We kick off 2026 by looking back 20 years to 2006. What were we up to, and what were we playing? Plus, a question from the mailbag, and a new collection of Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops.
Every so often, a set of games lands on the table that feels like a curated journey through time and that is what we got in this episode. First up is Night Soil where we are basically poop pushers through the streets of London in the 15th century. This game cleverly challenges players with a worker placement style of game that can fill both rewarding and frustrating at the same time.
Then comes Tulip Bubble, which flips the tone entirely. Gone is the damp, stinky sewers—now you’re in the bustling markets of 17th‑century Holland, chasing fortunes in the most famous economic bubble in history. The game thrives on timing, speculation, and reading your opponents as much as the market itself. Prices rise, collapse, and ricochet with emotional volatility, and every round feels like a miniature psychological standoff. It’s fast, sharp, and deliciously stressful in the best way.
Rounding out the games are Mini Express and Ichor, two games that couldn’t be more different yet both deliver rich strategic tension. Mini Express is a lean, elegant rail game built on shared incentives: every track you lay and every share you take strengthens someone else as much as you. It’s a puzzle of timing, tempo, and subtle positioning. Ichor, on the other hand, plunges players into a Greek mythology world where asymmetric power challenges players in an Othello style game. Its resource‑driven push‑and‑pull creates a brooding atmosphere, rewarding ambition while constantly reminding you that brillant flashes of strategy can suddenly disappear before your next turn. Together, these four games form a wonderfully varied journey each offering its own flavor of tension and delight.
Join Conor, Lauren and Adrian as they ring in the new year with a whole lot of new games. Adrian recalls his experience with the Exit Advent Calendar - the experience really opened some doors for him. Conor really embraces the theme of Crusaders as he focuses on expansion, giving a Devine take with Crusaders: Thy Will Be Done - Divine Influence. Lauren is playing a delightfully simple game that makes her want to gabber on, nay, sing, with Botswana.
Then we round of with a very spirited question of the pod discussion, and finish off with what has us fired up!
Question of the Pod: What games would you like to see at Play Con, and why would you like to see them there?
Timestamps:
Games we’ve been playing [0:01:52]
Crusaders: The Will Be Done - Divine Influence [0:33:27]
Exit: The game - Advent Calendar: The Magic of Christmas [0:44:25]
Botswana [0:52:29]
Question of the Pod [1:00:27]
Fired Up! [1:21:21]
SPONSORS
Our podcast is proudly sponsored by Advent Games and More Than Meeples. Advent Games is an Australian online board game store based in Sydney, NSW. http://www.adventgames.com.au/
PATREON
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Anmelden
