105 – GenCan’t and Gen Con 2018 – The Family Gamers Podcast

Nick and Izzy Martinelli

It’s that time again – Gen Con is the largest gaming convention in the USA. If it seems like we’ve done this before, it’s because we have! We covered Gen Con (and Gen Can’t) last year (episode 60). Warning: this episode includes 2 hours of interviews from Gen Con, recorded by our man on the ground, Nick Martinelli.

Our Gen Can’t Games:

Unlock! House on the Hill – we compare and contrast with the EXIT series. The app is useful, and the re-usable factor is nice. We feel Unlock! may be more approachable for a wider audience. (We did it with our kids!)

We played lots of games while camping. Kid games, party games, and light-to-medium “gamer” games.

Kid games:

Family Fluxx
OK Play (our review)
Anomia Kids (our review)

Party games:

Crosstalk (we have talked about Crosstalk before)
Anomia Kids belongs in this category too!
Spaceteam

More serious/involved games:

The Grizzled (with maximum number of players)
Deep Sea Adventure
Century: Golem Edition (which Asher is now obsessed with) – a variation on Century: Spice Road which Nick reviewed for us.
Expedition Altiplano (from Matagot, published in the USA by Asmodee)
Zooscape

After we returned from camping:

Dice Forge
Knot Dice (our review)
Mastermind
Shaky Manor (w/kids) – the fine motor skills required make it frustrating for younger children.
Kintsugi – a great, brain-bending puzzle from Button Shy.

About Gen Can’t:

Gen Can’t design contest: 2 wallet games, available to print in partnership with Button Shy. We couldn’t play because our printer is currently broken :(

Also, a MEGA play (via livestream) of the new hit roll-n-write Welcome To… on Thursday night.

Many publishers supported Gen Can’t through donations to the Gen Can’t raffle. Gigamic hosted twice-daily contests on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) based on their games, along with their own giveaway. James Hudson at Druid City Games even held back a few of the special Gen Con promos for The Grimm Forest for a Gen Can’t giveaway.


SNAP Review

Who Did It? from Blue Orange Games


Gen Con Interviews

If you like these interviews, let Nick know!

(0:31:10) Ryan Laukat – Red Raven Games

Near and Far – Amber Mines expansion
MegaLand – Target Exclusive
Haven – Out in October

RedRavenGames.com

(0:35:08) Allen Chang – Rule & Make

Robots and Rockets
Robots and Rockets: Light Speed
Skyward (we’ve reviewed this)
Entropy
Smiths of Winterforge
Hand of Fate
Hand of Fate: Ordeals

ruleandmake.com
facebook.com/ruleandmake
@ruleandmake

(0:41:25) Chris Leder – Calliope Games

The Mansky Caper (if you want to hear more, we have a full-length interview with Chris & Ken Franklin)

CalliopeGames.com

(0:54:50) Jonathan Chaffer – designer

“I believe in pun-first design.”

Filler (published by Green Couch Games)
Stroop (published by Grand Gamers Guild) – one of Anitra’s favorites

Find him on Twitter @unclejonbob

and check out the Grand Rapids Unpublished Gaming Society

(1:06:50) Maxime Tardif – Sphere Games

Mini Diver City
BrilliAnts
Mini BrilliAnts
Galaxies

facebook.com/spheregamesinc
www.spheregames.ca
@sphere_games (Twitter/Instagram)

(1:15:30) Randy Hoyt – Foxtrot Games

Spy Club
World’s Fair 1893 (one of our earliest reviews)
The Fox in the Forest

www.foxtrotgames.com
@foxtrotgames
@randyhoyt

(1:25:40) Jon Mietling – Portal Dragon Games

Palm Island
Planetoids

portaldragon.com
@theportaldragon (Twitter/Instagram)

(1:40:45) JC Dorais – Foxmind

The Potion (microgame for 3-7 players)
Sports Dice: Football (a sequel to Sports Dice: Baseball, one of Andrew’s favorites, from Andy Geremia)
Manhattan (a new version of the 1994 Spiel des Jahres winner)
Bermuda Pirates

www.foxmind.com
@foxmind (Twitter)
@foxmindgames (Instagram)

(1:49:05) Travis Drake – Brouhaha Games

Pumpkin Patch: Bad Seeds (1-3 players, kid-friendly) – On Kickstarter now!
Artist Victor Koch – @vikthor_art (Instagram)

Soothsayer (in development)
Kerfuffle (in development)

brouhahagames.com
@brouhahagames (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram)

(1:57:00) David Gerrard – Junk Spirit Games

Tyler Sigman’s Crows
By the Order of the Queen
Battle of the Bards

junkspiritgames.com

(2:09:40) Jason Kotarski – Green Couch Games

Before the Earth Explodes
Best Treehouse Ever: Forest of Fun
Into the Black Forest
Filler

“Great little games that make great big connections.”

greencouchgames.com
@GreenCouchGames (Twitter)
@GreenCouchGames (Instagram)
@GreenCouchTabletop (Facebook)

(2:18:40) Chris Leder part 2 – Calliope Games announcements!

Games coming out at the end of 2018:

Everyone Loves a Parade! by Mike Mulvihill
Spymaster by Seth Johnson
Ship Shape by Rob Daviau