Garrett's Games And Geekiness

After our Top 10 Games last week, it's time to reveal some of our disappointments of the year...and also suggest OTHER games by many of the designers that you should play instead. The Fox Experiment (play Wingspan) Mosaic Glades (play Keythedral) Spellbook (play Sushi Go...or get a pack of cards and play Rummy!) Atiwa (play Agricola) Railway Book (play Yokohama) Trekking Through History (play Trekking the National Parks) Stack n Stuff Orichalcum Rauha Bonsai And our best gaming experience (to end on a positive note) involved playing flowerpower out on our deck.

Remember to sponsor the podcast at www.patreon.com/garrettsgames or check out our extensive list of games for sale here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing It's time for our annual countdown of our favorite games that were new to us in 2023! We always wait about a month into the next year so we can try and play as many of the big games as possible, but we still haven't gotten around to all of the possibly great games we have seen on other reviewers end-of-year lists. With that caveat, listen for our comments and our lists are below: Doug's Honorable Mentions In the Footsteps of Darwin by Gregory Grard & Matthieu Verdier from Sorry We Are French Lunaris 45 by Rola & Costa from Pile Up Games Wandering Towers by Michael Kiesling & Wolfgang Kramer from Abacusspiele Moesteiro by Rola & Costa from Pythagoras Doug's Top Ten 10) Revive by Helge Meissner, Kristian Ostby, Eilif Svensson, & Anna Wermlund from Aporta Games 9) Terracott

Shelley and I check out a dice placement game in Lunaris 45 by Rola and Costa from Pile Up Games and Pythagoras and then check out the brain and emotions in Amygdala by Michael Kiesling and Wolfgang Kramer from Game Brewer Remember to sponsor the podcast at www.patreon.com/garrettsgames or check out our extensive list of games for sale here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing  

On Shelley's birthday we have an episode of games that weren't our favorites, but might work well for you: Kutná Hora: The City of Silver by Ondrej Bystron, Petr Caslava, and Pavel Jarosch from Czech Games Edition and Alpujarras by Steve Finn from Dr. Finn's Games Remember you can subscribe to the podcast at www.patreon.com/garrettsgames  OR Check out our extensive list of games for sale (including BOTH of the games from this episode if they haven't sold already)here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing  

Shelley and I get mellow with tree creation in Bonsai by Rosaria Battiato, Massimo Borzi and Martino Chiacchiera from DV Games then we design our own wildernesses, populating them with various animals in Cascadia with the Landmarks Expansion by Randy Flynn, Molly Johnson, Robert Melvin, and Shawn Stankewich from Flatout Games and AEG Remember to support the podcast at www.patreon.com/garrettsgames or check out our extensive list of games available for purchase at great prices here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing  

Shelley and I check out a couple of canine-related titles this week The Fox Experiment by Elizabeth Hargrave and Jeff Fraser from Pandasaurus Games and Bark Avenue by Mackenzie and Jonathan Jungck from TerreDice Games and Good Game Publishing Sponsor the podcast at www.patreon.com/garrettsgames or check out our extensive list of games for sale (which includes both of the games above): https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing  

Shelley and I simultaneously layout competing newspapers in Fit to Print by Peter McPherson from AEG and Flatout Games then we head to east and try to gain favor at The White Castle by Isra C. and Shei S. from Devir Remember to sponsor the podcast at www.patreon.com/garrettsgames OR  Check out our EXTENSIVE list of games for sale at reasonable prices - help us out and get great games! https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing  

Shelley and I go to the cats and dogs this week, checking out the recent releases House of Cats by William Attia and Kristian A. Ostby from Aporta Games and Forever Home by Lottie & Jack Hazel from Birdwood Games Remember to sponsor the podcast at www.patreon.com/garrettsgames OR  Check out our EXTENSIVE list of games that no longer fit on our shelves, but belong on your table here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing  

Shelley and I tackle some spell-making in Spellbook by Phil Walker-Harding from Space Cowboys then get a classic that's getting re-published  Starship Catan by Klaus Teuber from KOSMOS, coming out in Q1 2024 as CATAN: Starfarers Duel with Benjamin Teuber added as co-designer Sponsor the podcast at www.patreon.com/garrettsgames or check out our EXTENSIVE list of games that no longer fit on our shelves, but belong on your table: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing  

Shelley and I play two sequels (of a sort) this week.  First up is a new take on Kingdomino with pieces that connect to make domino land tiles in Moon River by Bruno Cathala and Yohan Servais from Blue Orange then we move from Trails of Tucana (a draw/draw game) to a tile laying cousin in Tucana Builders by Kristian A. Ostby and Eilif Svensson from Aporta Games

Shelley and I check out a 2-player game of competitive fishing in Fisheries of Gloucester by Steve Finn from Dr. Finn's Games then we get a bit abstract as we add 'manufactured tokens' to various areas to create patterns in Neotopia by Orlando Sa and and Andre Santos from MEBO Games and Arcane Wonders Sponsor the podcast at www.patreon.com/garrettsgames  or check out our extensive list of games for purchase at reasonable prices here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing  

This week Shelley and I check out a fun remake, as well as some fun big-box complexity Mountain Goats by Stefan Risthaus from Allplay (which used to be Level X from Schmidt Spiele) Ierusalem: Anno Domini by Carmen Garcia Jimenez from Devir Sponsor the podcast at www.patreon.com/garrettsgames or check out our extensive list of games for sale here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing  

This week Shelley and I attempt to enlist gods to increase our scores in  Rauha by Johannes Goupy andThéo Rivière from GRRRE Games and then we pack our moving van in Stack 'n Stuff by Uwe Rosenberg and Marianne Waage from Lookout Games Remember you can sponsor the podcast at www.patreon.com/garrettsgames or check out our list of games for sale here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing  

This week Shelley and I discuss two games that, for different reasons, didn't really work for us. First up - Orichalcum by Bruno Cathala and Johannes Goupy from Catch Up Games and Pandasaurus Games then we tackle the MONSTER game Mosaic: A Story of Civilization by Glenn Drover from Forbidden Games Remember to sponsor the podcast at www.patreon.com/garrettsgames or check out our games for sale page here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing  

Shelley and I check out two solid titles this week. The first, a game that once again has Darwin as its theme (though much lighter than Darwin's Journey that we discussed previously) In The Footsteps of Darwin by Gregory Grard and Matthieu Verdier from Sorry We Are French and Hachette Boardgames then we head to the Iberian Peninsula and work to modernize one of our favorite cities in Barcelona by Dani Garcia from Board&Dice and CMON Global Limited Remember you can sponsor the podcast at www.patreon.com/garrettsgames OR get some great games for good prices from your extensive list of games for sale: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing  

Shelley and I grow our forest glades and populate the trees with animals in Forest Shuffle by Kosch from Lookout Games then we travel the galaxy picking up resources and fulfilling contracts in a game that reminds us for Parks (and it's by the same designer!) Space Park by Henry Audubon from Keymaster Games Remember that you can sponsor the podcast by going to www.patreon.com/garrettsgames or check out the list of games we have for sale, which also works to support us here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing  

Shelley and I tackle the REST of Darwin's Journey, exploring all of the expansion and discussing their incorporation into the base game. Then we try out a smaller-box game with some nasty 'take-that' elements. Darwin's Journey and Expansions by Simone Luciani and Nestor Mangone from ThunderGryph Games, CMON Global Limited and Korea Boardgames Patios by Jesus Torres Castro from ATOMO GAMES

Shelley and I decorate our spaces with various flora in Planted by Phil Walker-Harding from Buffalo Games then take on one of the BIG games that's been on the shelf for a few months Darwin's Journey by Simone Luciani and Nestore Mangone from CMON Global Limited, ThunderGryph Games and Korea Boardgames Sponsor the podcast at www.patreon.com/garrettsgames or buy some games just in time for the holidays! https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing  

After playing the original  Voyages of Marco Polo by Simone Luciani and Daniele Tascini (2015) at Meeplefest, Shelley and I wanted to reflect on why we made a choice back in the day to only keep Marco Polo II: In The Service of the Khan (2019) We hope you enjoy our reflections on these two titles once again.

Shelley and I talk about some of the "big player count" games that we enjoy, especially during late-night plays at conventions: Viva Pamplona! by Wolfgang Kramer from FX Schmid (released in 1992) Le Paresseux by Dominique Tellier from Eurogames (released in 1990) Hues and Cues by Scott Brady from CMON (released in 2020) Here's the link to our games for sale: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing