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In this episode of the Player Lair Podcast, we sit down with Cole Smith, designer of Tanuki, 3 Magi, and Sauros, to talk about his journey from pandemic hobbyist to published game designer. We dive into his roots in childhood rule-bending, how being a graphic designer informs his prototypes, and why sometimes it's better to shelve a game, or fight for it.

Cole shares insights on pitching, playtesting, balancing creativity with feedback, and why quick overview videos might be more important than your rulebook. We also explore his latest game Sauros, a clever blend of trick-taking and puzzly tile placement… with dinosaurs.

Whether you're just getting into game design or looking to refine your pitch process, this episode is packed with honest advice, practical tools, and a good dose of creative encouragement.

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Links to my games:
99 Ninja
Rise of Babel on Kickstarter coming in 2024

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Zev Shlasinger has been in the hobby game industry for almost 30 years. He founded Z-Man Games in 1999, sold it in 2011, then worked for the new owners until mid-January 2016. At the end of January, he took the position of Director of Board Games with Wizkids. Some of the titles you might be familiar with are: Pandemic, Fantasy Realms, Agricola, Sidereal Confluence, Clash of Cultures, Merchants & Marauders, Tales of the Arabian Nights, Shadow Hunters, Arboretum, Tragedy Looper, Grave Robbers from Outer Space, Tournament at Camelot, Super Skill Pinball, and a host of others.

Check out Zev's new publishing company Play to Z here!

Support the show

Links to my games:
99 Ninja
Rise of Babel on Kickstarter coming in 2024

Send us a text

Ori Kagan is the creative force behind Kagan Productions, a renowned agency specializing in high-quality animated trailers for board games. With a proven track record of helping campaigns raise over $19 million, Ori collaborates with both established publishers and first-time creators to bring their tabletop games to life with captivating storytelling and marketing expertise.


Main Kagan Productions website: https://kaganproductions.com/
Kickstarter Health Scorecard: https://ori-y8ghfgfd.scoreapp.com/
Kagan Duckademy Waitlist sign up: https://kaganproductions.com/lp-kagan-duckademy/

Support the show

Links to my games:
99 Ninja
Rise of Babel on Kickstarter coming in 2024