Release Date: July 9, 2012 Running Time:  197 min. Listen Now: Download: Enhanced Version  MP3 Version Subscribe via iTunes: Enhanced - MP3 See sidebar for other subscription options

Use your grey cells. The Kennerspiel des Jahres recognizes the best strategy game of the year.  From a deadly mountain peak to the bandit filled desert to the workshops of a medieval town, we review the 3 nominated games and try to predict the winner.

Kennerspiel des Jahres Recommended Games: Hawaii, Friday, Ora et Labora

Kennerspiel des Jahres Nominees: K2, Targi, Village

Predictions: our favorite, our selection, our prediction 

Complete Show Notes continue after the break.

Release Date: June 25, 2012 Running Time:  116 min. Listen Now: Download: Enhanced Version  MP3 Version Subscribe via iTunes: Enhanced - MP3 See sidebar for other subscription options

The big red pawn. From high stakes dice to story telling donkeys, our award season coverage continues with in-depth reviews of Vegas and Eselsbrücke, the final two nominees for the Spiel des Jahres, the most prestigious trophy in the game playing world. Then, we try to jump into the minds of the jury and predict the winner.

Spiel des Jahres Nominees: Vegas, Eselsbrücke
Predictions: our favorite, our selection, our prediction 
Mail Bag: DnDeeples, Happy Meeple, Flip the Table, Lyle Otterbein, Shoe-lent, Cards Against Humanity, and Ravenloft card game

Complete Show Notes continue after the break.

Release Date: June 11, 2012 Running Time:  124 min. Listen Now: Download: Enhanced Version  MP3 Version Subscribe via iTunes: Enhanced - MP3 See sidebar for other subscription options

Kids at heart. From dragonknights and toad slime to cheese stealing ghosts, we review the 3 nominees for the Kinderspiel des Jahres, Germany's Children's Game of the Year, and try to predict the winner.

Kinderpiel des Jahres Nominees: Die Kleinen Drachenritter, Spinnengift und Krotenschleim, Schnappt Hubi!
Recommended List:  Captain Kidd, Hexenhochhaus, Flossen Hoch!, Klack!, Zirkus Stapelix, Coraxis & Co., Monster-Alarm, Super Rhino, Mogel Motte

Complete Show Notes continue after the break.

Release Date: May 28, 2012 Running Time:  124 min. Listen Now: Download: Enhanced Version  MP3 Version Subscribe via iTunes: Enhanced - MP3 See sidebar for other subscription options

Win-win-win. The Spiel des Jahres is more than Germany's Family Game of the Year. It's an institution. And home to the 3 most prestigious awards in the industry. We begin this year's award season coverage with details on the Spiel des Jahres recommended games list and our review of Kingdom Builder, one of three nominees.

Spiel des Jahres Nominees:  Vegas, Eselsbrucke, Kingdom Builder
Recommended List:  Drecksau, Indigo, Kalimambo, Kulami, Stanta Cruz, Pictomania, Rapa Nui, Miss Lupun 
Nominee #1:  Kingdom Builder.
Mail Bag: Dice history, Sjoelen boards in Oregon

Complete Show Notes continue after the break.

Release Date: May 14, 2012 Running Time:  124 min. Listen Now: Download: Enhanced Version  MP3 Version Subscribe via iTunes: Enhanced - MP3 See sidebar for other subscription options

Fun from the frozen north. We review 3 titles from Russian publisher Right Games: Evolution, Potion Making Practice and The Enigma of Leonardo. 

News & Notes:  Wrong Chemistry, Sausage Dice, Mensa Awards
Right Games Reviews:  Evolution: The Origin of Species, Potion Making Practice, Enigma of Leonardo
Back Shelf Spotlight:  Sceptre 1027 A.D.
Game Sommelier:  5 out of print "grail" games to play
Mail Bag: Dwarf/Orc dice, Hike on Easter Island, Lyle Otterbein 

Complete Show Notes continue after the break.

Release Date: Apr. 30, 2012 Running Time:  178 min. Listen Now: Download: Enhanced Version  MP3 Version Subscribe via iTunes: Enhanced - MP3 See sidebar for other subscription options

Find 'em hot and leave 'em wet. Firefighter Major Brian Strange visits the padded cell to give us an expert's perspective on Flash Point - a board game of teamwork, burning buildings and daring rescues.

News & Notes:  Ace of Spies, Off Your Rocker, Sentinels of the Multiverse, Keltis Dice, King of Tokyo
The List:  Flash Point
Back Shelf Spotlight: Emergency!
Truckloads of Goober: Fire

Game Sommelier:  Games Dave craves
Mail Bag: Adlung advice, Evansville connection, APE Games generosity

Complete Show Notes continue after the break.

Release Date: Apr. 16, 2012 Running Time:  132 min. Listen Now: Download: Enhanced Version  MP3 Version Subscribe via iTunes: Enhanced - MP3 See sidebar for other subscription options

Think inside the box. That's exactly what Adlung Spiele does. They publish games that redefine our notions of what card games can be. We celebrate the 6th anniversary of The Spiel with reviews of 8 titles: choosing roles as pirate and traitor, loading camels for market, flipping flying carpets, slapping bugs, posing like animals, and building theme parks on the table. So many kinds of fun... all from a simple deck of cards.

News & Notes:  Elder Sign & Nightfall iOS apps, Tammany Hall returns
Adlung Spiele Game Reviews:  Tuareg, Verrater, Flying Carpet, Meuterer, Magic Sword & Dragon Egg, Lady Bugs & Such, Adlungland, Cock-a-Doodle-Do!
Mail Bag: New England correction, Origins dinner, 

Complete Show Notes continue after the break.

Release Date: Apr. 2, 2012 Running Time:  165 min. Listen Now: Download: Enhanced Version  MP3 Version Subscribe via iTunes: Enhanced - MP3 See sidebar for other subscription options

Canoes and cannonballs. Join us for an in-depth review of A Few Acres of Snow, Martin Wallace's deck building board game. We row through the rivers and forests of the North to settle the fate of the French & Indian War and then wind the clock forward to look at another colonial-era dice and card based battle game: 1812 - The Invasion of Canada.

News & Notes:  Dominare, Kingdom Builder: Nomads, Going Cardboard review
The List:  A Few Acres of Snow
Back Shelf Spotlight: New England 
Playbill: 1812 - The Invasion of Canada

Game Sommelier:  Games as teaching tools
Mail Bag: Advanced Civ, Bombshell

Complete Show Notes continue after the break.

Release Date: Mar. 5, 2012 Running Time:  166 min. Listen Now: Download: Enhanced Version  MP3 Version Subscribe via iTunes: Enhanced - MP3 See sidebar for other subscription options

Gone fission. We review The Manhattan Project, a game where players race to build an atomic bomb, plus we look back at an influential classic: Advanced Civilization.

News & Notes:  Lords of Waterdeep, 2011 industry sales
The List:   The Manhattan Project
Back Shelf Spotlight: Advanced Civilization
Playbill: Santiago de Cuba

Game Sommelier:  Games to play over Skype
Mail Bag: Sharks, Spiel song entry, Gregor the intern

Complete Show Notes continue after the break.

Release Date: Feb. 20, 2012 Running Time:  150 min. Listen Now: Download: Enhanced Version  MP3 Version Subscribe via iTunes: Enhanced - MP3 See sidebar for other subscription options

So nice, they named it twice. Dave reports back from Toy Fair 2012 with 10 interviews, plus a review of a new family card game, Let's Take A Hike.

News & Notes:  Wilderness, Geekway to the West
The List:   Let's Take a Hike
Toy Fair Interviews: R & R Games, Northstar Games, Stronghold Games, Asmodee, Justin Oh, Susan McKinley Ross, Chris Ross, Stratus Games, JADS International, The Game Preserve
Game Sommelier:  Games for home decor themed rooms.
Mail Bag:  Foundation bundle suggestions, chocolate dice

Complete Show Notes continue after the break.