The Spiel - MP3 Version

The years of training and sacrifice have all lead to this moment - the big chair - your first command of a starship! Each mission will require your leadership and many tough decisions as you explore the vast unknown sectors of space.

In Akropolis, you build a miniature city in ancient Greece, scoring points for plazas and districts in five different ways. Akropolis feels like five puzzles in one. Can you layer the pieces to make each part of your city prosper?

Portugal's poetic soul was best expressed by writer Fernando Pessoa. Visit cafes to gather cards or the bookshop to influence your style. Then linger in the public square to assemble the best poems you can, hoping the stars align with each move you make.

Scribbly Gum is a flip and write game. Each turn a movement tile is flipped and players direct their larvae by drawing paths through the layers of tree bark, hoping to gather food to complete meals. The most well fed moths will emerge the winner!

From the Declaration of Sentiments at Seneca Falls, to the protests, rallies, and organized campaigns across the nation, Votes for Women chronicles the 72 year struggle to ratify the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, granting women the right to vote.

Mr Walton was killed in his study. And all the guests at Walton manor have good reasons to want him dead. With a few leads, you must piece together the crime by asking questions and sharing information.

A review of Root Beer Float Challenge written by Stephen Conway.

Keystone North America is a card driven board game. Players are biologists tasked with assembling ecosystems by arranging organisms into the most optimal sequences possible. The challenge is balance.

Stampede is a game of card swapping and set collecting. Using each animal's special action, can you build the best album? It will take stealth, planning, and a bit of luck to collect the most dangerous... postage!

Hey Yo is a rhythm-based card game driven by a small electronic gizmo that lays down a beat for your team to follow. Connect cards and symbols in time with the beat and you’ll have a chance to score well before the song ends.

An ancient dragon threatens Nidavellir, the realm of the dwarves! The King needs an army, so off to the taverns you go, collecting warriors, blacksmiths, hunters, and more. Bid to recruit the best assembly of brave heroes, upgrading your coins as you go.

A review of Mountain Goats written by Doug Richardson.

Disney Mad Tea Party is a nerve wracking cup stacking game atop a very precarious table. Be the first to play all your cards or stack every last cup to win. Tension tuned by skill, strategy and a touch of luck drives each decision you make.

Golem is a game of cosmic forces and practical magic. Over four turns you will select marble and rabbi actions from the synagogue, studying ancient books, constructing powerful artifacts, and building golems to serve the community. The problem is control.

The coffee craze has hit Portugal and there's a fortune to be made supporting its growing cafe culture. Can you create a successful supply chain harvesting, drying, roasting and delivering coffee beans to meet the demand for this magic drink?

Picture Perfect is a game of logic and space with a technological twist. Over six rounds, can you puzzle out how to arrange all the party guests in a cardboard diorama? When you’re ready, snap a a photo with your phone and compare.

A review of Kabuto written by Stephen Conway.

Take a deep dive into this remarkable one-against-many game of hidden movement and deduction based on the brilliant graphic novel series by Matt Kindt.

A review of Ouch! written by Doug Richardson.

Aves is a card game with roots in the classics. It is also a game of simple, subtle, and sneaky strategies. To celebrate our 400th review episode, we invited Spielers from around the world to host 7 different segments featured over the past 16 years.

7 Wonders Architects is a quick-playing game of card drafting and empire building. Inspired by its wildly successful sibling (7 Wonders), Architects builds a different kind of fun - one that is open and approachable by a broader audience.

A review of Long Shot The Dice Game written by Stephen Conway.

The Boomerang family of games are draft-and write games. Build the best trip over seven cards, balancing multiple ways to score. Pick and place and go! The farther you wander, the better the trip.

Glow is a dice driven card and board game. You have eight days to gather companions and collect shards of light. The journey will be arduous, BUT with careful plans... and a little luck, you could become a legend!

A review of Block Ness written by Stephen Conway.