First Player Token

Derek Bruff
  • 5.0 (11)
  • GAMES
  • UPDATED MONTHLY

A board game review podcast for people who enjoy playing games with family and friends

  1. 66. Sky Team

    SEP 7

    66. Sky Team

    In this episode, we work together to find out just how hard it is land an airplane in Sky Team.  Sky Team is a 2023 game designed by Luc Rémond with art by Eric Hibbeler and Adrien Rives published by Montreal-based Scorpion Masqué. Sky Team is a two-player game in which players work together to land a passenger airplane.  Emily and I had the chance to try it at Tennessee Game Days last year, and one play was enough to ensure Sky Team would be found under our Christmas tree! It’s been in regular rotation for me and Emily this year, second only to our all-time favorite Wingspan.  In this episode, Emily and I chat about Sky Team. We start off with a little color commentary, then talk about why we keep coming back to this game—and why Emily will never get her pilot’s license!  Episode Links: Buy Sky Team on Amazon. Music: "Open Road" by Purple Planet. Send us a text Podcast Links: Order a First Player Token coffee mug. Visit the First Player Token website. Join the FPT Facebook group. Follow @firstplayertoken on Bluesky. Join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord.

    21 min
  2. 65. Wingspan (2025)

    AUG 1

    65. Wingspan (2025)

    In this episode, we grab our binoculars and our field guides to go birdwatching in Wingspan.  Wingspan is a 2019 game designed by Elizabeth Hargrave and published by Stonemaier Games. Most days, if you ask me what my favorite board game is, I'll tell you it's Wingspan. It's my most played game, and it's the one that Emily and I are most likely to pull out and enjoy after the kids go to bed. We first covered the game on the podcast back in 2020. That was five years ago! In this episode, Emily and I chat about what's changed in the world of Wingspan in the last five years (expansions! fan art! bird meeples!) and how our interest in birdwatching has grown in that time.  Episode Links: Wingspan Fan Art Pack from Stonemaier Games Wingspan component upgrades from Meeple Source My photos from the High Island, TX, trip Wingspan expansions from Stonemaier Games Music: "Open Road," "Sunbeam" by Purple Planet. Send us a text Podcast Links: Order a First Player Token coffee mug. Visit the First Player Token website. Join the FPT Facebook group. Follow @firstplayertoken on Bluesky. Join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord.

    27 min
  3. 64. Mr. Cabbagehead's Garden

    JUL 1

    64. Mr. Cabbagehead's Garden

    In this episode, we plant a prize-winning vegetable garden while dodging tedious neighbors in Mr. Cabbagehead’s Garden.  Mr. Cabbagehead's Garden is a solo game designed by Todd Sanders first released in 2016 as a print-and-play and later published by LudiCreations. The game is inspired by the whimsical illustrations of anthropomorphic vegetables found in Victoria-era seed catalogs. Your job as Mr. Cabbagehead is to plant an award-winning vegetable garden while avoiding your tedious and tiresome neighbors who want to sabotage your garden.  If you're looking for a quirky and puzzly solo game that plays in about 15 minutes, Mr. Cabbagehead's Garden is for you. Episode Links: ·       Mr. Cabbagehead’s Garden print and play ·       GeekMarket for secondhand copies of Mr. Cabbagehead’s Garden  ·       The Maiden in the Forest print and play ·       The Draugr at the BoardGameGeek store ·       The Draugr on the Apple App Store Music: "Open Road" by Purple Planet. Send us a text Podcast Links: Order a First Player Token coffee mug. Visit the First Player Token website. Join the FPT Facebook group. Follow @firstplayertoken on Bluesky. Join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord.

    12 min
  4. 63. Challengers

    JUN 1

    63. Challengers

    In this episode, I play capture the flag with seven of my friends in Challengers!  Challengers! is 2022 game for 2 to 8 players designed by Johannes Krenner and Markus Slawitscheck and published by Z-Man Games with art by Jeff Harvey. It’s a little hard to describe. If I said it’s a deck-building, auto-battler built around a capture-the-flag tournament structure, would that make sense? Maybe not. You'll have to listen to this episode to get the full description. If you're looking for a high energy game that blends strategy and luck and plays equally well at 4 players or at 8 players, Challengers! is the game for you.  Episode Links: Buy Challengers! on Amazon. Buy Challengers! Beach Cup on Amazon. Music: "Open Road" and "Rise of the Superhero" by Purple Planet. Send us a text Podcast Links: Order a First Player Token coffee mug. Visit the First Player Token website. Join the FPT Facebook group. Follow @firstplayertoken on Bluesky. Join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord.

    13 min
  5. Parks (Encore)

    MAY 15 · BONUS

    Parks (Encore)

    Our last episode on second editions of the games Santorini and Tortuga 1667 reminded me about another second edition of a family favorite game that’s out now: Parks designed by Henry Audubon and published by Keymaster Games. We covered the first edition of Parks way back on episode 7 of the podcast, and I thought I would reshare that episode here on the podcast feed in honor of the new edition of Parks.  In this episode, I’m changing things up a bit and recommending a great board game for couples: Parks by Keymaster Games. I’m a big fan of the US National Parks, ever since I took my kids out west on what we called the Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Tour. We saw the largest of each: we went whale-watching off the coast of San Francisco, we saw redwoods and sequoias in California, and we visited the Grand Canyon in Arizona. We visited three National Parks during that trip—Grand Canyon, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia—and each of them provided amazing sights and experiences. The board game Parks, designed by Henry Audubon, does a great job of capturing the beauty and wonder of the US National Parks. It is the prettiest game I own, with stunning artwork from the Fifty-Nine Parks Print Series. In the game, you take on the role of hikers, exploring the great outdoors and visiting as many National Parks as you can. We have two special guests in this episode. My wife Emily stops by for some color commentary and thoughts on why she enjoys playing Parks. Also, Matt Aiken from Keymaster Games joins us to talk about the origin of the game and why he thinks it’s a great game for couples and to tell some stories of people playing PARKS in the great outdoors. See my photos of Parks, First Edition. Learn more about Parks, Second Edition. Order a First Player Token coffee mug. Visit the First Player Token website. Join the FPT Facebook group. Follow @firstplayertoken on Bluesky. Join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord. Music: “Open Road,” “Sunbeam,” and “Summer in Paradise,” https://www.purple-planet.com/. Send us a text Podcast Links: Order a First Player Token coffee mug. Visit the First Player Token website. Join the FPT Facebook group. Follow @firstplayertoken on Bluesky. Join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord.

    21 min
  6. 62. Back to the Island(s)

    MAY 1

    62. Back to the Island(s)

    In this episode, we go back to the island in second editions of podcast favorites Santorini and Tortuga 1667!  Santorini: Pantheon Edition takes the original Santorini and its “Golden Fleece” expansion and presents them in a new package with revised rules and upgraded components. The teenager and I have been playing it regularly since we got it, and we are loving it.  When I heard about Tortuga 1667: Deluxe Edition, I was excited at the prospect of upgraded components for the game, but I was a little worried when I heard that there would be revised rules. The original game is so, so good, it was hard to imagine how they would improve it, but they did! In this episode, I discuss what's new in each of these games and what I appreciate about the changes. Kudos to Roxley Games and Facade Games for these quality second editions of some of our favorite games!  Links: Pre-order Santorini: Pantheon Edition from Roxley Games. Buy Tortuga 1667: Deluxe Edition from Facade Games. Order a First Player Token coffee mug. Visit the First Player Token website. Join the FPT Facebook group. Follow @firstplayertoken on Bluesky. Join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord. Music: "Open Road," "The Concept" by Purple Planet. "Pirates!" by Tabletop Audio. Send us a text Podcast Links: Order a First Player Token coffee mug. Visit the First Player Token website. Join the FPT Facebook group. Follow @firstplayertoken on Bluesky. Join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord.

    17 min
  7. 61. Black Orchestra (First Play)

    APR 1

    61. Black Orchestra (First Play)

    In this episode, we conspire together to take out one of the worst evils of the 20th century in Black Orchestra!  Black Orchestra is a 2016 cooperative game for 1 to 5 players designed by Phillip duBarry with art by Lucas Soriano published by Tabletop Tycoon. In Black Orchestra, players take on the role of conspirators in Nazi Germany working together to assassinate Adolf Hitler. The game is based on actual attempts by members of Hitler’s military and civilians to take out the man they saw as an incredible threat to their country.  The game is a rollercoaster full of close calls and near misses. Our military history correspondent (age 13) approves! Hear his thoughts on the game in this episode. Links: Buy Black Orchestra on Amazon. Listen to the Immersed episode about Black Orchestra. Read about The Faithful Spy by John Hendrix. Learn about the Black Orchestra expansion, Resistance. Order a First Player Token coffee mug. Visit the First Player Token website. Join the FPT Facebook group. Follow @firstplayertoken on Bluesky. Join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord. Music: "Open Road," "The Concept" by Purple Planet. Send us a text Podcast Links: Order a First Player Token coffee mug. Visit the First Player Token website. Join the FPT Facebook group. Follow @firstplayertoken on Bluesky. Join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord.

    14 min
  8. 60. Knarr

    MAR 1

    60. Knarr

    In this episode, we sail the high seas on our Viking ships to establish trading routes and not pillage in Knarr!  Knarr is a 2023 game designed by Thomas Dupont with art by Antoine Carrion published in the US by Pandasaurus Games. Knarr celebrates the trading life of a Viking. In the game, players take on the role of Viking traders, recruiting crew to your ship, then sailing to distant lands to establish trade routes. Your trade routes will earn you victory points, as will the songs that skalds sing about you.  If you’re looking for a medium-light game that offers a fun twist on engine building and celebrates the softer side of Vikings, Knarr is the game for you. Links: Buy Knarr on Amazon. Get ready for your first play of Knarr. 3D print your own Knarr insert. Order a First Player Token coffee mug. Visit the First Player Token website. Join the FPT Facebook group. Follow @firstplayertoken on Bluesky. Join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord. Music: "Open Road" by Purple Planet. "Vikings" by Tabletop Audio. Send us a text Podcast Links: Order a First Player Token coffee mug. Visit the First Player Token website. Join the FPT Facebook group. Follow @firstplayertoken on Bluesky. Join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord.

    9 min
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Trailer

5
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

A board game review podcast for people who enjoy playing games with family and friends

Information

  • Creator
    Derek Bruff
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    70
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 First Player Token
  • Show Website
    First Player Token

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