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.

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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) Terracotta Army by Przemyslaw Formal & Adam Kwapinski from Board&Dice

8) Marrakesh by Stefan Feld from Queen Games

7) Forest Shuffle by Kosch from Lookout Games

6) Amygdala by Michael Kiesling and Wolfgang Kramer from Game Brewer

5) Darwin's Journey by Simone Luciani & Nestore Mangone from ThunderGryph Games

4) House of Cats by William Attia & Kristian Ostby from Aporta Games

3) Tucana Builders by Kristian Ostby & Eilif Svensson from Aporta Games

2) The White Castle by Isra C & Shei S from Devir

1) Barcelona by Dani Garcia from Board&Dice

Shelley's Honorable Mentions

Oranienburger Kanal by Uwe Rosenberg from Spielworxx

Forest Shuffle by Kosch from Lookout Games

Wandering Towers by Michael Kiesling & Wolfgang Kramer from Abacusspiele

Earth by Maxime Tardif from Inside Up Games

Moesteiro by Rola & Costa from Pythagoras

Shelley's Top Ten

10) Terracotta Army by Przemyslaw Formal & Adam Kwapinski from Board&Dice

9) Joan of Arc - Orleans Draw & Write by Ryan Hendrickson & Reiner Stockhausen from dlp Games

8) Amygdala by Michael Kiesling and Wolfgang Kramer from Game Brewer

7) Neotopia by Orlando Sa & Andre Santos from MEBO Games

6) Darwin's Journey by Simone Luciani & Nestore Mangone from ThunderGryph Games

5) Caldera Park by Michael Kiesling & Wolfgang Kramer from Deep Print Games

4) Tucana Builders by Kristian Ostby & Eilif Svensson from Aporta Games

3) House of Cats by William Attia & Kristian Ostby from Aporta Games

2) The White Castle by Isra C & Shei S from Devir

1) Barcelona by Dani Garcia from Board&Dice

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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