This 3M "Bookshelf" game is one of my favorites from the series. Two players or four, there are some real challenges to look ahead a few moves and predict what might happen. It's also fun to play in a "cut throat" fashion...
About Games & Gaming
This collection of videos covers the history of games, publishers, and mechanics, as well as a touch of game theory and philosophy.
The Antique Game of “Contack” is Triangular Dominoes. Sort of.
The game of Contack was invented in 1938 by two entrepreneurs in Tulsa, Oklahoma and immediately licensed by Parker Brothers. Over the next 25 years (or more), it was a popular product in their catalog. It faded from the...
Puluc – A 2-player elimination game from the Ketchi Indians of Guatemala
Puluc (also called Boolik or Bul) is a running-fight board game originating in Mesoamerica, and is known particularly among several of the Maya peoples of Belize and the Guatemalan highlands. It's not known exactly when the...
A few words about “creative” packaging. (A bit of a rant.)
Something a little different from the Game Room this week. I have a lot of games. The collection is nearing 2,000 products now. The challenge has always been storage and retrieval. How are they stored, and can I get to a...
A Bazaar game! A fun and (dare I say it?) educational gem from Sid Sackson’s impressive catalog.
Bazaar is one of my favorites to play with family and friends. Simple to learn, easy to play, and challenging besides. A couple of notes from the editorial desk: 1. There's a third thing that can be done in each player's...
What’s a “workshop” game? Speedway 54 is a FREE family-style race using components you already own!
I really enjoy doing Game Workshops. Get a group of people together and invent some fun. I've done these at festivals and public events, and sometimes the results end up being pretty good. Speedway 54 is one of those games...
Wolf in the fold? A card game for aspiring shepherds in the audience – and everyone else, too!
Here's a great little family card game about growing a herd (OK, a "flock") of sheep while also protecting them from marauding wolves. At the same time, you ARE the marauding wolves, hindering the efforts of the other players....
Dominique is not dominos, but it is unique. A very fun abstract tile game from the 1980s!
For this episode, I pulled an abstract game out of the archives that I think deserves a replay. It's pretty simple on the surface, but competitive players will find quite a bit of depth here. On the other hand, it's easy for young kids to learn and have fun with, too....
How Milton Bradley saved us all and revolutionized the Board Game industry!
Milton Bradley's first board game was "The Checkered Game of Life" first published in 1861. Building upon the dice-dependent morality "games" of the previous century, he created a game that became the centerpiece of the Bradley catalog for generations. The game is...