iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

One of the best historical #books I've read in a while: #ImperialTwilight by Stephen Platt is a fascinating, detailed, vivid and captivating account of British opium smuggling in China during the Qing dynasty, the Canton factory system, the East India Company's trade monopoly & the First Opium War.

The cover of the book shows various types of ships (Chinese junks, British tall ships) and boats on calm waters. The title reads "Imperial Twilight - The Opium War and the end of China's last golden age".

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Unfortunately time flies so we had too little time to dig into #DutchResistance but the first impression was super interesting! You play a resistance group during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands & have to work together to complete different scenarios. Resisting Nazis is always a good thing. 💪

The game set up on the table. There is a main board showing streets and buildings and holding various cards (tickets, help, checkpoints, raids, etc.). Each player has their own character board and deck.

A character board, showing the turn structure, the available standard actions, a concealment track, and slots for item tokens.

Close up of the game board and some card decks. I loved the artwork!

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

#TheAnimalsOfBakerStreet is an adorable detective game. I can totally imagine my nephews and niece loving this. The characters are cute, the story is funny, and I love the artwork. We played the entire test case and had a fantastic time.

The main board (showing the building of 221B Baker Street, a garden, a street, and the sewer part below). Around it, there are tons of cards representing locations, characters and extra information.

Close up of the game board. Various locations have clock tokens on them. The character standee, showing all 4 characters, is on the hedgehog's burrow.

2 of the 4 character cards: Calabash the tarantula, and Clay the frog. The cards describe their traits and strengths so you can decide during the game which character to use at which locations.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

We also tested some #boardgames, of course! #MarchOfTheAnts is a 4X game with a really cool theme, great components and pretty artwork. I was surprised how quick the turns go, and because of the reaction mechanism, you always feel involved. Highly interactive too, even at 2 players!

Table overview: the game box, and a game for 4 people set up.

Player board with player aid, action overview, turn structure larvae chamber, and 3 slots for upgrade cards for your ants.

The ever evolving anthill with its main chamber and various hexagonal tiles attached to it. There are wooden ant meeples of different colours occupying the tiles.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Impressions of #Hobbymesse in Leipzig - I had a fantastic day with my friend! 😊

The domed entrance with a lake in front of it. High above, there are tightropes across which people are walking.

The exhibition hall for board games and crafting.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

My September in #boardgames: not a lot of plays, but fun (except for Orbit)! I particularly loved introducing my relatives in the Czech Republic to Mysterium Park and Tokaido. 🤩 Hope to find time to play more games next month! Which ones do you know or would like to try?

BG Stats 4 x 4.
Play count:
3: Pax Pamir: Second Edition;
2: The Field of the Cloth of Gold;
2: Magic: The Gathering;
2: Res Arcana;
2: Sail;
2: Wir sind das Volk!;
1: Alien Artifacts;
1: Legends of Andor;
1: Mysterium Park;
1: Onitama;
1: Orbit;
1: The Shores of Tripoli;
1: Tokaido;
1: Unlock!: Extraordinary Adventures.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

This is making the rounds, so here are #my9games:

The 9 games that shaped who I am:
- Curse of Monkey Island
- Crash Bandicoot
- Metal Gear Solid
- Command & Conquer: Red Alert
- Tekken 3
- Dragon Age Origins
- Assassin's Creed II
- Lego Batman
- Mass Effect

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

#MollyHouse is here! It looks so interesting, and I hope I'll have a chance to try it soon. I love the theme and historical context. And the metal pawns are extremely awesome!

Front cover of the German Spielworxx edition, a purple box with a black line art drawing of 18th century people in the style of a ceiling painting.

The oversized metal pawns in a box, all in the style of 18th century costumes.

The back of the box, describing the game and the setting and showing a photo of the game board and cards.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Bei mir sind's Eternal Decks und Das Voynich Mysterium. Hören sich spannend und "anders" an und sehen schon mal cool aus!

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Long time no see, #AlienArtifacts! Still a really fun engine builder with a 4X feel! Turns are quick, the rules are not too complex, and it's so satisfying to see your empire grow. #boardgames

A faction board with a credit track and special abilities. There are various cards on either side: a tech card and a planet card on the construction side (left side), and several spaceships, tech and planet cards on the right side (the empire). One planet has resource cards tucked underneath.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Yesterday my local #MagicTheGathering group met again and I brought one of the Secrets of Strixhaven decks. Despite drawing mostly lands for large parts of the game, I managed to sneak in a win with strategically placed auras. So much fun!

A playmat showing Asmoranomardicadaistinaculdacar. On it, there are MtG cards in mint-coloured sleeves: some lands producing white and black mana, some creatures, and two enchantments. On the left side, there is the library and the graveyard.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

I didn't get a lot of #boardgames to the table in August due to travelling, but the ones I did play were still mostly fun. Especially happy to be able to play #PaxPamir on Rally the Troops, it's one of my absolute favourites. 😍

BG Stats 4 x 4.
Play count:
5: Legends of Andor;
4: Cartaventura: Oklahoma;
4: The Lord of the Rings: Fate of the Fellowship;
4: Pax Pamir: Second Edition;
3: Magic: The Gathering;
1: Pauper's Ladder;
1: The Field of the Cloth of Gold;
1: HITSTER;
1: Roaring 20s;
1: The Shores of Tripoli;
1: Wir sind das Volk!.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Last night my family and I finally won #FateOfTheFellowship for the first time, after a few really unlucky fails. It felt so satisfying! Love this game. 😍😍 #boardgames #LotR

Mordor got a bit crowded in the end. Frodo, Sam and Gollum are on Mount Doom, surrounded by 7 Nazgûl. There is a big army of shadow troops lurking a few spaces away in Núrn.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Last week I was here. (Wish I still were!) 🥰

A river with houses and trees on each side. There is a red transporter bridge with a platform for cars and pedestrians spanning across the river.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Just unpacked my most recent game orders. I know, it's the components that count, a box is just storage, but try selling this on the secondary market. Even with an expansion (that could fit in the main box), people would expect me to reduce the price because of the box damage. 😐

A damaged part of a board game box. The side is dented, and there are creases on the front and side.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

July in #boardgames was quite diverse: some party games, some more complex games, some 2 player games, and some new games that I definitely have to spend more time with. Overall a fun month (with one exception).

BG Stats 5 x 5.
Play count:
5: My Favourite Things;
3: Rush M.D.;
3: Wir sind das Volk!;
2: The Field of the Cloth of Gold;
2: Gudetama: The Tricky Egg Card Game;
2: HITSTER;
2: Reign of Witches;
2: Sail;
2: Toy Battle;
2: Unlock!: Extraordinary Adventures;
1: Abomination: The Heir of Frankenstein;
1: Pauper's Ladder;
1: Bomb Busters;
1: Deep Regrets;
1: Distilled;
1: Forgotten Waters;
1: Gauner Trio;
1: Just One;
1: Kites;
1: Leviathan Wilds;
1: Neon Hope;
1: Paleo;
1: Pirate Tales.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

#PaupersLadder was a wonderful surprise. Talisman vibes, but not nearly as long and grindy! You move around with your pauper and your bird, go on adventures, help people, fight monsters, build things with stuff you find, and it's low stakes and great fun. Super quirky artwork too. 😍 #boardgames

The game on a wooden table: a main board, player boards, lots of cards, player meeples, and tokens. In the background, there is the game box lid showing 2 birds sitting on a tree branch and looking at landscape.

My character's board. The character is a guard from Greyhaven with brown skin and a thin, curvy moustache. He wears a red hat and a red cape and holds keys. On the board are various cards, including a bird card (trained canary), my character's special item (keys), some diamond tokens, a collection of battle trophy cards, a list of all possible recipe symbols, and 2 quest cards. Next to the board is an item card (a flute), and a recipe card (foresight).

Various stacks of cards for the different terrain types, quests, items, and birds.

A closer view of the main board. It represents an island with 4 cities (red) and different terrain. Each player has 2 meeples (a pauper and a bird) to explore the island and resolve encounters.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Finally an evening with no plans, so I'm treating myself to homemade mapo tofu and some relaxing! 🤩

A bowl of mapo tofu: silk tofu, red bell pepper, spring onions, garlic, ginger and vegan mince in a spicy bean paste sauce.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

#ForgottenWaters is fantastic! Fun gameplay without too many rules and complications, beautiful artwork, and such funny humour! And the website offers audio files for the story parts, which is amazing. We had a blast playing the first scenario today! #boardgames

The box lid of the game, showing a maelstrom with pirates, sea creatures, ships and treasure. In the background are some game components (player standees, role tracks, tiles, the location book, etc.

The player standees, a diverse and colourful crew of pirates, on an open page of the location book. The game box is visible in the background.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

Den Vogel von Root - die anderen Tierchen des Grundspiels hab ich schon. 😍

Marquise de Katz, Vagabunden-Waschbär und Maus der Waldland-Allianz als Stofftiere.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Feeling big regrets that I didn't get the awesome lion jersey from last season... It looks so good! 😍 Fortunately, I found a store that still sells it!

Football jersey in black, with the lines of a lion's face in red.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

It's been so long since I got to follow one of my team's matches live on TV! But being a member has its advantages. 😊 Preseason, here we come! Goazen Athletic! 🦁 #football #athleticclub

Screenshot of the preseason match between CD Derio and Athletic Club.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

Responde a este post subiendo el póster de una película alemana.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

#NeonHope is here! And it's looking really promising. 🤩 I also got the character expansion but I've already packed it into the big box. So excited to try this - hopefully soon! #boardgames

Box cover of the board game "Neon Hope", with futuristic, neon-coloured artwork.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

Partnachklamm, Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

A huge gorge with a river running through it. On the left side, there is a walkway for people.

A river running through a gorge. The rocks on either side are covered with moss. In the middle of ther river, there is a little rocky island.

A little waterfall running down a rocky slope. On the top of the rocks, there are green trees.

A river running through a rocky gorge. There are rocks scattered around the riverbed.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

June was a fun month for #boardgames! I got to try several that were new to me, and I had a great time on Rally the Troops too! 😊

BG Stats 5 x 5.
Play count:
5: The Shores of Tripoli;
4: Frosthaven;
3: The Field of the Cloth of Gold;
3: Magic: The Gathering;
2: Strike;
2: London;
2: Pax Pamir: Second Edition;
1: Merchants of Magick;
1: Arkham Horror: Lovecraft Letter;
1: Cartaventura: Oklahoma;
1: Critter Kitchen;
1: Deep Regrets;
1: Fleet: The Dice Game (Second Edition);
1: Hilferuf einer Elfe;
1: Karak;
1: Keep the Heroes Out!;
1: Nassau;
1: Roaring 20s;
1: Tabu;
1: Tempel des Schreckens;
1: That's Not a Hat;
1: Ultraviolett;
1: Uprising: Curse of the Last Emperor;
1: Mansions of Madness, 2nd Edition;
1: War For Chicken Island.

160

Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

First game of #DeepRegrets, thanks to a friend from Mastodon who is made of awesome! 😊 My family enjoyed it from what I could tell, and everyone agreed we have to play it again. I love the artwork and the humour especially! Looking forward to next time! #boardgames

The harbour board, where you can go shopping for gear and dice. There are piles of regret cards to the right of it. Above the board is the safety buoy marker and an ominous red die.

The sea board with 3 regions (depths), and 3 piles of cards for each. In the background: the harbour board and some piles of gear cards, and the game box lid with really cool artwork on the inside!

My player board, showing a character named Berp (looking green and froggy, but humanoid - the artwork of the game is pretty awesome, like it was taken out of a graphic novel). On the board, there are weirdly shaped wooden dice.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

After several plays of #TheFieldOfTheClothOfGold on Rally The Troops, I had to buy the print & play version of this game because I love it so much. Can't wait to finally bring it to the table. 😍

A printed board displaying spots for player pieces, a point track, and wooden square tiles. The background is an old illustration of the historical event "The Field of the Cloth of Gold".

A plastic guard with wooden squares of various colours. In the background, there is the game board with player pieces and tiles, and a cloth bag with more tiles.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Does the Daily Challenge only count the first attempt? I just completed 2.905 commutes but the game didn't log it... #MiniMotorways

A map showing houses, shops and supermarkets in a simplistic art style. They are connected by roads, motorways and bridges, and cars move between them.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Yesterday we rebuilt #London after the Great Fire - a sort-of engine builder where you need to balance between having enough money for your projects and not creating too much poverty in your districts. I love it, particularly how cutthroat and tense it can get. #boardgames

The main board, from which you pick cards you want to play (or pay with). The artwork shows people and places in historical London.

The point track, and cards showing districts of London that you can acquire.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Oder sie hatten es gar nicht... Freundin hat dieses Foto geschickt:

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Es gibt die hier, und das auf deinem Foto in schwarz und weiß.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Pretty satisfied with my first attempt at #MiniMotorways - such a fun, relaxing game!

A map of Los Angeles in a minimalistic design, showing houses, shops and shopping centres connected by roads.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

We played #Uprising today, not very successfully, but I enjoyed it! Players play cooperatively against 2 enemies, which is an interesting concept. The factions seem different enough and have plenty to discover. Looking forward to the next play!

The main board, covered with landscape tiles. There are buildings and units of different factions spread across the tiles. The Kickstarter components are really nice.

My faction board, showing troops of 4 different kinds to recruit, defense reinforcement options to build, as well as available sanctuary tokens and an overview of all possible actions.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 06/06/2026

I have a new favourite Stefan Feld game! #Nassau is surprisingly thematic, a lot of fun, and a perfect point salad. My only nitpick would be that there could be more player aids for all the little rules. But overall I love it! Yo ho ho, and a bottle of rum!

The two main boards, showing the town of Nassau and a map of the Caribbean. There are wooden pirate figures on the Nassau board, and ships, enemies, and location tiles on the Caribbean board. Around the boards are various small boards, resources, and cards.

Upgradeable player ships, resources, crew, and sailor yarn cards.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

We didn't have enough time to try #Nassau at Spielwiesn last year but I recently saw it for a good price on the secondary market, so into my collection it went. 😅 It looks great and has pirates! Looking forward to unpacking it this weekend. 😊

Cover of the board game Nassau by Stefan Feld (art by Klemens Franz), showing a tall ship sailing between a rock and a port town.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

#Boardgames of May! A very enjoyable month, I even got to play a game while on holiday, and I finally had the chance to try the Rally the Troops website, which has some excellent games that are very hard to find where I live. 😍

BG Stats 4 x 4.
Play count:
5: The Field of the Cloth of Gold;
3: 13 Minutes: The Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962;
3: Gwent: The Legendary Card Game;
2: Codenames;
2: Moon Colony Bloodbath;
2: Worms: The Board Game;
1: Cartaventura: Lhasa;
1: The Ancient World;
1: Fossilis;
1: The Gang;
1: Iberian Gauge;
1: Lizard Wizard;
1: Magic Maze;
1: The Shores of Tripoli;
1: This War of Mine: The Board Game.

040

Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

#Boardgames evening with 5 players yesterday! We spent the entire evening playing Iberian Gauge. 😍 What would you have liked to play?

A bag of boardgames: Iberian Gauge, Dixit, Cosmic Encounter, Heat, and Deadly Dowagers

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

Last night I started watching #Patria, a historical drama show adapted from a book by Fernando Aramburu about the impact of ETA on two families over 3 decades. The show is really well done, the casting is perfect, and it has a very emotional, powerful atmosphere.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

Friday, coffee. Ready for the weekend!

A cup of coffee on a coaster. The cup is by Kukuxumusu showing 2 sheep playing the txalaparta. The coaster shows a painting by Vincent van Gogh. In the background, there is a computer keyboard.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

Peine del Viento, Donostia, Euskadi.

El Peine del viento XV, llamado en euskera Haizearen orrazia y conocido simplemente como Peine del viento, es un conjunto de esculturas de Eduardo Chillida sobre una obra arquitectónica del arquitecto vasco Luis Peña Ganchegui.

Se encuentra al final de la playa de Ondarreta, en el municipio de San Sebastián, en la provincia de Guipúzcoa, en el País Vasco. Está compuesto por tres esculturas de acero, de 10 toneladas de peso cada una, incrustadas en unas rocas que dan al mar Cantábrico, cuyas olas las azotan.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 24/05/2026

#Boardgames in the Tabakalera, Donostia! 😍 The best part is that you don't even need a library card to play the games on the premises, so we borrowed Magic Maze and had a great time while it was raining outside.

A shelf of board games in the library of the Tabakalera in Donostia, Euskadi. There are strategy games, family games, kids' games, and also some heavier games.

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Aitor Zaindari @drbillbongo.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

Stop! Music checkpoint 🎶 What was the last song you listened to? 🎶

"Gabak Zerueri Begire" (Gatibu, Zazpi kantoietan)

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