game of the same name. She talks about how she got involved in the project, the woes that COVID caused, among other things. She also talk about how she judges a game by the cover. More accurately, how the artwork is what draws her to a game. Get the book here!

In this episode, Chelsea Schwartz joins me. She has an incredible job title of Hobby Marketing and Influencer Specialist at The OP. She and I have a lot of fun chatting about IP games. The Good ones. Some bad. We also discussed her love of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and my fondness for Dream Phone. Stay through the end for the final payoff for that tangent. Her game: Bananya: The Card Game