Game Brain: A Board Game Podcast With Matthew Robinson And His Gaming Group

Trey, Tom,  and Ben review Evacuation as we evacuate 2023.0:00:00 Introduction0:05:22 Recent PlaysAgricolaForbidden StarsBloodstonesManhattan Project 2: Minutes to MidnightDaybreakEnter the contest to win a copy of Sol:Last Days of a Staremail us at contact@gamebrainpod.com0:51:10 Game Review: EvacuationThe games of Vladimir Suchý-  Find Etamar at kirbooloni.com-  Game Brain Facebook Group-  Twitter-  Instagram

Ben, Trey, and Jordan discuss the city-building, dynamic economy game Kutná Hora: The City of Silver.  Plus recent plays of Horseless Carriage, Nucleum, and more.

Hosts Matt, Tom, Trey, and Ben unite for our 200th episode and revisit our favorite games from our time on the podcast.0:00:00 Introduction0:05:45 BGGCon ReportSol: Last Days of a StarTabletop NetworkDaimyo: Battle for JapanRats of WistarKutná Hora: The City of SilverApiary Space BEES!EvacuationWhite CastlekCaloria0:58:00 Other PlaysUr: 1830 BCSeptimaEvenfall1:16:05 Our Favorite Games of the PodcastBen #3 - Red CathedralMatt #3 - Ark NovaTrey #3 - Imperial SteamTom #3 - BarrageBen #2 - Hegemony: Lead Tour Class to VictoryMatt #2 - Age of InnovationTrey #2 - War of the Ring: The Card GameTom #2 - Imperial SteamBen #1 - BarrageMatt #1 - BarrageTrey #1 - The TranscontinentalTom #1 - Pipeline-  Find Etamar at kirbooloni.com-  Game Brain Facebook Group-  Twitter-  Instagram

A new Solo Mode has arrived, just in time for Matt to take you down the rabbit hole of Earthborne Rangers and the current LCG renaissance. 

Ben catches up with Ken Kuhn of GMT Games, who talks about his company, what's coming down the pipeline, and of course 18XX (and war games too!).  They also chat about recent plays of Sky Team, Evacuation, 535, Kutná Hora, The Plum Island Horror, Arborea, and 1880.Time codes to come!

Tom and Trey review The White Castle, discuss what makes a game "elegant," and they each give their top 10 Elegant Games. 0:00:00 IntroductionHarold & Kumar Go to White CastleBGGConTabletop NetworkRats of Wistar0:16:50 Quick Discussion of  EleganceThe GalleristThunder Road: Vendetta0:25:45 Game Review: The White Castle0:56:30 Our Top 10 Elegant Games-  Find Etamar at kirbooloni.com-  Game Brain Facebook Group-  Twitter-  Instagram

Tom and Elder talk about their early play(s) of Nucleum, and other recent games of note. 

Ben and Trey discuss direct aggression: how does it make them feel, when does it work, and how should it be managed.  Plus, discussions of Coffee Traders, Voodoo Prince, and Sons of Anarchy: Men of Mayhem0:00:00 Introduction0:02:35 Games on the BrainCoffee TradersHere I StandVoodoo PrinceGreat Western Trail New ZealandLorenzo il Magnifico: The Pazzi ConspiracySons of Anarchy: Men of MayhemThunder Road: Vendetta0:48:00 Design Topic: Directed AggressionTerraforming MarsVoidfallTrey's pillars of directed aggressionRisk 1959Diplomacy 1959Civilization 1980Axis & Allies 1981Through the Ages: A New Story of CivilizationSurvive: Escape from Atlantis!Cosmic FrogSkyminesThe Rich and the GoodDuneLords of VegasMaria Forbidden Stars-  Find Etamar at kirbooloni.com-  Game Brain Facebook Group-  Twitter-  Instagram

Ben, Candice, and Jordan discuss some early initial impressions of Voidfall, the new game from Mindclash.  This is not a review - just some thoughts :)  Plus, some chat about recent plays and playtests!00:02:27 - Trajan00:10:57 - Age of Innovation & Gaia Project00:15:06 - Skymines00:20:48 - Great Western Trail NZ00:27:11 - 18EUS00:33:50 - Voidfall01:19:45 - Here I Stand

Ben and Paul discuss recent plays of Oathsworn, Here I Stand, and Tortuga 1667.  Then we go deeper with the 2023 English release of The Rich and the Good (formerly Hab & Gut).00:00:00 - Intro00:04:23 - Oathsworn00:26:56 - Tortuga 166700:35:16 - Age of Innovation update00:45:31 - Magnate: The First City00:56:14 - Lorenzo il Magnifico: The Pazzi Conspiracy01:05:06 - Here I Stand01:17:58 - The Rich and the Good

Tom and Trey talk about lots of newer plays, their Strategicon weekend, and review the new Great Western Trail game: New Zealand!0:00:00 IntroductionStrategicon ReviewCrisisMCDM RPGNinja Star GamesReputationAnachronyAge of Innovation0:27:00 Tom's Essen PreviewAmong CultistsThe White CastleEvacuationReworldShipyard 2nd Ed.0:40:30 Review: Great Western Trail New Zealand1:21:05 First Thoughts - Ark Nova: Marine Worlds-  Find Etamar at kirbooloni.com-  Game Brain Facebook Group-  Twitter-  Instagram

Tom, Matt, and Trey go on an epic journey to the Aegean Sea.0:00:00 IntroductionDune Imperium0:11:27 Voidfall0:29:57 Review: Aegean SeaInnovationGlory to Rome-  Find Etamar at kirbooloni.com-  Game Brain Facebook Group-  Twitter-  Instagram

Matt Robinson is back from his summer travels, and he's psyched to discuss his first play of Great Western Trail New Zealand.  Ben follows up with revised thoughts about Skymines.Matt then previews Voidfall, and the two share their initial thoughts on Age of Innovation.Plus:  CoraQuest, Lowlands, and The Rich and the Good.Timestamps to come.

Trey, Tom, and Jordan take a first look at Age of Innovation.0:00:00 Introduction0:05:00 Games on the BrainThe Crew10 Days in the USADead LastThe Barracks EmperorsSavage BowlLe PlateauTichu (again!)Iocane Productions on FacebookDisney LorcanaLast LightImperium: The ContentionReacting to the Past0:51:05 First Impressions: The Age of InnovationTerra MysticaGaia ProjectTerra NovaClans of Caledonia-  Find Etamar at kirbooloni.com-  Game Brain Facebook Group-  Twitter-  Instagram

Matt, Jordan, and Dmitry are joined by our friend David to do a deep dive on trick-taking card games.0:00:00 IntroductionIntro to David0:07:10 Defining terms and the genreTrick-takersShedders and Climbers0:13:00 Our history with card gamesHeartsBullshitBridge0:21:45  The game that made us love card gamesNokosu DiceSchadenfreudeCat In The BoxThe CrewMü0:41:30 Our top trick-takersEuchreScout9 LivesDurak Bug Council of BackyardiaTRICKTAKERs Inside JobTichuYokai SeptetFox in the ForestJekyll vs. Hyde1:31:05 What trick-takers to play firstScout9 LivesFive Three FiveThe Crew1:35:40 ResourcesTaylor's Trick-Taking TableDads on a Map Trick Talkers PodcastThe Trick-Taking GuildPortland Game Collective Discord 1:35:40 How to get these gamesTrickyimports.comTanukigamesatx.combooth.jp, buyee, zenmarket1:41:40 Other games to order from Japan1:46:30 A final few gamesVoodoo PrinceGhosts of ChristmasStick 'Em-  Find Etamar at kirbooloni.com-  Game Brain Facebook Group-  Twitter-  Instagram

Matt and Trey are joined by the newest member to our podcast, Jordan Sayyah, to review The War of the Ring: The Card Game0:03:00 Intro to JordanJSaysYeah on Discord0:08:00  Games we played this weekAge of SteamNanaStartupsInside Job0:30:00 Review:  War of the Ring: The Card GameWar of the RingQuartermaster GeneralRace for the GalaxyRoll for the Galaxy-  Find Etamar at kirbooloni.com-  Game Brain Facebook Group-  Twitter-  Instagram

Tom, Trey, and Ben talk about everything from the Spiel des Jahres, to gaming in Japan, to all their recent discoveries.Iki1880: China Bug Council of BackyardiaNokosu DiceVoodoo PrinceOrleans: Trade & IntrigueTortuga 1667 FindorffFuture Review:  War of the Ring: The Card Game-  Find Etamar at kirbooloni.com-  Game Brain Facebook Group-  Twitter-  Instagram