Author Archives: Matt J Carlson

About Matt J Carlson

Dad, Gamer, Science Teacher, Youth Pastor... oh and I have green hair. To see me "in action" check out Dr. Carlson's Science Theater up on Youtube...

Matt Carlson: Gencon 2019 (The Bizarre of the Bazaar)

Posted on August 11, 2019

If all my writing has you tired out, here’s a nearly all pictorial view of the oddball (to me) underpinnings of the show. Read on to see the overconfidence of a man in a purple jersey, class it up with … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Humor / Satire, Reviews | 4 Comments

Matt Carlson: Gencon 2019 (RPGs)

Posted on August 10, 2019

I feel like an old grump, but everything is going online and streaming nowadays. The world of RPGs is no different. Groups like Critical Role far outstrip the viewership of any of the traditional boardgame-coverage channels. (By my estimate, 600,000 … Continue reading →

Posted in Convention Report, Reviews | 2 Comments

Matt Carlson: Gencon 2019 (Digital)

Posted on August 9, 2019

In days past, GenCon was full of videogame vendors.  Over time, fewer and fewer showed up. However, the digital side is coming back, thanks to the increasing offerings of boardgames translated into the digital realm.

Posted in Convention Report, Reviews | 1 Comment

Matt Carlson: Gencon 2019 (J-Z)

Posted on August 8, 2019

Another day, another GenCon report. Here’s the second half of my boardgame explorations. Hopefully you find something worth discovering! There are boardgames, dice, cards, and dice, (did I mention dice?) I assume at some point someone has coined it, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Convention Report, Reviews | 4 Comments

Matt Carlson: GenCon 2019 (A to I)

Posted on August 7, 2019

GenCon has descended on Indianapolis and left again, leaving behind an empty space that so recently was filled with gamer crowds gawking at the newest game or passing cosplay costume.  Another record year saw 70,000 attendees going through 538 exhibitor … Continue reading →

Posted in Convention Report | 8 Comments

Matt Carlson: Dragon’s Breath

Posted on July 9, 2019

It’s always a fine line to create a boardgame playable by children, but yet contains enough of a seed of strategy so that adults will also find it entertaining.  Dexterity components or memorization aspects are both popular mechanics to employ … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | 1 Comment

Matt Carlson: Honga

Posted on July 2, 2019

Honga the hungry tiger wants your time and attention.  However, you have a job to do to take care of your village.  Do you spend precious actions to placate Hongar or do you ignore the tiger and hope to accomplish … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | 1 Comment

Matt Carlson: Game On! Travel Coins

Posted on November 3, 2018

Many boardgamers spruce up their games with additional bits and do-dads that improve the look and feel of a game to improve the gaming experience.  One common improvement is to replace paper or cardboard versions of coins/points/money. Some gamers will … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Matt Carlson: Thunderstone Quest

Posted on August 14, 2018

In the first wave of deckbuilders, Thunderstone added on a fantasy/dungeon crawl theme to the mix.  About three years (and five expansions) later, a revamped (but backward compatible) Thunderstone Advance appeared.    About six more expansions, and as many years, went … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | 1 Comment

Matt Carlson: GenCon 2018 (Cabinet of Curiosities)

Posted on August 12, 2018

I was recently overseas checking out some royal digs.  I found it interesting that people were in the habit of collecting various knickknacks of interest and putting them in a private collection to show off to the “in” crowd.  DaVinci … Continue reading →

Posted in Convention Report, Reviews, Uncategorized | 2 Comments