What's Your Reset Game?

Lately, I've been in a rut for playing board games, even just solo. For anything. Some games I've only played a handful of times, so I know I'd have to re-learn the rules a bit. Others, I knew how to play, but just didn't really feel like it at the time. And then I wondered to myself, "If I had to restart my vigor for the hobby, what would my reset game be?" And then I found out it was probably the same game that gotten me INTO the hobby - the original Pandemic, a game I've talked about profusely on this site.

I'm a Board Game Bear

It's starting to get to me again: the lack of board games being played, no time to play them or with others. And while I've come to terms with this arrangement, justifying that personal life tops all else, I still feel there's possibly another reason for this dry spell. I may be grasping at straws here, but hear me out: what if my body's self-preserving my hobby by reducing its intake?

A Board Game That Took 5 Years to Acquire

In my infantile board game years way back in 2012, I had just discovered Shut Up & Sit Down, a British board game review site that created episodic content reviewing interesting board games. Upon finally catching up to their series of episodes, I came across episode 3 from season 2, where roughly at the 17-minute mark, Paul and Quinns scale a seemingly-endless spiral staircase reviewing The Isle of Doctor Necreaux.

Board Games Caring for You

I audibly let out a sigh of relief.

My First Boardgame Flea Market

Selling board games - or ANYTHING for that matter - is a new experience for me. What started as a general collection of anything cardboard and meeple grew to something that I never thought I would have to manage, and yet here I was, sorting out what I decide to keep and sell, what prices to set them at, and how to negotiate when the asking price is not what I started with. Even all the thought and process to sort and separate the games that I'm willing to part with deserves its own article for a future post, so I'll just discuss my first time attending a board game flea market near my area.

Location

The flea market was being held in Game Kastle, specifically the Mountain View location. It's not a board game store I frequent as much due to distance, but its playing area size is VERY impressive, big enough for internal, air-conditioned flea markets. I knew it was big, but to see so many people barter their goods in a comfortable and open setting was pleasant. In my mind, however, I didn't expect it to be as dense as I saw it that morning. Rewind to an hour before it opens...

KublaCon 2017 Re-cap

I'm unable to attend many more well-known board game conventions because of family and work obligations, but there's one that I reserve one day of the year to attend, and that's the one closest to me - KublaCon.

Yes, you heard me. One day. Because it's only really just me going, and I feel bad already for leaving my wife to handle the kids on her own. But one day a year for myself is more than enough for me to indulge in my favorite hobby, and believe me when I say I make the most of it. 2017 marks the 4th year in a row I've been doing this attending-one-day con, and I always get excited for it, as much as anyone who's able to attend a full every-single-day big-name board game convention. For me this year, though, it's all about the friends, the games, the craft, and the score.

A Cull-mination of Thoughts

There's always a reason.

"The designer is my favorite." "The gameplay is up my alley." "I love the theme." "I really want to play this with my friends." "It has solo, so I think I'll enjoy it."

Years ago, games accumulated into my possession like a flood, drenching me in cardboard and meeples on a rather consistent basis. My collection grew to a point, and now it sorta...sits there. Waiting for that group to come over and play. Or to be brought over to someone's house to open up.

Nowadays, I'm much wiser in my purchases, only buying what I know will get to the table more often. But that wall still beckons me, reminds me of what I was, what I used to be. In a small way, it haunts me, teasing that I'll never find the ideal group of friends to share my joy with, that all this was bought for nothing.

Denial's a powerful thing, and probably the only thing holding my collection in stasis. But maybe it's time to let go. It'll have to be a step-by-step process, though...

Boardgaming Apps Coming 'Round the Bend

Boardgame Apps are now nearly as frequent as the physical copies, with their digital boxes adorning our phone spaces. For some, these apps are a cheaper alternative to acquiring the physical copy, allowing for faster setup and learning on-the-go. For others, the app is complimentary to their existing physical copy, and, at times, totally eclipses physical play altogether.

Recently, however, I've felt a new effect - actually wanting to get or play the physical game.

And...My Most Played Game of 2016 is...

[We now return you to the re-broadcast of the 2016 Willie Awards already in progress.]

*Dramatic drumroll*

*Rips open envelope*...THE CASTLES OF BURGUNDY: THE CARD GAME!

*Surprise applause*

Since they're out at this time, I'd like to accept this award and say a few words on behalf of this game.

A Challenge to Play Games, or A Challenge FOR Games?

I've earnestly tried to focus my board gaming towards completing my solo challenges before the year's end. Sure, there are other games I play that are not on my list, but overall I want to steer towards the plays that will count. But as I get the plays in, I'd sometimes throw in a couple more on the same night, just for quantity's sake. And the reception's been...lukewarm?

2017 Challenges - First Third of the Year Progress

A third of 2017 has already zoomed past, and it's been more than 120 days since I started those two challenges for myself - the 10x10 Solo Dice Chuckers and 10x1 Solo Heavy Games! Where do I stand in both?

Challenging the 10x10 Challenge in 2017

Until recently, I've dismissed the 10x10 Challenge. It was hard enough for me to gather people to play a game, let alone play it 10 times within the year. But I looked at it all wrong. If 2016 was any indicator, I clearly played a lot more solo games. So, it'd make more sense to make a solo 10x10 Challenge for myself. HECK, WHY NOT MAKE TWO?? Well, not exactly...but thanks to the BGStats App (they did NOT pay me to say this), issuing a challenge or two is as simple as tapping a screeWHOA I DIDN'T MEAN TO LAUNCH THAT STOP STOP THIS NO-

Board Game Media to Support: No Pun Included

Right, how can I start this awesome, awesome article about one of the best board game media reviews, No Pun Included?