Board Game Hot Takes

In Episode 250 we discuss the top 5 board game publishers that are represented on our game shelves.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction02:52 Top 5 Publishers On Our Game Shelves06:44 Dire Wolf (Clank! Legacy, Clank! In Space, Dune: Imperium - Uprising)08:54 Wehrlegig Games (Pax Pamir 2nd Edition, John Company 2nd Edition)10:47 CMON Games (Blood Rage, Cthulhu: Death May Die, Rising Sun)12:57 AEG (Cascadia, Calico, Let's Go To Japan)17:17 Eagle-Gryphon Games and (Baseball Highlight 2045, Xenon Profiteer, On Mars, Clockwork Wars) - Buffalo Games (Planted, Oh No! Volcano)18:51 Garphill Games (Architects of the West Kingdom, Paladins of the West Kingdom, Legacy of Yu)22:30 Wise Wizards Games (Star Realms, Star Realm: Rise of Empire, Hero Realms, Robot Quest Arena)25:13 Cosmodrome Games (Smartphone, Inc., Frozen Frontier, Aquatica)25:52 GMT Games (Dominant Species, SpaceCorp: 2025-2300AD, A Gest of Robin Hood) 30:35 REPOS Production (7 Wonders, 7 Wonders Duel, Just One, Fun Facts, Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-Earth)32:07 Awaken Realms (Nemesis, This War of Mine, Lords of Ragnarok, Tainted Grail, Great Wall, Castles of Burgundy: Special Edition)37:04 Roxley Games (Brass: Birmingham, Radlands, Dice Throne, Skyrise)38:51 Stonemaier Games (Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest, Scythe, Viticulture, Tapestry, Apiary, Red Rising, Wingspan, My Little Scythe, Pendulum, Expeditions)44:12 Fantasy Flight Games (Battle for Rokugan, Star Wars Rebellion, Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game, Android Netrunner, Arkham Horror: CCG)48:26 CGE (T'zolkin: The Mayan Calendar, Lost Ruins of Arnak, Codenames, Pulsar 2849, Under Falling Skies)50:28 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 249 we give our hot take review on Finspan covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.We discuss a poll on favorite publishers and then talk about some games that have been on our tables including Sol: Last Days of a Star, Galactic Cruise, and Pirates of Maracaibo.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:20 Poll Time: Do you have favorite publishers?09:53 Finspan Description12:15 Gameplay and Mechanisms30:29 Production and Theme38:34 Final Thoughts42:59 Sol: Last Days of a Star47:09 Galactic Cruise54:39 Pirates of MaracaiboIf 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 248 we discuss all of the games played during the second half of our semi-annual in-person games gathering, this time in Phoenix, AZ.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction01:10 Gaia Project (with The Lost Fleet)14:50 Anunnaki: Dawn of the Gods28:36 Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy33:24 Stockpile40:07 Darwin's Journey (with Fireland Expansion)49:50 Dune: Imperium Uprising (with Bloodlines and Immortality)57:39 Dungeon Fighter1:01:34 Biohack1:09:34 Wandering Towers1:13:53 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 247 we discuss all of the games played during the first half of our semi-annual in-person games gathering, this time in Phoenix, AZ.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction04:59 Finspan08:41 Clank! Catacombs (with Lairs and Lost Chambers)13:42 Rebirth19:10 Rebel Princess26:26 Power Vacuum32:30 Flip 739:01 Sky Team43:55 Final Frontier51:16 Thunder Road: Vendetta1:02:10 Cyclades: Legendary Edition1:13:05 CrokinoleIf 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 246 we look like the games that we feel obligated to play but aren't really excited about. The mandatory assignments that we've missed.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:34 The unfortunate required coursework of the board game designer04:33 Twilight Imperium 4th Edition06:11 Tigris and Euphrates10:40 The Crew: Deep Sea, The Crew, The Fellowship of the Ring: The Trick Taking Game13:19 Food Chain Magnate15:58 Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game20:47 Caverna: The Cave Farmers22:41 Puerto Rico25:25 Concordia, Lisboa29:55 Android: Netrunner, Magic: The Gathering36:11 Blood on the Clocktower37:58 Terra Mystica40:52 Civilization43:18 Commands and Colors: Ancients46:00 Gloomhaven, Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion, Frosthaven52:44 Diplomacy54:59 Final Thoughts and Honorable Mentions: Cosmic Encounter, The Great Zimbabwe, Mage Knight, Slay the Spire: The Board GameIf 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 245 we give our hot take review on Pirates of Maracaibo covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.We discuss a poll on Legacy Games and then talk about some games that have been on our tables including Davy Jones' Locker: The Kraken Wakes, Great Western Trail: El Paso, and Crystal Palace.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:30 Poll Time: How do you feel about legacy games?14:00 Golden Geek Nomination!16:01 Pirates of Maracaibo Description20:00 Gameplay and Mechanisms37:04 Production and Theme42:40 Final Thoughts49:31 Davy Jones' Locker: The Kraken Wakes1:00:09 Great Western Trail: El Paso1:05:22 Crystal PalaceIf 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 244 we discuss the huge number of changes that have been happening to the Board Game Geek Top 100 and what this means for the hobby. Timestamps:00:00 Introduction02:23 BGG Top 100 Changes11:02 Games that have recently moved onto the list31:56 Games that have recently left the list39:57 What these changes mean for the hobbyIf 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 243 we give our hot take review on the latest expansion for Dune: Imperium, Bloodlines, covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game and discuss what we think is the best way to play Dune: Imperium now between all of the expansions, modules, and multiple standalone games available.We also talk about some games that have been on our tables including Brian Boru and Clank! Catacombs - Lairs and Lost Chambers. We also discuss a poll on average weekly board game time.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:31 Poll Time: On average how many hours of actual tabletop gameplay do you have per week?05:14 BGG Golden Geek Awards06:34 Dune: Imperium - Bloodlines08:35 Gameplay and Mechanisms27:49 Production and Theme31:36 Final Thoughts35:17 The Best way to play Dune: Imperium now.44:54 Brian Boru50:55 Clank! Catacombs - Lairs and Lost ChambersIf 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 242 Steph Hodge joins us to discuss our top 5 quirky mechanisms in board games.You can find Steph's blog here: https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/3802/all-the-meeples-of-the-rainbow and her videos here: https://www.youtube.com/@boardgamerstephTimestamps:00:00 Introduction05:12 Top 5 Quirky Mechanisms08:11 Marrakesh11:24 Time of Empires14:00 Euphoria: Build a Better Dystopia17:34 Truffle Snuffle19:25 Keyper22:00 Viscounts of the West Kingdom24:50 Trotofant27:45 Redwood30:31 Black Orchestra34:10 Argo37:13 Once Upon a Line39:23 Greedy Kingdoms42:58 The Faceless45:35 Piazza Rabazza48:24 Dungeon Petz52:49 Honorable Mentions: Picture Perfect, Dungeon Fighter, Canvas, Captain Sonar, Turing Machine, Treasure Island, Bullet Heart, Mord Im ArosaIf 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 241 we each talk about 3 board games that we've played recently including Windmill Valley, Zoo Vadis, The Fellowship of the Ring: Trick-taking Game, Captain Sonar and many more. Timestamps:00:00 Introduction01:54 No Thanks09:52 Zoo Vadis22:12 Black Orchestra32:37 Captain Sonar41:35 Torchlit49:51 Windmill Valley58:44 Power Vacuum1:07:11 Anunnaki: Dawn of the Gods1:21:10 The Fellowship of the Rings: Trick-Taking Game1:27:25 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