138 – Time is Ticking – The Family Gamers Podcast
We talk about the use of time in boardgames. Time and time travel can make for an interesting theme, and some games use interesting time mechanics to add tension to the gameplay.
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Hanamikoji: Elegant Choices
Hanamikoji is a beautiful compact game for two players from Deep Water Games. Win the favor of geisha by playing their favored items, but choose carefully! You’ll also have to give cards away to your opponent.
» Read moreSNAP Review – Shikoku: The Middle Path
In Shikoku, you learn that coming in first isn’t always the best. We try to tackle this game with rules that are easy to learn, but hard to explain, in about 8 minutes of audio.
» Read morePalm Island: A Game in Hand is Worth Two on the Table
Palm Island is a 17-card game designed and illustrated by Jon Mietling, published by Portal Dragon Games. It needs no flat surface at all; the entire game is played in one hand.
» Read more137 – Super Saturday Super Showdown – The Family Gamers Podcast
This episode is special! It’s our combined show with Flip Florey at Granite Game Summit, with special guests Gil Hova, Jason Lees, and “Your Moderator” Chris Michaud. We’re calling it the Super Saturday Family Gamers Super Showdown.
» Read moreSpell Smashers: Crushing Expectations
You’re the most capable heroes in the land. Squash terrifying creatures, disintegrate their wills, and splinter their ranks. But how do you do it? With words, of course. Words like Bravery! Like Righteous! Like… Hamster? Spell Smashers, from Renegade Game Studios, supports 1-5 players, ages 12+, for 60 minutes of word-building (and world-building) fun.
» Read more136 – Spring Cleaning – The Family Gamers Podcast
If your shelves are overflowing, it’s time to take a hard look at what you’ve got. How can you decide to get rid of boardgames? We share listener feedback and how we’re making these hard decisions.
» Read moreGuardian’s Call Giveaway
Listener Jillian donated a copy of Guardian’s Call. We did a quick unboxing video, but now we’re going to give it away to one lucky fan! Enter the giveaway below. a Rafflecopter giveaway
» Read moreSNAP Review – Get the MacGuffin
Get the MacGuffin from Looney Labs is a fast-playing game of player elimination. It’s silly and incredibly quick, even at the maximum of 11 players. Can we find the MacGuffin or were we disappointed?
» Read morePoetry Slam: A Boardgame for Beatniks
We’d recommend Poetry Slam to any hep cat. It’s fun for strategy gamers as well as fans of more casual word games.
» Read more135 – Portal Dragon Games, Planetoid, Games for Foster Kids – The Family Gamers Podcast
On this week’s episode, we are joined by Jon Mietling of Portal Dragon Games, to talk about the Kickstarter for his game Planetoid, his other games, and how games have helped him connect with his foster kids.
» Read moreSNAP Review – Bad Doctor: Chronic Chaos
Bad Doctor from Mayday games gets our prescription for a fast and fun tile-laying game with easy-to-learn rules. The humor is slightly coarse, so you might want to stick with the recommended 10+ age.
» Read more134 – Cons and Pros of Cons – The Family Gamers Podcast
Mostly a catching-up show this week, plus ten minutes talking about different approaches to gaming conventions. It should surprise no one that Andrew and Anitra get very different things out of the conventions we attend.
» Read moreCaverna: Cave vs. Cave – Hidden Treasure
The constant push and pull to acquire the right resources and rooms to ratchet up your victory point and gold total is a fascinating puzzle for me. If you enjoy the careful balance of tight resource management games you will enjoy Cave vs Cave.
» Read moreSNAP Review – Sparkle*Kitty: Powerful Princesses in Peril
Be a pretty princess and save yourself with sweet spells in Sparkle Kitty, a silly word game from Breaking Games. Hear our thoughts in 5 minutes with this audio review.
» Read moreWhy I Hate Candy Land (and What to Play Instead)
Kids love the candy theme and the fun characters. But Candy Land is too hard, too long, and uninteresting.
So, what can we do about that?
» Read moreSNAP Review – Deblockle: Strategy of Tips & Turns
Deblockle is a beautiful and elegant game of abstract strategy that’s durable enough to keep on your coffee table – even with kids!
» Read more133 – Split Perspective Studios – The Family Gamers Podcast
We talk to Trevor Muller-Hegel about Split Perspective Studios. He’s creating variations of classic games (like chess and checkers), with new game designs coming out every month.
» Read moreValentines for Board Gamers
We had so much fun making board game valentines last year, we decided to do it again! If you know someone who loves board games and puns, feel free to share with them. We’ll be posting them one at a time on social media today, so look for them on our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram with the hashtag #BoardGameValentine.
» Read more132 – American History – The Family Gamers Podcast
“Those who don’t learn history are doomed to repeat it.” Games are one of the best ways to get facts to stick. We recommend some games that teach history, and games with a historical setting that will get you and your kids talking.
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