Shelf Stable: A Board Game Podcast

Latest Episodes:

#86 UnstAIble Shelf Mar 31, 2026

Show notes

Sam Altman turns to the crowd and motions. "For 2027, we're revealing our most exicting evolution yet... humanity will be optional." The crowd errupts in applause. The keynote stage fades to black as an electro swing remix of Hi-Ho from Snow White begins blasting at full volume.

DISCLAIMER: this episode is satire. Everything we do is human made. We do not cover games that use AI art. We are opposed to the plagiarisation of people's hard work, the environmental impact, and the cocktail that is unregulated bias + misinformation + lack of accountability in these generative models that are being force fed down our thoats. Thank you sensei, viva la revolucion!

Games we played:

6:46 - Chu Han (2024, Thomas Lehmann, Matagot)

14:11 - Age of Innovation (2023, Helge Ostertag, Capstone)

24:20 - Shadow Moon Syndicates (2026, Jarrod Carmichael, Arkus)

32:27 - Dino Racer (2026, Marceline Leiman, Underdog)

100 games before you die:

35:54 - El Grande (1995, Wolfgang Kramer & Richard Ulrich, Hans im Gluck)

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

Topic:

40:42 - UnstAIble Shelf

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#85 ft. Richard Garfield, Making a Netrunner Mar 24, 2026

Show notes

Look, I don't make the rules. Scoop that peanut butter and plop it in your medium roast. No, don't eat the peanuts with a spoon! Gross. Grab yourself one of those boba straws and slurp it up!

1:31 - Intro: Richard Garfield

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

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

9:56 - We Have to Know!

Games we played:

23:58 - Innovation (2010, Carl Chudyk, Asmadi)

Topic:

35:54 - Making a Netrunner

Where to find Richard:

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/14/richard-garfield

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#84 Characteristics of Games Pt. 4 Mar 17, 2026

Show notes

As a mentat myself, I feel like mentats are commonly misunderstood. Not surprising as we are just so far superior in intellect to the average peon. Coincidence that mentat and mensa are such similar words? I think not.

Games we played:

2:39 - Neuroshima Hex (2006, Michał Oracz, Portal)

8:29 - Pandemic Legacy Season 1 (2015, Rob Daviau & Matt Leacock, Z-Man)

12:08 - JUMP HERE FOR SPOILER FREE

15:07 - Yokohama (2016, Hisashi Hayashi, Synapses)

21:42 - Cosmic Wimpout (1975, Boston Logical Society & W.W. Swilling, C3 Inc)

100 games before you die:

26:47 - Concordia (2013, Mac Gerdts, Rio Grande)

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

Topic:

32:10 - Characteristics of Games Pt. 4 (chapters 6-7)

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#83 ft. Spice8Rack, Being Bad at Games Mar 10, 2026

Show notes

A dark anime cloud deepens in the background as Tom loses yet another game of Food Chain Magnate. I don't want to alarm anyone, but Twilight Sparkle did not approve of this episode. Not even the joyous revolt of Spice8Rack is enought to counter the "I should have won" resonating in Tom's dark psyche. Will our heroes ever find solace in just being bad?

6:31 - Intro: Spice8Rack

8:59 - We Have to Know!

Games we played:

32:15 - The King's Dilemma (2019, Hjalmar Hach & Lorenzo Silva, Horrible Guild)

Topic:

38:26 - Being Bad at Games

Where to find Spice8Rack:

Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@Spice8Rack

Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/spice8rack.bsky.social

Where to find Acorn:

https://acorninternational.org

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#82 That One Little Rule Mar 03, 2026

Show notes

We gotta record our podcast a thousand times like Tom Lehmann did with Race. Maybe at that point older couples will be playing it before they go to sleep. In the meantime, I guess the pop culture misfires shall continue. I'll take solid bit for $200.

Video Game Jeopardy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5NbCOCGQ_Q

Games we played:

7:35 - My Favourite Things (2015, Daiki Nilgiri Aoyama & Pepe_R, Play for Keeps)

Point de Polgara (in French) on Japanese designers https://www.lepointdepolgara.fr/index.php/2026/02/12/tokyo-game-market-automne-2025/

12:34 - Tucano (2021, Theo Riviere, Helvetiq)

15:25 - Dune Imperium (2020, Paul Dennen, Dire Wolf)

21:12 - El Grande (1995, Wolfgang Kramer & Richard Ulrich, Hans im Gluck)

100 games before you die:

26:58 - Race for the Galaxy (2007, Thomas Lehmann, Rio Grande)

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

Topic:

33:26 - That One Little Rule

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#81 ft. Dan Jolin, Making a Senet Feb 24, 2026

Show notes

This episode, we are cone-maxing. Dan Jolin joins us to talk Letterboxd, the opposite of sex, and listening to his spouse's sound advice. Somehow we got through a guest episode without mentioning Monopoly DEAL. Although, Tom still managed to sneak in a brief aside about The A Minecraft Movie.

3:52 - Intro: Dan Jolin

Actualol gifts for board gamers https://youtu.be/g3XAlpNtQ_4?si=4bX524oyjjSFP_6t

11:56 - We Have to Know!

Games we played:

31:28 - Century Spice Road (2017, Emerson Matsuuchi, Plan B)

Topic:

40:00 - Making a Senet

Where to find Dan:

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

Senet Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/senetmagazine.bsky.social

Order copies of Senet https://senetmagazine.com

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#80 IP in Games Feb 17, 2026

Show notes

Still waiting for the 18 card microgame from Button Shy where you get to milk the alien while Rey watches uncomfortably.

Games we played:

3:37 - PitchCar (1995, Jean du Poël, Ferti)

7:25 - Kobayakawa (2013, Jun Sasaki, Oink)

12:25 - Android Netrunner (2012 og1996, Richard Garfield & Lukas Litzsinger, FFG)

25:04 - Radlands (2021, Daniel Piechnik, Roxley)

100 games before you die:

32:36 - The Castles of Burgundy (2011, Stefan Feld, alea)

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

Topic:

38:59 - IP in 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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#79 Date Night Game Night Feb 10, 2026

Show notes

Don't listen to this one in a public setting, it might just make you blush... from all the anger you're experiencing at our incapacity to produce a successful date. It's telling that we're so capable of making dates uncomfortable but can't make a good one happen even when we sit down and brainstorm for half an hour.

Hot Dr Pepper https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIRnM6s4GNo

Games we played:

3:15 - City of the Big Shoulders (2019, Raymond Chandler III, Parallel)

7:41 - Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza (2018, Dave Campbell II, Dolphin Hat)

14:05 - Lords of Vegas (2010, James Ernest & Mike Selinker, Mayfair)

18:10 - Balderdash (1984, Laura Robinson & Paul Toyne, Mattel)

100 games before you die:

23:25 - The 7th Continent (2017, Ludovic Roudy, Serious Poulp)

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

Topic:

27:00 - Date Night Game Night

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#78 Chess & Other Games Feb 03, 2026

Show notes

What if I told you there were more games than just Tiddlywinks and hitting a ball with a stick? Today we explore the wild world of board gaming or "tabletop gaming" as some people "in the hobby" call it. It turns out that board games have gotten pretty interesting and complicated since we were kids. Move over dice and spinners and say hello to Death Note moments and piss cubes. There's a new sheriff in town and their name is Food Chain Magnate!

4:19 - Some News:

Upper Deck Harry Potter IP, help out and stay posted with Block Collective https://bsky.app/profile/blockcollectives.bsky.social/post/3mcmvptpv4c2h

BGG Hall of Fame adds Puerto Rico and Terraforming Mars, 3MBG person-focused Hall of Fame https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eMtH7370xQ

Sam Healey statements and Dice Tower lack of response https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2026/01/30/veteran-dice-tower-reviewer-sam-healey-resigns-in-wake-of-saying-alex-pretti-renee-good-to-blame-for-ice-killing-them-after-comments-began-impacting-review-giants-annual-pledge-drive/

Games we played:

13:02 - Welcome To... (2018, Benoit Turpin, Blue Cocker)

18:48 - Dungeon Fighter (2011, Aureliano Buonfino & Lorenzo Silva & Lorenzo Tucci Sorrentino, Iello)

23:06 - Great Plains (2021, Trevor Benjamin & Brett J. Gilbert, Lookout)

26:08 - Unsettled (2021, Tom Mattson & Marc Neidlinger, Orange Nebula)

100 games before you die:

33:42 - Blood Rage (2015, Eric M Lang, CMON)

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

Topic:

36:56 - Chess & Other 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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#77 The Monopoly Killer Showdown Jan 27, 2026

Show notes

I don't think you're going to like how the bracket goes. Not one bit. But hey, it's Shelf Stable. We're all about antagonizing our lovely, lovely audience. If you got new holes in your walls, new hair off your head, new ulcers in your tummy... you're welcome.

Games we played:

2:23 - Bohnanza (1997, Uwe Rosenberg, Rio Grande)

7:50 - Magical Athlete (2003 & 2025, Takashi Ishida & Richard Garfield, CMYK)

11:53 - Faiyum (2020, Friedemann Friese, 2F-Spiele)

15:39 - Riichi Mahjong (1920, Uncredited, Public Domain)

100 games before you die:

23:34 - Five Tribes The Djinns of Naqala (2014, Bruno Cathala, Days of Wonder)

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

Topic:

27:59 - The Monopoly Killer Showdown

The Final Bracket [SPOILERS] https://challonge.com/wridaixb

Songs: