Board Game Hot Takes

In Episode 284 we give our hot take review on Echoes of Time covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.We cover a poll on motivations to engage with the board game hobby and then discuss some games that have been on our tables including Sanctuary and Fearsome Floors and a first look at some games that have recently arrived including Chaosmos: The Temple and Speakeasy.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:21 Poll: What is your primary motivation for being a part of the board gaming hobby?09:18 Echoes of Time Description10:57 Gameplay and Mechanisms27:08 Production and Theme37:26 Final Thoughts47:00 Sanctuary56:06 Recent Arrivals: Chaosmos: The Temple and Speakeasy59:51 Fearsome FloorsIf you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠⁠

In Episode 284 we take a look back at 2025 and discuss some of the great (and no so great) games we played last year. Most of them were even published last year.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction2:27 Biggest Surprises in 2025 (Dead Cells, Hot Streak, Slay the Spire: The Board Game)16:45 Biggest Disappointments in 2025 (Wroth, Scoville 2nd Edition, SETI: Search for Extra-terrestrial Intelligence)25:04 Best New to Us in 2025 (Lords of Vegas, Thurn and Taxis, Crokinole, Nokosu Dice)30:23 Best Production Published in 2025 (Hot Streak, March of the Ants Evolved Edition, Stupor Mundi)36:51 Lookback at Best Games of 2024 (Unconscious Mind, Fromage, Civolution)40:35 Best Games of 2025 (March of the Ants Evolved Edition, Luthier, Moon Colony Bloodbath)48:40 Board Game ResolutionsIf you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd

In Episode 282 we discuss the current state of the hobby and if it's the best it's ever been. Are we in peak board gaming? Where do we go from here? If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠

In Episode 281 we look back at the games we played once for the first time in 2025. Great games and we want to play them more. We briefly look at last year's list and see how we did.00:00 Introduction04:24 Last Year's List04:34 Luthier05:04 Marrakesh05:21 Dune06:12 Unconscious Mind07:25 Thunder Road: Vendetta08:27 Lancaster09:44 Dune: Imperium Uprising (6 Player)09:53 Biohack10:01 Ceres10:39 March of the Ants11:36 Clockwork Wars12:38 Hallertau12:55 Walnut Grove15:01 Black Forest15:42 Endeavor: Deep Sea16: 32 Top 5 Games We Only Played Once in 202516:44 Moon Colony Bloodbath20:14 Modern Art23:45 Crokinole27:56 Chaosmos30:51 Frozen Frontier32:30 Rebirth34:34 Manhattan Project: Energy Empire36:27 Stroganov39:35 SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence41:17 Crystal Palace43:57 Ada's DreamIf you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd

In Episode 280 we look back at last year's list of games we wanted to get played and then we discuss the games that are top of mind we hope to get to try over the next year.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction02:12 Last Year's Top 5 we wanted to play in 2025 (and how we did)02:21 Civolution 05:40 Joyrides: Survival of the Fastest06:08 Wroth06:32 SETI: Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence09:58 Dune: War for Arrakis10:48 Windmill Valley12:21 Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle Earth13:46 Endeavor: Deep Sea15:18 Resafa16:05 Andromeda's Edge / Rock Hard: 197717:26 World Order18:47 Wondrous Creatures19:44 Rats of Wistar21:35 Power Vaccuum22:40 Top 5 Games we want to play in 202622:40 Coming of Age25:04 Primacy: A Coyote and Crow Card Game29:31 Eternal Decks34:12 Echoes of Time38:55 Lords of Baseball41:33 Everdell: Silverfrost43:54 Burn the Fort48:57 Rise and Fall52:08 Ants54:15 Rebuilding Seattle1:00:33 Unicorn Fever1:03:20 Sanctuary1:09:03 Speakeasy1:12:42 Ayar: Children of the SunIf you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd

In Episode 279 we give our hot take review on Ada's Dream covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.We cover a poll on Multi-player Solitaire board games and then discuss some games that have been on our tables including Lords of Vegas, Ticket to Ride, and Nokosu Dice.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:25 Poll: How do you feel about 'Multi-player Solitaire' Games?15:19 Ada's Dream Description18:06 Gameplay and Mechanisms38:58 Production and Theme48:51 Final Thoughts1:00:42 Lords of Vegas1:06:13 Ticket to Ride1:08:11 Nokosu DiceIf you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠⁠

In Episode 278 we discuss the top 5 games that each of us thinks will be a big hit for families of all types (family gatherings, gaming with kids, etc.)Timestamps:00:00 Introduction02:12 Top 5 Family Board Games07:50 Flip 710:55 Skull14:39 Cheeky Monkey /Can't Stop / Viking See-Saw20:39 Sushi Go23:13 No Thanks27:28 Camel Up / Hot Streak31:22 King of Tokyo34:44 Balderdash38:31 Ticket to Ride42:45 Unlock / Exit (Escape Room in a Box Games)49:31 Dino Battle: Logical Game52:38 Robot Quest Arena / My Little Scythe57:31 Quacks1:00:51 Survive the Island1:06:02 Return to Dark Tower / Slay the Spire1:10:55 Honorable Mentions: Crokinole, Tripole, Love Letter, Kingdomino, Bot Factory1:14:40 Listener ShoutoutIf you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd

In Episode 277 we discuss why and how we rate board games on BGG and run through each of the rating levels, how they're described on BGG, and provide samples of our ratings at each level. We also discuss a poll about rating board games on BGG.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction01:29 Poll Time: Do you rate games on BoardGameGeek?7:42 BGG Ratings Topic Introduction9:40 1 - Awful Defies Game Description15:34 2 - Very Bad, Won't Play Ever Again19:30 3 - Bad, Likely Won't Play This Again23:24 4 - Not So Good, But Could Play Again27:51 5 - Mediocre, Take It Or Leave It32:34 6 - OK, Will Play If In The Mood38:05 7 - Good, Usually Willing To Play42:47 8 - Very Good, Enjoy Playing And Would Suggest It47:59 9 - Excellent, Very Much Enjoy Playing53:27 10 - Outstanding, Will Always Enjoy Playing57:32 Final ThoughtsIf you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd

In Episode 276 we give our hot take review on Joy Ride: Survival of the Fastest covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.We cover a poll on board game convention attendance and then discuss some games that have been on our tables including Stroganov and Origin Story and a future take on Otter Chaos.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction03:28 Poll: How many board game conventions did you attend in the last twelve months?11:10 Joyride: Survival of the Fastest Description13:43 Gameplay and Mechanisms26:08 Production and Theme34:46 Final Thoughts44:45 Stroganov51:09 Origin Story1:09:24 Future Take: Why I Otter, An Otter Won, Otter ChaosIf you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠⁠

In Episode 275 we return to the mailbag and answer a bunch of our listener's board game related questions.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction1:31 What are some of your go-to games for groups that have varying levels of gamers?9:55 What are the parts of this hobby that annoy you the most?13:16 What do you think are the biggest omissions from BGHT feature reviews?17:36 What is your most played board game (in person)?21:27 How do you decide between the urge to play something you know you like versus the obligation to play something new?27:07 Are there groups of family or friends you don't bring out games for or to?30:40 What are your forever games?36:09 Which games make you feel clever?46:12 Can you detail your current game groups?55:53 Do you have any house rules you use?58:55 Words of advice for a weekend gaming event inspired by BGHT cons?If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/boardgamehottakesJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd