Wil Wheaton has a huge impact on game sales, getting your game on that show is like hitting a gold mine. He is currently selecting games for his upcoming 4th season. He has opened up his criteria for what he is looking for in a blog post here. On that note here are my predictions for games to be featured in season 4, with my most confident choices first.
Boss Monster
This one’s a slam dunk IMO. Its geeky and easy, fun and thematic. If it’s not on Season 4 then my Grandpa’s a monkey’s Uncle.
Colt Express
Winner of the Spiel Des Jahre, great visuals with the 3D train and play’s out like a movie. It would make great TV which ultimately is what Mr. Wheaton is looking for.
Machi Koro
Cute art, super simple mechanics. My only reservation is that is plays better with an expansion and I think he would know this. I still would be shocked to not see it included.
Spyfall
He likes to do a few ‘party games’ and this seems the obvious choice because its certainly the funniest to watch. It does play better with more than 4, so he may pass and pick Codenames instead.
New York 1901
A few lightweight gamer games are always selected and this one is beautiful and very streamlined. Some have called it a future competitor to Ticket To Ride. They’ll need to start making more if thats the case…
One Night Ultimate Werewolf
I think Bezier Games will get one on this season. This one will take the role of the Coup/Resistance style game. He may also pick Suburbia though as a heavier game
Agricola
Its complex I know, but he did Five Tribes last year. This one is a classic and he’s not shy of tackling big games like this. It’s time to get farming baby…
Mysterium
He has already done Dixit, but this is different enough and cosidering he has done Pandemic, Forbidden Island and Desert, I don’t think that’ll matter. It’ll create awesome discussion and the bits are fantastic. He always does at least one co-op games and this is gonna be the one.
Survive: Escape from Atlantis
Its old, like 80’s old, but its still not that well known and a tonne of fun and will scratch that kids game he likes to do.
Red 7
He usually does a little card game bit, such as Sushi Go! This one is very clever and would be interesting to watch. My reservation is that it’s really short, like 5 mins short, it’ll be part of a 2 game episode I would assume.
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Others considered and rejected:
Star Wars Imperial Assault – Just too complicated, plus he already did X-Wing
Flash Point Fire Rescue – If it hasn’t been done yet, I don’t think it will
Codenames – better with more than 4 and he’ll do Spyfall instead
Star Trek 5 Year Mission – Almost put this one, he’s a super nerd and hasn’t done a Star Trek game yet, but the theme is quite weak in this one.
Dungeon Fighter – his posh table makes it hard to play this game with all the strange dice bouncing you have to do
Flick ’em Up – the flicking on his felt table wont work and he is doing Colt Express as the cowboy game
Bohnanza – he’ll do it one year, just not sure if this is the one
Citadels – see above
XCOM – Its kind of real time, which he said he wont do.
Suburbia/Castles of Mad King Ludwig – He’ll only do one per publisher I believe (One Night Ultimate Werewolf this year), next year though…
Roll for the Galaxy – Maybe just too obscure
7 Wonders – I don’t think that the simultaneous play will work on TV
Cash and Guns – pointing guns at each other, not sure that is something Wil would be cool with, he should be though.
