21: Ewe Wouldn't Like Me When I'm Angry! Release Date: Jan. 22, 2007 Running Time: 86 min Listen Now: Enhanced Version - MP3 Version

Lou Ferrigno, eat your heart out! It doesn't take gamma rays to make us see green, just two sets of horribly organized rules. We play Shear Panic and Marvel Heroes. One's a keeper, the other's a dud.

News & Notes: Talisman, To Court the King
The List: Shear Panic, Marvel Heroes
Backshelf Spotlight: Phoenix, Dragonmaster
Truckloads of Goober: Dread Pirate
Game Sommelier: Five games for a high school classroom that are educational without being "educational" (read:lame)
Mail Bag: BattleLore correction, game book suggestions

Complete Show Notes continue after the break.

Game News & Notes

Talisman Returns! Link

Black Industries, the publishing arm of Games Workshop, has announced a new edition of Talisman, scheduled for release October 2007.

To Court the King Link

Renaissance era dice game where players try to gain the King's favor.

New Web Site

Help us make the the home of The Spiel a great place! Feel free to start using the comments and polls and forums. The more you help us put the site through its paces, the less headaches we'll have when the site goes live. Check out the new site by clicking here.

The List

Shear Panic BGG entry

A wolf in sheep's clothing! Surprisingly strategic game that succeeds despite a horridly organized set of rules. Manipulate a field of chunky sheep figurines to score points in four different fields.

Video introduction to Shear Panic rules: Board Games with Scott

Marvel Heroes BGG Entry

No need for Magneto or Dr Doom, this game is done in by fiddly mechanics, long play time, and an obvious lack of playtesting. Comic book fanboys who enjoy five hour games with long stretches of down time will love it.

Backshelf Spotlight:

Can you see two connection between these games?
Email us with your guesses! One correct guesser will win a pair of laser cut custom Spiel dice!
The answer will be part of next episode's Spotlight.

Dave threw down the gauntlet and no one rose to the challenge! We had a bunch of great guesses, though, so tune in to hear some of the best.

Phoenix BGG Entry

Colorful abstract strategy game with shades of Guillotine.

Dragonmaster BGG Entry

Fantasy themed tweak of classic trick taking card game.

Truckloads of Goober

Dread Pirate BGG Entry

Wooden treasure chest filled with metal ships, cloth map board, doubloons, gems, custom dice, cloth bags, and cards.

Game Sommelier

The Challenge: submitted by Joel in GA.

Find five games for a high school classroom that are educational without being "educational" (read:lame), games that the principal would see as educational if he/she were to walk in.

Next week's challenge:

Stephen must find five games for $10 or under that are meaty gamer type games, no Yahtzees and no Cheapass Games!

Mail Bag

Bill corrects our Battle Lore goofs and explains how archers are actually not as effective in melee combat.

Robin in Cambridge , England writes in with some great game books he received as gifts.

Dice Games Properly Explained by Reiner Knizia

A to Z of Card Games by David Parlett

Zach in North Carolina recommends Ruckus, a great new wild and wooly speed game.

Errata

Dread Pirate was published in 2003, not 2006. D'oh!

I'm sure there are some goofs in there somewhere. Let us know if (when?) you find one!