Pick Up and Deliver

Brendan talks about board games that have been adapted from published sources. Join us, won’t you? Previous episodes about this subject: Established Creative Worlds Comic Book IPs Game Play by Paul Booth Flip the Table Feels like the text Jaws  (2019) Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle  (2016) Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Board Game  (2016) Game components evoke the game Back to the Future: Back in Ti...

Brendan shares his gameplay achievements from June 2026, and looks ahead to July. Join us, won’t you? June 2026 Top of the Stack New Game –  Struggle of Empires  ✓ Top 50 game –  Glory to Rome  ✓ I’ve been meaning to play this –  Tekhenu: Obelisk of the Sun  X One More –  Bury Me In the Rift  ✓ Shelf of Opportunity Game Streaks July 2026 Top of the Stack New Game –  Liberté Top 50 game –  Dungeon...

Brendan shares some tales of his vacation to the Maritime provinces of Canada, shares the games he played there, and talks about what games the events he went to reminded him of. Games we played on the trip: Qwixx  (2012) Lost Cities  (1999) Cribbage  (1630) Gin Rummy  (1909) Game Stores Board Room Game Cafe, Halifax Orloj: The Prague Astronomical Clock  (2025) Winter Rabbit  (2025) Exor Games, Ch...

Brendan shares his experience at a home-con he attends yearly, Bogencon. Join us, won’t you? The Board Game Show Regular games for me: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – Trick-Taking Game  (2025) Dice Miner  (2021) Strike  (2012) The Gang  (2024) Games I dusted off: Chicken!  (2023) Skull  (2011) Glory to Rome  (2005) Games I tried for the first time Dune  (1984) Struggle of Empir...

Brendan shares his thoughts about the books he read in the first three months of 2026. Join us, won’t you? The Death of the Necromancer (Ile-Rien, #2) The Element of Fire (Ile-Rien #1) The Courage of Birds: And the Often Surprising Ways They Survive Winter Seven Surrenders (Terra Ignota, #2) For We Are Many (Bobiverse, #2) All These Worlds (Bobiverse, #3) Barrayar (Vorkosigan Saga, #7) The Warrior...

Brendan talks a bit about what games people born under the zodiac sign Gemini might like best. Join us, won’t you? Previous Astrology Files episodes Allure.com’s “12 Zodiac Signs: Dates and Personality Traits” Guiding Change and Transformation Seasons  (2012) Revive  (2022) Ark Nova  (2021) Very Talkative and Communicative Monikers  (2015) The Resistance  (2009) Blood on the Clocktower  (2022) Sid...

Brendan talks about three games he tried for the first time lately, and one game he dusted off. Join us, won’t you? King of the Dice  (2017) Yahtzee  (1956) Level 7: Escape  (2012) Last Night on Earth: The Zombie Game  (2007) Gold Ahoy!  (2014) Glasgow  (2020) Dog Park  (2022) What do you think of these games? What games have you played lately? Share your thoughts over on boardgamegeek in our guil...

Brendan shares his gameplay achievements from May 2026, and looks ahead to June. Join us, won’t you? May 2025 Top of the Stack New Game –  Ahoy X Top 50 game –  Lost Ruins of Arnak ✓ Old Game New to Collection –  Teotihuacan X One More –  Level 7 Escape ✓ Shelf of Opportunity June 2026 Top of the Stack New Game –  Struggle of Empires Top 50 game –  Glory to Rome I’ve been meaning to play this –  T...

Brendan talks about games themed around books. Join us, won’t you? Games about Libraries Ex Libris (2017) The Big Book of Madness (2015) Mythic Mischief (2022) The Great Library (2026) Fire in the Library (2019) Alexandria (2017) Atheneum: Mystic Library (2020) Games about Managing Books A Place for All My Books (2025) My Shelfie (2022) Games about Words and Books Illiterati (2023) Paperback (2014...

Brendan examines the recent posts on boardgamegeek as though the threads are there as questions for him. Join us, won’t you? Negotiation in Games Spiel des Jahres Nominees Trying to replace a stock image – need help 8 Board Game Re-Themes I Made for Fun Looking to get into more complex Euros… what is a good “step up”? New to board/card game design so using simulation to test mechanics On Board Gam...

Brendan talks about three games he played for the first time recently. Join us, won’t you? Postcards  (2025) Leviathan Wilds  (2024) Episode 027: Shadow of the Leviathan MANTIS  (2022) “Why the MANTIS shrimp is my new favorite animal.” Fugitive  (2017) (revisited) What games have you tried lately? Share your plays over on  boardgamegeek in guild #3269 .

Brendan shares his thoughts about what makes for a great beginning to a game. This follows up on the previous episode about ends of games. Join us, won’t you? Happy Salmon  (2016) Bruce Voge III Paku Paku  (2017) Escape: The Curse of the Temple  (2012) dude  (2018) Agricola  (2007) Res Arcana  (2019) 3 Chapters  (2024) Calico  (2020) Las Vegas  (2012) A Game of Thrones: The Board Game (Second Edit...

Brendan talks about how games end, and recommends five games with compelling endings. Join us, won’t you? Skull King  (2013) Arkham Horror: The Card Game  (2016) Monikers  (2015) Escape! The Curse of the Temple  (2012) A Study in Emerald  (2013) Honorable Mentions Res Arcana  (2019) The Adventurers: The Pyramid of Horus  (2011) QE  (2019) What games do you think have good endings? Share your thoug...

Brendan talks about three games he tried recently for the first time, and one game he dusted off. Join us, won’t you? Light Speed: Arena  (2025) Core Worlds  (2011) Verdant  (2022) Underwater Cities: Data Era  (2025) What do you think of these games? What have you been playing lately? Share your thoughts over on  boardgamegeek in guild #3269 .

Brendan shares the films he watched during March and April of 2026, and what he thought of them. Join us, won’t you? An Honest Liar Trickerion: Legends of Illusion  (2015) Unmatched: Houdini vs. The Genie  (2022) Birds  (workaround for Listers) Listers Wingspan  (2019) Project Hail Mary Daybreak  (2023) The Search for Planet X  (2020) The Naked Gun Deception: Murder in Hong Kong  (2014) Poetry for...

Brendan examines the games that came out between 2001 and 2004 (inclusive), and shares his view of which games are best. Join us, won’t you? Top 5 games from 2001-2004 Betrayal at House on the Hill  (2004) Ticket to Ride  (2004) The Downfall of Pompeii  (2004) Coloretto  (2003) Alhambra  (2003) Best Game whose revised version is great:  A Game of Thrones  (2003) Best Game I don’t like that much: ...

Brendan shares his gameplay stats and experiences from April of 2026, and his plans for May. Join us, won’t you? Top of the Stack, April 2026 New Game –  Light Speed Arena ✓ Top 50 game –  Lost Ruins of Arnak Old Game New to Collection –  Root One More –  Core Worlds ✓ Shelf of Opportunity My Top 50 Top of the Stack, May 2026 New Game –  Ahoy Top 50 game –  Lost Ruins of Arnak Old Game New to Coll...

Brendan shares his thoughts on three games he tried for the first time recently. Join us, won’t you? Gnome Hollow  (2024) Horrified: Greek Monsters  (2023) Horrified  (2019) Horrified: American Monsters  (2021) Horrified: World of Monsters  (2024) Awkward Guests 2: The Berwick Cases  (2023) Clue  (1949) Awkward Guests: The Walton Case  (2016) Seasons  (2012) Res Arcana  (2019) What games have you...

Brendan talks a bit about Earth Day and games that reflect on the topics related to it. Environmental Activism Endeavor: Deep Sea  (2024) Endangered  (2020) Daybreak  (2023) Animals and Nature Wingspan  (2019) Wild: Serengeti  (2022) Cascadia  (2021) Undergrove  (2024) Earth  (2023) Environmental Balance Harmonies  (2024) CO2: Second Chance  (aka CO₂: Second Chance) (2018) 20th Century  (2010) Wha...

Brendan shares a bit about how jargon and game design interact, and what they do for people outside the hobby. Join us, won’t you? WHAT IS THIS KIND OF GAME CALLED?  (BGG thread) What experiences have you had with board game jargon? Is it useful? Frustrating? Gate-keepery? Share your thoughts over on  boardgamegeek in guild #3269 . We’d love to have you there!

Brendan shares his first impression of three different games he tried recently. Join us, won’t you? Wilmot’s Warehouse  (2024) Istanbul: The Dice Game  (2017) Hanabi  (2010) (revisited) Trekking the World  (2020) What new games have you played lately? What do you think of the games featured in this episode? Share your thoughts over on boardgamegeek in guild #3269.

Brendan shares some of his favorite things about  Boardgamegeek . Join us, won’t you? Ongoing contests or activities NAME….THAT….GAAAAYME!!! Out of the Dust Really detailed discussions of rules questions Sanctuary –  Gain a tile from the pile and use it for open space. Fan-made content Loop inc –  Solo Rules plus Additional Stretch Goal Rules, fancy formatting Recommendations  forum The Boardgameg...

Brendan talks about how five ways story and games interact. Join us, won’t you? A set narrative Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Thames Murders & Other Cases  (1981) Chronicles of Crime  (2018) Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game  (2018) A selection of narrative elements Betrayal at House on the Hill  (2004) A Touch of Evil: The Supernatural Game  (2008) Player-generated narrative Wi...

PU&D 819: Epona, Marshmallow Test, Finspan, Gizmos (revisited)Brendan shares his thoughts on three games he tried for the first time recently, and one he revisited. Join us, won’t you? Epona  (2025) Marshmallow Test  (2020) Finspan  (2025) Gizmos  (2018) Have you played any of these games? What games have you tried lately? Share your thoughts over on  boardgamegeek in Guild #3269 .