Gaming Editor at GeekDad.com, dad, professor, author, Little League District 11 Umpire, Rocklin Little League Umpire-in-Chief He/him/his
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Articles by Rob Huddleston
Blast Off With ‘Star Fox’ on the Nintendo Switch 2
Star Fox is a notable Nintendo property both for its enduring popularity and its rather nebulous timeline. The 1993 SNES original was rebooted as 1997’s Star Fox 64, which was itself remade as Star Fox 64 3D (2011) and further reimagined for the Wii U as Star Fox Zero (2016). This is all to say that you’re very likely already familiar with the Lylat Wars, the Star Fox team, and that sinister simian, Dr. Andross.
Blast Off With ‘Star Fox’ on the Nintendo Switch 2
Star Fox is a notable Nintendo property both for its enduring popularity and its rather nebulous timeline. The 1993 SNES original was rebooted as 1997’s Star Fox 64, which was itself remade as Star Fox 64 3D (2011) and further reimagined for the Wii U as Star Fox Zero (2016). This is all to say that you’re very likely already familiar with the Lylat Wars, the Star Fox team, and that sinister simian, Dr. Andross.
Every Day I Write the Book: GeekDad Reviews ‘Yoshi and the Mysterious Book’
Yoshi and the Mysterious Book isn’t exactly a “cozy game,” but it’s what you might call “cozy adjacent.” There’s platforming and action and even a little combat, but much like your Tomodachi Life or your Animal Crossing, it’s really more about the simple joy of discovery. In this title, you control the titular Yoshi (available in all the designer colors) as he journeys inside the pages of a mysterious talking book.
Announcing the 2025 GeekDad Game of the Year
This year’s GeekDad Game of the Year involved some wrangling over schedules, but last weekend, we finally got together to play through our nominees. This year it took place at my home in Sacramento, California, where I was joined by Jonathan Liu, Paul Benson, and Michael Knight. We played through all ten of the finalists in record time, and I came away pretty pleased about this year’s batch of finalists.
Announcing the 2025 Game of the Year Finalists
We may be well into 2026, but we are finally gearing up on our 2025 Game of the Year award. Here are this year’s finalists, selected from our GeekDad Approved titles from throughout 2025. Our 10 Favorite Games of 2025 Our finalists for Game of the Year (in alphabetical order) are Alibis, Emerald Skulls, Galactic Cruise, Hot Streak, Ito, Kinfire Council, Light Speed: Arena, Lightning Train, Please Don’t Burn My Village and Spooktacular. Each description below includes a link to our original review.
We Built This City — GeekDad Reviews ‘Pokémon Pokopia’
Ever since the halcyon days of the Nintendo 3DS, a purely theoretical Pokémon version of beloved life sim Animal Crossing has been one of my family’s go-to topics on long car rides and during vacation downtime. What if your next-door neighbor was an Eevee? What if you had to run errands for a down-on-his-luck Bulbasaur? What kind of house would you design for a Clefairy? Fast-forward a decade plus, and our far-fetched mental exercise has become reality. Sort of.
Build the Transcontinental Railroad in ‘Lightning Train’
Except maybe dungeon crawlers, few genres seem to attract game designers like trains. Now, Paul Dennen, designer of GeekDad Game of the Year Dune Imperium and GeekDad Game of the Year finalist Clank is bringing his spin to train building games with Lightning Train. What Is Lightning Train? Lightning Train is a game for 1-4 players, ages 10 and up, and takes about 120 minutes to play. It’s currently available at your friendly neighborhood game store or other fine retailer.
Bribe the Dragon and Save the Village in ‘Please Don’t Burn My Village’
Everyone knows two or three things about dragons: they love to hoard treasure, they’re easily distracted by shiny things, and when they get upset, stuff tends to get bad for people living nearby. In Please Don’t Burn My Village, players take on the roles of villagers who need to bribe the dragon to stay safe. But, you can’t just throw any old loot the dragon’s way: it wants only the most valuable stuff. Can you manipulate the market and keep the dragon happy? What Is Please Don’t Burn My Village?
Create Ornamental Paintings of the Far North in ‘Mezen’
The river Mezen flows south from the Berents Sea into Siberia. 19th century artists used black and striking red paintings on household items. The red is from clay from the river–even now, if you look up the river on Google Maps, you can see why. In Mezen, players compete to collect sets tiles on either their white or black sides in specific patterns to score points. While it sounds simple, the game provides surprising layers of depth and complexity. What Is Mezen?
Listen to Shows Without Disturbing Others with MIXX StreamQ TV Bundle
There are plenty of times–most times, in fact–when I go to bed much later than my wife. And while our house is big enough that watching TV downstairs doesn’t generally bother her upstairs, I still turn the volume down to try to be courteous. But there are times when a show or movie I’m trying to watch is itself quiet, and the low volume makes things hard to hear.
Fill Even Large Rooms with Music With TRIBIT StormBox Blast 2
Portable Bluetooth speakers have become commonplace on the market today. The TRIBIT StormBox Blast 2 can truly fill a room with sound. What is the TRIBIT StormBox Blast 2 The TRIBIT StormBox Blast 2. Image by Rob Huddleston.The TRIBIT StormBox Blast 2 is a portable Bluetooth speaker, built for those who want to be able to listen to music practically anywhere. This isn’t the most portable of Bluetooth speakers.
There have been a lot of cool twists on the classic trick-taking mechanic over the last several years, from somehow making it cooperative in The Crew to the Schrödinger’s cat spin in Cat in the Box, and many more. Now, Garden Variety joins the club with ever-changing rules and a simple but interesting format for deciding who wins the trick. What Is Garden Variety? Garden Variety is a game for 2-5 players, ages 7 and up, and takes about 15 minutes to play.
Take Your Music With You With the TRIBIT StormBox Lava
Portable Bluetooth speakers have become commonplace on the market today. The TRIBIT StormBox Lava provides deeper, richer sound than many of its similarly-sized competitors. What is the TRIBIT StormBox Lava The TRIBIT StormBox Lava is a portable Bluetooth speaker, build for those who want to be able to listen to music practically anywhere.
Gamefound Tabletop Alert: Dungeons & Lasers VII ‘Porthaven’ Campaign
As you might guess from the Roman numerals, this is Dungeons & Laser’s seventh crowdfunding campaign for their line of roleplaying miniatures and terrain. I reviewed their sixth campaign, Caves, last fall, which featured three different themes of modular cavernous terrain. The rewards from that campaign are about to begin fulfilling to backers. What Is Porthaven? Porthaven is the seventh miniatures campaign from Poland-based Archon Studio.
Stack Overflow: 10 Titles for March
There are several Ecology related books, even for babies, and books about friendship and love, and some noisy mermaids! Let’s start with early readers: This would be a lovely gift for any baby whose relative is working in a Meteorology station. Not only does it explain what the weather is, but it also relates it with simple images to what the baby will wear according to it. This way, we learn about wind, the water cycle, rain, and weather predictions.
Kickstarter Tabletop Alert: ‘Misfit Heroes’
Build your crew of wacky heroes in the land of Absurdia, from the supermodel skeleton to the many-limbed stock broker. What Is Misfit Heroes? Misfit Heroes is a tableau-building game for 2 to 4 players, ages 10 and up, and takes about 30-45 minutes to play. It’s currently seeking funding on Kickstarter, with a pledge level of $40 for a copy of the game (or $80 for the deluxe edition).
Learn to Play 'Kings of War' With 'Battle for the Coral Gate' 2-Player Starter Set
There are tons of great board games out there (I’ve reviewed many myself on GeekDad!). But some of us just get a real satisfaction from maneuvering armies of miniatures across a terrain-filled board, seeking to outmaneuver or just plain obliterate our opponent’s forces. The majority of the larger-scale miniature wargames are known as “rank and flank,” named for the multiple ranks of combatants in a unit, and the bonuses an attacker will get for successfully flanking an enemy unit.
'Metal Gear Solid: The Board Game' Takes the Popular Video Game Series Onto Your Table
In the summer of 1988, I discovered my favorite game for the Nintendo NES. This stealthy game let me take on the role of a secret operative as I infiltrated a secret base, used silenced weapons and gadgets, and uncovered a plot that could devastate the world I was hooked on Metal Gear right from the start. Unlike many other games, I played this one all the way to the end and beat it.
Crowdfunding Gaming Roundup
I’ve been covering a lot of crowdfunding campaigns lately (and have several more queued up between now and April), but as always there are more projects out there that I won’t be able to do full reviews. Here are a few current projects that have caught my attention lately! New to Kickstarter? Check out our crowdfunding primer.
Build an Ideal Townscape in 'Bosa'
Bosa, a small town on the coast of Sardinia, is the setting for this engine-building card game in which players draft cards and compete to build the most successful townscape. What Is Bosa? Bosa is a game for 2-5 players, ages 8 and up, and takes about 45 minutes to play. It’s currently available at Barnes & Noble and other retailers for $24.95. Bosa was designed by Prospero Hall and published by Funko.
'Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Complete' Introductory Offer Expires January 30
If you’ve been holding off on purchasing Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Complete for your mobile device, you might want to get on that. You only have until January 30 (at 10:00 PM PT) to pick up this title for an introductory price of $9.99 via the App Store and Google Play. After that, the app goes up to its full price of $19.99.
Release Roundup: 'Disney Lorcana TCG: Azurite Sea'
Ravensburger delivered on another big Disney Lorcana release at the end of 2024. This new release, Azurite Sea, is similar in scope to the previous Shimmering Skies. Cards in this set bring Big Hero 6 and Rescue Rangers, among others, to the ever growing roster for the Disney Lorcana trading card game. What Is Disney Lorcana? Disney Lorcana is a trading card game for 2-6 players, ages 8 and up, and takes about 20-30 minutes to play.
'Apiary': Bees ... in Space!
After the humans, bees became the dominant species on Earth, and now they’re advanced enough to become space-faring. Explore planets, build technologies, and gather resources before it’s time to hibernate! What Is Apiary? Apiary is a worker-placement game for 1 to 5 players, ages 14 and up, and takes about 60–90 minutes to play. It retails for $65 and is available in stores and directly from the publisher.
Highway to the Holidays: The Lowe's Holiday Living 6-ft White & Gold Black Nutcracker
It seems like just yesterday that I was reviewing Halloween decorations like Lowe’s Haunted Living 12-Ft Talking LED Bone Collector Animatronic. Sure, the spooky season is over (for now!) but that doesn’t mean that the fun has to stop. Why not take a look at some Christmas decorations? Lowe’s recently sent me their Holiday Living 6-ft White & Gold Black Nutcracker to review. And who doesn’t love a good nutcracker during the holidays? Here’s what I thought of this seasonal staple.
GeekMom/GeekDad Holiday Gift Guide 2024: Gadgets
For those who love technology, a new gadget is always something to look forward to. Here’s a selection from the GeekDad and GeekMom writers, showcasing their favorite gadgets to add to your Christmas list. K65 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard – Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Edition Price: $169.99 Location: Amazon The Corsair K65 is a compact wireless gaming keyboard that skips the number pad, making it perfect for saving desk space.
Reaping the Rewards: 'SKUNK'D’ Is a Crazy Fun New Dice Game
Back in January of this year, I learned about a new dice game called SKUNK’D that would be having a crowdfunding campaign. While a dice game is not usually my first choice for playing a game, over the holidays when our entire family got together we had a lot of fun playing dice games around the dining room table. Unlike some of the other games we played, everyone got involved and enjoyed the dice games.
'Undaunted 2200: Callisto' Takes the 'Undaunted' Series From WWII to Jupiter's Moon
I have been playing tabletop wargames for around 40 years. Some have used cardboard counters while others has plastic miniatures. A few used decks of cards to represent units, actions, and terrain. A few years ago I came across a game set during WWII that featured one of my favorites game mechanics, deck building. While some card wargames used abstract methods to create a battlefield, this game actually had maps with markers for the units on it.
GeekDad/GeekMom Holiday Gift Guide 2024: Toys
Each year I get the absolute plum gig of compiling our annual list of must-buy toys for the holiday season. My fellow GeekParents and I test them out, write them up, and then it’s over to me to place them in… well, whatever weird order strikes my fancy at the time. This year’s guide sees the return of many of our favorite pop culture licenses, updated takes on some old-school favorite puzzle toys, a dash of new high-tech hotness, and lots (and lots!) of LEGO.
Learn from Paleolithic Educators in 'The Saber-Tooth Curriculum'
Several years ago a fellow teacher mentioned a book titled The Saber-Tooth Curriculum as a book that every educator should read. At that time there were many discussions about helicopter parents, lawnmower parents, tiger parenting, and so forth so I believed a saber-tooth curriculum was something along those lines. However I recently had the opportunity to read the book myself and found my original perception of what it really covered was far off the mark. What is The Saber-Tooth Curriculum?
′Anansi Boys # 5′: Where Fat Charlie Finds Himself in Bed With Another Woman
Anansi Boys #5 is the fifth issue adapting the marvelous Anansi Boys into graphic form. Fat Charlie has had a lot of nasty surprises since his father′s demise. First, he discovers he has a magic brother that everyone likes. One that enjoys singing and fun a bit too much.
Highway to Halloween: Slice Into Some Nostalgic Horror With 'RetroRealms Double Feature'
Are you a fan of old school horror and old school gaming? Then you’re in luck! Boss Team Games recently released a fun throwback to 16-bit sidescrollers called RetroRealms Double Feature. You play as horror icons, battling across levels with characters from both Halloween and Ash vs Evil Dead. With Halloween, you play as silent killer Michael Myers, freed by the master of the Dark Realm to be its agent of chaos.
'Warhammer 40,000: The Ultimate Guide' -- A Book Review
When I heard about Warhammer 40,000: The Ultimate Guide, I was disproportionately excited. I’ve been a Warhammer player since the 1980s, and I have loved DK’s pictorial masterpieces for almost as long. Now, the publisher and game studio have come together in a marriage made in heaven. The idea that Warhammer 40,000 would be mainstream enough to be given the full DK “Ultimate Guide” treatment would have been absurd back when I first played.
Half Truth: Second Guess is a Worthy Follow-Up
Four years ago, Jeopardy host Ken Jennings and Magic: The Gathering creator Richard Garfield teamed up to create Half Truth, a trivia game with a twist. I reviewed the game back then and gave it our GeekDad Approved seal of approval, so when the publisher reached out asking if I would take a look at the second incarnation of the game, I was excited to see what they might have done with it. Thankfully, it’s a worthy follow-up to the original. What Is Half Truth: Second Guess?
The EarFun Air 2 NC Earbuds Cancel Noise with Comfort
Everywhere you go, you see people wearing earbuds. Whether they are driving, walking, shopping, working out, or whatever, they are listening to music, podcasts, or using them to communicate with other people. EarFun, a brand I have used in the past, has recently released its latest product, which provides quality sound and active noise canceling at a reasonable price. Listen to your favorite media with the new EarFun Air 2 NC active noise cancelling wireless earbuds. What Is the Air 2 NC?
Review- ′Anansi Boys # 4′: Where Fat Charlie Grieves Alongside His Brother
Anansi Boys #4 is the fourth issue adapting the marvelous Anansi Boys into graphic form. Fat Charlie is a nice guy, constantly frustrated at work and with his fiancée, and his life in London is nothing but ordinary. However, Fat Charlie′s father is now dead, and, since he was a god, a mourning ceremony should take place fit only for the deities: that is his newly found brother Spider′s opinion anyway.
How to Make the DnDBeyond 5e Artificer Compatible with the Players Handbook 2024
In the countless updates the Dungeons and Dragons team has implemented on their proprietary tool DnDBeyond, one class has been entirely neglected, much to the chagrin of players and their Dungeon Masters (DMs). This would be the lowly Artificer, which continues to have access to all 2014 spells and features, but cannot prepare or learn spells from the 2024 material.
'Astrophysics for Supervillains' - A Book Review - GeekDad
We like supervillains here at GeekDad, and many of us like astrophysics too. They both go with the geeky territory. What we love even more is when somebody cleverly melds the two. Enter Astrophysics for Supervillains, my final stop on DK’s “Summer of STEM” parade. Arguably, I’ve saved the best for last. What Is Astrophysics for Supervillains? Unlike many (all?) of the DK books I’ve previously reviewed, Astrophysics for Supervillains is not a hardback full of sumptuous pictures and labeled diagrams.
Exploring the Segway Ninebot eKickScooter E2 Pro
In the world of electric scooters, the Segway Ninebot E2 eKickScooter Pro ($449.99) stands out for its stylish appearance and efficiency for commuters. It doesn’t matter if you are rushing through the city or looking for a more eco-friendly way to make short trips around town, the E2 Pro has a range of features to make it a comfortable and safe ride. Design and Build Quality The first thing I noticed about the Segway Ninebot eKickScooter E2 Pro was how sleek it was.
Late Pledges Available for Dungeons & Lasers VI: Caves Terrain
While old-school TTRPG players are used to drawing their tabletop maps on dry-erase grids, there’s no rule that says that has to be the only way to do it. Many Game Masters use actual physical terrain at the table not just for set pieces, but even for entire dungeon crawls. Several companies are dedicated to providing pre-made terrain for tabletop gamers. One of these, Archon Studios, launched their latest terrain campaign on Gamefound earlier this year for Dungeons & Lasers VI: Caves.
‘What on Earth!’ Magazine – September 2024
The What on Earth! Magazine September 2024 issue has hit the shelves. This month’s cover story is “Blast Off!” What Is What on Earth! Magazine? What on Earth! magazine delivers bite-sized chunks of reference-book goodness each month. You have all the interest and rigor you’d expect from a leading publisher of reference books with a topical feel and some extra bits of entertainment thrown in.
Highway to Halloween: The Animated Ground Breaker Kit From Spider Hill Prop Works
We’re well into the spooky season, and you can’t walk into a store without seeing Halloween decorations…which is a good thing! Home Depot, Lowe’s, Spirit Halloween and others have items which you’ll see in people’s yards all over your neighborhood this Fall. While it’s easy enough to purchase and set up big animatronic props like the 12-foot Animated Scarecrow which I reviewed this summer, you might be looking for something that sets your Halloween display apart from your neighbors.
August 2024 Book Review Roundup!
A heavy reading month, which was lovely, but a busy end-of-month schedule means this August 2024 book review roundup is a little later than usual. This August, I read nearly every book in my pile (I haven’t finished Sandra Newman’s Julia yet. More of that alongside 1984, in next month’s reviews). Not only that, I took an extra book, that arrived mid-month, on vacation with me.
Battle Cultists and Elder Gods With 'Arkham Horror RPG - Starter Set: Hungering Abyss'
Fantasy Flight Games has long been known for its H. P. Lovecraft-inspired series of games, which originally launched with the board game Arkham Horror. Now, they have teamed up with roleplaying game company EDGE Studio to deliver the first RPG offering in the Arkham Horror universe: the Hungering Abyss starter set. What Is Arkham Horror RPG – Starter Set: Hungering Abyss?
Two Translated Picture Books by Levine Querido
Translated books are something I love because they broaden our perspective of the world by teaching us a thing or two about art, aesthetics, and ways of thinking—sometimes in surprising ways! That is the case with these two books. September is World Kid Lit Month.
'Huge Detective' #1 ― A Giant Premise
Huge Detective #1 | Writer Adam Rose | Artist: Magenta King This cover caught my attention, and I am happy to say that a universe where giants roam the Earth does not disappoint. First, the background history is pretty solid: once they emerged from the ground, the giants reclaimed Australia and reached an agreement with the rest of Earth—after the absolutely bloody Omega Event, that is.
The Problem of Board Game Rulebooks
One of the biggest obstacles to overcome in the tabletop gaming hobby is what you face when you first bring that shiny new game home: learning to play. Is somebody going to sit down and study the rulebook? Or maybe they’ll watch a video instead… but that still leaves the issue of communicating all of that information to everyone else who’s going to play the game, too.
August 2024 Book Preview
Summer has finally arrived in the UK and the slugs have mercifully stopped eating everything in my garden. After a great month of reading in July, I hope to keep up again this month. It’s not all sunshine, however. There are some dystopian tales ahead in my August 2024 Book Preview. Two Dystopias Come Along at Once I really must read Paul Lynch’s Prophet Song this month. It was on my June list and is still on my August list. I will also add to this dystopian prizewinner Julia by Sandra Newman.
Fast 'Warhammer' -- 'Age of Sigmar: Spearhead'
Games Workshop uses a three-year rolling cycle for its big box games. Every three years Warhammer 40,000 or Warhammer: Age of Sigmar is given a brand new box and a rules overhaul. For those of us with families, it feels like a new box comes around every five minutes. Amazingly, Age of Sigmar is already on its fourth iteration with a brand new box looming on the horizon, Skaventide.
July 2024 Book Preview
June was a lean month. Will July be any better? Lots of June books have been rolled over, and yet I still find myself with a few books to add to this month’s pile. Can I catch up? Here is my July 2024 Book Preview. The June Carry Over. I won’t dwell on these too much as I already previewed them in June. From Usborne books, I have two children’s novels to read. The Boy to Beat the Gods by Ashley Thorpe—A tale set against the backdrop of the Yoruba pantheon of Gods.
Stay Cool With the COOLiFY Cyber and COOLiFY Air
Summer has arrived and so has the heat. Where I live the thermometer has already broken the century mark. While many may be tempted to stay indoors with the air conditioning running, how about taking the air conditioner with you? New cooling technology has advanced so you can get controllable cooling in a wearable device. TORRAS has come to help you stay chill with two new wearable neck air conditioners: the COOLiFY Air and the COOLiFY Cyber. What Are the COOLiFY Air and COOLiFY Cyber?
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