Our final Meeplefest Episode for 2023 finds Ric, Sam, Joe, Simon, Tom, Jody, Scott, Bryan, and Nolan around the table chatting about

Online vs. Face to Face Gaming

Designing, playtesting, and publishing during Covid

Some RPG Chatter

Why a game (or an aspect of gaming) is our favorite

The "AHA" Moment of playing games with non-gamers

Some of the Games Discussed/Mentioned:

Tichu

Age of Exploration

London

Settlers of Catan

Power Grid

Condordia

Tzolkin

Acquire

Pandemic Legacy

Terra Mystica

Can't Stop

Race for the Galaxy

6 Nimmt

Illusion

Hero Realms

Edge of Darkness

Ticket to Ride

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Night 2 of Meeplefest finds the gang discussing a lot of new, fun games we got a chance to play, as well as some discussion of using games in the classroom and a brief diversion into RPGs and online gaming.

Games Discussed:

Animated

Catan

Comic Hunters

Diplomacy

The Fashion Game

Flamme Rouge

Formula D(e)

Heat

Horseless Carriage

King of Frontier

Little Town

My Trolley Town

Nemesis

Skylands

Snowtails

Splendor

Station Fall

Wonderland's War

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This week Shelley and I check out two games that found their way across the Pacific to our game table. First, we build towns with rail connections and set up production buildings in

My Trolley Town by Shun and Aya Taguchi from Studio GG

and then compete as fashion designers, creating outfits for particular occasions in

The Fashion Game, self-published by Yabuchi Ryoko

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This week Shelley and I check out a cute little card game, as well as delving into an older title we hadn't played in awhile.

Sea, Salt, and Paper by Bruno Cathala and Theo Riviere from Bombyx, Cranio Creations, and Pandasaurus Games

Pillars of the Earth by Michael Rieneck, Stefan Stadler from Kosmos, Devir and Mayfair

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Part 2 of Night 1 of Meeplefest 2023 finds the group (Joe, Ric, Shelley, Kris, Simon, and Greg) sitting around the mics discussing gaming groups, collections - what stays and what goes - games for specific situations, and game length among other topics.

Viva Pamplona

Le Paresseux

1846

Castles of Burgundy

Blokus

Die Macher

Heat Pedal to the Metal

Thunder Road

John Carter: Warlord of Mars

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This week starts our annual Meeplefest roundtable discussions! After introductions we spent Part 1 talking about

Games played, including

• The Green Fivura
• In The Year of the Dragon
• Holly Oak
• Alea Iacta Est
• Marrakesh
• Clank in Space
• Cascadia
• Viva Pamplona

Then talk about design and translation frustrations and the ways that they can get in the way of enjoyment and understanding, referencing

• Railway Boom
• Magic (Alpha)
• Puerto Rico
• Sienna
• Frostpunk

Finishing this part of the evening with a conversation about rampant deluxification of games with call backs to

• Catan
• Ticket to Ride
• Marrakesh
• and others

Sponsor the podcast at www.patreon.com/garrettsgames, or check out our games for sale:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing

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This week we enjoy a light card game, as well as a much heavier train game

Five Three Five by Kenichi Kabuki from Game Nowa and Portland Game Collective

Railway Boom by Hisashi Hayashi from Okazu Brand

Remember you can support the podcast by going to www.patreon.com/garrettsgames or click on the link below to check out all of the great games we have for sale at good prices:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing

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This week Shelley and I check out the mammoth new Stefan Feld game

Marrakesh from Queen Games

then check out a game that brings back fond memories

Essen: The Game - Spiel '13 by Fabrice Beghin, Frederic Delporte, and Etienne Espreman from Geek Attitude Games

Support the podcast by becoming a sponsor at www.patreon.com/garrettsgames or check out our games for sale at the link below:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing

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Shelley and I compete to build clay warriors of various types in

Terracotta Army by Przemyslaw Fornal and Adam Kwapinski from Board & Dice

as well as sailing the seas and hoping to retain our ship's crew in

Bon Voyage by Yusuke Soraji from Colon Arc

You can sponsor the podcast by going to 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

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This week we take on two very different games that both hurt Shelley's head:

Hedgehog's Love Letter by Peke from Takamagahara (check out the awesome art!)

and

Autobahn by Fabio Lopiano and Nestore Mangone from Alley Cat Games & Cranio Creations

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

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Shelley and I tackle a game of many different tracks for advancement in

Rise by Remo Conzadori and Marco Pranzo fromCapstone Games and dlp Games

then we visit some of the US's beautiful natural wonders in

PARKS, along with its Wildlife and Nightfall Expansions, by Henry Audubon and Mattox Shuler from Keymaster Games

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

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Shelley and I get the just-announced (and very cool)

Everdell Farshore by James and Clarissa Wilson from Starling Games

to the gaming table this week after discussing two fun new-to-us card games

Nana (also known as Trio) by Kaya Miyano from Underdog Games and Cocktail Games

and

Splito by Romaric Galonnier and Luc Remond from Blam! and MEBO Games

Sponsor the podcast at www.patreon.com/garrettsgames or purchase some titles from us that no longer fit on our shelves by checking out our list of games at good prices:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing

Thanks for your support!

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Shelley and I check out two quick card games that our friend Ken brought over to try, then delve more deeply into a heavier game.

We started with

Boast or Nothing by Yeon-Min Jung from A.ger Games and SUNNY BIRD

then used our animal-laden bikes to gain points in

Velonimo by Bruno Cathala from 25th Century Games, Asmodee, and MEBO Games

then en with something heavier with

Bamboo by German P. Millan from Devir

You can support the podcast by either sponsoring us at www.patreon.com/garrettsgames, OR check all of the games we have for sale on our Google sheet - good prices for great games!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing

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Shelley and I check out one of the alternative possibilities for SdJ this week, the co-op game

KuZooKa by Leo Colovini from Pegasus Spiele

then tackle the new, heavy title about building the Alhambra in Granada

Sabika by German Millan from Ludo Nova

Remember that you can support the podcast by sponsoring us on www.patreon.com/garrettsgames

or you can look at our extensive list of games for sale and purchase some games that no longer fit on our shelves:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing

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Shelley and I check out the new 1-2 player Uwe Rosenberg title with a dial resource mechanism

referencing a couple of his other games in the process:

Oranienburger Kanal from Spielworxx

Ora et Labora from Lookout Games

and

Farmerama from Ravensburger

Remember that you can help out the podcast as a sponsor at www.patreon.com/garrettsgames or check out the plethora of games to buy on our list:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing

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Shelley and I check out a couple of short, fun games this week as we head into summer vacation:

Nimalia by William Liévin from Lucky Duck Games, Blackrock Games and La Boite de Jeu

as well as

Next Station London by Matthew Dunstan from Blue Orange Games

Help out the podcast by sponsoring us at www.patreon.com/garrettsgames or purchasing some games from our extensive list:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing

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Shelley and I tackle two games with HUGE stacks of beautifully-illustrated cards as we get environmental in

Wingspan Asia by Elizabeth Hargrove from Stonemaier Games

and

Earth by Maxime Tardiff from Inside Up Games

Sponsor the podcast at www.patreon.com/garrettsgames or buy some games from us:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing

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Quick episode this week as Shel and I have a LOT of work to do as we wrap up our school year (and deal with Shel's announcement in the podcast!).

This week we discuss games I've been using with my students as they finish their project earlier than their peers. This week's titles are

NMBER9 by Peter Wichmann from ABACUSSPIELE

The Game by Steffen Benndorf from NSV and Pandasaurus Games

Lander Toppen by Matthias Jünemann from Drei Hasen in der Abendsonne

6 Nimmt by Wolfgang Kramer from Amigo

Finito! by Hartmut Kommerell from Schmidt Spiele

You can help keep this podcast rolling along to Episode 900 and beyond by sponsoring us at www.patreon.com/garrettsgames or check out the list of games on the Google Sheet, pick a few, and we can work out a deal for me to send them to you (or we can arrange a pick up if you're local).

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing

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This week Shelley and I get our pens out and check out

Joan of Arc - Orleans Draw & Write by Reiner Stockhausen and Ryan Hendrickson from Capstone Games

then wrap our heads around re-populating and revitalizing a future Earth in

Revive by Kristian Ostby, Helge Meissner, Anna Wermlund, and Eilif Svensson from Aporta Games

Remember that you can sponsor the podcast at www.patreon.com/garrettsgames or get some fantastic games headed your way by purchasing off our extensive list:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing

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Shelley and I return to the savannah in preparation for a trip to a different park this week, first getting

Savannah Park by Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling from Deep Print Games and Capstone Games

to the table. We talked about it first on Episode 811, then again on our Top Tens of 2021 in Episode 816.

Then we get the new park to the table as well:

Caldera Park by Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling from Deep Print Games and Pegasus Spiele

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