Board Game Hot Takes

In Episode 108 we discuss our top ten board games that we would love to see turned into movies. We also discuss a poll on whether food and drinks should be included at your game table. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:43 Poll: Food and Drinks at the Board Game Table 10:49 Board Games that Should Be Movies 14:50 Chris #10 - Godspeed 16:28 Adam #10 - Terraforming Mars 17:40 Tim #10 - Spirit Island...

In Episode 107 we discuss 30 games that haven't gotten much attention from us on the podcast over the last 2 years but that we thought were worth mentioning briefly, good or bad. We also discuss a poll on diverse representation in board game artwork. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:38 Poll: Does diverse representation in board game art drive purchases? 07:18 Forgotten Games 8:25 Hadara 10:16 Can...

In Episode 106 we provide our hot take review of Age of Galaxy covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game. We also discuss a poll about bad feelings created by huge wins, and then we discuss some games on our table including Planted, Tapestry, Watergate, Expedition to Newdale, and the new expansion for Parks: Wildlife. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:25 Poll: H...

In Episode 105 we provide our hot take review of Barrage covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game. We also discuss a poll about setup time, Chris provides a Barrage themed cocktail and then we discuss some games on our table including Dutch Blitz, Age of Galaxy, Bloodstones, and Notre Dame. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:37 Poll: Does setup time impact your...

In Episode 104 we discuss our top ten favorite uses of toy factor in board games. We also discuss a poll on attending conventions. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:42 Poll: Attending Conventions 07:12 Toy Factor in Games 11:01 Chris #10 - Mechanica 14:53 Adam #10 - Baseball Highlights 2045 17:47 Tim #10 - Splendor 19:36 Chris #9 - Windward 21:42 Adam #9 - Pax Pamir 2nd Edition 23:40 Tim #9 - Lord...

In Episode 103 we provide our hot take review of Crusaders: Thy Will Be Done covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.  We also discuss a poll about buying games used and then we discuss some games on our table including Imperium: Classics, Memoir '44, and Viticulture World and then we give our future takes on Dune: Imperium - Immortality and Bloodstones....

In Episode 102 we provide our hot take review of Rising Sun covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.  We also look at all three games from Eric Lang's 'Troops on a Map' trilogy: Blood Rage, Rising Sun, and Ankh: Gods of Egypt and discuss our rankings of them. We discuss a poll about other whether it's acceptable to concede a game and then we discuss some...

In Episode 101 we provide our hot take review of Circadians: Chaos Order covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game. We discuss a poll about other player's attitudes impacting your feelings about a game and then we discuss some games on our table including Radlands, Diplomacy, and Space Station Phoenix. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:29 Poll: Does other player...

Episode 100 is our listener appreciation episode where we highlight the board games that our listeners love, get to hear some of our listener's voices, and draw the winner of our giveaway from the listeners that contributed with their favorite games. We also discuss a poll on how listener's found their favorite board game podcasts. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 02:33 Poll: Finding Podcasts 10:21...

In Episode 99 we finish counting down our top 30 Board Games of all time with numbers 1-10. We also discuss a poll on favorite ways to learn new board games Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:53 Poll: Learning Board Games 09:22 Top Games of All Time 09:52 Chris #10 - Tzolk'in: The Mayan Calendar 12:03 Tim #10 - Wonderland's War 14:47 Adam #10 - Radlands 16:49 Chris #9 - Wonderland's War 19:18 Adam...

In Episode 98 we continue counting down our top 30 Board Games of all time with numbers 11-20. We also discuss a poll on how review copies provided from publishers impact your trust in a board game critic. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 03:14 Poll: Review Copies and Trust 14:01 Top Games of All Time 14:27 Adam #20 - Beyond the Sun 17:38 Chris #20 - Obsession 22:01 Tim #20 - Magic: The Gathering 26...

In Episode 97 we start the countdown of our top 30 Board Games of all time with choices 21-30. We also discuss a poll on luxury versions of board games. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:53 Poll: Luxury Board Games 12:52 Top Games of All Time 18:28 Tim #30 - Res Arcana 21:24 Adam #30 - Nemesis 23:03 Chris #30 - Pan Am 25:17 Tim #29 - Cthulhu: Death May Die 29:47 Adam #29 - SpaceCorp 2025-2300 AD 3...

In Episode 96 we take a look at the top 100 games on Board Game Geek and discuss the games on that list that we haven't played.  We list the top 5 games we each want to play from that list and the top 5 games that we don't want to play from that list and discuss why some of them are interesting to us and others aren't. We also discuss a poll on the Golden Age of hobby board games. Timestamps:...

In Episode 95 we provide our hot take review of Arcs covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game. We discuss a poll about hyped board games and then we discuss some games on our table including Biblios and Now or Never (solo). Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:27 Poll: Hyped Board Games 06:40 Arcs Gameplay Description 09:30 Gameplay and Mechanisms 33:55 Production...

In Episode 94 we provide our hot take review of Nemesis covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game. We discuss a poll about sleeving cards in games and Chris provides his themed cocktail of the week.  Then we discuss some games on our table including Planet Unknown and Ghosts of Christmas. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:40 Poll: Sleeving Cards in Board Ga...

In Episode 93 we provide our hot take review of Golem covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game. We discuss a poll about best time of day to play board games and Chris provides his themed cocktail of the week.  Then we discuss some games on our table including Tetris: The Card Game, Tinner's Trail, Carcassonne, and Crusaders: Thy Will be Done. Timestamps: 0...

In Episode 92 we take a look back at the games we've played together over the last several years and discuss the ones where we think our opinions were unanimous and consider the common elements that may make games work (or not work) for all of us.  We also discuss a poll on whether the size of a board game's box may influence your decision to acquire it. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:55 P...

In Episode 91 we discuss all 14 games that we played at BGHT PDXCon over 4 days.  We also discuss a poll on selling games that you blinged out. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:51 Poll: Selling games that you upgraded 07:34 Viscounts of the West Kingdom 14:16 Tapestry (w/ Plans and Ploys and Arts and Architecture) 21:00 Return to Dark Tower 34:28 Keyflower 36:22 Wonderland's War 41:22 The Gr...

In Episode 90 we provide our hot take review of Great Western Trail covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game. We discuss a poll about frequency of scheduled game nights.  Then we discuss some games on our table including Fallout Shelter and we give our future takes on Viticulture World. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:49 Poll: Game night frequency 06:33...

In Episode 89 we provide our hot take review of Wonderland's War covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game. We discuss a poll about backing games on Kickstarter when you know it will be available in retail and Chris provides his themed cocktail of the week.  Then we discuss some games on our table including Diplomacy and Viscounts of the West Kingdom and Ti...

In Episode 88 we discuss our top 3 controversial mechanisms in board games.  These are mechanisms that seem to be well loved, sometimes even by our co-hosts, or heavily used but we don't like them at all.  We share some specific games that use those mechanisms and talk about why they don't (or sometimes do) work for us. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 02:50 Poll: Controversial Mechanisms...

In Episode 87 we provide our hot take review of El Grande covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game. We discuss a poll about in-game vs. endgame scoring and Chris provides his themed cocktail of the week.  Then we discuss some games on our table including Magic Maze and Gizmos and give our future take on Nightmare Cathedral. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 0...

In Episode 86 we provide our hot take review of Wayfarers of the South Tigris covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game. We discuss a poll about unnecessary game boards and Chris provides his themed cocktail of the week.  Then we discuss some games on our table including Under Falling Skies, Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization, and Return to Dark...

In Episode 85 we provide our hot take review of Anachrony covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game. We discuss a poll about learning games and then we discuss some games on our table including Paladins of the West Kingdom, Praga Caput Regni, Rolling Realms, and Res Arcana.  We also give our future takes on Motor City and Solar 175. Timestamps: 00:00 Introd...

In Episode 84 we discuss our top 5 favorite action selection mechanisms in board games. We also discuss poll results on bag building vs. deck building. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:40 Poll: Deck Building vs. Bag Building 05:34 Action Selection Mechanisms 09:08 #5 Chris - Tapestry 12:56 #5 Adam - The Expanse Board Game 15:34 #5 Tim - Underwater Cities 19:07 #4 Chris - Pendulum 23:22 #4 Adam -...