Eggplant: The Secret Lives of Games

We're joined by Scott Anderson (Unity), Carolyn Petit (Kotaku), Xanagear (youtube.com/xanagear), and Glove (UFO 50 Historian/ska podcaster) to discuss Valbrace, the 37th game in the UFO 50 collection. “No knight has ever survived the journey into Gnothrok Keep. What makes you think you'll be any different?” Next week: Rakshasa Audio edited by Dylan Shumway Discussed in this episode: My Perfect Console Ep. 119: Bennett Foddy, philosopher, game designer (QWOP, GIRP, Getting Over It) https://shows.acast.com/my-perfect-console/episodes/bennett-foddy-game-designer-musician-philosopher-qwop-girp-g  Odd Object Game Studio https://oddobject.zone/  Hot Streak https://www.cmyk.games/products/hot-streak  Carolyn on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/carolynmichelle.bsky.social  Scott on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/impossible.bsky.social  Oak & Yarrow Web Design Studio https://oakyarrow.com/  Xanagear on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/xanagear.com  UFO 50 Fan Discord 50games.fans  Cherry Rush (UFO 50 Speedrunning Charity Event) https://www.cherry-rush.org/  The Rude Boys ska podcast https://www.youtube.com/@rudeboyspodcast   https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow  http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow

We're joined by Scott Anderson (Unity), Alfredo Barraza (Riot Games), and Alex Jaffe (Riot Games) to discuss Hyper Contender, the 36th game in the UFO 50 collection. “The daring, desperate, and indebted fight for money in the pits of Phogon.” Next week: Valbrace Audio edited by Dylan Shumway.   Discussed in this episode:   Towerfall https://store.steampowered.com/app/251470/TowerFall_Ascension/    Rivals of Aether https://store.steampowered.com/app/383980/Rivals_of_Aether/    Rivals of Aether II https://store.steampowered.com/app/2217000/Rivals_of_Aether_II/    Brawlhalla https://store.steampowered.com/app/291550/Brawlhalla/    Multiversus https://store.steampowered.com/app/1818750/MultiVersus/  Samurai GUNN https://store.steampowered.com/app/239090/Samurai_GUNN/    Samurai GUNN 2 https://store.steampowered.com/app/1397790/Samurai_GUNN_2/?curator_clanid=38580399    Nidhogg https://store.steampowered.com/app/94400/Nidhogg/    Nidhogg 2 https://store.steampowered.com/app/535520/Nidhogg_2/    Scott’s itch page https://impossible.itch.io/    Shuffle Tactics https://store.steampowered.com/app/2186580/Shuffle_Tactics/    Focused Space https://www.focused.space/    https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow  http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow

Rob, Nick, Doug, and Andy chat with Jeff Dubbin, a lawyer and (at the time of recording and publication) Board Game Arena’s top-ranked international player of Reiner Knizia’s Lost Cities. Lost Cities is a two-player card game about staking bets and unearthing archaeological treasures. We discuss the tactics behind high-level play, the ins and outs of Elo leaderboard systems, and the emotional impact of striving to be the best in the world.  Audio edited by Dylan Shumway Discussed in this episode: Board Game Arena - Lost Cities (scroll down for leaderboards, toggle to “All Time”) https://en.boardgamearena.com/gamepanel?game=lostcities  Board Game Geek - Lost Cities https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/50/lost-cities Lost Cities Card Game https://store.thamesandkosmos.com/collections/lost-cities/products/lost-cities-card-game-with-6th-expedition    https://eggplant.show/  https://discord.gg/eggplant  https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow 

We're joined by Liz Ryerson (musician, writer, podcaster), Russ Frushtick (The Besties), and Xanagear (youtube.com/xanagear) to discuss Campanella 2, the 35th game in the UFO 50 collection. “Pilot's gone missing on a giant space station and his sister Isabell is determined to find him!” Next week: Hyper Contender Audio edited by Dylan Shumway.   Discussed in this episode: Post Games Patreon https://www.patreon.com/PostGames  Post Games podcast announcement https://postgame.substack.com/p/sneak-preview-of-post-games-and-early  Great Art https://www.mostancient.com/shop/great-art  The Besties https://www.themcelroy.family/podcasts/besties/    https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow  http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow

We're recapping the 2025 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 13).  Laura, Jey, and Doug break down Episode 9 (reunion) and try to rank and contextualize the season. Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about the episodes, and more. Links: Ep 122: Finding Decency in Reality with Gilles De Coster (De Mol) https://eggplant.show/122-finding-decency-in-reality-with-gilles-de-coster-de-mol Eggplant's De Mol 2024 recap series, including live finale interviews: https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow Eggplant Discord http://discord.gg/eggplant

We're joined by Izzy Kestrel (Funomena, No Goblin) and John Axon (Capy Games) to discuss Overbold, the 34th game in the UFO 50 collection. “In the notorious Red Arena, the more risk you take, the more money you make!” Next week: Campanella 2 Audio edited by Dylan Shumway. Discussed in this episode: brainfruit! (Rob’s new studio) https://bsky.app/profile/brainfruit.bsky.social  Binding of Isaac: Rebirth https://store.steampowered.com/app/250900/The_Binding_of_Isaac_Rebirth/  Make Ten Deluxe https://pancelor.itch.io/make-ten-deluxe The Electrifying Incident: A Monster Mini-Expedition https://store.steampowered.com/app/3352300/The_Electrifying_Incident_A_Monster_MiniExpedition/  A Year of UFO 50 - Camouflage https://eggplant.show/ep-a-year-of-ufo-50-camouflage A Year of UFO 50 - Kick Club https://eggplant.show/ep-a-year-of-ufo-50-kick-club A Year of UFO 50 - Golfaria https://eggplant.show/ep-a-year-of-ufo-50-golfaria A Year of UFO 50 - Pingolf https://eggplant.show/ep-a-year-of-ufo-50-pingolf https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow  

We're recapping the 2025 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 13).  Laura, Jey, and Doug break down Episode 8 and share their Mole suspicions.  Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about the episodes, and to play a Mol guessing game with us. Links: Reality TV Warriors finale live interviews w/ Gilles, Michèle, Alexy https://rtvwarriors.wordpress.com/2025/05/13/diary-of-a-mole-finale-iv/ Ep 122: Finding Decency in Reality with Gilles De Coster (De Mol) https://eggplant.show/122-finding-decency-in-reality-with-gilles-de-coster-de-mol Eggplant's De Mol 2024 recap series https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow Eggplant Discord http://discord.gg/eggplant

We're joined by Shawn Alexander Allen (Treachery in Beatdown City), Robert Ashley (A Life Well Wasted), Greg Ford (EGM), and Trent Kusters (League of Geeks) to discuss Fist Hell, the 33rd game in the UFO 50 collection. "The city has a zombie problem and the mayor can’t be trusted to fix it. Time to grab your friends & fight!" Next week: Overbold Audio edited by Dylan Shumway.

We're recapping the 2025 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 13).  Laura, Jey, and Doug break down Episode 7 and share their Mole suspicions.  Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about the episodes, and to play a Mol guessing game with us. Links: Ep 122: Finding Decency in Reality with Gilles De Coster (De Mol) https://eggplant.show/122-finding-decency-in-reality-with-gilles-de-coster-de-mol Eggplant's De Mol 2024 recap series https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow Eggplant Discord http://discord.gg/eggplant

We're joined by Stephanie Boluk (UC Davis), Patrick LeMieux (UC Davis), and Aaron “ix” Kearsley (Speedrunner) to discuss Mortol II, the 32nd game in the UFO 50 collection. “How many will have to sacrifice their lives to save Mortolia yet again?” Next week: Fist Hell Audio edited by Dylan Shumway. Discussed in this episode: Mortol II Map https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https://i.redd.it/r44fngq6atqd1.png&rdt=46583   Redder https://w.itch.io/redder   A Year of UFO 50 - Rock On! Island https://eggplant.show/ep-a-year-of-ufo-50-rock-on-island  A Year of UFO 50 - Mortol https://eggplant.show/ep-a-year-of-ufo-50-mortol   Into the Depths: Kentucky Route Zero - Part 1 https://eggplant.show/into-the-depths-kentucky-route-zero-part-1  Spelunky Showlike: Breaking world records with Kinnijup and ix  https://eggplant.show/03-breaking-world-records-with-kinnijup-and-ix    Spelunky Showlike: Death in Roguelikes with Kawa https://eggplant.show/07-death-in-roguelikes-with-kawa    https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow   http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow