1 Player Podcast

This week Julius and go to the mall! More like we go to a magical mall and get lost.  We are talking about Magic Maze, the real-time mall crawling fantasy game.  If the theme makes no sense, that's okay.  This is a fast playing game for 1 to something like 6 players.  Instead of controlling a character, you control individual actions for all the characters.  It's a neat concept that works great fo...

This week and maybe for the first time, we talk about an expansion to a game.  That's right... can you believe it?  We've already talked about Nations: the Dice Game twice before, not to mention Nations and an interview with Rustan Hakansson, so you know we like it.  Well, here's what we think about the expansion.   Nations: The Dice Game - Unrest ( BGG ) Nations: The Dice Game ( BGG ) Nattions (...

This week I have a discussion with Jason Carr of GMT Games.  He's now managing GMT One, their new internal development studio for solitaire gaming.  GMT Games has supported solo gaming for a very long time.  With GMT One, they are now creating a team of developers concentrated on helping GMT designers add solitaire play to their games. Enjoy the discussion!   GMT Games SpaceCorp ( BGG , GMT Games...

This week Julius tells us about the game Horrified.  If you like the classic movie monsters (Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster & the Bride of Frankenstein, the Mummy, the Invisible Man, the Werewolf and the Creater from the Black Lagoon) then you may just like this game.  This is a co-op game by Prospero Hall and published by Ravensburger that is reminiscent of Pandemic.   Horrified ( BGG , Ravensbu...

This week Julius is out of town.  Instead, I have a conversation with José Ruiz, a.k.a. Stuka Joe.  Stuka Joe has a YouTube channel with many, many playthrough videos of wargames. It you are interested in wargames it's worth checking out his solo playthroughs of multiplayer and solo games. He's also the designer of the CDG Solo System which allows a person to play Card Drive Games solo by helping...

Welcome to the 200th episode of the 1 Player Podcast.  Today, Julius and I talk about the game Canvas.  This is a really nice looking game about combining components of art into a single cohesive work of great beauty and lotsa points.  This game uses transparent plastic cards to achieve the goal and unlock your creative point-ential 🙄.  Unfortunately, it is currently unavailable... aaah!   Canvas...

Episode 199 is about a sneaky little PnP game not found on BGG.. not exactly anyway.  This is a legacy version of the game Ada Lovelace: Consulting Mathematician (which is on BGG).  Julius found out about this game and goes through the legacy experience.  Note, there is every the slightest spoiler in this, but this game doesn't have a lot to spoil.  Check it out.. it sounds interesting!   Ada Love...

In this episode, my voice can actually be heard as Julius and I talk about the roll-and-write game, Railroad Ink.  this is a cute little dice-chucking (for one person) dry erase drawing game of railroad empires.  Hop aboard and listen!  🙄   Railroad Ink: Deep Blue ( BGG , Horrible Guild ) Railroad Ink: Blazing Red ( BGG , Horrible Guild ) The entire Railroad Ink family ( BGG , Horrible Guild )  

Welcome back to another episode.  This time around, Julius interviews Gabe Barrett, designer of the Hunted Series of games and host of the Board Game Design Lab.   Hunted: Kobayashi Tower ( BGG , BestWIth1 ) Hunted: Mining Colony 415 ( BGG , BestWith1 ) Hunted: Wode Ridge ( BGG , KS ) Hunted: Santa's Workshop pnp ( BestWith1 ) Board Game Design Lab ( BGDL )

Today Julius and I talk about a pretty darned new game, The Lost Ruins of Arnak.  You are an archeologist exploring what you are pretty sure is the fabled island of Arnak.  At least, that's what you think the uncharted isle you found is.  You will explore the island and uncover ruins, still guarded by mythical beasts and study the resources you find to help you uncover hidden secrets and most espe...

Julius and I revisit a classic!  We talk about Nations: The Dice Game again.  A game we first covered back in 2015 on episode 85.  This is a great dice game with lots of luck and strategy and a really good, really simple solo variant in the box.  Come see (hear) what we think about it.  Are we still playing it?  Some more than others.   Nations: The Dice Game ( BGG ) Episode 85 ( 1 Player Podcast...

Today Julius and I spend some time talking about the pretty darned new solo game Under Falling Skies published by Czech Games Edition and designed by Tomáš Uhlíř.  In this game you are defending earth from a line of invading aliens as they drop closer and closer to your bases one row at a time.  My gosh... in the episode I compared it to Missle Command but's more of a Space Invaders isn't it?  Who...

This week Julius and I discuss solo gaming and controlling more than one player while playing solo.  This refers to playing multiple characters in a co-op, such as Pandemic but also playing opposing sides in a multiplayer game.  There is so much more we could have said but we kept it short at just 35-ish minutes!  We mentioned a bunch of games.  I'll have to be honest though.  I didn't think to wr...

This isn't podcast about dealing with upkeep when playing M:TG.  This episode is about the family game Upkeep in which your goal is to upkeep your yard by raking all the leaves.  It's a light family game that can be played cooperatively or solo.   Upkeep ( BGG )

Another special episode.  I welcome back Lee Broderick, designer of Maeshowe, the grim game of escaping an ancient cairn after accidentally falling through the roof.  The game is based on a historical event as chronicled in the Orkneyinga Saga. Lee tells us all about the history of Maeshowe and then we discuss the game.  Oh, it's currently on Kickstarter!  Check it out. Meashowe ( BGG , KS ) Dwarf...

This week Julius teaches us about the dungeon crawler, Dungeon Alliance.  It sounds like quite a fun puzzle of a game.. think Mage Knight but in half the time and in a dungeon!   Dungeon Alliance ( BGG )

In this episode, Julius and I discuss the solo bag-building game Warp's Edge from Renegade Game Studio and designed by Mr. Scott Almes.  This is an excellent game with some, um, interesting production choices.  Listen in and get the details.   Warp's Edge ( BGG , Renegade Games ) Warp's Edge: Viren Invasion ( BGG , Renegade Games )

Buckle up folks for this long mindtrip of a show.  Julius teaches about the game Cerebria.  It's a great looking game with some nice artwork.  Definitely worth looking into it.   Cerebria ( BGG)

In this excellentest of holiday episodes Travis Hill joins us to talk about journaling RPGs, including a few of his design.  Come enjoy a chat with one of the hosts of the former Lower Player Count podcast.   Presspot Games ( itch.io , Gumroad.com ) Delve map-making RPG ( Kickstarter complete)

In this episode, Julius and I discuss what matters more, theme or mechanic.  Come along and listen to our rambling thoughts.

A very light wargame set in an alternate timelean Pocket Landships is.  Sorry, Yodaspeak but this is a neat dice chucking game of fighting steam powered mecha with a big ol' diesel tank.  Fun it is so check out the review.   Pocket Landships ( BGG ) Pocket Landships free trial version ( BGG )

This week we finally talk about Aerion, the sixth game so far in the Oniverse series.  Shady originally said the hope was to make seven games total so hopefully there is still one more to go. Then they can go back and re-publish Urbion/Equilibrion that hasn't yet been made in the larger box size.   Anyway, Aerion is a dice game similar but not at all like Yahtzee!   Aerion ( BGG , Z-Man )

In this episode Julius and I get Suburbia back to the table.  This game was first covered by Julius way back in episode 95.  That was way back in January of 2016.. wow!  Well, I have now finally played the game though I've had a copy sitting around for a couple of years.  Find out what we think about the game and how it's held up for Julius over the years. Before we do that though, I am going to s...

Julius and I spend some time taking a tour of the world of the 18 Card Microgame.  This neat little sub-genre is full of all sorts of neat little games.  These games are usually quick playing and often very creative. (10:10) Sprawlopolis ( BGG , Button Shy ) (15:00) Banned Books ( BGG , Button Shy ) (17:38) Ragemore ( BGG , Button Shy ) (19:39) Pentaquark ( BGG , Button Shy ) (24:18) Twins Stars I...

Episode 181!  This time we talk about Proofing Grounds... the game of editorial combat.  I wish... that would be cool!  This is Proving Grounds.. the game of gladiatorial combat!  This is a game designed for exactly 1 player.  Julius give us a detailed run-down and the game sure sounds interesting!