The Games that Make it Home from PAX Aus, and Stay Forever…

I have been attending PAX Aus in some shape or form for over 10-years, mostly with the privilege and honour of a Media Pass. That adds up to a LOT of games across every genre and style. There are devs and artists and promotional managers that I have been chatting with for years. Sometimes we stop for a coffee, sometimes it’s little more than a shared game in the PAX Rising section or adding my support during a panel. Every year is still energetic but I’m happy that it is a little less chaotic thanks to experience. I am always surprised though, and a little chuffed, to have people recognise my character lab coat with the EG Mustache on the back. Despite chaos, despite the risk of novelty or game saturation, I still come away with so much joy for the industry. PAX Aus is really the place to meet people who simply love games. And after all this time, I still hold fond memories from every year that I have attended. Which often leads to a question I am asked by regulars and newbies alike: are there any games from PAX Aus that I still play after all these years?

The answer is a resounding yes! To be fair, I don’t think I could have predicted which games have passed the test of time in the EG Family but I can guarantee that every time you attend PAX Aus, there will always be at least one (probably two) games to level up in your permanent-play collection. 

The Permanent Play Collection

Everyone calls it something different. In the EG Family, it is the Permanent Play Collection. For those tabletop games stored in the main bookcase, easily accessible from the dining/lounge area, never stacked behind anything else and NEVER put into storage. The bookcase is a mess. It needs a full day of concentrated management at least once a year. And, Cthulhu forgive us, if we must cull for desperately needed space, these are the games that are not even considered. For video games, we have special bookmarks or groupings. They live on the ‘quick draw’ display for the Switch or PS5. And they definitely have their own category on Steam. 

Today’s list spans from PAX Aus 2015 to 2025 (last year). 2015 was my first year attending PAX Aus, with a media pass for GeekMom/GeekDad arranged on a week’s notice, and the first time we really lifted Australia onto the Gaming Podium. So many great games and they continue to be family faves. Since then, I have grown to understand the dynamics of PAX Aus better, and yet still can be caught by surprise. Most of these have reviews on GeekMom/GeekDad, but feel free to ask me questions in the comments. 

2015: Sushi Go! (Tabletop)

And to think this phenomenon started for me back in 2015 at PAX Aus. If you have never heard of Sushi Go!, this card game is one of the most family friendly games I have ever seen and has easily grown into a “gateway game” for kids. It is designed for 2-5 players and takes around 20-minutes to play. The goal is to grab the best combination of sushi dishes from the cards you draw (like a sushi train). You can score points from collecting full sets of sashimi or making the most maki rolls. It’s a fast-paced game based on the quick draw format of card games. The secret sauce is how the graphics and the strategy building make it easily accessible to young spawnlings without losing any appeal for adults. 

While the mechanics and approach have been mimicked by many games over the years, Sushi Go! has continued to be an original favourite. This Aussie game was created by Phil Walker-Harding, one of the big brains at Joey Games (check out my review for their game Busy Beaks here). The business is also a member of 1% for the Planet, a global network of businesses giving back to environmental non-profits to create a healthier planet. They also share 1% of their profits with local Indigenous-led organisations, in recognition of the stolen land on which they work. I have loved following Phil’s games and his work with the community ever since 2015, and I’m looking forward to catching up with him again this year. 

2016: Mallow Drops (Video Game)

This is my first game ever bought through Steam (and still available to purchase for around AUD$15 here). It is also in my Top 10 Most Played games on Steam, even through three (3) computer deaths and resetting my account with the rest of the family. Mallow Drops is a simply perfect puzzle game. It’s as light and fluffy and cozy as the name implies. Mallow Drops was my first foray with NZ indie game devs, thanks to Gritfish. That’s a group of people I really love catching up with each year, including the NZ CODE breakfast. Do Not Sleep on NZ Code and the amazing support they give their local devs to produce stunning games. 

Back to Mallow Drops: I adore being a Kiwi bird. Never has there been a more accurate depiction either, because the whole point of the game is for me to find my eggs. Ignore the fact my ‘eggs’ are now 20, 17, and 13 so the ‘eggs’ have quite literally grown legs and walked off. Mallow Drops is a mix of platformer and sliding box puzzle, managing extra hazards and characters along the way. Gravity is not your friend, and Drop Bears are very very real. 

2017: Skyward (Tabletop)

It’s not a co-operative game, but it is the kind of game that makes you think a bit more cooperatively than you originally planned. Skyward is the game I bring out, usually during school holidays, when the spawnlings are just starting to grate on each other. You can understand why it had a lot of playtime during COVID Lockdowns! I love the original, but I just heard about a brand new sequel to the game, released through Good Game Publishing (details on their website here). I’m looking forward to checking out Skyward Republic at PAX Aus this year. I wonder if it can mix with the original? 

Skyward is a strategy card drafting game, where you have to balance control against opportunity. The goal is to build a model capital city high up in the clouds, with the hope to unite a divided nation. Cards are used to build your airspace and control services within the factions. Building gives more power to your factions, giving you more control over the city. Once a player has six or more buildings, the game ends. The winner, however, is the player with the greatest number of points from bonuses and added values in the airspace. Sometimes it could be extra services, sometimes you are mooching off your neighbours wifi. Personally, my fave is the Rocket Cat, for both aesthetics and stealth attack. As long as the Rocket Cat is in the new release, I’m happy. 

2018: Necrobarista (Video Game)

I absolutely loved this game when I first demo’d it at PAX Aus 2018. I was so excited when it was finally released on Steam. Then it was released on Nintendo Switch and I loved playing it all over again. Whenever I start feeling a little nostalgic for Melbourne and PAX Aus, I crack open Necrobarista and it floods me with memories of coffee, laneways, weird weather, and undead Melbournites… *sigh*

Necrobarista is a soft, visual novel with gameplay that wraps the player in mystery. It plays in two parts: The story and the sleuthing. The story is delivered in chapters through a comic-book style, set in a Melbourne-esque cafe in the alleys of Carlton. The star of the show is Maddy, the Necrobarista and owner of the cafe named The Terminal. It is the nexus allowing the recently dead to spend 24-hours of chill (or discussion) before moving beyond the veil. 

The second part is the gameplay between chapters. Back in 2018, the game was originally demo’d with a bit of exploration and puzzle-play with word games that would reward with clues as the story unfolds. Necrobarista was then released publicly in 2020, with the Final Pour DLC available in 2021. The DLC included two (2) chapters, Walking to the Sky and Devil’s Clan, delving a little further into the history of The Terminal, Maddy, and other characters. To be honest, this is a game I pull out once a year; usually in the lead up to PAX Aus. It’s nostalgic in both aesthetic and character depiction, being more of a comfort than it should be. 

2019: Baron: Fur is Gonna Fly (Video Game)

This is possibly The Most Played Game on our Switch in the EG Family; definitely Top 3. It IS the most asked for game when friends come over. Maybe it’s the chaos, maybe it’s the catchy original tunes. Baron is a party-game for up to 8-players in cut-throat battle, so I’m thinking it’s the chaos. It’s a dog-fight of a game that gives me a little eye-strain when I play for too long, but I will never abandon it. Ever. 

Inspired by the air battles of World War I, Baron: Fur is Gonna Fly is an Australian indie game developed by Dogmelon (now known as DM Games). You can choose from a range of animal pilots with a range of biplanes. When you take to the sky, it is a free-for-all! The spawnlings tend to include ‘bots’, bringing the number of planes up to 8 in each game. Just when you thought the graphics and action were mind-blowing, the soundtrack brings out ye olde piano classics that will have you listening to every word from beginning to end. You may find yourself singing Fluffle-Botte at random moments during your day. No regrets. 

2020: The Bath House (Tabletop) 

This was the first year of COVID Lockdowns, and Melbourne had the toughest of them all. PAX Aus moved online, and I very quickly learnt how to use the Tabletop Simulator on Steam. In 2019, I had seen the very early set-up for “The Bath House” but it wasn’t until 2020 when I had a real taste of how to play it. There have been a few demo plays over the years, and now I am SUPER EXCITED to see its release this year, under the new name Mythic Baths. 

Inspired by the bathhouses of Japan, players take the role of employees attending to a variety of guests; gathering ingredients to match special requests, completing treatments, giving nourishment, and inevitably cleaning the baths afterwards. Each turn allows only one action, giving a fast turn-around for gameplay. There are also Staff cards scattered throughout the deck to modify the rules as the game continues. Once a certain number of staff cards have been revealed, the game ends. Points are allocated from your happy guests as well as side tasks. This fun game is filled with beautiful artwork from the spiritual guests as well as encouraging some strategy and forward-thinking when planning out your ingredient collection. 

Karl Lange is the creator behind Mythic Baths, which has recently been published by Good Games Publishing and released this year (check out the details here)! Karl is also the creator behind Floating Floors (my review here) and Octocube, with a catalogue of games showcasing his creative mind. I can’t wait to see Karl and check out the final version of Mythic Baths at PAX Aus 2026. 

2021: Unpacking (Video Game)

For a second year, PAX Aus went virtual and to be honest, it was so much harder than the year before. The Tabletop Simulator was up-and-running again, and Discord was a hive of chatter. And yet, the vibe was gone. Looking back, this was definitely a precursor to PAX Aus 2022, but nothing overly stands out from that year. A few tabletop games have stayed in our collection (Land v Sea and Floating Floors), and equally a few video games have stayed in the Steam Library (Webbed and Dap, despite my low tolerance for freaky horror games). 

Unpacking is the biggest standout for PAX Aus 2021, though that is more from the Australian Game Developer Awards because I didn’t have a chance to play it in person. Created by Witchbeam in Brisbane (look for the easter eggs), they picked up four (4) awards including Game of the Year. It was available to demo at PAX Aus 2019, but I missed it completely and am now grateful it has snuck into our Permanent Play list, offering this wonderful level of calm when anxiety or sensory overload kick in. Being an Army Brat with years of packing experience, I didn’t initially *get* the appeal of this game. Then I realised it was all in the narrative. The way each room and subsequent items reveal tidbits about the unseen character is gentle and methodical; much like the game. Five years later, Unpacking is still pulled out as a cozy game to help with sensory regulation. And if that isn’t a statement about the COVID Lockdowns, I don’t know what else to say. 

2022: Poetry for Neanderthals (Tabletop)

This was the first time I brought the whole EG Family along for the ride. And was possibly the worst year to do it. It was also the first ‘Live’ PAX Aus after the COVID Lockdowns, and many game devs (big and small) were very reluctant to attend. They expected people to have lost interest with gaming during the Lockdowns. Seriously. I mean, like, what did you think we were doing during all that time at home?!?

EG Family was disappointed not to see the big names; especially after hearing me rave about the Nintendo exhibit amongst others. However, they were blown away by the Indie games, and eventually we came home with a LOT that have stayed in the Permanent Play collection. Top of the list is Poetry for Neanderthals, a favourite for EG Zaltu especially and has since experienced a revival (like it needed one?) since they started high school this year. 

In teams of two, one player has to guess the word from clues given by their teammate with one specific rule: You. Must. Speak. In. One. Sound. Words. Single syllables only. More than one syllable and you are WHACKED with the metre-long inflatable club. It’s harder than you think (the game, not the club). See! That sentence alone was wrong! Poetry for Neanderthals is a great game for thinking about how we describe everyday items and communicate with each other. 

2023: Aethermon: Collect (Tabletop)

Alas, this was the year I did not make it to PAX Aus, due to illness, life, and everything else. However, I was lucky enough to keep up with a few game devs who did attend and shared their latest games. One of those was the team behind Aethermon: Tower of Darkness, which was demo’d at PAX Aus 2022. 

While we await the release of the larger original Aethermon: Tower of Darkness, Chris and Sarah released a smaller, compact version of the game called Aethermon: Collect. It’s a great mini-game to help world building, and to be fair, it’s fun to play. You can play co-operatively or competitively, suited for 1-4 players for around 15-minutes per round. The card-driven game starts with a grid layout you can adjust dependent on the number of players. The goal is then to move the Token around the grid and collect cards/creatures, aiming for set collections to boost your points. It’s really simple, with a subtle puzzle element. There was a lot of love for Aethermon: Collect at PAX Aus 2023, and I heard lots of raving from colleagues who attended (without me!!). The game is still a hit at home, and even better is watching the EG Family look for the Aether team at other gaming events since then! Add them to my list of “People I’m looking forward to seeing at PAX Aus 2026”. 

2024: Good Society (Tabletop)

And the only other PAX Aus I missed, after suffering serious sinus migraines for a solid month. This was so disappointing for me, but I was lucky enough to stay in the loop for some great offerings. That’s how I learnt about Good Society and the amazing team at Storybrewers Collective. 

Good Society is a tabletop roleplaying game set in the world of Jane Austen. We’re talking peak Pride and Prejudice, Downton Abbey and Bridgerton. If you’re into period storytelling, this is the tabletop RPG you should be picking up. Players each take a role of one of the many socialites in an upper-class scene. The game is built around layer interactions with each other and with the various NPCs that exist in this world with you. Throughout the game, you will need to manage relationships, social events like high tea and balls, and communicate in ye olde snail mail.  

This is an absolutely superb game for those who love narrative RPG inspired by the already existing literature world. Book nerds assemble! It’s also a neat change from the usual DnD style RPG in my family. And I’ll let you in on a little secret: I heard there will be a panel at PAX Aus 2026 that is all about games based/inspired by your favourite books. Hayley from Storybrewers Collective is on the panel, along with N.S.Kane (one of our fave comic book writers), and NephthysNile who is a Queen amongst TTRPG, video games reviews, and GM in general. 

2025: Panda Party (Tabletop)

What a year to return! It’s hard to pick a Permanent Play nominee when PAX Aus 2025 was only a year ago, but there is one game that continues to grow in popularity over the year: Panda Party! Created by the team at Cheerfolk, based in Canberra (Aust), this rapid party game combines set collection and hand management with additional deck intervention and “take THAT” maneuvers. 

Being a party game, it is best played with 5-6 players though it can be played for anywhere between 3-6. Gameplay lasts anywhere between 15 to 45 minutes, depending on how many and how chaotic it gets. The core element is to attract pandas to your party with food; the first to five wins the game. The true winners for this game are the charming pandas themselves. There is so much variety in the characters, and if you are lucky enough to find the Bambooster Packs in the shops, BUY THEM!!

PAX Aus is just around the corner, with a month and some loose change before the shenanigans begin for 2026. I have it on good authority that yes, I WILL be attending PAX Aus 2026 in both EG Mum capacity and ‘supporting a friend with their first panel’ capacity. If you were waiting for my confirmation before making your own plans, wait no more. I have also heard that SATURDAY TICKETS and Weekend Tickets are totally sold out. No sweat: the best panel is on Sunday at 5pm anyway. Head to the Kookaburra Theatre for the best panel ever:  From Page to Play: When Your Favourite Books Become Your Favourite Games.

See you there! Look for the lab coat with the mustache!

Categories: Go Special Events

Tagged as: Evil Genius Mum family games gaming kids PAX Aus RPG spawnlings tabletop games Video Games

Evil Genius Mum

Evil Genius Mum
- Taking over the world, one blog post at a time