Mutant Dice Chats

Load up the war rig, stock up on ammo, and watch out for raiders—this week, we’re burning rubber through the apocalypse with Wasteland Express Delivery Service. In Episode 7, Ian, Lee, and Justine share their experience driving through the post-apocalyptic desert to fulfill high-stakes delivery contracts. We talk about the game's table presence, the satisfaction of tricking out your rig, and t...

Dim the lights, light a candle, and check under the gaming table—this week, the crew gets into the Halloween spirit with a deep dive into all things horror. In Episode 6, Ian, Lee, and Justine explore what truly gives them the creeps. We talk about our real-life phobias, the horror films that kept us awake at night (or made us hide behind the couch cushions), and how scary media sets the mood for...

Put away the heavy rulebooks—this week, we are talking about how to turn friends into lifelong board game addicts without scaring them off forever. In Episode 5, Ian, Lee, and Justine share their favourite gateway games and the delicate art of introducing non-gamers to the hobby. We discuss the absolute essentials of a great beginner title—accessible mechanics, high table appeal, short downtime, a...

Put down the dice and pick up a brush—this week, we are trading cutthroat competition for fine-tip bristles, acrylics, and pure hobby zen. In Episode 4, Ian, Lee, and Justine step away from the rules dispute arena to explore the therapeutic world of miniature painting. We talk about the soothing, almost hypnotic relaxation that comes with tuning out the world and focusing on a single figure, the t...

Jungle critters, ancient ruins, and a completely inexplicable linguistic fixation—this week, we are staging an intervention for Lee to get him into the tropical side of the  Everdell  universe. In Episode 3, Justine and Ian gang up on Lee to explain why he needs to play Everdell: Emerland. We walk him through our recent session in the jungle: excavating treasures with archaeologists, managing clev...

Season 2 is officially underway, and this week we’re sitting down to chat about our summer sessions with the expansions for It’s a Wonderful World—and, naturally, taking a few scenic detours along the way. In Episode 2, Ian, Lee, and Justine share what it’s actually like to bolt new content onto a card-drafting classic. Instead of boring you with dry strategy guides, we break down what these expan...

We’re back, baby! After a glorious summer break, the tabletop trio is reunited, refreshed, and ready to kick off  Season 2 with absolute chaos. In our Season 2 premiere, Ian, Lee, and Justine attempt to give a structured update on what they did over the hiatus—before immediately getting derailed by endless tangents. We get an intense update on their ongoing  Vampire: The Masquerade  RPG campaign—f...

In this quick season update, Ian, Lee, and Justine are stepping away from the mics to take a well-deserved breather, recharge the battery, and restock the game collection. We want to say a massive thank you to everyone who listened, voted in our polls, took sides in our debates, and joined us on this wild podcast journey. We’ll be taking a short break, but don't worry—Season 2 drops this Septe...

Dust off the boxes and prepare for a heavy dose of tabletop guilt—this week, we are confronting the games we haven’t played in years. In Episode 19, we are opening up the darkest corners of our board game collections. We dive deep into two distinct types of gaming tragedies: the shiny, hyped titles we bought years ago that have literally  never  shed their shrink-wrap, and the genuine favourites t...

The studio AC is broken, the ice is melting, and the hot weather is officially melting our brains—so this week, we’re leaning into the heat and staging a formal intervention to convince Ian to play Flamecraft. In Episode 18, Lee and Justine are united by a singular mission: making Ian play Manny Vega’s adorable, cozy game of artisan dragons. While Ian tries to survive the sweltering studio tempera...

Pack your bags and prepare for a fantasy race war—this week, we’re stepping onto the cramped board of  Small World , a game Lee absolutely adores, but has literally never won. In Episode 17, we explore Philippe Keyaerts' classic area-control game where players draft bizarre fantasy combos to conquer a map that is intentionally too small for everyone. While Ian and Justine marvel at the shiftin...

The final five are locked in—this week, we are crowning our  Top 5 Favourite Board Games of All Time . In Episode 16, we are finishing what we started and counting all the way down to our absolute number one games. With the lists kept completely secret until the mics started rolling, the stage is set for ultimate surprises, validation, and maybe a little bit of heartbreak. We’re talking about the...

Lock in your predictions and prepare for the hot takes—this week, we’re kicking off our  Top 10 Favourite Board Games of All Time . In Episode 15, the gloves are off as we count down from number 10 down to number 6 on our personal lists. This is the culmination of every game night, every hard-fought victory, and every crushing defeat we’ve shared. We break down the games that have earned a permane...

Grab your character sheets and polyhedral dice—this week, we’re mapping out our personal histories with  Roleplaying Games . In Episode 14, we’re looking back at our journeys into the world of tabletop RPGs. Justine is in her absolute element, guiding us through her lifelong love for collaborative storytelling. Meanwhile, Lee is forced to answer for his crimes after publicly swearing he would  nev...

Turn up your radio telescopes and point them at the stars—this week, we’re looking for signs of life in  SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence . In Episode 13, the studio is fundamentally divided. Lee is completely starry-eyed, fully immersed in the heavy, scientific puzzle of launching probes, scanning distant solar systems, and tracking down alien signals. Justine, on the other hand......

In Episode 12, we peel back the shiny, optimistic veneer of this modern engine-building classic. On the surface, the cards promise a glittering high-tech utopia. In reality, we’re strip-mining resources, recycling failed projects for spare materials, and aggressively gatekeeping technologies just to stop our friends from getting ahead. We break down the genius of the game’s sequential production s...

Put your workers to work—this week, we’re talking about  Worker Placement  games. In Episode 11, we dive headfirst into the cutthroat world of assigning meeples, gathering resources, and the pure, unadulterated fury of someone taking the exact spot you needed. From cozy classics to heavy strategy, we’re sharing our absolute favourite games in the genre. Join Ian, Lee, and Justine as we clock in fo...

To celebrate reaching double digits and a fancy new studio setup, Episode 10 is all about looking forward. We’re breaking down the brand-new releases hitting our tables right now and the upcoming games that have our hype meters fully maxed out. From well-known games to hidden indie gems we can't wait to unbox, we're giving you our ultimate wishlists. Join Ian, Lee, and Justine as we revel...

Grab your favourite eraser—this week, we’re talking about  Roll and Writes . In Episode 9, we dive into the addictive world of games that swap heavy boards for a simple pad of paper and a handful of dice. From the satisfaction of filling in the perfect combo to the frustration of needing just  one  specific result that never shows up, we discuss why these games often end up stealing the spotlight...

Is your tablet just another component, or is it a party pooper? In Episode 8, we’re logging on to discuss the rise of  app-assisted board games . From digital dungeon masters to atmospheric soundscapes, we dive into the tech that’s changing how we play. We share our experiences with high-tech hits and the big question: do these apps enhance the magic or just distract us from the people across the...

Lock and load! This week, we intended to discuss the broad world of  Wargaming , from historical battlefields to sci-fi skirmishes. However, the mission parameters changed almost immediately. Justine completely hijacks the conversation to talk about her obsession with  Corvus Belli’s Infinity —and predictably, the lads are quick to dive into the Human Sphere right along with her. Join Ian, Lee, an...

This week, we’re venturing into Middle-earth as we discuss our first play-through of  The Lord of the Rings: Fate of the Fellowship . Spoiler alert: It didn't go well. In fact, we lost. Badly. Join Ian, Lee, and Justine as we recap our (very) brief journey toward Mordor, where we went wrong, and whether the fellowship actually stood a chance with us at the helm. We might have failed the missio...

Can a great movie or book actually make for a great board game? In Episode 5, we’re talking about  Intellectual Properties —the movies, TV shows, and books we love that have made the jump to our gaming tables. Whether it’s exploring a galaxy far, far away or trying to survive a mission where no one can hear you scream, we discuss the games that successfully captured the magic of their source mater...

Can a board game's "bits" make the game better? In Episode 4, we celebrate the parts of board games that make us go “wow!” — the components. From beautifully sculpted miniatures to stunning boards, from clever tokens to luxurious cards, we dive into the games that win our hearts through tactile delight. Join us as we share our favourite board game components and why they make gamepla...

They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but what about a board game? In this episode, we dive into some of our favourite games that we almost ignored because their box art just didn’t grab us. Whether it’s dull design, confusing visuals, or just plain forgettable packaging, these games prove that looks can be deceiving. Join us as we uncover the hidden gems hiding behind boring boxes...