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Board Game Barrage

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Join Kellen, Neilan, Mark, and Christina for a podcast about board games, the latest hotness, and how to have fun with your friends even…

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Board Game Barrage

About Board Game Barrage

Join Kellen, Neilan, Mark, and Christina for a podcast about board games, the latest hotness, and how to have fun with your friends even when you're losing.

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Episodes

New episodes usually come out every two weeks.Latest 200 episodes in the feed
  1. Oct 22, 2026 · 59 min

    #372: Kellen's Kull

    Perhaps inspired by our recent embracing of minimalism a month ago, Kellen's going all in on reducing his games. In fact, he's already done it, and is here to tell all about everything that's left his collection and why. Before we recover shelf space, we talk about Epona , and C heops . 04:42 - Epona 15:59 - Beast Mode? 19:33 - Cheops 29:11 - Kellen's Kull Get added to the BGB community map at:…

  2. Oct 8, 2026 · 1 hr 12 min

    #371: Essen SPIEL 2026 Hype List

    We're not going to Essen, and frankly, may never, but that won't stop us from wishing we were going. From the mountain of games we won't get to play in person, we've mined for the diamonds that we think you should keep your eyes on. Before we get to digging, we talk about Hanami , Brink , and Railway Boom . 02:14 - Hanami 12:06 - Brink 24:22 - Railway Boom 36:05 - Essen SPIEL 2026 Preview 38:16 - 1st CEO 39:24 -…

  3. Sep 24, 2026 · 55 min

    #370: On Brand

    It's a designer spotlight, which means we're turning the focus away from us, and putting it on some prestigious designers instead! This week it's Inka and Markus Brand, whose story apparently has a whole enemies to lovers angle I did not see coming. Before we power duet, we talk about Party House: The Deckbuilding Game , Land and Freedom: The Spanish Revolution and Civil War , and Baba Is You: The Board Game .…

  4. Sep 10, 2026 · 55 min

    #369: The Life-Changing Magic of a Minimalist Board Game Collection

    We're downsizing, imagining a brighter future where we don't have hundreds of games to fret about not playing, but a very slight, extremely manageable twenty . Some say it can't be done, but that's never stopped us before. Before we get low, we talk about After you, Betobeto-san , Skull Queen , and Star Trek: Captain's Chair - To Boldly Go . 01:53 - After you, Betobeto-san 09:11 - Skull Queen 17:21 - Star Trek:…

  5. Aug 27, 2026 · 1 hr 4 min

    #368: I Will Always Love You

    We love a good old game - there are a lot that of games over a decade old that we'd happily sing the praises of, but if we were being brutally honest, how many of them do we think would make it in today's markets? How much have tastes really moved on since these games were in their prime? Before we let nostalgia get the better of us, we talk about I'm Out , Evenglow , and Trials of Maya . 03:08 - I'm Out 09:28 -…

Earlier episodes (195)
  1. Aug 13, 2026 #367: One vs. Many
    We play a lot of games. Which is great, because a lot of games get made, and we get to play them ... but it does come at the cost of always having to learn (and teach) something new, grappling with rules, and gets in the way of enjoying the game. Would it be better if we just devoted ourselves to one game? Before we join a Mahjong club, we talk about Wingspan Pocket , Greylune , and Marrakesh . 01:53 - Wingspan…
  2. Jul 30, 2026 #366: Collaborative Draft: Games of 2017
    We're back to collaborate (and listen) to figure out together what the best games of 2017 were. Are? It's a collaborative draft, and if you haven't heard one of these before, get ready for an honest to goodness mess. Before we draw up treaties, we talk about Prosciutto and Melon Game , and Steel Driver . 03:00 - Prosciutto and Melon Game 12:24 - Steel Driver 22:26 - Best games of 2017 25:35 - Calimala 30:48 -…
  3. Jul 16, 2026 #365: Gen Con 2026 Preview
    Gen Con is Gen Coming, so we're looking in our wizard's glasses to tell you what's what. Whether you're going or not, you're gonna want to know what the hot games are, and we've got you covered. Before we Indianapolize, we talk about Koinobori , Compania , and Mood Swings . 02:32 - Koinobori 09:50 - Compania 19:52 - Mood Swings 25:39 - Gen Con preview 24:57 - Prague Unseen 28:27 - Triangulation 30:24 - All Mine!…
  4. Jul 2, 2026 #364: Mechanism Matchup
    There are two board game mechanisms you just can't escape, they're on everyone's mind, flooding the discourse. That's combat, and card draw mitigation. Everyone won't stop talking about them. So we had to weigh in too, not just with what we feel are the best examples of games that have done them best, but some other quirky takes on them too. Before we mitigate our card draws, we talk about Rolling Deep , Eureka! ,…
  5. Jun 18, 2026 #363: The Dark Depths of Mailbag
    It's been a while since we've plumbed the depths of the bottomless chasm we call "fanmail", so this week we're reaching our hands as far as we can and pulling out some questions that have yet to see the light of say. Before we dig too greedily and too deep, we talk about Politrickers, Marvel Champions: The Card Game , and Banana Governance . 02:19 - Politrickers 10:47 - Marvel Champions: The Card Game 19:13 -…
  6. Jun 4, 2026 #362: Hot Takes About Board Games
    The people demand takes, so get 'em while they're hot. We're weighing in on some possibly bad, certainly edgy opinions, and deciding where we land (spoiler: we're always right). Before we get heated, we talk about Diplomacy: The Golden Blade , and Cozy Stickerville . 01:46 - Diplomacy: The Golden Blade 12:33 - Cozy Stickerville 25:41 - Hot takes! 26:11 - Co-op games are just single player games with an audience…
  7. May 21, 2026 #361: Collaborative Draft: Games of 2016
    We had such fun collaboratively coming up with our definitive Top 50 list back in December, that we've decided to do it again. In the spirit of award season, we're celebrating the games of yesteryear, or yester-ten-years to be precise. It's the definitive best games of 2016, as decided cooperatively by us! Before we come together, we talk about Shady Lady , In the Shadows: Resistance in France 1943 - 1944, and Duel…
  8. May 7, 2026 #360: Guessing Golden Geeks Galore
    It's long been said that we're the foremost experts in knowing which way the awards winds blow, so we're putting our talents to use guessing, nay, predicting, nay, deciding who the winners in the Golden Geeks are going to be. Before we geek out, we talk about Chronicles of Crime: 2400 , Quarto , and Shackleton Base: A Journey to the Moon . 04:07 - Chronicles of Crime: 2400 12:00 - Quarto 16:13 - Shackleton Base: A…
  9. Apr 23, 2026 #359: Top Brass
    There are big spiky moments that happen in the meta that is the board game hobby, and the Brass: Pittsburgh crowdfunding campaign feels like one of them. It is after all, a successor to the #1 ranked game on BGG. That's something! Enough so that it sent Mark into a bit of an existential spiral, and we're here to talk him down. Before we catch a falling Wallace, we talk about Hummingbirds , Fendo , and Soothsayers .…
  10. Apr 9, 2026 #358: Our Listeners' Top 20 Board Games of All-Time 2026
    Oh man, oh man, it's time that we ask you (yes, you) to tell us (yes, us) what your favourite games are, because for one time a year, it doesn't matter what we think about games, but you better be ready to tell us what you think about games. A lot of you did, so here it is, the listener top 20! Before we ask you to do all the work, we talk about Emberheart , Gods & Mortals , and Feya's Swamp . 01:30 - Emberheart…
  11. Mar 26, 2026 #357: We Played a Mass of Games!
    We made it back in one piece, and all told I think we did pretty well! We got through a heck of a lot of what we wanted to play, and we're here to tell you all about it - including Dark Pac t, Totally Human , and Banana Governanc e, and more! 02:36 - Totally Human 14:04 - Dark Pact 20:56 - Gold Country 28:21 - Staked! 32:58 - Secret Tribe 41:34 - Habemus Papam 50:11 - 3 Chapters 55:22 - Banana Governance 01:02:29 -…
  12. Mar 12, 2026 #356: On the Road Again
    By the time you're listening to this, we're probably already in Vegas for Dice Tower West! We're going to hang about all day playing games - which naturally leads to the question of what we're going to play? These are the games we came up with! Before we bite off more than we can chew, we talk about Ghost Lift, Cities, and I, Napoleon . 02:31 - Ghost Lift 08:13 - Cities 14:06 - I, Napoleon 24:40 - Dice Tower West…
  13. Feb 26, 2026 #355: Anticipation Auction: Games of 2026
    I think it's fair to say that we crushed this last year (although some of us better than others), so it's only correct and right that we should return to do it again. What are the best games of 2026 going to be? Well, only we know, but we're willing to part with that information. Get your fat stacks ready. Before we set ourselves up for failure, we talk about Alibis , Mosaic: A Story of Civilization , and Cyclades:…
  14. Feb 12, 2026 #354: Don't Call It a Comeback
    All of this has happened before and will happen again. Everything comes back around, including games you could swear you've played before. Whether they're remakes, reimplimentations, or rejuvenations, we're tackling the world of board game revivals. Before what's old is new, we talk about Agent Avenue, 7 Empires , and Stellar Ventures . 02:24 - Agent Avenue 07:25 - 7 Empires 18:26 - Stellar Ventures 33:52 - Remakes…
  15. Jan 29, 2026 #353: Getting it Just Right
    Sometimes you know the type of game you want to play, just not exactly which game quite fits the bill. Is that heavy Euro too heavy? That deck builder not builder-y enough? Before we sit down with Goldilocks, we talk about Rise and Fall, and JOYRIDE: Survival of the Fastest. 01:09 - Rise and Fall 12:53 - JOYRIDE: Survival of the Fastest 25:08 - Games that are Just Right 29:30 - Hanabi 29:57 - Wilmot's Warehouse…
  16. Jan 15, 2026 #352: Combined Top 50 Games of All-Time 2025 Draft: 10-1
    Well, we started this thing, so I guess we ought to finish it, as ill-advised as that might be. This is where all the chickens come home to roost, where we learn how badly we've set ourselves up to fail - but you never know, it might just all work out! It's the top ten greatest board games ... of all-time! 06:29 - #10 - Codenames 13:56 - #9 - The Resistance 18:15 - #8 - Age of Steam 23:09 - #7 - Troyes 27:52 - #6 -…
  17. Jan 8, 2026 #351: Combined Top 50 Games of All-Time 2025 Draft: 30-11
    Happy new year! We're back to continue the very peaceful, collaborative, kind endeavour that is coming together to harmoniously assemble our top 50 games. It's been nothing but chill, friendly vibes, and we expect that to continue into 2026. It's the next twenty games on our definitive top 50 board games... of all-time! 01:20 - #30 - Tzolk'in: The Mayan Calendar 06:43 - #29 - Dominion 09:36 - #28 - Fuji Flush 11:13…
  18. Dec 18, 2025 #350: Combined Top 50 Games of All-Time 2025 Draft: 50-31
    Okay, things are a bit different this year. In honour of our 350th episode (a very important milestone), we're going to combine forces, like ... Voltron. I'm the head, and my left and right feet are here with me to collaboratively (yes, you heard right) compile Board Game Barrage's definitive (definitely definitive) top 50 board games... of all-time! 06:27 - #50 - Zoo Vadis 08:32 - #49 - Splendor 11:45 - #48 - Azul…
  19. Dec 11, 2025 #349: Anticipation Auction 2025 - And the Winner Is…
    Remember way back at the beginning of the year when we took some bets on what we thought the games of the year were gonna be? Well, all those good and bad decisions are back to help or haunt us, as we tally up where things stand with the end of the year results. Before we find a winner, we talk about Wriggle Roulette , Whale Street , and Scales of Fate . 04:45 - Wriggle Roulette 11:32 - Whale Street 19:12 - Scales…
  20. Nov 27, 2025 #348: Got 'Em, Ghost Turkey
    Somehow Ghost Turkey returned. And you never saw it coming! That might be because we forgot to remind people that it's Thanksgiving, but never mind that, the important thing is you're fools . Not us though, we're back with yet another juicy, cranberry soaked list of bird gaming goodness. Gobble gobble! 00:00 - ??? Get added to the BGB community map at: https://boardgamebarrage.com/map Send us topic ideas at:…
  21. Nov 13, 2025 #347: Bob's Design
    BGBBOB is back, and it's been long enough that you might need a reminder. Ten game designers enter the ring, and through the arduous process of one vs one battles, we arrive at our (and not just our, but the ) definitive ranked list of ... these particular designers. It's science . Before we fight it out, we talk about Iliad , The Old King's Crown , and Franchise . 03:29 - Iliad 13:56 - The Old King's Crown 34:01 -…
  22. Oct 30, 2025 #346: It's One Bananagrams, How Much Could It Cost?
    This episode is not about Bananagrams (at least, I don't think so), but it is about the price of things (though not Bananagrams specifically, shut up about Bananagrams). In a world where everything costs more, we're talking about the value of games, and how far a game has to go to justify its price. Before we decide if the price is right, we talk about The Presence , and River of Gold . 02:08 - The Presence 17:32 -…
  23. Oct 16, 2025 #345: Essen SPIEL 2025 Hype List
    Not perturbed by Kellen's trip to Germany, we're all daydreaming about the motherlode of board game conventions, Essen SPIEL. There's a lot of games coming to the show, and because we're not going, and presumably you aren't either, we'll just tell you what's going to be there instead! The good stuff, anyway. Before we Germinate, we talk about Calimala , Tír na nÓg , and Typewriter . 02:42 - Calimala 09:42 - Tír na…
  24. Oct 2, 2025 #344: ... But the Second Leaves a Mark
    Dreaded continuity! We're following up Episode 41 from seven years ago about the games that started our love for board games! After those first loves, what really got our hearts aflutter with the joy that the hobby had to offer? Before we yearn, we talk about Der Fliegende Holländer , and The Hobbit: There and Back Again. 02:52 - Der Fliegende Holländer 16:03 - The Hobbit: There and Back Again 27:14 - The games…
  25. Sep 18, 2025 #343: Fantasy Draft: Card Games
    The draft's back! This time it's card games, and we're picking the bestof what ought to be a staple of any good collection. We love card games, we love drafting games, and you love winning money, so be sure to vote for whoever you think drafted the best set, and you could win a $100 gift card! Before deal everyone in, we talk about Money! , Venture , and Fishing . 03:02 - Money! 12:43 - Venture 20:27 - Fishing…
  26. Sep 4, 2025 #342: Oops! All Foreplay
    There's any number of subtle innuendoes we could've gone with, but this is what we're doing I guess . If you haven't got there yet, we're talking about games that aren't just slow rides, but instead leave you gasping for more right as they climax. Before we finish, we talk about No Loose Ends , Eselsbrücke, and The Lord of the Rings: Fate of the Fellowship . 01:24 - No Loose Ends 09:08 - Eselsbrücke 19:33 - The…
  27. Aug 21, 2025 #341: A Little Bit of Mailbag
    One, two, three, four, five, everybody in the car so come on let's ride ... to the mailbag! We're answering your pressing questions - and oh how they press - about all manner of things: Crowdfunding ads! Narrative games! Getting jaded about board games! You wrote in because you had to know what we thought, and who are we to say no. Before we get covered in papercuts, we talk about Wheedle , Dune: War for Arrakis ,…
  28. Aug 7, 2025 #340: All by Myself
    Are board games best played multiplayer? Who can say, but whether it's because you can't get people together at the appropriate time, or you're just itching to play something on your lonesome, there's a burgeoning scene of solo games out there waiting to be played, and we're going to talk about them. Well, some of us are, anyway. Before we go it alone, we talk about Hunted: Kobayashi Tower , Corps of Discovery ,…
  29. Jul 24, 2025 #339: One and Done
    Sometimes once is enough, you know? Doesn't mean it was bad , but it might just be that you can have too much of a good thing. We're talking about board games that we'd recommend everyone play once, but only once . Before we hit and run, we talk about Kaivai , East India Companies , and Vantage . 01:44 - Kaivai 10:58 - Feya's Swamp 13:15 - East India Companies 21:31 - Vantage 39:41 - Games to play only once 41:22 -…
  30. Jul 10, 2025 #338: Gen Con 2025 Preview
    Gen Con! Where all the cool games are, before you even know they're cool. Or hot! We've got you covered, if you want to know what all the best stuff coming out of Indianapolis is going to before before anyone else, then look no further than this episode. Five games each that we're excited to hear more about at the show! Before we face the heat, we talk about Line of Fire: Burnt Moon, and Rise . 02:51 - Line of…
  31. Jun 26, 2025 #337: Our Listeners' Top 20 Board Games of All-Time 2025
    It's time again to turn the tables and get your take, to feel out the collective tastes of you, the listeners of the show. It's the annual Listener Top 20! You've been sending in all of your lists (thank you!), I've been compiling all of the data (you're welcome!) - and here it is, in a convenient list format. Before we ask the audience, we talk about Flip 7 , Hot Streak , and Kolejka . 02:37 - Flip 7 10:40 - Hot…
  32. Jun 12, 2025 #336: Happy Little Accidents
    When playing games it's easy to fall into the trap of over-anaylsing turns, or questioning whether the move we made was the right one, or even allowing people to roll back whole turns - so we're asking if maybe we've been wrong this whole time, and we should just ... embrace it? Are mistakes interesting? Before we have any regrets, we talk about Apiary , Wizards Cup , and Wroth . 02:43 - Apiary 13:43 - Wizards Cup…
  33. May 29, 2025 #335: A Cole New Wehrle
    A dazzling place you never knew ... until now that is! We're diving deep on beloved designer Cole Wehrle in another designer spotlight. We dig back into his Roots, and explore the many Arcs that led to his Oath to revolutionize thematic board games. Before our traffic gets infamous, we talk about Toy Battle , Subjective , and Wild Tiled West . 03:43 - Toy Battle 13:51 - Subjective 22:11 - Wild Tiled West 30:43 -…
  34. May 15, 2025 #334: Nothing's Done It Better
    Well, we finally did it. We played CATAN, and it was ... good! And then we started wondering, is there anything that's done quite the same thing that that game is doing? And then that got us wondering how many games there are like that, where it's genuinely hard to say that nothing has done it better since. And then that got us wondering if, instead of all this wondering, we should record a podcast episode. Before…
  35. May 1, 2025 #333: Gold3n G33ks
    Happy 333! In honour of our three hundred and thirty third episode, BoardGameGeek has decided to host an emergency session of the Golden Geek Awards, and we're here to tell you about all the nominees that satisfy the crucial conditions of being (1) good games (2) we played (3) last year. Before we open our third eye, we also talk about Einfach Genial 3D , Gazebo , and Stalk Exchange . 02:28 - Einfach Genial 3D…
  36. Apr 17, 2025 #332: Hard Pass!
    I would say that, for the most part, there's very little we won't play - but we also know what we like, and especially what we don't like. Every so often a game gets suggested that we have to say "literally anything but" to. Before we pass hard, we talk about TRICKTAKERs , Iquazú , and Hubworld: Aidalon . 02:49 - TRICKTAKERs 11:52 - Iquazú 21:47 - Hubworld: Aidalon 31:03 - Hard pass games 32:11 - Sidereal…
  37. Apr 3, 2025 #331: One Thing I Hate About You
    We've spent a lot of time over the years singing the praises of the games we love, but they can't be perfect right? Surely there's something, one little thing, that bugs us - a small blemish in our otherwise most beloved games? Before we come clean, we talk about Classified Information , S tarline Hill, Panda Spin , and SHASN: AZADI. 03:13 - Classified Information 11:54 - Starline Hill 13:35 - Panda Spin 25:32 -…
  38. Mar 20, 2025 #330: We Played a Load of Games!
    We just got back from Dice Tower West, so you know what that means ... bunches and bunches of games! Between the convention, and the meetup, and just hanging out at Mark's place, we got a lot of great stuff played, and we're going to give you all the highlights, with such treats as Moon Colony Bloodbath , Out of Sorts , and Feierabend. 04:16 - Corporate America 12:19 - Acquire 18:09 - Inside Job 23:12 - Feierabend…
  39. Mar 6, 2025 #329: All the Stars Are Here!
    I'm not sure why you'd make a hall of fame that's not also a sidewalk, but that's exactly what BoardGameGeek have gone and done - they've curated 25 games into their hall of fame, and we're here to judge them for their choices. It's weird that they didn't come to us first, honestly. Before we deck the halls, we talk about Arborea , Beyond the Horizon , and Taiwan Night Market . 02:49 - Arborea 10:32 - Beyond the…
  40. Feb 20, 2025 #328: Anticipation Auction: Games of 2025
    Okay, pay attention, this is gonna be different! We're looking at the rest of 2025, deciding what we think the most well received games of the year are going to be - but then we're going to be bidding on them, auction style. Whoever's slate ends up performing best in their categories at the end of the year gets all the glory ... and if you vote on who you think is going to win, you could get $50! Before we're…
  41. Feb 6, 2025 #327: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2024: 10-1
    It's finally time to cap it all off with the cream of the cream, Mark and Neilan's final set of ten games each! These are the games that we think are the pinnacle of our respective tastes, that we'd never turn down, that any person ought to try at least once. It's the Top 10 Games of All-Time! 01:48 - Mark's #10 - Age of Steam 08:17 - Neilan's #10 - Brass: Birmingham 11:21 - Mark's #9 - Arboretum 17:35 - Neilan's…
  42. Jan 30, 2025 #326: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2024: Neilan's 30-11
    Neilan's back to continue the journey down the lazy river of cardboard that is his top 50 board games of all time. It's games 30 through 11! I just counted, and that's twenty amazing games that I can't wait to tell you all about! 00:59 - #30 - Gloomhaven 02:58 - #29 - War Story: Occupied France 07:35 - #28 - Gaia Project 10:17 - #27 - Ark Nova 12:26 - #26 - Kemet 14:55 - #25 - Yellow & Yangtze 17:09 - #24 -…
  43. Jan 23, 2025 #325: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2024: Mark's 30-11
    And back to Mark! It's the soggy middle of his top 50, or as he insists on calling it, his numbers 30 through 11. That is twenty more delicious games, and he's here to tell you all about them while we continue to berate and praise him for his choices. 01:20 - #30 - Anomia 05:12 - #29 - Sidereal Confluence 08:47 - #28 - Chicago Express 11:46 - #27 - Rise & Fall 16:34 - #26 - Tigris & Euphrates 19:14 - #25 -…
  44. Jan 16, 2025 #324: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2024: Neilan's 50-31
    It's meeeeeeeeeee! So if you care to find my top 50 list, look right here. The first twenty incredible games on the list that early critics are calling "surprisingly tasteful" and "delightfully roomy" is finally yours to consume. It's the greatest board games of all-time, Neilan edition! 01:10 - #50 - Anachrony 03:56 - #49 - The Vale of Eternity 05:47 - #48 - Arcs 09:05 - #47 - Bus 11:26 - #46 - Wilmot's Warehouse…
  45. Jan 9, 2025 #323: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2024: Mark's 50-31
    It's time! The grand spectacle that is our greatest games of all time is here at last! We're breaking things out a bit differently this year, so Mark's taking center stage while Kellen & Neilan mock his choices. It's the first twenty games from his list, so games 50 through 31. LET'S GOOOO! 01:53 - #50 - Cthulhu Wars 03:23 - #49 - Ricochet Robots 05:21 - #48 - The Voyages of Marco Polo 08:22 - #47 - Zoo Vadis 10:53…
  46. Dec 12, 2024 #322: And What a Year It's Been
    As we approach the end of 2024, it's about time we stop, take stock, and dare I say look back at the year that's been. The highs, the lows, the mids - all the stars are here, and we're going to break them down for you with some of our favourite games, and biggest moments, and general assessment of the year that's been. Before we reflect, we talk about Let's Go! To Japan , Mombasa , and The Gang . 01:52 - Let's Go!…
  47. Nov 28, 2024 #321: Fire Away, Ghost Turkey
    Gobble Bobble, here comes trouble in the form of a pairing we never thought we'd see - Bob and the Ghost Turkey have delivered us another holiday nightmare. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Before we tuck in, we talk about Tapple , Mini Rails , and Naishi . 05:48 - Tapple 11:07 - Mini Rails 17:45 - Naishi 22:56 - BGBBOB Bird Games 24:45 - ICECOOL 24:52 - Root 26:17 - Rook 26:26 - Songbirds 28:05 - Fancy Feathers 28:15…
  48. Nov 14, 2024 #320: We Played A Clump of Games!
    We've been to Las Vegas and back for the very unofficial recurring gathering we like to call BarrageCon (which is really just all of us hanging out at Mark's place). We had a lot of games lined up to play, and I daresay we did a pretty good job of getting through them. Here's our report back, just a bunch of impressions of a bunch of games - including Rise & Fall , Fractured Sky , and Wilmot's Warehouse ! 02:26 -…
  49. Oct 31, 2024 #319: One Exception To Rule Them All
    I think it's fair to say at this point, that we've pretty firmly established each of our respective tastes when it comes to board games, whether it's for genre, theme, mechanic, whatever. There's always something, though, right? Something that flies in the face of those rules and boldly proclaims, "I like this, even though ..." Before we prove the rule, we talk about Andromeda's Edge , and Karvi . 03:05 -…
  50. Oct 17, 2024 #318: A Mix of Things We'd Like To See with Mike DiLisio
    The Fandango Tank returns! The ever wonderful Mike DiLisio joins us again, this time to collectively cast our minds forward to some things we'd like to manifest into the board game future. We've got a mess of ideas, a veritable mixtape of miscellany that we either want to play, or hope to see more of as the hobby progresses. Before we unspool, we talk about Fishing , EGO , The Lord of the Rings: Duel for…
  51. Oct 3, 2024 #317: Fantasy Draft: Overrated Games
    So we've done a lot of these drafts before, but I don't think we've done one quite like this. This time we're each trying to draft a set of five games that we think you might agree are incredibly overrated. What does that mean exactly? Well that's up for debate too. What isn't up for debate is that you could win $100 just by voting! Before we widen our delta, we talk about Undaunted 2200: Callisto , Nature , and…
  52. Sep 19, 2024 #316: Four Heads Are Better Than One
    I'm in a bit of a quandary here, because Mark told me not to tell you what this episode is even about, but I want this description to be, well, descriptive but he's glaring at me really hard, and making a throat slitting gesture so I daren't risk it. It's about ... board games? Before we get ahead of ourselves, we talk about Binho , Stamp Swa p, and First Rat . 03:33 - Binho 07:24 - Stamp Swap 17:04 - First Rat…
  53. Sep 5, 2024 #315: Essen SPIEL 2024 Hype List
    We may or may not be going to Germany (who can say), but that's where all the good gaming is gonna be, so that's what we're gonna talk about. It's almost Essen SPIEL! That sure is a lot of games debuting there though, so which ones should you care about? Don't worry, we've done the hard work for you. Before you go back to being eine faule socke, we talk about Nekojima , We're Sinking! , Hues and Cues , and Colorful…
  54. Aug 22, 2024 #314: Bringing Out the Best in People
    It's about people, right? Below all the mechanics, after all the rules explanations, beyond every crushing loss and glorious win, what really matters is people we're playing with. Some games make that more apparent than others, and we're here to celebrate that. Before we realize it's about the friends we made along the way, we talk about Arcs , and Luthier . 03:02 - Arcs 19:26 - Luthier 37:11 - Games that make you…
  55. Aug 8, 2024 #313: That Don't Impress Me Much
    The only thing worse than coming away from a first game with a really bad impression, is when it takes a really long time to shake. Imagine all the amazing games you're not playing because of one bad first game! Whether we saw the error of our ways or not, we're reflecting on the times that games left a mark that took a long time to fade. Before we make our impression, we talk about Things in Rings , Yedo: Deluxe…
  56. Jul 25, 2024 #312: Fantasy Draft: Spiel des Jahres Winners
    It's awards season, which means that Germany's back to tell us what games are popping off over there. And that also means we're back to tell you what we think about what they think. More than that - we're looking through the annals of Spiel des Jahres history to drafting the winningest games of all the winners! Which means you too can be a winner of $100! Just vote! Before everyone's a winner, we talk about Chess ,…
  57. Jul 11, 2024 #311: Of Lovers and Travel
    We've all been travelling about so much recently (some of us may or may not still be) that we often find ourselves asking, "what games should I pack?" Some games are better suited for playing on the go than others, and we're going to get to the heart of what makes a good travel game. Before our arms get tired, we also talk about Regicide , Golem , In the Shadow of Atlas , and DroPolter . 03:56 - Regicide 11:40 -…
  58. Jun 27, 2024 #310: Bob's Decade Delights
    Bob's back from his trip to 2014, and oh the wonders he's seen - games that not only were amazing back then, but somehow we're still talking about today ! The counterpoint to our draft of games to last a decade, we're arguing about the games from ten years ago that are still relevant - BGBBOB style. Before we yearn for our youth, we talk about Cyberion , The Plum Island Horror , and Marabunta . 02:33 - Cyberion…
  59. Jun 13, 2024 #309: Moretuary
    More isn't always better, but that's sometimes a hard lesson to learn in the world of board games - we dig into an intriguing listener suggestion about how games (and gamers) can often fall into this trap. Also ... I guess we've got to plan some games for our funerals? It's a double hit of listener questions! Before we dress in black, we talk about Keydom's Dragons , Sagrada Artisans , and Hegemony: Lead Your Class…
  60. May 30, 2024 #308: Fantasy Draft: Games To Last a Decade
    It's back, and it's spicier, more harrowing, and more lucrative than ever before! It's the Fantasy Draft, and this time we're changing things up by asking you not to vote for favourite games, but for the set that you think will still be relevant ten years from now (AKA the far flung future). Vote to stand a chance to win a gift card for one hundred dollars! Before we say things we'll regret in a decade, we also…
  61. May 16, 2024 #307: Gotta Guess More Golden Geeks
    And by guess, I of course mean predict . Okay, you all know whether we're right or not by now, but cast your imagination back to a time where we had only the nominees for the 2023 Golden Geeks, and had to use nothing but our wits to determine the winners. How naïve/prescient we were! Before we divine the future, we talk about Ironwood , Kutná Hora: The City of Silver , and Slay the Spire: The Board Game . 02:41 -…
  62. May 2, 2024 #306: We Could All Use a Little Change
    What? Your podcasters are evolving! While we're certainly steadfast in some of our opinions (ahem, Biblios ) we were curious to reflect on how we've changed - nay, grown - in the years since we started. What do we feel differently about with regards to the games we like, and how we approach the hobby? Before we moult, we also talk about Twinkle Starship , Pirates of Maracaibo , and Skyrise . 01:45 - Twinkle…
  63. Apr 18, 2024 #305: Hook, Line, and Sinker
    Sometimes a game has a conceit so good, that it's the only description you need to sell someone on it. Let's call it the hook. Do all games have them, or is it something that only a certain subcategory of game can get away with - and why don't they all just print that on the box cover? Before we get the hook, we talk about Havalandi , Courtisans , 12 Chip Trick , and Dune Imperium: Uprising . 02:55 - Havalandi…
  64. Apr 4, 2024 #304: Our Listeners' Top 20 Board Games of All-Time 2024
    Oh man, oh man, I always love this one. It's the latest edition of the Listener Top 20! We asked you all to submit your lists of your favourite board games, and we collected, collated, and compiled all of that beautiful beautiful data using a magical formula to get THIS: The definitive rankings of your collective taste in board games. Before we throw it to you, we talk about Shuffle and Swing , Mythwind, and Cat…
  65. Mar 20, 2024 #303: We Played a Pile of Games!
    We made it all the way to Dice Tower West in Las Vegas (and some of us made it out), and we're ready to talk about all of the amazing games we played over there, between outings for pinball and sushi. If you were there, thanks for hanging out with us! Stick around for talk about Faraway , MLEM: Space Agency , ito , Cascadero, and more! 01:08 - Faraway 12:20 - Medici 19:33 - MLEM: Space Agency 26:48 - ito 35:24 -…
  66. Feb 29, 2024 #302: A Lotta Prattle About Vlaada Chvátil
    We're back with the terrible acronym and the branding nightmare that is BGBDOG - I don't even know what it stands for to be honest, but this week we're turning the spotlight on an incredible force in the industry, Vlaada Chvátil, touring his incredible games all the way through to the true modern classic that is Codenames . Before we check in on our favourite Czech, we talk about Wyrmspan , 3 Ring Circus, and La…
  67. Feb 15, 2024 #301: Our Most Anticipated Games of 2024
    We're in the thick of 2024 now, but there's still plenty more to come - and with that vast undiscovered country (as my father called it) ahead of us, we have loads of games to look forward to. But not all hype is made equally, so here are the ones we're most excited about. Before we mark our calendars, we talk about Savage Bowl: Trick Taking Game , Rear Window , and Cuba . 01:44 - Savage Bowl: Trick Taking Game…
  68. Feb 1, 2024 #300: Resolutions and Ruminations
    Three hundredth episode! But no time to celebrate, we're deep in the new year now, which means it's back to your regularly scheduled podcast, and it's time to reflect on the year past, and contemplate what lays ahead for us in a post-300 world. That's right, we're paying for the crimes of last year's resolutions. Before we look a little back, but mostly forward, we talk about Orichalcum , Mino Dice , and Last Light…
  69. Jan 18, 2024 #299: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2023: 10-1
    We made it! We've arrived at last at the final ten(-ish) games, in fact, our TOP TEN (or so?) favourite games of all time. Thanks for joining us again on this yearly pilgrimage, as always it's the journey that's the important thing - but that's not to say that there isn't some exciting moving and shaking to happen at the destination. That said, it's time to pass out on the couch. 01:34 - Neilan #10 - The Resistance…
  70. Jan 11, 2024 #298: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2023: 20-11
    We're almost bursting at the seams, but there's room for a little more. It's the penultimate episode of our five part series, the Top 50 games of all-time! We're moving on to our 20th to 11th favourite games, which means it's time for some big risers and dramatic falls. Make yourself a coffee (sugar's over there in the corner), it's not time to sleep just yet. 03:45 - Kellen #20 - Cosmic Encounter 06:25 - Neilan…
  71. Jan 4, 2024 #297: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2023: 30-21
    It's a new year which is an awkward time to be right in the middle of something, but we're doing a thing here . It's part three of our Top 50 games of all-time! This week it's our 30th to 21st favourite games, and this is where things start to get spicy. This is like five chilis next to the menu item hotness we're talking. Grab a bib and join us for another course! 03:45 - Mark #30 - Cuba Libre 04:08 - Kellen #30 -…
  72. Dec 28, 2023 #296: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2023: 40-31
    It's the second leg of the grand tour that is the top fifty. This week, we're doing our 40th to 31st favourite games ... of all time! It's almost like Christmas just keeps going! Grab a glass of sherry and join us by the fire, we're not about to stop any time soon. 01:21 - Neilan #40 - Bus 03:52 - Mark #40 - Panic on Wall Street! 05:38 - Kellen #40 - Pax Porfiriana 08:56 - Neilan #39 - In the Year of the Dragon…
  73. Dec 21, 2023 #295: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2023: 50-41
    It's tiiiiiiime ! It's the top fifty! That's right, the much anticipated, much celebrated, much imitated (we definitely did it first) event of the season is here. We're counting down each of our favourite fifty games of all time! Or at least, for right now! It's a beautiful, beautiful thing, and we'd love if you pulled up a chair and joined us for it. 06:36 - Kellen #50 - Santiago 07:59 - Neilan #50 - Jaipur 09:30…
  74. Dec 7, 2023 #294: We Played a Stack of Games!
    PAX Unplugged was a blast, and we played so much stuff that we're dying to tell you about - many of them with our beloved listeners. We braved the cold and the rain of Philadelphia, on the other side of the country, to bring you this episode jam-packed with games - so there's no room for any dilly dallying. Hits include Forest Shuffle , Arcs , Findorff ... and loads more! 02:14 - 5 Towers 06:57 - Nigoichi 11:01 -…
  75. Nov 23, 2023 #293: The Great Epochs of Board Gaming
    In what could be our most grandiose episode yet, we attempt to tame the wild history of all of board games. We traverse the timeline, unpacking what we consider to be the great epochs of the hobby, in an attempt to explain how modern game design evolved into its present form. Before we unpack the deep lore, we talk about General Orders: World War II , Oak , and Big Boss . Timecodes: 02:36 - General Orders: World…
  76. Nov 9, 2023 #292: Lightning Round
    Uh oh, is that thunder? That must mean it's time for a lightning round - we're scooping up all the lovely questions and suggestions that just aren't big enough for the main event, and stuffing them in the blender. This week, it's public spaces, warning labels, gaming tips, and PAX Unplugged. Before we put fingers on buzzers, we talk about Gift of Tulips , Five Three Five , and Anunnaki: Dawn of the Gods .…
  77. Oct 26, 2023 #291: Fantasy Draft: Reiner Knizia
    Drafts are back, baby. And not just any old draft, no, but to celebrate the return of the greatest game, we're drafting none other than the best of the only true and living doctor, Reiner Knizia. Who ends up with the best list? Vote for your favourite, you could win a $50 gift voucher! Before we doc it up, we talk about Empire's End , My Favourite Things , and Four Horsemen . Timecodes: 02:33 - Empire's End 12:15 -…
  78. Oct 12, 2023 #290: Stuck in the Mid With You
    Are board games stuck? Not to be dramatic or anything, but it does seem like we keep circling the same ideas over and over again, right? We speculate on where we think the hobby is headed, and whether or not it needs a shake up. Before we plateau, we talk about Orchard , Hadrian's Wall , Terracotta Army , and Santiago . Timecodes: 03:09 - Orchard: A 9 card solitaire game 06:49 - Hadrian's Wall 13:45 - Terracotta…
  79. Sep 28, 2023 #289: Essen SPIEL 2023 Hype List
    It's almost time for Essen SPIEL 2023, the great German Mecca of our people - and while we're not going ourselves, that's not going to stop us yearning . We're hear to tell you about all the amazing games available at the show this year that you ought to be excited about. Before we gaze longingly across the Atlantic, we talk about Asara , Skytear Horde , and Dwellings of Eldervale . Timecodes: 02:31 - Asara 10:15 -…
  80. Sep 14, 2023 #288: Less is More
    A little prune, a little embellish, a nip, a tuck, and a flourish, and we can get this thing just how we like it. We're looking at all the little things that we'd like to see more of, all the things we'd like to see less of in the world of board games. Before we giveth and taketh away, we talk about First in Flight , Tramways , and Wandering Towers . Timecodes: 02:39 - First in Flight 11:57 - Tramways 23:32 -…
  81. Aug 31, 2023 #287: There's a Time and Place for Everything
    Timing is everything, which is why it's so important that this episode came out when it did. Had we made it too early, it would have felt dated, and any later, you wouldn't have been ready for it. Before it's about time, we talk about Planet etuC , Undaunted: Stalingrad , Undaunted: Battle of Britain , and Tycoon: India 1981 . Timecodes: 01:47 - Planet etuC 07:43 - Undaunted: Stalingrad 10:35 - Undaunted: Battle of…
  82. Aug 17, 2023 #286: The Worst Duo, Kellen & Mark
    I leave for one episode and these idiots are talking about eating board games. Hard hitting questions for hard hitting board game journalists, Kellen & Mark are on the scene reporting in. Before we claw our way back from this, we talk about Power & Weakness , Haggis , and Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game . Timecodes: 02:40 - Power & Weakness 16:28 - Haggis 24:28 - Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game 36:31 - What gets…
  83. Aug 3, 2023 #285: Starting is Easy, Finishing is Hard
    A solid end game trigger can be such an overlooked part of the design of a game. The conventional wisdom for most things is to start strong and finish strong, so we look at some of our favourite ways that games can end. Before we reach the end of the road, we talk about Robot Quest Arena , Mr. President: The American Presidency, 2001-2020 , and Expeditions . Timecodes: 02:07 - Robot Quest Arena 08:52 - Mr.…
  84. Jul 20, 2023 #284: Gen Con 2023 Preview
    It's convention season, and the big one is almost upon us, as board gamers across America prepare to descend on Indiana. Gen Con! We won't be there this year, but that won't stop us anticipating what we could be playing at the show. Before we want what we can't have, we talk about Fancy Feathers , Beast , Mr. President: The American Presidency, 2001-2020 , and Mercator . Timecodes: 02:43 - Fancy Feathers 08:31 -…
  85. Jul 6, 2023 #283: Good Artists Copy, Great Artists Steal
    Not all are as blessed as we are by the gift of truly original thought, and so many turn to others for inspiration. Whether it's Newton standing on the shoulders of giants, or stealing from our rich neighbour Xerox, many great ideas are born from what has come before. Before we make the inspired choice, we talk about Masters of Renaissance: Lorenzo il Magnifico – The Card Game, Innovation Ultimate , and Dawn of…
  86. Jun 22, 2023 #282: A Soupçon of Sackson
    After much consternation at his exclusion from our Mount Rushmore of games, we've decided to honour legendary designer Sid Sackson elsewhere - a BGB Designer Spotlight! I think these used to be called BGB DOGs but even Mark forgot about that bit of branding. Oh well. Before we make amends, we talk about Magicalligraphy , Hamlet: The Village Building Game , and Tournament at Camelot . Timecodes: 01:33 - Schedule…
  87. Jun 15, 2023 #281: Fantasy Draft: BoardGameGeek 901-1000
    We've reached the end of our fantasy draft series, the last in this increasingly dire list of games from which we pluck five gems each, and then get you to vote on your favourites. There's a (potential) $50 gift card in it for you! Before the last dance, we talk about Seas of Havoc , Whale to Look , and Dorfromantik: The Board Game . Timecodes: 03:12 - Seas of Havoc 10:42 - Whale to Look 19:50 - Dorfromantik: The…
  88. Jun 8, 2023 #280: Equal and Opposite Interactions
    We're veering into the dark roads of board game classification, but this time with a goal in mind - how to best highlight games that feature strong interaction. Shouldn't BoardGameGeek have a scale for that somewhere? And while we're at it, BGG ... Before we put our thoughts in the suggestion box, we talk about Guatemala Café , and Ride the Rails . Timecodes: 01:56 - Guatemala Café 12:43 - Ride the Rails 23:09 -…
  89. Jun 1, 2023 #279: Let the Golden Age Begin
    Are we living in a golden age of board games? It's a simple question, but there's a lot to unpack - what even qualifies as a golden age, have we already had one, and if we are living in one, when does it end? Before we go for gold, we talk about That's Not a Hat , Pulsar 2849 , and Barrage. Timecodes: 01:39 - That's Not a Hat 02:19 - Cockroach Poker 10:52 - Pulsar 2849 19:58 - Barrage 33:30 - Are we in a golden…
  90. May 25, 2023 #278: Check Check Check
    We're lucky to have covered wide swathes of the board game world, but there was a time when some of those things were aspirational. Like achievements to cross off on the great board game check list ... or like that Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson movie. You know they invented that phrase? Wild. Before we make our list, we talk about Municipium , and Yucatan . Timecodes: 02:27 - Municipium 12:47 - Yucatan 29:38 -…
  91. May 18, 2023 #277: Definitely Not a Mailbag Episode
    It's just two of us, so we turn our attention to the burning questions that you've been asking us, in a feature we're calling Topic Talk Back. This is not to be confused with the format we've used before, mailbags are old news now, and we'd appreciate it if you'd stop bringing it up. Before we do anything but rustle in the cloth sack, we talk about By Stealth and Sea , and Undaunted: Stalingrad . Timecodes: 02:38 -…
  92. May 11, 2023 #276: Fantasy Draft: BoardGameGeek 801-900
    It's the penultimate draft of the BGG Top 1000 series, and all of these games are garbage ... but it's up to us to sift through that garbage, and each find a collection of five games that's worthy of you. Vote for your favourite, and you could win a $50 gift voucher! Before we find diamonds in the rough, we also talk about Paperback Adventures , and Woodcraft . Timecodes: 02:31 - Paperback Adventures 13:29 -…
  93. May 4, 2023 #275: Building and Breaking Conventions
    Any creative work is built on a lot of conventions - things that we take as granted, the unspoken rules that must be followed. We get a lot of really great games by following design conventions, but some times, in order to innovate we have to break them. Before we try to find the balance between convention and innovation, we talk about Darwin's Journey , Aleph Null , and Rome in a Day . Timecodes: 02:00 - Darwin's…
  94. Apr 27, 2023 #274: Guessing Golden Geeks
    We can all agree the Golden Geeks peaked last year, but I suppose we can continue the facade if we must. Nominees are out for BoardGameGeek's annual awards, and as the presiding champions of taste, we're declaring our favourites. Before we prognosticate, we talk about Big City , Spots , and Horseless Carriage . Timecodes: 02:10 - Big City 09:33 - Spots 16:02 - Horseless Carriage 28:53 - Golden Geek 2022 Predictions…
  95. Apr 20, 2023 #273: Bob Chat
    Board games are a social medium, which is a big part of their appeal for us. It's not just about being heads down solving a puzzle, they facilitate conversation. Some games are better at this than others, so we put BGBBOB on the case to find our favourites! Before we natter away, we talk about Big Top , Autobahn , and Pollen. Timecodes: 03:04 - Big Top 12:21 - Autobahn 23:25 - Pollen 34:51 - Dealt! / Krass Kariert…
  96. Apr 13, 2023 #272: Cool Story, Bro
    Good storytelling isn't easy, and board games seem to struggle with it especially - which makes the ones that do pull it off, all the more memorable. We delve into the ways that games can engage us and create lasting experiences through stories. Before we spin a yarn, we talk about Star Wars: The Clone Wars , and Artisans of Splendent Vale. Timecodes: 01:36 - Star Wars: The Clone Wars 18:13 - Artisans of Splendent…
  97. Apr 6, 2023 #271: The Un-Episode
    I mean, I don't know. Before we do whatever, we talk about Circle the Wagons , El Gaucho , Roller Coaster Rush , and Applejack. Timecodes: 01:48 - Circle the Wagons 07:49 - El Gaucho 14:58 - Roller Coaster Rush 19:05 - Applejack 25:34 - What do I do with old campaign games? 25:48 - Frosthaven 25:48 - Gloomhaven 27:47 - What board game product would improve my gaming? 30:50 - What are good miniature games for people…
  98. Mar 30, 2023 #270: You May Feel a Little Discomfort
    Board games are great! Mostly. But as great as they are, we've probably all had a moment where, through no fault of the game itself, things got uncomfortable. Whether it's because of an awkward play, or just particulars of the group dynamic, we look back at some of our most uncomfortable moments. Before we enter the discomfort zone, we talk about Dog Tag Trick , Deal with the Devil , and Yokai Septet . Timecodes:…
  99. Mar 23, 2023 #269: Keep On Rollin', Bob
    BGBBOB's back, and he's rollin' ( rollin' ) rollin' on a river of amazing games, all of which feature some incredible dice play. As is our sacred duty, we won't rest until we've arranged them in some sort of numerical order, a ranked list, if you will. Before we rattle the bones, we talk about The Lord of the Rings Adventure Book Game , The South: Terminus , Beyond Baker Street , and The Defence of Procyon III .…
  100. Mar 16, 2023 #268: We Played a Slew of Games!
    We (well some of us) made it back from Vegas, and what happened there didn't stay there - we're reporting in from Dice Tower West 2023, a fun week of friends, casinos, and all you can eat sushi. To everyone we met, thank you for saying hey! We also played a lot of hot games, including Heat: Pedal to the Metal , and Stationfall. Timecodes: 02:52 - Return to Dark Tower 08:47 - Magic Mountain 10:46 - Tower of Babel…
  101. Mar 9, 2023 #267: Our Listeners' Top 20 Board Games of All-Time 2023
    I always love this one. It's the time of the year where we look at what your favourite games are, and discover whether there are any exciting movers and shakers in what you've been playing! It's the BGB Listener Top 20! Before we check in with all of you, we talk about Tower of Babel , Great Western Trail: Argentina , and Jump Drive . Timecodes: 02:01 - Tower of Babel ...or why the eighth wonder was never built…
  102. Mar 2, 2023 #266: Don't Mess with Cathala
    Bruna Cathala is the focus of this episode's BGB DOG, the unfortunately acronymed series where we showcase a designer whom we love, and talk through the history of their career and designs. Before we pay tribute to the two player king, we talk about Smart Four Connected , Skytear Horde , and Endless Winter: Paleoamericans . Timecodes: 02:56 - Smart Four Connected 06:30 - Skytear Horde 12:51 - Endless Winter:…
  103. Feb 23, 2023 #265: Fantasy Draft: BoardGameGeek 701-800
    The draft is back, and while the lists are getting really thin at this point, that's not going to stop us doing our damndest to pick out a killer selection of five games each. Whose is the best? That's up to you - and if you vote, you stand a chance to win a gift voucher for $50! Before we put our fate in your hands, we talk about Shake That City , Clank!: Catacombs , and Galactic Renaissance . Timecodes: 04:29 -…
  104. Feb 16, 2023 #264: Kellen
    We've done deep dives into games before, but really when you get down to it, games are just the medium. The substrate. What it's always been about is people. We hope to pick at the minds of some of the hobby's best with this format - and until then, we have Kellen. Before we unpack the man, the myth, the legend, we talk about Cuba Libre , Gang of Dice , and Time of Empires . Timecodes: 03:44 - Cuba Libre 13:00 -…
  105. Feb 9, 2023 #263: Our Most Anticipated Games of 2023
    If there's one thing I can say for sure about 2023, it's that it will certainly be a period of time. We're casting our eyes forward to the year ahead, and getting excited about some of the board games that (we hope) will actually be coming. Before we look ahead, always ahead, we talk about Make the Difference , German Railways , and Tiletum . Timecodes: 02:39 - Make the Difference 07:38 - German Railways 13:00 -…
  106. Feb 2, 2023 #262: The Sweet Sound of Mailbag
    Where would we be without the mailbag? We get such lovely questions from you lot, that we rarely get the chance to answer, so when the opportunity comes, one has to strike. Time to hear what's on your minds, kids. Before we rustle in the cloth, we talk about Dinosaur Gauge , and Starship Captains . Timecodes: 01:39 - Dinosaur Gauge 10:18 - Starship Captains 21:24 - Holiday games? 21:51 - Fire in the Hole 25:10 -…
  107. Jan 26, 2023 #261: Resolutions and Ramifications
    You know how at the start of the year you make a lot of promises to yourself that you have no chance of holding yourself to? Yeah, this isn't like that, we absolutely, definitely will not see out 2023 without following through on all of these whims. Before we hold ourselves accountable, we talk about Challengers! , Eleven: Football Manager Board Game , nana , and Zoo Vadis . Timecodes: 04:49 - Challengers! 12:24 -…
  108. Jan 19, 2023 #260: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2022: 10-1
    Here it is, the one we've all been waiting for, the Board Game Barrage top ten games of all time! It's been a long road and we'll wrap it up by seeing some old favourites ... and maybe a few new faces? Old or new, these are the thirty games we enjoy the most (at least, right now .) We loved sharing these lists with you and hope you've enjoyed listening to them! Timecodes: 01:25 - Neilan #10 - Brass: Birmingham…
  109. Jan 12, 2023 #259: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2022: 20-11
    We've reached the penultimate part of our five part series, the great series that is sometimes called our top fifty greatest games of all time ! We're barreling close to the end now, but not without a lot of moving and shaking first. Here's another fine selection of thirty amazing games we love. 01:37 - Kellen #20 - So Clover! 02:50 - Neilan #20 - Blue Lagoon 04:14 - Mark #20 - Blood Rage 06:32 - Kellen #19 - El…
  110. Jan 5, 2023 #258: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2022: 30-21
    It's a new year, but the list must go on. The list, that is, of our top fifty greatest games of all time ! It's part three, which everyone knows is the dark middle chapter of every pentalogy, so expect some swoops, some turns, some revelations. Brace yourself for another thirty incredible games that we can't wait to tell you all about. 02:03 - Mark #30 - Genoa 03:17 - Kellen #30 - Splendor 04:50 - Neilan #30 - Azul…
  111. Dec 29, 2022 #257: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2022: 40-31
    I hope you all had a good holiday break, but it's time to get back to business. The very serious business that is the top fifty greatest games of all time. We return to our heroes in what the enthusiasts call phase two , and boy are things heating up! Thirty more incredible games that we absolutely love are coming right at you. 00:58 - Neilan #40 - In the Year of the Dragon 03:14 - Mark #40 - Splendor 05:09 -…
  112. Dec 15, 2022 #256: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2022: 50-41
    It's top fifty season! That's right, it's the time to reflect on every single game we've ever played, and see how we feel about them in the year of our lord, 2022. We sort through the chaff, and from it we weave a beautiful golden strand we call our top fifty greatest games of all time. Grab a glass, and join us. 10:18 - Kellen #50 - Smartphone Inc. 12:01 - Neilan #50 - Archipelago 13:22 - Mark #50 - Chicago…
  113. Dec 8, 2022 #255: Kellen Played a Hop of Games!
    Kellen won't stop rubbing in that he went to PAX Unplugged without us, but at least he came back with a lot of cool games to talk about. Join us as he regales us with the latest from Philadelphia. Before we eat our Philly, we talk about Sea Salt & Paper , and Chicago Express . 03:49 - Sea Salt & Paper 10:19 - Chicago Express 21:57 - Dicke Dämonen 26:00 - John Company: Second Edition 34:46 - The Green Fivura 35:15 -…
  114. Dec 1, 2022 #254: A Celebration of Innovation
    One of the greatest things about taking part in this hobby, is seeing new and novel ideas bubble to the surface. We're looking at some our favourite recent innovations - stuff that makes us think, "Huh, why haven't we seen that before?" Before we do anything but imitate and iterate, we talk about Paint the Roses , and ISS Vanguard . 02:01 - Paint the Roses 12:33 - ISS Vanguard 29:29 - Mystic Vale 30:52 - Dead…
  115. Nov 23, 2022 #253: The Ghost of Turkeys Past
    How do you all keep falling for this? The Ghost Turkey moves in mysterious ways, and this year he's moving us to 2019, to atone for our sins. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! 04:48 - ICECOOL 06:24 - Meeple Circus 06:49 - Root 07:57 - Sheriff of Nottingham 08:48 - Piepmatz 09:29 - Fauna 10:13 - Evolution: Flight 11:03 - Zany Penguins 12:26 - Gulo Gulo 13:16 - Funky Chicken 14:02 - Ashes: Rise of the Phoenixborn 14:58 -…
  116. Nov 17, 2022 #252: Digital Killed the Tabletop Star
    We all saw this coming. The inevitable digital future has come, and suddenly Mark is a book store owner who just discovered Kindles. It'd be sad if it weren't so inevitable. We discuss the rise of digital gaming, and how it can, at least in some ways, replace parts of the hobby. Before we go down to Electric Avenue, we talk about Wormholes , Mogul , and Orichalcum. 02:07 - Wormholes 09:58 - Mogul 19:23 - Orichalcum…
  117. Nov 10, 2022 #251: Tabling the Teach
    Look, I wasn't there, but my understanding is that Kellen got very mad about certain board game words and decided to change the course of the episode midstream. Which, you know, would be one thing, but I once had to hear about how mad Kellen was about the word "apricot", so it's just like every day with this guy. Before we get etymological, we talk about Splendor Duel , and Seize the Bean . 02:19 - Splendor Duel…
  118. Nov 3, 2022 #250: The Times They Are a-Changin'
    Two hundred and fifty episodes. That's ... a lot of episodes. That's a lot of time! And, boy, things have changed around here. Well some things. We look at what's different in the hobby since we started doing this whole thing. Before we cast our minds back, we talk about Stone Age , Blood on the Clocktower , Hansa Teutonica , and Aegean Sea . 01:58 - Stone Age 12:41 - Blood on the Clocktower 16:56 - Hansa Teutonica…
  119. Oct 27, 2022 #249: The Essence of Excess
    Games are getting bigger and more lavish, especially in the age of crowdfunding, but how far is too far? How many luxury bits, giant boxes of minis, and silk-screened wooden meeples until it's all gone a bit far? Before we dress for excess, we talk about Habitats , Blood on the Clocktower , Twilight Inscription , and It's a Wonderful Kingdom . 01:59 - Habitats 13:07 - Blood on the Clocktower 18:44 - Twilight…
  120. Oct 20, 2022 #248: The Need for Theme
    The topic of theme has come up intermittently over the course of the podcast, but how important is it? Is it something that makes or breaks a game? Or would we be mostly okay if games were mostly non-thematic? Before we burst at the theme, we talk about Mamma Mia! , Football Highlights 2052 , Kanban , and Oathsworn: Into the Deepwood . 01:46 - Mamma Mia! 08:20 - Football Highlights 2052 18:50 - Kanban 20:59 -…
  121. Oct 13, 2022 #247: We Played A Heap of Games!
    What good would going to a convention be if we didn't play a lot of games? We're back from our trip, and it was filled to the brim of fine games played with fine people, and we're here to tell you about all of them, the good, the bad, and perfunctory. Before we return to Vancouver, we talk about Village Rails , The Guild of Merchant Explorers , and Puzzle Strike 2 . 01:51 - Village Rails 12:43 - The Guild of…
  122. Oct 6, 2022 #246: SHUX 2022 Live with Tom Brewster
    We're at SHUX! Well, we were, and while we were there, we tricked Tom Brewster of Shut Up & Sit Down to take time away from his busy schedule to join us on stage. This episode was recorded live, and we talk about games that are in some ways, a little bit weird. Before things get odd, we talk about Dungeons, Dice & Danger , Fun Facts , Turncoats , and Flick Fleck . 03:52 - Dungeons, Dice & Danger 09:07 - Fun Facts…
  123. Sep 29, 2022 #245: Essen SPIEL 2022 Hype List
    It's convention season, which means we're on the way to one convention, while talking about another. Every year a lot of new games get showed off at Essen SPIEL in Germany, and these are the ones we're most excited to hear more about! Before we start messin' with Essen, we talk about Plutocracy and Finca . 01:56 - Plutocracy 09:54 - Finca 19:09 - Essen SPIEL 2022 Preview 19:39 - The Great Split 21:57 - Time…
  124. Sep 22, 2022 #244: Quick Count
    We're in and out quick and breezy, with a h-h-hot question about player counts. All things equally considered, how many people do you want at the table? Before we boot people from the game, we talk about Bitoku , San Francisco , and Caesar's Empire . 01:28 - Bitoku 12:21 - San Francisco 20:11 - Caesar's Empire 28:46 - Favorite Player Counts 36:08 - Star Trek: Ascendancy 37:04 - Churchill We're going to be at SHUX:…
  125. Sep 15, 2022 #243: We're on Each Other's Team
    The best thing about being part of a team is even when things go wrong, your team is there for you. And boy, did things go wrong this week ... but I'm getting ahead of myself. This week we're talking about team games! Twice! Before we make the dream work, we talk about Art Decko , Feed The Kraken , and War of the Ring: The Card Game . 02:47 - Art Decko 09:03 - Feed The Kraken 20:08 - War of the Ring: The Card Game…
  126. Sep 8, 2022 #242: Second Time's the Charm
    Not every game makes the best first impression, but some stick in your mind enough to warrant a second try. So fittingly, the first and second best hosts are here to tell you about the games that they think deserve a revisit. Before we repeat stuff, repeat stuff, we talk about Mille Fiori , Rise of the Metro , and Turing Machine . 02:05 - Mille Fiori 05:57 - Rise of the Metro 12:48 - Turing Machine 22:29 - Games…
  127. Sep 1, 2022 #241: Fantasy Draft: BoardGameGeek 601-700
    Okay, this end of the BGG top list starts to get weird. Regardless, we must draft. Who's going to end up with the best selection of five games from this chunk of one hundred? That's up to you - vote and you could win a $50 gift voucher! Before we pick a peck of paper products, we talk about Town 66 , Akropolis , and Pampero . 02:09 - Town 66 08:24 - Akropolis 16:51 - Pampero 27:38 - Drafting BGG's #601-700 29:40 -…
  128. Aug 25, 2022 #240: The Pillars of Recreation
    The pillars of board gaming are games that are so influential, so ubiquitous, that they're practically the shoulders on which many other board games stand. We talk about what are commonly considered the classic pillars, and try to make a more modern list. Before we get into Greek architecture, we talk about Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon , Trailblazers , Photograph , and Ys . 02:34 - Tainted Grail: The Fall of…
  129. Aug 18, 2022 #239: We're Back and We Brought Lots of Games
    Well, we've returned, and some of us are a little worse for wear, but if a week off doesn't get us back into gear, nothing will. Gen Con is behind us, and Mark, who sadly couldn't make the con, quizzes us about our highlights of the show. Before we cast our minds back to Indiana, we talk about Cat in the Box, Formosa Tea , and Twilight Inscription . 02:14 - Cat in the Box 08:31 - Formosa Tea 15:32 - Twilight…
  130. Aug 4, 2022 #237: Where Are They Now?
    Given that we hyped up all those games last week, it's only fair that we prepare ourselves for the aftermath. We look back at some of the most famous and infamous games of yesteryear that were very highly anticipated, and wonder what became of them. Before we relive the comedown, we talk about Master Word , Living Forest , and Tidal Blades: Heroes of the Reef . 02:00 - Master Word 06:27 - Living Forest 13:29 -…
  131. Jul 28, 2022 #236: Gen Con 2022 Preview
    Gen Con is a week away! We're headed to Indianapolis (hope to see you there!) but before we do, we're looking down the preview list to get ourselves hyped. These are our five games we're each most excited to see at the show! Before we go Indy, we talk about Vabanque , Orongo , and Blood on the Clocktower . 02:06 - Vabanque 07:25 - Orongo 15:12 - Blood on the Clocktower 23:49 - Our most anticipated Gen Con 2022…
  132. Jul 21, 2022 #235: The Twin Game Showdown
    There's a phenomenon called twin films, where competing studios release very similar movies at the same time. We imagine the same idea in board game land, and highlight some of the biggest board game grudge matches - and judge which game we think came out on top. Before there can be only one, we talk about Viking See-Saw , Dandelions , Codex Naturalis , and Luna . 02:38 - Viking See-Saw 05:32 - Dandelions 13:09 -…
  133. Jul 14, 2022 #234: It's About Family with Ambie Valdés from Board Game Blitz
    Ambie Valdés, from the excellent podcast Board Game Blitz, joins us to talk about family games, and possibly also the Fast and the Furious franchise. Ambie actually has kids, so might know a little more about this than the rest of us. Kids love Vin Diesel. Before we edutain, we talk about Savannah Park , Cryptid , and Stroganov . 04:43 - Savannah Park 11:26 - Cryptid 17:51 - Stroganov 27:11 - Family games 29:55 -…
  134. Jul 7, 2022 #233: A Decade of Missed Games: 2010-2019
    Well, we can't play everything, and that was probably more true ten years ago than it is now. So we thought we'd look back at the decade past, and highlight some games that we feel like we missed out on. Before we prolong our backlogs, we talk about Loot of Lima , Yosemite , and Planted: A Game of Nature & Nurture . 02:13 - Loot of Lima 09:17 - Yosemite 14:56 - Planted: A Game of Nature & Nurture 23:01 - Games from…
  135. Jun 30, 2022 #232: Transcontinental Mailbag Express
    We're spread across the world and time , so we do the thing we should never do; we put the questions to you. Yes, you! It's a mailbag episode, we're answering a trio, a trilogy, a trichopteran of your questions. Before we put in our hand and pull out a letter, we talk about Caesar!: Seize Rome in 20 Minutes! , Symphony No.9 , and Arrakis: Dawn of the Fremen . 03:46 - Caesar!: Seize Rome in 20 Minutes! 11:36 -…
  136. Jun 23, 2022 #231: Why Fight When You Can Negotiate?
    Yes, you could make the argument that every game is a negotiation game if you try hard enough, but for a lot of games it's more integral to the design. We look at games that we think integrate negotiation mechanics especially well, and ask how much is too much (or too little) when it comes to negotiation. Before we compromise, we talk about Septima , and Kremlin . 02:12 - Septima 18:09 - Kremlin 34:26 - Negotiation…
  137. Jun 16, 2022 #230: Worth the Weight
    While we tend to enjoy games across the whole spectrum, there's something particular about sinking your teeth into a really heavy game. But it's not always an easy prospect; conditions have to be just right. So what makes a heavy game worth it? Before things get heavy, we talk about Barony , Bausack , Whitehall Mystery , and Dead Reckoning . 02:14 - Barony 13:17 - Bausack 18:07 - Whitehall Mystery 22:59 - Dead…
  138. Jun 9, 2022 #229: The Positives of Being Negative
    There's a lot of discourse lately about the pros and cons of negative board game coverage, and so of course we thought we ought to weigh in. Is there value in negative criticism versus positive, or should there be a balance between the two? Before we take the good with the bad, we talk about Homeworlds , Ave Caesar , and Founders of Teotihuacan . 01:42 - Homeworlds 12:39 - Ave Caesar 18:03 - Founders of Teotihuacan…
  139. Jun 2, 2022 #228: Bob Is Beautiful
    It's easy to get lost in mechanical discussions of games, and forget to appreciate them as physical creations. There can be beauty in games, and we're here to get to the heart of it the only way we know, the one on one fight to the death that we call BGBBOB. Before we get skin deep, we talk about First Empires , Mille Fiori , and Foundations of Rome . 01:44 - First Empires 08:25 - Mille Fiori 16:41 - Foundations of…
  140. May 26, 2022 #227: Board Games: The Sequel: Part II: Electric Boogaloo
    It doesn't happen as much as it does in other industries, but every so often the people at the top demand serialization. We're talking about sequels in board games, when they work, when they (super) don't, and what we'd like to see get the treatment. Before we get franchised, we talk about Next Station: London , Dawn of the Zeds (Third Edition) , and Azul: Queen's Garden . 01:23 - Next Station: London 09:29 - Dawn…
  141. May 19, 2022 #226: Metapod
    Metagaming is all about the game that exists within (and without) the game - it's everything that's not written in the rules. Whether that's something that emerges at your table, or in the community at large, it can be a big part of the social experience, and we're all for it. Before we get meta, we talk about Rum & Pirates , Box One , Shamans , and Crescent Moon . 05:00 - Rum & Pirates 11:24 - Box One 14:58 -…
  142. May 12, 2022 #225: Itchy, Tasty
    With the middle of the year rapidly approaching, we've acquired our fair share of games that we're really itching to play. We talk about what's recently made its way into our collections that we just can't wait to get to the table. Before we break out the back scratchers, we talk about Ivanhoe , Freshwater Fly , Vindication , and Cryptid: Urban Legends . 02:23 - Ivanhoe 09:13 - Freshwater Fly 17:11 - Vindication…
  143. May 5, 2022 #224: Golden Geek Awards 2021
    The Golden Geek results are in for 2021, and to avoid burying the lede ... we won! We're over the moon, naturally, but we couldn't have done it without you. We celebrate by giving our takes on the rest of the awards, how we voted, and what we think about the other categories. Before we bathe in our glory, we talk about Aristocracy , Senators , and Ark Nova . 06:08 - Aristocracy 15:51 - Senators 23:58 - Ark Nova…
  144. Apr 28, 2022 #223: Ye Olden Games with Mark Bigney from So Very Wrong About Games
    It's easy to get caught up in the cult of the new, but there are so many amazing games that came out before we were even in the hobby. Mark Bigney of So Very Wrong About Games joins us to look at the games we love from yesteryear, and other older games we really ought to play. And stick around for even more special appearances after the show! Before we go back in time, we talk about Sobek: 2 Players , Phantom…
  145. Apr 21, 2022 #222: Are You the Gatekeeper?
    There are many ways that we can accidentally contribute to gatekeeping in the hobby - pushing those who want to embrace it away. Whether it's to those outside, or even, bizarrely, to those already in, we break down the subtle (and unsubtle) ways we do it, whether or not we mean to. Before we find the keymaster, we talk about San Marco , Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion , and Ghosts of Christmas . 02:28 - San Marco…
  146. Apr 14, 2022 #221: P-P-P-Party Questions
    It doesn't quite work the same, but what do you expect when Neilan's not present? Speaking of presents, it's Mark's birthday so the rest of the crew celebrate with a parade of (don't call them hot) questions, where they invent expansions, and save the planet. Before we get older, we talk about Time Barons , and The Key: Sabotage at Lucky Llama Land . 03:57 - Time Barons 13:37 - Hanabi Deluxe II 15:34 - The Key:…
  147. Apr 7, 2022 #220: Fantasy Draft: BoardGameGeek 501-600
    It's been a little while, but we're back with the next hundred games on BoadGameGeek, and we're drafting a five game collection from them. Who ended up with the best picks? Vote and you could win a $50 gift voucher! Before things get drafty, we talk about Imperium: The Contention , Wonderland's War, and Gentes . 02:19 - Imperium: The Contention 07:20 - Wonderland's War 19:23 - Gentes 33:32 - Quantum 35:31 - Kemet:…
  148. Mar 31, 2022 #219: A Perfect Ten
    Does the perfect game exist? Probably not, but is that even the point? This week we discuss the elusive 10/10 rating, whether it makes sense to apply it, and what that means for rating games in general. Before we realize pobody's nerfect, we talk about Mind MGMT: The Psychic Espionage "Game." , Manila, and Picture Perfect . 02:11 - Mind MGMT: The Psychic Espionage "Game." 12:14 - Manila 16:55 - Camel Up 18:50 -…
  149. Mar 24, 2022 #218: Our Listeners' Top 20 Board Games of All-Time 2022
    Wow, hundreds of you sent in your favourite games, and it was absolute chaos. But we got all the data together, cleaned up the typos, and crunched the numbers via a super secret algorithm, and here we are, your favourite games of all-time! For this year, at least. Before you take the stage, we talk about Schotten Totten 2 , For Science! , and The Bridges of Shangri-La . 02:17 - Schotten Totten 2 13:13 - For…
  150. Mar 17, 2022 #217: We Got Rid of a Bunch of Games!
    There is a joy as equal in receiving a game, as moving it onto another person to enjoy. Especially, if you're Mark, when there's cash involved. We reflect on the many games that got left behind recently. Before we purge, we talk about Imperial Steam , Circus Flohcati , and Dogs of War . 02:33 - Circus Flohcati 09:37 - Imperial Steam 21:22 - Dogs of War 29:33 - Camel Up: Off Season 31:01 - Ciub 31:53 - Ten 33:18 -…
  151. Mar 10, 2022 #216: We're Doing This Together!
    Waiting your turn is so 2021. Simultaneous play is where it's at now. Fortunately, we got a chance to try A BUNCH of games featuring the mechanism at Dice Tower West! So, before we all hold hands and dive in all at once, we'll chat about Bear Raid , Loco! , Imperium: The Contention , and Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest . 04:30 - Bear Raid 12:18 - Loco! 18:09 - Imperium: The Contention 30:37 - Libertalia: Winds of…
  152. Mar 3, 2022 #215: Some Like It H-H-Hot
    We're on the way to Dice Tower West, so we're keeping this one easy breezy with just a hot question. How many games on your shelf do you think you could teach without looking at the rulebook? Before we turn up the heat, we talk about Yokohama, Final Girl, and Mystic Paths . 03:04 - Yokohama 11:35 - Final Girl 20:27 - Mystic Paths Check out our wiki at: https://boardgamebarrage.com/wiki Join the discussion at:…
  153. Feb 24, 2022 #214: Bob's Alright (For Fighting)
    Return of the Bob! If you don't know what a BGBBOB, boy you've missed out. Twelve games enter, and, well, they all exit, but only once they've been arranged in the appropriate order via a series of one on one fights. And fights are doubly appropriate this week, because we're battling it out in search of the best combat systems. Before we wish for peace, we talk about 7 Wonders: Architects , Kokopelli , and Canopy .…
  154. Feb 17, 2022 #213: Approach Without Caution
    Approachability and accessibility are incredibly important to a wide swathe of gamers, but for those experienced in the hobby, it can often get overlooked. We investigate how games can aid those both in and especially outside the hobby to be more immediately appealing. Before we have a beer with him, we talk about Shinkansen: Zero Kei , Project L , and Boonlake . 01:32 - Shinkansen: Zero Kei 11:30 - Project L 21:13…
  155. Feb 10, 2022 #212: Two Can Play At That Game
    It's the triumphant return of the terrific trio - you know exactly who we mean - to talk about games where one of us would have to be left out. That's right, it's two players only at this table, and we're talking about our favourite games that fit the bill, and why we love them. Before we one-three-nine-take-two, we talk about Undaunted: Normand y, Fields of Arle , and That Time You Killed Me . 02:12 - Undaunted:…
  156. Feb 3, 2022 #211: Our Most Anticipated Games of 2022
    New year, new games, and we're really in it now. We look ahead to the year ahead, and all the games that we're most excited to get our hands on ... but we couldn't do it without just a little bit of help from our friends. Before we consult our many crystal balls, we talk about American Bookshop , War of the Ring: Second Edition , and Coffee Traders . 01:56 - American Bookshop 06:42 - War of the Ring: Second Edition…
  157. Jan 27, 2022 #210: No One Man Should Have All That Power
    Few things feel better than those moments in board games that make you feel powerful. Whether it's playing the perfect card, pulling off a perfectly executed turn, or splashing down that giant mini, we look at some of our favourite power plays in board games. Before we corrupt absolutely, we talk about Biblios: Quill and Parchment , Cryo , and Origins: First Builders . 03:00 - Biblios: Quill and Parchment 12:43 -…
  158. Jan 20, 2022 #209: Holiday Hits and Hot Questions
    And we're back! The holiday extravaganza is over, and it's back to business as usual around here. And what better way to get back into the swing of things than with some h-h-hot questions! Before that, we catch up on our holidays apart, with tales about the games that we played with our loved ones, including The Siege of Runedar , Snakesss , and Time Bomb Evolution . 02:18 - The Siege of Runedar 08:02 - Snakesss…
  159. Jan 13, 2022 #208: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2021: 10-1 (ft. Tom Brewster)
    It's the grand finale of the event of events that is the BGB Top 50 Games of All-time! These are our ten absolute favourite games, and, fittingly, it's a bumper episode with more than one surprise. Joining us in the peanut gallery this week, it's none other than the manic imp of Shut Up & Sit Down himself, the absolute mad genius that is Tom Brewster. Buckle in, it's going to get weird. 02:36 - Kellen #10 - El…
  160. Jan 6, 2022 #207: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2021: 20-11 (ft. Ambie Valdés)
    The penultimate episode of the grand series is here, it's the BGB Top 50! As the journey approaches its end, we're venturing into our 20th to 11th favourite games, with some support from the peanut gallery. And with thirty more board games to blitz through, who better to help us than Ambie Valdés of Board Game Blitz ! 01:27 - Mark #20 - Imperial 2030 03:02 - Neilan #20 - Decrypto 04:11 - Kellen #20 - The Resistance…
  161. Dec 30, 2021 #206: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2021: 30-21 (ft. Mike Walker)
    What better way to send off the year than part three of the party to end all parties, the BGB Top 50! We're adding thirty more incredible games to the list, with our 30th to 21st favourite picks. This week, we have the Black Tank, Mike Walker of So Very Wrong About Games tearing apart our choices from the peanut gallery! 01:57 - Kellen #30 - Taj Mahal 03:32 - Mark #30 - Modern Art 05:48 - Neilan #30 - Deception:…
  162. Dec 23, 2021 #205: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2021: 40-31 (ft. Monique & Naveen)
    We're back for the second part of the year's greatest celebration, it's the top fifty! We've got thirty more incredible games to talk about this week, as we get into our games ranked 40th to 31st. This week in the peanut gallery, critiquing our picks, we're thrilled to have Monique (the Lavender tank herself) and Naveen of Before You Play ! 01:29 - Neilan #40 - Coloretto 03:15 - Kellen #40 - Zendo 05:28 - Mark #40…
  163. Dec 16, 2021 #204: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2021: 50-41 (ft. Mike Dilisio)
    It's time. The event of the year is upon us, as we begin counting down our FIFTY. FAVOURITE. GAMES. OF. ALL. TIME. We're kicking it off where you kick off all good top 50s, with our games ranked 50th to 41st favourite games. And we've also invited Mr Delicious himself, Mike DiLisio of The Dice Tower, to pick apart our choices from his lofty perch in the peanut gallery. Let's go! 03:15 - Kellen #50 - So Clover!…
  164. Dec 9, 2021 #203: You Don't Have to Say You Love Me
    It'd be great if we could only ever play our favourites. But sometimes, perhaps more often than not, we have to put up with playing games not because we want to, but because it's the polite or kind thing to do depending on the company. This week, we're talking about games that we don't necessarily love , but for whatever reason we end up playing a lot of. Before we're held against our will, we talk about Mr.…
  165. Dec 2, 2021 #202: Your Fulfilled Potential
    Looking back on the past made us all reflective. For instance, remember 166 episodes ago when we promised to play all those games on our shelves of shame? I thought you might. We're revisiting our crimes of yesteryear, and checking in on how guilty we are. Before we audit our past selves, we talk about Warp's Edge , Carolus Magnus , and Unfathomable . 02:32 - Warp's Edge 08:09 - Carolus Magnus 16:20 - Unfathomable…
  166. Nov 24, 2021 #201: I Choose You, Ghost Turkey!
    Gobble gobble, gotcha again. What better way to follow up one of our biggest episodes yet, than with one of our stupidest? Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! 02:35 - Cursed Court: Pokémon Edition 04:30 - Unfathomable 05:36 - Wings of War: Deluxe Set 06:22 - Gods Loves Dinosaurs 07:12 - Wings of Glory 08:16 - Seikatsu 12:59 - Bandada 14:22 - Concordia Check out our wiki at: https://boardgamebarrage.com/wiki Join the…
  167. Nov 18, 2021 #200: The Big 200 Spectacular
    We did it! Two hundred episodes later and we're still here. We're so grateful to every single listener, so we wanted to turn the mics back on all of you for your favourite voicemail memories from the show. Here's to another two hundred. Before we celebrate good times, we talk about Llamaland , Mansions of Madness: Second Edition, and Clash of Cultures: Monumental Edition. 02:59 - Llamaland 12:03 - Mansions of…
  168. Nov 11, 2021 #199: Amerigames and Eurotrash
    The split between Eurogame and Ameritrash gamers is as old as it it is silly, but in the last ten years it's also become a lot more nebulous. It's less clear than ever which side of the fence games fall on, so why still use these archaic labels at all? Maybe it's time for a change. Before we heal the divide, we talk about Hostage Negotiator , Juicy Fruits, Sleeping Gods , and Witchstone . 04:25 - Hostage Negotiator…
  169. Nov 4, 2021 #198: Making Memories
    If you've ever been a board game host, then you know it's not always just about playing games, it's about creating lasting memories for everyone playing. We'd never leave that to chance though, so of course we're often going out of our way to make a board game experience memorable. Before we do the unforgettable, we talk about Khôra: Rise of an Empire , Dune: Betrayal , and Santa Maria . 02:08 - Khôra: Rise of an…
  170. Oct 28, 2021 #197: Fantasy Draft: BoardGameGeek 401-500
    It's part five of our venerable draft series, a series so loved that it's now in syndication! We're moving on to the tail end of the BGB Top 500, but the format stays the same: draft five games to build a standalone collection that's better than the others. Vote for your favourite, and you can win $50! Before we collect royalties, we talk about PARKS , Fairy Trails , Abandon All Artichokes , and So Clover! 03:39 -…
  171. Oct 21, 2021 #196: Question Time with Jeremy
    We love all of the emails we get from you, our lovely listeners, but without a regular mail segment, we can't often give them the attention they deserve. Well that ends right now, as we delve into the long neglected pile of mail, and answer some choice questions that have been waiting patiently for answers. Before we rustle in the mailbag, we talk about Crusaders: Thy Will Be Done , and World of Warcraft: Wrath of…
  172. Oct 14, 2021 #195: Eric, Eric, He's Our Lang
    We're always excited for a new Eric Lang game, which makes him an obvious candidate for the absolutely-not-called BGB DOG - our series where we deep dive into a designer's .... designography. He's made a lot of our favourite area control games, and had his hand in some games we might not have even realized. Before we bang on about this Lang mang, we talk about What's Missing? , Polynesia , and TEN . 02:41 - What's…
  173. Oct 7, 2021 #194: Essen SPIEL 2021 Hype List
    Convention season in the new world continues, and this time it's Germany's turn, with Essen SPIEL just days away from kicking off. But tanks, you say, I don't sprechen Deutsch . We've got you. We're going to highlight all the games that we think you ought to be paying attention to, no German necessary. Before we spend our Euros, we talk about Praga Caput Regni , Skulk Hollow , and Beez . 01:40 - Praga Caput Regni…
  174. Sep 30, 2021 #193: Three Dimensions of Space
    There is one unenviable truth of board game ownership that we're forced to contend with - they occupy space . We've each had to wrestle with this reality in different ways recently, so we offer our thoughts on the awkwardness of sharing a physical world with our board games. Before we merely exist, we talk about Riftforce , Kabuto Sumo , and Whirling Witchcraft . 02:23 - Riftforce 11:38 - Kabuto Sumo 19:41 -…
  175. Sep 23, 2021 #192: Fantasy Draft: BoardGameGeek 301-400
    A new list of a hundred games to draft, and it only gets harder and harder. We're each picking a standalone collection of five games in a snake draft format. And the best part is you could win $50 just by voting on your favourite collection! Before we get to clubbing, we talk about Regicide , Dice Miner , and Let's Make a Bus Route , and SCOUT! 02:06 - Regicide 08:34 - Dice Miner 16:55 - Let's Make a Bus Route…
  176. Sep 16, 2021 #191: Take Off Every Zig
    While one of the appeals of following a specific game designer is the comforting familiarity of what they do best, it's also really fun to see them go off the garden path. We're looking at games and mechanics where one of our beloved designers zigged, when they easily could've zagged. Before we go our own way, we talk about Biosphere , The Ratcatcher: The Solo Adventure Game , and Stephenson's Rocket . Timecodes:…
  177. Sep 9, 2021 #190: Why Are You the Way That You Are?
    One of the things we love to do, especially if we're playing a game for the first time, is analyse it while we're playing. We're sure this totally isn't annoying for those around us. In particular, we love picking apart little mechanical choices, imagining what the designer's thought process was, and wondering "why is that like that?" Before we get to speculating, we talk about Divinity Derby , Mexica , and…
  178. Sep 2, 2021 #189: Uwe Baby
    We love Uwe Rosenberg around these parts, whether it's because of our infatuation with polyominoes, the need to keep workers fed, or the strange mechanisms of animal breeding. Join us down the (cottage) garden path of his designography, and make sure to plant some vegetables along the way. Before we get agricultural, we talk about Bosk , Spies & Lies: A Stratego Story , and G len More II: Chronicles . 00:58 - Bosk…
  179. Aug 26, 2021 #188: Whatever It Takes
    Sometimes, if you want a game bad enough, you're willing to go to absurd lengths to acquire it. Whether it's because it's out of print, or just hard to come by, we've all put more effort than we should've into finding or playing specific games. We tell our stories of just how far we've gone. Before we secure the bag, we talk about Tinner's Trail , and The Night Cage . 01:10 - Tinner's Trail 08:13 - The Night Cage…
  180. Aug 19, 2021 #187: Fantasy Draft: BoardGameGeek 201-300
    We're back with another fantasy draft, as we keep on moving down the BoardGameGeek top games list. If you're not familiar, we're each picking a standalone collection of five games before our picks get stolen out from under us. Want to win a $50 gift card? You've got to vote on whose collection is best! Before we get the knives out, we talk about Raiders of Scythia , and Ankh: Gods of Egypt . 02:01 - Raiders of…
  181. Aug 12, 2021 #186: Don't Knock It Till You Try It
    We all have types of games that, for whatever reason, we steer clear of. Often all that we've been missing is a more suitable introduction to the genre, or a game that's just enough of an outlier. This week, we try to tempt you toward genres that you might have written off, with the games that may just sway you. Before we change your minds, we talk about Pocket Galapagos , Cascadia , and Bites . 01:36 - Pocket…
  182. Aug 5, 2021 #185: The Most Important Meal of the Day
    It's board games for dinner, but we're not just throwing whatever we could find on your plate. No, we've got menus. We lay out our ideas for a four course board game meal, complete with appetizer, amuse-bouche, entrée and dessert, in a fun little exercise suggested by a listener. Before we meal plan, we talk about Sequoia , The Mind Extreme , and MicroMacro: Crime City . 04:31 - Sequoia 10:07 - The Mind Extreme…
  183. Jul 29, 2021 #184: Science Based Friction
    Board game science is a delicate process, but thankfully BOB's here to help, in another BGB Battle of Board (Games)! This week, we're pitting our favourite science fiction themed games against each other. That's fifteen sci fi games, which we'll put in a fact based ordered list, ready to submit to the journal of your choice. Before we pollute space, we talk about Riverboat , Bug Council of Backyardia , and…
  184. Jul 22, 2021 #183: Catch a Falling Wallace ...?
    Martin Wallace, titan of industry, man of steam and brass. He's made a lot of games, often involving trains, but sometimes also Cthulhu. We do a deep dive into the prolific designer's catalogue, in the next in the series that Mark (and nobody else) is calling BGB DOG. Before we put him in our pocket, we talk about Throne and the Grail , Race for the Galaxy , Dinogenics , and On Mars . 02:21 - Throne and the Grail…
  185. Jul 15, 2021 #182: Fantasy Draft: BoardGameGeek 101-200
    If you thought the Euro 2020 final was tense, wait until you listen to this episode. The next match in the world's most anticipated series is now here, as we continue down the BoardGameGeek top games list, drafting a collection of five games. Whose do you think is best? Vote to stand a chance to win a $50 gift card! Before we make like snakes, we talk about Chinatown , Curious Cargo , and Mercado de Lisboa . 02:14…
  186. Jul 8, 2021 #181: Save Dat Money
    Look, we know, we don't exactly help matters, but this hobby can be expensive . So, to make up for fueling your FOMO, we're gonna lay out some of the ways that we consciously try to curb our board game spending, while still keeping up with the zeitgeist. Before we balance our budget, we talk about Summer Camp , Wildlands , and Rome & Roll . 05:11 - Summer Camp 09:55 - The Quest for El Dorado 11:06 - Dominion 12:38…
  187. Jul 1, 2021 #180: The Rules of Investing
    We often talk about the burden of rules, and how in some of our favourite games, they just get out of the way. But when is that burden worthwhile; what makes the price of a heavy rules overhead worth paying? Before we maximize our returns, we talk about Crash Octopus , Terraforming Mars: Ares Expedition , Imperium: Classics , and Oath: Chronicles of Empire and Exile . 02:54 - Crash Octopus 08:33 - Terraforming…
  188. Jun 24, 2021 #179: Ignorance Is Bliss
    Sometimes it's best not to know, right? You've just played a game, and you liked it a lot, but you're not quite sure whether that faction is quite balanced, or the designers accounted for that winning strategy. Should you find out? Or is it better just to enjoy the game on its own merits? Before we disobey our thirst for knowledge, we talk about Genoa , Durian , The Search for Planet X , and Pavlov's House . 02:04…
  189. Jun 17, 2021 #178: The Power of Production
    Because making board games is hard , it's not enough just to have some solid mechanics - the best games have a production that coheres with the design. We look at some examples of games where production considerations (or lack thereof) have helped or hurt how they play. Before we executively produce, we talk about The King is Dead: Second Edition , Equinox , and Enchanted Plumes . 01:48 - The King is Dead: Second…
  190. Jun 10, 2021 #177: Fantasy Draft: BoardGameGeek Top 100
    Mark's trying to get us all into something he calls "sports", so as a compromise, we're doing a fantasy board game draft! We're going to pick games from the BoardGameGeek Top 100, until we each have five. Then YOU get to vote on whose draft is best, for a chance to win $50! Before we play to the crowds, we talk about Azul: Summer Pavilion , Roads & Boats , Ruthless , and Cthulhu: Death May Die . 02:09 - Azul:…
  191. Jun 3, 2021 #176: Sweet Summer Lovin'
    We've got a couple of quick questions from listeners that we thought made for some fun talking points. We're trying to figure out what the board game equivalent of black licorice is, and Before rustle in the mailbag, we talk about Trekking the World , Inkling , My City , and Ruination . 01:37 - Trekking the World 11:26 - Inkling 20:08 - My City 22:31 - Ruination 33:52 - Kemet 38:55 - Black licorice games 40:42 -…
  192. May 27, 2021 #175: Cute As a Button
    As longstanding experts on being cute, we thought we'd finally bring both of our fields of expertise to bear on one topic. It's a return to the classic top five list, and we're counting down the cutest goshdarn board games we can think of. Before things get kawaii, we talk about Nations , Mountain Goats , and Brew . 02:34 - Nations 11:54 - Mountain Goats 17:11 - Brew 29:01 - Top 5 cutest games 30:31 - Calico 32:41…
  193. May 20, 2021 #174: Live Your Legacy
    We played a double feature of legacy games for Cinco de Ocho Dos, which got us thinking about how our thoughts on legacy mechanics might have changed since the heady days of young Board Game Barrage. Before we open that box, we talk about Bonfire , Nidavellir , and The King's Dilemma . 02:07 - Bonfire 10:02 - Nidavellir 18:58 - The King's Dilemma 33:34 - Legacy games 34:03 - Risk Legacy 34:50 - Charterstone 40:19 -…
  194. May 13, 2021 #173: Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Games
    We talk about so many good games on this podcast, that it might seem like there aren't enough bad games to balance it out. There's a good reason we don't often play or talk about them, but maybe every so often we ought to. Before we break bad, we talk about Scape Goat , Bunny Kingdom , Bullet♥ , and Four Gardens . 02:12 - Scape Goat 08:29 - Bunny Kingdom 11:13 - Bullet♥ 13:53 - Four Gardens 20:49 - Bad games 22:01…
  195. May 6, 2021 #172: Don't Hate the Player, Hate the Game
    After last week's love-fest made us all uncomfortable, we had to get back to what do best, spirited in-fighting. To that end, we've devised three debates around the same core: is that often criticized mechanic a design problem, or a player problem? Before we pit designers against players, we talk about Red Rising , Via Magica , and Alma Mater . 00:48 - Golden Geek Awards 04:36 - Red Rising 14:21 - Rise of Augustus…
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