Meeple Nation Board Game Podcast

Nathan, Brent and Ryan sit down and discuss Hero Realms after their first play. This game is based on the highly successful deckbuilder, Star Realms but already has additional play options such as cooperative play, solo play, and character packs that provide unique starting hands. How will these Star Realm loving hosts like this game? Listen to find out.

This week Nathan and Brent sit down and talk with Bubba Washington about Organized Play options and how they benefit both the game companies and the game stores. We talk CCGs, including Magic the Gathering, and about the Asmoplay program from Asmodee.  We also discuss Stronghold Games' release of Terraforming Mars!

In Terraforming Mars each player takes the role of a corporation that works across generations in order to turn Mars into a habitable planet. Work to raise the temperature, create oceans, and create flora that will release oxygen into the atmosphere, all while doing this more efficiently than you competition. Will there be puppies on earth grass when you are done? Let's hope so. What do we think a...

On the heels of Essen, Nathan, Ryan, and Brent sit down with Matt and Barbara to discuss the latest news in the board game industry. We discuss Terraforming Mars and Cottage Garden, Kickstarters for C.O.G., Cobras, and Steal This Game, and more digital content for Star Realms and Descent: Road to Legend. Matt and Barbara will be at BGG.Con, at the Mayday and TMG booths respectively, so make sure y...

We first fire off a few mini reviews. The first game discussed is Vast: The Crystal Caverns, then we discuss Nathan's sadness over missing out on Captain Sonar. Then we discuss the dirty little secrets of playing with house rules. Is your favorite space on the Monopoly board Free Parking? Do you enforce certain variable rules when you play a game, in the rulebook or not? Two Captains in Firefly? I...

We blitz through a new set of games we've played in the last few months. Games discussed: Quadropolis Ravenous River Legendary: Big Trouble in Little China Thief's Market Mottainai Codenames: Pictures Cry Havoc Listen to our 5 minutes reviews of some fantastic games.

It's the cold war and you are a 20 year-old mastermind spy, controlling your network of the three spies you have across Europe. Gather your spy camera, tracking device, lock picks, and other gear, position your spies correctly, use your dice wisely, and complete missions. Covert is a game for 2-4 that will take a few hours as you compete to be the coldest war spy in the world.

Mystic Vale uses an innovative card crafting system designed by John D. Clair. Druid clans attempt to cleanse the curse upon the land...and competing to do it better than the other clans by gaining the most VP? Meeple Nation takes the system for a spin with mixed results. Does the theme matter? Does Ryan need to put a dollar in the swear jar for invoking the term Multiplayer Solitaire? Listen to f...

Fantasy Flight and Games Workshop broke up. What will happen with their kids? We discuss this, get stuck talking about theme again, cover three different awards, introduce our favorite Kickstarters, and tell you what we liked most about issue 73 of Counter Magazine.

Friedemann Friese delivers not just 1 new game, but 504 new games in a single, but heavy, box. 504  is a bundle of mechanisms and bits that you combine together using a flip book to discover the ruleset of the selected world. Each world uses three of nine possibilities, configured in a specific order to designate how to gain money, gain points and win the game. Different worlds use different compo...

We sit down with game designer Tim Fowers to talk about four different social games. We first talk about Cockroach Poker, then Grifters, followed by Don't Mess With Cthulhu, and finally Coup: Rebellion G54. Tim also leads us in contrasting Cockroach Poker and Coup and we talked about this design space and why we like these types of games. We now have shirts available through Amazon! https://www.am...

Your hosts talk about the use of rating systems to evaluate board games including the flawed rating system on the popular Board Game Geek website. We discuss 1-10, thumbs up, stars, among others. Nathan prefers the 3-7 rating system within a 1-10 shell. Brent and Ryan are still trying to figure it out. Give us a listen, and maybe you can help us find a review system for our humble podcast.

We've all had that experience. Yes, that one, where a perfectly fine game was ruined by other players. Perhaps last time it was their attitude, or Kingmaking, or someone who refuses to put down their phone. What to do, what to do. We talk about these isssues as we remind ourselves not to be "that guy."

Barbigra   Time to celebrate! Barbara is back from GenCon 2016 just in time for our news episode, brand new games in hand. We discuss our plays of Unusual Suspects, Codenames: Pictures, and Ta-Da!. We also talk about all the spanky new games released or announced at GenCon. Our Highlights include Mansions of Madness 2ed., Arkham Horror: The Card Game, Star Wars: Destiny, and  Cry Havoc. We also di...

The old Jarl has died. Fearsome trolls, draugrs and a smattering of monsters are attacking from all sides. The Vikings need a champion to repel the surmounting threats and lead the people to glorious victory. Are you that  champion ?   Champions of Midgard is a Viking era worker placement game with dice combat. Your workers collect viking dice, gold, wood, and food, prepare boats for launch, and p...

Ragnarök has arrived. We're all going to die, but we're going to die in a blaze of glory and celebrate our victories in Valhalla. Oh, and my clan is going to die better than your clan. Blood Rage is a strategic area control game with card drafting designed by Eric Lang. Blood Rage comes with some truly fantastic minis (viking and monsters) and slick, easy to teach rules. Friend of the podcast, Sam...

It is a dark time after the last Great War in 1920's Europa where large mech war machines are all that remain from the the capitalistic city-state known simply as "The Factory". When the Factory goes dark and shuts it's doors, the leaders of the surrounding countries set out to make their claim upon the region, hoping to control the secrets and win over the people.   In this amazing "4x" game, pla...

We speak with Craig Nybo, author, musician, and designer of various board games. Quirky Engine Entertainment publishes under a few different games including 3 Headed Giant, Gangrene Games, and GameARama. Games include Eyeball Boxing, Trash War, and Hoagie. We also speak with Mike from Epic Puzzles and Games, a nice store that supports the board game community in the greater Salt Lake City area.

Ryan, Nathan, and Brent sit down to discuss the News and current Kickstarters including: Bluffing in Sheriff of Nottingham Mystic Vale Guildhall: Fantasy AEG does Deckbuilding a little wrong Clout will again be released from Crash Games A new Buffy the Vampire Game Magic's Next Release, not called Eldritch Horror Counter Magazine, issue 72 with 120 Pages of Articles and Reviews

We continue our coverage of the fantastic two player games available right now. Star Realms: Colony War was a sure hit with us, but Brent and Ryan discover even more difference in their play styles even in a game they both enjoy. Does Colony Wars stack up to vanilla Star Realms? Find out as we discus the game from drastically different angles. We also cover Onitama, Hive, Tides of Time, and Pinata...

We have four interviews from Game Industry professionals! 1:00-7:30 Joshua Githens of CGE Games 7:31-19:22 John Binkley of Bink Inc, Makers of Trekking the National Parks 19:23-36:29 Michael Coe of Gamelyn Games 36:30-46:55 Luke of Sea Pig Games

Two player games are the perfect pastime to spend with your significant other, your soulmate or a random guy at the park. We love our two player games so much, we devoted several new podcasts to the topic, gushing about some of our new favorite games. We discuss 7 Wonders: Duel, Patchwork, Star Wars Risk, ...and then we held hands, and Horrible Hexes in this episode. Hold hands with someone close...

Brent and Ryan finally get around to editing more interviews from SaltCON 2016. Here are five great interviews recorded back in March. Enjoy! 0:00-1:11 - Introduction 1:12-14:38 Kris McClanahan from Deeply Dapper talks about his geeky products for sale at his Etsy store or at  www.deeplydapper.com 14:38-24:57 Chris Urinko of Daft Concepts talks about his current projects on sale at Etsy and  www.d...

Bang! Loses its lawsuit against a copycat game, We talk many Kickstarters, Cthulhu Realms Eats My Batteries is not an expansion, Brent Rants about CMoN, Kickstarter Exclusives, and the Boardgame Bubble  

At SaltCON 2016 we sat down with Greg Spence and talked about inserts, how he started the company, and many of his offerings, including his impressive convention schedule. You can find them at their website http://thebrokentoken.com  or at Origins, GenCon, BGG.con, or many of the other conventions they have scheduled.