Our 2021 Video Game Playlist

Last time, I shared my students and my favourite tabletop games in response to a request from a colleague for game recommendations. You can read that list here. This post is dedicated to some of the video games my students or I are currently playing (or recently completed).

My Video Game List

Human Fall Flat: This game hooked me with the trailer. It’s a cheeky platformer where you solve puzzles as you explore the world. Play with a friend (or more) for even more fun. The tutorials are cheeky yet helpful and it’s wonderful that there are multiple ways to solve a puzzle. Here’s a bit of my early gameplay with my brother, which showcases this perfectly:

It Takes Two: I just started this game last weekend. This is a co-operative platformer in which you and a friend play a couple on the verge of divorcing. Their daughter wishes for her parents to become friends again, which puts their souls into two of her dolls. They must complete several challenges, repairing their fractured relationship in the process, in hopes of returning to their bodies. The game mechanics and the variety of the puzzles are amazing. Unfortunately, parts of it triggered a migraine, so this is on hold for now.

The Dig: This game was a huge nostalgia trip for me. I was filled with a sense of déjà vu while playing it. I am fairly certain that I played the original version back in the 1990s. You play the commander of a team sent to plant explosives into an asteroid to steer it off of its crash course towards earth. Thing is, the asteroid is really a spaceship, which transports the team to a distant planet. Explore the deserted planet, unravel the technology as you attempt to find a way back home. Here’s a bit of my gameplay about a third of the way in:

Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise: I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure story puzzle game. You play Agent A, a secret agent tasked with infiltrating Ruby La Rouge’s secret hideaway to stop her nefarious plans.

Shing!: This was a fun, button-mashing beat up baddies game with quirky characters and an interesting story. The battle mechanics were a bit different from say, Samurai Warriors but once I got the hang of it, very ingenious.

Honourable Mentions: Katamari Damacy Reroll, Pixel Junk Monsters Ultimate, Cat Quest II, Pikuniku, Rogue Glitch

Video Games That My Students are Playing

Animal Crossing: You play a human who lives in a village with humanlike animals. Explore the world, go fishing, bug catching, and fossil hunting. 

Minecraft: Players can explore the block-filled world, mine for resources to create all sorts of things. Or go on battle mobs and much, much more. Play by yourself, friends or others in the Minecraft community. Some of my students enjoy creating their own worlds in Minecraft, while others go on massive PvP (Player vs. Player) battle mobs. There are so many new additions to the Minecraft franchise to keep players coming back, year after year.

Among Us: This is an online, multiplayer murder mystery. You and your friends are part of the crew on a spaceship. While you’re working through your task list, one or more alien imposters are skulking around, killing the crew. After each death, the crew meets in the cafeteria to try solving the murder mystery before the impostors take out the entire crew.

Roblox: Roblox is another online gaming platform geared towards students. There are numerous user-created games for players to explore, from adventure games to battle games, and from puzzlers to platformers, and everything else in between.

Super Mario: This is perhaps the first platformer game that most gamers try. Since then, numerous other games have cropped up, expanding the Super Mario World. Catchy music.

Call of Duty Black Ops - an extremely popular first person shooter game. This is part of the Call of Duty franchise.

Genshin Impact: This is an online action role-playing game. Explore the world, go on quests, level up your skills and weapons - the long way (by gaining battle/quest experience) and/or the faster way (paying real money for upgrades).

Honorable Mentions: Paper Mario: Origami King, Bloons TD6, Call of Duty, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, Just Dance, Nancy Drew: Warnings at Waverley Academy, Grand Theft Auto 5 , Pkmin 3

That’s it for now, from the Studio. What are some of your favourite video games? Drop them down in the comments below.

Our Favourite Tabletop Games (2021 Edition)

A few months ago, my students and I were surprised to learn that some of my colleagues have been waiting for a game-related blog post with recommendations - both video games and tabletop games. You see, over the years, I have attracted music students who share some of my geeky interests: gaming, anime, manga, sci-fi and fantasy stories.

Our piano parties include gaming after everyone’s performances. Plans are in the works for joint-studio Minecraft parties with my brother’s studio. We all love our games.

Since our combined list is long, I’ll split this into two posts, sharing some of our favourites. First up: tabletop games.

Some of My Favourite Tabletop Games 

I have played countless games through the years with family, friends, and students. The Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo, G33kmoot, FallCon, and Wil Wheaton’s Tabletop series have introduced me to some really neat games.

It’s very difficult to narrow this list down. These are just some of my favourites. They are games that I like to come back to, time and time again:

Clank! Series (2 - 4 Players, Ages 12+): Both Clank! and Clank! in Space are deck-building games. In the original, players raid a dungeon’s lair to steal some of its loot. At some point, the dragon becomes enraged and it becomes a race back up to the surface. In the sequel, players are sneaking around the evil Lord Eradikus’ spaceship, Eradikus Prime. Players hack into the ship’s system to find the evil lord’s artifacts and try to make it out in an escape pod with some loot.

Clank! In Space. Credit: R-M. Arca.

Seven Card Samurai (2 - 8 Players, Ages 9+): Seven Card Samurai is a favourite among members of Ka Muso Kai Calgary and the Edmonton Iaido Club. You know all samurai virtues that are represented by each of our hakama pleats? Those get thrown out the window as we steal rice and fight each other in this exciting card game.

Using Bandits and Ninjas to steal each other’s rice in Seven Card Samurai. Credit: R-M Arca.

Forbidden Series: In Forbidden Desert (2 - 5 Players, Ages 10+), players are members of an archaeological team, tasked with finding the parts to an ancient flying machine. It soon becomes a race against the clock as our sole mode of transportation crashes. Players must work together to find the parts and escape before the desert swallows them up. 

Searching for an ancient flying machine before the desert buries us alive! Credit: R-M Arca

Forbidden Island (2 - 4 Players, Ages 10+) is also a co-operative game. Players work together to collect treasures before the island completely sinks, taking them with it! 

Seeking treasure from the Forbidden Island. Credit: R-M Arca.

Castle Panic (1 - 6 Players, Ages 10+): Castle Panic is a cooperative tower defense game. Players work together to defend the castle from an onslaught of monsters that are trying to storm the castle. Expansions are available.

The monsters are coming! Credit: R-M Arca

Dominion Series (2 - 4 Players, Ages 13+). Since Dominion first came out in 2008, there have been multiple expansions. In this deck-building game, you are the monarch of a kingdom, seeking to build your realm up to a dominion. Standing in your way are the neighbouring kingdoms, seeking to build up dominions of their own.

One of my classmates from Japanese class had a turn that took around 20 cards to complete. Credit: R-M Arca

Defenders of the Realm (1 - 4 Players, Ages 13+): Defenders of the Realm is an adventure/fantasy game with lots of moving pieces. You and your fellow heroes defend the kingdom from dragons, demons, orcs and the undead who threaten to take over the land. Build your team of magicians, the tank, swords people, healers, archers...you know, the typical role-playing (RPG) team.

Defending Monarch City from Orcs, the Undead, Dragons, and Demons. Credit: R-M Arca

7 Wonders (2 - 7 Players, Ages 10+): This is a game I would not recommend to new gamers, just because the game mechanics are a little more complicated than the games I’ve mentioned so far. However, once you get into it, 7 Wonders is a very exciting game.

As the leader of one of the great cities of the Ancient World, you are building your city to last the ages - develop trade routes, build your army, build universities, invade your neighbours, etc. Choose your strategy and build your empire.

Honourable Mentions

The following games have been fun to play at games nights:

Machi Koro (2 - 4 players, Ages 10+): With the roll of a die and your growing deck of cards, build your city to become the biggest in the region. Multiple expansions are available.

Tales & Games: The Hare & the Tortoise (2 - 5 players, Ages 7+ ): Based on Aesop’s Fable of the tortoise and the hare, you bet on who will win the race in this cute card game.

Ticket to Ride (2 - 5 Players, Ages 8+): Collect cards and build your train routes. Winner earns the most points. Multiple expansions are available. Online versions are available.

Biblios (2 - 4 Players, Ages 10+): As the abbot of a medieval monastery, one of your responsibilities is to build the best library of sacred books. You are competing against abbots of other monasteries.

Just One (3 - 7 Players, Ages 8+): This is a short cooperative card game. Players try to uncover as many mystery words as possible. Strive to give your teammates unique one word clues to guess from.

Some of My Students’ Favourite Tabletop Games 

These are some of the games that my students enjoy playing:

Tsuro (2 - 8 Players, Ages 8+): Play your tiles and follow the path. Try to stay on the board and not run into any of your opponents. Last one standing wins. First of a series.

Follow the path and try to be the last dragon standing. Credit: R-Marca

Dutch Blitz (2 - 4 Players, Ages 8+): A fast paced solitaire-type game. First one to play all their cards wins.

Labyrinth (2 - 4 Players, Ages 8+): Explore the labyrinth in search of treasures. Be careful, though! As the game tiles move, so does your path to the loot. First of a series.

The shifting labyrinth. Credit: R-M Arca

Cat Tower (2 - 6 Players, Ages 6+): Stack the cats as high as you can. The first player to get rid of all the cats in their hand wins.

How high can you go? Credit: R-M Arca

Pandemic (2 - 4 Players, Ages 8+): A cooperative board game in which you and your teammates are part of a team of experts, tasked with saving the world from a viral pandemic. First of a series.

King of Tokyo (2 - 6 Players, Ages 8+): It’s an epic dice-rolling slugfest among monsters to become the King of Tokyo. Win either by being the first monster to earn 20 Victory Points or by being the last monster standing.

Last monster standing. Credit: R-M Arca

Trouble (2 - 4 Players, Ages 4+): Players race to the finish line but a simple dice roll with the Pop-O-Matic can send anyone back to Home Base.

Sorry (2 - 4 Players, Ages 6+): Players race Home but a simple card draw can send you back to the starting line.

Where to Buy Tabletop Games

Support local business! We have several, wonderful game specialty stores in Calgary. Each offers an extensive collection and excellent customer service: Imaginary Wars, Metal Galaxy Social Games & Bistro, Sentry Box, and Games People Play. You can also check out Chapters, Mastermind Toys and The Discovery Hut.

Online, check out these Canadian board game suppliers: Boardgame Bliss, Boardgames N More, and Boardgames.ca.

What are some of your favourite tabletop games? Where do you like to buy your games? Share them in the comments.

Stay tuned for Part 2 - Our 2021 Video Game Playlist.

My DIY Samurai Kanzashi

One of the things that seems common with sword arts practicioners is a hankering for sword-themed accessories, such as sword keychains, sword earrings, sword-themed bags, and so on. I tend to wear my hair long and pin it up with hair clips or hair sticks. It was only a matter of time before I began scouring the Internet for "samurai kanzashi."

My searches never quite hit jackpot. That's when I began wandering local craft stores for DIY hair stick ideas. As I stood staring at knitting needles and hat pins, I thought, "This doesn't feel right." It was only once I walked into an Asian grocery store and spied a set of metal chopsticks that the katana hair stick idea began to take shape. 

Here's a look at how I transformed a set of chopsticks into DIY Samurai Kanzashi:

DIY Sword Hair Sticks Step 1

Buy metal chopsticks from your local Asian supermarket.(Cost: approximately $2). Credit: R-M Arca.

DIY Sword Hair Sticks Step 2

Paint the handles the same colour as the same (ray or shark skin wrapping) on your sword with acrylic paint. Credit: R-M Arca.

DIY Sword Hair Sticks Step 3

Seal your paint job with Workable Fixatif in a well-ventilated area. Credit: R-M Arca.

DIY Sword Hair Sticks Step 4

Buy the remaining components from a beading store: faux leather wrap for the tsuka wrapping, Chinese coin pendants for the tsuba (hand guard). Cost: approximately $5. Credit: R-M Arca.

DIY Sword Hair Sticks Steps 5 & 6

Calculate how much wrapping you need and wrap the faux leather around the handle, criss-crossing. Tie a knot at the end and secure with super glue. Then secure the tsuka with a hair elastic which functions as the habaki. Credit: R-M Arca.

Kanzashi wo dekimashita!

Let dry, style and secure your hair with your new DIY samurai hair sticks. Then impress your sensei, samurai friends, and students. Then scare the school kids you work with by playing with them. Credit: R-M Arca.

It took me approximately three days from purchasing components to project completion. It wasn't particularly difficult once I figured out my supplies. This pair matches my iaito. 

I'll definitely make more in the future. Some of my piano students have asked that I make them as incentive prizes.

5 Popular Co-Op Tabletop Games

Tabletop games have come a long way since Monopoly, Risk, and Sorry. These days, it’s not uncommon to hear about a tabletop games meetup or convention, featuring games like Settlers of Catan, Small World, and King of Tokyo. Earlier this month, gamers all around the world celebrated International Tabletop Day in cafes, pubs and homes.

“Tabletop game” refers to any type of game that is played on a table. This includes board games, card games, dice games, pen and paper RPG games and so on.

“Co-operative tabletop games” requires players to work together towards a common goal (as opposed to “semi co-op games, which usually has a traitor). I scoured Amazon and Boardgamegeek.com, and watched Wil Wheaton’s immensely popular show on the Geek & Sundry Channel, Tabletop.

These award-winning co-op games listed have a 4.0+ star user rating or higher on Amazon. They have also been ranked in the Top 500 out of the nearly 70,000 games in Boardgamegeek.com’s database. These fully co-op games have either earned a nomination or won a Golden Geek Award, presented by Boardgamegeek.

I am proud to say that I have played and/or own six of the games on this list, thanks to friends, conventions I have attended, and Wil Wheaton. Will I try out the remaining four? Most likely. Care to join me?

1 Castle Panic

The monsters are coming! They emerge from the forest and make their way towards the castle in droves. If you can successfully fend off the monsters without losing all of your castle towers, victory is yours.

The board is divided into five rings and four colored quadrants in Castle Panic. Archers, Knights and Swordsman can only attack from their designated rings, while the Barbarian and the Hero have more flexibility.

Together, you plan your turns based on what card in your hand would be useful for an upcoming player and what card combination is most effective for your turn. Sounds simple enough, until a plague or giant boulder rolls into the castle or you pull out, “Draw 4 more monster tokens.”

Castle Panic was designed by Justin De Witt and published by Fireside Games. It is for 1 - 4 players, ages 10 and up. Although the lists gameplay at 60 minutes, it truly depends upon how long it takes players take to strategize and play their cards.

The game won 2011 GeekDad Best Board Game of 2011 for “Most Monsters” and earned two Golden Geek nominations in 2010. Most recently, Castle Panic’s Wizard Tower expansion earned a nomination at the 39th Annual Origins Awards, presented by the Game Manufacturers Association. It currently sits at #523 on Boardgamegeek.

Castle Panic on Amazon

2 Forbidden Island

Forbidden Island is the predecessor to Forbidden Desert. Your team of adventurers will explore the island in the hopes of unearthing four sacred treasures. However, as Wil Wheaton says in Tabletop, the island is out to get you.

Utilizing each player’s special abilities, you must find the treasures, while trying to prevent the island from sinking completely. There are seven roles to choose from, including Pilot, Diver, Explorer, and Messenger.

Forbidden Island was created by Matt Leacock and published by Gamewright. It’s for 2 - 4 players, ages 10 and above. Gameplay is 30+ minutes.

 This co-op game won the 2010 Golden Geek Award for Best Children’s Board Game, 2010 Mensa Select, 2013 UK Games Expo Best Family/Children’s Game, the 2011 Juego del Año, and 2011 Vuoden Peli Family Game of the Year. It is currently ranked #333 on Boardgamegeek.

Forbidden Island Game on Amazon

3 Defenders of the Realm

This is an RPG hybrid. If pen and paper RPG games aren’t your thing, if you don’t like the idea of being a Game Master, yet you want to take a break from RPG video games, give Defenders a try.

You and your companions are the King’s Champions. You can choose from eight roles, including Wizard, Paladin, Dwarf and Ranger. Each player has different special abilities and weapons.  Every game is different, depending on what role you play and which quests you take on.

Four enemy generals and their growing army of minions are marching towards Monarch City. Even the best of your party’s plans can go awry by way of a poor card draw or dice roll. Victory is pretty sweet if you do manage to slay all of the generals.

Defenders of the Realm is a co-operative fantasy game for 1 - 4 players, ages 13 and up.  It was designed by Richard Launius and published by Eagle Games. Gameplay is 90+ minutes.

Defenders of the Realm was nominated for the 2010 Golden Geek Best Thematic Board Game, and Origins Awards Best Board Game Awards. It is ranked #185 on Boardgamegeek.

Defenders of the Realm Game on Amazon

4 Hanabi

Listed as the best board game of 2013 by Paste Magazine, Hanabi is a co-op card game with a twist. The object of Hanabi is to work together and build fireworks by building colored number sequences from 1 to 5.

However, players hold their hand facing the others so that they cannot see their cards. This game tests your short-term memory: Can you remember the hints your friends gave you two turns ago to decide which card to play next? Is there someone at the table who unknowingly has the next card that should be played and could use a hint?

There are a limited number of hint tokens. You must balance the hint tokens with the cards played, or you will wind up playing your hand.

Hanabi was designed by Antoine Bauza and published by RnR Games. It’s a game for 2 - 5 players, ages 10 and up. Gameplay varies depending upon the number of players and how long a player’s turn takes.

This game currently sits at #120 on Boardgamegeek. It won the 2013 Fairplay À la carte Award and the 2013 Spiel des Jahres.

Hanabi Card Game on Amazon

5 Forbidden Desert

In Forbidden Desert, you and your colleagues are on an archeological expedition to recover the parts of a legendary flying machine. From the Climber and Explorer, to the Navigator and the Water Carrier, each member’s special skills play a critical role in the expedition’s success.

The storm picks up and moves the the artifacts. If you take too long to find the parts, the desert will get you. If your team is too slow at clearing the growing piles of sand, you will be buried.

It is extremely satisfying when you successfully find and assemble all the parts. There’s just enough room on the airship to place a couple of game pieces on it for a victory photo.

Forbidden Desert is a co-op game for 2 - 5 players, ages 10 and above. Gameplay varies depending on the size of the team, but averages 45 minutes.

Designed by Matt Leacock and published by Gamewright, Forbidden Desert currently ranks #168 on Boardgamegeek. It has won the 2013 Golden Geek Award for Best Children’s Game, the 2013 Mensa Select Award and the 2013 UK Games Expo Best Family/Children’s Game Award.

Forbidden Desert Game on Amazon

Stay tuned for my next list of 5 Popular Co-Op Tabletop Games.

My Top 10 Calgary Japanese Restaurants

One of my classmates from the Calgary Japanese Language School once told me that there are over 300 Japanese Restaurants in Calgary, Alberta. It would take years to try them all. Out of that list, there are a handful that my friends and I like to eat at. This is a list of my top 10 Calgary Japanese Restaurants in alphabetical order:

1. Cerezo Cafe & Bar (1002 Edmonton Trail NE): Japanese tapas and desserts

2. Fuji Yama(908 17 Avenue SW): Traditional and Japanese fusion cuisine

3. Izumi Sushi House(100 - 10201 Southport Rd. SW): Traditional and Japanese fusion cuisine

4. Li-Ao Sushi (2335 162 Ave SW): Traditional and fusion Japanese cuisine, dinner, lunch, take-out

5. Misato (1851 Sirocco Dr. SW): Traditional Japanese cuisine, lunch, dinner, take-out

6. Muku Japanese Ramen(326 14 St NW): Japanese Ramen

7. Sakana Grill (116-2nd Avenue SW and 10 Crowfoot Circle NW): dinner, lunch, teppan, take-out

8. Shikiji(1608 Centre St. NE): noodles and sushi

9. Shogun Food Truck: Try the takoyaki! Book for your private or corporate function, catering or find the food truck out and about in Calgary.

10. Wa’s Japanese Restaurant(1721 Centre St. N): Traditional Japanese cuisine

It's not quite the same as tasting these, but here are some photos of some of my favourite Japanese dishes:

Japanese Strawberry Shortcake from Cerezo Cafe & Bar

Miso Katsu from Cerezo Cafe & Bar

Miso Butter Ramen from Muku

The featured photo is takoyaki from the Shogun food truck. Next time you get a hankering for Japanese food, try out some of these places.

If there are any other Calgary Japanese restaurants you really like, please share!