The Spiel

In Sea, Salt and Paper players create an origami seascape by assembling a tableau of ocean themed cards, each with its own way to score. When you reach the limit, bet on yourself for a chance to grab a big lead or play it safe and bank your points.

Thistleville is a small place, but there’s something happening around every corner. Grab the best tiles from a sea of stories on the table hoping to fill your small town paper's front page.

The tower has cleared your aircraft and it is time for the final approach. Sky Team is a co-operative game for two players who must plan and then alternate placing dice in order to land a commercial airliner at airports around the world.

A line of seven letters sits before you. One side is a team of two. They must guess a magic word based on a clue the other side gives. Only only clue is allowed and the clue must begin with the letter at the end of either side of the line.

Daybreak is a cooperative boardgame about stopping climate change. In the near future, we must work together to create the technologies, policies, and resilient societies needed to reach Drawdown, sequestering more carbon than we collectively produce.

Nekojima is a small island filled with cats. Can you install power lines across four districts without frisky felines short circuiting your plans. Try your best to not bring the whole network crashing down.

Tiger and Dragon is a climbing game using two suited Mah Jongg style tiles. Attacks are offered and countered with matching tiles. The first player to go out wins the round but HOW you win will ultimately determine your score.

There are dog shows and cat shows, but have you heard of a fish show? Goldfish fans from across the land compete each year to display the most sensational swimmer. It takes talent and planning to create the most pleasing arrangement of colorful scales.

In our season finale, two award winning games earn our Meeple Crown for 2023. These games embody the essence of Major Fun and our Spiel of Approval. Congratulations to Votes for Women and Thunder Road: Vendetta!

Distilled is a game of strategic spirit crafting. Follow recipes to gather ingredients hoping they will meld into something sublime. Bottle and sell what you can or age your creations hoping for a greater payout down the line.

A review of Romi Rami written by Stephen Conway.

Not That Movie is a cooperative party game. Each round, players work together to determine which movie the critics have described through process of elimination At the end of 5 rounds, are you an epic flop or worthy of an Academy Award?

Obsession is a richly thematic strategy game depicting the struggles of four once proud family estates in 19th century Britain. The game culminates with a successful courtship. Guide your family to the best standing in Derbyshire to cement its legacy.

Magical creatures come to Steam Up to sample bite-size dishes from bamboo baskets stacked high. Each creature arrives with an appetite and an agenda for their ideal meal. With Fate and Fortune looking over each course, may the fullest stomach win!

District Noir is a two player card game where you collect sets of cards, hoping to amass support of certain criminals or collect three key locations in the city in order to win. It’ll take all your cunning to hold onto this fickle, fractious town.

Wicked and Wise is a trick taking card game where teams of dragons and mice compete to amass the largest hoard. Dragons play cards to win tricks. Mice play cards to manipulate the game. Collect coins and complete goals to score.

In Lacrimosa, you play as one of Mozart’s dear friends. Your goal is to gather accolades and respect by helping to assemble a memoir and by hiring composers to finish the Requiem. In doing so, you hope to insure the future of Mozart's family.

Thunder Road: Vendetta is a reboot of a beloved roll and move car crashing game from the 1980s. Each player starts with 3 vehicles and a chopper. Who will survive this perilous race down Route Sixty Styx?

Four Corners is a puzzle hunt in a phone booth. Can you create patterns of matching symbols to meet your goals? Fill a common board with an ever-changing array of tiles - creating opportunities for some and challenges for others.

We finish the first half of Season 18 with a flourish - a variety show jam-packed with quality conversations and plenty of fun and games!

You are responsible for the economic and social development of a city. Dive into Politics, Industry, and Banking, or encourage growth in Culture and Schools. Each choice will cause ripples. Can you look far enough ahead to avoid unintended results?

Velonimo is a modern twist on card climbing and shedding games. Animals race their bikes up five mountains, each higher than the next. The first player to shed their hand in a round, finishes in first place and gets the leader’s jersey.

A review of Hand to Hand Wombat written by Stephen Conway.

Starting from a small town in Belgium, you are a merchant seeking prosperity across the continent. Fulfill contracts, establish trade houses, build cathedrals, and amass a staff of skilled workers. Plan well and you'll profit from the Fair each year.

A review of Broken & Beautiful written by Doug Richardson.