As someone who has recently spread her tabletop gaming wings, I’ve certainly taken to searching the internet for tutorial videos for when I get stuck, confused, or lost. Some videos focus more on the rules and gameplay, while others aim to give a sample of what it’s really like in-game. Girls’ Game Shelf offers the viewer both sides, and with a double, quadruple, and sometimes sextuple dose of girl power, too.
“It’s a great way just to get a feel for what the game is like,” Christina Aimerito, the show’s host, explains in a Kickstarter video from last year. “It’s also a great way to a bunch of competitive girls try to kill each other.”
The episodes begin with a quick rundown of the game pieces, board, and rules, and then transitions into footage of gameplay featuring anywhere from two to six hilariously entertaining female gamers of varying skill sets and experience. Throughout the video are comments from the players regarding their thoughts on different aspects of the game. This is helpful to viewers of all sorts, whether you’re new and seeing the game for the first time, or a veteran player.
Carcassonne
My first foray back into the world of classic gaming, Carcassonne is a fairly straightforward game that can initially confuse new players with it’s many rules regarding points, and it’s uncanny ability to convince you that your friend across the table is the only thing standing in your way to farming domination. Why are you suddenly hell bent on blocking your best friend from completing their fancy new castle? Carcassonne.
The ladies on ‘Girls’ Game Shelf’ take on Carcassonne, and discuss just that, along with the intricacies of collecting farmland, and that beloved blue shield.
Pandemic
The ferocity of a game of Pandemic can spread through the players just as swiftly as the very infectious diseases they’re working to eradicate, and for the ladies of GGS, it’s no different. Sure, the game is all about working together to cure illnesses plaguing each country, but the high stakes can make for dramatic, though entertaining, gameplay.
In this video we see the players go through highs and lows working to reach their goal, a great example of what makes Pandemic so popular. Don’t make the wrong move, or you risk, well, the the fate of the whole world.
Codenames
Codenames, a popular party game for all ages, may have made a less than stellar impression on the ladies of GGS. With mixed reviews regarding the game’s speed of play and design, this episode gives you a look at something you’ve probably played before from a newbie’s perspective.
No matter the style of tabletop gaming tutorial you prefer, straight rules, an insight into gameplay, or reviews, ‘Girls’ Game Shelf’ offers it all, with a slew of personalities to relate and refer to.
Check out all their episodes on their YouTube Channel.
What do you think of this style of gaming show? Do you have a go-to channel online for tutorials? Share in the comments below, or find me on Twitter @bekahbabble!
Featured Image Credit: Girls’ Game Shelf, Christina Aimerito, Youtube