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Amusing Meeples

Chris, Cullen, & Derek

We muse on randomly chosen topics and mechanisms to create board game ideas and inspire others to design their own board games. Prepare to be amused!

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  • 90 episodes
  • Updated Nov 19, 2025
  • Explicit

Episodes90

Newest first
  • Feb 8, 2023 · 1 hr 1 min

    2-03 : Upcycle, w/ Curt Covert

    Curt Covert has been in the business of "take that" board games for quite some time, but just like his Smirk and Laughter games, this episode shows a different side of his game designing. We also talk to him about some new games coming out from Smirk and Dagger, and Jacob and I were honestly quite excited. we hope you enjoy. email us at amusingmeeples@gmail.com find us on discord at amusing meeples or twitter @amusingmeeples

  • Feb 1, 2023 · 48 min

    2-02 : Lifespan - or, Untitled Tree Game w/ Jamey Stegmaier

    This week, we talk with Jamey Stegmaier about dice rolling and dice locking. You’ve seen it in Yahtzee, but it can do so much more. We take the movie descendants and come up with some board game ideas. We also completely forget to come up with a title for the game!

  • Jan 25, 2023 · 49 min

    2-01 : Help Me Rondel, Help, Help me Rondel w/ Joe Slack

    Welcome back to another season of Amusing Meeples! Joe Slack is being brave and helping us christen the new format of the show. LITTLE TO NO PLANNING! This will force us to think in the moment, and try and come up with the best idea 3 minds can meld together. Email us at: amusingmeeples@gmail.com or join our Amusing Meeples discord server!

  • Oct 19, 2022 · 49 min

    1-27 : Suicide Squad and Dice Rolling (END OF SEASON 1!!!)

    We end the season with an IP that has to do with Chaos, and thievery, and just being and down and dirty evil dude. We hope you enjoyed this episode, and every other of this season. We are hard at work coming up with a new idea for the next season, and in the interim, we will be putting up some variants of some board games that actually do exist already. contact us at: amusingmeeples@gmail.com follow and like on instagram and twitter @amusingmeeples

  • Oct 12, 2022 · 41 min

    1-26 : Black Brook and Deduction

    I'm at work because anchor decided not to work on my computer at home, so I can't stay for too long. We talk about STUFF.

  • Oct 5, 2022 · 51 min

    1-25 : "Corrections" with Hidden Deployment AND Action Block/Modification

    This episode we take the word corrections and run it through the mixer with a couple of mechanisms that seem to go hand in hand with it. Also, we talk about a few board games we DIDN'T make. The end of season 1 is coming up, but in the interim, I plan to release smaller episodes that showcase some solo variants of games that I've been working on. I hope you like and use them! If you'd like to contact us, email us at: amusingmeeples@gmail.com we are also on twitter and instagram under the same name. don't worry. you'll find us.

  • Sep 28, 2022 · 1 hr 5 min

    1-24 : Role Selection with Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera

    3 game ideas given to you based on the tumultuous love between two artists. That's all you get. I woke up early. Contact? amusingmeeples@gmail.com Follow? Instagram and Twitter @amusingmeeples

  • Sep 21, 2022 · 48 min

    1-23 : Misfits Betrayal and Campaigns

    We take a band name generator and put it through the ringer. Make a couple of games that have a full campaign mode in mind. We are in it for the long haul. No matter what it takes, no matter how much people don't read these things, we will continue to give the ideas out. We're trying to make the world a most excellent place. Wylde Stallions out. For legal reasons, I've been told to say we are not the Wylde Stallions, AKA Bill S Preston, and Ted Theodore Logan, and sometimes the Grim Reaper. We are Amusing Meeples. But we're seriously Wylde Stallions. Again, we're not. But we are. not.

  • Sep 14, 2022 · 52 min

    1-22 : Andreas Cellarius and Troops on a Map

    Today, we take to the stars! and then we try to take the stars! By starting a war about claiming ownership in what those burning balls of gas represent in the universal psyche. At least that's one take on the game. And we have 3 ideas for you this week because we have all 3 hosts! You can't believe your good luck. We'd love to hear from you! Contact us at amusingmeeples@gmail.com and follow on instagram and twitter at @amusingmeeples We will eventually post something. Someday.

  • Sep 7, 2022 · 44 min

    1-21 : "Eight Elvises" and Drawing

    Today we introduce a NEW co HOST! Cullen has been a legend talked about in days of yore, and has decided to come join the fun, as Jacob regains a little bit of his time back to actually PLAY games instead of talk about them so much. Cullen and I talk about an Andy Warhol piece with Elvis ALL over it. We hope you enjoy our reparte. From here on out, we will either have episodes with just Cullen and I, or all 3 of us! Contact us at: amusingmeeples@gmail.com Follow and Hit that Smash button on Twitter and Instagram at: @amusingmeeples.

  • Aug 31, 2022 · 50 min

    1-20 : Horace Gray and Pattern Building

    This episode, We merge the supreme court with...patterns! Two takes on how to build a pattern, or what a pattern means when making a board game. We hope you enjoy this episode, and in the future, we would love to hear from you, and tell us if you like the ideas, hate them, or are completely indifferent. Maybe you're just into the show for the finely crafted joke at the end. contact us at: amusingmeeples@gmail.com follow and like and smash things on twitter and instagram at @amusingmeeples

  • Aug 17, 2022 · 39 min

    1-18 : Englebert König and Maintenance Costs

    How much is that player worth to ya? That's what this episode is all about. It's a little bit on the skimpy side, but there's a fairly honest reason for this. Me and Jacob are not the "GO SPORTS" kind of guys. Our favorite sport is reading. The best base hit I saw was when I dropped a jar of acid into a beaker in science class. We tried our best. We shall not go silently into the stadium lights...you know. The lights. in the stadium. BASEBALL! To school us on SPORTS, please contact us at: amusingmeeples@gmail.com or follow us on instagram and twitter at @amusingmeeples Thanks for listening!

  • Aug 10, 2022 · 54 min

    1-17 : "The Moors Murderers" with Social Deduction AND Worker Placement

    Thanks to our previous guest, our assignment this week is to take the topic and mix in two board game mechanisms that are rarely seen together in board games. With that, we present to you this episode, also known by it's acronym: T.M.M.B.M.H.C.B.A.B.I.H.A.S.I.S.T.F.D.F.M.I.H.F.P.T.T.E.W.H.T.T.V.T.W.I.B.A.M.H.W.C.O.W.T.B.T.V.I.A.A.G.M. ENJOY THE EPISODE! Contact us with a topic of yours or just say hi at: amusingmeeples@gmail.com Or on instagram and twitter at: @amusingmeeples You are all amazing for joining us and listening, and reading THIS FAR into this description!

  • Aug 3, 2022 · 50 min

    1-16 : "What's Wrong With My Shirt?" and Hidden Deployment with SPECIAL GUEST Joe Slack

    Today we open up the show to a guest host Joe Slack. We 3 come up with board game ideas based on these two random topics and mechanisms. Joe Slack is the game designer behind The Relics of Rajivihara, author of several books on board game design, taught game design in college, and also created the website: boardgamedesigncourse.com It has a wealth of resources to help you design your next board game. Got a topic we can talk about, or want to show us a prototype you did based on an episode? Send us an email at: amusingmeeples@gmail.com Or"Hit us Up" as they say, on twitter and instagram at @amusingmeeples

  • Jul 27, 2022 · 1 hr 4 min

    1-15 : Bloke Finder and Multi Use Cards

    From the depths of the dungeons to the ethereal world of the internet, we come up with two board game ideas based on a random topic and random board game mechanism. I hope you enjoy the words that are coming out of our faces. We don't pay much attention to the order in which they come out, but we hope it makes sense. If you have an idea, or a random topic, send it to: amusingmeeples@gmail.com or check us out on twitter and instagram at: @amusingmeeples.

  • Jul 20, 2022 · 53 min

    1-14 : The Shining and Push your Luck

    This week we come up with two games based in those scary moments that fill the back of your mind every time you take a shower, or enter an empty house, or, check your...BANK ACCOUNT! MWA HAHAHAHAHA Push your luck is the mechanism this week. We hope you enjoy listening to us, and tell your friends about our crazy antics. Also, if you get inspired from hearing one of these ideas, run with the ball! It would be awesome to hear one of these ideas led to an actual physical game. Other talking points: Body Hair, Cards are controllable, and BOOSE.

  • Jul 13, 2022 · 50 min

    1-13 : "Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure" and Simultaneous Action Selection

    We take a foreign film we didn't watch, and a mechanism that pops up fairly often in games, and Make a couple game suggestions for you, our adoring public. Which game idea will come out on top? Who has the best beard? Which host has the nicest cats? all this and more on this weeks episode. Other talking points: Avatar 37 - In a drastic change of scenery, Avatar 37 opens on Ron Pullman, a mild mannered accountant who begins to see another world bleeding into his drab life. Christopher Walked stars in this change of pace for James Cameron led franchise.

  • Jul 6, 2022 · 59 min

    1-12 : Elizabeth Hawes & Drafting

    This week, Jacob and I come up with a couple of games based on the fashion industry and the wonderful mechanism of drafting, made famous by such games as Seven Wonders, and THATS IT. also Sushi Go. Other talking points: Popeye the Tailor Man, and the Missing BOOCE.

  • Jun 29, 2022 · 45 min

    1-11 : "The Radio Detectives Under the Sea" and Engine Building

    This week we take an old book that talks about the new technology of RADIO (pronounced THROAT WARBLER MANGROVE) and mix that with some engine building. Which of us do you think explained the most coherent idea? Which one used Engine building as a mechanism better? That's right, it's become a competition. JACOB, you're going DOWN! This message brought to you by Jacobs sworn mortal enemy and co-host CJ. The Serious Part: Thank you for listening! Please review us if you like, tell other board gamers you know if you think they will enjoy us as well! It means an incredible amount that you're spending some time with us. We hope you're entertained while you listen.