Episodes

  • #53 ft. Ray Billings, Board Game Nostalgia
    Aug 12 2025

    Remember the time Mr. Kellogg put a bag on his head to stop the nut from happening? Neither do we. This week we are joined by Ray Billings, digital content specialist at The OP.

    1:44 - Intro: Ray Billings

    7:32 - Update on CGE and Devir

    Marceline post on CGE update https://web-cdn.bsky.app/profile/marcelineleiman.bsky.social/post/3lvw5kexn5c2w

    Ace of Spades images and thread https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3555308/just-some-ole-racist-history-crap

    Devir follow up https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3555679/a-message-to-the-community

    13:20 - We Have to Know!

    Games we played:

    22:41 - Schadenfreude (2020, ctr, Studio Turbine)

    29:25 - Wizard (1984, Ken Fisher, Amigo)

    NL Mottainai clip (thank you Tim) https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=S1RXtkTwWW4&t=3645s

    Topic:

    39:31 - Board Game Nostalgia

    Where to find Ray: https://bsky.app/profile/raybird.bsky.social

    Songs:

    ROT by Bone Haus https://bonehaus.bandcamp.com/album/in-mourning

    Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/ShelfStableCast

    All our socials https://linktr.ee/shelfstablecast

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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • #52 Online Play
    Aug 5 2025

    So Tom kinda just willed Daybreak into Shelf Stable legality and I don't know how I feel about that. On one hand it's an excellent game, but on the other it sets a dangerous precedent a la Beetlejuice. He can just say something enough times and it materializes like some kind of antithetical podcast ghost. I'm going to have to go back to the lab for this one and figure out how to handle future manifestations of this SCP. Maybe a little bit of Jay Leno will help.

    Games we played:

    5:15 - Babylonia (2019, Reiner Knizia, Ludonova)

    9:37 - Brass (2007, Martin Wallace, Warfrog)

    16:08 - Linko (2014, Michael Kiesling & Wolfgang Kramer, Amigo)

    19:08 - Monikers (2015, Alex Hague & Justin Vickers, CMYK)

    100 games before you die (kinda):

    22:15 - Response to CGE

    Marceline Leiman's zine https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/10BUxxRO08jS9ZFnfnt0dnMPEZi5lrwke

    Meaning of trans rights https://www.reddit.com/r/asktransgender/comments/11f0pmy/what_do_people_mean_when_they_say_transrights/

    Contribute to the BGG discussion

    https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3553665/blacklist-cge

    Topic:

    37:15 - Online Games

    The medium is the message https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/6343/blogpost/174872/the-physical-game-and-its-digital-implementation-a

    Songs:

    100 Games to Play Before You Die by Michael, Tyler, Devon, and Josh of The Boise RainBeaus

    ROT by Bone Haus https://bonehaus.bandcamp.com/album/in-mourning

    Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/ShelfStableCast

    All our socials https://linktr.ee/shelfstablecast

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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • #51 Board Game Black Mirror
    Jul 29 2025

    Do you ever get the feeling that we're just living in one big simulation? Like we might just be pawns in a big Game of Life, and we're just being played by hyper-dimensional beings who are complaining about how badly the host taught them the rules? No? Well, you should probably listen to a different episode, then. This week we're crowdsourcing our content to bring you the best and most mind-bending plot synopses possible for a theoretical future wherein Netflix green-lights a version of Black Mirror just for us Tabletop Gamers 😎

    Games we played:

    2:28 - 1880: China (2010, Helmut Ohley & Leonhard Orgler, Lookout Games)

    11:49 - Samurai Swords (aka Ikusa) (1986, Michael Gray, Milton Bradley)

    21:31 - Broom Service (2015, Andreas Pelikan & Alexander Pfister, Alea)

    28:50 - Captain Sonar (2016, Roberto Fraga & Yohan Lemonnier, Matagot)

    100 games before you die:

    34:35 - CATAN (1995, Klaus Teuber, Mayfair)

    https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/321471/100-tabletop-games-to-play-before-turning-100

    Topic:

    41:06 - Black Mirror if it was Board Games

    Songs:

    100 Games to Play Before You Die by Michael, Tyler, Devon, and Josh of The Boise RainBeaus

    ROT by Bone Haus https://bonehaus.bandcamp.com/album/in-mourning

    Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/ShelfStableCast

    All our socials https://linktr.ee/shelfstablecast

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    1 hr and 10 mins
  • #50 Burnout
    Jul 22 2025

    We've all been there. You want to show your cool high school teacher that Code Geass is a lot like an ancient philosopher's teachings. Then you show the clip for a bit too long and all of a sudden you're watching booty shots and some boys love...

    Games we played:

    5:43 - Great Western Trail (2016, Alexander Pfister, eggertspiele)

    15:03 - The Game: Face to Face (2017, Steffen Benndorf & Reinhard Staupe, Pandasaurus)

    22:15 - Shards of Infinity (2018, Gary Arant & Justin Gary, Stone Blade)

    31:13 - Millennium Blades (2016, D Brad Talton Jr, Level 99)

    100 games before you die:

    39:03 - Modern Art (1992, Reiner Knizia, CMON)

    https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/321471/100-tabletop-games-to-play-before-turning-100

    Topic:

    43:13 - Burnout

    Songs:

    100 Games to Play Before You Die by Michael, Tyler, Devon, and Josh of The Boise RainBeaus

    ROT by Bone Haus https://bonehaus.bandcamp.com/album/in-mourning

    Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/ShelfStableCast

    All our socials https://linktr.ee/shelfstablecast

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    1 hr and 9 mins
  • #49 Deck of Cards
    Jul 15 2025

    Gatorade is like the LaCroix of LaCroix which is not to be confused with carbonated water which is the Spindrift of LaCroix. Water is mid and the LaCroix of water is obviously [drumroll...] LaCroix. Why do they call it LaCroix when you la croix the cold drink la "cwa" hot drink the drink? Stroke and/or deep cut. Jury is out.

    Games we played:

    5:03 - Yellow & Yangtze (2018, Reiner Knizia, Grail)

    9:16 - Monopoly DEAL (2008, Katharine Chapman, Hasbro)

    14:53 - Bohnanza (1997, Uwe Rosenberg, Amigo)

    19:22 - Space Base (2018, John D Clair, AEG)

    100 games before you die:

    24:53 - Memoir '44 (2004, Richard Borg, Days of Wonder)

    https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/321471/100-tabletop-games-to-play-before-turning-100

    Topic:

    31:37 - Deck of Cards

    Songs:

    100 Games to Play Before You Die by Michael, Tyler, Devon, and Josh of The Boise RainBeaus

    ROT by Bone Haus https://bonehaus.bandcamp.com/album/in-mourning

    Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/ShelfStableCast

    All our socials https://linktr.ee/shelfstablecast

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    1 hr and 1 min
  • #48 Mid Year Eval
    Jul 8 2025

    It's like horse racing but the horses are waifus. What's a waifu? Well that's kind of hard to explain. Have you heard of a gatcha? No? NorthernLion? Oh... well I don't know if this is going to work out. Thanks for the interview, I wish you the best of luck in finding a candidate.

    Games we played:

    3:16 - 51st State (2010, Ignacy Trzewiczek, Portal)

    9:54 - Gizmos (2018, Phil Walker-Harding, CMON)

    15:11 - Mottainai (2015, Carl Chudyk, Asmadi)

    21:03 - Side Effects (2017, Jen Igartua & Jade Shames & Kat Thek, Pillbox)

    100 games before you die:

    29:24 - Chinatown (2017, Karsten Hartwig, Z-Man)

    https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/321471/100-tabletop-games-to-play-before-turning-100

    Topic:

    34:12 - Mid Year Eval

    Tom's bingo https://imgur.com/a/Of4POTr

    Songs:

    100 Games to Play Before You Die by Michael, Tyler, Devon, and Josh of The Boise RainBeaus

    ROT by Bone Haus https://bonehaus.bandcamp.com/album/in-mourning

    Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/ShelfStableCast

    All our socials https://linktr.ee/shelfstablecast

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    57 mins
  • #47 ft. Tom Brewster, Iteration and Innovation
    Jul 1 2025

    Lesser Tom is joined by the Tomb Rewster of Shut Up & Sit Down fame this week to talk board games (shock) and video/podcast creation. Listen in on some Type III fun as we get into the nitty gritty of Cuppy Flicky 2. Wait- where is the typical deranged show note synopsis? Not this week buddy. I had a relaxing weekend and wrote this baby up while there was still daylight to spare. Better luck next time you bog-guzzling creep.

    9:48 - Intro: Tom Brewster

    13:04 - We Have to Know!

    Games we played:

    53:51 - Innovation (2010, Carl Chudyk, Asmadi)

    Fall Out Boy didn't cringe the fire https://youtu.be/2LkVKCWL0U4?feature=shared

    Topic:

    1:05:38 - Iteration and Innovation

    Where to find Tom:

    https://web-cdn.bsky.app/profile/tombrewster.bsky.social

    https://www.shutupandsitdown.com

    Songs:

    ROT by Bone Haus https://bonehaus.bandcamp.com/album/in-mourning

    Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/ShelfStableCast

    All our socials https://linktr.ee/shelfstablecast

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    1 hr and 54 mins
  • #46 Free to Play
    Jun 24 2025

    Psst... Hey kid. Get over here. I heard you like games. Get a load of these bad babies. We got all kinds. Dexterity role playing. Social deduction consims. Tom's sexy dice. I tell you what, first one's on me. You take this one home and you play it with your family. Tell 'em old Ken is selling. And if you snitch I'll getcha. Now scram.

    Games we played:

    4:38 - Filipino Fruit Market (2009, Peer Sylvester, New Games Order)

    8:32 - Echidna Shuffle (2018, Damon S Brown & Mike Raabe, Wattsalpoag)

    14:18 - La Granja (2014, Michael Keller & Andreas Odendahl, Spielworxx)

    22:48 - Ticket to Ride (2004, Alan R Moon, Days of Wonder)

    No Pun Included Ticket to Ride replacements https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mygoxQgo8PM

    100 games before you die:

    27:14 - Captain Sonar (2016, Roberto Fraga & Yohan Lemonnier, Matagot)

    https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/321471/100-tabletop-games-to-play-before-turning-100

    Topic:

    33:25 - Free to Play

    Songs:

    100 Games to Play Before You Die by Michael, Tyler, Devon, and Josh of The Boise RainBeaus

    ROT by Bone Haus https://bonehaus.bandcamp.com/album/in-mourning

    Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/ShelfStableCast

    All our socials https://linktr.ee/shelfstablecast

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    1 hr and 7 mins