Garrett's Games 1056: Sandcastles and Entropy

This week it's all about Stonemaier Games! First up is an older title that builds on a game from 2021: Rolling Realms Redux by Jamey Stegmaier and Karel Titeca from Stonemaier Games then we check out the brand new Scythe/Expeditions 2-player mash-up Duel of Meloch by Jamey Stegmaier from Stonemaier Games Remember to check out our video series over on YouTube, and you can sponsor this podcast and our video series by going to www.patreon.com/garrettsgames OR check out our extensive list of games that no longer fit on our shelves, but belong on your table: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing

This week Shelley and I check out a little sister to a hugely popular title as we collect food, lay eggs and place birds in our tableau in Wingspan Pocket by Elizabeth Hargrave from Stonemaier Games (1-5 players, 8+, 25-35 minutes) then we have a great time trying to steal eggs from a nest and move our wolverine along a path in the cute dexterity game Gulo Gulo by Wolfgang Kramer, Hans Raggan, Jurgen Grunau, and Daryl Andrews from Pandasaurus Games (2-6 players, 5+, 20-30 minutes) Remember to check out our video series over on YouTube, and you can sponsor this podcast and our video series by going to www.patreon.com/garrettsgames OR check out our extensive list of games that no longer fit on our shelves, but belong on your table: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing

This week Shelley and I check out a fun castle-building little tile-laying game for up to 6 players Sandcastles by Alex Cutler from Pandasaurus Games then we tackle a MUCH bigger game of star and planet creation as we design new solar systems in Entropy by Tommaso Battista, Simone Luciani and Nestore Mangone from Board&Dice Remember to check out our video series over on YouTube, and you can sponsor this podcast and our video series by going to www.patreon.com/garrettsgames OR check out our extensive list of games that no longer fit on our shelves, but belong on your table: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing

This week Shelley and I check out two smaller games that work as fun fillers. The first is a shedding game with 2-sided cards dnup by Kei Kajino from Asmodee for 2-6 players/15-20 minutes then we build bizarre instruments, trying to add birds and notes in Twisted Trumpets by Matthew Rodela from Play to Z Games for 2-4 players/20-40 minutes Remember to check out our video series over on YouTube, and you can sponsor this podcast and our video series by going to www.patreon.com/garrettsgames OR check out our extensive list of games that no longer fit on our shelves, but belong on your table: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing

This week Shelley and I play two games at the ends of the physical size scale First, we check out a fun card game where you don't want to go out 2 Win by Florian Racky from Blue Orange Games (2-6 players, 15 minutes, 7+) Then we tackle the BIG box game of making these games we love The Game Makers by Ben Rosset from Bezier Games (1-6 players/60-90 minutes/15+) Remember to check out our video series over on YouTube, and you can sponsor this podcast and our video series by going to www.patreon.com/garrettsgames OR check out our extensive list of games that no longer fit on our shelves, but belong on your table: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing

This week we preview two upcoming releases, then dive a bit deeper into a gorgeous game of Art and design: Siege Perilous by Ivan Alexiev and Brian Saliba from Play to Z Games Computer Junkyard by Allan and Jared Pinkus from Dream Egg Games Artistry - Art Nouveau by Amy and Dusty Droz from Dux Somnium Remember to check out our video series over on YouTube, and you can sponsor this podcast and our video series by going to www.patreon.com/garrettsgames OR check out our extensive list of games that no longer fit on our shelves, but belong on your table: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing

This week Shelley and I revisits the Dungeons and Dragons universe in 2012's Lords of Waterdeep by Peter Lee and Rodney Thompson from Wizards of the Coast, along with it's Scoundrels of Skullport expansions then we face off in the 2-player-only 2025 release  Rival Cities by Andreas Steding from Deep Print Games and Pegasus Spiele Remember to check out our video series over on YouTube, and you can sponsor this podcast and our video series by going to www.patreon.com/garrettsgames OR check out our extensive list of games that no longer fit on our shelves, but belong on your table: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing

This week Shelley and I try (and often fail) to save our lunar colonists from rampant robots and accidents in Moon Colony Bloodbath by Donald X. Vaccarino from Rio Grande Games then we explore ruins and reefs, while casting enchantments by rolling dice and marking off the best spots in Reef and Ruins by Carla Kopp from Weird Giraffe Games Remember to check out our video series over on YouTube, and you can sponsor this podcast and our video series by going to www.patreon.com/garrettsgames OR check out our extensive list of games that no longer fit on our shelves, but belong on your table: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing

This week Shelley and I get a chance to check out one of the three Spiel des Jahres nominees for this year Cozy Stickerville by Corey Konieczka from Unexpected Games (1-6 players, 8+, 30-60 minutes) then we check out another game from our stack of "haven't played in too long" game that we made back in February to try Bloom by Laurent Escoffier and David Franck from QWG Games Remember to check out our video series over on YouTube, and you can sponsor this podcast and our video series by going to www.patreon.com/garrettsgames OR check out our extensive list of games that no longer fit on our shelves, but belong on your table: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing

Shelley and I get an Essen 2025 release which is a re-themed game from 2013 to the table: Reef Garden by Jeffrey D. Allers from dlp games then get one of our "not played in far too long" games to the table, also originally published in 2013: Russian Railroads by Helmut Ohley and Leonhard Orgley from Z-Man Games and Hans im Gluck. We also checked out the German Railroads and American Railroads expansions too! Remember to check out our video series over on YouTube, and you can sponsor this podcast and our video series by going to www.patreon.com/garrettsgames OR check out our extensive list of games that no longer fit on our shelves, but belong on your table: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing