Board Game Hot Takes

In Episode 58 we discuss our top 5 incoming board game Kickstarters. First, we discuss poll results on board game Kickstarters that haven't been delivered yet.  Then we take a look at our top 5 incoming Kickstarters from last year (discussed in episode 6) and score them with a VERY SCIENTIFIC scoring method. Finally, we look at our current top 5 incoming Kickstarters and discuss why we backed...

In Episode 57 we provide our hot take review of 7 Wonders covering the mechanisms, the production, notable moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game.  We also have a Battle of the Board between Gaia Project and Eclipse: 2nd Dawn for the Galaxy and discuss poll results on these 2 games. Then we discuss some games we've been playing this week in our On The Table segment including Th...

In Episode 56 we provide our hot take review of Rococo covering the mechanisms, the production, notable moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game.  We also discuss shelves of shame and poll results around this topic. Then we discuss some games we've been playing this week in our On The Table segment including Nunami, Viticulture: Visit from the Rhine Valley, and Shamans and we loo...

In Episode 55 we provide our hot take review of Cascadia covering the mechanisms, the production, notable moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game and we make a lot of comparisons to a similar tile drafting and placement game by Flatout Games: Calico.  We also discuss different types of card games and poll results around this topic. Then we discuss some games we've been playing t...

In Episode 54 we discuss solo board gaming and our picks for the top 5 solo board games. Tim and Adam list off our top 5 solo games of all time and Chris discusses the top 5 solo games he thinks might get him into solo gaming.  We also discuss poll results around solo gaming. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:52 Poll: Do you solo game? 8:51 #5 Tim - Underwater Cities 10:14 #5 Adam - Space Cor...

Episode 53 is our 1 year anniversary episode! we provide our hot take review of Aquatica covering the mechanisms, the production, noteworthy moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game. We also discuss poll results around re-buying games when a new edition is released. Finally, we celebrate our 1 year anniversary by telling our origin story.  We talk about how the podcast got starte...

In Episode 52 we provide our hot take review of Windward covering the mechanisms, the production, exciting moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game.  We also discuss our favorite premium board game components and discuss poll results around this topic. Chris provides a Windward themed cocktail recipe then we discuss some games we've been playing this week including The Bears and...

In Episode 51 we provide our hot take review of Smartphone, Inc. covering the mechanisms, the production, exciting moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game.  We also discuss overused themes in board games and discuss poll results around this topic. Then we discuss some games we've been playing this week including Imperium: The Contention, Catan: Cities and Knights, and The Isle o...

In episode 50 we have a discussion on game tables, which features are important to us, and our personal experience with our own tables. We also have a conversation about our dream game night - who would be there, what we'd play, where it would be, and all of the other things that would make the perfect game night for us. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:50 Game Tables Conversation 43:16 The Perfect Game...

In Episode 49 Chris and Tim discuss the 12 games that were played over a long weekend together.  Adam hangs out to chat with us about them. The audio isn't great on this episode due to some technical issues but stick with us because we think you'll enjoy the conversation. 00:00 Introduction 03:04 Calico 13:02 Tapestry 16:06 Red Rising 22:09 Marvel: United 32:17 Sorry! 33:43 Zombie Kids Evolut...

In Episode 48 we provide our hot take review of Obsession covering the mechanisms, the production, exciting moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game.  We also discuss our favorite ways to consume board game reviews and other media and discuss poll results around this topic. Chris provides a recipe for an Obsession themed cocktail and finally we discuss some games we've been playi...

In Episode 47 we discuss our picks for the top 5 board games expansions! Tim, Chris, and Adam list off our picks for the best expansions of all time.  We discuss how we feel about expansions, why publishers might release expansions, and why these are our picks for the best expansions. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:49 Poll: Favorite Type of Game 10:13 Expansions 18:30 #5 Chris - Villainous...

In Episode 46 we provide our hot take review of Kemet: Blood and Sand covering the mechanisms, the production, exciting moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game.  We also discuss our favorite places to play board games and discuss poll results around this topic. Chris provides a recipe for a Kemet: Blood and Sand themed cocktail and finally we discuss some games we've been playin...

In Episode 45 we provide our hot take review of Power Grid covering the mechanisms, the production, exciting moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game.  We also discuss board game collection sizes and some of the thoughts our listeners have about their board game collections. We also discuss some games we've been playing including 7 Wonders: Duel, Isle of Skye, Coloretto, The Mind...

In Episode 44 we provide our hot take review of Carpe Diem covering the mechanisms, the production, exciting moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game.  We also discuss why dry euro games may not fit for us all and compare Carpe Diem to Stefan Feld's most popular game with some similar mechanisms: Castles of Burgundy. We also discuss some games we've been playing including Hearts,...

In Episode 43 we discuss our picks for the top 10 board games OF ALL TIME! Tim, Chris, and Adam list off our picks for the best games of all time.  We discuss how we made those picks and if there were any surprises to us on our lists. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:30 How we made our picks 07:25 - #10 13:49 - #9 20:16 - #8 25:46 - #7 34:47 - #6 41:10 - #5 47:59 - #4 54:30 - #3 1:00:10 - #2...

In Episode 42 we provide our hot take review of Rap Godz covering the mechanisms, the production, exciting moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game. We also discuss some games we've been playing including Dice Throne, Doughnut Drive-Thru and Terraforming Mars and some games we're excited about including Paperback Adventures and AuZtralia. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 02:10 Rap Godz...

In Episode 41 we provide our hot take review of Lost Ruins of Arnak covering the mechanisms, the production, exciting moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game.  We briefly compare Lost Ruins of Arnak and Dune: Imperium to let you know which of these deck building/worker placement games we recommend. We also discuss some games we've been playing including Power Grid and Take 5 and...

In Episode 40 we provide our hot take review of AuZtralia covering the mechanisms, the production, exciting moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game. We also discuss some games we've been playing including Kemet: Blood and Sand and Lost Ruins of Arnak and some games we're excited about including an expansion to Beyond the Sun and Twisted Fables. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 02:04 Au...

In Episode 39 we discuss house rules and fan variants in board games.  We talk about why people may use them, how we feel about that, and what games we've house ruled with some notable examples including Orleans, Wingspan, Scythe, Castles of Burgundy, Eclipse: 2nd Dawn for the Galaxy, Dune: Imperium, My Little Scythe, Dice Throne, Space Base, and Champions of Midgard. We also talk about some...

In Episode 38 we discuss the top 10 games on boardgamegeek.com.   We talk about whether we've played them, whether we want to, and how we've rated the best games of all time according to BGG user ratings.  We also discuss some games that we think might make a run for the top 10. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 04:04 - #10 Twilight Struggle 12:50 - #9 Star Wars: Rebellion 21:00 - #8 Gaia P...

In Episode 37 we provide our hot take review of The Quacks of Quedlinburg and Cubitos covering the mechanisms, the production, exciting moments in play, and our overall feelings of the games. We then compare the two games and discuss which is our favorite and why. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:17 The Quacks of Quedlinburg Description 03:13 Gameplay and Mechanisms 18:06 Production 21:32 Favorit...

In Episode 36 we provide our hot take review of Clank! In! Space! covering the mechanisms, the production, exciting moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game. We also discuss the importance of diversity and representation in the board game industry and hobby and then highlight some games that we're excited about including Boss Battles and Red Cathedral, and look at the games published...

In Episode 35 we provide our hot take review of Concordia covering the mechanisms, the production, exciting moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game. We also discuss some recent plays including Fox in the Forest, Omen: Reign of War, and Trekking the National Parks.  We also talk about a game coming to Kickstarter soon: Fractal: Beyond the Void. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:0...

In Episode 34 Adam and Tim discuss 10 games that they played during their first in-person gaming session in over a year!  Chris joins in to heckle us. 00:00 Introduction and discussion on gaming in person 06:05 A Feast for Odin 15:27 Canvas 23:18 Dwellings of Eldervale 30:27 Baseball Highlights: 2045 39:33 Anachrony 50:40 Anachrony: Fractures of Time 51:35 Dune: Imperium 56:50 Underwater Citi...