What if I told you there were more games than just Tiddlywinks and hitting a ball with a stick? Today we explore the wild world of board gaming or "tabletop gaming" as some people "in the hobby" call it. It turns out that board games have gotten pretty interesting and complicated since we were kids. Move over dice and spinners and say hello to Death Note moments and piss cubes. There's a new sheriff in town and their name is Food Chain Magnate!

4:19 - Some News:

Upper Deck Harry Potter IP, help out and stay posted with Block Collective https://bsky.app/profile/blockcollectives.bsky.social/post/3mcmvptpv4c2h

BGG Hall of Fame adds Puerto Rico and Terraforming Mars, 3MBG person-focused Hall of Fame https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eMtH7370xQ

Sam Healey statements and Dice Tower lack of response https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2026/01/30/veteran-dice-tower-reviewer-sam-healey-resigns-in-wake-of-saying-alex-pretti-renee-good-to-blame-for-ice-killing-them-after-comments-began-impacting-review-giants-annual-pledge-drive/

Games we played:

13:02 - Welcome To... (2018, Benoit Turpin, Blue Cocker)

18:48 - Dungeon Fighter (2011, Aureliano Buonfino & Lorenzo Silva & Lorenzo Tucci Sorrentino, Iello)

23:06 - Great Plains (2021, Trevor Benjamin & Brett J. Gilbert, Lookout)

26:08 - Unsettled (2021, Tom Mattson & Marc Neidlinger, Orange Nebula)

100 games before you die:

33:42 - Blood Rage (2015, Eric M Lang, CMON)

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

Topic:

36:56 - Chess & Other 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

I don't think you're going to like how the bracket goes. Not one bit. But hey, it's Shelf Stable. We're all about antagonizing our lovely, lovely audience. If you got new holes in your walls, new hair off your head, new ulcers in your tummy... you're welcome.

Games we played:

2:23 - Bohnanza (1997, Uwe Rosenberg, Rio Grande)

7:50 - Magical Athlete (2003 & 2025, Takashi Ishida & Richard Garfield, CMYK)

11:53 - Faiyum (2020, Friedemann Friese, 2F-Spiele)

15:39 - Riichi Mahjong (1920, Uncredited, Public Domain)

100 games before you die:

23:34 - Five Tribes The Djinns of Naqala (2014, Bruno Cathala, Days of Wonder)

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

Topic:

27:59 - The Monopoly Killer Showdown

The Final Bracket [SPOILERS] https://challonge.com/wridaixb

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

We continue our observation of tall serious character and short crazy character in the third part of our study. Short character most definitely thinks everyone should embrace the rolling teach while tall character implores short character to have some empathy. The female spider then consume's the male's head to sustain her body during the birthing of the many thousands of offspring.

Games we played:

7:49 - Botswana aka Wildlife Safari (1994, Reiner Knizia, 25th Century)

Kenny's question about eating board game pieces https://podcastaddict.com/but-why-vikings/episode/214541461

13:16 - Cross Clues (2020, Gregory Grard, Blue Orange)

17:19 - The Bottle Imp (1995, Günter Cornett, Matagot)

22:03 - Hearts (1850, Uncredited, Public Domain)

100 games before you die:

26:16 - Wabash Cannonball aka Chicago Express (2007, John Bohrer, Winsome)

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

Topic:

30:09 - Characteristics of Games Pt. 3 (chapters 3-5)

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

Not like that! We got another one. What is it with kids these days chowing down on Azul pieces? When we said crunch, we meant the brain ya dingus! Use your noggin and crunch what we're spitting, metaphorically. And please, don't make us have to call another ambulance. Castle Pandemic has enough patients as it is.

Games we played:

2:51 - The Estates (2018, Klaus Zoch, Capstone)

7:40 - Cat in the Box (2020, Muneyuki Yokouchi, Bezier Games og Ayatsurare Ningyoukan)

11:55 - Bargain Hunter (1998, Uwe Rosenberg, Valley Games)

16:13 - Castle Panic (2009, Justin De Witt, Fireside Games)

100 games before you die:

19:46 - Innovation (2010, Carl Chudyk, Asmadi)

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

Topic:

24:44 - Crunchy

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

December 31, 2026. Tom has the build of that one doge meme. Regular body. Swollen, muscular arms. Kenny qualifies every board game comment by stating the number of plays and that he needs to play it more. Neither has purchased a game in two years. They don't even play board games anymore. They just talk about gooning to Twilight Imperium videos.

Games we played:

4:15 - Twilight Imperium Fourth Edition (2017, Dane Beltrami & Corey Konieczka & Christian T. Petersen, Fantasy Flight)

12:06 - Toddles-Bobbles (2010, Alena Lebedeva, Simple Rules)

14:42 - Fine Sand (2018, Friedemann Friese, 2F-Spiele)

17:11 - LLAMA (2019, Reiner Knizia, AMIGO)

100 games before you die:

20:32 - Clank! Legacy Acquisitions Incorporated (2019, Andy Clautice & Paul Dennen, Dire Wolf)

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

Topic:

24:32 - Resolutions

Tom's 2026 resolution bingo https://imgur.com/a/3EE56xE

48:38 - The Pantry

https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/350266/shelf-stable-the-pantry

The Pantry is always accesible from the Shelf Stable website in the "About" section. The "About" also includes a searchable list of all the "games we played" segments with episode numbers, an FAQ covering our editorial policy, and a glossary of our most scuffed bits. https://shelfstablecast.com/about

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

It feels good to move these old bones. Let us rejoice by consuming and expelling media in the only way we know how: listicles. Listicles everywhere. Spilling the final blood of a year that we are ready to kick into the past like a horse that does not wish to be ridden.

Year In Review v25

7:22 - Top games we played

18:35 - Bottom games we played

22:08 - Unexpected and got rid of

32:25 - Lookback at 2020

49:33 - Outside the scope

55:13 - Predictions 2025

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

*Give or take the games we mentioned before the main topic.

As Tom begins to close in on Kenny's position, a wild Eize Basa of Twitter (RIP) and now Bluesky fame (https://bsky.app/profile/eizebasa.baby) appears and distracts Tom with a fantastic list of games that every family is sure to enjoy during their holiday gatherings. No need for family arguments when you've got board games to play!

Games we played:

8:06 - Win, Lose, or Banana (2009, Chris Cieslik, Asmadi)

11:34 - Twilight Struggle (2005, Ananda Gupta, Jason Matthews, GMT)

19:15 - Azul (aka, "The Christmas Game") (2017, Michael Kiesling, Next Move)

23:45 - Texas Hold 'Em (1950-something, Felton "Corky" McCorquodale, Public Domain)

100 Games To Play Before You Die:

34:41 - ZERTZ (and YINSH) (1999, Kris Brum, Huch)

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

Topic (the real Meat and Potatoes):

42:26 - 8 or 9 Games to play during the holidays

Bibliography:

Follow Eize Basa on BlueSky! - https://bsky.app/profile/eizebasa.baby

Follow us on BlueSky! - https://linktr.ee/shelfstablecast

"How Does Dobble (Spot it!) Work?" by Stand Up Maths - https://youtu.be/VTDKqW_GLkw?si=CGlVrMalHC7eIGAK

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

This week, Taylor Allen of Shelf Stable canon fame helps Tom Bowers continue the quest to find Kenny after his mysterious disappearance. Will they manage to get away from complaining about Quacks and Final Girl long enough to find any solid clues? Or will they instead alienate their audience with discussions about Magic the Gathering and Jojo's Bizarre Adventure? The only way to know is to tune in...

Games we played:

8:19 - Hansa Teutonica (2009, Andreas Steding, Z-Man Games)

13:13 - Aboretum (2015, Dan Cassar, Renegade Game Studios)

100 Games To Play Before You Die:

20:28 - Letters from Whitechapel (2011, Gabriele Mari, Gianluca Santopietro, Fantasy Flight Games)

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

Topic (the real Meat and Potatoes):

27:06 - The BoardGameGeek Top 100 Reviewed

Bibliography:

Follow us on BlueSky! - https://linktr.ee/shelfstablecast

"Money Please" (Parks and Rec) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGvWbsTDPHU

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Jack the Ripper comes out of a horse (Trigger warning: gore, animal cruelty) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCRcKpewpZQ

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