Episodios

  • #72: 12* Games for the Holidays ft. Eize Basa
    Dec 23 2025

    *Give or take the games we mentioned before the main topic.

    As Tom begins to close in on Kenny's position, a wild Eize Basa of Twitter (RIP) and now Bluesky fame (https://bsky.app/profile/eizebasa.baby) appears and distracts Tom with a fantastic list of games that every family is sure to enjoy during their holiday gatherings. No need for family arguments when you've got board games to play!

    Games we played:

    8:06 - Win, Lose, or Banana (2009, Chris Cieslik, Asmadi Games)

    11:34 - Twilight Struggle (2005, Ananda Gupta, Jason Matthews, GMT Games)

    19:15 - Azul (aka, "The Christmas Game") (2017, Michael Kiesling, Next Move Games)

    23:45 - Texas Hold 'Em (1950-something, Felton "Corky" McCorquodale)

    100 Games To Play Before You Die:

    34:41 - Tzertz (and Yinsh) (1999, Kris Brum, Huch)

    https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/321471/100-tabletop-games-to-play-before-turning-100

    Topic (the real Meat and Potatoes):

    42:26 - 8 or 9 Games to play during the holidays

    Bibliography:

    Follow Eize Basa on BlueSky! - https://bsky.app/profile/eizebasa.baby

    Follow us on BlueSky! - https://linktr.ee/shelfstablecast

    "How Does Dobble (Spot it!) Work?" by Stand Up Maths - https://youtu.be/VTDKqW_GLkw?si=CGlVrMalHC7eIGAK

    Songs:

    100 Games to Play Before You Die by Michael, Tyler, Devon, and Josh of The Boise RainBeaus

    ROT by Bone Haus https://bonehaus.bandcamp.com/album/in-mourning

    Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/ShelfStableCast

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    1 h y 17 m
  • #71 The BGG Top 100 Reviewed ft. Taylor Allen
    Dec 16 2025

    This week, Taylor Allen of Shelf Stable canon fame helps Tom Bowers continue the quest to find Kenny after his mysterious disappearance. Will they manage to get away from complaining about Quacks and Final Girl long enough to find any solid clues? Or will they instead alienate their audience with discussions about Magic the Gathering and Jojo's Bizarre Adventure? The only way to know is to tune in...

    Games we played:

    8:19 - Hansa Teutonica (2009, Andreas Steding, Z-Man Games)

    13:13 - Aboretum (2015, Dan Cassar, Renegade Game Studios)

    100 Games To Play Before You Die:

    20:28 - Letters from Whitechapel (2011, Gabriele Mari, Gianluca Santopietro, Fantasy Flight Games)

    https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/321471/100-tabletop-games-to-play-before-turning-100

    Topic (the real Meat and Potatoes):

    27:06 - The BoardGameGeek Top 100 Reviewed

    Bibliography:

    Follow us on BlueSky! - https://linktr.ee/shelfstablecast

    "Money Please" (Parks and Rec) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGvWbsTDPHU

    Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Jack the Ripper comes out of a horse (Trigger warning: gore, animal cruelty) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCRcKpewpZQ

    Songs:

    100 Games to Play Before You Die by Michael, Tyler, Devon, and Josh of The Boise RainBeaus

    ROT by Bone Haus https://bonehaus.bandcamp.com/album/in-mourning

    Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/ShelfStableCast

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    1 h y 28 m
  • #70 Making a Living as a Board Game Critic ft. Tom Brewster
    Dec 9 2025

    This week, Tom Brewster of Shut Up and Sit Down helps Tom Bowers take over the show in Kenny's unprecedented and unexpected absence. Will Tom and Tom manage to solve the mystery of Kenny's disappearance? Or will they simply yap about board games for nearly two hours and uncover the forbidden secrets of how to break into every Zoomer's dream career: becoming a YouTube celebrity? There's only one way to find out...

    Games we played:

    6:35 - Mexica (2002, Wolfgang Kramer & Michael Kiesling, Iello)

    10:40 - Memoir '44 (2004, Richard Borg, Days of Wonder)

    18:13 - Terra Mystica (2012, Jens Drogemuller & Helge Ostertag, Feuerland Spiele)

    28:08 - BANG! (2002, Emiliano Sciarra, DV Games)

    34:08 - (Bonus) Western Legends (2018, Hervé Lemaître, Kolossal Games)

    100 Games To Play Before You Die:

    37:08 - Cosmic Encounter (1977, Bill Eberle & Jack Kittredge & Bill Norton & Peter Olotka & Kevin Wilson, Fantasy Flight Games, et al.)

    https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/321471/100-tabletop-games-to-play-before-turning-100

    Topic (the real Meat and Potatoes):

    47:56 - Making a Living as a Board Game Critic

    Bibliography:

    Follow us on BlueSky! - https://linktr.ee/shelfstablecast

    Roadman "Big" Shaq "The Ting Goes (Man's not hot)" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3jlviX88iw

    Matt Lees in the Genius Annotations of "Lamborghini" by KSI: https://genius.com/5046168

    Songs:

    100 Games to Play Before You Die by Michael, Tyler, Devon, and Josh of The Boise RainBeaus

    ROT by Bone Haus https://bonehaus.bandcamp.com/album/in-mourning

    Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/ShelfStableCast

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    1 h y 39 m
  • #69 Nice
    Dec 2 2025

    Bringing back all the classics in this one. Hope you're not a new listener because there will be a lot of unexplained mysteries. You know what? It still might be funny even without context. That's how good we are. I don't know... maybe I'm getting full of myself. Oh no. Am I getting full of myself? Please, somebody humble me quick! I'm not worthy...

    Games we played:

    4:22 - Belle of the Ball (2014, Daniel Solis, Dice Hate Me)

    8:37 - Chinatown (1999, Karsten Hartwig, Z-Man)

    14:49 - LLAMA (2019, Reiner Knizia, AMIGO)

    19:13 - Nations (2013, Rustan Håkansson & Nina Håkansson & Einar Rosén & Robert Rosén, Lautapelit)

    100 games before you die:

    27:56 - Istanbul (2014, Rüdiger Dorn, Pegasus Spiele)

    https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/321471/100-tabletop-games-to-play-before-turning-100

    Topic:

    31:26 - Nice

    Songs:

    100 Games to Play Before You Die by Michael, Tyler, Devon, and Josh of The Boise RainBeaus

    ROT by Bone Haus https://bonehaus.bandcamp.com/album/in-mourning

    Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/ShelfStableCast

    All our socials https://linktr.ee/shelfstablecast

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    54 m
  • #68 Characteristics of Games Pt. 2
    Nov 26 2025

    It's the year 2035. A retired Jim Carrey and Christopher Walken emerge from their stasis e-pods for one more film. A film to put all others to shame. Characteristics of Games: a Garfield Movie. The story of a little boy who was most definitely a villager even though nobody believed him.

    Games we played:

    2:50 - The King is Dead (2020 og2015, Peer Sylvester, Osprey)

    7:35 - MTG Jumpstart (2020 og 1993, Doug Beyer et al, WotC)

    14:21 - Cleopatra and the Society of Architects (2006, Bruno Cathala & Ludovic Maublanc, Days of Wonder)

    21:30 - Twice as Clever! (2019, Wolfgang Warsch, Stronghold)

    100 games before you die:

    26:57 - Acquire (1963, Sid Sackson, Avalon Hill)

    https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/321471/100-tabletop-games-to-play-before-turning-100

    Topic:

    32:47 - Characteristics of Games Pt. 2

    Characteristics of Games (2012, George Skaff Elias & Richard Garfield & K. Robert Gutschera, MIT Press)

    https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262542692/characteristics-of-games

    Songs:

    100 Games to Play Before You Die by Michael, Tyler, Devon, and Josh of The Boise RainBeaus

    ROT by Bone Haus https://bonehaus.bandcamp.com/album/in-mourning

    Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/ShelfStableCast

    All our socials https://linktr.ee/shelfstablecast

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    1 h y 11 m
  • #67 A Genre Unto Itself
    Nov 18 2025

    Why so serious? Bou-ba-ba ba-ba-ba-ba ki-ki ki-ki hee-hee hee-hee. This beatbox really makes you feel like Joker and that's why it's powerful.

    Bibliography:

    If Joker could beat box https://youtu.be/qrAXRSBv-co?si=TuSR14tPoEhoP1b-

    Makes you feel like Spider-Man https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1SpVYmcTGM

    It's about family https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAoa-Ss6zS0

    Games we played:

    4:01 - Rheinländer (1999, Reiner Knizia, Face2Face)

    8:56 - Downforce (2017, Rob Daviau & Justin D. Jacobson & Wolfgang Kramer, Restoration)

    15:21 - Innovation (2010, Carl Chudyk, Asmadi)

    18:36 - Mandala (2019, Trevor Benjamin & Brett J. Gilbert, Lookout)

    100 games before you die:

    21:57 - Star Wars X-Wing Miniatures Game (2012, Jay Little, Fantasy Flight)

    https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/321471/100-tabletop-games-to-play-before-turning-100

    Topic:

    28:16 - A Game Unto Itself

    Songs:

    100 Games to Play Before You Die by Michael, Tyler, Devon, and Josh of The Boise RainBeaus

    ROT by Bone Haus https://bonehaus.bandcamp.com/album/in-mourning

    Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/ShelfStableCast

    All our socials https://linktr.ee/shelfstablecast

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    59 m
  • #66 ft. Daniel Newman, Everything is Trick-Taking
    Nov 11 2025

    Somehow, Monopoly DEAL returned... I don't know how it keeps worming its way in. The game is like a mind virus. Not too surprising given that Monopoly DEAL is the epitome of a trick-taker.

    2:49 - Intro: Daniel Newman

    8:34 - We Have to Know!

    How pharmaceuticals get their names https://slate.com/podcasts/decoder-ring/2025/07/decoder-ring-explores-the-mysteries-of-the-universe-and-your-medicine-cabinet

    Games we played:

    18:24 - Magical Athlete (2025 og2003, Takashi Ishida & Richard Garfield, CMYK)

    Topic:

    22:51 - Everything is Trick-Taking

    Cho-Han https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/419710/cho-han-trick-taking-game

    MTG Japanese promo https://magicuntapped.com/index.php/articles/one-and-done-the-story-of-the-only-shichifukujin-dragon-in-existence

    The Fluffy Rite https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/187714/exultate-deo-the-fluffy-rite

    Where to find Daniel:

    Newmill Industries https://www.newmillindustries.com

    Indie Games Night Market at PAXU, Sat Nov 22 https://www.newmillindustries.com/ignm

    Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/dnlnwmn.bsky.social

    Songs:

    ROT by Bone Haus https://bonehaus.bandcamp.com/album/in-mourning

    Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/ShelfStableCast

    All our socials https://linktr.ee/shelfstablecast

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    56 m
  • #65 Characteristics of Games Pt. 1
    Nov 4 2025

    It's the year 2035. All games have been through a meta-battle royale, and the only game remaining is Pokemon GO. Run into incoming traffic to make sure you stay in the circle. Remember kids, if you die in the game, you die in real life.

    Games we played:

    2:29 - The Great Dalmuti (1995, Richard Garfield, AMIGO)

    6:02 - Pentago (2005, Tomas Flodén, MindTwister USA)

    16:37 - Legendary A Marvel Deck Building Game (2012, Devin Low, Upper Deck)

    20:10 - For Sale (1997, Stefan Dorra, Eagle-Gryphon)

    100 games before you die:

    24:26 - Wingspan (2019, Elizabeth Hargrave, Stonemaier)

    https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/321471/100-tabletop-games-to-play-before-turning-100

    Topic:

    26:00 - Characteristics of Games Pt. 1

    Characteristics of Games (2012, George Skaff Elias & Richard Garfield & K. Robert Gutschera, MIT Press)

    https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262542692/characteristics-of-games

    Songs:

    100 Games to Play Before You Die by Michael, Tyler, Devon, and Josh of The Boise RainBeaus

    ROT by Bone Haus https://bonehaus.bandcamp.com/album/in-mourning

    Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/ShelfStableCast

    All our socials https://linktr.ee/shelfstablecast

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    1 h y 9 m