Agricola

The Top 100 Board Games of All Time – Episode 1: Agricola

It’s finally here! After an embarrassing wait, we’re embarking on a ridiculous journey to meticulously document the 100 best board games of all time! This project involved us creating an entirely new workflow, a whole studio setup, and, of course, the most glorious prop ever seen on Shut Up & Sit Down. It’s quite something.

Thank you so much for sticking around as we got this thing cooking. We’re so excited to expand the format, tweaking and changing as we go! We’re aware there’s a few technical scuffs on this one – but nothing that we can’t smooth out over a series of ever more silly episodes.

Agricola, though, what a game! And what a fantastic way to start this series. We really hope you enjoy!

In Agricola, you’re a farmer in a wooden shack with your spouse and little else. On a turn, you get to take only two actions, one for you and one for the spouse, from all the possibilities you’ll find on a farm: collecting clay, wood, or stone; building fences; and so on. You might think … Read more

Imperial Assault: Joining the Dark Sidekick

Quinns: Matt, we have to abort this feature! Reddit’s disapproval is reaching critical levels.

Matt: That’s not the Reddit alarm, that’s my egg timer. I’m making everybody lunchtime eggs to keep up our strength.

Quinns: Wow! I could kiss you.

Matt: Don’t kiss on me, daddy-oats, kiss on these great games.

Quinns: What’s the world coming to? It’s Expansionanuary in May!

This week we’ve got news that all sorts of SU&SD favourites are getting improved and expanded, starting with Widow’s Walk, an expansion for bizarro horror movie simulator Betrayal at the House on the Hill. The spooktacular new box will add 50 new haunts, 20 new rooms and lots more.

And that’s not even the best bit. Let me walk you through why this announcement totally blindsided me.

Kotaku Article: Winning is Killing Gaming

Quinns has again been published on gaming enormo-blog Kotaku, talking about a wonder of the board game world! This month he discusses how, unlike video games, it doesn’t matter how good you are at boardgames. The article starts like this:

I remember a colleague taking a 5 minute break, away from the jittery job of reviewing Battlefield 2. “It’s fun when you win,” he said, exhausted. “And boring when you lose. Haven’t we moved past that yet?”

No, we haven’t. For a medium that’s evolved from play, video games have an overwhelmingly binary view of success and failure, one so crippling that if we settle into a single player game and make no progress, or lose every multiplayer match in one night, our lives will have been worsened. And we never ask why games are like this. After all, how else could it be?

Board games have the answer.

…and continues vigorously until it stops. Quinns would point you towards the article himself, but he’s currently in hiding from furious gamer-gangs, who cry his name on every street corner. Go read! Don’t let his sacrifice be in vain.

Paul: As well as bouncing between topics like a pinball between flippers, this is an important podcast for us for two reasons. First, we’re announcing an exciting thing and second, we’re also asking you, our audience, an important question about a decision we’re thinking of making. But we won’t make it without consulting you first. … Read more

Quinns: There’s a WAR ON here at SU&SD. A disagreement of olympic proportions. You see, I think board games should be about interacting with one another, and Paul is an asshole. I’ll let him explain.

Paul: Quinns is not a fan of certain kinds of games. Worker placement games, games where the players are a bit more independent, or games where players are otherwise free to act without having to worry about one another. You know, all those great games like Runebound and Agricola, and a while ago he got mad at Stone Age. All those well-lived, charming, innovative games that are adored by millions. He’s going to try to explain why and he’ll flap more than an army of penguins. Watch.

The Top 100 Board Games of All Time – Episode 1: Agricola

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Kotaku Article: Winning is Killing Gaming

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