In Episode 256 we continue the 2025 countdown of our 40 favorite Board Games of all time with choices 21-30.
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:54 Chris #30 Outlive
05:09 Adam #30 Brian Boru: High King of Ireland
08:22 Tim #30 Cyclades: Legendary Edition
12:58 Chris #29 - The Guild of Merchant Explorers
16:17 Adam #29 - SpaceCorp: 2025-2300AD
18:29 Tim #29 - Scythe
21:37 Chris #28 - Lost Ruins of Arnak
26:14 Adam #28 - Scout
28:29 #28 - Cthulhu: Death May Die
33:31 Chris #27 - Cascadia
37:27 Adam #27 - Shamans
40:29 Tim #27 - Revive
44:50 Chris #26 - Viticulture Essential Edition
49:19 Adam #26 - Inis
52:56 Tim #26 - Azul
55:20 Chris #25 - Thunder Road: Vendetta
58:21 Adam #25 - Biohack
1:02:34 Tim #25 - Tichu
1:05:29 Chris #24 - Pirates of Maracaibo
1:10:38 Adam #24 - Skull
1:13:19 Tim #24 - Space Base
1:17:01 Chris #23 - Wonderland's War
1:19:07 Adam #23 - Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization
1:21:16 Tim #23 - Rising Sun
1:22:47 Chris #22 - Clank! In! Space!
1:26:15 Adam #22 - Marrakesh
1:31:41 Tim #22 - Woodcraft
1:34:09 Chris #21 - Teotihuacan: City of Gods
1:38:40 Adam #21 - Terraforming Mars
1:40:43 Tim #21 - Sea Salt & Paper
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In Episode 255 we start the 2025 countdown of our top 40 Board Games of all time with choices 31-40.
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:05 Favorite Games of All Time - How we made our lists
07:25 Chris #40 Rats of Wistar
11:01 Adam #40 Mosaic: A Story of Civilization
13:16 Tim #40 The Castles of Tuscany
14:49 Chris #39 - Wingspan
16:44 Adam #39 - Rebirth
18:18 Tim #39 - Le Havre
19:51 Chris #38 - Smartphone, Inc.
22:03 Adam #38 - On Mars
24:30 Tim #38 - Thunder Road Vendetta
26:23 Chris #37 - Revive
28:56 #37 - Beyond the Sun
30:15 Tim #37 - Boast or Nothing / Best of Neapolitan
32:03 Chris #36 - Keyflower
34:41 Adam #36 - Voidfall
36:47 Tim #36 - Star Realms
38:13 Chris #35 - Cthulhu: Death May Die
41:11 Adam #35 - Tycoon: India 1981
44:54 Tim #35 - Wonderland's War
45:52 Chris #34 - Nemesis
49:30 Adam #34 - Revive
50:54 Tim #34 - Viticulture: Essential Edition
52:00 Chris #33 - Heat: Pedal to the Metal
54:57 Adam #33 - Xenon Profiteer
56:15 Tim #33 - Slay the Spire: The Board Game
58:00 Chris #32 - Scythe
59:24 Adam #32 - Pax Pamir: 2nd Edition
1:01:37 Tim #32 - Clans of Caledonia
1:02:31 Chris #31 - Cthulhu Wars
1:05:08 Adam #31 - Hot Streak
1:09:31 Tim #31 - Anachrony
In Episode 254 we discuss games that end a little too quickly.
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
03:14 Race for the Galaxy
07:23 Newton
09:57 Pirates of Maracaibo
14:10 Mycelia
19:14 Fantasy Realms / Marvel Remix
22:11 Biohack
24:36 Smartphone, Inc.
27:46 Near and Far
37:17 Distilled
42:01 Robot Quest Arena
44:12 Woodcraft / Pulsar 2849
47:13 Thunder Road: Vendetta
53:26 Sol: Last Day of a Star
56:21 Architects of the West Kingdom
59:26 Gaia Project / Agricola
1:03:37 Honorable Mentions: Anunnaki: Dawn of the Gods, Keyflower
1:05:52 Listener Shoutout
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In Episode 253 we give our hot take review on Inis covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.
We discuss a poll on gamer types and then talk about some games that have been on our tables including Modern Art, Cribbage, and Bomb Busters.
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:25 Poll Time: What type of board gamer do you consider yourself?
08:09 Inis Description
11:50 Gameplay and Mechanisms
26:04 Production and Theme
32:39 Final Thoughts
44:27 Modern Art and Cheeky Monkey
51:16 Cribbage
1:00:11 Bomb Busters
1:09:32 Listener Shoutout
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In Episode 252 we discuss our favorite wooden figures (meeples) in board games.
We also answer a listener's question on which games are great for asynchronous play on Board Game Arena.
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:20 Great (and not so great) async BGA games - Lost Ruins of Arnak, Ark Nova, Tapestry, Revive, Harmonies, Gaia Project, Through the Ages, Blood Rage, Rats of Wistar, Azul, La Granja
11:30 5 Favorite Meeples
19:40 Royal Visit
21:50 Scoville
25:07 Everdell
27:19 Survive the Island
30:25 Root
33:03 Power Vacuum
35:41 Wondrous Creatures
37:57 Circadians: Chaos Order
40:37 Charterstone
43:30 On Mars
45:47 Golem
49:05 Glen More II: Chronicles
49:58 Aqua Garden
52:07 Merchants of the Dark Road
55:02 Gentes Deluxified Edition
57:47 Honorable Mentions: Arcs, Teotihuacan: City of Gods, Parks, Meepile, Luthier, Bonfire
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In Episode 251 we give our hot take review on Dinogenics 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 Masters of Renaissance, Cyclades: Legendary Edition, Endeavor: Deep Sea, and Finspan.
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:53 Poll Time: When you listen to board game reviews what are you most interested in hearing about?
07:54 Dinogenics Description
10:01 Gameplay and Mechanisms
26:31 Production and Theme
35:28 Final Thoughts
40:46 Master of Renaissance: Lorenzo il Magnifico - The Card Game
47:04 Cyclades: Legendary Edition
48:41 Endeavor: Deep Sea
55:45 Finspan
1:01:05 Listener Shoutout
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In Episode 250 we discuss the top 5 board game publishers that are represented on our game shelves.
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
02:52 Top 5 Publishers On Our Game Shelves
06:44 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 Thoughts
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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 Introduction
00:20 Poll Time: Do you have favorite publishers?
09:53 Finspan Description
12:15 Gameplay and Mechanisms
30:29 Production and Theme
38:34 Final Thoughts
42:59 Sol: Last Days of a Star
47:09 Galactic Cruise
54:39 Pirates of Maracaibo
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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 Introduction
01:10 Gaia Project (with The Lost Fleet)
14:50 Anunnaki: Dawn of the Gods
28:36 Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy
33:24 Stockpile
40:07 Darwin's Journey (with Fireland Expansion)
49:50 Dune: Imperium Uprising (with Bloodlines and Immortality)
57:39 Dungeon Fighter
1:01:34 Biohack
1:09:34 Wandering Towers
1:13:53 Final Thoughts
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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 Introduction
04:59 Finspan
08:41 Clank! Catacombs (with Lairs and Lost Chambers)
13:42 Rebirth
19:10 Rebel Princess
26:26 Power Vacuum
32:30 Flip 7
39:01 Sky Team
43:55 Final Frontier
51:16 Thunder Road: Vendetta
1:02:10 Cyclades: Legendary Edition
1:13:05 Crokinole
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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 Introduction
00:34 The unfortunate required coursework of the board game designer
04:33 Twilight Imperium 4th Edition
06:11 Tigris and Euphrates
10:40 The Crew: Deep Sea, The Crew, The Fellowship of the Ring: The Trick Taking Game
13:19 Food Chain Magnate
15:58 Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game
20:47 Caverna: The Cave Farmers
22:41 Puerto Rico
25:25 Concordia, Lisboa
29:55 Android: Netrunner, Magic: The Gathering
36:11 Blood on the Clocktower
37:58 Terra Mystica
40:52 Civilization
43:18 Commands and Colors: Ancients
46:00 Gloomhaven, Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion, Frosthaven
52:44 Diplomacy
54:59 Final Thoughts and Honorable Mentions: Cosmic Encounter, The Great Zimbabwe, Mage Knight, Slay the Spire: The Board Game
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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 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 Introduction
00:30 Poll Time: How do you feel about legacy games?
14:00 Golden Geek Nomination!
16:01 Pirates of Maracaibo Description
20:00 Gameplay and Mechanisms
37:04 Production and Theme
42:40 Final Thoughts
49:31 Davy Jones' Locker: The Kraken Wakes
1:00:09 Great Western Trail: El Paso
1:05:22 Crystal Palace
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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 Introduction
02:23 BGG Top 100 Changes
11:02 Games that have recently moved onto the list
31:56 Games that have recently left the list
39:57 What these changes mean for the hobby
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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 Introduction
00:31 Poll Time: On average how many hours of actual tabletop gameplay do you have per week?
05:14 BGG Golden Geek Awards
06:34 Dune: Imperium - Bloodlines
08:35 Gameplay and Mechanisms
27:49 Production and Theme
31:36 Final Thoughts
35:17 The Best way to play Dune: Imperium now.
44:54 Brian Boru
50:55 Clank! Catacombs - Lairs and Lost Chambers
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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/@boardgamersteph
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
05:12 Top 5 Quirky Mechanisms
08:11 Marrakesh
11:24 Time of Empires
14:00 Euphoria: Build a Better Dystopia
17:34 Truffle Snuffle
19:25 Keyper
22:00 Viscounts of the West Kingdom
24:50 Trotofant
27:45 Redwood
30:31 Black Orchestra
34:10 Argo
37:13 Once Upon a Line
39:23 Greedy Kingdoms
42:58 The Faceless
45:35 Piazza Rabazza
48:24 Dungeon Petz
52:49 Honorable Mentions: Picture Perfect, Dungeon Fighter, Canvas, Captain Sonar, Turing Machine, Treasure Island, Bullet Heart, Mord Im Arosa
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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 Introduction
01:54 No Thanks
09:52 Zoo Vadis
22:12 Black Orchestra
32:37 Captain Sonar
41:35 Torchlit
49:51 Windmill Valley
58:44 Power Vacuum
1:07:11 Anunnaki: Dawn of the Gods
1:21:10 The Fellowship of the Rings: Trick-Taking Game
1:27:25 Listener Shoutout
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In Episode 240 we discuss board games that have gotten a facelift. New productions, 2nd editions, and similar topics.
We also discuss a poll about leaving game groups.
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:29 Poll Time: Have you ever left a game group?
10:54 Board Games That Get Facelifts
13:45 Recent Examples - Castles of Burgundy, La Granja, Brass, Kemet, Cyclades, Irish Gauge, Ethnos, Acquire, Yokohama
20:33 How we feel about this - Terraforming Mars, Agricola, Great Western Trail, The Castles of Burgundy, Mosaic, Manhattan Project: Energy Empire
30:50 What would we want out of Agricola refresh - Agricola: Dead Harvest
40:14 What Makeovers Do We Want - Gaia Project, Beyond the Sun, Le Havre, Quacks of Quedlinburg, The Expanse, Forbidden Stars
47:55 Are big refreshes a problem because of price? - Agricola, Marrakesh, Foundations of Rome, Foundations of Metropolis, Eclipse
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In Episode 239 we each talk about 5 board games that we love but can run a little longer than they should.
We also discuss a poll on publicly discussing your board game interests.
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:55 Poll Time: How public are you about your board game love?
12:08 Games we enjoy that can outstay their welcome
12:28 Trailblazer: The Arizona Trail
15:51 Kabuto Sumo
19:57 Tapestry
25:30 Lords of Xidit
29:37 Dominant Species
34:09 Final Girl
37:27 Star Wars: Outer Rim
41:38 Star Wars: Rebellion
44:22 Harmonies
49:43 Aquatica
55:20 Wonderland's War
58:16 Starship Captains
1:02:52 Chimera Station
1:05:43 Battlestar Galactica
1:09:39 Auztralia
1:14:10 Final Thoughts
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In Episode 238 we each talk about 5 board games that have the types and level of player interaction that we really like.
We also discuss a poll on whether complexity and price should have a correlation.
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:44 Poll Time: Do you correlate complexity with price?
14:02 Player Interaction
19:52 Parks (Agricola)
25:35 Ankh: Gods of Egypt (Carnegie)
30:31 Clans of Caledonia (Gaia Project)
34:35 My Little Scythe (Wolves, Gaia Project, Sol: Last Days of a Star)
40:01 Stockpile (Pan Am, Lancaster, Modern Art)
45:24 Nidavellir (Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest)
48:54 Great Wall (Lancaster)
53:10 Hegemony: Lead Your Class to Victory
56:44 Troyes
1:01:00 Carcassonne (Barrage, Terraforming Mars)
1:07:44 Baseball Highlights 2045 (Blood Rage, Magic: The Gathering)
1:12:31 Rebirth (Tigris and Euphrates, Samurai, Blue Lagoon)
1:17:17 Fractal (Rising Sun, Blood Rage, Dune, Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy, Battle for Rokugan)
1:25:34 Bruxelles 1893 (Lancaster, Barrage)
1:30:33 Final Thoughts
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In Episode 237 we give our hot take review on SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.
We announce some board game giveaways and then talk about some games that have been on our tables including Dinosaur Island, Stockpile, Guild of Merchant Explorers, and Architects of the West Kingdom: Age of Artisans.
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:20 Patreon Board Game Giveaways
02:50 SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Description
04:25 Gameplay and Mechanisms
18:42 Production and Theme
25:49 Final Thoughts
37:21 Dinosaur Island
44:46 Stockpile
53:40 Guild of Merchant Explorers
55:18 Architects of the West Kingdom: Age of Artisans
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