Board Game Hot Takes

In episode 189, we take a deep dive into Board Game Arena and discuss games that we think are best on that online platform and games that are way better on a physical table. We also discuss a listener poll about how frequently you take turns on online board game platforms and give a huge shoutout to our BGA Community. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 04:00 Poll: How frequently do you take turns on async games on BGA (or other online platforms)? 09:48 Board Game Arena (Top 3 we prefer on BGA and Top 3 We prefer in person) 13:26 Ark Nova 19:00 Keyflower 22:48 7 Wonders 25:42 Heat: Pedal to the Metal 32:05 Tapestry 39:03 Terraforming Mars, Agricola 43:50 Blood Rage 46:02 Tichu, Haggis, 6 Nimmt, Libertalia 49:16 La Granja 52:19 Blood Rage 53:28 Cerebria: The Inside World 55:44 Wonderland's War 57:42 Woodcraft 59:21 Lords of Ragnarok, Lords of Hellas, The Great Wall, Nemesis 1:03:20 BGHT BGA Community Shoutout

In Episode 188 we each discuss our top 5 favorite player boards in board games. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 02:44 Baseball Highlight 2045 05:00 Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy 10:00 Lacrimosa (Red Cathedral, White Castle) 14:48 Hegemony: Lead Your Class to Victory 17:10 Distilled 21:02 Marrakesh (Orleans, Paladins of the West Kingdom, Russian Railroads) 25:45 Planet Unknown 27:49 Cthulhu: Death May Die 35:21 La Granja 39:57 My Father's Work 43:22 Carnegie 47:40 Voidfall 51:57 Mechanica 58:34 Scythe 1:04:05 Terraforming Mars, Calico, Fractal: Beyond the Void, Nucleum 1:09:00 Listener Shoutout

In episode 187, we answer more listener questions in a second mailbag episode. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:13 What are some common complaints about board games that you see as a positive? 08:16 What changed that made art and theme less important to you? What is part of board gaming that you feel a certain way about but suspect you're wrong? Could you take Klemens Franz in single combat? 16:01 How did each of you get into board games? Which do you prefer - Nerd or Geek? Do you keep track of your plays, how and why? 21:30 How do you cope with FOMO? 26:28 What's the ideal way to tell someone you didn't enjoy gaming with them and don't want to anymore? 36:58 Listener Shoutout 39:25 What was your favorite game to play with a young kid?

In Episode 186 we provide our hot take review of Clockwork Wars covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game. We discuss a poll on the loss of entire board game collections and then we discuss some board games on our table including Trickerion: Legends of Illusion, Lucky Numbers, and Knarr. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:47 Question: If you lost your entire board game collection, what percentage would you re-acquire? 06:15 Clockwork Wars Description 07:27 Gameplay and Mechanisms 31:02 Production and Theme 35:16 Final Thoughts 40:33 Trickerion: Legends of Illusion 51:23 Lucky Numbers 54:30 Knarr 1:00:52 Listener Shoutout

In Episode 185 we each discuss our biggest mistakes, at least regarding our first impressions on board games. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:37 Poll: How often does your first impression of a game hold up after more plays? 7:55 El Grande 10:53 Heat: Pedal to the Metal 13:46 Endless Winter: Paleoamericans 16:19 Tzolk'in: The Mayan Calendar and Teotihuacan: City of Gods 19:00 Sol: Last Days of a Star 23:14 Red Rising 25:59 Heat: Pedal to the Metal 28:10 Anachrony 32:22 Star Wars: Outer Rim 34:15 Dungeon Petz 36:54 Quacks of Quedlinburg 39:26 Dominion 42:27 Gaia Project 47:08 Ethnos 51:10 Runner Ups 54:35 Listener Shoutout

In Episode 184 we provide our hot take review of Thunder Road: Vendetta covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game. We discuss a question on games that were frustrating to punch and sort and then we discuss some board games on our table including Glory to Rome, Concordia, and Newton. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:28 Question: Which game led to the most frustrating or painful experience you've had punching and sorting a board game? 08:50 Thunder Road: Vendetta Description 11:00 Gameplay and Mechanisms 20:31 Production and Theme 29:46 Final Thoughts 33:14 Glory to Rome 41:49 Concordia 44:08 Newton 47:45 Listener Shoutout

In Episode 183 we each discuss our top 5 game boards as well as discussing a listener poll about what makes a great game board. We conclude the conversation discussing a couple of game boards that have some very confounding choices in their design. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:50 Poll: What makes a great game board? 12:19 Nunami and Raas: A Dance of Love 16:39 Barcelona 20:22 Pax Pamir 2nd Edition 21:42 Pan Am 25:05 Godspeed 27:31 Smartphone, Inc. 28:50 The Great Wall 32:00 Viscounts of the West Kingdom 36:11 Scythe 37:55 Merchants of the Dark Road 40:58 Evacuation 45:27 Tzolk'in the Mayan Calendar 48:18 Trickerion: Legends of Illusion 51:33 Empires of the Void II 54:22 Windward 56:31 Underwater Cities 57:55 Beyond the Sun 1:00:42 Listener Shoutout

In Episode 182 we provide our hot take review of Architects of the West Kingdom covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game. We discuss a poll on cancellations on game night and then we discuss some board games on our table including *Distilled: Africa & Middle East Expansion, *Distilled: Cask Strength Expansion, and Guards of Atlantis II. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:30 Poll: What do you do when everyone cancels on game night at the last moment? 07:45 Architects of the West Kingdom Description 08:38 Gameplay and Mechanisms 22:21 Production and Theme 30:04 Final Thoughts 34:26 Distilled: Africa & Middle East Expansion and Distilled: Cask Strength Expansion 44:51 Guards of Atlantis II *These expansions were provided as review copies by the publisher

In Episode 181 we look back at the games we played in 2023 and talk about our biggest hits, and biggest misses in 2023.  This includes games that were published in 2023 but also games that were new to us in 2023.  We also talk about our Board Game Revelations - the things that changed gaming for us over the last year. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:28 2023 Awards 01:56 Biggest Surprises in 2023 - Yokohama, Age of Innovation, Frosthaven, Cyclades: Legendary Edition, Vagrantsong, Tichu, Hegemony: Lead Your Class to Victory, Fractal: Beyond the Void, Turing Machine, Apiary, Heat: Pedal to the Metal, Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game, Motor City 15:06 Biggest Disappointments in 2023 - Lords of Ragnarok, Expeditions, Voidfall 22:14 Best New To Us in 2023 - Distilled, The Battle for Rokugan, Cat in the Box, Downforce, Revive 27:42 Best Productions Published in 2023 - Steam Up: A Feast of Dim Sum, The Castles of Burgundy: Special Edition, Robot Quest Arena, Apiary, Expeditions, Lords of Ragnarok 34:32 Look Back at Best Game Published in 2022 - Wonderland's War 37:08 Best Games Published in 2023 - Robot Quest Arena, Nucleum, Sea Salt & Paper, Dune: Imperium Uprising, Hegemony: Lead Your Class to Victory 47:42 Most Played Games of 2023 - Azul, Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization, Tapestry, Obsession, Ark Nova, Azul, Can't Stop, Sea Salt & Paper, Star Realms, Beyond the Sun, Barrage, Star Realms 55:19 Board Game Revelations in 2023 1:02:00 2023 Board Game BGG Ranking Speculations - Nucleum, Apiary, Distilled, Hegemony: Lead Your Class to Victory, Darwin's Journey, Earth, Age of Innovation, Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game, Frosthaven, The White Castle, Sky Team, The Witcher: The Old World, Forest Shuffle, Thunder Road: Vendetta, Kutna Hora, Stationfall, Evacuation, Dune: Imperium Uprising, Bloodstones, Envelopes of Cash

In Episode 180 we provide our hot take review of Wyrmspan* covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game. We also provide some detailed comparisons with Wingspan, both the difference in mechanisms and the difference in our opinions on them We discuss a poll on fantastical vs. real-world themes in board games and then we discuss some board games on our table including Sol: Last Days of a Star, Mind MGMT, and Turing Machine. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:34 Poll: In general, do you prefer board games to have a real-world theme or a fantastical theme? 07:33 Wyrmspan Description 08:48 Gameplay and Mechanisms 28:57 Production and Theme 39:54 Final Thoughts 48:17 Sol: Last Days of a Star 55:23 Mind MGMT 62:37 Turing Machine 66:11 Listener Shout-out * Review copy provided by publisher