88 - Top 3 Games We Missed in 2021

Sometimes, a game doesn't need a fancy story or illustrations or any sort of theme. For some games, gameplay is everything.

In this episode, the Innkeepers are taking a look at abstract strategy games—games where it's just the players, the pieces, and the board between them. Some of these games go WAAAAY back.

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Do you have a favorite abstract strategy game? We'd love to hear about it! What Top 3 list would you like us to try in the future? We'd love to know that, too! Let us know at innkeeperstablepodcast@gmail.com.

Who was the mysterious woman about whom many of Shakespeare's sonnets are written? In this episode, Dylan tells Bill about a game about that very question. And not only is the theme interesting and unique—it's made specifically for solo play.

How shall we play it? Let us count the ways...

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Have you ever played Black Sonata? What was your experience like? What similar games would you suggest? And what games would you like us to spotlight in future episodes? Let us know at innkeeperstablepodcast@gmail.com.

Do you like maps? Do you like moving little dudes around on those maps? Then you probably like Dudes On a Map games! These are games where you're moving units around, conquering territories, and making strategic plays to defeat your denemies. In this episode, Dylan and Bill break down their favorite games in this genre.

Dude.

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What are your favorite Dudes On a Map games? What Top 3 list would you like The Innkeepers to take on in the future? Let us know at innkeeperstablepodcast@gmail.com!

With the cold spell that's been sweeping the United States lately, we thought it might be a good idea to discuss a cozy game all about making nice, warm quilts!

Have you played Patchwork? What did you think of it? What game would you like us to spotlight next? Let us know at innkeeperstablepodcast@gmail.com.

There's just something satisfying about starting with a very basic deck of cards (or pool of dice, or bag of tokens, etc...) in a game, then gradually building it to be a powerful collection of tools. In this episode, Dylan and Bill discuss their favorite games that use this simple but elegant mechanic.

Do you enjoy deckbuilders? What are some of your favorites? What Top 3 list would you like us to make in the future? Let us know at innkeeperstablepodcast@gmail.com!

Bring Your Own Book is a game that feels like it's flown under many people's radar, so we wanted to give it some love.

Have you ever played Bring Your Own Book? We'd love to hear some of your funny experiences with it! What games would you like us to spotlight in the future? Let us know at innkeeperstablepodcast@gmail.com!

Many gamers have that list of games they've bought but, somehow, still haven't ever gotten to the table, and the innkeepers are definitely no exception! In this episode, as we come to the end of 2023, Bill and Dylan list the top three games on their "shelves of shame" that they're really hoping to finally get to the table in 2024!

What games are you hoping to get off your shelf of shame soon? What Top 3 list would you like us to make next? Let us know at innkeeperstablepodcast@gmail.com!

Technically, Unlock is a series of games, but since they all follow the same mechanics, and you can only play each game once, we figured it was best to cover them as a unit!

Do you enjoy the Unlock series? Have you tried any other "Escape the Room" style games? What are your favorites? And what game do you think we should spotlight next? Let us know at innkeeperstablepodcast@gmail.com!

Bill and Dylan discuss their top picks when it comes to "gateway games" or "welcoming games"—the games that work well for people who are just barely discovering how deep the hobby gaming rabbit hole goes.

What's your favorite game in this category? Is there a specific Top 3 list you'd like us to make? Let us know at innkeeperstablepodcast@gmail.com!

Dylan and Bill spent last weekend at a small local convention. In this episode, they discuss the convention, some of the games they played, and how things went overall.

Do you have a board game convention that you enjoy? We'd love to hear your convention stories! Let us know at innkeeperstablepodcast@gmail.com!