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.

News & Notes

Space Cadets: Dice Duel  Stronghold Games  |  BGG

Bejewled  Link  |  BGG

Firefly: The Game  Gale Force Nine |  BGG

Battle of Five Armies  Ares Games  |  BGG

Castellan Steve Jackson Games  |  BGG

Pinata  Rio Grande  |  BGG

Lap Dance   BGG

Archon: Glory & Machination  Kickstarter

A Study in Emerald  Kickstarter

ApocalypZe  Kickstarter

Upon a Fable  Kickstarter

The List

Kosmonauts  MESA Board Games | BGG

 

Spin Monkeys  Rio Grande | BGG

Interview

Bernie DeKoven   Major Fun | Deep Fun

Truckloads of Goober

Bend-It  Smart Games | Amazon

Vikings: Brainstorm  Smart Games | Amazon

 

The Game Sommelier

On the hot seat: Dave  Challenge from: Stephen

The Challenge: 5 games the could be the start of a game collection around a particular theme or concept.

Dave's Selections

Sentinels of the Multiverse

Rosenkonig

Assyria

Bora Bora

Iron Die

Next Sommelier Challenge

Stephen must find 5 games that reflect his experiences in New Orleans over the next week.

Mail Bag

Thanks to Flip Florey for raising money and donating bundles in the Maine area for The Spiel Foundation!

Thanks to Philippe Mouret, for letting us know about Space Cowboys, a new game publisher in France.

Music

Music credits include:

Space Cowboy   -  Jonzun Crew  |  the song

Space Monkey  - John Prine  |  the song

Space Oddity  -  William Shatner (Ritchie Blackmore & Candace Night  |  the song

Errata

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

Pinata is the original theme for Balloon Cup. So, the new edition returns the game to the designer's original idea.

In Kosmonauts, the Mission Cards are divided into two stacks (1&2). The #2 stack is then divided again into Alpha and Beta Cards. Each player receives one #1 and one #2 alpha and one #2 beta (I mistakenly said the #1 cards were the Alpha cards and #2 cards were Betas).

Sponsored Link: Loot Corp

90 Proof Seas Expansion  Link

 

Sponsored Link: Game Salute  Link

Princess Bride: Prepare to Die!  Link

 

Comments

In the "Space Monkeys" episode, Dave started five virtual game collections around the following:

  • Sentinels of the Multiverse (comics)
  • Rosenkönig (Dirk Henn)
  • Assyria (Ancient civilizations)
  • Bora Bora (islands)
  • Iron Die (collectible dice)

Just for fun, I'm going to double the virtual collections, by recommending five more games.  Each will pair up with one of Dave's games, BUT now the two games will form the nucleus of a collection with a DIFFERENT theme!  Here's my list (in alphabetical order); which of my games pairs up with each of Dave's, and what is the new theme?

  • Carcassonne
  • Gulo Gulo
  • Iron Dragon
  • Railways of the World
  • Shogi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ANSWER BELOW

 

 

  • Carcassonne + Assyria = games with multiple letters in the title
  • Gulo Gulo + Bora Bora = titles with one word repeated
  • Iron Dragon + Iron Die = games with "iron" in the title
  • Railways of the World + Sentinels of the Multiverse = "_____ of the _____" games
  • Shogi + Rosenkönig = games played on a 9 x 9 grid
  •