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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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•Transcript available on Metacast 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 25:09 - Cat...
Aug 08, 2019•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast Our trilogy of Gen Con podcasts concludes with one final foray between the sheets! Join us on the floor of room [redacted] for the last time, with our thoughts from day three. We talk about Sanctum , Potemkin Empire , MegaCity: Oceania , and Aegean Sea .
Aug 04, 2019•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast Day two is over, but we're just getting started, because it's all about those Gen Con nights . We're up way too late, yet again, to give you the scoops from the floor. We talk about Finger Guns at High Noon , In Front of the Elevators , Realm of Sand , City of the Big Shoulders , and Medium .
Aug 03, 2019•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast Gen Con! It's time yet again for freezer pants, gourmet coffee and going between the sheets . Join us for our quick day one impressions from the floor, and I mean that quite literally. We talk about Gravity Superstar , Wakanda Forever , Mechanica , Mister Face , Nine Tiles Panic , Visitor in Blackwood Grove , and Letter Jam .
Aug 02, 2019•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Gimmicks are elements of a game that are the fundamental selling point, the core attention grabbing mechanic or experience that the game is built around. This episode, we're breaking down gimmicks in board games, figuring out if they're good or bad for the hobby, and talking about some of the most notable. Before we cave to flashy marketing, we also talk about Are You A Robot? , Jaws , and FUSE . 01:17 - Bärenpark 03:12 - Keyforge: Age of Ascension 05:25 - Are You A Robot? 09:46 - Wingspan 10:37...
Jul 25, 2019•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week we're talking about hidden trackable information. That is, information about the game state that could be remembered or recorded, but the game design (usually) assumes that players haven't. Is it okay to memorize or divulge this information? Before we take notes, we also talk about Papà Paolo , Oceanos , and Pax Pamir (Second Edition) . 02:10 - Papà Paolo 07:25 - Oceanos 13:32 - Pax Pamir (Second Edition) 26:06 - Bonus episode! 26:30 - Hidden Trackable Information 42:13 - The Resistanc...
Jul 18, 2019•1 hr•Transcript available on Metacast Gen Con 2019 is mere weeks away, and I bet you don't even know what games are going to be there. Fear not, we've got you covered! We're counting down our most anticipated games of the show, having meticulously studied BGG's preview list, and looked at all the pretty pictures. Before we plan our trip, we talk about Cryptid , Two Rooms and a Boom , and Planet . 03:25 - Cryptid 09:05 - Tobago 10:04 - Psychiatrist 11:59 - Two Rooms and a Boom 16:50 - Planet 24:35 - Gen Con 2019 Preview 26:46 - Water...
Jul 11, 2019•50 min•Transcript available on Metacast So, you're coming in last. You could sigh, lean back, mutter to yourself about all the things you should've done better ... or you could get back in there, soldier! Back on your feet! This week on the show, we discuss what's worth fighting for in a board game, when you're clearly not going to win. Before we lose with dignity, we talk about Murder on the Cosmic Express , TAMSK , and Diplomacy . 02:52 - Patreon! 10:33 - Murder on the Cosmic Express 18:22 - TAMSK 23:09 - Diplomacy 40:04 - What to d...
Jul 04, 2019•57 min•Transcript available on Metacast Special guest Paula Deming joins us this week to tell board game stories! We think back to especially funny times we had playing a board game, that were only made possible by the game itself. Before we spin yarns, we talk about Evolution: Climate , Terrible Monster , Sweet Nose , and Dice Throne: Season One . 00:15 - Paula Deming, the Orchid Tank! 07:35 - Claustrophobia 1643 09:10 - Evolution: Climate 13:38 - Terrible Monster 17:21 - Sweet Nose 22:21 - Dice Throne: Season One 29:10 - Paula's Sto...
Jun 27, 2019•59 min•Transcript available on Metacast You don't need no education, but you're getting one anyway. This week we're going to be explaining the meaning of some common but unclear board game words, for we are nothing if not your humble servants. Before we define our terms, we talk about The Shipwreck Arcana , Kingdom Death: Monster , and Vinhos Deluxe Edition . 01:29 - The Shipwreck Arcana 09:05 - Kingdom Death: Monster 19:28 - Vinhos Deluxe Edition 28:13 - Board Game Terminology 28:44 - "Crunchy" 34:40 - "Fiddly" 36:38 - Agricola 37:24...
Jun 20, 2019•59 min•Transcript available on Metacast Time is a precious resource, so let's not waste any; we're talking about game length. How long should a game be? Is it worse if a game is too long or too short? We wrestle with the fourth dimension in our search for answers. Before we watch the clock, we talk about Dice Forge , Gulo Gulo , and Millennium Blades . 01:28 - Dice Forge 06:53 - Gulo Gulo 10:53 - Millennium Blades 19:41 - Game Length 23:42 - Dominant Species 25:53 - New Angeles 27:05 - Formula D 27:37 - Robo Rally 28:35 - King of Toky...
Jun 13, 2019•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast There's nothing sweeter than the softening of a heart, that precious feeling when all of the things you thought you'd dislike, suddenly become endearing. We're counting down our favourite games that we thought we were going to hate, but ended up loving. Before we go full tsundere, we talk about Indian Summer , Richard the Lionheart , and X nimmt! 01:55 - Indian Summer 09:26 - Richard the Lionheart 15:53 - X nimmt! 23:37 - Games we thought we'd hate 24:55 - Shadow Hunters 27:12 - Walnut Grove 28:...
Jun 06, 2019•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast Somewhere in Germany every year, a specialist team assembles to decide on the best board games ... that released in Germany that year ... that no one has ever heard of. Look, the Spiel des Jahres is a bit weird, and no one ever agrees about the winners, but we're going to talk about the nominees anyway, okay? Before ze Germans get here, we also talk about Glorantha: The Gods War , and Corinth . We also recap our weekend at Strategicon Gamex 2019 . 02:05 - Glorantha: The Gods War 11:28 - Cthulhu ...
May 30, 2019•54 min•Transcript available on Metacast Everyone likes to get the most out of their hard-earned cash, but what is a board game worth? Maybe it doesn't matter what's inside the box, maybe the real value is the friends we made along the way? Haha, just kidding, it's totally all about the miniature total. Before we count components, we also talk about Aerion , Overbooked , Dinosaur Island , and Lancaster . 03:15 - Aerion 05:40 - Overbooked 11:36 - Dinosaur Island 25:08 - Lancaster 34:37 - Value for money 36:50 - A Feast for Odin 38:16 - ...
May 23, 2019•56 min•Transcript available on Metacast Letters! You love writing them, and we love reading them! This week, we look at portable and licensed games, why reviewers love social games, and give advice for your first board game convention. Before we break out the letter opener, we also talk about Fool! , Aerion , and Fireball Island: The Curse of Vul-Kar . 01:03 - Fool! 05:38 - Aerion 13:06 - Fireball Island: The Curse of Vul-Kar 22:24 - Listener Questions 22:48 - Best portable games? 23:29 - Oink Games 23:54 - Sprawlopolis 24:07 - SHH 25...
May 16, 2019•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast We're well into May, so it's about time we did some spring cleaning. We talk about the games that have recently left our collection, and why it was their time to go. It's not always an easy thing, but I'm sure they're being loved by someone else on a farm upstate. Before we out with the old, we talk about Space Base: The Emergence of Shy Pluto , Hyperborea , and Clockwork Wars . 02:28 - Space Base: The Emergence of Shy Pluto 09:03 - Hyperborea 20:06 - Clockwork Wars 30:51 - Games that have left ...
May 09, 2019•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast Dominant strategies can ruin a game; if there's one clear best way to win, why not use it every time? We discuss these optimal strategies, whether they're always problematic, and how to deal with them at your game table. Before we break the game, we talk about A Feast for Odin: The Norwegians , Lost Cities: Rivals , and Second Chance . 03:16 - PUSH 04:53 - A Feast for Odin: The Norwegians 12:30 - Lost Cities: Rivals 18:12 - Second Chance 26:31 - Dominant Strategies 27:17 - A Feast for Odin 27:57...
May 02, 2019•54 min•Transcript available on Metacast Slow down. Why're you always in such a rush? Kick off your shoes, join us on the couch and enjoy a nice, tall, refreshing ... board game. We're counting down our five favourite relaxing games, the ones we're drawn to at the end of a long game night. Before we slip into something more comfortable, we also talk about Heaven & Ale , Men At Work , and Yellow & Yangtze . 01:59 - Heaven & Ale 08:30 - Men At Work 14:08 - Yellow & Yangtze 18:18 - Tigris & Euphrates 24:50 - Our Favourite Relaxing Games 2...
Apr 25, 2019•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast We're being serious. Are board games a base line level of fun that we ought to take for granted? We're all together, we're all playing a game, that's better than doing nothing, right? It couldn't possibly be that simple with us. Before we arithmetise entertainment, we also talk about Tiny Towns , Zendo , and Escape Plan . 01:41 - Tiny Towns 07:23 - Zendo 13:24 - Escape Plan 29:52 - Are games fun no matter what? 38:05 - Horse Fever 38:39 - Dominant Species 39:35 - Loopin' Louie 44:46 - One Night ...
Apr 18, 2019•54 min•Transcript available on Metacast The train's pulling into the station and you've got a ticket, because this week we're talking all about hype. Why do we get irrationally excited about games we know nothing about? How much should we listen to our overly excited inner selves? Before it's all aboard, we also talk about Reykholt , PUSH , and Great Western Trail . 01:51 - Reykholt 10:13 - PUSH 14:54 - Great Western Trail 30:50 - Hype and anti-hype 32:41 - Res Arcana 33:45 - The 7th Continent 35:32 - El Grande 38:29 - Gloomhaven 38:5...
Apr 11, 2019•51 min•Transcript available on Metacast It's all well and good playing the newest, hottest games, but that doesn't stop us wanting to go back to some of the old goodies. We're counting down our top five games we want to revisit, to enjoy once more as we did in our youth. Relatively speaking. Before we get all wistful, we also talk about Eye My Favourite Things , On Tour , and Dune . 01:12 - Eye My Favourite Things 06:18 - On Tour 12:28 - Dune 18:40 - Cosmic Encounter 24:44 - Rex: Final Days of an Empire 26:10 - Root 31:55 - Games We W...
Apr 04, 2019•1 hr•Transcript available on Metacast Electronic board games! What will they think of next?! There's been a trend of more and more board games being translated into web and mobile apps, so join us as we make the jump to cyberspace . Before we plug in, we also talk about Heul doch! Mau Mau , Architects of the West Kingdom , and revisit Nusfjord . 01:19 - Heul doch! Mau Mau 05:19 - Architects of the West Kingdom 10:55 - A Feast for Odin 13:44 - Nusfjord 26:26 - Digital Board Games 27:20 - Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization ...
Mar 28, 2019•51 min•Transcript available on Metacast We're at the table talking table talk, all the little things that get said while you're playing a board game. Sure, there's plenty to be said in a social deduction or negotiation game, but what about less talky games? What's appropriate and what isn't? Before we say something we regret, we also talk about Everdell , Concordia Venus , and Project: ELITE. 03:58 - Everdell 08:34 - Wingspan 12:07 - Concordia Venus 21:27 - Project: ELITE 25:56 - Escape: The Curse of the Temple 31:13 - Table Talk 37:0...
Mar 21, 2019•50 min•Transcript available on Metacast Some games offer an experience so unique, so unlike anything else, that you can't help but take notice. It might be a bold thematic setting, or a set of mechanics that you've never seen before. This week, we're counting down our favourite games that do something ... a little bit different. Before we stand out from the crowd, we also talk about Looting London , and Chimera . 01:05 - Looting London 04:17 - Chimera 09:45 - Unique Thematic Experiences 12:12 - Food Chain Magnate 16:11 - Space Cadets:...
Mar 14, 2019•57 min•Transcript available on Metacast Time to 'fess up. We're admitting to all the transgressions we've made in the world of board gaming. We're not proud of it, but there are a lot of games we haven't played that we should have. There are Kickstarters we've overspent on, and some we regret backing. And what would a good confessional be without owning up to our guilty pleasures? Before we ask forgiveness, we also talk about Excape , Race for the Galaxy , and Biblios Dice . 01:30 - Excape 07:57 - Race for the Galaxy 13:49 - Biblios D...
Mar 07, 2019•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast Gateway games are an often requested topic, but we wouldn't be us without a big old debate about them first. Are they important? Should you be trying to convert your friends at all? Isn't every game a gateway game if you just talk slowly enough? Before we raise the portcullis, we also talk about Targi , and Catan . 01:25 - Targi 07:19 - Catan 09:35 - Gateway games 17:11 - Forbidden Island 18:38 - Codenames 19:01 - Sushi Go! 22:23 - A Fake Artist Goes to New York 24:56 - Bärenpark 27:47 - Biblios...
Feb 28, 2019•56 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
