Unmatched: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon

75 Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Meeples & Wine: Buffy and the Devil’s Cellar!

Welcome back to Meeples & Wine, where Michael and Suzy bring you the latest in board game reviews for couples—alongside a delicious glass of wine! In this episode, we dive into the world of both vampire slaying and Chilean wine. We’re tasting Casillero del Diablo’s Cabernet Sauvignon, known for its bold cherry and blackcurrant notes with a hint of vanilla, perfect for pairing with grilled meats and mature cheeses. With medium body and marked tannins, this wine unfolds a story as rich as the legend behind its name: “The Devil’s Cellar.”

On the board game front, we’re taking on the supernatural forces of Unmatched: Buffy the Vampire Slayer. With a versatile lineup of beloved characters like Buffy, Spike, Willow, and Angel, players battle it out using unique abilities, whether it’s Buffy’s iconic cartwheel kick or Willow’s foray into black magic. With a BGG rating of 7.6 and a complexity of 2/5, this action-packed game plays well with two to four players, offering a great mix of strategy and fandom. Will Unmatched: Buffy prove to be a relationship builder or a couch sleeper? Tune in for our “Fun Score” and “Couch Score” ratings to find out!

To wrap things up, we explore the evolution of our wine over time and highlight a new Kickstarter find—an upcoming Discworld RPG by Modiphius. Don’t forget to follow us on social media, drop us a voicemail, or reach out via email at meeplesandwine@gmail.com. And remember, sharing is caring—so pass on Meeples & Wine to a friend!

If you’ve got a game that you’d like us to demo get in touch at meeplesandwine@gmail.com, at our Twitter (@Meeplesandwine) or Facebook or if you’d like to leave us a voicemail you can go to 

https://www.speakpipe.com/MeeplesandWine!

You can also check out our quicklinks page! https://podcast.show/meeplesandwine/

The Hunger and Vampire Vineyard’s Cabernet Sauvignon

The Hunger Featured

Hello, Meeples and Wine listeners! This week, we sunk our teeth into The Hunger, a vampire-themed deck-builder by Richard Garfield. In the game, you play as vampires hunting humans to gain points, but there’s a catch: you need to make it back to your castle before sunrise, or you’ll burn to ash! It’s a fun push-your-luck experience where you must balance collecting points with your race against time.

We paired the game with a bottle of Vampire Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, which was a solid hit with its smoky, oaky flavor and rich notes of plum and mocha. The game was great for two players, but we both agreed it would be even better with a few more friends to compete against. We also touched on the expansion, Hunger: High Stakes, which adds werewolves and vampire hunters into the mix, making the game even more intense.

If you love spooky deck-builders, we definitely recommend giving this one a try, especially with some vampire wine on the side! More info on the wine here.

If you’ve got a game that you’d like us to demo get in touch at meeplesandwine@gmail.com, at our Twitter (@Meeplesandwine) or Facebook or if you’d like to leave us a voicemail you can go to 

https://www.speakpipe.com/MeeplesandWine!

You can also check out our quicklinks page! https://podcast.show/meeplesandwine/

Fire Tower and Toasted Head Chardonnay

Fire Tower

In this episode, we review Fire Tower and taste Toasted Head 2022 Chardonnay, along with the Last Call Kickstarter “Wild Imaginary West”.

00:00 Welcome to Meeples and Wine
00:24 Meet Your Hosts: Michael and Susie
00:47 Contacting Meeples and Wine
01:02 The Voicemail Debate
02:13 Today’s Game: Fire Tower
02:39 Wine Tasting: Toasted Head Chardonnay
08:41 Fire Tower: Game Overview
12:04 Fire Tower: Game Mechanics
16:42 Fire Tower: Strategy and Gameplay
21:04 Fire Tower: Special Cards and Roles
22:25 Winning Strategies for Shadow of the Wood
22:47 Champion of the Wood: Special Abilities
23:34 Fire Tower: Rising Flames Expansion
25:23 Playing Fire Tower with Two Players
26:11 Balancing Offense and Defense
27:51 Fun Score and Relationship Impact
29:17 Final Thoughts on Fire Tower
32:35 Wild Imaginary West RPG
41:06 Meeples and Wine: Where to Find Us

3000 Scoundrels and 3 Rein Never Tame Red

3000 Scoundrels

This week we review Unexpected Games’ 3000 Scoundrels, a futuristic wild-west shootout of bluffing and misdirection! In this game you and up to three more of your friends play rival leaders vying to gather as much of the technology left behind by the mysterious “Traveler” who has just disappeared. Gather your posse together by joining the trait and transparent job cards to create new Scoundrels to hire, will you have a Corrupt Printer, Filthy Dog, or Helpful Banker? Play your poker hand to gain cash, scout the tech loaded safes, and then steal them, but be careful, if you get caught bluffing you’ll lose reputation in town!

If you’d like to pick this one up you can follow our Amazon Associates link to 3000 Scoundrels HERE!

(We do get a little cash on this, and you get a great game!)

Img 20240716 204048

We also sample Aldi’s 3 Rein Red Blend from Colombia Valley, Washington!

If you’ve got a game that you’d like us to demo get in touch at meeplesandwine@gmail.com, at our Twitter (@Meeplesandwine) or Facebook or if you’d like to leave us a voicemail you can go to 

https://www.speakpipe.com/MeeplesandWine!

You can also check out our quicklinks page! https://podcast.show/meeplesandwine/

Dark Tomb: Bloodthorn Island and The Supernatural Sauvignon Blanc

68 Dark Tomb 2 Crypts Of Aurelian

This week Michael and Suzy play the second game from their Kozz games Kickstarter, Dark Tomb: Bloodthorn Island! It’s the follow up to the first game, Crypts of Aurelian. This time around, though, it’s got a BOAT! We also taste The Supernatural Sauvignon Blanc, a 100% Sauv Blanc from New Zealand!

68 Dark Tomb 2

Be sure to check out our Kickstarter Last Call, Imperial Borders, HERE!

If you’ve got a game that you’d like us to demo get in touch at meeplesandwine@gmail.com, at our Twitter (@Meeplesandwine) or Facebook or if you’d like to leave us a voicemail you can go to 

https://www.speakpipe.com/MeeplesandWine!

You can also check out our quicklinks page! https://podcast.show/meeplesandwine/

Dark Tomb & Chronic Cellars Suite Petite

67 Dark Tomb Crypts Of Aurelian

This week we take a look at the first game from our recent Kickstarter purchase from Kozz games, Dark Tomb: Crypts of Aurelian, a “super portable” tabletop game (think Altoid’s tin-ish) where 1 to 5 players descend into the tombs to reclaim the Amulet of Fire to save Gorriah! It’s got all the cubes you want, and a multiple play-through setup so no two games are the same!

Dark Tomb Tiki

Along with this we’re tasting Chronic Cellars Suite Petite, another suggestion from our wine department friends at our local Binny’s. It’s a Petite Sirah, one of Michael’s favorite varietals!

Don’t forget to check out this week’s final call, Misty Valley from Grumlin Games!

If you’ve got a game that you’d like us to demo get in touch at meeplesandwine@gmail.com, at our Twitter (@Meeplesandwine) or Facebook or if you’d like to leave us a voicemail you can go to 

https://www.speakpipe.com/MeeplesandWine!

You can also check out our quicklinks page! https://podcast.show/meeplesandwine/

Shinobi WAT-AAH! and a Yuzu Saki Cocktail

66 Shinobi Wat Aah!

Hello and welcome back to everyone! This week Michael and Suzy are tasting a yuzu fruit sake cocktail mixing Zipang Sparkling Sake and Joto Yuzu Sake, a suggestion that we got from Susie and Tim, wine consultant and manager respectively, from our local Binny’s Beverage Depot out in Geneva, IL. Spoilers, there was nothing left by the end of the show…also, we are in no way sponsored by Binny’s (yet.)

We also play Shinobi Wat-ahh! A hand management/worker placement game from Iello Games out in France! Play an aspiring lord who is vying to take the throne from the aging Emperor of the Moon! Gather allies from the nine clans of the Dragon, Monkey, Crow and more, reinforce the clans with ronin and use the magic of the yokai to ensure victory, but be careful not to become too corrupt as that may spell defeat in the end!

This may be hard to find, since it came out in 2014, but if you may find it in the wild!

If you’ve got a game that you’d like us to demo get in touch at meeplesandwine@gmail.com, at our Twitter (@Meeplesandwine) or Facebook or if you’d like to leave us a voicemail you can go to 

https://www.speakpipe.com/MeeplesandWine!

You can also check out our quicklinks page! https://podcast.show/meeplesandwine/

Potion Panic and Three Lakes Winery Blueberry Wine

65 Potion Panic

We’re back and this week we’re reviewing Rocket House GamesPotion Panic a frantic race to become the Alchemist a la Mode by completing potion recipe’s components, smashing vials to get more cards in your hand or to deny your opponents those super valuable crystals! Ten crystals gets you the Philosopher’s Stone, which wins you the game and grants you powers beyond explanation in the next game (well, there is a card that explains them…). How does Potion Panic rate on our Fun scale? How does is rate on our Couch Score (how likely it is for Michael to wind up sleeping on the couch due to the game?)

Get Potion Panic Here!

We also taste a 100% blueberry wine from Three Lakes Winery in Wisconsin. Made from whole ripe blueberries, this isn’t a “blueberry flavored wine beverage” but the real thing!

If you’ve got a game that you’d like us to demo get in touch at meeplesandwine@gmail.com, at our Twitter (@Meeplesandwine) or Facebook or if you’d like to leave us a voicemail you can go to https://www.speakpipe.com/MeeplesandWine!

Michael Plays with Himself: Onirim and Two Brothers Cherry Northwind

60 Featured

Solo Game Exploration and Beer Tasting: ‘Onirim’ and Two Brothers Imperial Stout

Onirim: A Dreamy Solitaire Adventure

Introduction

This week I’m reviewing Onirim, a solo/cooperative card game where you navigate a mysterious labyrinth as a dreamwalker. You must escape before your dream time runs out by finding the eight oneiric doors.

Gameplay

Onirim is a set collection and deck-building game. You have a hand of five cards and must match sets of three to unlock doors. However, there are challenges:

  • Sun and Moon cards: You can’t play a sun next to a moon or the same icon twice in a row.
  • Key cards: Discarding a key allows you to unlock a door but reduces your chances for others.
  • Nightmare cards: These force you to discard cards or sacrifice resources to avoid waking from the dream.

Expansions

The second edition comes with seven expansions in the box, adding new mechanics and challenges like manipulating the deck, time bombs, and unreliable allies.

Overall Impressions

I enjoyed Onirim but found it slightly frustrating due to not having resources near the end of the game. I rate it 7.5 out of 10. I picked this one up at Dane’s Games in Geneva, IL.

Additional Notes

  • The episode also features a beer review of Two Brothers Northwind Imperial Cherry and a Kickstarter spotlight on “Dungeon Twist” game.

0:00 Onirim and Two Brothers Cherry Northwind
00:13 Introduction and Beer Review
05:42 Sponsor Break: Manscaped
07:42 Game Review: Onirim
16:53 Kickstarter Spotlight and Conclusion

If you’ve got a game that you’d like us to demo get in touch at meeplesandwine@gmail.com, at our Twitter (@Meeplesandwine) or Facebook or if you’d like to leave us a voicemail you can go to 

https://www.speakpipe.com/MeeplesandWine!

You can also check out our quicklinks page! https://podcast.show/meeplesandwine/

Tiny Epic Dungeons and Apothic Red Blend

59 Featured

In this episode of ‘Meeples and Wine’, hosts Michael and Suzy kick off the New Year by reviewing board game ‘Tiny Epic Dungeons’. The couple highlight the high replayability, short playtime, and high strategy of the game, despite its challenging learning curve. Michael and Suzy also mention a Kickstarter game they found interesting, ‘The Last Lighthouse’. They celebrate the return of their podcast after a hiatus and introduce their new sponsor, Manscaped. The hosts also enjoy Apothic Red wine, describing it as a good everyday wine to have on hand for casual meals like burgers and pizza.

Please give our sponsor a visit at https://www.manscaped.com/ and don’t forget to use the code meeplesandwine to get 20% off and free shipping!

0:00 Intros
01:26 Apothic Red Blend Tasting
05:09 Manscaped Promo
10:54 Game Review – Tiny Epic Dungeons
29:17 Final Sip – Apothic Red Blend
30:24 Last Call – Kickstarter Finds
44:05 End of show – Closing

If you’ve got a game that you’d like us to demo get in touch at meeplesandwine@gmail.com, at our Twitter (@Meeplesandwine) or Facebook or if you’d like to leave us a voicemail you can go to 

https://www.speakpipe.com/MeeplesandWine!

You can also check out our quicklinks page! https://podcast.show/meeplesandwine/

If you’d like to support the show in Value4Value you can do it here! https://getalby.com/p/meeplesandwine