Board Game Hot Takes

In Episode 272 we discuss the top 5 board game designers that are represented on our game shelves.01:02 Corrections (Creature Comforts and Distilled: Cask Strength)06:32 Poll: How does it make you feel when a reviewer messes up a rule?12:25 Top 5 Board Game Designers on our Shelves16:54 Cole Wehrle (Pax Pamir 2nd Edition, Arcs, John Company 2nd Edition)19:26 Elizabeth Hargrave (Wingspan, The Fox Experiment)20:58 Adam Kwapinski (Lords of Hellas, Lords of Ragnarok, Nemesis)22:44 Bruno Cathala (Sea Salt & Paper, Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle Earth, Cyclades: Legendary Edition)23:53 Prospero Hall (Pan Am, Top Gun: The Board Game, Horrified)25:44 Eric Lang (Blood Rage, Cthulhu: Death May Die, Rising Sun)29:12 Tim Eisner (March of the Ants, Wonderland's War)32:23 Paul Dennen (Clank! In! Space!, Clank! Legacy, Dune: Imperium - Uprising)35:19 Vladimir Suchy (Underwater Cities, Pulsar 2849, Woodcraft)38:11 John Perry (Hot Streak, Air Land & Sea, Spots)40:57 Simone Luciani (Annunaki: Dawn of the Gods, Barrage, Tzolk'in: The Mayan Calendar, Rats of Wistar)43:24 Jamey Stegmaier (Tapestry, Viticulture, Scythe, Vantage, Origin Story)44:47 Stefan Feld (Castles of Burgundy, Marrakesh, Notre Dame, Civolution)48:23 Reiner Knizia (Modern Art: The Card Game, Royal Visit, High Society, The Quest for El Dorado, Rebirth)51:42 Jamey Stegmaier (Tapestry, Viticulture, Expeditions, Red Rising)53:35 Rob Daviou (Cthulhu: Death May Die, Pandemic Legacy, Return to Dark Tower, Thunder Road: Vendetta)56:34 Simone Luciani (Darwin's Journey, Lorenzo il Magnifico, Nucleum, Tzok'in: The Mayan Calendar, Etherstone)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 271 we give our hot take review on Cosmic Frog covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.We also talk about some games that have been on our tables including Creature Comforts, That Time You Killed Me, and March of the Ants.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:29 Cosmic Frog Description02:41 Gameplay and Mechanisms26:24 Production and Theme30:55 Final Thoughts36:06 Creature Comforts49:05 That Time You Killed Me54:41 March of the Ants1:06:22 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 270 we take a look at three retro board games that got us into the hobby with mini reviews of each - D&D Computer Labyrinth Game, Solarquest, and Guillotine.We also discuss a poll topic on how important it is that board games are 'fun' and whether fun is a useful term when discussing or reviewing board games.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:44 Poll Time: Is 'Fun' important to you when playing board games AND is fun a useful term to use when discussing board games.11:58 Retro Board Games15:42 Dungeons & Dragons Computer Labyrinth Game30:50 Solarquest47:19 GuillotineIf 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 269 we discuss all of the games (and many expansions) played during the second half of our semi-annual in-person games gathering, this time in Government Camp, Oregon.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction01:24 Obsession: Characters Expansion10:51 Terraforming Mars: Prelude14:26 Pan Am18:30 Barrage21:23 Distilled: Cask Strength AND Africa and Middle East Expansion28:36 Dune: Imperium - Uprising32:42 Isle of Skye: From Chieftain to King36:55 Blood Rage: Gods of Asgard43:50 Rant! - Blood Rage: Valhalla52:53 CampCon Final Thoughts56:29 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 268 we give our hot take review on The Game Makers covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.We discuss a listener question on best 2 player mid-weight Euro style games, and then we talk about some games that have been on our tables including Age of Comics, Pagan: Fate of Roanoke, and Arborea.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction01:43 Patreon Question: Best mid-weight Euro game at 2 players?10:38 The Game Makers Description12:49 Gameplay and Mechanisms28:05 Production and Theme26:25 Final Thoughts45:00 Age of Comics: The Golden Years53:14 Arborea54:48 Pagan: Fate of Roanoke1:02:33 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 267 we discuss all of the games played during the first half of our semi-annual in-person games gathering, this time in Government Camp, Oregon.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction06:02 The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle Earth10:44 Hot Streak16:21 Tycoon: India 198125:42 Cascadia27:34 Scoville 2nd Edition33:36 Darwin's Journey40:02 Wroth44:06 Wonderland's War48:20 Vantage1:03:37 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 266 we discuss mechanisms and board games that were inspired by the theme they represent.Dave Beck (designer of Distilled and Luthier) also joins us for the discussion and gives us a sneak peak at the upcoming Distilled expansion, Distilled: Cocktails.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction01:06 Distilled: Cocktails15:14 Theme Driven Mechanisms17:25 Obsession19:39 Woodcraft21:35 Captain Sonar28:25 Hegemony: Lead Your Class To Victory36:14 Wingspan, The Fox Experiment37:33 Viticulture, Scoville40:23 Western Legends45:08 Baseball Highlights 2045, Barrage49:35 Nemesis, Batman: Gotham City Chronicles51:33 Android: Netrunner54:43 Flamme Rouge, Heat: Pedal to the MetalIf 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 265 we review and discuss the Wyrmspan: Dragon Academy expansion. We also discuss what we look for in expansions and what usually makes great expansions for us.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:50 Wyrmspan: Dragon Academy20:13 Hot Topic: What We Look for in Board Game ExpansionsIf 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 264 we give our hot take review on Stupor Mundi covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.We discuss a poll on 'Take That' in board games, Chris gives us his 5 year anniversary cocktail segment, and then we talk about some games that have been on our tables including District Noir, and The Lord of Rings: Fate of the Fellowship.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:21 Poll Time: How do you feel about 'Take That' in multiplayer board games?09:15:Board Game Giveaway Winner Announced10:30 Stupor Mundi Description11:01 Gameplay and Mechanisms36:02 Production and Theme45:36 Final Thoughts50:08 5 Year Anniversary Cocktail54:48 Azul and District Noir1:01:27 The Lord of the Rings: Fate of the FellowshipIf 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 263 we celebrate 5 years of the Board Game Hot Takes Podcast!Friend of the Show, Leanne, hosts an exciting board game and podcast quiz show for our hosts.Then we all (as well as several listeners) look back at some of the best episodes and moments from the last 263 episodes.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction02:55 5th Anniversary Quiz03:21 Round 1: Spiel de Jahres winners in the style of Poetry for Neanderthals11:44: Listener Choice - Episode 197 - Top 5 Games We Suck At12:18 Round 2: Podcast History Trivia23:20 Listener Choice - Episode 109 - Clans of Caledonia23:56 Round 3: Formative Games29:40 Listener Choice - Episode 90 - Great Western Trail and Episode 99 - Top Board Games of All Time 2022 Edition (1-10)30:55 Round 4: Favorite Games Based on Bad Reviews on BGG38:50 Listener Choice - BGHT Con Episodes39:41 Round 5: Review Episodes in Style of Just One48:35 Round 6: Favorite Games Since 202057:55 Top 3 Episodes that Best Represent the BGHT Podcast58:22 Leanne #3 - Episode 216 - 5 Formative Games - The Games that Made Us Fall In Love With the Board Game Hobby58:52 Chris #3 - Episode 46 - Kemet: Blood and Sand1:03:18 Adam #3 - Episode 92 - Unanimous Takes1:04:55 Tim #3 - Episode 214 - Board Game Topicpalooza 1:06:13 Leanne #2 - Episode 259 - Confessions of a Casual Board Gamer1:08:12 Chris #2 - Episode 175 - Top 5 Games We Want To Play In 20241:12:05 Listener Choice - BGHT Con Episodes1:12:41 Adam #2 - Episode 145 - SedonaCon Coverage Part 21:14:42 Tim #2 - Episode 199 - Hot Topic - You're Just Not My Type1:16:41 Leanne #1 - Episode 100 Listener Top 20 Board Games1:22:26 Chris #1 - Episodes 194 and 195 - BigBear Con Coverage1:25:53 Adam #1 - Episode 190 - Top 5 Desert Island Games (Runners Up - Episode 108 - Top 10 Board Games that Should be Made Into Movies and Episode 185 - Wrong Hot Takes)1:29:21 Chris Honorable Mentions - Episode 53 - Aquatica and 1 Year Anniversary and Episode 71 - Tzolk'in: The Mayan Calendar and Episodes 165, 167, 169, 171 - Board Games as Stories1:31:17 Tim #1 - Episode 158: Hegemony: Lead Your Class to VictoryIf 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