Garrett's Games 1029: Pondscape and Tolleno

This week Shelley and I create our own little ponds and populate them with frogs and insects in Pondscape by Tomas Holek from Pink Troubadour and Capstone Games then we build a canal-side city and place buildings for majority scoring in Tolleno by Gilles Turbide from Sit Down! Thanks As always to our sponsor Bezier Games - check out their store at www.beziergames.com You can support the podcast and our YouTube 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 are traveling through our games this week, heading first to France to bike around the countryside in Postcards by Eric Dubus and Simon Kayne fron Synapses Games then we check out the northern part of our own continent in Photo Tour North America by Oleg Meleshin, Eugene Timashov and Yury Yamshchikov from Timashov Publishing Thanks as always to our sponsor Bezier Games, and check out their web store at www.beziergames.com! You can sponsor this poscast and our video series directly by going to www.patreon.com/garrettsgames OR check out the 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  

Now that it's ACTUALLY 2026, we can look ack on 2025 and run through our Top 10 games that we first played in 2025. If you want to go back and listen to our list from the first 1/2 of the year, head here: EPISODE 1000: https://traffic.libsyn.com/garrettsgames/GarrettsGames1000.1.mp3 Here are our lists, including the Honorable Mentions, as well as the episode and possible video links for each game: Doug's List Honorable Mentions (5) Please Don't Burn This Village by Simon Weinberg from Fireside Games Audio: https://traffic.libsyn.com/garrettsgames/GarrettsGames1023.mp3 Video: https://youtu.be/XVTUakC54gk Everdell Silverfrost by James and Clarissa Wilson from Starling Games & Tabletop Tycoon Audio: https://traffic.libsyn.com/garrettsgames/GarrettsGames1010.mp3 Video: https://youtu.be/wI5I9rLtOYs Looot by Charles Chevallier and Laurent Escoffier from Gigamic Audio:https://traffic.libsyn.com/garrettsgames/GarrettsGames997.mp3 Video: https://youtu.be/Gu971L2ZeAs Draft and Write Records by Bruno Maciel from Inside Up Games Audio: https://traffic.libsyn.com/garrettsgames/GarrettsGames981.mp3 Video: https://youtu.be/5EQswvbj5fc Viva Catrina by Fred Boulle and Gregory Grard from The Flying Games Audio: https://traffic.libsyn.com/garrettsgames/GarrettsGames1016.mp3 Video: https://youtu.be/ldc8TfR3ztk Top 10 Aquaria by Tomas Holek from Delicious Games and Capstone Games Audio: https://traffic.libsyn.com/garrettsgames/GarrettsGames1022.mp3 Video: https://youtu.be/YuErHyNbVzU Up or Down? by Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling from Capstone Games Audio: https://traffic.libsyn.com/garrettsgames/GarrettsGames1022.mp3 Video: https://youtu.be/RFNCJRc7c9E Llama Llama by Kaya Miyano from Allplay Audio: https://traffic.libsyn.com/garrettsgames/GarrettsGames1024.mp3 Video: https://youtu.be/OU0o4ywLdFA Bone Wars by Wim Goossens from Game Brewer and Cranio Creations Audio: https://traffic.libsyn.com/garrettsgames/GarrettsGames999.mp3 Video: https://youtu.be/BLA5KvMhGUI MySeven (or Double Seven) by Michael Schacht from Schmidt Spiele Video: https://youtu.be/qn2cfsPe3Lo Sanctuary by Mathias Wigge from Capstone Games and Feuerland Spiele Audio: https://traffic.libsyn.com/garrettsgames/GarrettsGames1024.mp3 Video: https://youtu.be/UWU6UFP8NEA Meister Makatsu by Reiner Knizia from AMIGO Audio: https://traffic.libsyn.com/garrettsgames/GarrettsGames1020.mp3 Video: https://youtu.be/i4LE8SgJR4w Pondscape by Tomas Holek from Pink Troubadour and Capstone Games Audio: Upcoming Video: Upcoming Orloj: The Prague Astronomical Clock by Abraham Sanchez Hermida & Paloma Pascual from Perro Loko Games & Devir Audio: https://traffic.libsyn.com/garrettsgames/GarrettsGames1021.mp3 Video: https://youtu.be/SsGUQAowwS8 Fromage by Matthew O'Malley & Ben Rosset from Road to Infamy Games Audio: https://traffic.libsyn.com/garrettsgames/GarrettsGames981.mp3 Shelley's List Honorable Mentions (5) Biddle by Carsten Rohlfs & Ralf zur Linde from AMIGO Viva Catrina by Fred Boulle and Gregory Grard from The Flying Games Audio: https://traffic.libsyn.com/garrettsgames/GarrettsGames1016.mp3 Video: https://youtu.be/ldc8TfR3ztk Up or Down? by Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling from Capstone Games Audio: https://traffic.libsyn.com/garrettsgames/GarrettsGames1022.mp3 Video: https://youtu.be/RFNCJRc7c9E Flip 7 by Eric Olsen from The Op Games MySeven (Double Seven) by Michael Schacht from Schmidt Spiele Video: https://youtu.be/qn2cfsPe3Lo Top 10 Meister Makatsu by Reiner Knizia from AMIGO Audio: https://traffic.libsyn.com/garrettsgames/GarrettsGames1020.mp3 Video: https://youtu.be/i4LE8SgJR4w Aquaria by Tomas Holek from Delicious Games and Capstone Games Audio: https://traffic.libsyn.com/garrettsgames/GarrettsGames1022.mp3 Video: https://youtu.be/YuErHyNbVzU Resafa by Vladimir Suchy from Delicious Games Audio: https://traffic.libsyn.com/garrettsgames/GarrettsGames982.mp3 Video: https://youtu.be/NnkHwK1PxCc Ofrenda by Orlanda Sa & Andre Santos from Osprey Games Audio: https://traffic.libsyn.com/garrettsgames/GarrettsGames1003.mp3 Video: https://youtu.be/S5Z31sBTdRk Sanctuary by Mathias Wigge from Capstone Games and Feuerland Spiele Audio: https://traffic.libsyn.com/garrettsgames/GarrettsGames1024.mp3 Video: https://youtu.be/UWU6UFP8NEA Everdell Silverfrost by James and Clarissa Wilson from Starling Games & Tabletop Tycoon Audio: https://traffic.libsyn.com/garrettsgames/GarrettsGames1010.mp3 Video: https://youtu.be/wI5I9rLtOYs Kathmandu by Stefan Feld from Queen Games Audio: https://traffic.libsyn.com/garrettsgames/GarrettsGames1009.mp3 Video: https://youtu.be/BcCEw7CICLo Fromage by Matthew O'Malley & Ben Rosset from Road to Infamy Games Audio: https://traffic.libsyn.com/garrettsgames/GarrettsGames981.mp3 Pondscape by Tomas Holek from Pink Troubadour and Capstone Games Audio: Upcoming Video: Upcoming Orloj: the Prague Astronomical Clock by Abraham Sanchez Hermida & Paloma Pascual from Perro Loko Games & Devir Audio: https://traffic.libsyn.com/garrettsgames/GarrettsGames1021.mp3 Video: https://youtu.be/SsGUQAowwS8

Episode 1026! This week Shelley and I work with trees, both logging them and becoming stewards of the forest in Forestry by Michal Peichl from Pink Troubadour, Capstone Games, and Pegasus Spiele then we work our media accounts with cute animal photos in Paw Up by Reiner Knizia from Pegasus Spiele Thanks as always to our sponsor Bezier Games! Remember that YOU can sponsor the podcast directly by going to www.patreon.com/garrettsgames OR checking 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 work to help young women come to power and influence in the late 19th and early 20th century in Kartini: From Darkness to Light by Sherria Ayuandini from ION Game Design then we head to the British Isles and hang out with the pagans in Druids of Edora by Stefan Feld from Alea and Ravensburger Thanks as always to our sponsor Bezier Games! Remember you can support the podcast and our video series over on YouTube 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  

GG&G 1024! This week Shelley and I check out two mini-box games from Allplay Llama Llama by Kaya Miyano  For the Emperor by Whitney Loraine Then check out a bigger game, which is actually the smaller cousin of Ark Nova Sanctuary by Mathias Wigge from Capstone Games and Feuerland Spiele Thanks as always to our sponsor Bezier Games! Remember you can support the podcast and our video series (for which we have editions for each of these games) by going to www.patreon.com/garrettsgames OR check out the 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  

GG&G 1023! Shelley and I build gardens and bribe dragons this week in two great family-weight games The Hanging Gardens by Gregory Grard and Matthieu Verdier from Gigamic and Please Don't Burn My Village by Simon Weinberg from Fireside Games Thanks as always to our sponsor Bezier Games! Remember that you can support the podcast by heading over to www.patreon.com/garrettsgames OR check out the 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 bring you a quick review from BGG.con of the building-placement game Dewan by Johannes Goupy and Yoann Levet from Space Cowboys then we build our respective aquariums in Aquaria by Tomas Holek from Delicious Games Remember you can support the podcast at 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 make a quick correction of our review last week because we missed a rule in Dragonarium by Wei Chang and Kuan Chen from Wonderful World Board Games then we discuss our highlight game from BGG.con Up or Down by Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling from Capstone Games and end with a BIG title from Essen Orloj: The Prague Astronomincal Clock by Paloma Pascual and Abraham Sanchez from Perro Loko Games and Devir Remember to check out our video channel at www.youtube.com/@garrettsgames! You can sponsor the podcast at 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  

UPDATE - WE GOT ONE RULE WRONG ON DRAGONARIUM, MAKING THE GAME HARDER THAN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN! We SAID that you were supposed to move your assistant and ONLY place a gem on the FINAL spot where the assistant stopped. THE REAL RULE is that you place a gem on a spot in EACH COLUMN OR ROW you get to as you move. That makes the game less difficult and opens up the chances to gain more dragons, which is a VERY good thing! This week we check out a fun card game, and then preview a very cool puzzle game with dragons! First up is Meister Makatsu by Reiner Knizia from AMIGO where each player had their own deck and you're tryin gto avoid taking points. Then we place domino-style tiles and hope to birth dragons in Dragonarium by Wei Chang and Kuan Chen from Wonderful World Board Games Remember to SUBSCRIBE! You can support the podcast and our video series over on YouTube 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