Tabletop Bellhop Gaming Podcast

Pints & Pawns - Mixing beverages with your board games and RPGs. Sticking with the theme of beverages and board games we have reviews of Unlabeled The Blind Beer Tasting Game and Vinhos Deluxe Edition a game about making wine in Portugal. In the week in review we have some digital gaming with a Patreon patron and our first thoughts on Ratuki from The Op. Episode 108 of the Tabletop Bellhop Gam...

Keep it Simple - Ways board game designers make their games easier to learn and teach. A follow up to last week’s topic where we highlighted 15 heavier games that are easier to learn and play than you might think. In the Game Room we have reviews of the Animal Empire an anthropomorphic empire building card game and the Tales from The Loop Starter Set from Free League Publishing Episode 107 of the...

Surprisingly Easy Board Games - Heavy games that are surprisingly easy to teach and learn, a follow up to our topic from a few weeks back where we talked about surprisingly complex games. Today we are looking at the flip side of the coin. Once we get to The Game Room we will be looking at Trade & Intrigue, the second expansion for Orleans featuring four optional modules, and Flick Wars, a dext...

RPG Artifacts and Mementos - Physical items left over long after the game is done. Along with this discussion we’ve got reviews of Sanctum and the Exotica Expansion for Eminent Domain. We wrap up with some Gloomhaven Jaws of the Lion and talk about the board game arena version of Quoridor, a classic abstract game. Episode 105 of the Tabletop Bellhop Gaming Podcast, recorded August 30th 2020. Join...

Inaugural Reviewapalooza - Welcome to our first ever Reviewapalooza. This is replacing our usual end of month AMA live Q&A with our chatroom. In this review filled episode we are going to be looking at one RPG, Runaway Hirelings, and four board games including, Breakdancing Meeples, Talisman Batman Super-Villains Edition, Roll for Lasers and EXIT The Haunted Roller Coaster. In addition, during...

Surprisingly Complex Games - Games that were much more than we expected. This episode we talk about games that surprised us in a good way. In the game room were comparing a couple of games with older versions of them. First will be how Gloomhaven Jaws of the Lion differs from Gloomhaven and then Mermaid Adventures Revised, a setting book for The Pip system Corebook we reviewed last week. In The Be...

Scaling the Game - How game complexity scales with experience. Detailed reviews of Telestrations Upside Drawn, a team based version of the classic party game and The Pip System Corebook, a universal roleplaying system great for new players or gaming with kids. Also initial thoughts on Roll for Lasers and Breakdancing Meeple as well as a return to Talisman Batman Super-Villains Edition in our week...

Two Years In - Second Anniversary AMA. Live Q&A topics include snacks, our views on interviews, scheduling tips and failures, blogging and podcasting behind the scenes and lessons learned, Instagram success tips, and the first things we want to do when this pandemic is over. Also detailed reviews of Quodd Heroes and the Shadowrun Sixth World Beginner Box and our Gen Con Online 2020 Experience....

One Hundred - Celebrating our 100th podcast episode. In honour of this milestone we’ve got a special retrospective segment we’re adding to the show tonight and we’re launching our next board game giveaway. Then we’re answering one of the best questions I think we’ve ever been asked. We’re still going to do a couple of detailed reviews, those will be Katana and Jaws and then I’ve got some initial t...

For Sale - Getting the most from your unwanted games. A follow-up to last week’s topic of deciding which games in your collection to get rid of. Also a detailed review of Bastille From Queen Games and Family Secrets the first Episode of Escape Mail an escape mail experience delivered to your door. Finally, a number of games in our Bellhop’s Tabletop week in review including a first look at Eclipse...

Thinning the Herd - Curating your game collection, when you must get rid of some games how do you decide which? In addition we have two detailed game reviews, first off Codenames Duet and second Lost Cities: Rivals. Finally in our week in review we talk a bit more about Lost Cities Rivals and a four player game of a hidden gem from Queen Games: Bastille. This is an edited version of our live show...

Great Games Eh? - In Celebration of Canada Day, we feature some of the best games from Canadian game designers. In addition to that, we’ve got a review of the roshambo based card game Super Cats from The Op. In The Bellhop’s Tabletop, I’ve got our first play of Talisman: Batman - Super Villains Edition, a few rounds of The Mind two-player, plays of Codenames Duet using the campaign mode as well as...

Feeling the Heat - Start of Summer AMA - Besides answering questions from our chatroom live tonight, we’ve got a lot of feedback from last week's topic of dealing with a stubborn gamer not willing to try new things, I’ve got a preview of Shadow Kingdoms of Valeria the latest Valeria game from Daily Magic Games. Then for our Bellhop’s Tabletop segment, I’ve got my first thoughts on Katana and Super...

Dealing With Picky Eaters - How to handle a gamer who is stuck in their ways and isn’t willing to try new things. In addition a review of the stock market game Exchange, as well as plays of unlabeled, Shadow Kingdoms of Valeria, The Fox in the Forest, GIPF and Quodd Heroes. This is an edited version of our live show recorded on June 17th 2020. Join us live on https://www.twitch.tv/tabletopbellhop...

Black Games Matter - Talking about some of the best tabletop games from Black game designers including a review of the kid friendly RPG Mermaid Adventures. Also a first look at 878 Vikings as well as Black Box, Clans of Caledonia on BGA, Fox in the Forest, and codenames Duet. In addition I talk about my experiences at my first online gaming convention: Renegade Con: Virtual. This is an edited vers...

End of May AMA - Topics include: Publisher self promotion, board game tiebreakers, Tabletopia vs Tabletop Simulator, and the board game we most want to see go digital. Also a review of The Alpha from Bicycle games and a busy week in review including first plays of Codenames Duet, Sanctum and a prototype of Shadow Kingdoms of Valeria. This is an edited version of our live show recorded on May 27th...

A Small Problem - Storing, protecting and transporting a large collection of tabletop game miniatures. Also a review of the classic Star Trek Deck Building games, a look at Lanterns two player, more Unlabeled, Eminent Domain where we finally combine Exotica and Escalation, an online play of Clans of Caledonia with a Patreon Patron, and a first look at Quodd Heroes. This is an edited version of our...

Tabletop Gaming Enhanced - Ways to set the mood and create immersion on your game night using all five senses. Also a review of King Me! A family weight game based on Checkers. Finally another look at Unlabelled and Eminent Domain Exotica as well as some Asmodee Digital games in our week in review. This is an edited version of our live show recorded on 12th 2020. Join us live on https://www.twitch...

FreeD6: Free tabletop games (RPGs and board games) that use standard six sided dice. A review of Clans of Caledonia. Also a first look at the Exotica Expansion for Eminent Domain and a couple of plays of the family game Woodlands. This is an edited version of our live show recorded on May 6th 2020. Join us live on https://www.twitch.tv/tabletopbellhop Full show notes with links can be found here:...

Spring Fling AMA - Topics include: Easy games for toddlers, games to play over discord, newish games we want to try, favourite dexterity games, gaming gifts we didn’t appreciate, kickstarters we lost enthusiasm for, best Cthlulhu games, a pile of shame update, the first upgrade we would make for our shows, and more. Also a review of The Fox in the Forest Duet followed by some online gaming, date n...

Six Pack - Great boardgames for six players. Also a review of the two-player trick-taking game The Fox in the Forest. Finally a mix of digital and physical gaming in our week in review with a pretty detailed look at the Happy Meeple website. This is an edited version of our live show recorded on April 22nd 2020. Join us live on https://www.twitch.tv/tabletopbellhop Full show notes with links can b...

At Tabletop Bellhop we answer your game and game night questions, go "Ask The Bellhop" at https://tabletopbellhop.com/ . Digital Boardgame Battle Royal - The Three Best Sites for Playing Board Games Online. Comparing Board Game Arena, Yucata and Boite A Jeux. A review of Pulsar 2849 from CGE and a look at a number of games both digitally and physically in our week in review. In person we played Ki...

Lonely Fun - Gaming related things to do between game sessions. Also a review of EXIT: The game - The House of Riddles and a look at The Fox in the Forest in our week in review. This is an edited version of our live show recorded on April 8th 2020. Join us live on https://www.twitch.tv/tabletopbellhop Full show notes with links can be found here: https://tabletopbellhop.com/podcast/ep086/ Send fee...

You, me, and Monopoly also an AMA - We highlight the 5 best Monopoly games. That is followed by a short AMA where we discuss the definition of a game and games without win conditions, fantasy House on the Hill alternatives, online board gaming, and two player legacy games other than Gloomhaven. We also have a re-review of the classic dice game Quarriors! And Sean talks about a frustrating game of...

No Touching! - Board games that reduce or eliminate contact. Also a review of 8Bit Box from Iello with a look at each of the included games. Finally a first look at Woodlands from Ravensburger. This is an edited version of our live show recorded on March 25th 2020. Join us live on https://www.twitch.tv/tabletopbellhop Full show notes with links can be found here: https://tabletopbellhop.com/podcas...