Shelf Stable: A Board Game Podcast

Latest Episodes:

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

Show notes

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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#65 Characteristics of Games Pt. 1 Nov 04, 2025

Show notes

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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#64 Kiki or Bouba Oct 28, 2025

Show notes

Brace yourself. It's not like we typically make much sense anyway, but this one is around 60% words that are not present in any language. If you've been curious about trying out City of Six Moons, might I recommend listening to the second half of this episode as a sort of audiobook primer?

The worst volume slider uxdesign.cc/the-worst-volume-control-ui-in-the-world-60713dc86950?gi=c7b969c245cd

Arkhipov Day https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasily_Arkhipov

Games we played:

4:50 - Billabong (1992, Eric Solomon, SimplyFun)

9:37 - Spynet (2017, Richard Garfield, Z-Man)

14:02 - 18MS: The Railroads Come to Mississippi (2020, Mark Derrick, All-Aboard)

18:07 - Seas of Strife (2015, Mark Major, AMIGO)

100 games before you die:

21:36 - Lords of Waterdeep (2012, Peter Lee and Rodney Thompson, WotC)

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

Topic:

26:00 - Kiki or Bouba

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bouba/kiki_effect

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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#63 ft. Emily Roser, Poking the Bear Oct 21, 2025

Show notes

Yogurt is fully stocked

ZAW sales are through the roof

Gougar is on your tail

The bear is going "Pooh!"

~ Run the Jewels

6:50 - Intro: Emily Roser

11:45 - We Have to Know!

Kingdom Hearts question https://www.reddit.com/r/KingdomHearts/comments/onuvx9/can_you_have_a_nobody_of_a_nobody

Games we played:

17:41 - ZAW (2020, Andrew Larkin, Self-Published)

https://www.facebook.com/ZAWGame

Topic:

25:03 - Poking the Bear

Gougar meme https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/utah-hiker-cougar-encounter-gougar

https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/002/423/532/16c.jpg

Where to find Emily: https://www.shutupandsitdown.com

https://www.youtube.com/@EmilyandThings

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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#62 The Impossible Board Game Standard Oct 14, 2025

Show notes

Thank goodness, they finally came up with THE definitive guide to how to do everything. Is this what the whole Hitchhiker's Guide 42 thing was all about? Was it cones... cones everywhere? Maybe kiki? Maybe bouba? Please Dick, hang in there, we're sending you good vibes. Let me know if you have any questions about Through the Ages. I know it can be a bear to learn and I'm not convinced that the stepped rule book is as effective as people claim.

Games we played:

4:44 - Startups (2017, Jun Sasaki, Oink)

10:55 - Decrypto (2018, Thomas Dagenais-Lespérance, Scorpion Masque)

18:39 - Magical Athlete (2025 og2003, Takashi Ishida & Richard Garfield, CMYK)

23:53 - Go Low Card Game (2019, Uncredited, University Games)

100 games before you die:

27:28 - Dungeons & Dragons (1974, Gary Gygax & Dave Arneson, TSR)

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

Topic:

32:41 - The Impossible Board Game Standard

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

#61 Good Game but X Oct 07, 2025

Show notes

Let's get that stank off of these games. Somebody has been duking it up in here and we know SDJ will not settle for a stinky title. This week is all about stank and how to remove it from otherwise good games.

Games we played:

4:30 - Ginkgopolis (2012, Xavier Georges, Pearl)

11:33 - Automania (2015, Kenneth Minde & Kristian Amundsen Østby, Aporta Games)

17:59 - Age of Steam (2002, John Bohrer & Martin Wallace, Eagle-Gryphon)

https://therewillbe.games/news-newsflashes/1447-the-age-of-steam-legal-dispute-explained

23:05 - Tiny Towns (2019, Peter McPherson, AEG)

100 games before you die:

29:09 - Texas Hold 'Em (1810, Uncredited, Public Domain)

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

Topic:

33:23 - Good Game but X

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

#60 Ethical Consumption of Board Games Sep 30, 2025

Show notes

Somebody thought it was a good idea to put "board games" in the title for this week's episode when we talk about literally everything but board games. I hope you like the movie Groundhog Day because the main topic is the long awaited sequel where two Bill Murrays argue about stealing a copy of Yokai Septet.

Games we played:

4:17 - Yokai Septet (2018 og2015, Muneyuki Yokouchi, Ninja Star)

9:27 - Craps (1125, Uncredited, Public Domain)

15:59 - Scape Goat (2020, Jon Perry, Indie Boards & Cards)

20:07 - Fugitive (2017, Tim Fowers, Fowers Games)

100 games before you die:

23:47 - The Search for Planet X (2020, Matthew O'Malley & Ben Rosset, Renegade)

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

Topic:

30:20 - Ethical Consumption of Board 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

#59 Why Kickstarter is Actually Okay Sep 24, 2025

Show notes

If you give a mouse a cookie, he's going to ask you for a niche board game. When you give him the board game, he'll ask for deluxe components. When you make him the components, he'll ask where the stretch goals are. When you invent some stretch goals, he'll tell you that this platform has gotten out of hand. And then he'll be thirsty from all his yapping so he'll ask for a glass of milk. And chances are if he asks for a glass of milk...

Games we played:

4:25 - Durian (2020, Masato Uesugi, Oink)

8:31 - Schotten Totten (1999, Reiner Knizia, Iello)

13:46 - Shikoku 1889 (2004, Yasutaka Ikeda, Grand Trunk)

20:28 - Magic Maze (2017, Kasper Lapp, Sit Down!)

100 games before you die:

25:19 - Pandemic (2008, Matt Leacock, Z-Man)

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

Topic:

32:31 - Why Kickstarter is Actually Okay

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

#58 What Makes Games Funny Sep 16, 2025

Show notes

New from LocalThunk, comes a game like no other: YukMaker. Navigate through seven intense rounds of piecing together bits to raise your clout-level. Engage in memefarming to max out your riz mult all while avoiding deadly cringe.

Games we played:

7:34 - Igloo Pop (2003, Heinz Meister & Klaus Zoch, Rio Grande)

11:12 - Aeon's End (2016, Jenny Iglesias & Nick Little & Kevin Riley, Indie Board and Cards)

16:02 - Seas of Strife (2017, Mark Major, Rio Grande)

20:56 - Project L (2020, Michal Mikes & Jan Soukal & Adam Spanel, Boardcubator)

100 games before you die:

24:44 - Under Falling Skies (2020 og2019, Tomáš Uhlíř, CGE)

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

Topic:

29:45 - What Makes Games Funny?

SU&SD Agricola is Funny https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ojqjk5k9sA

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

#57 ft. Paula Deming, Women in Gaming Sep 09, 2025

Show notes

You heard it here first folks: Paula most definitely eats strawberries whole. Stem and all. It's a way to compensate for her shellfish allergy. Also, Dogman isn't real.

3:29 - Intro: Paula Deming

6:59 - We Have to Know!

Games we played:

15:16 - Las Vegas (2012, Rüdiger Dorn, alea)

Editorial note - in post, I discovered that the "Royale" joke was not my own but subconsciously stolen from Mark Bigney of SVWAG https://www.spreaker.com/episode/102-imperial-2030--22141196 Apologies, and credit where credit is due.

Topic:

28:34 - Women in Gaming

Amabel Holland on the Landlord's Game https://youtu.be/wG4zLcKsCiA?feature=shared

Elizabeth Hargrave stats https://bsky.app/profile/elizhargrave.bsky.social/post/3ly25x3cez227

Games by Women & People of Marginalized Genders https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/297088/games-by-women-and-people-of-marginalized-genders

Where to find Paula: https://www.youtube.com/paulademing

https://thisgameisbroken.libsyn.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