Shelf Stable: A Board Game Podcast

Latest Episodes:

#46 Free to Play Jun 24, 2025

Show notes

Psst... Hey kid. Get over here. I heard you like games. Get a load of these bad babies. We got all kinds. Dexterity role playing. Social deduction consims. Tom's sexy dice. I tell you what, first one's on me. You take this one home and you play it with your family. Tell 'em old Ken is selling. And if you snitch I'll getcha. Now scram.

Games we played:

4:38 - Filipino Fruit Market (2009, Peer Sylvester, New Games Order)

8:32 - Echidna Shuffle (2018, Damon S Brown & Mike Raabe, Wattsalpoag)

14:18 - La Granja (2014, Michael Keller & Andreas Odendahl, Spielworxx)

22:48 - Ticket to Ride (2004, Alan R Moon, Days of Wonder)

No Pun Included Ticket to Ride replacements https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mygoxQgo8PM

100 games before you die:

27:14 - Captain Sonar (2016, Roberto Fraga & Yohan Lemonnier, Matagot)

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

Topic:

33:25 - Free to Play

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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#45 Toy Factor Jun 17, 2025

Show notes

Tom may have had some weird takes, but he was a good person. Today we honor his memory as he would have wanted us to: by participating in the unholy ritual he bestowed upon the listenership on that fateful June morning. Please join me in assembling our 7000+ Millennium Falcons and inserting our XXXL Bad Dragons in honor of all that is TOY...

Cold open, map of music genres https://everynoise.com

Games we played:

4:35 - Hundreds of Horses (2015, Forrest-Pruzan Creative, Ravensburger)

9:52 - Nyakuza (2014, Reiner Knizia, CMON)

17:24 - Hansa Teutonica (2009, Andreas Steding, Argentum Verlag)

23:00 - No Limit Texas Dreidel (2007, Jennie Rivlin & Webb Roberts, ModernTribe)

100 games before you die:

28:43 - Between Two Castles of Mad King Ludwig (2018, Matthew O'Malley & Ben Rosset, Stonemaier)

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

Topic:

35:31 - Toy Factor

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

#44 Five Games for Doomsday Jun 10, 2025

Show notes

Just a hypothetical. Tom and Kenny can neither confirm nor deny that there is an impending robot invasion. Prepare you bodies with meat-grinder-proof materials and essences. Drop the Gloomhavens; too heavy. MREs only for the rest of time. Hope you like veggie lasagna and instant coffee type II.

Games we played:

4:04 - Millennium Blades (2016, D. Brad Talton, Jr., Level 99)

8:44 - Cathedral (1979, Robert P Moore, Family Games)

12:07 - Race for the Galaxy (2007, Thomas Lehmann, Rio Grande)

17:18 - Montage (1973, Joli Quentin Kansil & Rick Soued, Gryphon)

100 games before you die:

26:13 - Dominion (2008, Donald X. Vaccarino, Rio Grande)

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

Topic:

31:37 - Five Games for Doomsday

Intellectual saves games in a house fire https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3304966/what-board-games-would-you-save-in-a-house-fire

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

#43 The Wildest Games We Know Jun 03, 2025

Show notes

I can't wait for the sick and twisted fan that is going to mash up all the games we talk about on this episode into one big megagame. It takes 72 hours to play and if you die in the game, you die in real life. Bring it on, we were born for this. I'll get my duel disc and we can hit the playground after school. 0-2 players, nose snakes included.

Games we played:

3:04 - Sentient (2017, J. Alex Kevern, Renegade)

7:45 - Cardline: Globetrotter (2013 og2010, Frederic Henry, Asmodee)

14:40 - Domaine (2003, Klaus Teuber, KOSMOS)

22:13 - Lords of Waterdeep (2012, Peter Lee & Rodney Thompson, WotC)

100 games before you die:

30:05 - PARKS (2019, Henry Audubon, Keymaster)

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

Topic:

34:36 - The Wildest Games We Know

The full list of games prepared https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/358776/the-wildest-games-we-know

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

#42 Fandom Games May 27, 2025

Show notes

Step into the world of fandom. As a child I witnessed the death of my parents at the hands of Twilight Imperium, but avenged them by playing hundreds of games of Netrunner. Now, as an adult, I only wager fair uses of my power by battling in unnecessarily elaborate forum posts. Every time my opponent goes off topic, I reset the thread on them. This is justice. This is... the true fan's world.

Games we played:

4:33 - Caylus 1303 (2019 og2005, William Attia, Space Cowboys)

9:15 - Texas Hold 'Em (1810, Uncredited, Public Domain)

15:45 - Aeon's End (2016, Jenny Iglesias & Nick Little & Kevin Riley, Indie Boards & Cards)

26:38 - Yokohama Duel (2018, Hisashi Hayashi, Tasty Minstrel)

100 games before you die:

31:01 - Scrabble (1948, Alfred Mosher Butts, Hasbro)

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

Amabel Holland video on word games https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWteJW-wYas

Topic:

38:22 - Fandom 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

#41 ft. Cole Wehrle, Board Game Organization May 20, 2025

Show notes

Kenny and Tom wearing extremely oversized diamond helmets: "if you think your voice or talking point comprehensively captures the beauty and desirability of Monopoly DEAL, send a note to yomomma@gmail.com"

7:21 - Intro: Cole Wehrle

7:50 - We Have to Know!

Images mentioned https://imgur.com/a/ZrrpvBA

Games we played:

52:16 - Virgin Queen (2012, Ed Beach, GMT)

Rain World https://store.steampowered.com/app/312520/Rain_World/

Topic:

1:04:43 - Board Game Organization

Amabel Holland on bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/amabel.bsky.social

Dan interview with Jo Kelly https://spacebiff.com/2025/03/25/sbsc-45-jo-kelly/

Where to find Cole:

https://bsky.app/profile/colewehrle.bsky.social

https://wehrlegig.com/

https://ledergames.com/

Songs:

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

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

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

#40 Language Independent Design May 13, 2025

Show notes

Now you might think that this was a joint sponsorship between IHOP and Grindr, but what if I told you we were receiving $0 from both businesses and just got really fixated on this one bit? Finding it hard to believe? We are too.

Games we played:

6:08 - Stone Age (2008, Bernd Brunnhofer, Z-Man)

10:33 - Carcassonne The Castle (2003, Reiner Knizia and Klaus Jurgen-Wrede, Hans im Gluck)

17:45 - Wavelength (2019, Alex Hague & Justin Vickers & Wolfgang Warsch, CMYK)

22:24 - ...and then, we held hands (2015, David Chircop & Todd Sanders, LudiCreations)

100 games before you die:

28:41 - Chronicles of Crime (2018, David Cicurel, Lucky Duck)

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

Topic:

31:42 - Language Independent Design

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

Microbadge! https://boardgamegeek.com/microbadge/58007

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

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

#39 Bad vs Not for Me May 06, 2025

Show notes

Has anyone heard Bad Bunny's lesser known cousin, Not For Me Bunny? They play Killer Bunnies at the Hooters Ranch with all the Hooters Bunnies err... Owls. God, the idea of playing Tentacle Bento with Tom in a Hooters continues to send shivers down my spine.

Games we played:

3:31 - Hey, That's My Fish! (2003, Günter Cornett & Alvydas Jakeliunas, Mayfair)

8:04 - Shaky Manor (2017, Asger Harding Granerud & Daniel Skjold Pedersen, Blue Orange)

14:05 - Orleans (2014, Reiner Stockhausen, dlp)

22:21 - Modern Art (1992, Reiner Knizia, Mayfair)

100 games before you die:

30:41 - Backgammon (1630, Uncredited, Public Domain)

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

Topic:

35:20 - Bad vs Not for Me

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

Microbadge! https://boardgamegeek.com/microbadge/58007

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

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

#38 The Teach Apr 29, 2025

Show notes

The Teach: noun, when Tom and Kenny yell at you while skipping all the important rules. They then proceed to beat you to a pulp with a hand tied behind their back while repeating "get good" over and over. I don't understand why everyone is always complaining about the way we teach games. Kids have it so easy these days. They just watch Tom Vasel advertise his Excedra pain medication and think they know how to play stuff. Shoot, I haven't made a Kung Pow reference yet. Um... ah... That's a lot of nuts? Is that good enough producers? Please don't fire me.

Games we played:

4:31 - Valley of the Kings (2014, Tom Cleaver, AEG)

13:34 - Zendo (2001, Kory Heath & Andrew Looney, Looney Labs)

19:57 - Nyctophobia: Vampire Encounter (2018, Catherine Stippell, Pandasaurus)

26:31 - La Boca (2013, Inka & Markus Brand, KOSMOS)

100 games before you die:

32:05 - Quacks (2018, Wolfgang Warsch, CMYK)

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

Topic:

38:07 - The Teach

SUSD Mastering the Teach https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5fjDaFuft8

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

Microbadge! https://boardgamegeek.com/microbadge/58007

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

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

#37 Playing Through Your Shelf of Shame Apr 22, 2025

Show notes

Playing your unplayed games is fairly simple: Article I, code blue, section A, step / phase 1) determine if said game is still desirable. For determining desirability please reference Appendix 2, section D. For definition of desirability please reference glossary of terms in the D&D monster manual under "anthropomorphic animals".

For those who want the tips but can't be bothered to listen: just play the games. Easy. It's like the board game equivalent of "if you're depressed, just be happy". Works like a charm every time.

Games we played:

4:43 - Finca (2009, Wolfgang Sentker and Ralf zur Linde, Hans im Glück)

11:02 - Fields of Arle (2014, Uwe Rosenberg, Z-Man)

19:05 - Dominion (2008, Donald X. Vaccarino, Rio Grande)

23:57 - Renature (2020, Michael Kiesling and Wolfgang Kramer, Pegasus Spiele)

100 games before you die:

30:44 - Carcassonne (2000, Klaus-Jürgen Wrede, Hans im Glück)

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

Topic:

34:44 - Playing Through Your Shelf of Shame

How I Finished My Gaming Backlog https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuszSUI_qBY

How to Recognize a Terrible Anime https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G30xZxJLR8U