Tonight on GeekNights, we discuss the history and current state of online game servers. Rising primarily out of competitive FPSs like Quake and Counter Strike back in the day, they were often the only way to play with a reliable community of people. There weren't matchmaking or friend lists or anything like that.

In the news, Rym and Emily are back from PAX where they did a panel on losing, Scott is back from Costco, the Nintendo Direct had a bunch of things to talk about, and GeekNights will have a roughly three week hiatus between Rym and Emily biking 500 miles and Rym going on a business trip.

Tonight on GeekNights, despite Scott having a plague, we consider the excellent Slay the Spire (PC), still in early access and already well worth your time. It's a single-player roguelike deckbuilder. In the news, Rym will see about bringing Fireball Island to PAX East (where we'll be performing live), Smash Brothers is coming to Switch, and you lost your hour for the greater good.

Tonight on GeekNights, we go on and on about console (and to a lesser extent PC) game controllers, mostly of the gamepad variety. From the perfect expression of the pre-analog-stick era to an elegant weapon for a civilized age, we amble in the vicinity of a coherent point. In the news, PAX West badges will be SOON, PAX Unplugged badges are ALREADY, and a PAX-a-like is spotted in the wild. Scott will be streaming the new Battletech beta, and Steam Greenlight has ceased to be.

We have a ton of our tabletop reviews up on youtube now!

Scott's Youtube
Rym's Youtube
GeekNights on Patreon

Tonight on GeekNights we review the Jackbox Party Pack 3. You may recall our review of the first one, so listen to that for all the structural and general discussion of how these games work and why they're important. We're here tonight to review the games in the third one in detail. It's worth the price for Quiplash 2 alone. Tee K.O. is quite an experience, but requires more investment. Guesspionage is average. Fakin' It is a great idea poorly executed. Trivia Murder Party is as painful as it is awful. But overall, buy this even if just for the two great ones.

In the news, hanjo continues his journey to the bottom of Overwatch, and PaRappa the Rapper is getting a remake for his 20th anniversary!

Support GeekNights on Patreon! Rym's in there reading the novelization of Simon's Quest for you. The new GeekNights Politics Club had its first episode.

Tonight on GeekNights, we dive into HELL with Helldivers. But first, our GMR game of Civ V continues with a discussion of Scott's economy, you can't sell games for $6.66, the Make War Not Love 3 bundle is $0.00, Hustle Cat is on Greenlight, your controller might not work with Street Fighter V, and we're going to be LIVE AT MAGFEST!

Also check out the GeekNights Patreon: the first Utena video has been released!

Rym is considering buying a new PC to replace his i7-920 from 2009. Despite even a ridiculous spec being pretty reasonable, it's worth it to hold out until fall for skylake. Thunderbolt 3.0 will use USB-C connectors, bringing a grand cable unification. So get used to this guy. Scott brings us a review of the Livewedge video streaming device.

Don't forget to come to ConnectiCon if you live anywhere on the Northeast Coast: it's an amazing con, and there isn't much else like it.

After talking at length about Wil Wheaton violating his own rule in the botched run of Tabletop, we discuss the new games in the Wolfenstein series, following our friend William "B.J." Blazkowicz through Wolfenstein: The New Order and Wolfenstein: The Old Blood. This was very nearly a lost episode of GeekNights, so the quality isn't up to the par of our 10-years 1,100ish episode run to date. But it's not lost. It's UN-lost.