This Game LITERALLY Changed My Life! (And How I Got Into Board Games!)

[@hedgehogaj]

I was not expected the game store I frequent to pop up in a random youtube video. This is either a fun coincidence or the algorithm is getting scary.

[@BoardGameDave]

Haha, it definitely could be the algorithm if it knows that we live in the same general area! I love Six Feet Under Games-have you been to the newly renovated location in Gap? I've only been once but unfortunately they were closed!

[@sjefdewin1534]

Love to see you do a solo playtrough ;) They have a official solo mode now, I think.

[@BoardGameDave]

Thank you for reminding me of the official solo variant! I think I happened to see something about that on BGA somewhere and it looks really fun! "Survive! As long as possible!" I can't wait to try it; I could certainly do that for a Solo Play Sunday sometime! Thanks for the suggestion!

[@DaleKeefer]

I've never played with the ant module before. Looks like it adds random variability to the board.

[@BoardGameDave]

You're missing out, Dale! It's sort of like the mammoth module in Endless Winter but just on a really tiny scale! 🐜 (I'm glad you caught that, though! I really liked that footage!)

[@joiechristena]

Cat Lady is STILL the best game out there... just sayin'. :)

[@BoardGameDave]

It's not a bad game and I obviously still own it, although I haven't played it in a really long time! 😅 Maybe I'll get it to the table one of these days! Harry would like that!

[@TheBrothersMurph]

This was Pandemic for us. Absolutely changed our lives! Love to see some Stone Age love!

[@BoardGameDave]

I've heard that Pandemic was the "breakthrough" game for lots of gamers! That's so fantastic and I can totally see how a co-op game would work really well as a gateway game since you're (most likely) playing with someone who knows the game well enough to guide you through it! I'm not a big co-op fan so I'm not sure Pandemic would have clicked the same way for me as Stone Age did! Competitive games all the way! ⚔

[@CarlosGFlores]

To the Marks of the world... Those friends that changed our lives one mind blowing game at a time!

[@BoardGameDave]

Hear, hear! 🥂

[@Physiology-E-Paathshala]

Bug alert at 7mins

[@BoardGameDave]

Thank you! 🐜

[@jamessherman7797]

Great review and thanks for sharing your passion and bias for it. Played it on BGA quite a bit during pandemic but a bit spoiled by letting the it do the scoring. Played it for the first time as actual board game at our Friday night game group. It was really fun with a nice balance of complexity. I agree, the components are high quality with high quality artwork.

[@BoardGameDave]

Thank you for checking out the review, James! It runs VERY smoothly on BGA, I agree! Some games are just so much quicker and easier to play digitally! 😅 I'm so glad you enjoyed playing it in person, though! The components and artwork really are great and it's just the right blend of complexity and intuitiveness! I hope you get to play Stone Age many more times! It's a classic! 🛖

[@blackboardgaming5348]

I've been playing modern board games since 2014 and still have yet to play Stone Age. Hearing you speak on the game so passionately makes me want to play it very soon! Great video!

[@BoardGameDave]

Thank you so much for your comment! You've been in this hobby much longer than I have; I'm surprised you haven't played Stone Age! Like I said, it's on Board Game Arena if you want to give it a try! Hannah, my brother, and I just played it on BGA yesterday! 🛖

[@dadsanddice]

You aren't lying about this one being hard to find. I've only ever played it on BGA.

[@BoardGameDave]

I mean, there's a new copy on Amazon right now for $99.99! 😉 (It looks like the Anniversary edition is even harder to find!) You might be able to find a used copy if you look hard enough, though! It's so much better playing in person than on BGA!

[@hoochproductions]

Stone Age!!! Amazing game. Glad I made two appearances! haha. The only other game that comes close is Azul. The only thing I don't like about Stone Age is that I always feel like I need two extra turns myself to accomplish everything I want to do... but making the best decision in the current situation and having an adaptable strategy is crucial. Just hard for me. I'd still play it in a heart beat though

[@BoardGameDave]

Such a great game, right? 🛖 Thanks for agreeing to appear in this video! (I didn’t realize you liked Azul that much! You’ve never tried any of the sequels, have you? There are three and I like all of them more than the original!) If you want a longer game, we could do what we did once by accident at your place: set out four stacks of buildings for a 2P game! Do you remember that? Our final scores were 379-239! 😂 We should play on BGA like we keep saying we’re going to!

[@lemilfy]

Good pre-historic lesson! It's awesome that you still own/play your first love. I think mine were ticket to ride, catan but went straight to scythe after that and became obsessed. so i could say scythe was my board game first love. it was so complex and the concept of everyone having their own player board, and players having different powers... it was mind-numbingly difficult to learn but I had the thirst to play this epic game. once i got over the hump, my wife and I had many solid games but she was too thrilled about conflicts and we eventually sold it after getting through rise of fenris. it was so heart-breaking to part with my first love but i had to since it wasn't getting played... it was my first time painting minis too!

[@BoardGameDave]

Oh, yeah... I can't see Stone Age ever leaving my collection! Not only because I still play it occasionally with Hannah but because of the sentimental value! That's so funny that we both went from Catan straight to Scythe! I guess Scythe made enough waves when it came out that even casual gamers heard about it and wanted to give it a try! I'm glad you at least got to play through a whole campaign with that game before you sold it! And it's good to have that pragmatic attitude toward your board game collection, I think! (That's awesome that you painted the minis; they look so good painted!) 🎨

[@emmafradd]

My brothers and I played tonnes of AOE growing up too! On that comparison alone, I've added this to my 'want to play' list

[@BoardGameDave]

You're kidding me! Age of Empires was/is the best real-time strategy/civilization game out there in my opinion! Which AOE did you primarily play? 🛖 I'm glad the nostalgia was enough to convince you to try this game! I just played it with some new friends the other night actually and we had such a blast! I hope you're able to find someone with a copy!

[@emmafradd]

@@BoardGameDave Mainly AOE2, we also played other strategy games like Command & Conquer, Red Alert...Every time says Age Of Empires though, I have to say "Shhh Hohh" lol

[@BoardGameDave]

We started out on AOE1 but we probably spend more time playing AOE2! And that's so funny-we played a lot of Command & Conquer: Red Alert, too! (I wasn't sure which one but I looked it up and it was Red Alert 2!) I can hear that new villager sound from AOE so clearly! 🤣 How about the monk? "Wololo... wololo..."

[@maryzuffi1599]

My app for Stone Age won’t upgrade sad day

[@BoardGameDave]

I didn't know there was a Stone Age app! I did a quick Google search but I'm not finding anything! Is it an iOS app? An Android app?

[@joshmills8354]

Hell yes, Age of Empires 2!

[@BoardGameDave]

One of the best PC games of all time! (I'm old enough that we actually played the original Age of Empires! What a throwback!) 🛖

[@MsGinahidesout]

Ha ha, I thought you said, "age of vampires " 😂😂

[@BoardGameDave]

It really sounds like that, right? 🧛

[@MsGinahidesout]

@@BoardGameDave I guess that's a different game altogether! 🤣

[@BoardGameDave]

@@MsGinahidesout Haha, you're right! (Doesn't necessarily sound like my kind of game, actually!) 🤣

[@dimmok8344]

It’s always surprising when I’m reminded how fairly new you are into Boardgames. You’d never guess gaming with ya.

[@BoardGameDave]

Yeah, man! I was going through old photos looking for pictures from when I first got into gaming and I think the first game we ever played together was Imperial Settlers! If I seem surprisingly knowledgeable/experienced in the board game hobby, that’s all thanks to you! Wouldn’t be a Board Game Dave without game nights at your place! ☺️

[@dimmok8344]

@@BoardGameDave I’m just glad you’re helping me play through the back log lol thanks bud!

[@BoardGameDave]

@@dimmok8344 Haha, absolutely! I'm always (or maybe usually) up for learning new games although lately I do find myself itching to replay games we already know! (Speaking of which, I'm really looking forward to playing Ark Nova tonight!) 🐘

[@dimmok8344]

@@BoardGameDave same hopefully I do better than I did in our first play.

[@BoardGameDave]

@@dimmok8344 Sorry your plan for our second play of Ark Nova didn't go according to plan! 😬 The scores were a lot closer the first time around!

[@SKGuna_writer]

I immediately rushed over and pulled out my copy of Stone Age to sniff the cup - passed the smell test, for sure. Haha!

[@BoardGameDave]

You checked out the video! ☺️ Right? I don't know what people are talking about with the stinky cup! Maybe that was like a first printing fluke or something? Glad yours smells okay!

[@SKGuna_writer]

@BoardGameDave I did, Dave! Enjoyed the video. 😁 According to Google, the smelly Cup in Stone Age is caused by mould. Thankfully, my board games are stored in a mold-free environment despite Malaysia being a tropical country and, therefore, extremely humid. Also, I'm keen to know more about how the progress of your self-made game is going? Now that you have played many more games since you first designed it, it would be interesting to see if you've tweaked the game with the wealth of new info you've acquired from playing with various systems. Side note: I playtested a friend's early-stage prototype last night and discovered it has great potential. I might be working with her to bring it to life one day. 😎

[@BoardGameDave]

@@SKGuna_writer Ah! In that case, I'm very lucky that I've been able to keep my copy of Stone Age mold-free! (Sounds like it would be significantly harder in Malaysia!) 🌏 And I've honestly taken a big step back from any design these days! The KZbin channel takes up most of my free time plus after playing hundreds of modern board games it's hard to imagine coming up with something new and unique! That sounds really exciting about your friend's game, though! Good luck helping her develop it! ☺

[@SKGuna_writer]

@@BoardGameDave Come to think of it, a moldy Stone Age game would be pretty on-brand, no? Haha. But yeah, the weather here is not too kind on board games. I know many community members who have purchased large dehumidifiers to combat mold. Fortunately, I don't have to make such a purchase ... yet. And I completely understand how busy you must be with the YT channel and everything else. But you should keep working on your game whenever you get the chance - if that is something you still want to do. 🙂 Also, your design does not have to be entirely unique or original. Sometimes, designing a game is more about innovation rather than creation, you know? That's how Gloomhaven began its developmental journey after all, the devs wanted to take a system and make it better - and it worked! I may not be a big fan of the game itself, but I respect the effort, and it deserves the recognition that it has garnered. So, when in doubt, don't create - innovate. 😎

[@BoardGameDave]

@@SKGuna_writer The whole dehumidifier thing makes a lot of sense! When board games become a big investment it makes sense to protect them with something like that! And I appreciate the encouragement! I do think of new game designs from time to time but I do find that these days I'd rather be playing a game than designing one... although maybe that'll change in the future! ☺ That's a good point that the design doesn't have to be wholly original-just innovative! I'll keep that in mind!

[@sarahreed-eurogamergirl]

Did you ever get the expansion for Stone Age? It adds some neat variability, though it's sadly a bit broken. But we still like it. I've enjoyed teaching Stone Age to my friends on BGA. They've been enjoying it and they don't have to deal with our stinky cup. lol.

[@BoardGameDave]

I actually have the expansion behind me in the video! Hannah and I use the expansion maybe 50% of the time when we play? Going heavy on the trade track is definitely super powerful but we try to block each other as much as possible! 😅 I'm so glad you've been able to teach the game to people using BGA! Hannah and my brother and I actually just played yesterday on BGA... I'm so glad it's on there since it's one of our favorite games to play together! 😊

[@sarahreed-eurogamergirl]

@@BoardGameDave You don't put the expansion content inside the main box? I do that whenever I can to save space. As long as you both go aggressive against each other, no one can run away with the game. I love BGA and how easy it makes it to play games with others, especially since we're still not getting together with friends.

[@BoardGameDave]

@@sarahreed-eurogamergirl I did manage to put all of the expansion content inside the main box but I still keep the expansion box! I have a small collection of expansion boxes that are completely empty but I just can't bring myself to throw them out! 😅 And yes, especially with the expansion, Hannah and I do a whole lot of blocking each other off! We've both played it so much that I feel like we're fairly equally balanced! BGA definitely saves a lot of time, both with set up and stuff but also just facilitating players' turns and showing them what options they have! Not my preferred way to play board games, but it works in a pinch!

[@sarahreed-eurogamergirl]

@@BoardGameDave Ah, I see! Yeah, I have a few expansion boxes I kept too, mostly because the art is so pretty. That's great that you two are so well balanced when playing Stone Age. Makes for more enjoyable games! I've come to like a lot about BGA, especially the no setup or tear down and also the help from the computer to remind you everything you can and can't do. But I agree, I'd much rather sit around a table with friends and play games!

[@BoardGameDave]

@@sarahreed-eurogamergirl My friend recently started using empty expansion box lids as decorations in his classroom! Maybe if I have a designated game room someday I'll do something similar! And yes, I typically have the advantage in most of the games we play together because I've played them more often, but Hannah is great at Stone Age! (It's all about getting those civilization cards, right?) Yeah, I love BGA for a quick game when you don't have a lot of time! Can't Stop is especially good for a super fast game!

[@BoardgamesforOne]

Nice to hear your origin story

[@BoardGameDave]

Every good villain has to have one, right? 😉 Are you going to tell us your backstory?

[@BoardgamesforOne]

@@BoardGameDave if I can pull it off how you did, yep. I have a few already recorded videos-two which I sound like I’m about to fall asleep but I’m posting anyway. After those I wanna do the tag video, a list, then an origin w rococo could be in store. It’s my goal to do ten minute videos for a while to prime the channel. Will see if I can do it!

[@BoardGameDave]

@@BoardgamesforOne Oh no! Are you not getting enough sleep? And yes, please do the tag video! I have so much fun learning about other board game content creators! And an origin video sounds great, too! (Was Rococo the game that got you into the hobby?) Yeah, I find that my videos do tend to be a little lengthy too, but hopefully people find the longer-format reviews and playthroughs helpful!

[@BoardgamesforOne]

@@BoardGameDave I like longer myself, and my goal is to get there, but I think viewers do tend to prefer shorter in most cases. Oh I’m sleeping enough 😎. The camera kills energy, so when I feel I’m bouncing off the walls w excitement, I look about normal on camera. Anything less and I sound sleepy. Yeah I love learning about people so I’m looking forward to it.

[@BoardGameDave]

@@BoardgamesforOne Yeah, short and sweet is maybe best in some cases! And that's interesting; I never thought you seemed sleepy or low-energy! But it's good that you know that about how you appear on camera! Can't wait to see your upcoming videos, Mike!