Small Talk Ep5 - FAQ & Filler Board Games: The Bloody Inn, Remember Our Trip, Targi, Whatnot Cabinet

[@ThinkerThemer]

Special guest appearance: Amy's intermittent stomach!! WOW I had no idea the lapel mic cord was doing that. Sorry everyone!

[@monicamurphy6552]

Oh its fine. Didn't noticed until you said that.

[@kovray]

Now I need the timestamps of all the stomach segments! Haha! This certainly made me chuckle.

[@zzees]

I would have came up with some extravagant story about how I'm dabbling in ASMR

[@BoardGameCo]

Do you know how much I look forward to this every week? It's the most chill video I watch from all the ones I watch.

[@AaronAndSusie]

Agreed Alex! I told Amy and Maggie this series is my covid era replacement for when I used to have social Brunches haha

[@darlene7165]

I feel the same way Alex!

[@drawdeepwater]

💯 Agreed, Alex! No matter how stressful or lovely a day might be, you two always make it better!

[@ThinkerThemer]

We did not know that!! So glad to hear that you enjoy this series. Thank you so much for watching Alex & for all of your support.

[@elgo93]

It’s the coffee mugs

[@northlakeghost]

This series makes Mondays so much better.

[@ThinkerThemer]

Thank you Emilia! We really appreciate your support, thanks for being a channel member - joey!

[@olloplays]

I looooove The Bloody Inn! One of my favorite games to play during Halloween. ♥️

[@ThinkerThemer]

Perfect occasion-theme match says Maggie!!! Thanks for watching Olivia 😊

[@monicamurphy6552]

I have to say. You 2 are a pure joy to watch. Going from comforting Magie to shoving her out of focus. Lol. We watched it 4 times. Couldn't stop laughing.

[@darlene7165]

I am 100% with you Monica! Such a joy to watch and the gentle shove out of focus was so adorable and funny!

[@drawdeepwater]

Such pure joy indeed and so hilarious! Maggie, I only laugh because there was such love in the shove!

[@monicamurphy6552]

@@darlene7165 it is so nice to see that kind of love in todays world.

[@ThinkerThemer]

@@drawdeepwater a love shove! LOL

[@ThinkerThemer]

Thank you so much for these lovely words Monica!!! Glad it made you laugh... I did apologise to Maggie after but she was fine, phew 😅 she is a patient woman

[@DualistGamer]

I love this series. It's so chilled, we get to find out a bit more about you both, which is a privilege and I usually get to discover at least one or two small box games to consider adding to my collection. This time it was The Bloody Inn (still pondering) and Remember Our Trip (very close to hitting 'Buy'). Thank you (but not from my wallet)!

[@ThinkerThemer]

Thank you Jason! It started just as a way to talk about small box games and now it is our favourite series to make. It does feel nice to relax and just be more ourselves! Sorry for the hit to the wallet but hoping there are some others we stop you from buying... maybe??? Maybe not

[@DualistGamer]

@@ThinkerThemer Yeah, let’s say that. You’re saving me LOADS of money! Hey, I can afford more games now! Oh, wait...

[@Cissewis]

Thanks Maggie and Amy for another lovely video!

[@ThinkerThemer]

Glad you enjoyed it and thanks so much for your support and membership Cis! Have a lovely week

[@BeforeYouPlay]

Love it you two! We are big fans of Targi. It's such a clever 2-P

[@ThinkerThemer]

Hey friends!!! Thank you so much for your wonderful support as always... we appreciate you both more than you know & can't believe you would join our channel membership. Thank you

[@pascalpeters9868]

Yeah, this makes my Monday every time and thank you for answering my question! Due to the quality of your channel from the beginning I thought you made much more preparations, but it turns out the two of you are just naturals! We enjoy “Targi” a lot, although it can bring out some evil glances to each other at the gaming table. Maybe I should introduce “Remember our Trip” for a more peaceful gameplay next time... 🇳🇱 Pascal

[@ThinkerThemer]

Thank you Pascal, we are so happy that you enjoy this series as it is a lot of fun to make and nice to relax a bit. Thanks for the great question too and sorry for our boring answer lol. We learned more as we got started rather than preparing upfront. We didn't know what we didn't know when we started! Remember our trip is definitely nicer... more of a race than any direct interaction. Although I was sad when my perfect tiles were drafted away from me (and took some pleasure taking ones others needed - ok so maybe just play with nicer players....) Thank you for watching as always and for your ongoing support, thanks for being a... joey! (You've started something now....) 💕

[@kovray]

These videos always make our week. You two are the best! We absolutely love Whatnot Cabinet!

[@drawdeepwater]

💯 Agreed, Ilya and Tylor! Amy and Maggie always make my day as well!

[@TheLobbyOfHobbies]

Isn't it SOOOO god. I really enjoy it!

[@ThinkerThemer]

Thank you so much!!! Glad to hear you enjoy this series and... the Whatnot Cabinet!! Thanks for all of your support it means a lot to us

[@patobrien4037]

ALways love the Saashi and Saashi-s, quirky and interesting. Have had the waffles on getting "Remember", now I'll have to track it down. Another swipe of the card as recommended by ThinkerThemer

[@ThinkerThemer]

Whoops! Sorry... but it is so quirky and I enjoyed it so much! I think you can find it at the BGG store but it sells out quickly usually. We really appreciate your support, thanks for being a channel member Pat!

[@mindyfranke5279]

Targi! Yes, such a fun game! It's becoming one of our favorites. Another lovely video, ladies! Well done! I hope you have a wonderful week.

[@ThinkerThemer]

Thank you Mindy! Glad you enjoy Targi so much! We really appreciate your support, thanks for being a channel member - joey!

[@abby2872]

Ooh definitely going to have to check out Remember our Trip. Haven’t heard of that one before but I am intrigued! Thanks for another fun small talk Amy and Maggie, such a great way to start the work week! 😊

[@drawdeepwater]

I definitely want to find a copy of Remember Our Trip now too! Yes, such a great way to start the week indeed!

[@abby2872]

Yes! I was able to find it on the BGG store so I snagged a copy. Can’t wait to try it out!

[@drawdeepwater]

Very cool! Thanks for the heads up about it being available on BGG!

[@ThinkerThemer]

Thank you Abby!!! I hope you enjoy Remember Our Trip! It's such a quirky, interesting theme which is well integrated with what you're trying to achieve. Thank you for your kind words and all of the ongoing support

[@dageezah1]

loved the chat on the BGBBQ now subscribing....thanks for the content! Your efforts are appreciated

[@ThinkerThemer]

Oh thank you so much Jason that is really lovely to hear and we are glad to have you join us at the channel really appreciate the kind words. Are you based in Oz?

[@dageezah1]

@@ThinkerThemer yep rAdelaide. Keep up the good work

[@bookmarksandbookshelves3998]

I'm so worried you are going to run out of small games to share, because I love these videos! Ganz Schon Clever was the game I gifted so many people last year. Everyone loves it. Looking forward to hunting down remember our trip!! Great video as always.

[@ThinkerThemer]

Hehe thank you so much and we will definitely try our best not to run out of games! I do think I am buying so many at the moment that there is no risk of that. Thank you for watching as always and for your lovely words of support

[@grahamglaser]

Thank you for another wonderful Small Talk. I look forward to your content and especially love this series as I feel we (the audience) get to know Amy and Maggie a little bit better. Thank you for being accessible to your community!

[@ThinkerThemer]

Thank you so much for your ongoing support and kind words Graham, it means a lot to us ! We love making this series

[@canderson5469]

OMG, Maggie’s expression at the 8:00 mark... Amaaaaaaaaaazing 😀 I was very happy to see Remember Our Trip in the line-up today. My copy recently arrived. I play a lot of That’s Pretty Clever on my iPad when I need a quick gaming fix. I wasn’t as big of a fan of Twice as Clever, but I haven’t spent nearly as much time with it.

[@ThinkerThemer]

that is exactly the expression that I have come to know and love LOL. Glad that you love Remember Our Trip and the GSC app as well. Have you hit that elusive 300, is that what people go for in the app?? I might need to download it and give it a try. Thanks for watching as always friend and for your ongoing support

[@canderson5469]

@@ThinkerThemer I don’t keep track of GSC scores, but I think I have gone over 300 at least once or twice 😀 The app is fun because I am on my device a lot anyway, and I can just play for a little bit before I fall asleep, etc.

[@DonGilstrap]

Nice selection. I'm very curious to try Remember Our Trip someday.

[@ThinkerThemer]

Thank you Don!! Definitely try it sometime. It is such a cute premise. Thank you for watching and for your kind support of the channel. So glad to have you as a member 💕

[@paulallison6418]

Love the themed Mugs! I want one! Good luck with the channel by the way, I have not joined any channels - there are so many! - can't join them all. I watch the Dice Tower, Boardgame Ramblings, Before you play, Gaming Rules, etc so for me its all or none but I did consider it because I love your channel. GANZ SCHON CLEVER - this game has popped up quite a bit, it does get some love, but I am yet to try any roll and writes. THE BLOODY INN - this also keeps popping up, it looks fun. TARGI - We have this, only played once so far, its ok and after more plays I might really like this as a small box game. REMEMBER OUR TRIP - this is a new one to me, sounds interesting. THE WHATNOT CABINET - this is also brand new to me and is probably too light for my interests.

[@jannagregory7928]

Ditto on wanting the mug!

[@steveorourke8959]

Yes, mug please!

[@northlakeghost]

Same here! Do you think if we all chant "Mugs! Mugs! Mugs! Mugs!" at the same time they'll be able to hear us in Australia??

[@ThinkerThemer]

Thanks so much Paul for the kind words about our channel that means a lot to us and you have us in good company with the list of those you watch! Completely understand about the channel membership, and we are very happy to have you here watching & taking the time to comment. Not tried a roll and write! That's so interesting after the big wave of them from a few years ago. Which one has tempted you most? Oh... and the mugs... lol... quite the logistical challenge 😅😅😅

[@paulallison6418]

@@ThinkerThemer Roll and write's .... They do exist in the UK but they are not so hugely popular and they tend to be light filler games which I am not a big fan of - my light filler game is Race for the Galaxy :-). I am keen to try a few though at some point - maybe Fleet the dice game.

[@claire890]

Oh wow - thanks to you both for answering my question on visiting Australia -- both Melbourne and Sydney will have to be on the list :). Hopefully, the chance to plan a trip will not be too far away!

[@claire890]

Remember Our Trip now added to my must-buy list.

[@ThinkerThemer]

So many great places!! We can definitely help you plan if you do end up organising a trip! ☺ Thanks for watching and glad you liked the sound of Remember Our Trip! It was a wonderful little game 💕

[@BillyIndiana]

Glad you were able to try Targi, we really like that one. Remember Our Trip looks hilarious! I would love to try this with my family.

[@ThinkerThemer]

It is definitely a favourite of many people Bill... a very clever design! Thanks for watching as always and taking the time to comment, we really appreciate it

[@MirkoCano]

Nice that you answered my question, excited to hear my name for the first time in KZbin! :-) A shower a day is enough unless it's a Summer hot day, then I can accept more. I hate being sweaty! My night shower is preferred, so I go to bed all clean and soft :-P Big fan of Targi, Ganz Schon clever (the only roll and write that my wife enjoys) and Bloody Inn. I'm very interested in Remember our Trip, but I find the price a bit high here in EU. I would love to go to Australia, and most people told me that the ambiance in Melbourne beats Sidney, so that city is still on my list. Keep the great work, girls!

[@ThinkerThemer]

Thanks for the fun question Mirko!! Glad to hear that people are recommending Melbourne! It is not really know for its attractions but it is the most European of our cities... very creative, walkable, incredible food and coffee... and quite progressive. We enjoy living here, I just wish the weather was a bit warmer! Thanks for watching and for taking the time to comment (and again for the question!)

[@edwinnealley7832]

A-ha! I just suggested Targi to you in a different Small Talk comment - glad you have now tried it. The Whatnot Cabinet is also new at my place, and may hit the 'family friendly' list for travel. I think Small Talk is a fun format- though I love your in depth Thinker Themer takes on big box games, there are definitely a number of smaller games which are real winners and this is a very pleasant way to explore them. RE: Ganz Schon Clever, I purchased the 1st one, but now I have both Doppelt and Clever Hoch Drei as apps, and play them against each other, trying to make the 1st (or 2nd) outscore the 3rd- introvert delight, often over coffee in the AM. As always, I truly enjoy your videos.

[@ThinkerThemer]

Aww and thank you for the truly kind words about our channel and this series in particular. We really enjoy filming this one. I've started playing Ganz Schon Clever on the app too... chasing that elusive 300 score.. my goodness it is so difficult 😅😅😅 any strategy tips??

[@edwinnealley7832]

I have never hit 300 either- so I think there is an element of luck there. Still, I tend to build towards points where a Blue free play at the start of Round 4 triggers Purple for a return to Blue and hopefully other bonuses. The multi bonus cascades seem to be what enable highest scores in the end.

[@akingme]

Fantastic, as always. Targi with the BGG bits blings it out! Agree there is a lot of reading, and I think my son isn't that into it because of that. We don't play it often but we like it. And may order the expansion. A Whatnot Cabinet is like a curio cabinet. We have one and keep all of our found seaglass, shells, feathers, rocks, gems, and driftwood etc. in it! Have been considering this, but wasn't sure if it was too simple, now I think it might work for us. Thanks.

[@ThinkerThemer]

Targi has BGG bits?? Interesting I will have to check those out. I love that you have a cabinet of curiosities!! I think being a collector of things goes with the board game territory. It sounds like such a wonderful way to keep memories / stories alive, especially with your son! I have never had one but Maggie would probably say the whole house is my whatnot cabinet

[@jamesbrazeal3847]

Another great Chat. I will need to look into whatnot cabinet. I love me some Pencil First and Dr St Finn

[@ThinkerThemer]

Thank you James! Hope you are doing well friend and thanks for the kind words as always

[@melvinyong3148]

Glad to hear that the subscription is doing well. Gosh, I only played Bloody Inn once and I won that game. That's all I remember cos I seldom win, really, it was years ago. Played Targi for the first time last year over BGA and then we moved on to other games on BGA. Hah! Listening to Maggie's criteria for solo games, I think she'll enjoy Hallertau solo. It's very crunchy and has many paths to victory. I played two solo games and really loved it. You do know what's next for you all right? Unboxing videos! ;)

[@ThinkerThemer]

After trying to get Hallertau for so long I had given up but your comment has reignited my desire to track it down. Maggie will be thrilled to hear it has a strong solo... which I guess is not surprising from her favourite designer Uwe. She likes his games solo (Feast, Fields of Arle, Nusfjord). I started dabbling with unboxing videos but you know what... there's something I find immensely relaxing about switching off and sitting down with a new game to punch it all then put it back in the box. Like a peaceful moment out of any busy day. Thanks for watching Melvin as always and for your ongoing support 💕

[@mazmorreo]

Great video! This series is so relaxing, interesting and funny to watch :) I'm slowly becoming a fan of Maggie's T-shirts, this blue one is my favorite so far haha

[@ThinkerThemer]

Thank you so much! She loves hearing this feedback about her colourful shirts 🥰 oh, and the channel... heheheh thank you for watching !!

[@ematorose]

Re: The Bloody Inn Challenge - No kills -- Ok, my best is 160 (better than most of my regular games). This is solo, and playing the long game (remove 26 cards). I play this a lot solo since Carlee will not play it. Another great video! Love them all.

[@ThinkerThemer]

Wow better than some of your regular games? How interesting!!! I think you're doing better than Maggie... she was at around 150 last time I checked she is loving this one solo too. Thank you for the kind words about the video and for your ongoing support of the channel

[@falkskorea7941]

Bloody Inn solo: 150 (long) without killing. But I got 200 (short) with killing ;).

[@philbarnett6613]

'The Bloody Inn' sounds like it's based on the history of a 15th century Inn that's near to where I live :)

[@ThinkerThemer]

Oh what really? That's a terrifying thought. I hope it is just "The Inn" now like in Maggie's ideal world!!!

[@philbarnett6613]

@@ThinkerThemer The Ostrich pub in Colnbrook, Berkshire... grisly stuff went on there... ok now... I hope ;)

[@terrencesoltz8943]

This is becoming my favorite of your shows, despite the fact that I’m more into big box games. I think it’s the more relaxed, conversational atmosphere. I do like Targi, it really makes you balance the hate-drafting dilemma: get something you want, or prevent your opponent from getting something they want? I’ve also got to say that Gonz Schon Clever changed how I feel about roll-n-writes. It’s just so easy to teach and quick to play, while still having an interesting puzzle to solve. I traveled to Australia about ten years ago for a friend’s wedding in Queensland, and my advice is to not underestimate how big it is, and how far things are from each other. I had this vision of seeing all of these different places, then took a closer look and thought “that’s how far?” I still had a wonderful time seeing a fair bit of the coast from Bris to 1770, though it rained the entire time.

[@ThinkerThemer]

That is so true about people not realising how spaced out Australia is AND how terrible our transport options are. How much easier things would be if we had a high speed rail system. Glad you enjoyed your time here Terrence. Thank you so much for the kind words about Small Talk. Funnily enough we were the least interested in making this series because of our love for bigger games but now it is also our favourite to make! It's nice to be able to relax a bit more. Agree with the hard choices in Targi... although we didn't do too much hate drafting (I avoid being TOO mean to Maggie because she gets so sad!) Thank you for supporting the channel, it means a lot to us

[@TM-kn9uq]

I'm all with Maggie on the shower topic. 🚿 Though I guess it depends on the climate you live in and whether you did any sports that day etc. 🤔

[@ThinkerThemer]

she felt very supported by this comment!!! I think coming from south America she would argue that Melbourne is almost always "freezing" Thank you for watching and for your kind support of the channel, it means a lot to us

[@TM-kn9uq]

@@ThinkerThemer 😂

[@BoardGameGran]

Shout for Brisbane and the GC! When we were going to move to Australia I told my wife "Everyone will shorten your name, you'll go from Tracy, to Trace" (she's Scottish). Sure enough! I need to try Targi. Remember Our Trip sounds cool. Thanks ladies!

[@ThinkerThemer]

Hahahaha absolutely - there was no other option - Trace it is! I went to uni in Brisbane and my mum lives on the GC so there was no way I was leaving out QLD Thanks for watching and hope you and trace have a wonderful weekend

[@missraindrop77]

Have I missed the episode telling how the two of you met? I love the Small Talk series. I'm still wanting my own mug.

[@ThinkerThemer]

hmmm... I don't know if we've ever fully explained that!! Ok it is going on the list Miss R (old habits die hard). And I hear you on the mug I promise Thank you so much for all of your ongoing support of the channel, from just about day 1. It means a lot to us

[@raymondrogers3929]

Amy, I do like both of your theme ideas with a game based on food or travel. I'd go for something with both. I'm looking foward to you making it 😁

[@ThinkerThemer]

Hahahaha nooo I will stick to playing games lol. Maggie would love to design a game though, she always talks about it (but she also always has 100 hobbies on the go ). Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment Raymond

[@darlene7165]

Of course I was so excited to see Small Talk come out this morning. After a long day of traveling across the country yesterday (where I played Gonz Schon Clever on the app!), it was the perfect start to my day here with a cup of coffee! My absolute favorite board game series! I laughed out loud several times! Adored the “love shove” pushing Maggie out of focus! Very interested in Remember Our Trip and The Whatnot Cabinet (sounds like a good lighter game for my family and partner. I am trying to gently get her into better games 😁). I have had a crazy interest in The Bloody Inn because of its uncomfortable “taboo” content and so many good reviews of it. Might be a good Halloween game for me. Now that Maggie has put out the softer solo challenge, I might have to pull the trigger (no pun intended) and buy the game! Thanks so much for another awesome video. I always join you with a cup of coffee 😁.

[@ThinkerThemer]

Love Shove is the best thank you so much for watching as always Darlene and so glad to hear you got home safely. And played Ganz Schon Clever too, what a coincidence Definitely think that that two games you mentioned are light gateways. Remember our trip might be more interesting to you as a heavier gamer (even though it is still super accessible it is just quite quirky and interesting). I am so glad this is your favourite series as we always have so much fun making it. Thank you for all of your support and for being a member of the channel

[@darlene7165]

@@ThinkerThemer Maggie, solo challenge accepted on The Bloody Inn! I ordered it last night . And Amy, your excitement of Remember Our Trip, got me to buy that one too! One day I will make a list of games you two are responsible for me purchasing !

[@afrank525]

Bloody Inn is great solo: now I have to try the solo Maggie challenge!

[@ThinkerThemer]

I'm hearing it's possible to still score very well! No blood on these hands!!

[@karenpatterson2651]

I haven't played any of these games but have heard amazing things about Remember our Trip and Clever dice games. I def need to try to find the Remember game as sounds like exactly my kind of game. The Whatnot cabinet def sounds appealing as well especially hearing you compare it to calico which is 1 of my favs.

[@JonoNZBoardGamer]

My first play of Viticulture was a 6 player game at a small gaming convention a few months ago. My wife and I learning the game for the first time. I had a horrible game, barely getting 5 points, and my wife hadn't done much better, maybe 9 or 10 points, by the time the game ended (when someone gets 20 points). I was surprised she enjoyed the game after losing quite badly, but turns out she didn't mind getting beaten by the others at the table, all she cared about was "that I bet Jono(me)"! Hahaha. We now own Viticulture on her suggestion and she hasn't beaten me once in the handful of times we have played since :) - I'm kinda proud of that - its good to see others have the same healthy competition with their partner as we do

[@ThinkerThemer]

yes mostly "healthy" competition. It is mostly Maggie who cares about beating me, I care equally about beating everyone I love when a game really speaks to you in spite of not winning it. I love that your wife had that experience with Viticulture - especially with 6 players - that would've been a looooonnnnggggg first experience. I love Coimbra but rarely win.... so I can completely understand! This has made me want to play Viticulture Thanks for watching and sharing this with us Jonathon!

[@ChrisCypher]

As a tourist to Australia, I personally enjoyed Melbourne far more than Sydney. Sydney was bigger but spread out and felt more like a standard big city. Melbourne has so much character and art everywhere and is far more walkable. But I tend to not care much about tourist attractions as much. One thing I DID enjoy with Sydney was the VIvid fest. That was REALLY cool seeing the light shows on buildings throughout the city.

[@ThinkerThemer]

Oh yes Vivid is a good time! We have something similar in Melbourne called White Night where the city is open all evening and all the buildings are lit up and with art installations. I'm glad you liked Melbourne! It is definitely not usually the preferred city for tourists but it is a fabulous place to live. Walkable, casual, creative, incredible coffee & food - what's not to like Thanks for watching Chris!

[@ChrisCypher]

@@ThinkerThemer haha, I KNEW coffee was gonna come up. I don't know if I met a single person from there who did NOT bring up coffee. Y'all LOVE your coffee. Luckily I do too.

[@FrancoisLandryCorbin]

Karmaka is a great small card-game with an awesome mechanism, Karma, where you have to offer cards played against your opponent to them. It's a really great Take That game for people like us that don't really like Take That because you have to really think about what you really want to play against them, because it will come back to you in your next life (your opponent next hand). But, yes it's a simple game but there is still some depth to it. My wife and I really like it at 2-player and it's one of those not well know game that should be more love IMO.

[@ThinkerThemer]

Maggie was drawn in by the theme and we had to get it.... I hope she is not turned off again by the take that (she gets so upset by take that!) but at least it sounds like an interesting implementation where you need to weigh up what to do with the karma mechanic. Cant wait to try it and glad to hear you and your wife enjoy it! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment

[@kimoro9643]

love love love Remember Our Trip, haven’t tried the others. I also don’t really like roll and writes but I love Tag City because the theme is fun and you get to doodle! on funny sayings that you’ve brought with you - I grew up in Ontario and when you got to buy alcohol, you say ‘I’m going to the lick-bo’ because the stores there are called LCBO (which I thought was normal), now in the NWT they are just called beer stores so everyone would look at me crazy when I said I was going to the lick-bo 😝 (Liquor Control Board of Ontario, had to look it up haha)

[@ThinkerThemer]

Oh that's so funny!!! And that's another good one because here in Australia we call it the "Bottle-O" - I don't even know why... mostly just because of Aussie slang shortening everything I guess. So glad to hear you love Remember Our Trip as well! Such an endearing game! Thank you for watching Kim as always and for taking the time to comment

[@jennycranston7687]

I really like this segment.

[@ThinkerThemer]

Thank you so much Jenny! We love making it

[@Sebastian-rt9qf]

Nice collection of little gems. Think I like them all. Apart from Ganz schön clever, which I have not played, but seen played. But due to the lack of art and design and just dice, it's a big threshold. Fort should be in there too ;-) Maybe next time?

[@ThinkerThemer]

Oh yes it is very, very abstract!!! That's why I'm so surprised Maggie likes it...! We have been playing Fort but not quite enough to have a full opinion yet. Soon!

[@xandermichael78]

You mentioned Karmaka early on and that you haven't played it. I've had it on my shelf for years and only played it when I first got it, and now that I'm on my two year challenge to play every game I own, Karmaka made it back to the table and it was really enjoyable. The one thing you need to remember when you play this is that there is a lot of take that in the game. You don't always have to, but it's too fun not to - however, karma will come back to get you, so be careful! With the Clever series of roll and writes, they are my favourite and I have played them hundreds of times. Twice as Clever and also Clever Cubed are both wonderful games and the added bonus of having them all is that when you go back and play an older one your mind is maybe fixed on one of the more recent versions so it feels like a new game again. You mention that Maggie is from South America, but not which country, is it a secret?

[@ThinkerThemer]

Hahahaha no it is not a secret, we have mentioned in previous videos. Her mum is Dominican and her dad Brazilian but she grew up in Venezuela ☺ she moved to New York as soon as she finished high school so has quite a mixed accent I think. Interesting about the take that in Karmaka... Maggie doesn't do very well with take that in games lol. We will see how it goes! Which is your favourite in the clever series? I'm looking for which to buy next! Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment

[@xandermichael78]

@@ThinkerThemer I'm also not great with take that in games unless I know going into the game that there will be take that. Then I'm fine. It's when it comes out of nowhere that I have problems. I think that Doppelt So Clever is closer to the original so Clever Cubed is my favourite because it really changes the way to use the dice.

[@Vonkater]

Inish is a great game with beautiful art on the cards and board pieces. Reavers of midguard is colorful and nice art. 😉😁 🍀

[@ThinkerThemer]

Lots of great game suggestions thank you! We own Inis, Blood Rage and Scythe but don't own Call to Adventure! We will have to check it out sometime. Thank you for watching! ☺

[@AaronAndSusie]

I thought that The Whatnot Cabinet would be the perfect theme for my wife and I, as we keep a Cabinet of Curiosities collection as a hobby. The items weren't quite odd enough and diverse for us to call to us in the same way though and I also thought it was a little light for us. I'll can send you a pic of our cabinet on facebook messenger if youre interested in seeing a real life version of the theme 😁

[@ThinkerThemer]

UM, YES!!!!!! Send send send! 😃😃😃😃

[@flamtzer]

Really nice as always. Seeing these types of games you like I think you should have a look at Electropolis. It is definetly a little more heavy but follows some similar mechanics and still has a pretty neat theme. I think Amy would really dig it. (Also somewhat small box and really pretty) Have a nice week! ❤❤🌈

[@ThinkerThemer]

Thank you for the suggestion Sergio and for the lovely feedback. I'll have to check that game out!! Have a great week ahead as well and thanks for watching as always 🌈

[@TheLobbyOfHobbies]

You are just playing Targi now...? So glad that you finally did. We also really enjoyed The Whatnot Cabinet as well. Looking forward to hear what you think for the Floriferous Kickstarter in Back Chat.

[@chuckm1961]

People come into the hobby at different times, and discover games at different times in their journey.

[@TheLobbyOfHobbies]

@@chuckm1961 oh I know. Amy and I have a running joke of games we are surprised the other hasn’t played yet. Lol it was a super sarcastic comment. And I think Amy has a longer list of some of her favorites that I haven’t played yet.

[@sarahchapman7941]

For your next Small Talk: What was your first convention? Do you have any cons that you attend regularly? My first convention was GenCon 50 and it was very overwhelming! My husband (who hates games, but is supportive) surprised me with tickets for Christmas and went with me and neither of us had any idea how to make the most of it. I have found the smaller cons to be much more enjoyable.

[@ThinkerThemer]

Thanks for the great question Sarah, I've added that to our list ! The short answer is that it is super difficult for us to get to cons given the time and expense from Australia... but more to say on Small Talk about that. GenCon is certainly very overwhelming and I can see why you'd prefer something smaller. Thank you for watching and for taking the time to comment with this suggested topic!

[@eckoschreiber]

I love the Bloody Inn;o) Like with Bring out yer Dead (undertaking), Last Will (giving money away), Plague Inc.(creating an illness), Gloom (telling depressing stories), Chaos of the old world (the other Blood Rage) or MAD (Monopoly backwards) I really enjoy twisted themes and mechanics. And since you started out as a highway(wo)man and build the Inn to make robbing easier for yourself, you kinda have to murder your victims, because they know where you live and tend to talk to the police... thematically;o) Like with roleplaying, you need to embrace it for the immersion?! Thought the fact that your workers are children who you sacrifice is way grimmer;o) But was impressed that by challenging yourself you win and enjoy the game without that aspect. Love your channel! Thx, happy pride;o)

[@jennycranston7687]

Whatnot Cabinet looks like the kind of game my wife would love.

[@ThinkerThemer]

Very easy to learn and get going. Relaxing to play! Maybe slightly too light for us but we can see why so many people are enjoying it

[@joedice8302]

Macca‘s is also commonly used in Germany. Good to know that is coming all the way from Australia :)

[@ThinkerThemer]

Whoohoo we are everywhere Thanks for watching Joe!!

[@jamesmorgan1967]

Can we have a moment...those mugs! I NEED ONE. Played Whatnot Cabinet again yesterday. We're really enjoying it and find the mechanics are really solid. Many years ago, when I was living in Tokyo, I popped down to Australia for a quick visit. May I also recommend Western Australia? We only spent three days there, mostly in/around Perth, and it was a lot of fun. I'd like to go back and explore more.

[@ThinkerThemer]

Hahahaha we have been trying to make the mugs happen I promise!!! Living in Tokyo would be amazing. I studied Japanese with the intention to move there when I was younger but it never really happened so I just try to visit whenever I can. How long were you there? WA is a great pick! Beautiful part of the country....! Incredible beaches

[@ThinkerThemer]

Oops hit send too quickly! Thank you for watching James and your ongoing support of the channel ❤

[@jamesmorgan1967]

@@ThinkerThemer 日本語が分かりますか？😊 I lived there three different times for a total of almost nine years. Went back for a visit in 2016...first one in about 20 years!

[@ThinkerThemer]

ちょっとだけ。大学で日本語を勉強しました、でも、 ぜんぶわすれました。For the level I studied at just writing that sentence was a struggle! I haven't studied in well over a decade and have lost it all. I wish I could've lived there for a bit to cement it in practice！That's so amazing that you lived there for so long. I've tried to learn Spanish with Maggie since but find it even harder and interestingly it makes me remember the Japanese word rather than the Spanish word. Language is not a strength of mine 😅🙃

[@jamesmorgan1967]

@@ThinkerThemer へええ。。。ビックリ！I do the same thing with Spanish and Japanese! Must be because they share the same vowels...

[@steveorourke8959]

Happy that you tracked down a copy of Karmaka! That was the one I immediately thought of when I heard that Amy was looking for transcendence as a game theme. OK, so I do preach the gospel of Targi a bit much. I just love the clever mechanics even if the theme is barely there. Perhaps playing it on BGA would be better than on the table? The scoring and reading all the card conditions smoothes out a great deal. Glad you tried it... and now I'll stop pestering you about it. :-) I do want to try Remember Our Trip. Looks wonderful! Ganz Schon Clever on the app is wicked addictive. I have to give The Whatnot Cabinet a try. I've heard similar comparisons to Calico in puzzly gameplay. Love Steve Finn's games (Nanga Parbat, Biblios, etc.). His 2022 line is announced and they look pretty cool.

[@ThinkerThemer]

Yes it was on your recommendation that I picked this one up Steve! We still haven't played it yet but will definitely feature it in Small Talk once we do. I've heard the GSC app is really good too... and 300 is the score to beat right? Maybe I'll have to try that sometime! It feels like Steve Finn is everywhere at the moment... he makes so many games and they are all so different mechanically yet all still have that Steve finn feel to them. Hope you are well, have a wonderful weekend ahead

[@steveorourke8959]

@@ThinkerThemer Scores in the 300s are very good on Ganz Schon Clever. I think it's been mathed out that the top score is something like 334 or so. My friend Jake has come super close to that, but my best is a good 20+ points below. The app is quite excellent to play. Let me know how Karmaka goes over. Beautiful art. Hope the game lives up to that!

[@dahakhamoontouched4133]

Targi is one of the 2P games that I really want to get. I don't know if you have tried it, but Raptor is also high on my list of 2P games - I think Maggie would enjoy the theme enough to overlook the head-to-head conflict? Maybe? Also, I have Karmaka, can't wait to hear your thoughts! I've only played it a couple of times, and it didn't really go over well with the other players in the group so I don't know if it was a game problem or a them problem. We finally got Feudum to the table, and...it was bad. Save your money. Seriously, I studied the rules for a week and it was STILL confusing as hell to teach. There is an interesting core to the interplay between the guilds but so much gets in the way of enjoyment. Maggie will hate the pretence of theme that is inconsistent and illogical, Amy will hate the fiddliness. The iconography is terribly unhelpful. There are too many things that were simply tacked on to make the game more complicated but are not well integrated. To illustrate the experience we had, consider that pretty much EVERY mechanic has an exception or additional clause, e.g. you don't just feed your pawns every turn, you have to choose whether to feed them with food, or with wine - which feeds them for 2 turns but makes them drunk so they have no combat ability. So, so, SO glad I tried it digitally and didn't waste nearly a hundred dollars on a physical copy.

[@ThinkerThemer]

Raptor ... interesting, I will check that one out thank you!!! And thanks for getting back to us about Feudum... I admire your perserverance with learning it, I have read and heard that it is quite the learn/teach. Also very happy to hear your assessment of whether we'd enjoy it. I did frown when you said fiddly! Each time I've gone down the rabbithole of researching I've ended up not buying it. Maybe one day with someone else's copy who wants to teach us Thank you for watching! Always enjoy hearing your take on games. Have a great week ahead ☺

[@boardgamequeens]

I misheard Maggie when she was explaining The Bloody Inn. I thought she said you kill people and “rub” them. 😂 I was quite confused!

[@ThinkerThemer]

Well that would certainly make a strange theme stranger Thanks for watching Rachael!

[@skie4704]

These Small Talk videos are great! The Remember Our Trip game sounds interesting. Question: Have you tried or plan on trying Cerebria? It's heavy like Trickerion but is about the formation of a consciousness. Seems like it might tie into a transcendental concept a little bit (which also sounds like a fantastic theme/concept).

[@ThinkerThemer]

Good timing Skie!!! I actually just hunted down the elusive Origins box of Cerebria and we can't wait to try it. Maggie is very much into the theme as your correctly guessed! It is in a long queue of games... such a delightful problem to have too many games Thanks for your kind words about the video, and for all of your support!

[@elanitee]

I remain a huge fan. Did you all back the Matchbox Collection on Kickstarter? I keep waiting to see some of the games from that show up in one of these small talks.

[@ThinkerThemer]

We didn't no!!! And I regret it so much after seeing people post photos. Maybe I need to hunt them down Thank you for the kind words of support it means a lot to us

[@roseability86]

Wow! Amy, I had no idea you were half Chinese. That's so cool! I'm half Indian 😊 Also, in the UK we say dregs and Maccy's (Mackies) for McDonald's so not too different. I think the funniest Australian word to me is 'thong' because to us it's skimpy underwear and there it's like flip flop sandals (I think).

[@rudirincewind6449]

I like The Bloody Inn and love Targi.

[@ThinkerThemer]

Great to hear that!! Targi has a lot of fans and is a very clever design :) Thanks Rudi for watching.

[@darlene7165]

After watching this video, I ordered The Bloody Inn and Remember Our Trip! Both have now been played and I really enjoy them. I learned and played The Bloody Inn solo. After three games of the no kill challenge issued by Maggie, my high score is 114, long game and unlimited wealth. Room service keys, exchanging keys, and playing the Gardner early seem to be great strategies for this. The first two games I never had the Gardner come out. Very fun. I ignored this game in the past due to the theme, but your video and the cool challenge got me interested. I love it as a solo game!! And yes, even with the demise of the guests! Amy, I agree with you on the lack of females / diversity on the cards. In fact the only two females are represented as a “Shopkeeper” and a “Peasant”! UGH! 🤦‍♀️ I get it is France 1831, but still think we can do better. But I do love the solo game. I believe Remember Our Trip is played different than any game I have played, the shared memory board! I have only played this by learning it myself playing 2 hands! However those two games have been a lot of fun and I think I finally “get it” enough to teach someone else to play with me. Very cool mechanics but I had a lot of questions that I kept referring back to the rule. Still not sure if I got them all correct, by wow, such a different game than what I am use to! I can’t wait to play a real game with some gamer friends one day! Thank you so much for introducing me to these. games. I just love this series! Maggie, waiting to hear you high scores on the no kill challenge! #joeyfam!

[@DonGilstrap]

​ @ThinkerThemer If you're looking for any suggestions for other small box games to cover, I think A Fistful of Meeples would be an excellent candidate.

[@ThinkerThemer]

We own that Don!!! Good one to add in sometime thanks for the reminder and suggestion!

[@DonGilstrap]

@@ThinkerThemer Fun fact. The unofficial setting for that game is Main Street in Placerville, California. Placerville was called Hangtown back in the day and is not far from Coloma (both of those are other JonnyPac titles). Also, Apple Hill is near there, which is the first module in Sierra West. :)

[@elgo93]

Australia has some of the coolest slang

[@ThinkerThemer]

Hahaha I don't even realise half of it until Maggie points it out...! 🙃 'Straya 🦘🦘💕

[@Vonkater]

Scythe is a great game and blood rage is a cool Viking game I have both and painted the minitures. 😉😁🤗

[@zirkvandenberg7776]

Where can one get hold of Remember Our Trip? I cannot see any store stocking it.

[@ag4444]

I spent a few months travelling Australia and personally prefer Sydney because of the stunning nature. Even if you removed all the buildings in the area of Sydney, what's left - the harbour, the sandy coves, the inlets, the beaches, the Blue Mountains etc. - is stunning. And then you add the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House and you have an amazing and unique city. I think Melbourne is nice too, I enjoyed my time there, but ultimately it's not that special (sorry 😉). I would even go so far and say Perth is nicer and Hobart is more charming, but public transport, entertainment and food is obviously better in Melbourne. The Bloody Inn looks cool. Not sure what to think about the theme, I think it's ok for me, but it's very difficult to get it where I live anyways so I guess I'm not gonna get it for that reason. I wanted to buy Whitechapel, a deduction game about Jack The Ripper which seemed cool to me, but now that this young woman was murdered in London (it was a huge deal in the press) and more attention was drawn to the subject of violence against women I'm reconsidering. It feels wrong to want it, but I kinda still want it. 🙈 I would definitely also play Pandemic if I had a copy of that, even though I'm really sick of the real one.

[@ThinkerThemer]

Hahahaha yes I can totally appreciate that Sydney is the better city for tourists! Much more to see and do. We also love Perth and Tasmania as places to visit! Melbourne is a bit more liveable in my biased opinion with great culture / the arts / food. I can certainly understand the lack of desire to play games like the Bloody Inn / Whitechapel based on the dark nature of the theme. I think that's why Maggie has sanitised it by playing it without any killing anyone. Yes isn't it strange how Pandemic has been flying off the shelves... maybe it's because it gives us all a sense of control over it, unlike in real life. Thank you for watching and for taking the time to comment! Loved reading about all of your experiences here in Australia

[@ag4444]

@@ThinkerThemer It’s so sweet that you’re answering everyone. I know what you mean about Melbourne’s great art, culture and food. I certainly enjoyed my time there (during the Australian Open). I think I’m also just biased because Sydney is like my first love. I not only consider Sydney the best city in Australia but also in the world (and I’ve seen many). The first time I was in Sydney was 15 years ago. During a 6 months New Zealand trip I wanted to spend 3 weeks in Australia to travel up the coast. I arrived in Sydney, fell in love with the city and stayed the whole 3 weeks. I never made it up the coast. I literally cried when I had to leave after 3 weeks. That’s why I came back a few years ago to see more of Australia. During the few months I travelled the country I talked myself out of staying more than 10 days in Sydney, otherwise I would not have travelled up the East Coast - again. But I’ll be back, Sydney hasn’t see the last of me.

[@AaronAndSusie]

Does Maggie not like Welcome To, or is that a "flip and write" and not count? I just picked up twice as clever but haven't played it yet. My dad and I just played Silver and Gold yesterday and enjoyed it quite a bit. Welcome to is definitely our family and circle of friends fave roll and write. Railroad ink I thought was just OK, I culled Roll Through the Ages.

[@ThinkerThemer]

I think she does like it, but just OK (whereas I love it - it is just perfect). Love to know what you think of Twice of Clever once you've had a chance to play it. Might be the only other option for me to get Maggie more into R&W. I feel similarly about Railroad Ink...!!!

[@AaronAndSusie]

@@ThinkerThemerWelcome to really is amazing. I laminated all the holiday and special maps but haven't really played them. I need to explore then more! I'll certainly let you know about twice as clever!

[@GrayHateborn]

I am really grateful that you addressed the problematic theme in The Bloody Inn. I get very annoyed at virtue signalling presenters discussing their problem with colonialisation etc, then going off to play Secret Hitler, because, you know, apparently he wasn't a problem. My respect for you grew yet further.

[@CandiceLikes]

Try Rajas of the Ganges Roll and write!!

[@ThinkerThemer]

Oh yes but we haven't ever played the base game actually!! 😬

[@CandiceLikes]

ThinkerThemer I have a feeling both of you guys will like the Base game. 👍

[@jannagregory7928]

I’ve found that in retirement, I shower more like a South American. 😂😂

[@ThinkerThemer]

I still think it's just "like Maggie" This made us laugh a lot though! Thanks for watching and your kind support & membership Janna

[@Vonkater]

Call to adventure has beautiful cards and allows you to make a great story and score points check that out too. 😁😎

[@windyhillbomber]

Sydney is like a cheap one night stand. Melbourne is the person you will spend your life with.

[@ThinkerThemer]

Hahahaha! Well... you won't get any argument from biased us... but Sydney is great to visit ☺

[@Vonkater]

I think you would like the game bunny kingdom. 🐇🐰🐇

[@seanmorgan2257]

I wouldn't worry about the victims in the bloody inn, they are misogynists,

[@ThinkerThemer]

[@roseability86]

I never really noticed the lack of women in The Bloody Inn but it is set in old timey France so maybe the majority of people staying in an Inn alone would be men?

[@wx6283]

So... what does Maggie do when she loses? 😂

[@ThinkerThemer]

She either shuts down and gets really sad (same with take that games) OR she storms off and gets really angry. But then she gets angry at herself for getting angry. So it's quite the roller-coaster.

[@wx6283]

@@ThinkerThemer feels I am the same as Maggie too(especially when playing heavy euro games)😂😂 I love the small talk series it makes your channel so unique!

[@ThinkerThemer]

Hahahah yes I think maybe you must like the element of building something... that's when Maggie gets most upset, like someone kicking over her sandcastle! Lol. Thank you for the kind words, we love filming this series! 💕

[@philbarnett6613]

SAQ not FAQ LOL

[@ThinkerThemer]

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