Game Schooler Podcast

In this week’s episode we'll cover Tokiado and Namiji, our Games of the Week, discuss Logic and Self-Control for Younger Gamers  in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up by revealing our High-Five The Original Is Better Games!

00:00 - Introduction and Updates

16:41 - Game of the Week: Tokaido and Namiji

38:37 - School of Gaming: Logic and Self-Control for Younger Gamers

48:59 - High-Five: The Original is Better Games

In this week’s episode we'll cover Cargo Noir, our Game of the Week, discuss Why Some Game Stores Are Failing  in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up by revealing our High-Five High Tension Games!

00:00 - Introduction, Game of the Year, Board Game Clubs

09:04 - Aqua: Biodiversity in the Oceans

17:38 - Game of the Week: Cargo Noir

42:20 - Why Some Game Stores Are Failing

56:40 - High-Tension Games

In this week’s episode we'll cover Concept Kids: Animals, our Game of the Week, discuss House Rules for Younger Players  in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up by revealing our High-Five Relaxing Games!

00:00 - Dentistry, Follow-ups, and Games on the Shelf

19:30 - Concept Kids Animals: A Cooperative Game for Learning About Animals

40:19 - Simplifying and Shortening Games for Younger Players

54:01 - High-Five Relaxing Games

Summary

In this episode of the Game Schooler podcast, Doug and Michael discuss their high five games from 2021 that they hadn't yet played. They also talk about the challenge of finding games that the whole family will enjoy and the importance of having fun while gaming. They highlight the benefits of playing older titles and the joy of interacting and laughing with others during gameplay. In this part of the conversation, Doug and Michael discuss the concept of being in a reviewer bubble and the importance of being a player rather than just a critic. They then introduce the game of the week, Speculation, a family-friendly stock market game. They explain the gameplay mechanics and highlight the fun and strategic elements of the game. In the School of Gaming segment, they discuss pain points in games and the balance between having enough challenge and not making the game feel like work. In this episode, Michael and Doug discuss pain points in board games and how they can enhance the gaming experience. They share personal anecdotes about games that have caused frustration and disappointment, as well as games that strike the right balance of challenge and enjoyment. They also discuss the importance of adversity and overcoming obstacles in games, and how it can make the experience more rewarding. Finally, they share their top five games that they believe are better played digitally.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

00:44 Follow-up from last week

19:25 Skills and Fun in Speculation

37:12 School of Gaming: Pain Points

49:30 High Five: Games Better Digitally

In this conversation, Michael and Doug discuss their recent gaming experiences and interactions with listeners. They talk about the joy of playing games for the first time and the importance of learning and understanding the rules. They also discuss the competitive nature of some games and the different experiences they provide. Michael shares a heartwarming story about his daughter's love for board games. The conversation continues with a discussion of the game of the week, First in Flight, and its gameplay mechanics and educational value. Additionally, Doug and Michael discuss the tools that can be helpful in teaching games, such as having the actual game set up, using dice trays, and providing card holders. Doug and Michael conclude the episode by discussing their top five dice-chucking games. They highlight games like Dice Hunters of Therion, Impact, Can't Stop, King of Tokyo and Dice Throne. They also reflect on how their show has evolved over time and how their preferences and criteria for recommending games have changed.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction and Follow-up

20:58 - Game of the Week - First in Flight

50:58 - School of Gaming - Physical Tools For Teaching Games

01:03:13- High-Five: Dice-Chucking Games 2.0

In this episode of the GameSchooler podcast, the Doug and Michael discuss recent gaming experiences, and their game of the week, Pyramido. Pyramido is a tile placement game with interesting and meaningful choices. They also discuss the significance of storytelling in gaming, the connection between storytelling mechanisms and themes, the impact of setting in gaming, the creation of stories in gaming. And wrap it up with the high-five games from the last three years they still want to play.

00:00:00 - Introductions & Awesomeness

00:21:08 - Game of the Week: Pyramido

00:45:54 - School of Gaming: Storytelling in Gaming

00:59:37 - High-Five: Games From The Last 3 Years We Still Want To Play

In this episode, Doug and Michael discuss their recent experiences, including a story about encountering a wizard at a Goodwill store. They also talk about using roll and write games for handwriting practice and highlight the GameSchooler Discord server. Doug and Michael discuss the cooperative and engaging gameplay Forbidden Jungle, the Game of the Week. The conversation then shifts to the topic of adapting hobby games for the classroom, considering the constraints of time and player count. They discuss strategies such as utilizing solo modes, turning games into mini cooperative experiences, and using games as worked examples to teach concepts. In the Game Schooler High-Five, they discuss classic games like Yahtzee, Guess Who, and Monopoly that deserve more respect and still provide enjoyable gaming experiences.

00:00:00 - Introductions, Wizards, and What's Awesome In Gaming

00:18:29 - Game of the Week: Forbidden Jungle

00:41:00 - Adapting Hobby Games for the Classroom

01:00:36 - Classic Games That Deserve More Respect

In this episode of the GameSchooler Podcast, Doug and Michael discuss math games. They provide recommendations for games that cover various math skills, including sequencing, counting, addition and subtraction, probability, and multiplication. They also highlight games that combine multiple math skills. The hosts share their personal experiences with these games and emphasize the educational value of incorporating math into gameplay. They also explore the secondary game market, including platforms like BoardGameGeek, eBay, and Facebook. They also explore other options like local game stores and thrift shops. The conversation then shifts to their top 10 games from 2014, including titles like Colt Express, Red7, and Splendor.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction - Follow-Up & What's Awesome In Gaming

17:13 - Game of the Week: Math Games

48:37 - School of Gaming: The Secondary Game Market

01:03:07 - Top 10 Games From 2014 (10 Years Ago)

Summary

In this episode of the Game Scholar Podcast, Doug and Michael follow-up on last week's high five list, the impact of screen time, a new fan group on Board Game Arena, the benefits of campaign and legacy games, and the bonding and friendship that can be fostered through gaming. They also highlight Colorbrain as their Game of the Week, a family-friendly trivia game that is accessible to players of all ages. They also delve into the concept of fighting the inner completionist in the School of Gaming segment. In the first part of the conversation, Doug and Michael discuss the concept of expansions and completionism in board games. They advise being aware of the reasons behind purchasing expansions and not falling into the trap of buying them without actually playing them. They also acknowledge that it's impossible to be a completionist in the board game hobby due to the constant release of new games and expansions. They end the episode with a High-Five List of Retail Games That Feel Deluxe!

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction - Follow-Up & What's Awesome In Gaming

14:34 - Game of the Week: Color Brain

28:36 - School of Gaming: Fight the Inner Completionist

43:57 - High Five: Retail Games that Feel Deluxe

In this episode of the Game Schooler podcast, the Doug & Michael discuss their new setup, share a Small World story, talk about instant turnoffs in gaming, and revisit their Game of the Week, Marvel United. They discuss the game's mechanics, art, affordability, and replayability. They also provide insights into the game's educational value and its ability to promote skills such as selflessness, problem-solving, and communication. The hosts share their personal preferences and discuss the importance of knowing what turns them off in a game. The hosts discuss various aspects of board games, including inappropriate content in family-friendly games, issues with one versus many games, considerations for game length and complexity, challenges of solo gaming, post-game frustrations, the importance of aesthetics and artwork, and the role of rulebooks in game enjoyment. They also share their top five games that could benefit from new artwork.

00:00 Introduction

01:13 New setup and plans

02:07 Small World story

03:05 Turnoffs in gaming

08:17 Game of the Week: Marvel United

17:44 Review of Marvel United

43:31 School of Gaming: Instant Turnoffs

50:09 Inappropriate Content in Family-Friendly Games

52:06 Issues with One Versus Many Games

54:31 Considerations for Game Length and Complexity

58:45 Challenges of Solo Gaming

01:00:13 Post-Game Frustrations

01:01:13 Importance of Aesthetics and Artwork

01:02:39 The Role of Rulebooks in Game Enjoyment

01:04:44 High Five: Games That Need New Artwork

In this week’s episode we'll cover Zooloretto, our Game of the Week, discuss Whether a Good Deal Increase Interest in a Game in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up by revealing our Top 10 Games from 2019!

00:25:00 - Game of the Week

00:44:16 - School of Gaming

00:54:46 - High-Five Games

In this week’s episode we'll cover Lost Ruins of Arnak, our Game of the Week, discuss What Jobs Within The Board Game Industry Would You Like To Have in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up by revealing the Best Cover Art in our High-Five!

00:22:33 - Game of the Week

00:47:07 - School of Gaming

00:57:01 - High-Five Games

In this week’s episode we'll cover The A.R.T. Project, (00:13:20) our Game of the Week, discuss Balancing Fun & Winning (00:36:17) in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up by revisiting our High Five Games of 2022 (00:47:24)!

In this week’s episode we'll cover World Wonders (00:14:34), our Game of the Week, Revisit Our Anticipated Games of 2023 (00:35:18) in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up with our High Five Most Anticipated Games for 2024 (00:56:22)!

In this week’s episode we'll cover Santa’s Workshop, our Game of the Week, discuss Gamer’s New Year’s Resolutions in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up with our Top 10 from 2023!

It's finally here. We have reached the end of our Top 50 Family Games of All-Time! Before we close out another great year, we want to thank those folks who have supported us and this labor of love we call a podcast. Your support means the world to us, and we are so grateful. Ok, enough with the mushy stuff. Yikes! Get on with the list! Here it is our Top 10 Family Games of All-Time.

We're almost there! I can honestly say that this portion of the list could actually be someone's Top 10 Family Games of All-Time and I wouldn't even bat an eye. That's how awesome these games are. Without further ado!

The Top 50 Family Games of All-Time rolls on as we hit the halfway point. It also just occurred to me that you could almost fill up an entire year by playing a new game from this list each week! That would be an awesome a year! Let's take a look at some of the games you could be playing.

Join us as we continue our countdown of the Top 50 Family Games of All-Time. This week we'll be revealing number 40 through 31! After last week's list it's hard to imagine that the are 40 more great family games to discuss, but try we must! Let us know if any of these games are go to games in your house!

In this episode we kick off our countdown of the Top 50 Family Games of All-Time. As of 2023 of course! Did your favorite games make the list?

In this week’s episode we'll cover Hammer Time, our Game of the Week, discuss Is It the Game or Something Else in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up with our High-Five Games with Elegant Rules!

00:00:53 - What's Awesome In Gaming

00:11:40 - Game of the Week - Hammer Time

00:28:49 - School of Gaming - Is It the Game or Something Else?

00:42:53 - High-Five Games with Elegant Rules

In this week’s episode we'll cover Disney Lorcana, our Game of the Week, discuss Collectible Card Games in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up with our High-Five Breaking the Law Games!

00:00:53 - What's Awesome In Gaming

00:09:51 - Game of the Week - Disney Lorcana

01:00:22 - High-Five Breaking the Law Games

In this week’s episode we'll cover 2 Amigo Card Games, our Games of the Week, discuss Useless Parts of the Hobby in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up with our High-Five Games with Mundane Themes That Work!

In this week’s episode we'll cover Deduckto, our Game of the Week, discuss Upgrading to a New Printing in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up with our High-Five Games on Big Box Shelves Right Now!

In this week’s episode we'll cover Turtle Splash!, our Game of the Week, discuss What Attracts Us To A Game in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up with our High-Five Game Mechanisms!

In this week’s episode we'll cover Dice Hunters of Therion, our Game of the Week, discuss Gaming Spaces in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up with our High-Five Games We Regret Getting Rid Of

In this week’s episode we'll cover Disney Animated, our Game of the Week, discuss Whether Mechanisms Can Become Outdated in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up with our High-Five Junior Versions of Games!

In this week’s episode we'll cover Starry Night Sky, our Game of the Week, discuss Describing Board Games to Non-Gamers in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up with our High-Five Games We Wish We Played More Frequently!

In this week’s episode we'll cover The Great Split, our Game of the Week, discuss How Much Value a Review or Recommendation Has in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up with our High-Five Games For Non-Gamers!

In this week’s episode we'll cover Sushi Go!: Spin Some for Dim Sum, our Game of the Week, feature a Publisher Spotlight with Amigo in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up with our High-Five Games We Can’t Get Rid Of!

In this week’s episode we'll cover Nimalia, our Game of the Week, discuss When a Game Should End? in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up with our High-Five Games We Would Have Loved As Teenagers!

In this week’s episode we'll cover In the Footsteps of Darwin, our Game of the Week, discuss Tips for Board Game Shopaholics in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up with the High-Five Games We Wished We Owned!

In this week’s episode we'll cover Penny Black, our Game of the Week, Interview Mike Dilisio from the Dice Tower in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up with our High-Five Best Miniatures!

In this week’s episode we'll cover Kuzooka, our Game of the Week, feature a Publisher Spotlight with The Op Games in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up with our High-Five Iconic Game Components!

In this week’s episode we'll cover What the Cup!?, our Game of the Week, discuss Loneliness and Gaming?  in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up with our High-Five Games That Need To Be Upgraded!

In this week’s episode we'll cover all things GenCon 2023!

In this week’s episode we'll cover The Pursuit of Happiness, our Game of the Week, discuss How Seriously We Should Take Gaming?  in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up with our High-Five Games to Keep at the Cabin.

In this week’s episode we'll cover Green Team Wins, our Game of the Week, discuss When a Game Becomes Too Much in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up with our High-Five Games That Need To Be Reprinted!

In this week’s episode we'll cover Akropolis, our Game of the Week, Interview the Family Gamers Podcast in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up with our High-Five Games We Wish Had Different Themes!

In this week’s episode we'll cover ICECOOL, our Game of the Week, discuss What’s More Important: Gamer Credibility or Sales in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up with our High-Five Fanciest Games!

In this week’s episode we'll cover Fire Tower, our Game of the Week, discuss How AI Will Affect Gaming in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up with our High-Five American Themed Games!

In this week’s episode we'll cover Museum Suspects, our Game of the Week, Discuss What’s Wrong With Family Games in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up with our High-Five Games That Fell Through The Cracks!

 In this week’s episode we'll cover Dog Park, our Game of the Week, Discuss What Makes Complexity in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up with our High-Five Party Games for Gamers!

In this week’s episode we'll cover Scribbly Gum, our Game of the Week, discuss Themes & IP Bringing People to the Table  in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up with our High-Five Small Publisher Games!

The Game Schooler Podcast, a proud member of the Dice Tower Network, is a weekly audio show that educates new and experienced gamers about the joys of tabletop gaming.  In this week’s episode we'll cover Stone Age, our Game of the Week, discuss BoardGameGeek: Tool vs. Community  in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up with our High-Five Auction Games!

The Game Schooler Podcast, a proud member of the Dice Tower Network, is a weekly audio show that educates new and experienced gamers about the joys of tabletop gaming.  In this week’s episode we'll cover Sheriff of Nottingham, our Game of the Week, discuss Introduction vs. Conversion  in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up with our High-Five Party Games!

The Game Schooler Podcast, a proud member of the Dice Tower Network, is a weekly audio show that educates new and experienced gamers about the joys of tabletop gaming.  In this week’s episode we'll cover ACD Games Day 2023!

The Game Schooler Podcast, a proud member of the Dice Tower Network, is a weekly audio show that educates new and experienced gamers about the joys of tabletop gaming.  In this week’s episode we'll cover Long Shot: The Dice Game, our Game of the Week, discuss Depth vs. Breadth  in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up with our High-Five Mean Games!

The Game Schooler Podcast, a proud member of the Dice Tower Network, is a weekly audio show that educates new and experienced gamers about the joys of tabletop gaming.  In this week’s episode we'll cover Challengers, our Game of the Week, discuss Starting Your Own Game Night  in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up with our High-Five Bang For Your Buck Games!

The Game Schooler Podcast, a proud member of the Dice Tower Network, is a weekly audio show that educates new and experienced gamers about the joys of tabletop gaming.  In this week’s episode we'll cover Cape May, our Game of the Week, discuss How We’ve Changed As Gamers  in The School of Gaming,  and wrap it up with our High-Five Games that Surprised Us!