Episode 411 – PAX Unplugged 2025
It’s the most wonderful time of the year – PAX Unplugged is when we get to catch up with friends in the boardgame industry, see new games, and meet some of YOU!
00:00 Fact for 411
If you’re a Millenial, you know that 411 was (is) a phone number to call for general information. Did you know there are other X11 codes?
https://www.networkworld.com/article/956606/beyond-911-other-n-1-1-codes-you-should-know.html
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0:05:10 What We’ve Been Playing
INK – review out today of this race to place all your ink bottles.
Odin – review coming next week. Best at 3-4 players.
Chit Chat – had our best game ever at 9 points! Check out the review.
Stroop – still breaks our brain, but fun.
Bouba/Kiki – a cooperative party game about matching shapes with nonsense words.
(We talk at length about Stroop and Bouba/Kiki in episode 370.)
Tropichaos – a fruit-selling push-your-luck game from Oink Games.
Person Do Thing – a simple word party game. Try it yourself at PersonDoThing.com
Leaders – we will talk a lot about this later.
0:18:00 The Family Gamers Community
Welcome to our newest community members on Facebook! Stop in and say hello.
#Backtalk
We asked what your favorite thing to do at a convention – if you’ve ever been to one.
A few of you answered on the #backtalk channel on the Discord and in our Facebook community.
PAX Unplugged 2025 Interviews
0:25:35 SnapShips Tactics with Micah
“X-wing crossed with Galaxy Trucker, and you’re trying to kill each other.”
Make your ship look like you want, and make it play like you want.
Starter set for two players is about $65.
0:29:00 Kess with Court
A game based on OnePiece!
0:32:30 Outset Media with David
Guildlands – “if Carcassonne met Root“
Karak – a favorite for kids, with lots of upgrades over the version we reviewed years ago. And Karak II for a more challenging game!
Shadow Ninjas – cats sneaking into the dojo to eat the koi, and one dog trying to eliminate them all.
0:36:10 Fight in a Box with Seppy Yoon
Puppies or Poop – build a doggie land-mine field under the leaves. Try to survive without poop on your shoes! A cute and more memorable re-implementation of Squirrel or Die.
Kaiser Cucumber – evil geniuses trying to out-steal each other. A sort of sequel to Mouse Cheese Cat Cucumber.
0:40:15 SRG Universe with Steve
Supershow – a wrestling card game – and Super Lucha which is a crossover with luchadors.
Rummy Gummies – a set-playing card game. “Rummy with Uno-like effects”
0:45:00 Envy Born Games with Matthew
Sirens – 1-2 player tiny game. Draft cards to make a song and lure sailors.
Hercules and the 12 Labors – solo game. Battle your way through Hercules’s famous 12 labors and choose rewards to help you with future labors.
0:48:20 Kids Table Board Gaming / Burnt Island Games with Sean
River Market – now available!
Sea Shells – set collection by Bruno Faiduitti, coming summer 2026
Pack & Paddle – Kickstarter in 2026
Treeline – recover the landscape. Also coming summer 2026.
Fans of Diced Veggies and Endeavor: Deep Sea.
www.kidstablebg.com and www.burntislandgames.com
0:52:50 Jason Anarchy Games
Trombone Champ – yes, like the video game. Full of hotdogs, baboons, and silly fake trombone facts.
0:55:00 Wonderful World Board Games with Ariel
Dragonarium – go check out the Kickstarter before December 11!
Last Lantern – coop polyomino game. Silently build a path across the board.
1:00:25 Bezier Games with Jay
Zombie Princess – a sequel to Rebel Princess. “Save” the zombies by chopping off their heads. Trick-taking game that’s best with partners.
Haunted Mouse – a ladder-climbing/shedding card game that lets you use your opponents’ cards.
Game Makers – heavier game with a rondel. You step into the role of a game publisher – very meta.
Recommendations for this holiday: Seers Catalog and Xylotar (we reviewed the expansion)
Bonus: Jay is also @CardboardEast – he reviews games from Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, etc. Check out his Youtube channel!
1:04:50 Play to Z Games with Zev
Animal Rescue Team – with Matt Leacock
Twisted Trumpets – route-building, sort of. You’re building out very weird, twisty trumpet pipes.
Soothsayers – engine-building card game using traditional tarot.
1:09:55 Doomlings with Eric
Mokoko Village expansion
Nightflower Island Gold pack, and a 15-pack Gold Box (by popular demand!)
“We wanted to trick our moms into playing Magic: The Gathering with us”
TFG has really enjoyed Doomlings – easy to learn, with a lot of luck, but also some depth. Our review.
1:14:45 Capstone Games with Chris
Sanctuary – an Ark Nova game, a bit lighter than Ark Nova.
Up or Down?
Rowdy Partners – trick taking for 1-4 players. Wrestling theme with characters, each who has their own powers
Wandering Towers – a TFG favorite.
Forestry – harvest a forest while replanting to manage it. Heavier game.
Galileo Galilei – heavier game
Aquaria
Stick ‘Em refresh
Wandering Towers expansion coming soon!
1:19:00 Moon Crab Games with Justin
Leviathan Wilds – cooperative boss-battling game that uses a spiral-bound book for the gameboard. “Climb together. Save Leviathans.”
1:24:30 PAX Unplugged takeaways
Andrew: PAX Enforcers (volunteers) and employees do an awesome job. And it’s really cool to see the same folks year after year. Love the culture of PAX Unplugged and its family friendliness.
Anitra: We waited in line as a family to get in and see Jacques Ze Whipper. Waiting in line, even for over an hour, was incredibly pleasant: mostly because the people around us were patient and friendly.
We hope to see you at PAX Unplugged 2026, December 4-6!
1:30:30 New Backtalk Question
We’ve been listening to records. What is your favorite thing to do with your family that is NOT playing board games?
Tell us on the #backtalk channel on our Discord, or in our Facebook community.
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