Garrett's Games And Geekiness

Shelley and I try out two games back in August for your consideration: Sifaka - a first release from Azao Games and designed by Christian Kruchten and Jean-Claude Pellin where you are lemurs searching for mangoes on a grid you build over the course of the game. and Tumult Royal(e) - from KOSMOS and designed Klaus and Benjamin Teuber where players race to gather materials and build statues celebrating their own glory.

Shelley and I have some fun on this August-recorded episode of two Essen 2015 releases. Joraku by Iori Tsukinami from Moaideas Game Design and Domus Domini by Heinz-Georg Thiemann

Shelley and I checked out the card game version of Coal Baron, then tried out the re-theming of a game from a few years ago! Coal Baron: The Great Card Game by Michael Kiesling and Wolfgang Kramer from Stronghold, eggertspiele, and Pegasus and Fields of Green by Vangelis Bagiartakis from Stronghold and Artipia  

Shelley and I check out a couple of lighter games, then delve into the busily designed pizza delivery game Papa Paolo. Honshu by Kalle Malmioja Papà Paolo by Fabrice Vandenbogaerde from Quined Games and Bubblee Pop by Gregory Oliver from Bankiiiz Editions  

Shelley and I tackle three 2-player-only games this week, discussing Sola Fide: The Reformation by Jason Matthews and Christian Leonhard from Stronghold and Spielworxx Hanamikoji by Kota Nakayama from emperorS4 and Jolly & Roger by Shaun Graham and Scott Huntington from Abacusspiele

Shelley and I get a chance to learn some Japanese painting techniques with the beautiful and fun Kanagawa, then try to make the most from our herds of cattle in Great Western Trail! Kanagawa by Bruno Cathala and Charles Chevallier from Iello and Great Western Trail by Alexander Pfister from Stronghold Games and eggertspiele Enjoy!

Shelley and I go heavier, then lighter this week with Lorenzo il Magnifico by flaminia Brasini, Virginio Gigli, and Simone Luciani from Cranio and Kingdomino by Bruno Cathala from Blue Orange Enjoy!

Shelley and I head out to the Tetris-style gardens of Cottage Garden by Uwe Rosenberg, then head north to get a taste of Viking culture with Jorvik by Stefan Feld. Cottage Garden by Uwe Rosenberg from Edition Spielwiese and Jorvik by Stefan Feld from Stronghold Games  

Shelley and I spend some time playing three VERY different games at a Post-Essen Weekend. Flamme Rouge by Asger Harding Granerud from Lautapelit a quick and interesting card game Dodelido by Jacques Zeimet from Drei Magier Spiele a small-box card game that requires quick thinking and pattern recognition and Capital by Filip Milunski from Granna A Cities/7Wonders mash up about the re-building of Warsaw

Shelley and I have some fun with the brand new DICE VERSION of the fantastic La Granja - La Granja No Siesta!  Then, after a quick wander around the game room at our weekend Post-Essen festivities, we build a 3-D rendering of the Colosseum in Die Baumeister des Colosseum. La Granja No Siesta! by Andreas Odendahl from Stronghold Games and Die Baumeister des Colosseum by Klaus-Jürgen Wrede from Schmidt Spiele Other games mentioned as I wandered the room: Fabled Fruit Great Western Trail Dodelido Terraforming Mars Mi Tierra: New Era Power Grid Card Game Flamme Rouge Key to the City: London Cottage Garden Oracle of Delphi Chariot Race Capital

Shelley and I get a chance to review our first Essen 2016 release - Fabled Fruit from Friedemann Friese and Stronghold Games - then we have three 'At The Fair' recordings with Shelley and me, Scott 'Aldie' Alden of BGG, and Mark Johnson of Boardgames To Go! Fabled Fruit by Friedemann Friese from Stronghold Games Feast for Odin Skibe Schwupps and others!

Shelley and I take on two games that fell flat for both of us. Blood Rage by Eric Lang from Cool Mini or Not and My Fair Princess by Kuro from Manifest Destiny

Shelley and I get a chance to try out two possible entries in NEXT year's SdJ competition, and you'll be able to find them throughout Essen THIS WEEK! Costa Rica by Matthew Dunstan and Brett J. Gilbert from Mayfair/Lookout and Dream Islands by Lorenz Kutschke from Schmidt Spiele Enjoy!

Shelley and I get a chance to discuss one of the newer titles from Stronghold Games that will be available in Germany in less than 2 weeks, then we tackle the Essen Spiel 2016 Preview on BGG and I go through the ones I must track down! Review: City of Spies by Gil d'Orey and Antonio Sousa Lara from Stronghold Games The games discussed from the Preview: Amigo/Small Card Games/2-Player Games (under E20) Bohnanza Das Duel Freaky Naova Schwupps X Nimmt! Capital Lux - drafting/own tableau or common… Clown Standoff - trick taking with some push your luck Zany Penguins - cute cards/interesting tactics & drafting Legendary Inventors Noxford Grand Bazaar (Small card game that takes up to 7 players!) Fruit Spy (cute artwork/rethemed Knizia) Tallinn plays quickly, expansions available (Blindes Huhn & Visby last year) What’s Up - cute card game/video Hanamikoji (2-player, gorgeous cards!) Jolly & Roger (2-player) - comment on blog that it’s been tested with couples a lot. Rival Kings (2-player) Agamemnon (2-

Shelley and I check out two great games we had a fantastic time playing for the past couple of weeks: Scythe by Jamey Stegmaier from Stonemaier Games and The Pursuit of Happiness by David Chircop and Adrian Abela

Ted Alspach, Doug Richardson, Ric Bretschneider, Shelley, and a host of others join in on the mics for a conversation about the good, the bad, and possible future titles too!

Ted Alspach, Scott Caputo, Joe Huber, Matt Leacock, and Susan McKinley Ross join the gamers at the table in the conference room once again for Meeplefest Night 1, Part 2!

Shelley and I get Rome: Rise to Power with its trademarked 'Rise to Power' dice placement system, as well as the cute mice/cat/dog cheese-getting game that is Go Da Cheese. Rome: Rise to Power by Elad Goldsteen from Golden Egg Games and Go Da Cheese by Hisashi Hayashi from OKAZU Brand Enjoy!

Shelley and I finally get a chance to play the 3rd nominee for the 2016 Spiel des Jahres, then try out a Michael Schacht card game with cool mechanisms but bad graphic design. Imhotep by Phil Walker-Harding from Kosmos and Crimson Crush by Michael Schacht from White Goblin

Ted Alspach, Scott Caputo, Joe Huber, Matt Leacock, and Susan McKinley Ross join the gamers around the table for a discussion of the SdJ and KdJ winners, then we delve into where the sparks and ideas for designs come from. It's Meeplefest time once again!