We've learned a thing or two about game nights and conventions over the years. The hobby has changed, and we've had to change with it! This episode, we talk about what's different with how we approach large meetings of board gamers in 2020, and offer what advice we can. Before we pack our game bags, we talk about Fast Sloths , Birdie Fight , Sorcerer City , Electropolis , and Isle of Cats . 01:44 - Fast Sloths 10:05 - Birdie Fight/Songbirds 11:03 - Sorcerer City 11:44 - Electropolis 18:07 - Isle...
Feb 27, 2020•47 min
Sometimes a game is hitting all the right notes, and you want to recommend it wholeheartedly ... but there's just one tiny blemish you can't overlook. It's not enough to make a great game bad, but, man, just imagine if it someone had fixed that. This week we're looking at games that almost nail it. Before we smooth the last crease, we talk about Chaosmos , Subtext , On a Scale of One to T-Rex, and Empyreal: Spells & Steam. 01:26 - Krass Kariert 03:22 - Chaosmos 11:40 - On a Scale of One to T...
Feb 20, 2020•54 min
We're gluttons for punishment this week, because we're talking about harshness in board games. These are the sort of games where big moves or bad mistakes can be hard to recover from. Harsh games aren't for everyone, so when and why do we find them appealing? Before we grit our teeth, we talk about Wavelength , Genoa , Krass Kariert, and Oceans. 01:02 - Wavelength 05:39 - Genoa 07:30 - Krass Kariert 14:55 - Oceans 23:48 - Harshness in Games 24:24 - Biblios 24:48 - Arboretum 25:52 - Seasons 27:36...
Feb 13, 2020•47 min
We're reflecting on the past this episode, looking back at the things we said - never wise, by the way. The games of 2019 had a lot of promise, but how young and dumb they seem to our aged eyes. Where are they now? Join us as we cast our minds back to last decade, to reflect on the games we were excited for so many months ago. 02:11 - XCOM: The Board Game 06:41 - Living Planet 13:55 - The Voyages of Marco Polo 14:47 - Heaven & Ale 18:06 - Mystic Market 19:49 - Essen 2019 Look Back 21:11 - Th...
Feb 06, 2020•58 min
You only get one chance to play a game for the first time, but sometimes events conspire to make that debut ... less than ideal. We look at some first plays that could've gone better, examine what contributed to them not delivering, and offer advice on how to make sure your brand new game doesn't stumble out the gate. 02:34 - Rumble Nation 10:16 - Neuroshima Hex 12:07 - Macao 14:05 - In the Year of the Dragon 21:24 - It's a Wonderful World 23:46 - Carnival of Monsters 25:51 - 7 Wonders 26:12 - T...
Jan 30, 2020•55 min
Mike DiLisio (of The Dice Tower, and Sporadically Board) makes his BGB podcast debut as the Fandango Tank! Mike's trying to sell us on popcorn games. These are games that may or may not be ... critically sound, but nevertheless provide fun experiences that we find ourselves returning to. But why wouldn't we just play something more substantive instead? We investigate. 00:16 - Mike DiLisio, the Fandango Tank! 07:10 - Fresh Fish 14:23 - Sanctum 23:59 - In the Hall of the Mountain King 31:44 - Popc...
Jan 23, 2020•1 hr 7 min
We're in a post top-fifty world, and it's about time we take this whole 2020 thing seriously. No more looking back, we've got to start looking to the year ahead, and what better way than making promises to ourselves that we're totally going to keep. It's board game resolutions time! 01:33 - Deep Sea Adventure 05:13 - Point Salad 08:48 - Sushi Go! 10:37 - Atelier: The Painter's Studio 14:52 - We're Doomed! 15:22 - The Menace Among Us 16:04 - Wavelength 23:25 - Board Game Resolutions for 2020 24:3...
Jan 16, 2020•53 min
Here it is, the episode you've all been waiting for, the grand finale, the culmination of five weeks of episodes. These are our top ten favourite board games of all-time , games that we absolutely adore, and would happily play at a moment's notice. Heck, we'd even play the games on each others' lists ... on, you know, birthdays and special occasions. That's how good they are. 08:41 – Mark #10 – The Estates 11:29 – Neilan #10 – Pictomania 13:46 – Kellen #10 – Coloretto 15:23 – Mark #9 – The Voyag...
Jan 09, 2020•1 hr 29 min
A new year, a new decade, a new podcast, and a new batch of games that we love talking about. It's the fourth in our five part series of our 50 favourite board games of all-time, and appropriately, we're kicking off 2020 by breaking into the top twenty. Synergy. 01:01 - Neilan #20 - Blue Lagoon 03:14 - Kellen #20 - Startups 04:33 - Mark #20 - Imperial 2030 06:00 - Neilan #19 - Taj Mahal 07:41 - Kellen #19 - Genoa 09:09 - Mark #19 - Dominant Species 11:31 - Neilan #18 - Alchemists 13:28 - Kellen ...
Jan 01, 2020•1 hr 10 min
It's the season of giving, so our gift to you is more of our favourite board games of all-time! We're only just halfway, so get comfortable in front of the fire, grab an eggnog, and join us for thirty more incredible games. Oh, you got us something too? Ah. Socks. Thanks. 01:45 - Kellen #30 - Splendor 04:38 - Mark #30 - Sol: Last Days of a Star 07:22 - Neilan #30 - Azul 08:54 - Kellen #29 - A Fake Artist Goes to New York 11:06 - Mark #29 - Great Western Trail 12:47 - Neilan #29 - The Quest for E...
Dec 25, 2019•1 hr 5 min
We're shifting up a gear, the stakes are higher, it's all to play for, and a whole host of other cliches, in the second of our five part series on the top fifty games of all time. Thirty(ish) more incredible board games coming at you, and we're not even halfway done yet. 03:36 - Mark #40 - Blue Lagoon 05:58 - Neilan #40 - Panic on Wall Street! 07:01 - Kellen #40 - Dune 08:36 - Mark #39 - Shipyard 10:30 - Neilan #39 - Kemet 11:37 - Kellen #39 - For Sale 13:21 - Mark #38 - Pipeline 14:19 - Neilan ...
Dec 18, 2019•1 hr
We made it! The big one-oh-oh. That's a thing people say, right? We're starting a five episodes series, working our way down each of our top fifty games of all time. We'll discuss what might make a game move up or down our list, celebrate the highs that the hobby has to offer, and talk about a heck of a lot of amazing board games. Buckle up! 08:17 – Neilan #50 – Twice As Clever 09:32 – Kellen #50 – Maskmen 11:28 – Mark #50 – Codenames 12:56 – Neilan #49 – Air, Land & Sea 16:03 – Kellen #49 –...
Dec 12, 2019•1 hr 7 min
It's getting close now, can you feel it? Or are you just feeling sore from the game you just lost? We're talking sore losers and sore winners: people who are hard to be around when they lose or win a game. What can you do to avoid being that person , and what games bring out the worst in us? Before we fight our feelings, we talk about Paris: New Eden , Glory to Rome , and No Swap No Pay . 03:35 - Pipeline 06:29 - Paris: New Eden 14:54 - Glory to Rome 20:36 - Mottainai 22:48 - Innovation 24:14 - ...
Dec 05, 2019•1 hr 2 min
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! We're showing our thanks with a surprise podcast about ... well, maybe we'll just let the episode speak for itself. Gobble gobble. 03:23 - ICECOOL 04:46 - Meeple Circus 06:11 - Root 06:42 - Sheriff of Nottingham 07:47 - Fauna 08:22 - Piepmatz 09:07 - Evolution: Flight 09:56 - Gulo Gulo 11:29 - Zany Penguins 12:07 - Funky Chicken 13:56 - Ashes: Rise of the Phoenixborn 14:51 - Rook 16:19 - Chess 17:36 - Biblios 19:53 - Scythe Join the discussion at https://boardgameba...
Nov 28, 2019•24 min
We've all got them, whether we'll care to admit it or not, quirks and and biases that might be irrational, but nevertheless affect our judgement of the games we play. This week we're looking at a few of the little things that might weigh a game in or out of our favour, even if they don't necessarily make much sense. Before we exercise extreme prejudice, we talk about Flamme Rouge , The North , and Ragusa . 02:03 - Cursed Court 02:39 - Flamme Rouge 09:28 - The North 15:43 - Ragusa 24:08 - Board G...
Nov 21, 2019•52 min
Uh oh, you're not enjoying the game you're playing. Now what? Is it okay to excuse yourself? Maybe it's better that you just call it rather than continue to have a bad time. This week we're talking about scenarios where some or all of the players of a game might decide it's better to bounce than to wallow in misery. Before we make an early exit, we talk about SEAL Team Flix , Paranormal Detectives , and I'm the Boss . 01:21 - SEAL Team Flix 10:32 - Paranormal Detectives 18:53 - Mysterium 21:37 -...
Nov 14, 2019•56 min
Where has the year gone?! It's almost time to start packing our bags for various family gatherings, and inevitably the most important question becomes ... what games are we taking? Whether it's specific games for specific people, or games that work in large inexperienced groups, we're here to make your holidays merry and bright. Before we head on home, we talk about Ethnos , Street Masters , Templari , and Carnival of Monsters . 03:02 - Ethnos 08:12 - Street Masters 11:39 - Sentinels of the Mult...
Nov 07, 2019•56 min
It took us almost a hundred episodes, but we finally reveal how to have fun with your friends even when you're losing. Specifically, we're talking about games and mechanisms that help us enjoy our losses, because let's face it, we can't all be winners. Before we celebrate our setbacks, we talk about Sierra West , Mansions of Madness: Second Edition , and Black Angel . 01:37 - Sierra West 11:17 - Mansions of Madness: Second Edition 20:17 - Black Angel 24:02 - Troyes 27:18 - Solenia 35:30 - Q.E. 3...
Oct 31, 2019•52 min
Blue Tank's back to talk take-backs, so take that to the bank. It's bound to happen, someone makes a mistake on their turn and desperately wants a do-over - but how do you handle it? It's a delicate balance of making sure everyone at the table is having a good time, and not slowing the game down. So what's fair? Before we undo, we talk about Air, Land & Sea , Menara , and Seasons of Inis . 02:57 - Air, Land & Sea 03:03 - Heroes of Land, Air & Sea 08:43 - Hanamikoji 10:59 - Menara 22:...
Oct 24, 2019•1 hr
We're joined by the Blue Tank for a quick look back at SHUX, before we dive into a discussion on games that are better than their mechanics suggest. These are games that we might describe as not very good , but somehow still give us incredible experiences that we find distinct and unique. But that makes them good, right? Before we lose all credibility, we talk about Kingdomino Duel , Panic on Wall Street! , and Blood on the Clocktower . 02:22 - SHUX 06:27 - Kingdomino Duel 11:29 - Panic on Wall ...
Oct 17, 2019•57 min
Shut Up & Sit Down's very own Quintin Smith joins us live on stage at SHUX 2019! We play a rousing game of Hundreds of Horses , discuss some games from the convention, and lay out the unspoken truths of board games - opinions about the hobby we vehemently hold, even if everyone else is too afraid to say it. Before we speak truth to power, we talk about Deep Blue , Curios , Obscurio , and Vast: The Mysterious Manor . 02:51 - Hundreds of Horses 08:05 - Deep Blue 11:44 - Curios 16:03 - Obscurio...
Oct 10, 2019•53 min
Mark Rosewater, head designer for Magic: The Gathering, defined three player archetypes back in 2002, and we figured it'd be fun to see how we can apply them to, not just board games, but your three beloved hosts. We look into what makes a Timmy, Tammy, Johnny, Jenny, or Spike tick, and try to find some board games each might like. Before we profile ourselves, we talk about FlickFleet , Québec , and Ra. 02:13 - FlickFleet06:19 - Québec09:10 - El Grande10:29 - Tapestry15:00 - Ra21:56 - Magic: the...
Oct 03, 2019•50 min
Inspired by BoardGameGeek's new system for classifying board game mechanisms, we give our thoughts on the changes, as well as talk about classification in general. Somehow it always leads to heated discussions, whether it's arguing what a Civilization game even is, or why we need classification at all. I'm sure we'll all agree in the end. Before we taxi into taxonomy, we talk about Piepmatz , Era: Medieval Age , and Cursed Court. 02:45 - Piepmatz 05:05 - Arboretum 08:42 - Irish Gauge 10:38 - Era...
Sep 26, 2019•1 hr 2 min
Hello, again, Germany! Well, we don't actually ever go to Essen, but boy do we wish we could. There are always so many games that debut at Essen SPIEL that we wish we could play or buy ... and this year is no exception! We're counting down the games we would most anticipate getting our hands on if it weren't so goshdarn far . Before we cross the Atlantic, we also talk about Irish Gauge , Heroes of Terrinoth , and Tapestry . 01:00 - Irish Gauge 08:33 - Heroes of Terrinoth 16:21 - Tapestry 37:50 -...
Sep 19, 2019•59 min
No, not that game. We're talking about the life cycles of games, how we acquire them, how we end up moving on from them. Where do we generally get our games from, and how do we typically get rid of them? Things get a little bit existential before the end. Before we, blinking, step into the sun, we also talk about Eternal: Chronicles of the Throne , 18Lilliput , and Tonari . 01:38 - Eternal: Chronicles of the Throne 10:06 - 18Lilliput 15:25 - City of the Big Shoulders 19:56 - Tonari 28:11 - The l...
Sep 12, 2019•58 min
Look, there's only so much time in the day, so we don't get to play every game we ought to. But some of those missed games hurt more than others, in fact, some of them are downright shameful. This week we're counting down the top five games we're ashamed that we haven't played. Before we atone, we also talk about Kobayakawa , Taj Mahal , and Twilight Imperium (Fourth Edition) . 02:07 - Nine Tiles Panic 03:36 - Kobayakawa 07:38 - Taj Mahal 17:47 - Twilight Imperium (Fourth Edition) 33:53 - Games ...
Sep 05, 2019•59 min
Kellen's back, which some might say is too many hosts - apt, because we're an episode of extremes today. We're talking about games that are too simple, too complicated, too short, or too long, that might otherwise have been among our favourites. Before we venture outside the Goldilocks zone, we talk about Q.E. , Cartographers , and City of the Big Shoulders . 02:58 - Q.E. 11:52 - Cartographers 19:36 - City of the Big Shoulders 37:25 - Games that are too long 38:36 - Citadels 38:51 - Alien Fronti...
Aug 29, 2019•1 hr 8 min
Kellen graces us with his absence, which means it's time for Mark and Neilan to start talking numbers. Specifically, player numbers. We're talking about optimal player counts for games, whether games ever mean what they recommend on the box, and how well they scale. Before we count to ten, we talk about Vindication , Royal Palace , Throw Throw Burrito , and Pipeline . 05:40 – Vindication 12:05 – Royal Palace 17:28 – Throw Throw Burrito 21:37 – Pipeline 29:48 – Optimal Player Counts 31:51 – Etern...
Aug 22, 2019•49 min
We're running components through our fingers this week, because we're ranking our favourite games that require dexterity. Whether it's flicking, stacking, or balancing, dexterity games tend to offer a respite from brain burning crunchiness, and a chance to exercise actual muscles. Before our hands tremble, we talk about The Wizard Always Wins , Genoa , and Paku Paku . 01:29 - The Wizard Always Wins 06:36 - Genoa 13:55 - Paku Paku 17:53 - Listener Mail 21:59 - Our Favourite Dexterity Games 22:53 ...
Aug 15, 2019•1 hr 6 min
We just flew in from Indianapolis, and boy are our arms tired! From carrying all these games. But, more than the games, it's the people you meet that make the memories, so we're recovering from a very long weekend at Gen Con by telling some of our favourite little stories from the floor. Before we revisit our weekend, we talk about Tuki , God of War: The Card Game , and Wits & Wagers Vegas . 01:03 - Tuki 05:41 - God of War: The Card Game 16:34 - Wits & Wagers Vegas 24:08 - Letter Jam 25:...
Aug 08, 2019•46 min
