We talk a lot about community at Shut Up & Sit Down, and that’s because for a while we’ve been aware that it isn’t us that makes this place special: it’s the people who congregate around the fringes of our work that drive us to keep on making more of it. This week we’re extremely sad to report that one of the most beloved members of this community recently passed away, peacefully, after a long-term illness.
GAMES NEWS! 30/03/20
Tom: m o n d a y
Ava: Is it? It is? How can you tell?
Tom: t h e n e w s
Ava: Oh dear, you might be right. Let’s take a look in the news-pipes and see what pops out.
I try to avoid quoting the Simpsons too often, but if anything gives me the chance to say trombopaline, then I’m going to take it.
Trampoline Park is bouncing high to the top of the list of ‘games with themes I cannot believe have happened’, and what a bounce it is. It sounds like a family friendly puzzle of using varying power to bounce between trampolines, bouncing other players or your other bouncing tokens away when you land on them. First person to have three tokens bouncing on all the same colours or letters wins.
Podcast #106: The Very First Quarantine Special
Welcome to the loosiest, goosiest episode of the Shut Up and Sit Down podcast yet, where three adults try to have a conversation via the internet without talking over each other all of the time. Experience the mixed results contained therein! Marvel at how 5 games are spread thinly over an hour of your life, … Read more
Read MoreA Shut Up & Sit Down Update
March 25, 2020 Specials Hello all! It probably goes without saying, but we just wanted to let you know that the work we do might be a little disrupted or different in the coming months. Thanks for your patience, and we hope you enjoy!
Read MoreGAMES NEWS! 23/03/20
Tom: …So they were saying that I didn’t care at all about the game, when really that couldn’t be further from the truth! I was super invested!
Ava: Wait what’s going on are you-
Tom: -and I just found myself getting so frustrated because even though my strategy was a little rough around the edges… Ultimately, I did Care, Too!
Ava: Ha! Just like the… Wait did you go back to the start of the article to edit this bit so that you could make the reference first? Nobody is going to have a clue what’s going on.
Tom: It’ll be like Primer. Everyone will have to go back and read it a second time, and we’ll get paid twice as much.
Ava: Well, you certainly will be, with this lovely shiny penny.
Ava: What’s more mysterious than Mysterium? Science just cannot tell us, but soon we’ll know what’s less Mysterium, with a stripped back sequel, Mysterium Park.
Review – Wavelength
How much do you love your mum, Harry? This week we’ve got the timely review of a party game that involves everyone taking it in turns to touch the same hard plastic surfaces over and over again. Wavelength is an absolute joy, and potentially the perfect fit for Party Game Playable Over a Webcam? Just make sure your uncle promises to close his eyes when it isn’t his turn to look. Enjoy the video – and take care everyone!
Read MoreGAMES NEWS! 16/03/20
Tom: … So I’ve got all these because I thought you said ‘Games Newts’, it’s just a simple misunderstanding.
Ava: Look, it doesn’t matter, we’ll just get on with the news and absolutely nothing will happen, and nobody will notice and nobody will tell Matt and we’ll all keep our jobs, and you can put them in the Shut Up & Sit Down pond after we’ve finished.
Tom: Oh dang I think two of them escaped, and I think one had a bottle of whiskey and the other was carrying a tiny gun.
Ava: Uh oh. That’s some really bad newts.
New York Zoo is Uwe’s latest attempt to re-bottle the lightning of Patchwork, with a lovely looking tile laying zoo builder. You’ll be filling tiny zoos with tiny animals, and trying to best your opponents in this hopefully sharp family friendly game. Each turn you can either expand your zoo with new tiles or pull more tiny wooden animals onto your board, provided you’ve got the space to house them. On top of this, New York Zoo borrows a bit from some of Uwe’s big farm themed games. Just like in real life, animals will breed when the shared elephant crosses certain thresholds on the central board, helping you fill up enclosures to grab bonuses. It’s like a little Uwe’s greatest hits. Capstone Games is publishing in collaboration with Feuerland and they always make things look pretty.
Podcast #105: Big Games, Small Podcast
DISCLAIMER: The thumbnail for this podcast contains more business than is actually contained in this podcast. Instead, on this short, sleepy episode, a tired old Matt and a sickly young Tom have a meandering chat about just four games. ‘That’s not enough games for my Friday night podcast-listening session!’ I hear you cry, panicked and … Read more
Read MoreReview – Unmatched
We’ve got two questions for you. Did you see this year’s Undaunted review? And do you want another great 2 player game with “Un” in the name?
Unmatched is a bewitchingly sexy game to collect, it’s a fab little fighting game, and it takes just 20 minutes to finish a whole game. Unless you include the rules explanation, then it takes just 22 minutes.
Enjoy, everybody!
Read MoreGAMES NEWS! 09/03/2020
Tom: I hate visiting the news nurse’s office.
Ava: Look, you’re lucky that we’ve got the News Health Service so it doesn’t cost you a penny – maybe you should do something to take your mind off the growing, creeping pain from that nasty news infection? They’ve got some light reading here. Would you like a newspaper?
Tom: ARGH. I need a holiday. Matt’s been having me play boardgames all day and then we’ve had to talk about them afterwards? Honestly it’s been my absolute worst nightmare.
Ava: Sounds terrible, how about a Segue-Class flight to Santa Monica? This is one of Alderac’s big releases of the year, promising a delightfully pastel worker-placement drafting game about the titular town. It looks soothing, and could be interesting. Josh Wood previously designed Cat Lady, so has an eye for a quirky relaxing theme. Key choices are about whether your bit of the seafront will be more for tourist bustle or a break from the hustle. To be honest, we don’t have much to go on here, I just really like the art.