There’s this game that I regret I didn’t back on Kickstarter a couple years ago: Snakes of Wrath. It’s gorgeous. It’s a two-player tile-laying game, the entire package intentionally designed to look like vintage games. It’s mean, it’s clacky, and it’s got a snake named Todd. Go ahead, click through, I’ll wait.

It is also, sadly, out of print. Or, rather, they ran out of their first print run and are, I assume, frantically printing more. So I must have patience. And hope, that it will indeed be available again. Because honestly, did you click through? So. Pretty.

Anyway, things like this remind me of the importance of hope. On the one hand, it’s just a game, I’ve got a ton more, it’ll be fine. On the other, I’m glad they did well and I really do hope they can get some more out there in the world for people to play. I see this feeling a lot—

guests here at Free Parking frequently ask if they can donate games to the library, a sign of wanting to give back to the community;
this week we are hosting some local game designers who, even in the midst of an uncertain and scary world, are designing new games and need your help to test them out;
games themselves are about taking action with the hope that it will help you or others—and they’re joyful, they’re a way to play, something we need regardless of age.

I’ve heard people say that hope is overrated, that it necessarily means putting power in someone else’s hands while we throw up our own and “think good thoughts.” But it’s not—hope is active. We can do something. A friend once said to me, “‘Something’ is anything that is not nothing.” Your world might feel hard—your hand of cards or the board state might feel hard—but you are not entirely powerless, and indeed, we have responsibility to each other to help make that hope a reality.

Alice C, board game librarian

Play Earth

From the listing on BoardGameGeek.com (we couldn’t have said it better ourselves!):

“Earth is a tableau builder for 1 to 5 players with simple rules and countless strategic possibilities. With its encyclopedic nature and a near-infinite number of tableau combinations, every single game will allow you to discover new synergies and connections, just as our vast and fascinating world allows us to do!”

Drink a Nirvana or Bust

Don’t worry, it’s not a threat! From Cincinnati local brewery, Third Eye Brewing Company, this IPA has fruit and citrus notes to balance out the hops. It has a medium body and goes down smooth with our pretzels and beer cheese.

Try one over a game of Earth this week!