Shelley and I tackle two Kickstarter games in odd-shaped boxes;

first we create our own towns in

Villagers by Haakon Gaarder from Sinister Fish

and then we take the band

On Tour by Chad DeShon from BoardGameTables.com

Shelley and I head to Japan to build different colored pagodas in

Tajuto by Reiner Knizia from Super Meeple and Abacusspiele

then we head to a world of wonderful trains that move the tourists and workers throughout different networks in

Traintopia by Przemek Wojtkowiak from Board&Dice

Shelley and I get to drawing some polyominoes in individual grids in

Second Chance by Uwe Rosenberg from Stronghold & Edition Spielwiese

then we compete to build our civilizations in

Tapestry by Jamey Stegmaier from Stonemaier Games

Shelley and I wander with our camels through the desert, attempting to reunite the nomad tribes in

Gobi by Shaun Graham and Scott Huntington from Capsicum Games

and then compete to plant and harvest the biggest crops of different types of fruit in

Harvest Island by Chih-Fan Chen from Big Fun Games

Shelley and I check out TWO EmperorS4 games this week. First, we get our gem-collecting hats on in order to advance along paths in

Trial of the Temples by Wei-Min Ling and Michael Mihealsick

then we gather gears and attempt to create mechanical beasts from blueprints in

Jiguan: The Eastern Mechanist by Eros Lin

Shelley and I head to Southern California to design and help both locals and tourists find a place to enjoy the beach and shops in

Santa Monica by Josh Wood from AEG

and then we work to help the meeples escape from the evil gamers who have enslaved them in

Save the Meeples by Florian Sirieix from Blue Cocker Games

Shelley and I get another 'draw and draw' game to the table, this time filling our papers with tetris-style pieces that represent landscapes in

Cartographers: A Roll Player Tale by Jordy Adan from Thunderworks Games

then we pull out one of our favorites to try out a new map and sail around some islands in the Mediterranean in

Concordia: Balearica & Cyprus by Mac Gerts from PD Verlag

Shelley and I compete over mandala designs in

Mandala by Trevor Benjamin and Brett J. Gilbert from Lookout Games and Funforge

and then we head back to our youth and compete to build the tunnel that connected England to the rest of Europe in

1987: Channel Tunnel by Israel Cendrero and Sheila Santos from Looping Games

Shelley and I get two flawed recent Kickstarter releases to the table this week, making tea in

Chai by Dan and Connie Kazmaier from Steeped Games

then head to the Sierra foothills for the gold rush in

Coloma by Jonny Pac from Final Frontier Games

Shelley and I travel around islands on pontoon planes in

Wayfinders by Thomas Dagenais-Lesperance from Pandasaurus Games

then we travel back in time and wander the Far East in

Marco Polo II: In The Service of the Khan by Daniele Tascini and Simone Luciani from Hans im Glück

Shelley and I have some fun with a quick and easy card game (that's better with MORE than 2 players)

5211 by Tsuyoshi Hashiguchi from Next Move Games

and then try a new twist on building rails across the United States in

Railroad Revolution: Railroad Evolution Expansion by Marco Canetta and Stefania Niccolini from What's Your Game?

Shelley and I head to Asia this week, planning a bike trip around Taiwan in

UBike Tour: Taiwan by Chih-Fan Chen from Big Fun Games

then travel around Kyoto and Singapore in

Remember Our Trip by Saashi and Daryl Chow from Saashi & Saashi

Shelley and I put on our hard hats and build up our two cities' electrical infrastructure in

Electropolis by Chang Yu Di, Ku Chun Wei, and Wang Liang from Homosapiens Lab

and then get out our binoculars and head 'outside' to collect birds in new European habitats in

Wingspan and its European Expansion by Elizabeth Hargrave from Stonemeier Games

Shelley and I enjoy another dicey roll & write with fireworks in

Lanterns Dice: Lights in the Sky by Chris Bryan from Foxtrot Games and Renegade Game Studios

and then we become masters at harvesting, making, and selling tea in

Formosa Tea by Chu-Lan Kao from Soso Studio and Tasty Minstrel Games

Shelley and I join Darwin on his scientific journeys around the Galapagos Islands for

On The Origin of Species by Gerard Ascensi and Ferran Renalias from Mont Taber

then drift through the clouds in hot air balloons to discover new lands in

Die Inseln im Nebel by Volker Schächtele from Schmidt Spiele

Shelley and I attempt to build up our Medieval cities to defend against invading hordes in

Paladins of the West Kingdom by Shem Philips and SJ Macdonald from Renegade Game Studios

then head to late 19th/early 20th century Paris to learn from the master painters and attempt to gain experience as an artist in

Colors of Paris by Nicolas De Oliveira from Super Meeple

Shelley and I find our way back to Renaissance Florence for a third version of Florenza, this time with DICE, in

Florenza Dice Game by Danilo Festa and Stefano Groppi from Post Scriptum and Placentia Games

and also take an extended journey through Medieval-esque realms to Newdale in

Expedition to Newdale by Alexander Pfister from Lookout Games

Shelley and I spend part of this week in southern France taking photos both from our scooter and with a drone in

Walking in Provence by Wei-Min Ling from Emperor S4

and then we head to ancient Egypt to gather resources and gain influence over the gods in

Pharaon by Sylas and Henri Pym from Catch Up Games

Shelley and I paint and sell our Impressionistic art to buyers in

Montmartre by Florian Sirieix from Blam!

and then put on post-modern circus performances in

The Magnificent by Eilif Svensson and Kristian A. Ostby from Aporta Games

Shelley and I work against the clock and try to save a patient in

Doctor! Doctor! by Robert Couch from Indie Boards and Cards

and then try our hands at building our own Medieval villages in

Era: Medieval Age by Matt Leacock from eggertspiele