PlayDNA

Love board games AND animals? So do we! These picks are for you. This episode is a crossover between this podcast and our new comedy animal themed podcast, Best Beast. Check out Best Beast here!  Best Beast (buzzsprout.com) Games we played: Awkward Guests | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Forgotten Waters | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Durian | Board Game | BoardGameGeek The Climbers | Board Game | Board...

Which one is it? Can a toy have a beginning and end and not be a game? Can a game have rules and actually be a toy? And where on earth do we fit in puzzles? We slog our way through this question and try to determine what qualities make something feel like a "game" vs any other activity. Games we played: Commands & Colors: Napoleonics | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Underwater Cities | B...

Games have been used throughout history as a means of communication, for both good and evil. From Hitler to Queen Elizabeth I,  cards and games have proven a powerful tool in manipulating people's feelings and beliefs. Games we played: ZÈRTZ | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Commands & Colors: Napoleonics | Board Game | BoardGameGeek More information about propaganda in games: In der Fuehrer’s...

How important is the way a game ends? A good ending can cement a playing experience together, while a bad one can erase a game completely from your memory, or even worse, make it memorable for all the wrong reasons. This week Damon talks about how having a strong narrative arc and a satisfying ending is possible to achieve, even in games without complex stories or themes. We discuss our favorite v...

A Valentine's Day Curation- 9 love themed games you can play with your partner or friends this Valentine's Day, or anytime you are feeling the love! Games we discuss: The Ravens of Thri Sahashri | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Rose Ceremony | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Consentacle | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Fog of Love | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Marrying Mr. Darcy | Board Game | BoardGa...

This week Sarah tells us about the two most common flavors of train game, we talk about our favorite train games, and how the "genre" train and the "theme" train differ. Games we played: Shadows in Kyoto | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Portals and Prophets | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Games we discussed: 1829 | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Railways of the World | Board Game | BoardG...

Yes! Edible games are a thing and they are delicious. Cassandra discusses her experience with one of Jenn Sandercock's edible games The Order of the Oven Mitt , and how edible games can make us think differently about design and play. Games we played: Drone Home | Board Game | BoardGameGeek PARKS | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Curious Cargo | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Edible Game Links: The Or...

Bridge is a classic game- but more than that it's a tradition, passed down for centuries. The game has blossomed into a culture, with rituals, conventions, and metagaming that go well beyond the game rules. This week Damon discusses Bridge and the vast difference between the game as written vs the game as practiced.  We also discuss other trick taking games that have evolved from Whist and wh...

Starting off this season we wanted to talk about accessibility! Here are our ideas for how to make sure everyone can be included in your board gaming sessions. We aren't experts but the people over at Meeple Like Us are! Check out their list of accessible board games here! Meeple Like Us Masterlist - Meeple Like Us Games we discussed: Great games for Visual Impairment: Chess | Board Game | Bo...

New year, new season! Welcome to season 2 of PlayDNA- this week we catch up on all the games we received and played over the holidays. Games we played: Visitor in Blackwood Grove | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Chocolate Factory | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Dune | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Cóatl | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Illusion | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Fugitive | Board Game | BoardGameGeek...

This is our last episode of 2020! We discuss the games we loved the most this year, plus the things we are looking forward to in 2021. Have a great holiday season, friends! We will be back in January! Games we played: UNO | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Red7 | Board Game | BoardGameGeek The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Games we mentioned: Azul: Summer Pavilion | Board...

We are grateful for this podcast and for you guys! Today we talk about what makes us grateful about our board gaming hobby, how we got into it, and why others should, too! Games we played: Paranormal Detectives | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Compounded | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Cartographers | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Big Money | Board Game | BoardGameGeek Las Vegas | Board Game | BoardGameGeek...

Like it or not, there's a gender divide in play of all kinds, including board games. Why does this divide exist and what can we do about it? Damon talks about inclusivity in design and in play, we talk about early experiences playing with 'gendered' toys, and we discuss what makes a game feel more "masculine" or "feminine." Games we Played: Ubongo https://boardga...

Games good enough to eat! For all you foodies and home chefs out there, this week we talk about food themed games! From the fast-playing casual Sushi Go, to the elegant Elevenses, we have some great picks to satisfy your appetite. Games we mention: Piece O' Cake  https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/37371/piece-o-cake A La Carte https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/217/la-carte Sushi Go https:/...

The accidental cheat is bound to happen when you're an avid boardgamer, but purposeful cheating is another matter entirely. Sarah discusses some of the psychology behind cheating and how you can address a cheater in your gaming group. Games we Played: Tichu https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/215/tichu Just One https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/254640/just-one Games Mentioned: https://board...

It's here! Even if you're staying in, board games can make your Halloween fun, spooky, memorable. We discuss all our favorite spooky and monster themed games from Mysterium to Nemesis. Games we played: Jaws https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/272738/jaws Blank Slate https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/254188/blank-slate Cartographers https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/263918/cartographe...

How many lives have Monopoly and Playing Cards saved? Turns out, the answer is in the thousands. This week Cassandra talks about the ways that games have been used as tools of war- as a means of educating wartorn populations, boosting morale, and as incognito war prison escape kits. Games we played: The Taverns of Tiefenthal https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/269207/taverns-tiefenthal Cribbage ht...

When you've played every game you own 100 times and you're strapped for cash, make your own games! We list games that can be easily made at home using only pencil and paper. Games we mentioned: Skull https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/92415/skull Just One https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/254640/just-one A Fake Artist Goes to New York https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/135779/fake-ar...

Games are extraordinary educational tools that allow players to learn new concepts and explore new cultures and histories visually, audibly, and kinesthetically.  In our opinion there are some concepts that are better taught through games than any other medium. Damon goes over his favorite educational games, and how designers can take advantage of the opportunity to teach through their games. PODC...

Board games have an astoundingly positive effect on an aging brain. Sarah expresses her fear that people won't want to play games with her when she ages, and we discuss great games that can be played with seniors who have varying capabilities.

Perhaps the most famous toy inventor of all time, Marvin Glass rocked the toy world with hits such as wind up chattering teeth and Rock'em Sock'em Robots. With the creation of Mousetrap and Operation he changed the board game industry forever. Despite his incredible success, Glass led a life filled with depression and paranoia.

Have you ever played a game that used simple technologies in such fresh and novel ways that they felt absolutely magical? Damon discusses some of the games that have successfully used magnets, mirrors, and light to achieve truly magical play experiences.

Going on a trip? We've got you covered! Here are some great small games to throw into your carry on before boarding the plane including Jaipur, Cribbage, and A Fake Artist Goes to New York.

When you're gaming all the time, you are bound to come across things you don't like. Sarah and special guest Glenn go over the design choices and mechanics that have annoyed and baffled them the most.

Perhaps you've heard the buzzword gamification, but what exactly is it? Games are highly motivating because they tap into our core drives as humans. Cassandra goes over these core drives and how they have been used to "gamify" learning, mental health, productivity, and even grocery shopping.