The Board Game BBQ Podcast

Episode 339 - Wellycon Adventures! Joe and Adrian are back from an incredible trip to New Zealand where they hit up Wellycon, the biggest board gaming event in NZ! They talk about all the amazing games they played, the wonderful people they met, and the awesome Kiwi gaming community. A massive shout out to the team at Garphill Games for being absolute legends and making them feel so welcome — and...

Join Conor, Joe and Lauren and they discuss what has been hitting their tables and screens. Conor has gone absolutely rogue venturing off the table and into the digital space with Monster Train 2. Lauren enlightens the guys on her recent solo tower defence adventure with The Last Lighthouse. Joe has been playing a fun party game, no wait a really fun party game, no wait a game that dances and teac...

Join Adrian and Lauren as they get up close and personal, literally, and discuss games they have been playing that deserve a merry mention. Then they join together in a shared sizzle fresh off a play of the 2-player GMT release, A Gest of Robin Hood. That, plus the regular question of the pod and what has us fired up. Timestamps: What we’ve been playing [02:30] A Gest of Robin Hood [30:48] Questio...

In this episode, Jules, Adrian and Dana could be giddy from tiredness or there’s something in the water …   Jules has been experimenting with corded transport routes in the String Railway Collection.  Adrian chats about his son’s continuing board game education with Pipeline.  Meanwhile Banana is chuffed with a mega game at the Brisbane Game Day called Scissors, Paper, Rock … or wait …, is it rock...

In this jam-packed episode, Conor takes the reins as host and is joined by Adrian and Joe to chat about what they’ve been playing, some solo deep-dives, party chaos, and emerging favourites. Joe's Long Weekend of Mayhem Joe dives into his recent experience playing Blood on the Clocktower over a long weekend with friends. Expect stories of bluffing, betrayal, and late-night accusations as he shares...

This week, Joe, Jules and Lauren tuck into a mixed bag of gaming experiences. Jules has been dipping his fins into the Wingspan universe and getting back into Magic: The Gathering whilst being very excited about some upcoming IPs that are coming for his wallet. Joe has finally rejoined his weekly game group and had an absolutely kraken time bidding for the favour of gods in Cyclades. Lauren has be...

In this episode, Banana, Adrian and Conor are in the mood to reminisce about a HUGE gaming weekend for Adrian’s 40th birthday. Adrian has fallen for The Gang, and by that he means not just the people at his birthday bash, but the game as well.  Meanwhile Conor has been battling head-to-head and having fun with one of his favourite TCG’s without breaking the bank, in Altered.  Banana surprisingly e...

It wouldn’t be Oceania month without Matthew Dunstan, who is closing in on the title for the most guest appearances on the podcast!  In this episode, Jules and Joe chat about Matthew’s new YouTube channel, co-designing, and how he enjoys giving back to the board game design community.  We also hear about some upcoming games, the business of being a full-time board game designer, and which designer...

Continuing on with our Oceania theme, Conor and Dana Banana are back and chatting to Aussie designer, Craig E. Somerton.  Craig is still on a high after a successful Kickstarter with his first published game, Farm Hand.   He talks about his journey in board gaming and designing, and in particular, his affinity for trick-taking games.  He even hints at his new design!  As usual, when Conor and Bana...

Happy Oceania month! This week, Adrian and Lauren are joined by Jay Bendixen, designer of Surfs up and fellow Aussie as we talk about his design philosophy and upcoming games. Jay also gives his tips and insights into pitching games to publishers and going from prototype to published for small or even first time designers. We also chat about some of his upcoming designs and he plants some seeds of...

This week, Conor and Lauren are joined by Peter C Hayward, designer of podcast darling Things in Rings. Peter sports his blue beard talking about his approach to design, his plethora of upcoming releases, and his affinity for Pixar easter eggs. Then, Lauren shares her recent Button Shy escapades. Conor tells us about some prototypes from former podcast host Sarah which includes a disdain for onion...

In this episode, Adrian, Joe and Banana are in the hot seat.  Adrian, in his first episode back after the break, has lots to talk about. From his continued love of Age of Steam with his son and Mum, to channeling his inner Marlon Brando, and making offers they can’t refuse in La Famiglia.   Joe is finally back online and setting up his “Board Game Bungalow”, while dabbling in a bit of feline rescu...

In this episode, Conor and Dana Banana are back for their first episode of 2025, while Lauren has so much to talk about, she returns for another chat in back-to-back episodes. Lauren has us with our mouths open as she talks about her latest trick-taking game that has the weirdest theme we’ve heard in a while.  Conor has settled into his role as a hobo as he rummages through his bindle looking for...

Join Jules and Lauren as they bring in the new year with what has been hitting their tables over the holidays. Jules' gaming appetite has him trying out the combo meal which is fit for a king in Castle Combo. Lauren has been wracking her brain to remember where she put Gandalf's staff and if it was next to that bowl of jelly in Wilmot's Warehouse.   They also share the community responses from out...

This is it. The episode you've been waiting for. The whole crew is back together one last time for 2024, continuing the countdown of our Top 10 Games. There are so many great games in our Top 5s, and more than a few surprises. Thanks to everyone for your support in 2024. We can't wait to return in 2025 with more games, more shenanigans, and more Board Game BBQ. 5 [01:50] 4 [18:30] 3 [35:25] 2 [51:...

The whole crew is back together for Episode 324 as we count down our Top 10 Games. And you know that when the whole team gets together chaos isn't far behind. This week we share our top 10-6, and then next week we will reveal our 5-1.   10 [14:00] 9 [29:30] 8 [44:55] 7 [1:04:55] 6 [1:23:35]   Check out our Eventbrite page for all of our upcoming Game Days: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/o/board-gam...

Episode 323: Awkward Guests, The Light in the Mist. On this week’s Episode, Dan and Dana have to take the reins at short notice while Adrian is recuperating.  Dan has been trying to get rid of all his ‘midden’ as a Scottish Farmer in Skara Brae, only to find he is perhaps better suited to being Captain Obvious or a super sleuth in Awkward Guests.  Meanwhile, Dana has been mulling over whether her...

This week Jules, Joe and Lauren wax lyrical about the games hitting their table recently, with some very sizzling and some lukewarm receptions. Jules has been practicing his dexterity skills in Nekojima - a game about installing electricity poles without crossing or touching their cables. Joe pieces together all the information to share his perspective on Perspectives - a game about solving myster...

In this week’s podcast, Conor, Adrian and Joe serve up a slew of games. Adrian goes off the rails with an amuse-bouche sizzle of Age of Steam, before diving into a game of drafting and collecting sets in Sea, Salt & Paper. Joe has been playing his cards just right to build up his resources in 51st State – a game with a theme that definitely has nothing to do with current world events and every...

In this episode, Dana takes the host seat, joined by Adrian and Lauren, as they share their highlights from the latest Brisbane Game Day! The trio dives into the vibrant atmosphere, heartfelt gratitude for the incredible volunteers, and a huge thank-you to the amazing community who made the event unforgettable. They also discuss the smorgasbord of games they played during the event, sharing storie...

Get ready to dive into the latest episode as Adrian and Conor (our beloved Donkey and Shrek duo) are joined by the one and only Carl Van Ostrand for a lively, laughter-packed episode! In this Episode: Conor dives into “Conservas” – Conor brings us some canned goodness with Conservas, a game inspired by the culinary world of Portuguese tinned fish. Who knew sardines could be so strategic? But it’s...

This week, Dana, Lauren and Joe run through the their gaming highs and lows over the past few weeks following on from PAX and local game days. Joe takes a break from Overwatch 2 to tell us about avoiding a fall from grace in Courtisans. Lauren has been answering movie trivia questions badly in Blockbuster. Dana has been taming beasts, though not her own, to create the best minions in The Vale of E...

Join Conor, Adrian and Dan as they recap their past week of gaming which includes cooperative deduction, burying bodies, and a touch of spellcasting. In Sizzling Games, Adrian has been fighting factions for favour, Dan has been switching sashimi for some sushi selections, and Conor heralds his hectic Halloween happenings. They also share the community responses from last week's Question of the Pod...

In this week’s episode, Mitch, Conor and Dana continue to reminisce about PAX, in particular the food, the games and the people they met.  Conor is enamoured with his purchase and subsequent play of Dead Cells in a monster solo session. Mitch is still feeling surprisingly upbeat after his defeat at one of the hit prototype games at PAX, Tropical. Meanwhile, Dana is desperately trying to get off th...

Join us as we podcast live from PAX Australia 2024. Not only did we have the chance to play some of the latest games, but we also had the privilege to talk to some of Australia's newest and brightest game designers. So we're bringing you the scoop on some of the hottest new games in development. Thanks to the team at PAX Australia for having us again this year. We really love coming to PAX and cat...