Episode 181: Major Fun!

Release Date: July 22, 2013

Running Time:  116 min.

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Bernie DeKoven is Major Fun. He has dedicated his life to the idea of fun and the importance of play for all - young, old and everywhere inbetween!

Part 3 of our interview with Bernie explores the end of his time at the Games Preserve (a commune in PA focused on games), his planning of a public play day for Philadelphia in 1976, his involvement with the inventors of the Whole Earth Catalog and finally his first experiences as a video game designer in the 80s. 

News & Notes: Scopa, Incredibrawl, The Agents, Casual Game Insider, Freedom- The Underground Railroad, Prosperity, Voluspa, GenCon booth
Interview:  Bernie DeKoven, Part 3
Game Sommelier (Doug Richardson): 5 games to play with 5 famous playwrights

Complete Show Notes continue after the break.

Episode 180: Spiel des Schpiel 2013

Release Date: July 8, 2013

Running Time:  168 min.

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Movies have the Oscars. Games have the Spiel des Jahres. We play and review the three nominees, Augustus, Hanabi, and Qwixx, and try to predict the winner.

Kinderpiel des Jahres Nominees: Hanabi, Augustus, Qwixx
Recommended List:  Mixtour, Yay!, Riff Raff, Divinare, Rondo, Escape, Hand aufs Herz, Libertalia
News: Scopa Kickstarter, GenCon booth, Spiel dinner

Complete Show Notes continue after the break.

Episode 179: Kennerspiel des Schpiel 2013

Release Date: June 24, 2013

Running Time:  175 min.

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High stakes, higher strategy? The Kennerspiel des Jahres is given to the best advanced board game of the year. The nominees this year take us to Belgium, the marble pits of Italy, and a fantasy realm in need of heroes. We review Bruges, Palaces of Carrara, and Legends of Andor and try to predict this year's winner. In addition, we report back with our experiences from Origins 2013.

Kinderpiel des Jahres Nominees: Palaces of Carrara, Bruges, Legends of Andor
Recommended List:  Terra Mystica, Tzolk'in: The Mayan Calendar
Origins 2013: Convention report on over 20 different titles!

Complete Show Notes continue after the break.

Episode 178: Kinderspiel des Schpiel 2013

Release Date: June 10, 2013

Running Time:  139 min.

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Child's play. From treasure hunters to mechanical towers and crazy cosmic cows, we review three games nominated for the Kinderspiel des Jahres (German Children's Game of the Year) and try to predict the winner.

Kinderpiel des Jahres Nominees: Orinoco Gold, The Enchanted Tower, Mucca Pazza
Recommended List:  Bim Bam, Baobab, Kakerlakak, Kuddelmuddel, Catan Junior: Madagascar, Linus the Little Magician, Mix Fix, Move & Twist, Star Wars: Battle of Hoth,  Pingi Pongo

Complete Show Notes continue after the break.

Episode 177: Twist, Slide, and Climb

Release Date: May 27, 2013

Running Time:  125 min.

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Mind manipulators. We review 3 family friendly games that mess with your head in 3 different ways: Just In Time (twist your pieces to solve timed puzzles), Dotzee (a slide puzzle with dice), and Clubs (a mash up of Spades and ladder games like Tichu).

News & Notes: Spiel des Jahres nominees, Hexica, Boston Festival of Indie Games
The List: Dotzee, Clubs, Just In Time
The Game Sommelier:  5 games inspired by New Orleans
Mail Bag: Kosmonauts feedback, Mystique deck

Complete Show Notes continue after the break.

Episode 176: Space Monkeys

Release Date: May 13, 2013

Running Time:  159 min.

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A well-placed banana. From comrades in rockets to apes in bumper cars, we review Kosmonauts and Spin Monkeys - two programmed movement games that give us a fresh look at the genre. We also continue our interview with Bernie DeKoven (Major Fun) and learn about the Games Preserve, a commune he founded in the 1970s with a giant barn full of games.

News & Notes: Space Cadets: Dice Duel, Really?, Apocalypze, Upon a Fable
The List: Kosmonauts, Spin Monkeys
Interview:  Major Fun (Bernie DeKoven) - Part 2
The Game Sommelier:  5 games that could start a collection
Truckloads of Goober: Bend-It, Vikings: Brainstorm
Mail Bag: Flip the Spiel Foundation, Space Cowboys

Complete Show Notes continue after the break.

Episode 175: In Praise of Folly

Release Date: Apr. 29, 2013

Running Time:  180 min.

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Roll over, Erasmus. We travel back to Elizabethan England for an in-depth look at Noblemen, a game about managing country estates and attending masquerade balls. The goal? Impress the Queen. We also report back from the Spring Gaming Hoopla with two great interviews: Bill Corey (event coordinator) and Lee Maile (keeper of the Gen Con game library).

News & Notes: You Suck, Mensa Awards  
The List: Noblemen
Hoopla Interviews:  Bill Corey, Lee Maile
The Game Sommelier:  5 games that need solitaire rules
Mail Bag: Origins awards info, Sausage dice snafu

Complete Show Notes continue after the break.

Episode 174: Blood, Sweat & Tears

Release Date: Apr. 15, 2013

Running Time:  155 min.

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Built to last. We celebrate the show's 7th anniversary with blocks of marble and tiki huts. We review of Palaces of Carrara and Hawaii, two games about building that offer challenge and strategy from a set of seemingly simple choices.

News & Notes: Spyrium, Relic Expedition, Canterbury, Origins Awards  
The List: Palaces of Carrara, Hawaii
Back Shelf Spotlight:  Master Builder
Truckloads of Goober:  Mord im Arosa
The Game Sommelier:  5 games paired with movies/lines of dialogue
Mail Bag: Good Fortune film, Scopa input from Italy

Complete Show Notes continue after the break.

Episode 173: Sim Chitty

Release Date: Apr. 1, 2013

Running Time:  155 min.

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Urban cardboard jungles. We review three games, each with their own take on urban planning: from the futuristic treehouses of Ginkgopolis to the crowded streets of Suburbia to the far flung shores of France and the walls of Saint Malo.

News & Notes: DVDs, Gaming Hoopla, Squadra Games, Survive Expansions  
The List: Ginkgopolis, Suburbia, Saint Malo
Favorites:  Nefertiti (Doug Faust)
The Game Sommelier:  5 games paired with scenes/songs from musicals
Mail Bag: Card games in Milwaukee Art Museum, Scopa, Family Vacation

Complete Show Notes continue after the break.

Episode 172: Game, Set, Match

Release Date: Mar. 18, 2013

Running Time:  164 min.

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Rummy revisions. We review A Fool's Fortune and Morels two set collecting card games that breathe new life into this well known and time tested genre PLUS the first in a series of interviews with Major Fun, Bernie DeKoven.

News & Notes:   Line Dice, Scopa cards, TableTop Day, Asgard & Oddville 
The List: A Fool's Fortune, Morels
Back Shelf Spotlight:  Palastgeflüster
Truckloads of Goober:  Avalanche / Astroslide
Interview: Major Fun (Bernie DeKoven), Part 1
Favorites:  Coup
The Game Sommelier:  5 games that would make great tattoos
Mail Bag: Dweebutante Ball, ApocalypZe, The Answer Men

Complete Show Notes continue after the break.

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