Episodes
Welcome to the next episode of Solosaurus Plays. In this Part 2 episode, Michael Eckenfels continues his foray into a solo playthroughs of Rock Band, a solo RPG where you create and control a band as it struggles to rise from garage band status with few fans, to international stardom and beyond, in the early 1980s. So join him for this exercise in solo play! Need new games? Head on over to Game Kastle and use the discount code SOLOSAURUS10 at check out to secure 10% off your first order! ...
Published 12/21/23
Published 12/21/23
Welcome to Episode 93 of the Solosaurus podcast! Host Michael Eckenfels discusses a zombie-themed board game, Resident Evil 2! Check out your EXCLUSIVE 10% Solosaurus discount at The Game Kastle, our sponsor!  Time Stamps: 00:00 - Intro and Disclaimer 01:50 - Solo2 News 13:45 - Review Begins 14:50 - Horror in Board Games versus Movies versus Zombies 20:24 - Overview 25:18 - Components 31:56 - Rules 34:11 - Gameplay 49:34 - Overall 52:52 - Stomp of Approval (?) 53:58 - Final...
Published 12/06/23
Welcome to the first (ish) episode of Solosaurus Plays. In these episodes, Michael Eckenfels dives into solo playthroughs of all types of games, starting with this solo RPG called Rock Band. In this game, you create and control a band as it struggles to rise from garage band status with few fans, to international stardom and beyond. So join him for this exercise in solo play! Need new games? Head on over to Game Kastle and use the discount code SOLOSAURUS10 at check out to secure 10% off...
Published 11/29/23
Welcome to Episode 92 of the Solosaurus podcast! Here, your host Michael Eckenfels brings his Top 10 list of solo games to compare with Jerry from the Board Game Snobs Podcast! This makes this technically a mega-episode (or mega-saurus, however you want to see it), full of not just game discussions.  Check out your EXCLUSIVE 10% Solosaurus discount at The Game Kastle, our sponsor!  Time Stamps: 00:03:57 - Board Game Snobs Podcast Discussion 00:27:18 - Our Top 10 Solo Games Discussion...
Published 11/18/23
Welcome to Episode 91 of the Solosaurus podcast! In this episode, Michael reviews the game The Hunters: German U-Boats at War, 1939-1943, designed by Gregory Smith and published by GMT Games. Intro and Exposition (00:00) Solo2 News (from Solitaire Times) (02:27) 19:27 Review Begins 22:56 Components 28:40 Gameplay 01:01:04 Solo Strength 01:01:15 Replayability 01:02:52 Stomp of Approval? 1:03:57  Outro Check out your EXCLUSIVE 10% Solosaurus discount at The Game Kastle, our new sponsor!    ...
Published 10/13/23
Welcome to Solosaurus, a podcast about one player board and card games. In this episode, Michael dives into solo wargaming, talking about a LOT of different games. Plus, he discusses what makes a solo game solitaire, as well as what makes a wargame, a wargame. Plus, he goes down various gaming rabbit holes as a bonus. Intro and Exposition (0:00) Solo2 News (from Solitaire Times) (3:44) What Is Solo Gaming? (11:18) What Is a Wargame? (18:20) New Solo Wargaming Player Recommendations (22:16)...
Published 09/25/23
Welcome to Solosaurus, a podcast about one player board and card games. In this episode, Michael returns to Solosaurus to talk about a whole lot of things. Again. Intro and Exposition (0:00) Solo News (from Solitaire Times) (10:04) What Have I Been Playing/Buying? (20:15) What Else Is Going On? (30:54) What's in Store for Solosaurus? (36:55) Outro (39:15) To see more from Solosaurus, like us on Facebook at (facebook.com/solosaurus), follow us on Instagram (@solosauruspodcast), or shoot as...
Published 09/09/23
Welcome to Solosaurus, a podcast about one player board and card games. In this episode, Martin and Michael return to Solosaurus to talk about a whole lot of things. Intro and Exposition (0:00) Solo News (from Solitaire Times) (14:56) What We've Been Playing (28:56) Purchases (1:10:24) What's in Store for Solosaurus (1:30:56) Outro (1:38:14) To see more from Solosaurus, like us on Facebook at (facebook.com/solosaurus), follow us on Instagram (@solosauruspodcast), or shoot as an email...
Published 10/14/22
Welcome to Solosaurus, a podcast about one player board and card games. In this episode, Martin and Michael interview one of the most prolific and legendary solo mode game designers out there, David Turczi! Intro and Exposition (0:00) What Have You Played, Lately? (2:48) Interview Kinda Begins (27:13) Outro and Ending (1:08:24) You can find great solo games (and a community to talk about them with like-minded folks) at the best online gaming store for solo gamers: Stone Valley Games...
Published 03/17/22
Welcome to Solosaurus, a podcast about one player board and card games. In this episode, Martin and Michael spend time plotting to overthrow the Communist leadership of Hungary, circa 1956, in the board game Days of Ire: Budapest 1956.    Michael also took a look at an expansion, Days & Nights: Red Army Pack. Intro and Exposition (0:00) Solo Gaming News (2:03) Purple Haze (on Gamefound as of this recording) Final Girl Season 2 (already funded on Kickstarter as of this recording)...
Published 02/13/22
Welcome to Solosaurus, a podcast about one player board and card games. In this episode, Martin and Michael pine about games and fjords and such...no particular game is the focus here, but there's lots of discussion! Intro and Exposition (0:00) Nothing About Marvel Movies (00:35) Nothing About Show Outlines and Old PC Games (02:48) Nothing About Finally Starting This Episode (05:51) Nothing About How Michael Needs a Board Game Intervention (or, His First Purchases from Stone Valley Games)...
Published 12/22/21
Welcome to Solosaurus, a podcast about one player board and card games. In this episode, Martin and Michael spend time discussing how not to get stabbed in the back like Caesar, and succeed just as well as he, in Donning the Purple, from Tompet Games! Intro and Exposition (0:00) Special Announcement (5:58) - go check out Stone Valley Games' front page for a new FREE GAME giveaway (actually, TWO games!), good through November 12th, 2021! What Have You Played, Lately? (7:09) Solo Gaming News...
Published 11/02/21
Welcome to Solosaurus, a podcast about one player board and card games. In this episode, Martin and Michael have game designer Joe Slack on, of Relics of Rajavihara fame! We discuss his game as well as his upcoming expansion, Montalo's Revenge (which juuuuuust finished on Kickstarter, but you can still late pledge and support - just click that link!). Intro and Exposition (0:00) What Have You Played, Lately? (5:27) Solo Gaming News (16:08) Relics of Rajavihara Discussion (28:50) Joe Slack...
Published 10/03/21
Welcome to Solosaurus, a podcast about one player board and card games. In this episode, Martin and Michael scream in space where nobody can hear them...except of course in this podcast, and about a game called Alien: Fate of the Nostromo! Plus a whole lot of other content as well, since it's been a while. Intro and Exposition (0:00) What Have You Played, Lately? (5:01) A Gaming Epiphany (18:23) Solo Gaming News (35:59) Review Begins (52:20) Components (1:04:44) Rules (1:09:23) Gameplay...
Published 09/17/21
Welcome to Solosaurus, a podcast about one player board and card games. In this episode, Martin and guest Jason Montgomery (from Meeple, Myself, and I) dive into Obsession and its expansions, published by Kayenta Games and designer Dan Halligan. Intro and Exposition (0:00) Obsession Review Intro (9:23) What Have You Been Playing? (12:52) Solo Gaming News (40:01) Review Begins (50:40) Components (56:05) Rules (1:03:48) Gameplay (1:10:47) Who Would Enjoy This Game? (1:23:56) The Good, The...
Published 07/23/21
Welcome to Solosaurus, a podcast about one player board and card games. In this episode, Martin and Michael have a great discussion about solo games with game designer Ben Franklin and the CEO of Side Room Games, Dustin Culberson. Intro and Exposition (0:00) Interview Start (1:22) Wrap-Up (44:27) You can find great solo games (and a community to talk about them with like-minded folks) at the best online gaming store for solo gamers: Stone Valley Games (www.stonevalleygames.com). Check them...
Published 07/02/21
Welcome to Solosaurus, a podcast about one player board and card games. In this episode, Martin and Michael start buying into the Cthulu madness (well, more Michael than Martin as Martin's already on board) by taking a look at AuZtralia, by Martin Wallace! Intro and Exposition (0:00) What Have You Been Playing? (4:58) Solo Gaming News (15:21) Review Begins/Components (31:26) Rules (38:33) Gameplay (45:16) The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly (1:09:01) Stomp Discussion (1:15:33) Special...
Published 06/02/21
Welcome to Solosaurus, a podcast about one player board and card games. In this episode, Martin and Michael start saiiiiiiling...taking games awaaayyyyyyy to where they've alllll-ways heard it could beeee...oh wait, this isn't an 80s song by Christopher Cross, but a review of the board game Shores of Tripoli, from Fort Circle Games!   Special Additions: A WHOLE NEW segment called 'What Have You Been Playing,' as well as our Viscounts of the West Kingdom winner, and even more stuff! Intro...
Published 05/07/21
Welcome to Solosaurus, a podcast about one player board and card games. In this episode, Martin and special guest Michael Kelley (from One Stop Co-Op Shop) take a look at Architects of the West Kingdom, by publisher Garphill Games. Intro and Exposition (0:00) Solo Gaming News (10:29) Review Begins/Overview (26:00) Components (31:42) Rules (40:00) Gameplay (46:35) The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly (1:01:05) Stomp Discussion (1:10:40) Special Announcement (1:12:40 -...
Published 04/16/21
Welcome to Solosaurus, a podcast about one player board and card games. In this episode, Martin and Michael take a look at Architects of the West Kingdom, by publisher Garphill Games.   Intro and Exposition (0:00) Solo Gaming News (01:21) Review Begins/Overview (15:38) Components (21:18) The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly (44:54) Stomp Discussion (54:32) Final Thoughts (56:13)   You can find great solo games (and a community to talk about them with like-minded folks) at the best...
Published 04/01/21
Welcome to Solosaurus, a podcast about one player board and card games. In this episode, Martin and Michael have a great discussion with prolific and acclaimed solo game designer, David Thompson.   David's list of board game credits is quite extensive, and includes titles like Pavlov's House, Castle Itter, Undaunted Normandy, Undaunted North Africa, Orc-Lympics, War Chest, and many others. You can find a complete list here, on BGG:   ...
Published 03/05/21
Welcome to Solosaurus, a podcast about one player board and card games. In this episode, Martin and Michael take their pulse rifles and flares into a game called Aliens: Another Glorious Day in the Corps, a solo/co-op game by Gale Force Nine.   Intro and Exposition (0:00) Solo Game News (03:13) Review Begins (13:50) Components (17:28) Rules (31:32) Gameplay (36:51) The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly (46:39) Stomp Discussion (55:14) Special Announcement (56:27) Final Thoughts (59:58) ...
Published 02/12/21
Welcome to Solosaurus, a podcast about one player board and card games. In this episode, Martin and Michael take a look at the highly popular Warp's Edge solo board game.   Intro and Exposition (0:00) Solo Game News (03:20) How To Pronounce/Not Pronounce "Corey Konieczka" (04:45) Review Begins (13:57) Components (16:36) Rules (23:01) Gameplay (28:06) The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly (42:13) Stomp Discussion (52:27) Final Thoughts (55:02)   You can find great solo games (and a...
Published 01/22/21