Review – Wingspan

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s a bird. In fact, it’s all of the birds.

At long last, after a preposterous 7 print runs in 14 months, Shut Up & Sit Down has published a review of Wingspan. It’s the biggest success story that the tabletop scene has seen in a long time. But is it a success story on our tables? Or in our hearts?

Click play, and find out.

Read More

Wingspan

Wingspan is a competitive, medium-weight, card-driven, engine-building board game from Stonemaier Games. You are bird enthusiasts—researchers, bird watchers, ornithologists, and collectors—seeking to discover and attract the best birds to your network of wildlife preserves. Each bird extends a chain of powerful combinations in one of your habitats (actions). These habitats focus on several key aspects … Read more

Read More

GAMES NEWS! 15/06/20

Tom: Hey there, reader. Are you excited by news? Do you like boardgames? Do you want to make a fortune through- Ava: What are you doing. Tom: Shh! Let me finish my pitch. …As I was saying – you, the reader, stand to gain cardboard riches beyond compare. How? Well, it’s as simple as the … Read more

Read More

SHUX’20 Update

AwSHUX Update! AwSHUX will be open to everyone! It will also be free for everyone, attendees and exhibitors! Bookmark https://awshux.show, the site will go live on Friday Oct 16. We’re just finishing final tweaks leading up to the show. There will be no password, signup or any registration needed, the site will open to the … Read more

Read More

8000 Years of Board Game History in 43 Minutes

For this week’s Wednesday video, we wanted to offer something a little different.

At SHUX last year Quinns gave a talk on the history of board games. A quick’n’dirty tour of the games of ancient prehistory, all the way through to the invention of cardboard in the 19th century.

We present it today as a reminder that while today’s tabletop scene is overwhelming white, this is a blip in the 8000 year history of the hobby. The earliest known board games are found in Africa. Dice were invented in the Middle East. The first games that tell stories are found in Egypt. Playing cards were conceived in China. Chess came from India, by way of an Islamic Caliphate.

This hobby owes a debt to people of colour that it could never possibly repay. At the very least, we can make sure we don’t forget it.

Read More

GAMES NEWS! 08/06/20

Ava: There’s just too much news, Tom. Tom: Yes, but most of that isn’t actually about games is it. Ava: I know, but it feels super weird to be focussed on one narrow stream of stuff when so much huge other stuff is happening. Tom: How about this. We’ll pick a few fruits from the … Read more

Read More

Podcast #111 – Cramped Cats, Demonic Cricket

Are current events getting you down? Ha ha. That’s our little joke. Of course they are. But in this episode of the podcast, Ava and Quinns are here to remind you through the magic of tabletop, things can always be worse! There’s the threat of adorable animals drowning in Isle of Cats (02:43), a world-devouring demon invasion in Planet Apocalypse (12:53), the startling cruelty of medieval Italy in Antiquity (24:17), as well as the bum-punishingly long Western Empires (46:01).

Read More

Planet Apocalypse

It is the End Times, and the hordes of Hell are invading our world. Destroy the Hellgate & save our world! Planet Apocalypse is a cooperative game. The players battle and kill demons as a team. The game is primarily a battle game, but also has a tower-defense element, and a roleplaying element as you build … Read more

Read More

Antiquity

“These fields no longer yield grain the way they used to,” complains the farmer. “We should settle new lands before our food runs out. Why don’t we start farming olives, like our neighbors?” The cart-driver nods: “Ever since them city folks started worshiping San Giorgio I have to travel further and further to new building … Read more

Read More

The Isle of Cats

The Isle of Cats is a competitive, medium-weight, card-drafting, polyomino cat-placement board game for 1-4 players (6 with expansions). You are citizens of Squalls End on a rescue mission to The Isle of Cats and must rescue as many cats as possible before the evil Lord Vesh arrives. Each cat is represented by a unique tile … Read more

Read More