In this, the first Express Episode in a full year, Don, Chris and Jamie are joined by their very good friend The Secret Cabal Christmas Elf to help Santa out with gifting games to gamers. The boys go through a series of categories including games for game enthusiasts, party games, stocking stuffers, budget games and more.

Don and Jamie open the show discussing a topic from the forums regarding our favorite Holiday movies and transition into our main topic - The Island of Misfit Games. Just like in Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer in which Rudolph, Hermey and Yukon Cornelius discover the Island of Misfit Toys, Don and Jamie visit a different island at which strange, broken, or unattractive - yet fun to play - games reside. Can we find homes for these misfit games?

Chris, Don and Jamie dive into a discussion about games that have a single standout mechanism that elevates its game to something special. Each of the gang lists three games that they feel include one of these brilliant mechanisms.

Don and Jamie welcome Honorary Founder Matt Evans of Board Game Replay to celebrate Halloween with some spooky, creepy and super fun horror video games! Most of the games discussed in this episode are by indie developers but are inexpensive giving you a good bang for your buck - or scare for your buck in some cases. Please check out https://www.thesecretcabal.com/express-77-horror-video-games for a full list of the games discussed. Also check out https://www.youtube.com/boardgamereplay for all of Matt's amazing videos.

Don and Jamie are so happy to be joined by Joel Eddy of Drive Thru Games and Rodney Smith of Watch It Played to talk about gaming conventions. We discuss the question, are Board Game Conventions still as relevant as they once were to the gaming industry - both publishers and convent creators.

Hey Now Cabalists! In today's episode of The Secret Cabal Express, Don and Jamie start out by talking about the new Descent Legends of the Dark and transition into talking about the challenges that make up the board games we love and why those challenges enhance the enjoyment.

In episode 74 Tony, Don and Jamie pull out our armchair psychologist cards and talk about the psychology of a gaming junkie and what tricks and tactics marketers use to suck us in and part with our money.

In episode 73 Tony, Don and Jamie jump into a discussion about the Pokemon and Trading Card frenzy going on at Wal-Mart. They discuss a video featuring a swarm of savages descending upon the trading card section and causing a scene. Then the gang discusses Tabletop Trends and Gaming Guts - when a good thing because a fad in the gaming community and when that fad turns into an all-out gut.

In episode 72 Chris, Don and Jamie discuss the four types of immersion as defined in the book "Patterns In Game Design" by Staffan Björk and Jussi Holopainen. The four types include Sensory-motoric Immersion, Cognitive Immersion, Emotional Immersion and Spatial Immersion. The gang talks about how each of these traditionally video game related categories relate to tabletop gaming.

In episode 71 Tony, Jamie and Don discuss the components, gameplay, designer credit, publisher and many other factors that contribute to the cost of and perceived value of board games.

In episode 70 Jamie and Steve welcome Honorary Founder Dan King the Game Boy Geek to talk about Dan's currently running Kickstarter Campaign, his causal game recommendations for Jamie's family, Jamie's top three Dan King recommendations and Mystery Board Games.

In episode 69 Jamie, Steve and Aaron start out by talking about some video games they've been playing lately including, Slay the Spire and Hell Let Loose and transion into a long discussion about how theme, lore and backstory can enrich the gameplay of many tabletop games.

In episode 67 Jamie, Don and Chris are joined by their great friend Rodney Smith of Watch It Played to talk about what they've been up to this holiday season, how to give great gifts to the gamers in their lives and some of the best gifts they've given and received in the past. From all of us here at the Secret Cabal Gaming Podcast, we hope you have a wonderful, joyous, and safe holiday season!

In episode 67 Don and Jamie get together to talk about board games that set the trends and revolutionized board game design and some that have stood the test of time and some that have faded into obscurity. Then we list of some of the most unique games we have played that you might want to add to your collection.

In episode 66 The gang celebrates Halloween by talking with Matt Evans of Board Game Replay to talk about some of the video games they've all been playing - particularly horror themed games! All of these games are great options for your Halloween video game time!

In episode 65 Jamie and Don welcome Honorary Founder, Rodney Smith of Watch It Played, to discuss reviewing board games including the perceptions of viewers, the integrity of the reviewer, what makes good reviews and more.

In episode 64 Tony, Chris and Jamie discuss the impact that great artwork, stellar graphic design elements, components and the entire cohesive production of a tabletop game has on the experience of the players. We go into the emotions they trigger and the immersion generated.

In episode 63 Tony, Don and Jamie sit down and talk about a topic that's been on our minds lately, when is it right to get back to gaming in person? And when we do, what precautions are we going to have to take to ensure the comfort and safety of ourselves and our friends. Then, we talk about the awesome games that have come out in 2020 that are piling up around out feet that we're so excited to play when we finally do get back to gaming in-person.

In episode 62 Jamie welcomes Honorary Founders Rodney Smith of Watch It Played and Marty Connell of Rolling Dice and Taking Names to bring back play the This or That Game! We talk about conventions, gaming awards, Project Winter and in the game, we go into movies, board games, miniatures games and more.

In episode 61 Jamie, Steve, Don and Aaron from Lords of the Dungeon start off by talking about retail therapy and their growing collection of video games. Then the gang jumps into a discussion about Euro Games and Ameritrash games and what we like and dislike about both.