Author: Kyra

Kyle Kyra (they/them) writes fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. They live in a sleepy Nebraska town. Yes, corn lives outside their back door. They hold a BFA in creative writing from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and their work has appeared in Menacing Hedge, Spank the Carp, Danse Macabre, The Door is a Jar, The Collidescope, and other journals and anthologies.

Geekly News: July 26, 2026; New Releases

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Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another week of Geek News. We don’t have a headline for this week of Geek News; I’m still setting up JK Geekly’s Instagram presence. We’ll be on the Gram in August. Woot! Even though we don’t have a headline, we have plenty of new releases for board games and video games. Let’s get to the games.

Rosalie Launches on KickStarter

In Rosalie, players are aspiring rose breeders competing to build the most magnificent rose garden and earn renown as the finest nursery grower in town.

Each player begins with a small plot of land and a dream. Over the course of the game, players plant roses, crossbreed new varieties, cultivate their soil, and adorn their gardens with fountains and windmills. New and exotic roses are temperamental — neglect their care, and they will wither. To help tend the garden, players can recruit caretaker robots, powering them with electricity to keep their precious roses alive and thriving.

Workers are at the heart of the operation. When their hands are free, players direct them to carry out essential tasks: planting, breeding, tilling, and decorating. Every decision shapes the garden, gradually transforming a modest patch of earth into a source of pride.

Money is always available — the town is generous with its loans, and players can borrow freely whenever funds run short. But beware: at the end of each year, interest quietly accumulates. Debt begets debt, and what once felt like a lifeline can become a chain that strangles your ambitions. Managing finances wisely is just as important as cultivating beautiful roses.

Balance your budget, breed striking new varieties, and build the most captivating rose garden to claim victory.

Thank you, uchibacoya, for the description. Wow! Just wow! Rosalie: A Rosy Game of Gardening looks amazing. The image above showcases a player board. These boards are double-layered, and the one pictured depicts the character Nana. But Rosalie’s double-layered player boards have inserts. You can change Nana for another character, allowing for multiple character abilities and replayability. I like the recent trend in nature-themed board games. Rosalie looks like another solid title. It’s not for the faint of heart. As you can probably tell in the picture above, there’s a ton of strategic depth in this game, and uchibacoya is no stranger to garden-themed games. They have a history with their Garden Trilogy (Dinosaurs, Birds, and Fish). A game like Rosalie is in their wheelhouse. This game looks amazing.

uchibacoya is an up-and-coming board game publisher. While I have yet to play one of their highly regarded games, I have full confidence in uchibacoya delivering with a game like Rosalie. The game boasts several strategies and an intriguing action-selection mechanism. Pledges range from $88 to $169. If you’re interested in Rosalie: A Rosy Game of Gardening, check out its KickStarter page.

Shakeup Adventures Launches on KickStarter

What happens when party game designers make a dungeon-crawling RPG? You get all the adventure and none of the homework.

ENTER THE DUNGEON THAT DOESN’T STAY STILL
Gather a party of up to six heroes (or foolhardy friends) and dive into this ever-changing dungeon. With billions of possible map configurations, you’ll never explore the same dungeon twice.

Build your character abilities, analyze the map, and draw your unique path through monsters, curses, and spike pits, racing fellow adventurers to complete quests and conquer each floor.

Learn, set up, and begin play in under 10 minutes, but don’t be fooled: the possibilities and strategies will challenge even seasoned gamers.
Light enough to explore with the family, but deep enough to spend hours crawling with your gaming group… ready for adventure?

Thank you, Very Special Games, for the description. I almost dismissed Shakeup Adventures when I first saw it. I thought it was a tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) peripheral. I was interested in a randomizer for a dungeon crawl (D&D and other TTRPGs I play and DM) and marked Shakeup Adventures for later, thinking I’d add it to my TTRPG repertoire. And then I saw that it was a standalone board game. What? Despite thinking Shakeup Adventures was a TTRPG add-on, and JK Geekly doesn’t typically cover TTRPGs because there are so many releases each week, I still wanted to cover this project. Since it’s a board game, I don’t have to justify covering this game. Yes!

Just yes! Shakeup Adventures takes little time to set up. I love the randomization. Shakeup Adventures claims its game sessions take thirty minutes to an hour. If so, I don’t know of too many dungeon crawlers that take so little time to learn the rules, set up, and play than Shakeup Adventures’ claim. You had me at variable dungeon floors, Shakeup Adventures. And the fact that players shake the castle (pictured above) to randomize the dungeon floors is insane. The toy factor is through the roof. Shakeup Adventures pledges range from $39 to $269. The entry level isn’t as high as I would’ve thought. If you’re interested in Shakeup Adventures, check out its KickStarter page.

Stag Launches on KickStarter

Stag follows the life cycle of beetles — a game of planning and resource management, culminating in a social deduction showdown where you can lose it all if you’re too greedy!

Players plan their actions using their action tiles, then resolve them simultaneously. The aim is to score the most points
by progressing your beetles through their life cycle, going up the trait track and fulfilling personal and universal objectives.

Each stage of the beetle life cycle is represented by the card mats and rings circles on the board (with the middle ring rotating each round). Once two or more beetles reach the final stage, a showdown is triggered! After 5 showdowns points are scored to determine the winner.

Thank you, Split Stone Games, for the description. We have a stacked release for board games this week. GenCon is right around the corner, so we’ll see even more great games launching on KickStarter and GameFound. Each of these projects should still be active when the largest board game convention of the year begins. I’m stoked for Stag. The circle above is a rondel whose layers rotate. That’s so cool. The tiles pictured at the bottom are on top of a player board. These tiles can be moved to cover or reveal the symbols (like the double circle and red teardrop). Wow! Just wow! I said it before, I could say it for each one of this week’s board game titles. Split Stone Games has outdone themselves. Stag’s production value is fantastic.

You don’t see it in the picture, but those player boards have spaces underneath where players can slip cards into place, giving them extra abilities. You may be able to trigger more than one. I’m unsure of that. Stag has an intriguing design. It’s the second game this week to use double-layered player boards in a new way. I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy. Pledges range from $60 to $129. Well, there’s also an opulent edition set at over $1000. I can’t believe that pledge level has seven backers. Wow! If you’re interested in Stag, check out its KickStarter page.

Dinoblade Releases

Dinoblade is an intense action RPG set in a prehistoric world forever changed by a cataclysmic event. Step into the role of a young Spinosaurus, wielding a colossal Great Sword. Confront rival dinosaurs, some armed with weapons of their own, all in a desperate fight to prevent a looming extinction.

At first, I thought Dinoblade was a joke, but you’re playing as a sword-wielding dinosaur. Yes, please. Dinoblade has received good reviews, so somehow Team Spino made this mashup work. I’m certain Season wouldn’t mind playing a game with samurai dinos. Dinoblade sounds right up her alley. And at less than $20 on Steam, Dinoblade has an enticing price point. $20 sounds like a good price for sword, dino hijinx.

Gurei Releases

Gurei is an unforgiving game with precise combat. Fight challenging bosses in any order, acquire their unique powers, and succeed on your own terms.

Okay. I learned a new video game term this week: boss rush. Gurei gives me crazy Cuphead vibes (in terms of its gameplay), and that’s because it’s a boss rush game, which is the same game type as Cuphead. Gurei’s aesthetic is closer to Hollow Knight. Gurei is yet another video game title this week that has received good reviews. Publisher Astrolabe is a prolific studio. They’ve put in a lot of what they’ve learned from previous titles into Gurei. The game looks slick. Gurei is available on PC, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 5.

Splatoon Raiders Releases on Nintendo Switch 2

Splatoon Raiders differs from other Splatoon titles. It features a single-player story. Gamers can choose between playing an Inkling or an Octoling. Accompanied by members of Deep Cut (introduced in Splatoon 3), players explore a region known as the Spirhalite Islands.

I’ve played very little of the Splatoon franchise, mostly because I didn’t have enough friends on the Nintendo network to play multiplayer games. Splatoon Raiders hits different. I’ve always liked the polish of Splatoon games, but I’ve been reluctant to pick up a copy because I didn’t think the games had much of a story mode. Splatoon Raiders changes that, and like most Splatoon titles, it’s received high marks. I may need to watch out for Splatoon Raiders.

Those are all the new releases for board games and video games for this past week. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

XMen 97 Season Two Review 01

X-Men ’97 “Danger.exe” Review

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Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another review/reaction of an X-Men ’97 season two episodes. Today’s topic is “Danger.exe.” If you want to see our writers’ thoughts about the previous episode, “Weapon X, Lies, and DVDs,” check out this link. We saw some great developments in “Danger.exe.” I don’t know if Season will have time to share her thoughts this week. We’ll see. Regardless, I’ll get things started with my thoughts on this week’s episode of X-Men ’97.

Kyra’s Take

“Danger.exe” does a great job of showing Professor X dealing with the loss of his friend (Magneto) and links this loss with Polaris, Magneto’s third child (aside from Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, which is sometimes debated depending on the world). While I would’ve liked to have seen Polaris in more episodes before “Danger.exe,” X-Men ’97 has woven her into the post-X-Men reality created at the end of last season. Honestly, I can’t remember much of Polaris from X-Men ’97 season one; it’s been a couple of years since I last watched those episodes. I believe Polaris did show up in the previous season, primarily in the Genosha episodes, but I could be wrong. I know for certain that Polaris shared a moment with Jubilee in this season’s episode, “A Force to Be Reckoned With.” Polaris freed Jubilee, allowing her to free the rest of the entrapped mutants.

So, it doesn’t come as a shock when Polaris rages against her current employer, the government-sanctioned X-Factor. She had one foot out the door when we last saw her. Polaris has a mean streak. She has that in the comic book as well. This is nature over nurture. We learn that Professor X raised her; she gets her temper from her father, Magneto. And I love the moment she and Professor X share after this week’s threat, more on Danger in a minute. Professor X tells Polaris that he felt Magneto when Polaris let loose her rage; Polaris tells Professor X the same. It’s a tender moment.

And I like how X-Men ’97, following in the original X-Men: Animated Series’s footsteps, allows a character to vanish for some time. Yes. X-Men ’97 is an animated series based on a comic book, so death doesn’t always mean the end. But X-Men ’97 retires characters long enough for other characters (and fans) to miss them before bringing them back. More on another previously “dead” X-Men later. I don’t expect Magneto to stay dead. But I do expect Professor X, Polaris, and the rest to explore what it means to live in a world without Magneto. Watching them cope and deal with the loss yielded some powerful moments in “Danger.exe.”

I knew from this episode’s title, “Danger.exe,” that the X-Men would tussle with Danger. I squeed. Not gonna lie. Danger is yet another villain I didn’t think would ever make a television or movie appearance. And she’s one of the X-Men’s deadliest enemies. Danger is the Danger Room’s artificial intelligence (AI) run amok. This is a perfect villain for the modern world. Most people distrust AI. Danger plays into this distrust. The X-Men put too much of themselves into the Danger Room’s programming. When the AI malfunctioned, becoming Danger, it knew which pressure points to exploit.

I wish we had more buildup with Danger. She’s too good an X-Men adversary to be a villain-of-the-week. While I believe the Danger Room never saw Polaris’s full power (she was worried she’d turn into her father), Danger’s defeat was too quick and tidy for my liking. It felt like X-Men ’97 used Danger to introduce Polaris to the team. I’ve always liked Polaris as a character. I even liked Emma Dumont’s portrayal of Polaris in The Gifted. Polaris is such a great, conflicted character. Perfect for X-Men ’97. I’m happy Polaris is a permanent member of the X-Men. But I’m also disappointed we won’t see more of Danger in the near future. The X-Men will monitor the Danger Room’s programming like a hawk. In short, I would’ve liked Danger’s story to be a two-parter, but I’m happy with X-Men ’97 season two’s finale setup.

During another mid-credit scene, Apocalypse resurrects Gambit. It’s on. I don’t think we’ll see Gambit (as Death) in the next episode, but X-Men ’97 has done a fabulous job setting up this season’s finale. According to the leaks, X-Men season two’s finale will be titled “Survival of the Fittest.” This season began with Apocalypse, and it will end with Apocalypse. My money is still on X-Men ’97 building up the classic alternate reality story Age of Apocalypse for the following season. I didn’t think a movie or television show would ever adapt Age of Apocalypse from the comics, but I also said that about Danger. There’s hope. I’m stoked.

“Danger.exe” could’ve built up Danger. X-Men ’97 could’ve explored one of the X-Men’s most powerful enemies–and that’s saying something because the X-Men have one of the most powerful rogues’ galleries in comics. But I’m glad that Danger made an appearance and Polaris joined the X-Men in earnest. Something tells me the X-Men will need Polaris in the coming battles.

Those are all my thoughts on X-Men ’97 “Danger.exe.” Let’s see what Season thinks.

Season’s Take

I also would have liked more buildup to Danger. I don’t recall X-Men ’97 foreshadowing her as a villain in previous episodes. I thought Danger would have exploited more weaknesses of the X-Men in “Danger.exe.” She let Jean Grey and Cyclops off way too easily. I hope she makes a comeback, but we’ll see.

Polaris is such a cool character. She’ll probably be with the X-Men for a while, but I can also see her deciding to join a different group or go solo for a bit if she gets the urge to. I would have liked to see more of her struggle with figuring herself out. We saw hints of it in previous episodes, but it felt a little too quick. It was touching that she got to see more of Magneto through Charles, but that interaction felt like it was more for Charles than Polaris. It was still heartwarming.

I’m excited to see the next installment of the Apocalypse saga. “Death” is sure to be a treat.

Writing Brain Dump: July 24, 2026

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Happy Friday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another writing brain dump. I didn’t do one last week because July has five Fridays. I had to skip the 17th or the 24th. I decided to skip the 17th because of familial obligations. Anyway. What have I been doing this past month with my writing practice? In short, I’ve been honing the novel based on Rustbucket Riots.

The novel still doesn’t have a name. I’m getting there. Rustbucket Riots is a working title; the events of the novel take place well after the Rustbucket Riots, so the name can’t possibly work. I’ve used the robot Shakespeare short stories to flesh out the world. The Shakesbot stories do take place during the Rustbucket Riots, by the way. Working on this project also gave me a little bit of distance. It’s not the same as a sequel; I don’t even know if I’ll seek publication for these short stories. But I was able to find the shape I wanted the novel to take. I’m going with multiple timelines.

In last month’s writing brain dump, I mentioned ten shapes a story can take. I’m linking that post here. The more I worked on the Rustbucket Riots novel, the more I felt the story needed a time jump, similar to the one found in Freida McFadden’s The Housemaid. I may need to reread The Housemaid. That novel has its issues, but I can’t deny McFadden deftly used the multiple timelines form. Sometimes, writing requires reading. So, I’ll attempt to read McFadden’s The Housemaid as a writer, taking note of how the two timelines build off of each other. The Rustbucket Riots novel sees a severe change between the protagonist and antagonist. I’m hoping the multiple timelines work to show the difference in these segments. We’ll see.

I don’t have much for this month’s writing brain dump. Last month’s writing brain dump was rather long. And I’m in the thick of rewriting. Fingers crossed that something useful comes out of this draft. Thank you for reading. Good luck with your writing, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Geekly Tunes: July 2026

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Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here, and today, our writers share what they’ve been listening to over the past month. Feel free to share what you’ve been listening to over the past month, because we’re all part of the Geekly Gang. I’ll get things started with what I’ve been listening to over the past month with today’s Geekly Tunes.

Kyra’s Tunes

I was on a little bit of a punk kick this past month. Social Distortion made the rotation quite a bit. “Ball and Chain” introduced me to this band. While it’s a song about alcoholism, “Ball and Chain” can be used for anything holding a person back, your personal demons, if you will. “Ball and Chain” is up front about its relation to alcoholism. These are its opening lyrics.

Well it’s been ten years and a thousand tears
And look at the mess I’m in
A broken nose and a broken heart,
An empty bottle of gin

But “Ball and Chain’s” chorus gives the song a universal theme.

Take away, take away
Take away this ball and chain
Well I’m lonely and I’m tired
And I can’t take any more pain
Take away, take away
Never to return again
Take away, take away
Take away
Take away this ball and chain

“Ball and Chain” is direct. Its lyrics are stripped down. That makes it a perfect punk diddy. The catchy chorus turns the track into a sing-along. It doesn’t matter what I struggle with (usually self-doubt and self-loathing), belting out “Ball and Chain’s” chorus breaks me out of a bad mood. Usually.

While I typically begin with Social Distortion’s “Ball and Chain” and rarely go beyond that, I dipped my toe into Social Distortion’s catalogue. “Story of My Life” and a superb cover of Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire” (and “Ball and Chain”) made for a great trio on Social Distortion’s self-titled album. I even like Social Distortion’s “Another State of Mind” from their debut album, almost a decade prior. Social Distortion balances punk attitude and harmony. They remind me somewhat of Bad Religion, who I discussed at length in a previous Geekly Tunes. So, I guess I have a type.

And while Cash’s “Ring of Fire” may sound like an odd choice for a punk band, Social Distortion also has rockabilly tendencies. “Ring of Fire” is a great choice for a Social Distortion cover. Ramones-style Punk + Rockabilly. What’s not to love?

“Bad Luck” is Social Distortion’s greatest hit. Well, it’s the song that reached the highest on the charts. Of course, it’s a banger. “Bad Luck” is another song with great sing-along lyrics. They may not be the most artistic of lyrics, but you’ve gotta love belting out “You got bad, bad luck. Bad, bad luck” in the shower.

Not gonna lie, after I wrote this entry, I put on more Social Distortion. Typically, I don’t care for a tear in a beer music. Social Distortion finds a way to make it fun.

Honestly, I didn’t get into Faith No More back in the 80s and early 90s. Sure, I knew “Epic,” and that song did get plenty of airplay for me this past month, but Faith No More is more than just one song. I may have listened to “Falling to Pieces” more than “Epic.” Gasp! Faith No More is the original rap-rock band. Its most famous frontperson, Mike Patton (pictured above holding a camcorder), is an amazing vocalist. Patton can sing anything. Literally, anything. Freddie Mercury was rumored to be able to sing in four octaves. Patton is believed to be able to sing in six. Patton has been known to croon, sing in falsetto, death growls, rap, chant, mouth music, beatbox, and scat. Patton was asked what kind of music he would like to sing. He answered yes.

I’ve actually seen Patton perform live on stage with Mr. Bungle. Silly me. I didn’t know Patton was also the Mr. Bungle’s frontman. As the act before Incubus and System of the Down, Patton sang a lovely rendition of “What the World Needs Now Is Love.” Most people in the auditorium booed, while I danced in the green scrubs I kept after my oldest daughter was born. The fans booed Patton and Mr. Bungle off the stage. I wanted an encore. Seriously, the dude can sing. I have first-hand knowledge. I wouldn’t have minded a full performance of music like that from Patton.

Fortunately, Patton did release an album in that tone. Mr. Bungle’s most experimental album was Disco Volante. My favorite review of Disco Volante is AllMusic’s “It’s the music equivalent of a David Lynch movie.” Patton had fallen in love with classical Italian music from the 50s and challenged his vocal range by singing primarily in the soprano range. Ah! It’s weird. It’s beautiful. You should give it a listen.

Getting back to Faith No More, my favorite track may have to be Angel Dust’s lead single, “Midlife Crisis.” This sucker goes from Patton singing in a death growl and him climbing up to a high tenor. I didn’t know Patton had that in him. You should give a listen to Faith No More’s live performance of “Midlife Crisis” on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno Show. Faith No More were metal trailblazers. Patton may be the most talented person in most rooms, but typically, he prefers to be the goofiest or silliest.

I may have to give another listen to Faith No More and Mr. Bungle’s back catalogue of tracks. I’m certain their albums will yield plenty of deep cuts. If I had to choose an album for Faith No More, Angel Dust is the one you should give a listen. While I like We Care a Lot (shout out to the original line-up), and The Right Thing is iconic (with “Epic” and “Falling to Pieces”), Angel Dust shows Patton and Faith No More push their limits. This band showed the future of metal.

Fun fact: one of the singers before Mike Patton took the mantle was Courtney Love. Yeah, that Courtney Love. She only lasted about six months right before the release of We Care a Lot. The reason for Love’s departure was she caused animosity in the band. That doesn’t sound like Courtney Love at all. Wink.

That’s all I have for the tunes I’ve been listening to this past month. Let’s see what Season and Skye have been listening to this month.

Season’s Tunes

Do you remember the notgame Loneliness, Geekly Gang? It was a flash game where the player was a cube moving up the screen. As the player progresses through the game, the other cubes it encounters run away from them and disappear. It was created to showcase the lonely teen epidemic in South Korea.

Anyway, the track that plays in Loneliness is called “Blue Paint.” The track isn’t listed in the game, but it was written by Kevin MacLeod and is solely a piano track. I thought the track was beautiful, and I listened to the album it’s on, Atlantean Twilight. Atlantean Twilight is fully instrumental and very calming to listen to. I was reading when I listened to it and it helped me focus. Kevin MacLeod has multiple albums like this. They’re worth checking out if you need something calming to listen to while you work or unwind.

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here again. Those are the tunes our writers have been listening to over the past month. What’ve you been listening to? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Top 5 Tabletop Games from 2002

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Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another Top 5 Tabletop Game List throughout the years. 2002 has more than one big name game. We’ll see some familiar names—both designers and game series—but 2002 also saw some new blood. We’ll get to the board games in a bit, but first, let’s review our list’s criteria.

1: Cultural relevance plays as much of a factor as overall quality. A game might make a list that doesn’t hold up to others of its type, but you must admit the game is everywhere.

2: Only one game from a franchise makes the list. This will become more of an issue the closer we get to games with expansions.

3: Longevity plays a role, too. A game doesn’t have to fly off the shelves today, but it had to have some widespread appeal for a decent time.

Honorable Mention: Pirate’s Cove (2002)

Pirate’s Cove has been out of print for a while; I hope it returns to print soon because it’s a great light-to-mid-weight game, featuring pirates. Who doesn’t love pirates? Players simultaneously select which island they’d like to visit. Each island allows players to upgrade parts of their ship.

But if two players land on the same island, they fight. The goal of fighting is to scare off your opponent and be the last ship on the island, so you can upgrade your ship. Ultimately, you’ll want to have the most fame. While Pirate’s Cove can be a little mean at times—I’ve picked islands I knew a weak opponent would choose—the game plays fast.

5: Mexica (2002)

That’s a clean sweep. Each one of Michael Kiesling and Wolfgang Kramer’s games in the Mask Trilogy made one of these lists. Don’t let Mexica’s ranking at five fool you. It’s a well-regarded game and a fitting end to the trilogy. Players score points (El Grande style) based upon their dominance in a district.

During the first round scoring, only districts score points. In the second round (at the end of the game), all land areas and districts score. This adds some spice to the way scoring occurs. It also allows players to recover from a weaker first round. Unlike Java, Mexica has seen a recent reprint. And I love the building play pieces.

4: Wallenstein (2002)

Wallenstein introduced—or at least popularized—the dice tower, even if its dice tower is more of a cube tower. Players place cubes at the top of the tower, and eventually, the cubes fall to the bottom, granting resources. I don’t know why more games haven’t used the cube tower. If you tear open the cube tower, you’ll find landing spots for the cubes to get stuck. Clever.

This mechanism would receive an update with two recent games: The Loop and Dead Reckoning. This adds to the mystique of this game mechanism. Every game that has used this mechanism has been highly regarded. Does the game have a cube tower? It must be great.

3: Bang! (2002)

Bang! is easily the weakest game on this list—and that includes the honorable mention—but Bang! may have the largest cultural impact. Bang! solidified the hidden role game. You know what your role is and you must figure out who everyone else is playing. The Sheriff (whose identity is known to all players and has an extra health point) wants to kill all Outlaws and the Renegade. Deputies protect the Sheriff and kill Outlaws. Outlaws want to kill the Sheriff. And the Renegade wants to be the last one standing.

Bang! has seen its share of spin-offs, too, including the even better Bang! The Dice Game, which speeds up the already brisk gameplay.  And so many themed versions of Bang! the card game. There’s even a Bang! card game based on Marvel’s Secret Invasion. Eek! Bang! can be a good time. It’s thematic; you’re playing out a Spaghetti Western. I call Ringo.

2: Age of Steam (2002)

Martin Wallace and train games go togetherlike board and game. The game that claims BoardGameGeek’s top spot is Brass: Birmingham, a train game by Martin Wallace. Age of Steam is only the second time Wallace made a train game. It improves on Voldampf (2001) in almost every way.

Age of Steam set the tone for what a mid-to-heavy-weight train game could accomplish. Heck. Case in point, the only designer who could outdo Martin Wallace was Martin Wallace. Even though another Wallace train game tops BGG’s list, Age of Steam still sees play. I’ve seen countless people create new maps, keeping the game alive.

1: Puerto Rico (2002)

Puerto Rico easily takes the top spot. It’s the highest-rated game (on BoardGameGeek) and maintains a spot in the Top 100 games. But more importantly, Puerto Rico may have more influence on how games are designed today than when it was first released. Each round, players take turns selecting a role card from the display. When a role is chosen, every player gets to take the action appropriate to that role, but the player who selected the role also receives a small privilege. For example, choosing the “Builder” role allows all players to construct a building, but the player who chose the role may do so at a discount. So much of modern board game design adapts this concept in exciting ways.

Flamecraft comes to mind. Players upgrade spaces (shops) on the board that benefit everyone at the table, but the player who made the upgrade gets an additional kickback. Having your play benefit or affect someone else’s forces to players to pay attention to what their opponents are doing. Puerto Rico turns up the ante. Everyone gets some variation of the action you choose each turn. This small twist heightens the tension of each choice. Brilliant!


Did we get the list mostly correct? Let us know which games you’d add in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Geekly News: July 19, 2026; New Releases

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Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another week of Geek News. We’re in the middle of convention season. So, we’re sticking with new board game and video game releases for the week. And we have plenty of big releases to talk about. Let’s get to the games.

Kabuto Sumo Dice Launches on KickStarter

In Kabuto Sumo Dice, you’ll be forcefully throwing dice into a 3D arena with the goal of knocking out your opponents or getting the correct combination of pips to pin them. Last bug standing wins.

Each wrestler uses signature moves and pieces to try and gain an advantage!

Thank you, All Play, for the Kabuto Sumo Dice’s description. I have yet to play Kabuto Sumo, but I’ve always liked the game’s king-of-the-hill style of play. I also like Kabuto Sumo’s theme of bug combat. Yay! Kabuto Sumo Dice continues that trend with–well–dice. Combining dice chucking with a dexterity element is excellent. Love it. And All Play has a long history of creating some great, approachable board games. Kabuto Sumo Dice’s pledge levels range from $39 to $249. Quite the spread, but gamers have plenty of options. The lowest level only includes the base game. Add another $40 or so dollars, which includes two other games, Wild Berries and Imp. If you’re interested in Kabuto Sumo Dice, check out its KickStarter page.

Elementary Launches on KickStarter

Welcome to Monster Elementary, a mystical grade school where Snax are social currency and every lunchbox is a chance to make new friends. Bluff your classmates, collect delicious treats, recruit quirky monster friends, and build the lunch table every monster wants to join.

Elementary is a family-friendly bluffing and tableau-building dice game. Each round, players secretly shake and roll custom Snax dice inside their lunchboxes before taking turns raising the stakes, calling bluffs, and competing to earn first pick from the cafeteria’s vending machine.

The Snax you collect can be traded to recruit monster friends, each bringing unique abilities and elemental synergies to your growing friend folio. As your circle of friends grows, so do the powerful combinations you can create, rewarding clever planning as much as daring bluffs.

Over the course of the game, you’ll collect Snax, outwit your classmates, and make new friends.

Thank you, Littlest Lantern, for Elementary’s description. Flamecraft’s dream team, game designer Manny Vega and artist Sandara Tang, return. That tandem, along with Elementary’s theme of a monster elementary school, has me hooked. From what I see, players can convert items into other items, which could–ironically–make Elementary more complex than Flamecraft. And that’s okay. Flamecraft is already a great game for gamers who want to dip their toes into more complex games. Who knows? Elementary could further that concept. Elementary is definitely on my watch list. If you’re interested in Elementary, check out its KickStarter page.

The Isle of Penguins Launches on KickStarter

The Isle of Penguins is a competitive open-drafting and penguin-placement board game.

As a citizen of Squalls End, your expedition to the frozen lands of the north has suddenly become a rescue mission, and you must rescue as many penguins as possible before the ice melts. To succeed, you’ll travel to ice floes, gather fish, study ancient lessons, and clear rocks from your uniquely shaped raft. As you rescue penguins, you must find a way to fit them all on your raft while protecting their eggs and keeping families together.

The game features:

  • Open Drafting: Manage your speed to stay ahead in the rescue, and claim the discoveries you need most.
  • Penguin Placement: Rescue penguins, create families, and protect eggs, as you try to fit everything onto your raft.
  • Simultaneous Play: Everyone searches the ice together, placing tiles onto their raft at the same time.
  • Multiple Modes: Family, advanced, and expert modes, from young explorer to seasoned rescuer.

In The Isle of Penguins, every penguin matters. Will you master the ancient lessons, fill your raft, and bring every penguin home?

Thank you, The City of Games, for The Isle of Penguins’s description. Many gamers (Season is one of them) may have been fooled in April with an Icecraft meme, but The Isle of Penguins is a real game. I’m still holding out hope that we will get an Icecraft game from Manny Vega and Sandara Tang. The Isle of Penguins furthers concepts found in 2019’s The Isle of Cats. The Isle of Cats is yet another game I have yet to play. Season picked up a copy several years ago, and I’m still waiting for her to bring the game to the table. I like the theme of rescuing animals. Polyominoes are always fun. The Isle of Penguins’s simultaneous play has me intrigued. Games may not take too long, and simu-play tends to let games scale well at various player counts. The Isle of Penguins is yet another banger release this week. If you’re interested in The Isle of Penguins, check out its KickStarter page.

Culdcept Begins Releases on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2

A hidden classic that fuses board and card games, Culdcept features a unique, innovative system that has captivated fans since its debut. Players become Cepters, wielding cards in intense battles where luck and strategy collide. After ten years, a brand-new story begins once again.

Oh…my…ghost! For the first time in over ten years, we get a new Culdcept game. Early last year, Season covered the Culdcept franchise’s history. Ah! I love it. In short, Culdcept combines elements of Monopoly with Magic: The Gathering. This combo shouldn’t work, but it so does. Graphics for the older Culdcept games haven’t aged the best. They were never bad, but they could’ve used an update. I like what I’ve seen from Culdcept Begins. Judging from the picture above, it looks as if Culdcept Begins upgraded the game’s interface. Upgraded lands appear to have levels to them, and that’s fantastic. I’m certain Geekly will pick up a copy. This may be one of the games we cover in 2027. I’m always down for a new game of Culdcept.

Moss: The Forgotten Relic Releases

Moss: The Forgotten Relic is an emotional and atmospheric adventure set in the pages of a living storybook, brimming with myth and ancient magic. Guide a tiny but determined hero on a heartfelt journey of challenge, courage, and connection.

Moss: The Forgotten Relic takes the popular VR game Moss and gives it a 3D platform puzzler twist. I’m a sucker for a cute and engrossing platformer. The platformer genre has seen some great additions in recent years. Ori and the Will of the Wisps, anyone? Moss: The Forgotten Relic has received solid reviews. At $20 on Steam, Moss: The Forgotten Relic may be worth the value. I don’t know if platformer games (outside of Nintendo titles) can charge full price. But at that price, I’ve added Moss: The Forgotten Relic to my wishlist. Moss: The Forgotten Relic is available on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2.

That’s all the geek news we have for this week. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

X-Men ’97 “Weapon X, Lies, and DVDs” Review

Published on by Kyra1 Comment

Happy Saturday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another review/reaction to an X-Men ’97 season two episode. This week’s episode is “Weapon X, Lies, and DVDs.” If you’re looking for last week’s X-Men ’97 episode, “Rise of Apocalypse: Part 2,” here’s the link. Yes! Wolverine is going back to his roots: The Weapon X Program. I’ll start this post with my thoughts on “Weapon X, Lies, and DVDs.”

Kyra’s Take

The previous episode’s mid-credit scene perfectly set up “Weapon X, Lies, and DVDs.” We knew Wolverine intended to take on the Weapon X Program and that he had assembled a team tied to the program. I scratched my head when I saw Wolverine’s team. Maverick and Garrison Kane were great choices. Real deep cuts. You love to see it. Morph tagging along made sense. They’ve been tied with Wolverine since the previous season, and a lot of their relationship with Wolverine gets explored in “Weapon X, Lies, and DVDs.” More on Morph in a little while. But it’s the final two members that confused me. I had to suspend disbelief with Sabretooth and Lady Deathstrike’s inclusion. How did Wolverine manage to convince those two to join his team? That could’ve been an episode all on its own, and “Weapon X, Lies and DVDs” handwaved the backstory. Okay.

Not explaining how Wolverine convinced Sabretooth and Lady Deathstrike to join him is my only small gripe. Sure, one can handwave the backstory by saying Sabretooth and Lady Deathstrike hated The Weapon X Program more than they hated Wolverine. Moving on. “Weapon X, Lies, and DVDs” features the first time the actual Brood take center stage in an X-Men show or movie. Sure, an altered version of The Brood, called the Colony, made an appearance in the original X-Men: Animated Series, and the real Brood made a cameo in “Mojovision,” but we got a great introduction to the Brood in “Weapon X, Lies, and DVDs.” The tension rises whenever Wolverine and company explore Weapon X storylines. Add in the Brood, and you have a party.

Morph steals this episode. Their complicated relationship with Logan drives “Weapon X, Lies, and DVDs’s” story. Maverick and Kane are old war buddies. I’m still unsure why Sabretooth and Lady Deathstrike joined Wolverine. The only one on this team who truly cares for Wolverine is Morph, and J.P. Karliak (Morph’s voice actor) always brings a much-needed sense of levity to Wolvie. “Weapon X, Lies, and DVDs” is clearly an allusion to the classic Eighties film Sex, Lies, and Videotape. The episode is set at a Weapon X facility. The staff uses DVDs to chronicle their experiments with The Brood. But the “Lies” come from Wolverine. He wants his adamantium back. While he may not mind betraying Sabretooth, Lady Deathstrike, Maverick, and Kane, pulling the wool over Morph’s eyes cuts deep.

While “Weapon X, Lies, and DVDs” doesn’t quite reach last week’s episode–how could it?–it does a good job at delivering an action-packed episode. Wolverine wasn’t going to keep his bone claws for long. X-Men ’97 has a way of incorporating classic comic book covers in its episodes. Wolverine #1’s (1982) cover makes an appearance, and just in the nick of time. So good. X-Men ’97 is a love letter to the X-Men. You love to see it. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Omega Red’s appearance. Pitting Omega Red against The Brood was a great touch. Even better, Omega Red intended to join forces with The Brood. “Weapon X, Lies, and DVDs” managed to raise the stakes (both personal and global) throughout its runtime. I can’t believe this episode packed so much into thirty minutes.

And I can’t wait to see the fallout from “Weapon X, Lies, and DVDs.” Morph and Wolverine’s relationship may never be the same. They certainly weren’t on the best of terms. I will cite another small concern, or perhaps it’s a wish. Wolverine got his adamantium back far too soon. I would’ve liked to have seen him struggle with bone claws for most–if not all–of this season. X-Men ’97 could’ve done more with exploring a depowered Wolverine. This might have made Wolverine’s regaining of his adamantium more powerful at the end. Getting back to that ending, Morph was fantastic. Even though “Weapon X, Lies, and DVDs” was a Wolverine-centric story, Wolverine spent half the episode infected by The Brood. Morph carried the emotional weight of this episode. I’d like to see X-Men ’97 pull at the threads it introduced at the end of this episode.

Season’s Take

Hey, Alphas! Morph really was the highlight of “Weapon X, Lies, and DVDs.” Their emotional struggle throughout the episode was gold. You can see them convince themselves in real time that they have to help Wolverine regardless of his intentions behind the mission. Something tells me Morph is going to pull away from Wolvie and join Team Jubilee. Or something.

I’m also unsure why Lady Deathstrike and Sabretooth were there. They did try to dip out after they saw Cornelius transform into a Brood. I guess Cornelius is the main reason they showed up. I’m hoping Wolverine takes the events of “Weapon X, Lies, and DVDs” and tries to better himself. Then again, it’s Wolverine. He’s a mixed bag. Omega Red’s inclusion was a nice touch. Something tells me he’ll be making another appearance in X-Men ‘97.

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here again. Those are our thoughts on X-Men ’97 “Weapon X, Lies, and DVDs.” I also forgot to mention the last time the original X-Men: Animated Series visited the Weapon X Program in “Weapon X, Lies, and Videotape.” Ah! Guess we no longer use videotape. The next Weapon X story must be called “Weapon X, Lies, and Streaming.” LOL

What are your thoughts on X-Men ’97 “Weapon X, Lies, and DVDs?” Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.