PlayDNA

There are a few notable game-inspired movies out there- Clue, Ouija, etc. But it looks like the future holds a lot more! Which one is most surprising, and which one might turn out best? Games we played: Shuffleboard | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Hues and Cues | Board Game | BoardGameGeek The Oregon Trail Card Game | Board Game | BoardGameGe...

Bunco! You may have played this extremely simple dice rolling game, especially if you are a middle aged or senior woman. From gambling parlors to middle America households, this game has experienced numerous waves of extreme popularity. What makes it the choice of game for so many women's social groups? Games we played: Parade | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Arboretum | Board Game | BoardGameGee...

If you're into farming games, we have 9 picks that you might enjoy! Games we played Cribbage | Board Game | BoardGameGeek So Clover! | Board Game | BoardGameGeek The Search for Planet X | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Mansions of Madness: Second Edition | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Games we discussed Viticulture | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Llamaland | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Egizia | Board G...

Dune! It's a beloved property that has been made into multiple board games, with more on the way thanks to the popularity of the newest Dune film.  What about the Dune story makes it fit for game design, and how have different games interpreted the property differently? Games we played: So Clover! | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Games we discussed: Dune | Board Game | BoardGameGeek 1979 Dune | B...

How much stress is too much in a game? We want tension of course, stakes, interesting social interactions.  But some kinds of stress are just too hard to handle- and which type is the worst is going to be different for each player. Games We played  Bandu Radlands New York Zoo Happy Salmon Word On The Street Civilization: A New Dawn Summer Camp Games We Discussed Tichu Chess Zooloretto Magic Maze D...

Nostalgia! It's hard to define but easy to feel. Do you feel it for games? Which ones? Is nostalgia a good feeling or a bad one? Games we played: Ricochet Robots | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Games we discussed: 3UP 3DOWN | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Fireball Island | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Fireball Island: The Curse of Vul-Kar | Board Game | BoardGameGeek HeroQuest Advanced Quest | Board...

Love dice? So do we! Here are 9 of our fave dice-based games! Games we played: Escape Simulator on Steam (steampowered.com) Canvas | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Games we discussed: Dice Hospital | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Las Vegas | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Era: Medieval Age | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Sagrada | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Escape: The Curse of the Temple | Board Game | BoardGa...

Love randomness in some games but abhor it in others? Perhaps we can help you understand why. In this episode, Damon sheds light on the difference between input and output randomness, and the fine line designers tread to make a game deliciously tense and not enraging. Games we played: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/284742/honey-buzz https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/282954/paris https://boa...

How often do you check the Board Game Geek ratings of games before you try them? How often do you rate them yourself? Today we talk about whether BGG's rating system is a good indicator of board game quality, what types of gamers are using BGG, and how it could be improved. Games we played: Magic: The Gathering | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Vampire: The Masquerade – Rivals Expandable Card Game...

How do you summarize a game to new players? And what types of summaries will usually convince you to give a game a try? Do you like to hear about the theme, mechanics, weight, duration, perhaps puns? The answer is different for everyone, but summarizing games is an important skill for anyone in the hobby! Games we played: Era: Medieval Age | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Chimera | Board Game | BoardG...

We played so many more games. SO MANY. From On Tour, to Hogwarts Battle, to Babylonia, we found some good ones and some others that we suggest you avoid. Games we played: On Tour (Second Edition) | Board Game | BoardGameGeek TRAILS | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Dinosaur Island | Board Game | BoardGameGeek PUSH | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Santa Monica | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Era: Medieval Age...

WE ARE BACK! Happy New Year everyone! We played a TON of games over break, so this week is part one of our catchup. Games we played: CuBirds | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Dr. Eureka | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Dr. Microbe | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Junk Art | Board Game | BoardGameGeek (we recommend Bandu instead Bausack | Board Game | BoardGameGeek ) Mamma Mia! | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Dron...

2021 is at an end! This episode we discuss our favorites of the year. This is our last episode of the year! Subscribe to the podcast, our facebook, and our instagram to get a notification when we post our first episode of 2022! Games we played: Cascadia | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Juicy Fruits | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Dice Miner | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Windward | Board Game | BoardGameGe...

Who doesn't love building a civilization from the ground up? In these city building games, you can build towers, cultivate crops, plan neighborhoods, and even buy votes to pass bills that will benefit you. These are our faves! Games we played: Dune | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Skull | Board Game | BoardGameGeek YINSH | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Turn the Tide | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Azul...

Game setup- I think it's safe to say that for many people this is the worst part of the board game experience. Which games have the best and worst setups, and how can designers improve the experience? Games We Played: Unspeakable Words | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Fearsome Floors | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Piece o' Cake | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Exit: The Game – The Gate Between Wor...

Let's stop a moment to thank the amazing artists who make our games beautiful! Which games do you find breathtaking every time you put them on the table? Games we played: Piece o' Cake | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Games we discussed: PARKS | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Magic: The Gathering | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Raccoon Tycoon | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Dixit | Board Game | BoardG...

How often do you replay your games?  What draws you back to them? This episode that's exactly what we discuss- what makes certain games fun to play over and over again and how does that answer differ for different types of gamer? What we played: Fold-it | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Tumblin-Dice | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Skull King | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Red Rising | Board Game | Boar...

This humble podcast has been disparaging Lovecraft board games since the beginning- but this week, special guest Kyu Saiewitz is here to set the record straight! Lovecraft enthusiasts, hop in and share the Lovecraft Love. Games we played: Punderdome: A Card Game for Pun Lovers | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Half Truth | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Windward | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Guillotine | Bo...

Who doesn't love a good word game? Step aside scrabble, these are some fantastic word games you can play with just about anyone! Games we played: The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Happy City | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Games we discussed: Letter Jam | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Word on the Street | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Konexi | Board Game | BoardGameGeek...

Hunger, madness, cold, and fatigue. These are strong motivators we experience as humans and enticing topics to include in a board game. But how can a designer go about doing so effectively? Damon talks us through ways that "unrepresentable" feelings have been mechanized in games, both effectively and ineffectively. Games we played: Throw Throw Burrito | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Sheriff...

Read any rules that have given you real "Cones of Dunshire" vibes? We sure have. Here are some of the rulebooks passages that have baffled, horrified, and delighted us with their overcomplicated language. Parks and Recreation- The Cones of Dunshire- The Cones of Dunshire - Parks and Recreation - YouTube Ben Throws Down on Cones of Dunshire - Parks and Recreation - YouTube Games we played...

We are so used to the fifty two card deck we rarely stop to think about how it came to be. Today Sarah tells us how the standard card deck has changed over time to become what we know so well today. Plus, the secret history behind the ornate Ace of Spades! Games we played: Turn the Tide | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Bausack | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Wordariffic | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Skull...

Oh, the games that we have played!! GenCon 2021 has come and gone and we had such a great time playing games and meeting people! (Forgive our growing pains as we test out new microphone setups! Mistakes were made . . .) Games we played: On Tour | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Fire Tower | Board Game | BoardGameGeek SHŌBU | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Trapwords | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Super Mega L...

In this episode, 9 ways to dive into a fantastical, watery world! These are our favorite ocean games.  Games we played: Puzzle Strike | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Visitor in Blackwood Grove | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Burgle Bros 2: The Casino Capers | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Games we discussed: Oceans | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Abyss | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Hey, That's My Fish! |...

What games have made you see red? Broken up friendships? Inspired dramatic, stomping exits? These are games that induce rage! Games we played: Dice Hospital | Board Game | BoardGameGeek PARKS: Nightfall Expansion | Board Game | BoardGameGeek How to Play PARKS Nightfall - YouTube The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza | Board Game | BoardGameGeek...