I may be an unabashed board game nerd these days, but it’s only because there are so many fun games out there. Truly — it’s a problem. An embarrassment of riches. Just when I think I can ebb the purchasing, another great one comes down the pike, the latest being Iki — a Japanese “game of Edo …
Tag Archives: board games
ADVENTURES IN GAME TIME: Orléans Edition
Back in June of 2015, when I was six months into my burgeoning board game obsession/addiction, I learned that a game called Orléans had been nominated for Kennerspiel De Jahres. In gaming parlance, it’s the equivalent of receiving an Oscar nod. Well, sort of. The Spiel de Jahres is actually the award reserved for game …
ADVENTURES IN GAME TIME: ‘Gold West’ Edition
There aren’t many board games that do double duty as Village People song puns, but Gold West is here to buck the trend. Admittedly, the term “Go West” could also be credited to 19th century author Horace Greeley, but that’s not nearly as fun. I like to think “Gold West’s” designer J. Alex Kevern was …
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ADVENTURES IN GAME TIME: ‘Nippon’ Edition
Is there anything more fun than pretending to be 19th century Japanese industrialists? I don’t think so. Luckily for us, there’s a fantastic new game on shelves that captures the thrill of modernizing Japan, all from the comfort of your dining room table. Finally, the zaibatsu simulation you’ve always wanted. This madness is called Nippon, …
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PLAYERS GONNA PLAY: Viking Bravery and ‘The Champions of Midgard’
When it comes to knowledge of Scandinavia, I sadly glean most facts from my Ikea cookbook, the Thor franchise, and occasional episodes of The Amazing Race. Oh, and my friend Diana. She’s from Sweden. Nevertheless, one thing I definitely do know about Northern Europe is that Vikings used to sail its shores, paving the way …
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Making Life Easier in ‘La Granja’
Last week I casually ranked all the board games in my collection, with one of my favorites being La Granja. It’s about farming in Majorca (finally, something to fill that gaming void), and one of the central mechanics has players sliding cards under a cardboard “farm” to spectacular effect. Well, unfortunately, all this pushing and …
A Bunch of Board Games You Should Play
A year ago, my friend and former blog partner Joe (a.k.a. J-Unit) had a bachelor party up in Lake Tahoe. It was a pretty fun bro weekend full of beer pong, barbecuing, and a forest fire (unrelated to the barbecuing). With the area full of smoke, we spent a lot of time indoors, and thankfully …
Climbing “K2” with Kim Richards
K2 is the second highest mountain in the world, and according to Wikipedia, it is affectionately known as Savage Mountain due to its extreme fatality rate. About one in every four climbers die, and if you’re a woman, be extra careful: K2 is notoriously misogynist. It wasn’t until 1986 that a lady ever summited K2, …
Fighting the “Dead of Winter” with Nancy’s Fancy Gelatti & Sorbetti
It’s been a year or two since I last dusted off my handy ice cream maker, and every time I gaze at its shiny, white shell (which is admittedly not often), I grow wistful for those heady days when I would pour fatty custards into its spinning innards and find glorious ice creams and gelatos …
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Banter Blender #103: Settlers of Catan, Dominion, and Modern Board Game Culture
“The Banter Blender” is back! Ben Mandelker (bsideblog.com) and guests Jessica Ogilvie and Drew Staten kick off the new year by diving into the world of modern board games: Settlers of Catan, Dominion, and others. The group discusses what makes these games fun, how they got hooked, and what makes for a great tabletop experience. …
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