Episode 171: If Charlemagne Was A Badger

Release Date: Mar. 4, 2013

Running Time:  143 min.

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A world built with 36 cards. We delve into the Decktet, an ingenious set of double suited cards, a Tarot deck from a parallel dimension, and a sandbox for innovative game design. The Decktet has inspired dozens of new games. From trick taking to resource management, we review four of them.

News & Notes:  Dapper Devil, Urbania, Phobos, KS roundup, The Ships, Tabletop Day
Game Reviews: Decktet (Nonesuch, Quincunx, Thricewise, Magnate)
Back Shelf Spotlight: Mu & More
Favorites:  Vinhos
The Game Sommelier:  5 quick games that teach creative thinking
Mail Bag: Smarter Game Timer, Tenzi, modern day Tokaido

Complete Show Notes continue after the break.

Episode 170: All Access

Release Date: Feb. 18, 2013

Running Time:  144 min.

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Fun for all. From sausage dice to treasure on the high seas, we review four games you could teach/play/enjoy with almost any group of players: Wordaround, Wurfelwurst, Tokaido and Pirate Dice.

News & Notes:  Influence, Stefan Feld, Hasbro cuts 10% of workforce
Game Reviews:  Wordaround, Wurfel Wurst, Tokaido, Pirate Dice
Truckloads of Goober:  Diavolo
Back Shelf Spotlight: Circus Maximus
Favorites:  Roma, Blackjack 
The Game Sommelier:  Games to pair with 5 Belgian cities
Mail Bag: More listener Sommeliers, Cafe Taktik in Sweden

Complete Show Notes continue after the break.

Episode 169: Spielfest 2013

Release Date: Feb. 4, 2013

Running Time:  215 min.

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Northern Exposure. Join us for a live recording at Spielfest, a two-day gaming event hosted by Snakes & Lattes, a board game cafe in the heart of Toronto. We talk to designers, publishers, and people in the gaming community. We also get to know the folks behind Snakes & Lattes and let them take over each segment of the show.

Guest Host:  Jon-Paul DeCosse, Manager - Snakes & Lattes
Interviews:  Pete Lipson (TABS), Tanya Thompson (Think Fun), Ben Castanie (Snakes & Lattes), Francois Valentine (designer), Tim W.K. Brown (designer)

Game Sommelier:  Live challenges from Game Gurus and Spielers
Back Shelf Spotlight:  St. Petersburg
Truckloads of Goober: Ugg-Tect
Contests: 30 second game title tests!

Complete Show Notes continue after the break.

Episode 168: O Brave New World

Release Date: Jan. 21, 2012

Running Time:  162 min.

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Welcome to Tempest. This fictional city-state is the setting for a new series of games from publisher AEG. Play for power at royal court. Duel with merchants in back alleys. Orchestrate a grand conspiracy. Deliver a secret note to the Princess. Each game tells a story and gives players a new way to explore the world. We review the first four Tempest games: Courtier, Mercante, Dominare, and Love Letter.

News & Notes:  Deluxe Tunnels & Trolls, Just In Time, Monopoly pawns
Tempest Games:  Courtier, Mercante, Dominare, Love Letter

Game Sommelier:  5 games to play with a non-gamer recovering from illness.
Mail Bag: Spiel Scopa cards, DVDs, business manager 

Complete Show Notes continue after the break.

Scribbler #10: Ten Little Words (Word Block Puzzle)

Release Date: Jan. 7, 2013

Word Block Puzzle

Print, Play Along, Win a Prize!

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Ten little words.. OK, ten little game titles, how hard could this be?

Your job is to assemble all the word blocks provided to create ten game titles. Don't worry; there's a clue for each one included. Once you have all the game titles, you can solve the second puzzle.

Good luck!

Send your solution to dave@thespiel.net.  

Download the puzzle using the links above.

Episode 167: Soy Sauce Samurai

Release Date: Dec. 24, 2012

Running Time:  196 min.

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Honor, glory and geishas. Feudal Japan is our destination. We review Yedo, an auction based worker placement game where noble houses compete for the Shogun's favor by completing secret missions.

News & Notes:  12 Realms, Pirates vs Dinosaurs, Rialto, Spielfest
The List:  Yedo

Playbill: Clocks
Truckloads of Goober: Dragi Drache

Game Sommelier:  5 musical selections to play along with 5 games

Mail Bag: Amazon.de, the truth about Czech pubs, Tricky Dice

Complete Show Notes continue after the break.

Episode 166: 2012 Holiday Gift Guide

Release Date: Dec. 10, 2011

Running Time: 180 min.

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Give the gift of play. With over 40 game suggestions in 10 categories, you're sure to find a great game for someone this holiday season.

Complete Show Notes continue after the break.

Episode 165: Essen Sampler

Release Date: Nov. 26, 2012

Running Time:  138 min.

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Fill your plates. We serve up a nice slice of our interview coverage from the largest game fair in the world, the Essen International Spieltag.

Interviews include:

Game Designers: Martin Wallace, Friedemann Friese, Andreas Steiger

Game Publishers: Czech Games Edition, AEG, Plato Magazine

Artist: Antonis Papantoniou

TableTop Producer: Boyan Radakovich

Complete Show Notes continue after the break.

Episode 164: St. Bernardus #12

Release Date: Nov. 12, 2012

Running Time:  121 min.

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Games around the globe. We report back from our latest adventure in Europe, covering the International Spieltag in Essen, Germany and filming a travelogue in Belgium.

Part 1: Essen
Part 2: Belgium

Complete Show Notes continue after the break.

Episode 163: Robots & Rondels

Release Date: Oct. 8, 2012

Running Time:  135 min.

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Going the distance. We review Milestones, a road building game that mixes abstract strategy with custom rondels, and dive into Smash Up, a genre bending card game chock full of pirates, ninjas, zombies and robots.

News & Notes:  Mr. Card Game, Aztlan, Spiel-a-thon
The List:  Milestones

Playbill: Smash Up
Truckloads of Goober: Medina

Game Sommelier:  5 games to Queen Elizabeth II celebrate her Diamond Jubilee
Mail Bag: No-tie dice, curling, Artemis

Complete Show Notes continue after the break.

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