After playing hundreds of board games I rarely find anything that feels new. There are many good games out there, but they often blend together in my memory, a mishmash of resource iconography and “cards with text”. This is the common disconnect between the critic and the casual fan–the critic, tired of repetition, seeks novelty, … The Crew Review Read More »The post The Crew Review appeared first on The ...
Most of what we do here at The Thoughtful Gamer is aimed at people who are already part of the modern board gaming hobby, but I figured it would be a good idea to write something up for those who are stuck at home right now who may not have yet discovered the wonderful new … 10 Great Family Games Read More »The post 10 Great Family Games appeared first ...
The delightful variability the titular wonders bring in 7 Wonders is one of the most fun aspects of the game. I specifically remember the first time I played 7 Wonders at a friend’s house. It was one of the first modern board games I ever played and I was mesmerized at the possibilities. I exclaimed … Analyzing the Wonders in 7 Wonders Read More »The post Analyzing the Wonders in ...
As of the time of writing this I’ve cracked the top 100 on Board Game Arena’s 7 Wonders rankings. I don’t know why I felt the need to grind out that accomplishment before writing this, but we live in uncertain times and I’m not about to question my impulses too deeply. Nonetheless I’ve played a … 10 Strategy Tips For 7 Wonders Read More »The post 10 Strategy Tips For ...
Why is Terraforming Mars so popular? This was the question I posed to twitter the other day. I was admittedly in a bit of a grumpy mood and trying to bait responses to my hot take. Fortunately the responders were largely gracious and I learned a lot about the appeal of a game like Terraforming … Why Is Terraforming Mars So Popular? A Pseudo-Review Read More »The post Why Is ...
Matt and Marc are back at it with wild speculation about the new Magic set. Since we rambled on forever, making this a very difficult podcast to edit, the set has released already and we’re already regretting some of the things we said (black and simic seem much stronger than we gave them credit for, … Bonus Podcast! Ikoria MtG Set Analysis for Limited Read More »The post Bonus Podcast! ...
We recently dropped the Best Games of 2019 podcast, and while it’s always fun to try to play a bunch of new games and deem a “game of the year”, it all rings a hair bit hollow to me. I never play all the games I want to play before making such a determination. Indeed … Best Games Of 5, 10, 20 Years Ago Read More »The post Best Games ...
The world’s gone crazy! Viruses roam the streets, Matt sounds like he’s turning into a robot, and computer gremlins are devouring random bits of podcast. But never fear, we at The Thoughtful Gamer are here to provide a perfectly sane, intelligent conversation about the best games of last year. We rag on a few stinkers … Podcast Episode 71: Best Games of 2019 Read More »The post Podcast Episode 71: ...
I sat down with Sean to talk to him about designing board games for two beloved IP’s: Sonic the Hedgehog and Bomberman. How did he get these gigs, and what are the challenges you face when you need to meet the expectations of publishers, IP-holders, and fans of the original properties? 0:56 – Sean’s start … Podcast Episode 70: A Conversation With Sean McDonald About Making IP Games Read More ...
I’m calling it here: there’s going to be a boom of trick taking games over the next couple of years. The roll and write fad will diminish and trick taking will be the talk of the town. The appeal of this genre is elusive, even to me. My dad taught me Hearts at a young … Joraku Review Read More »The post Joraku Review appeared first on The Thoughtful Gamer.
Matt and Marc played a lot of games at PAX East, and you’re going to hear about it! We’ve got a better crop than we had at PAX Unplugged, with nearly all of the games listed below being quite enjoyable. Which are our favorites? You might be surprised. This podcast is sponsored by Engro Games, … Podcast Episode 69: PAX East 2020 Read More »The post Podcast Episode 69: PAX ...
(Art and components shown are not final.) Stop me if you’ve played this game before. There are some actions, but through an arbitrary process, you can’t play the same action back to back, so you have to plan out action routes in advance. Polyominoes are displayed in a spiral on the center of the table. … Curators (prototype) Review Read More »The post Curators (prototype) Review appeared first on The ...
Bruno is one of the most prolific modern game designers. In this podcast we sit down to talk about all kinds of tricky topics and how they relate to board gaming. He presents a number of interesting ideas that I’m still mulling over. This podcast is sponsored by Engro Games, who are running a kickstarter … Podcast Episode 68: A Conversation With Bruno Faidutti Read More »The post Podcast Episode ...
One day, while wading through obstinate, naive political opinions on twitter (are there any other kind?) my eye caught the Good Stuff–a new review from Dan Thurot, aka Space-Biff! Teasing the text-link was a statement to the effect of “is this the best microgame ever made?” Skeptically shifting my sight briefly towards Sprawlopolis, I clicked … Air, Land, and Sea Review Read More »The post Air, Land, and Sea Review ...
In this episode I sit down with Patrick Rauland, designer of Fry Thief and creator of the Indie Board Game Designers podcast to talk about the process of creating games. What are the best practices that successful people use? How do you avoid burnout? What does Patrick have planned for his future designs? This podcast … Podcast Episode 67: A Conversation With Patrick Rauland About Game Creation Read More »The ...
Check it out, we’ve got a new first impressions video feature called 3 Impressions, 3 Questions. This is a sort of proof of concept, and if people like it we’ll continue doing one periodically. Soon there will be a new location which will have a better backdrop. And I’ll remember to shoot in HD. And … New Video Feature! 3 Impressions, 3 Questions: Rise of Tribes Read More »The post ...
I distinctly remember the first time I saw a Jackson Pollock drip painting. It nearly put me on the floor. I could not believe the immense size of this canvas, spread over 17 feet wide. I moved to face it head on and stepped forward until it filled my entire vision. I felt like I … Modern Art Review Read More »The post Modern Art Review appeared first on The ...
Why? What’s the point? No, really, what’s the point of reviewing games? Why do I do this week in and week out? I could talk about how I get some level of personal satisfaction out of writing about games, which would be somewhat true, but if I was simply writing and filing away everything in … The Critical Conversation/How I Review Read More »The post The Critical Conversation/How I Review ...
It’s fundraiser week here at The Thoughtful Gamer, and I know that’ll cause a lot of eye rolling and clicking away, but hear me out. I know it’s awkward whenever the media folks you watch, listen to, or read ask you for money, and trust me, I feel awkward too. But here’s the deal: I … 6 Ways You Can Support The Thoughtful Gamer Read More »The post 6 Ways ...
Podcast It’s fundraising week, and that means we’re going all out! Not only will we talk about the ways (including some new ways) to support The Thoughtful Gamer, but we’re answering listener questions and giving 5 games our “Masterpiece Games” honor! Plus it’s our biggest podcast group ever, with Marc, Matt, Orion, Bubba, and Lindsay … Kicking Off Fundraising Week With Podcast Episode 66! Read More »The post Kicking Off ...
I made this game.