Marc - The Thoughtful Gamer
@marcttg.bsky.social
Occasional board game reviewer. thethoughtfulgamer.com
Played Mind MGMT for the first time the other day and it inspired a game design idea that might be worth pursuing. I wish I had time right now to do that, though. Instead it goes into the ideas document. Someday...
June 3, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Played Mind MGMT for the first time the other day and it inspired a game design idea that might be worth pursuing. I wish I had time right now to do that, though. Instead it goes into the ideas document. Someday...
Conspiracy theory I have absolutely no evidence for: search engines have become absolute garbage because of a conspiratorial effort to get everyone to use AI instead.
May 12, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Conspiracy theory I have absolutely no evidence for: search engines have become absolute garbage because of a conspiratorial effort to get everyone to use AI instead.
Reposted by Marc - The Thoughtful Gamer
I have tariffed
the penguins
that are on
Heard Island
and which
you were probably
assuming
did not export goods
forgive me
they were taking advantage of us
so cunning
and so cold
the penguins
that are on
Heard Island
and which
you were probably
assuming
did not export goods
forgive me
they were taking advantage of us
so cunning
and so cold
April 3, 2025 at 7:45 PM
I have tariffed
the penguins
that are on
Heard Island
and which
you were probably
assuming
did not export goods
forgive me
they were taking advantage of us
so cunning
and so cold
the penguins
that are on
Heard Island
and which
you were probably
assuming
did not export goods
forgive me
they were taking advantage of us
so cunning
and so cold
I know this is not important at all, but I really really really really really hate when people use the word "broken" to describe what is just a good play in a game. Alas, I fear I can't stem the tide and "a good play" is what "broken" now means in gaming contexts.
March 31, 2025 at 3:25 PM
I know this is not important at all, but I really really really really really hate when people use the word "broken" to describe what is just a good play in a game. Alas, I fear I can't stem the tide and "a good play" is what "broken" now means in gaming contexts.
Just called a company that played, instead of hold music, fake keyboard noises. I now have a higher opinion of hold music.
February 27, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Just called a company that played, instead of hold music, fake keyboard noises. I now have a higher opinion of hold music.
I can never hear that quotation "writing about music is like dancing about architecture" without thinking of Tati's Playtime, which is both a brilliant, hilarious film and obviously dancing about architecture.
February 25, 2025 at 4:48 PM
I can never hear that quotation "writing about music is like dancing about architecture" without thinking of Tati's Playtime, which is both a brilliant, hilarious film and obviously dancing about architecture.
It should be basic journalistic practice to, when referring to a primary source, hyperlink, if possible, that primary source. I'm sick of reading "Bob said on <u>today's show</u>..." only to click on the link to get a random, semi-related article instead of the show itself!
February 21, 2025 at 6:07 PM
It should be basic journalistic practice to, when referring to a primary source, hyperlink, if possible, that primary source. I'm sick of reading "Bob said on <u>today's show</u>..." only to click on the link to get a random, semi-related article instead of the show itself!
Salsa is the healthiest food that doesn't feel healthy.
January 3, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Salsa is the healthiest food that doesn't feel healthy.
I've got more followers now, so I'm throwing this request out again. Any games that fit the bill?
What good ameritrash is out there? Looking for games that:
1. Are combat/action focused
2. Aren't 2+ hours long with tons of setup
3. Have very little or no english language skills required
4. Aren't crazy heavy or punitive
Bonus: Not dry. I've got an 11 year old who wants to blow things up here.
1. Are combat/action focused
2. Aren't 2+ hours long with tons of setup
3. Have very little or no english language skills required
4. Aren't crazy heavy or punitive
Bonus: Not dry. I've got an 11 year old who wants to blow things up here.
November 21, 2024 at 1:26 PM
I've got more followers now, so I'm throwing this request out again. Any games that fit the bill?
I haven't paid much attention to the board game space for a year or so. Is there anything good I missed? Any all-timers get released?
October 23, 2024 at 12:23 PM
I haven't paid much attention to the board game space for a year or so. Is there anything good I missed? Any all-timers get released?
Is Kathryn Bigelow the most underrated director who has won the best director oscar?
October 10, 2024 at 3:18 PM
Is Kathryn Bigelow the most underrated director who has won the best director oscar?
What's a good board game that's also good for kids to practice mental math? Something relatively simple and short, preferably.
September 25, 2024 at 8:23 PM
What's a good board game that's also good for kids to practice mental math? Something relatively simple and short, preferably.
What good ameritrash is out there? Looking for games that:
1. Are combat/action focused
2. Aren't 2+ hours long with tons of setup
3. Have very little or no english language skills required
4. Aren't crazy heavy or punitive
Bonus: Not dry. I've got an 11 year old who wants to blow things up here.
1. Are combat/action focused
2. Aren't 2+ hours long with tons of setup
3. Have very little or no english language skills required
4. Aren't crazy heavy or punitive
Bonus: Not dry. I've got an 11 year old who wants to blow things up here.
August 22, 2024 at 2:04 PM
What good ameritrash is out there? Looking for games that:
1. Are combat/action focused
2. Aren't 2+ hours long with tons of setup
3. Have very little or no english language skills required
4. Aren't crazy heavy or punitive
Bonus: Not dry. I've got an 11 year old who wants to blow things up here.
1. Are combat/action focused
2. Aren't 2+ hours long with tons of setup
3. Have very little or no english language skills required
4. Aren't crazy heavy or punitive
Bonus: Not dry. I've got an 11 year old who wants to blow things up here.
Things I have learned this week: Never use Squarespace for anything.
August 5, 2024 at 2:43 PM
Things I have learned this week: Never use Squarespace for anything.
I've been playing quite a bit of 7 Wonders Architect on BGA and the more I play the more I appreciate its design. It can't be an easy job to take a beloved design and simplify it while retaining many of the strategic elements of the original. (1/x)
July 9, 2024 at 5:26 PM
I've been playing quite a bit of 7 Wonders Architect on BGA and the more I play the more I appreciate its design. It can't be an easy job to take a beloved design and simplify it while retaining many of the strategic elements of the original. (1/x)
I watched Keaton's Sherlock Jr. with the family today and realized that it's the 100 year anniversary of this masterpiece. If you haven't seen it you owe it to yourself to remedy that. It's on youtube!
May 11, 2024 at 2:39 AM
I watched Keaton's Sherlock Jr. with the family today and realized that it's the 100 year anniversary of this masterpiece. If you haven't seen it you owe it to yourself to remedy that. It's on youtube!
Even wilder, it's essentially a closed loop with the famous '1984' ad. Apple's announcing that they're the monolith.
Ok, we get it Apple. You want to destroy all the things that used to help us be happy or creative without a subscription.
This feels a bit too on the nose though.
youtu.be/ntjkwIXWtrc?...
This feels a bit too on the nose though.
youtu.be/ntjkwIXWtrc?...
Crush! | iPad Pro | Apple
Introducing the all-new iPad Pro. Outrageous performance by the first-ever M4 chip. With the breakthrough Ultra Retina XDR display. All in the thinnest Apple...
youtu.be
May 8, 2024 at 1:13 PM
Even wilder, it's essentially a closed loop with the famous '1984' ad. Apple's announcing that they're the monolith.
Reposted by Marc - The Thoughtful Gamer
Ok, we get it Apple. You want to destroy all the things that used to help us be happy or creative without a subscription.
This feels a bit too on the nose though.
youtu.be/ntjkwIXWtrc?...
This feels a bit too on the nose though.
youtu.be/ntjkwIXWtrc?...
Crush! | iPad Pro | Apple
Introducing the all-new iPad Pro. Outrageous performance by the first-ever M4 chip. With the breakthrough Ultra Retina XDR display. All in the thinnest Apple...
youtu.be
May 7, 2024 at 10:59 PM
Ok, we get it Apple. You want to destroy all the things that used to help us be happy or creative without a subscription.
This feels a bit too on the nose though.
youtu.be/ntjkwIXWtrc?...
This feels a bit too on the nose though.
youtu.be/ntjkwIXWtrc?...
Introducing The Princess Bride to an 11 year old is a peak movie-watching experience.
April 22, 2024 at 1:22 PM
Introducing The Princess Bride to an 11 year old is a peak movie-watching experience.
From a game design perspective, what's the best-designed major American sport? (between football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, and golf)
April 6, 2024 at 8:25 PM
From a game design perspective, what's the best-designed major American sport? (between football, basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer, and golf)
More than any other game, Pipeline continues to absolutely stymie my every attempt to get better at it. And yet I never stop feeling like I'm incredibly close to figuring it out.
February 18, 2024 at 10:50 PM
More than any other game, Pipeline continues to absolutely stymie my every attempt to get better at it. And yet I never stop feeling like I'm incredibly close to figuring it out.
Sometimes as part of her work Amber does something that seems superhero-level to me, though she sees it as somewhat mundane. It's cool to be married to someone legitimately more awesome than you are.
February 9, 2024 at 6:47 PM
Sometimes as part of her work Amber does something that seems superhero-level to me, though she sees it as somewhat mundane. It's cool to be married to someone legitimately more awesome than you are.
AI jokes write themselves
February 8, 2024 at 5:21 AM
AI jokes write themselves
One of the best game mechanisms of all time is when players have control over when scoring phases happen. Always a winner, particularly when triggering scoring loses you a tempo.
January 16, 2024 at 2:50 AM
One of the best game mechanisms of all time is when players have control over when scoring phases happen. Always a winner, particularly when triggering scoring loses you a tempo.