Plays Well With Two

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A pair of married board gamers are on a quest to find the games that work best with two players while also trimming down their collection so only the cream of the crop are left.  Plays Well with Two asks ... Can there be a balance between old classics and the new hotness? Will we find an engine builder that the wife likes and a real-time game that won't make the husband pull out his hair?  Expect strong opinions, playful banter, and interesting perspectives on board gaming every Wednesday (or therabouts)!

Kristen H


    • May 26, 2021 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 33m AVG DURATION
    • 64 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Plays Well With Two

    Nidavellir Review

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2021 49:29


    Nidavawhat? Kristen and Spin put on their Dwarf helmets and get to work recruiting the best army money can buy in this bidding/set collection board game. Stick around for some ruminations on game expansions too! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    April Roundup... plus a Podcast Announcement

    Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2021 37:56


    April was a busy, busy month for Kristen and Spin. Not a lot of games played, but some great new finds and surprises... and LOTS of new additions. Stay dialed in, though, because there's also a (hopefully) exciting new announcement about something coming soon for Plays Well with Two! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

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    Review: Nanga Parbat

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2021 48:19


    Kristen and Spin brave the heights as Sherpas setting up base camps and collecting sets of animals in Nanga Parbat, a two player game by Steve Finn. This semi-abstract game comes in a small box but is chock full of strategy... but will the lure of animeeples and the promise of a thirty-minute playing time be enough to help this game reach the highest peaks of our collection, or will it be left behind at base camp?  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Talking Point: Digital Versus Physical Board Games

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2021 59:51


    What do you prefer, a pile of cardboard or pixels on a screen? The pandemic has people flooding sites finding a place to game. Will the fad stick? Kristen and Spin discuss the pros and cons of playing board games online and the major platforms where they can be played: BrettSpielWelt, Yucata, BoardGameArena, and Steam. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Spell Smashers : Bargain or Bust?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2021 21:55


    What happens when a game about fantasy heroes defending a town from monsters loves a word game very much? Spell Smashers. Kristen and Spin picked up this unique card-driven spelling/monster bashing hybrid for half off. Did they stumble on hidden treasure, or do the cards spell "wasted money"? Listen and find out! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

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    Triple Threat: Three Roll and Writes Reviewed

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2021 39:48


    Kristen and Spin take a looks at three more roll and writes. Yes, there are some we hadn't played yet! Be excited! Taking a look at Lanterns Dice, Bravo! and Rajas of the Ganges: The Dice Charmers. Be charmed and shout Bravo! while lighting lanterns ... OK, that fell apart. Should you add these into your collection? Do you hoard them like we do? Will one get a rating of 10???

    Gaming Roundup for March 2021

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2021 30:19


    It's roundup time again! Kristen and Spin discuss what we played last month. The surprises, the disappointments, and the "did we really play Cubitos that many times?" --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Top 10 2 player only games

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2021 77:49


    Top 10 time!!! What board games made only for two players are the best? Lots of games tout as being playable with 2 but these ones are MADE for only 2. Which ones should you check out? Does your favorite make the list? Which ones are we missing? SPOILERS: Games mentioned in the episode (not in order) are Kero, Memoir 44, Nanga Parbat, Klask, Keyforge, Magic, Watergate, Seastead, Stratego, Othello, Backgammon, Claim, Fox and the Forest, Santorini, Mancala and more! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Carcassonne: Star Wars Edition - Bargain or Bust?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 9, 2021 17:23


    Game companies using popular IP to make special editions of beloved games? This is the way. Kristen and Spin look at 2015's Carcassonne: Star Wars Edition. The task at hand in everyone's favorite galaxy far, far away is to build trade routes, assemble asteroid fields, and fight for control of planets as one of five classic characters, with some unique twists on the classic Carcassonne game formula. Is the force with this twist on the beloved tile-layer, or will a tie-in edition of the game have failed us for the last time? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Space Base Review and Welcoming Games Explained

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2021 26:58


    ENGINE... BUILDERS... INNNNNN... SPAAAAAAACCCCCEEEE. John D. Clair's Space Base is going under the eye of Kristen and Spin today. Chewing gum-sized cards, tossing dice, and a surprisingly pleasing aesthetic definitely look like things that appeal to us, but is Space Base's beauty more than just skin deep? Then, we discuss what, exactly, a welcoming game is. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Towers of Arkhanos — Bargain or Bust?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2021 13:54


    Kristen and Spin saw this game at Dice Tower West two years ago and were intrigued -- a game where you get to roll dice and use them as supports to build a tower, cool spells, and meeples (that can also be used to hold up the tower if necessary)? We were in. Unfortunately... we also forgot the name. Years later, we found a copy of this game in the clearance section and jumped at the chance to play it. Will this game build on the promise that your hosts saw at Dice Tower West, or will it crumble under its own weight? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Cubitos Review

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2021 27:23


    If you've been to your Friendly Local Game Store lately, you've probably seen Cubitos- that weird game with a block of cheese wearing lederhosen on the front of it. What you might not know is that this is a game by John D. Clair, designer of several of Kristen and Spin's favorite games. Get ready for dice rolling, highly variable cards, and luck pushing in this racing game. Is Cubitos ready to race... or does it stumble at the finish line? Come for the review, and stay for Spin making an extremely tortured cheese metaphor!  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    CTRL : Bargain or Bust?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2021 17:45


    Check out the abstract area control board game CTRL (Control). Purchased from Target clearance, will the colorful cubes stack up or was it discounted for a reason? Come find out if it Plays Well With Two! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Bargain or Bust?: Bosk

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2021 16:44


    Take a nice autumn stroll through the leaves in the Bosk board game. In this area control nature game, landscape trees and then help the leaves fall across the board to claim the most spots to be victorious! Grab your pumpkin spice and chill in this relaxing tree game review. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Best and worst board games we own (according to BoardGameGeek rank)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2021 57:39


    We've got a large game collection (about 400 games), but how does it rank on BoardGameGeek.com? Spin gives Kristen the top 10 games per BGG, then the lowest 10. Do you like data and numbers? We've got 'em for you! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Delve Review & February RoundUp

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2021 66:34


    Kristen and Spin look at Delve, a tile-laying dungeon-crawling treasure-snatching board game. Is this game precious treasure, or does it get left for the dungeon yetis? That's not all, though... we take a look over our additions, subtractions, plays, Game(s) of the Month, and Dishonorable Mentions for February 2021. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Res Arcana Review

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2021 17:25


    Are you into super-tight, limited engine builders? If you answered yes, this episode is for you! Res Arcana, from Sand Castle Games in 2019, is all of that wrapped up in a fantasy theme. Spoiler but board games we both love this much don't come around too often! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Bargain or Bust?: OctoDice

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2021 23:11


    Travel with us under the sea to labs, octopods, submarines, research and more with the OctoDice roll and write board game ... was it worth pulling out of the bargain bin? Should we have left it? Is it both??? Find out now! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Wasteland Express Delivery Service Review

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2021 37:29


    From the sun-scarred, radiation-glowing badlands emerges ... a review of Wasteland Express Delivery Service. Drive your armored, cobbled-together rigs from settlement to settlement, get $crap, upgrade your truck, and pick up and deliver essentials for survival. Will this game survive Kristen and Spin's scrutiny, or will it simply be a board game that was picked up by us and delivered to the Sale Shelf? And to that you say, "But those Game Trayz, though!" --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Curious Cargo First Impressions + Roundup of January

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2021 59:34


    A game table divided in our newest two player game Curious Cargo. Get you factory up and running with tile laying to load and offload cargo from trucks. One of us loved it and the other wanted to flip the table ... find out which is which! Also this episode, we introduce a new Roundup segment. In Roundup, we take a look at our stats and plays from January. What new games did we play? What were our favorites? Big disappointment? Find all that out and more! ..... Games mentioned in this epiosde: Curious Cargo, Deus, Dune: Imperium, Dinosaur Tea Party, Kero, Cacao, The Crew, Kingdomino, and more! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Bargain or Bust?: Ripple Rush

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2021 10:43


    .... warning ⚠️ negative review alert! Hear a married couple complain about the latest flip and fill board game that they got to the table ... Stronghold's Ripple Rush. The bargain bin strikes again! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Fallout Board Game Review

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2021 39:09


    War. War never changes. Now that we have that out of the way, will Kristen, an avowed Fallout-disliker, end up feeling S.P.E.C.I.A.L after exploring the wastes? Will Spin want to abandon this game for the raiders to pick over? Climb out of the vault, take your Rad-Away, and take a listen! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Bargain or Bust?: Patchwork Doodle

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2021 13:57


    Ever go bargain bin diving? Excited to get board games 50%, 75%, etc. off? When games are so expensive, the allure of a deal can be overwhelming. And sometimes (most times?) you find out there was a reason it didn't sell at full price. In Bargain or Bust, a married couple will be looking at games purchased for a steal to see if it was worth it or not. In this episode, find out if the roll and write Patchwork Doodle is a bargain or a bust. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    First Impressions of Bunny Kingdom

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2021 31:15


    See fiefs fill out and fur fly as Kristen and Spin take a look at Bunny Kingdom, a 2017 drafting/area control board game from the legendary Richard Garfield. Will a game that has been criticized in the past as being too cutthroat for our usually soft-and-fluffy hosts jump into their good graces like a jackrabbit, or will it leave them drooping like the ears of a lop?  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Call to Adventure + Name of the Wind Expansion Review

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2021 22:26


    Spin flies solo on a review of Call to Adventure from Brotherwise Games. Will the allure of creating intriguing heroes, casting some runes, and learning some Names be enough to give this game a space on our shelves, or will the game be scrapped as a one-off? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Dune: Imperium review

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2021 37:36


    Married couple reviews the hot board game Dune: Imperium. Will Dune fans like it? What about Dune dunces? Does it play well with 2? How about 3? Listen to see if you need to add this spice to your board game cupboard. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Top 10 Two-Player Games

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2021 71:51


    We're kicking off our revamped podcast with a bang! A married couple compares their Top 10 two-player board games! What will be missing? How much crossover will there be? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    News: Podcast Changes Update!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2021 5:53


    Find out all of the changes coming to the podcast. Might have noticed some changes .... come find out what that's about! Goodbye, Cardboard Mama. Hello, Plays Well With Two! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Plays Well With Two (Trailer)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2021 0:09


    --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Top 10 Board Games of 2020

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2020 76:03


    Cardboard Mama and The Husband discuss their top ten board games released in 2020, their biggest gaming surprises and disappointments of the year, and break down their gameplay stats for the year. See if your favorite card game made it! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    The Cardboard Mama and Husband 2020 Board Game Gift Guide Extravaganza!

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2020 80:25


    Gifts! It's that time of year again, and we have some big ideas for what board, card and dice games to get for toddlers, newer players, and seasoned gamers alike. Can't forget those stockings either! We will help you fill those as well .... 4:18 -- Games for Toddlers; 10:35 -- Games for Newbies / Families; 42:12 -- Games for Gamers; 1:05:00 -- Stocking Stuffers --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Review of My City, a polyonimo legacy board game

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2020 33:47


    Cardboard Mama and The Husband review Reiner Knizia's polyonimo legacy board game My City. Did the game deserve the nomination for the 2020 SDJ (kind of like the Oscar's for board games)? The answer is Yes. Listen to find out why! Spoiler free review until you reach the 13:30 mark. You've been warned! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    The $100 Challenge for Board Games

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2020 42:45


    Cardboard Mama and The Husband take the $100 board game challenge. If your entire collection turned to dust and you only had $100 to spend, what would you get? One big, expensive game? Lots of stocking stuffer card games? Whose collection would you want to buy? Hard choices abound in this episode! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    First Impressions of Set A Watch

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2020 35:28


    Married couple gives first impressions of the board game Set A Watch. An RPG-feeling dice, card game with monster slaying and some cool ideas. Do you have what it takes to kill hordes of monsters armed with 3 dice and limited abilities? It is your turn to sit out at camp? Does the game earn its keep and survive to set a watch another day in our collection? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    This is Halloween: Top 10 board games for the spooky season

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2020 58:49


    “Wouldn't you like to see something strange … Come with us and you will see” … Cardboard Mama and The Husband's top 10 board and card games to ring in Halloween. Looking for something to bring to the table this month? Look no further! Also, it is the first combined top 10 list! **** Spoilers: Games discussed include Mansions of Madness, Horrified, The Bloody Inn, Mystery Rummy, Broom Service, Betrayal at House on the Hill, Nightfall, Hocus Pocus and more! Bonus Unnecessary Expansion segment on the best Halloween books for kids! Happy Halloween! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    New to Us: 6 quick reviews

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2020 30:37


    In this episode, Cardboard Mama and The Husband take a look at some board games that might not be the newest ... but they're new to us. Games discussed include City of Spies: Estoril 1942, Deep Sea Adventure, Kingdomino, Sunflower Valley, Take Stock, and Whistle Stop. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Culling the Collection, Part Five (T-Z)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2020 100:33


    We're finally done! The last Culling the Collection Episode! Cardboard Mama and The Husband's monumental task is at an end, with this episode focusing on the final letters of the alphabet. Games from T-Z are discussed and their fate determined. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Culling the Collection 2020, Part Four (S)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2020 56:27


    Is this thing still going on? YES IT IS. Cardboard Mama and The Husband continue to work through their collection, possibly making some controversial cuts along the way. Part Four starts with S and ends with... S. How many games will stay put in their cozy homes on our shelves, how many will migrate to the infamous Shelf of Reckoning, to be played one more time, and how many are heading to new homes as auctions/trades/et cetera? There's only one way to find out.... --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Culling the Collection 2020, Part Three (N-R)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2020 67:03


    The Husband suggested that the board game collection needs a trim. Cardboard Mama jumped on the suggestion, and we're doin' it with the microphone turned on! ... then we realized we would need to break it down into multiple episodes. Welcome to the THIRD installment! This episode has games from Nagaraja to Rum and Bones: Second Tide. We're sure you've gotta know... which games stay and which games go (and which games will find themselves on the Shelf of Reckoning, to be played one time to determine their fate)? Find out today.... --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Culling the Collection 2020, Part Two (G-M)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2020 86:34


    The Husband suggested that the board game collection needs a trim. Cardboard Mama jumped on the suggestion, and we're doin' it with the microphone turned on! ... then we realized we would need to break it down into multiple episodes. Welcome to the second installment! This episode has games from Galaxy Trucker to Mystery Rummy. Which board games stay, which ones have a new home on the Shelf of Reckoning (gets one more play before final decision) and which ones are we saying goodbye to? Find out now! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Culling The Collection 2020, Part One (#-F)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2020 89:09


    The Husband suggested that the board game collection needs a trim. Cardboard Mama jumped on the suggestion, and we're doin' it with the microphone turned on! ... then, an hour and a half of recording in, we realized that maybe doing it in one go was too ambitious. This episode has games from 13 Clues through Fuse. Which board games stay, which ones have a new home on the Shelf of Reckoning (gets one more play before final decision) and which ones are we saying goodbye to? Find out now! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    First Impressions of the board game Oceans

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2020 21:34


    Married couple plays the newest board game in the Evolution universe Oceans! How does life under the sea stack up? Is there room for both games on your shelf? Will you even want to play Evolution again? These questions and more answered in this episode! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Revenge of the Exes: Games We Got Rid Of But Are Still Mad At

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2020 52:37


    Married couple discusses their top ten board games that make them angry even after culling them from the collection. Was it game play related? Had a bad session? Paid too much? Will there be crossover? All your questions (probably not all) will be answered! .... SPOILERS .... Games mentioned: Fireball Island, Mexica, Brave Rats, Embers of Memory: A Throne of Glass Game, Ticket to Ride: Rails and Sails, Jungle Cruise, Avenue, Attack!, and more... --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Quick First Impressions of Rolling Ranch, Exploriana, Tonari, and Trapper Keeper

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2020 20:00


    Married couple does quick reviews / first impressions of four board games. Listen about a roll and write, an abstract fishing game, a Prospero Hall game and an exploration push your luck game. What do we think? Listen and find out! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Mama Minute: Board game tiebreakers

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2020 4:13


    Cardboard Mama discusses tiebreakers in board games. Shared victory anyone? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Top 10 Tile-laying Games

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2020 49:20


    Married couple goes through their top ten board games that have tile laying / tile placement. What will come out on top? How much crossover will there be? ... Games mentioned include but are not limited to (not in order): Traintopia, Galaxy Trucker, Carpe Diem, Carcassonne, Kingdomino, Acquire, Castles of Burgundy, Isle of Skye, Alhambra --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    First Impressions of the Stefan Feld board game Carpe Diem

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2020 25:53


    Married couple gives opinion on the Stefan Feld euro board game Carpe Diem from 2018. Where does it rank against other Felds? Other tile-laying games? Alea games in general? Come find out! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    First Impressions of Welcome To New Las Vegas

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 5, 2020 13:04


    Married couple gives thoughts on the new flip and fill / roll and write Welcome To New Las Vegas board game. Should you buy it if you already own Welcome To? Find out now! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    First Impressions of Traintopia board game

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2020 16:07


    Married couple gives thoughts on the new tile laying board game Traintopia. Is it a train game? Is it like Carcassonne? It is worth your time? Find out! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    Mama Rant -- So you want your kid to grow up a board gamer?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 21, 2020 8:34


    What steps can you take to make sure your kid becomes a board gamer? One mom discusses what she is doing and the expectations we have to have them playing games out of the womb. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

    First Impressions of Disney Jungle Cruise Adventure Game

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2020 12:04


    Married couple gives thoughts after playing Jungle Cruise board game from Prospero Hall. Does it have the same Disney magic of the world famous park attraction? Find out now! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/playswellwithtwo/message

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