Board Game Barrage

It's almost time for Essen SPIEL 2023, the great German Mecca of our people - and while we're not going ourselves, that's not going to stop us yearning . We're hear to tell you about all the amazing games available at the show this year that you ought to be excited about. Before we gaze longingly across the Atlantic, we talk about Asara , Skytear Horde , and Dwellings of Eldervale . Timecodes: 02:...

A little prune, a little embellish, a nip, a tuck, and a flourish, and we can get this thing just how we like it. We're looking at all the little things that we'd like to see more of, all the things we'd like to see less of in the world of board games. Before we giveth and taketh away, we talk about First in Flight , Tramways , and Wandering Towers . Timecodes: 02:39 - First in Flight 11:57 - Tram...

Timing is everything, which is why it's so important that this episode came out when it did. Had we made it too early, it would have felt dated, and any later, you wouldn't have been ready for it. Before it's about time, we talk about  Planet etuC , Undaunted: Stalingrad , Undaunted: Battle of Britain , and Tycoon: India 1981 . Timecodes: 01:47 - Planet etuC 07:43 - Undaunted: Stalingrad 10:35 - U...

I leave for one episode and these idiots are talking about eating board games. Hard hitting questions for hard hitting board game journalists, Kellen & Mark are on the scene reporting in. Before we claw our way back from this, we talk about Power & Weakness , Haggis , and Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game . Timecodes: 02:40 - Power & Weakness 16:28 - Haggis 24:28 - Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game...

A solid end game trigger can be such an overlooked part of the design of a game. The conventional wisdom for most things is to start strong and finish strong, so we look at some of our favourite ways that games can end. Before we reach the end of the road, we talk about Robot Quest Arena , Mr. President: The American Presidency, 2001-2020 , and Expeditions . Timecodes: 02:07 - Robot Quest Arena 08...

It's convention season, and the big one is almost upon us, as board gamers across America prepare to descend on Indiana. Gen Con! We won't be there this year, but that won't stop us anticipating what we could be playing at the show. Before we want what we can't have, we talk about  Fancy Feathers , Beast , Mr. President: The American Presidency, 2001-2020 , and Mercator . Timecodes: 02:43 - Fancy...

Not all are as blessed as we are by the gift of truly original thought, and so many turn to others for inspiration. Whether it's Newton standing on the shoulders of giants, or stealing from our rich neighbour Xerox, many great ideas are born from what has come before. Before we make the inspired choice, we talk about Masters of Renaissance: Lorenzo il Magnifico – The Card Game,  Innovation Ultimat...

After much consternation at his exclusion from our Mount Rushmore of games, we've decided to honour legendary designer Sid Sackson elsewhere - a BGB Designer Spotlight! I think these used to be called BGB DOGs but even Mark forgot about that bit of branding. Oh well. Before we make amends, we talk about Magicalligraphy , Hamlet: The Village Building Game , and Tournament at Camelot . Timecodes: 01...

We've reached the end of our fantasy draft series, the last in this increasingly dire list of games from which we pluck five gems each, and then get  you  to vote on your favourites. There's a (potential) $50 gift card in it for you! Before the last dance, we talk about Seas of Havoc , Whale to Look , and Dorfromantik: The Board Game . Timecodes: 03:12 - Seas of Havoc 10:42 - Whale to Look 19:50 -...

We're veering into the dark roads of board game classification, but this time with a goal in mind - how to best highlight games that feature strong interaction. Shouldn't BoardGameGeek have a scale for that somewhere? And while we're at it, BGG ... Before we put our thoughts in the suggestion box, we talk about Guatemala Café , and Ride the Rails . Timecodes: 01:56 - Guatemala Café 12:43 - Ride th...

Are we living in a golden age of board games? It's a simple question, but there's a lot to unpack - what even qualifies as a golden age, have we already had one, and if we are living in one, when does it end? Before we go for gold, we talk about That's Not a Hat , Pulsar 2849 , and Barrage. Timecodes: 01:39 - That's Not a Hat 02:19 - Cockroach Poker 10:52 - Pulsar 2849 19:58 - Barrage 33:30 - Are...

We're lucky to have covered wide swathes of the board game world, but there was a time when some of those things were aspirational. Like achievements to cross off on the great board game check list ... or like that Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson movie. You know they invented that phrase? Wild. Before we make our list, we talk about Municipium , and Yucatan . Timecodes: 02:27 - Municipium 12:47...

It's just two of us, so we turn our attention to the burning questions that you've been asking us, in a feature we're calling Topic Talk Back. This is not to be confused with the format we've used before, mailbags are old news now, and we'd appreciate it if you'd stop bringing it up. Before we do anything but rustle in the cloth sack, we talk about By Stealth and Sea , and Undaunted: Stalingrad ....

It's the penultimate draft of the BGG Top 1000 series, and all of these games are garbage ... but it's up to us to sift through that garbage, and each find a collection of five games that's worthy of you. Vote for your favourite, and you could win a $50 gift voucher! Before we find diamonds in the rough, we also talk about Paperback Adventures , and Woodcraft . Timecodes: 02:31 - Paperback Adventu...

Any creative work is built on a lot of conventions - things that we take as granted, the unspoken rules that must be followed. We get a lot of really great games by following design conventions, but some times, in order to innovate we have to break them. Before we try to find the balance between convention and innovation, we talk about Darwin's Journey , Aleph Null , and Rome in a Day . Timecodes:...

We can all agree the Golden Geeks peaked last year, but I suppose we can continue the facade if we must. Nominees are out for BoardGameGeek's annual awards, and as the presiding champions of taste, we're declaring our favourites. Before we prognosticate, we talk about Big City , Spots , and Horseless Carriage . Timecodes: 02:10 - Big City 09:33 - Spots 16:02 - Horseless Carriage 28:53 - Golden Gee...

Board games are a social medium, which is a big part of their appeal for us. It's not just about being heads down solving a puzzle, they facilitate conversation. Some games are better at this than others, so we put BGBBOB on the case to find our favourites! Before we natter away, we talk about Big Top , Autobahn , and Pollen. Timecodes: 03:04 - Big Top 12:21 - Autobahn 23:25 - Pollen 34:51 - Dealt...

Good storytelling isn't easy, and board games seem to struggle with it especially - which makes the ones that do pull it off, all the more memorable. We delve into the ways that games can engage us and create lasting experiences through stories. Before we spin a yarn, we talk about  Star Wars: The Clone Wars , and Artisans of Splendent Vale. Timecodes: 01:36 - Star Wars: The Clone Wars 18:13 - Art...

I mean, I don't know. Before we do whatever, we talk about Circle the Wagons , El Gaucho , Roller Coaster Rush , and Applejack. Timecodes: 01:48 - Circle the Wagons 07:49 - El Gaucho 14:58 - Roller Coaster Rush 19:05 - Applejack 25:34 - What do I do with old campaign games? 25:48 - Frosthaven 25:48 - Gloomhaven 27:47 - What board game product would improve my gaming? 30:50 - What are good miniatur...

Board games are great! Mostly. But as great as they are, we've probably all had a moment where, through no fault of the game itself, things got uncomfortable. Whether it's because of an awkward play, or just particulars of the group dynamic, we look back at some of our most uncomfortable moments. Before we enter the discomfort zone, we talk about Dog Tag Trick , Deal with the Devil , and Yokai Sep...

BGBBOB's back, and he's rollin' ( rollin' ) rollin' on a river of amazing games, all of which feature some incredible dice play. As is our sacred duty, we won't rest until we've arranged them in some sort of numerical order, a ranked list, if you will. Before we rattle the bones, we talk about The Lord of the Rings Adventure Book Game , The South: Terminus , Beyond Baker Street , and The Defence o...

We (well some of us) made it back from Vegas, and what happened there didn't stay there - we're reporting in from Dice Tower West 2023, a fun week of friends, casinos, and all you can eat sushi. To everyone we met, thank you for saying hey! We also played a lot of hot games, including  Heat: Pedal to the Metal , and Stationfall. Timecodes: 02:52 - Return to Dark Tower 08:47 - Magic Mountain 10:46...

I always love this one. It's the time of the year where we look at what  your favourite games are, and discover whether there are any exciting movers and shakers in what you've been playing! It's the BGB Listener Top 20! Before we check in with all of you, we talk about  Tower of Babel , Great Western Trail: Argentina , and Jump Drive . Timecodes: 02:01 - Tower of Babel ...or why the eighth wonder...

Bruna Cathala is the focus of this episode's BGB DOG, the unfortunately acronymed series where we showcase a designer whom we love, and talk through the history of their career and designs. Before we pay tribute to the two player king, we talk about Smart Four Connected , Skytear Horde , and Endless Winter: Paleoamericans . Timecodes: 02:56 - Smart Four Connected  06:30 - Skytear Horde 12:51 - End...

The draft is back, and while the lists are getting really thin at this point, that's not going to stop us doing our damndest to pick out a killer selection of five games each. Whose is the best? That's up to you - and if you vote, you stand a chance to win a gift voucher for $50! Before we put our fate in your hands, we talk about Shake That City , Clank!: Catacombs , and Galactic Renaissance . Ti...