Episode 360 – PAX Unplugged 2023 – Day One

PAX Unplugged
PAX Unplugged

This is part one of a two-podcast series covering just a fraction of what the Family Gamers team saw at this year’s PAX Unplugged.

360 fact

The American woodcock can see 360° around itself (horizontally) – https://birdprotectionquebec.org/coolest-bird-of-the-week10-facts-about-the-american-woodcock/

Sponsor message

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First Move Financial is not a credit counseling company, but they’d be happy to spend a few minutes talking to you to help you find a reputable credit counselor. Go to firstmovefinancial.com/familygamers to set up a quick chat and start taking steps to dig out of debt.

Monthly Report: November

Andrew: 23 plays of 13 unique games. H-index: 2 – most played: Purrfect Match, Star Wars: Unlock. Also “Maple” Andrew’s prototype game!, and Tokaido Duo, Turbo Kidz, The Hunt, The A.R.T. Project.

Anitra: 34 plays of 16 unique games. H-index: 3 – most played: Tokaido Duo, Star Wars: Unlock, Turbo Kidz, For Northwood!

What We’ve Been Playing

For Northwood! – a solo trick-taking game
Space Explorers: Age of Ambition expansion (see our review of the base game)
Turbo Kidz
The A.R.T. Project

SNAP Review – Turbo Kidz

Turbo Kidz

This silly, blindfolded racing game taught us a lot about better communication, which we did not expect!

The cooperative mode shares some features with Zombie Kidz Evolution, one of our family favorites.

Read the transcript or watch the video.

PAX Unplugged Interviews – Day One

Want to skip to a particular company? Check out the timestamps.

0:30:15 Capstone Games with Clay

Wandering Towers
Savannah Park
Beer & Bread
New York Zoo

For the adults:

Ark Nova: Marine Worlds
Boonlake: Artifacts expansion
Rats of Wistar
Pirates of Maracaibo

Find out more at Capstone Games.

0:34:58 Arcane Wonders with Bree

Age of Wonders: Planetfall (up to 6 players, 45 minutes!)
GAP
Critters at War (Air, Land, and Sea with a new theme)
Critters at War: Flies, Lies, and Supplies (expand the original or play on its own)

Find out more at Arcane Wonders.

0:43:00 Dr. Finn’s Games with Steve Finn

Alpujarras
Fisheries of Gloucester
Scribble Me This – with Pipnetic (“Pictionary with Riddles”) – coming to Kickstarter in February
The Feds – coming to Kickstarter in December

“Bring Your Own Pencil” games. Print the game sheet, grab a pencil, and go.

Older games that we love: Biblios, Cosmic Run Regeneration, Cosmic Run: Rapid Fire.

Find out more at Doctor Finn’s Games.

0:46:35 Flat River Group with Danni

Tanuki (from Synapses Games)
Get Bit (from Greater Than Games) – with a new bathtub toy theme.

0:48:05 First Fish Games with Stephanie

Mistwind
Ducks in Tow – and expansions!
Town Builder: Coevorden

Find out more at FirstFishGames.com

0:51:30 Vesuvius Media with Konstantinos

Catapult Feud

Find out more at Vesuvius Media.

0:52:30 Origami Whale with Tyler

Dicey Devices – coming to Kickstarter
Danger: The Game – (which we’ve reviewed!) a simple introduction to roleplaying.

Find out more at Origami Whale Games and Meeple Coffee.

0:55:10 Winsmith Games with David

Winsmith designed Junk Drawer, one of our favorite games of 2023!

10 Gallon Tank

Check out Winsmith Games.

0:56:35 Red Raven Games with Ryan

Sleeping Gods: Distant Skies
Megaland (our review)
Knight Fall
coming: Isle of Night

Find out more at Red Raven Games.

1:00:10 Czech Games Edition with Paja

Time Division
Spicy – a bluffing game, and Sweet & Spicy, which is a little bit more forgiving.
Fish & Katz – a speed game with knit cat paws

Find out more at Czech Games.

1:06:30 Smirk & Dagger with Curt

Tesseract – a very active cooperative abstract game.
The Spill
boop. (and “spooky boop” AKA booOOp.)

Curt is always looking for games “that cause a real reaction at the table”. We agree!

Find out more at Smirk & Dagger.

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