iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Alex McKenzie

Molotov Cockatiel Games (Bill) @molotovcockatiel.bsky.social · 11h

If you ever feel bad about yourself, just remember there are grown men that throw tantrums online because the little plastic figures in their board games aren't the "same skin color" as the ambiguously-described fictional characters they represent.

static.klipy.com

The Simpsons: Principal Skinner - Pathetic

ALT: The Simpsons: Principal Skinner - Pathetic

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 15h

A great read on a subject that's been bouncing around in my head since I played Marrakesh last week. I don't collect games, I don't chase completeness, or care about pristine condition. Games are meant to be played, and the scars they bear represent memories. #boardgames

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 30/09/2026

I've played Final Fantasy XII twice before, both times I ended up dropping it after about 20 hours, and I'm at that point again The narrative is so politics driven. So many moving shadows and bold proclamations of empire, its such a departure from the more character driven stories that preceded it.

Balthier and Fran from Final Fantasy XII

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 29/09/2026

I liked Wingspan Pocket in a vacuum. It was super quick to get started, and I felt like I built an engine REAL fast. But inevitably I'm going to compare it to proper Wingspan, and compared to the full meal, this version feels just a bit anemic. #boardgames

Wingspan Pocket row of bird cards on a wooden table

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 27/09/2026

Played Marrakesh last night. I feel like it's been a while since I learned and played a economic euro, especially one by Feld. Man it scratched an itch that I didn't know needed scratching. Just the decisions of which actions to do, together with the resource management, I really enjoyed it.

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 26/09/2026

Got to play toy battle the other day! Simple rules but plenty to consider. I really enjoyed it! #boardgames

Toy battle game with the red cardboard pieces

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 23/09/2026

My new job took me to an office half a block away from the local board game cafe, and suddenly I was walking out with Wingspan Pocket! #boardgames

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 22/09/2026

I introduced The Mind by @pandasaurusgames.com to my extended family a year ago, and every time we go to visit now, they always ask "didja bring The Mind!?" It may not be the new hotness, but quality doesn't fade. #boardgames

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 19/09/2026

My favourite part of a ferry ride is the majestic views

Ocean and island views obscured by the fog djj

Ocean and island views obscured by the fog

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 19/09/2026

Apparently I stress out my 5 year old.

A letter from my 5 year old that says it is okay dad I still love you you just stressed me out

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 17/09/2026

Why do IT people have trust issues? Today I got sent a ticket that said "I can't open excel documents" and the actual problem was that they couldn't open a single specific file 🙄

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 12/09/2026

Played Keyflower with The Farmers expansion. I overcommited on sheep and came in second. 🎉 #boardgames

yellow red and blue meeples inside a cardboard house

Keyflower tiles with pink pigs and white sheep dotting the farmlands

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 07/09/2026

Board games on the patio to close out the summer #boardgames

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 04/09/2026

Hmmm, do I play Final Fantasy XII next, or Dissidia? Decisions, decisions...

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 04/09/2026

I adore the pure, unbridled fury of this cute li'l froggie Thanks @brotherminggames.bsky.social for sending a copy of Pond! Looking forward to it! #boardgames

Pond game cover with lots of cute green frogs. The frog in the centre is holding up a sword and shouting

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 04/09/2026

Man, no one told me Ubuntu was @eizebasa.baby flavoured.

Picture of a Microsoft surface tablet with Ubuntu installed, showing a icon of a raccoon

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 03/09/2026

It feels so sketchy locking up next to a graveyard of bike locks.

6 black u locks hang abandoned on a blue bike rack.

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 03/09/2026

Won #Concordia on 2026-09-02 with 3 players, winning score: 123 #bgstats #boardgames

Concordia board with yellow, black, and red houses littering the map

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 02/09/2026

It's really strange seeing Dwights angry face juxtaposing such a positive message.

Meme of Dwight from the office with text saying "you did a good job." and "false. You did an awesome job"

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 28/08/2026

Couldn't summon the willpower to learn a new game, so broke out Vikings, an old favourite! #boardgames

Vikings board game player area, a series of islands with meeples standing on them

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 23/08/2026

I wonder how big the Venn diagram is of 1. Butterfly aficionados, 2. Stamp collectors, and 3. Puzzle people.

Puzzle box with a collage picture of stamps featuring butterflies

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 22/08/2026

Hey look, after 40 GAMES I finally achieved a victory in Through the Ages: A new Story of Civilization! Turns out those culture points I've been neglecting were actually important. Who knew? #boardgames

BGA achievement notification indicating that I won in Through the Ages: A new Story of Civilization for the first time.

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 16/08/2026

I miscounted the posts I had scheduled before I went on vacation and ruined my posting streak. :( Oh well, time to get back on the horse! Today blog post is covering For the King and Me, a colourful reimplementation of Biblios! meepleandthemoose.com/2026/08/15/f...

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 13/08/2026

Working in the provincial government offices is giving me severe 🎉 imposter syndrome 🎉

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 10/08/2026

First day of a new job. Haven't had to be in person since late 2024, and I've only just realized my old work shirts don't fit anymore 🤦

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 08/08/2026

The smoke covered sky and red sun against a rusted clown in Golden gives some silent hill vibes

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 07/08/2026

I really enjoyed Evolution, but never played Oceans or Nature. Enjoyed this discussion! I do kind of like the idea of modules so you can craft the experience your group will prefer, but part of me would always wonder what the "best version" of the game would be.

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 07/08/2026

Conversation with my 5 year old "guess what, dad?" "what's up, kiddo?" "sometimes um, sometimes um, sometimes I um, sometimes um sometimes I um sometimes I get hungry" "are you hungry now?" "no. I just wanted to let you know"

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 06/08/2026

I've played enough Photosynthesis to know that this tree isn't going to catch much sunlight. #boardgames

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 06/08/2026

Mountain Goats, Poetry for Neanderthals, and Dropolter got played in my last game night in Saskatoon. I'm very excited to go home and reconnect with my usual game group! #boardgames

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 04/08/2026

My brothers apartment had a lounge area with some common games to share. Got to play Flip 7, Hues and Cues, and No Thanks. No Thanks was the best game, by far! #boardgames

Hues and Cues game board with players sitting around the table

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 02/08/2026

Been in Saskatoon for half the month, which has severely limited my game plays. But I got to play Magic again, so that was nice! #boardgames

BG Stats 4 x 4.
Take Time;
Crib Wars;
Magic: The Gathering;
Mountain Goats;
The Gang;
Story Time Chess;
Hot Streak;
Trio;
Gaia Project;
The Red Cathedral;
For the King (and Me);
Crokinole.

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 01/08/2026

Just finished reading Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice. A post-apocalypse story set on a reserve in Northern Ontario. The focus isn't on the apocalyptic event, but on the community as they survive the winter. 4.5/5🌟 💙 📚

goodreads.com

Moon of the Crusted Snow (Moon, #1)

With winter looming, a small northern Anishinaabe commu…

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 31/07/2026

Finished Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. The premise had such promise, but the cast of completely unlikeable characters and refusal to offer any real commentary on its themes made it ultimately fall really flat for me.

Picture of the cover of Yesteryear on an Xteink X4

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 27/07/2026

Nothing like catching up with childhood friends and learning how to play Commander

Two guys at a table playing magic the gathering

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 20/07/2026

Taught my father in law Mountain Goats last night, and he loved it. Asked to play again 3 times in a row! #boardgames

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 20/07/2026

I don't think Crib Wars will replace regular crib for me, but it does offer an interesting change of pace. It forces you to consider holding back on points during certain rounds so you don't get caught in the time traps #boardgames

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 14/07/2026

Time for the annual pilgrimage to the Prairies

Screenshot of a road trip from Vancouver island to Saskatchewan

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 12/07/2026

I think BC Ferries has given up on the arcade.

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 11/07/2026

Game night on the patio. Starting with For the King (and me) and Trio! #boardgames

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 10/07/2026

Started Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles. I can't help but pine for the multiplayer experience. Playing solo evokes such strong feelings of melancholy and loneliness.

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 09/07/2026

Played Gaia project last night with the Lost Fleet expansion. Just like Terra Mystica before it, I just do not grok this game. At least I didn't come in last! Final scores were 182, 181, 110, and 101 #boardgames

Gaia project with various structures on planets

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 07/07/2026

I don't back many crowdfunding campaigns anymore, but I can never resist more Bullet heroines. Bullet Galaxy by @level99games.com gamefound.com/en/projects/... #boardgames

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 27/06/2026

I can't travel up island without stopping for cinnamon buns!

Display of cinnamon buns at the old Town Bakery in Ladysmith, BC

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 25/06/2026

I was supposed to learn and teach Praga Caput Regni last night, but I've developed a little ear infection and can't be bothered to learn a lot of rules atm. So we played Everdell instead. It's pretty good! I'd def play it again, probably as the next step up from Wingspan. #boardgames

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 25/06/2026

I'm taking a bit of a break from the mainline Final Fantasy titles. There's a couple interesting spin-offs that I want to explore. Starting with Final Fantasy Tactics: Advance I played the crap out of this when it came out in 2003. I'm pretty excited to play it again

Screenshot of Final Fantasy Tactics Advance with Ritz saying "And I know some "little girls" who can kick your butt!"

Screenshot of Final Fantasy Tactics Advance with a character saying "then let's get this snowball fight started! Ready?"

Screenshot of Final Fantasy Tactics Advance with Marche saying "Y-You're a lizard!

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 24/06/2026

As long as people keep buying, companies will keep doing shitty things. 🤦

Screenshot of a discord conversation

Alex m: it's like rockstar is taking all the shity practises of the game industry and rolling it all into this project.

Tim: whelp. Sadly, I'm still buying it. I'm not missing out on the zeitgeist

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Alex McKenzie @meepleandthemoose.com · 20/06/2026

The Correspondent, by Virginia Evans. I feel emotionally wrung. I have the strongest desire to pull my sleeping children out of their beds and hug them and never let them go. 💙📚

Cover of The Correspondent by Virgina Evans, featuring two Robbins facing each other on a fence.

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