Board Game Barrage

Latest Episodes:

#160: Resolutions and Revisitations Feb 11, 2021

Show notes

Look, when we made those resolutions in episode 105, how were we to know? The world exploded, and here we are, one year later, sheepishly looking back on the goals we set. But we're not beaten yet, we cast our minds forward (always forward, never back) and set our sights on our resolutions for 2021. Before we make promises we definitely will keep, we talk about Sprawlopolis, Bandada, and Terramara.

02:15 - Sprawlopolis 09:06 - Bandada 13:53 - Terramara 23:51 - Revisiting 2020's Resolutions 27:09 - 2021 Resolutions 31:05 - Cthulhu Wars 36:14 - Anachrony: Infinity Box 37:29 - Import/Export 38:31 - Carnegie 40:05 - Rising Sun 40:52 - Tainted Grail 44:44 - Board Game Barrage Facebook Group! 45:44 - War of the Ring: Second Edition 46:42 - Red Rising Visit our new Facebook group at: https://boardgamebarrage.com/facebook Get a Board Game Barrage T-shirt at: https://boardgamebarrage.com/store Check out the Kickstarter for Bandada: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bandada/bandada Join the discussion at: https://boardgamebarrage.com/discord

#159: Picking Favorites Feb 04, 2021

Show notes

We've been doing it a lot lately, so we thought we'd reflect on the ways that we evaluate our favourite games. How do you even begin to compare extremely dissimilar games, some party, some strategy? The process of making and ordering our lists is a fun challenge every year, and one we'd recommend you try too! Before we make hard choices, we talk about Medici: The Dice Game, The Gallerist, and Iberian Gauge.

02:20 - Medici: The Dice Game 09:08 - The Gallerist 14:55 - Iberian Gauge 22:26 - How We Choose Favourites 26:02 - Tigris & Euphrates 28:04 - Power Grid 28:04 - Fresh Fish 32:53 - Telestrations 34:52 - Crokinole 36:28 - The Resistance 37:58 - Nanty Narking 39:22 - The King's Dilemma 40:04 - Beyond the Sun 41:33 - Eclipse 42:18 - CoraQuest 43:52 - CloudAge 44:21 - Board Game Barrage T-Shirts! 45:22 - Listener Top 20 Submissions! Submit your top 20 games at: https://boardgamebarrage.com/top20 Get a Board Game Barrage T-shirt at: https://boardgamebarrage.com/store Check out the Kickstarter for CoraQuest: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cabbagedan/coraquest Join the discussion at: https://boardgamebarrage.com/discord

#158: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2020: 10-1 Jan 28, 2021

Show notes

It's the big one! We've come at last to the grand finale of the Board Game Barrage Top 50 Games of All Time ... Top. Ten. Baby. These are our absolute favourite games, forty (thirty?) all together, that we'd just about never turn down a game of. Thanks for joining us on this ride, it's been wild.

09:36 - Christina #10 - I'm the Boss! 12:34 - Kellen #10 - Cosmic Encounter 15:18 - Mark #10 - El Grande 15:36 - Neilan #10 - Codenames 18:09 - Christina #9 - Twice as Clever! 20:48 - Kellen #9 - Coloretto 23:56 - Mark #9 - Time's Up! Title Recall! 24:20 - Neilan #9 - Pictomania 28:46 - Christina #8 - Blood Rage 33:38 - Kellen #8 - The Resistance 33:50 - Mark #8 - 1830: Railways & Robber Barons 35:58 - Neilan #8 - Guards of Atlantis 39:14 - Christina #7 - The Voyages of Marco Polo 42:28 - Kellen #7 - Inis 50:25 - Mark #7 - Brass: Lancashire 53:44 - Neilan #7 - Tzolk'in: The Mayan Calendar 55:36 - Christina #6 - Troyes 55:45 - Kellen #6 - El Grande 55:57 - Mark #6 - The Estates 59:51 - Neilan #6 - Sidereal Confluence: Trading and Negotiation in the Elysian Quadrant 01:05:38 - Christina #5 - Archipelago 01:06:10 - Kellen #5 - Time's Up! Title Recall! 01:06:19 - Mark #5 - Fresh Fish 01:10:24 - Neilan #5 - Time's Up! Title Recall! 01:10:36 - Christina #4 - El Grande 01:16:56 - Kellen #4 - Troyes 01:21:56 - Mark #4 - Hansa Teutonica 01:24:49 - Neilan #4 - Gloomhaven 01:29:37 - Christina #3 - Cthulhu Wars 01:29:37 - Kellen #3 - Cthulhu Wars 01:35:10 - Mark #3 - Caylus 1303 01:38:56 - Neilan #3 - Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization 01:44:00 - Christina #2 - Time's Up! Title Recall! 01:47:55 - Kellen #2 - Archipelago 01:53:31 - Mark #2 - Arboretum 01:56:22 - Neilan #2 - The Resistance 02:03:01 - Christina #1 - Innovation 02:03:01 - Kellen #1 - Innovation 02:10:20 - Mark #1 - Biblios 02:12:54 - Neilan #1 - A Feast for Odin

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#157: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2020: 20-11 Jan 21, 2021

Show notes

We're moving into the terrible teens of the Board Game Barrage Top 50 Games of All Time. I learned all I know about American teenagers from TV, so I assume this is where all the sex and drugs come in. Let's get to it then, forty (roughly) more games that we simply adore. As the list goes on, they only get better and better. That is, after all, the premise.

01:46 - Kellen #29 (Correction) - A Fake Artist Goes to New York 05:01 - Kellen #20 - Ingenious 08:06 - Mark #20 - Cthulhu Wars 11:27 - Neilan #20 - Blue Lagoon 15:01 - Christina #20 - Food Chain Magnate 18:47 - Kellen #19 - Genoa 23:26 - Mark #19 - Archipelago 25:53 - Neilan #19 - Dominion 28:51 - Christina #19 - Taj Mahal 32:32 - Kellen #18 - I'm the Boss! 36:33 - Mark #18 - Tigris & Euphrates 28:55 - Neilan #18 - Taj Mahal 39:44 - Christina #18 - Mezo 45:23 - Kellen #17 - The Game 47:16 - Mark #17 - Dominant Species 49:48 - Neilan #17 - Alchemists 52:31 - Christina #17 - Babylonia 56:50 - Kellen #16 - Telestrations 59:08 - Mark #16 - 1846: The Race for the Midwest 01:00:56 - Neilan #16 - Rising Sun 01:04:59 - Christina #16 - Castles of Burgundy 01:08:30 - Kellen #15 - Decrypto 01:11:43 - Mark #15 - Barrage 01:14:26 - Neilan #15 - Exit: The Game 01:16:30 - Christina #15 - The Quest for El Dorado 01:18:05 - Kellen #14 - Omen: A Reign of War 01:20:07 - Mark #14 - Lancaster 01:21:53 - Neilan #14 - Inis 01:25:31 - Christina #14 - Hanabi 01:27:10 - Kellen #13 - Glory to Rome 01:29:43 - Mark #13 - True Colors 01:31:26 - Neilan #13 - Watson & Holmes 01:33:19 - Christina #13 - SiXeS 01:35:12 - Kellen #12 - Hansa Teutonica 01:36:33 - Mark #12 - Francis Drake 01:38:23 - Neilan #12 - Cthulhu Wars 01:39:36 - Christina #12 - Telestrations 01:39:57 - Kellen #11 - Diplomacy 01:42:19 - Mark #11 - Bus 01:43:54 - Neilan #11 - Scythe 01:45:37 - Christina #11 - Kemet

https://boardgamebarrage.com/discord

#156: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2020: 30-21 Jan 14, 2021

Show notes

It's the dark middle chapter of the Board Game Barrage Top 50 Games of All Time. Time to call in a new director, change things up, and get subversive. Well, if there were any directors who'd still work with us. This week, we're barreling through our twenties in what we like to call reverse numerical order. Here's forty (odd) more games that we absolutely adore, and hope you will too.

02:45 - Mark #30 - Container 05:38 - Neilan #30 - Azul 05:46 - Christina #30 - Azul 08:54 - Kellen #30 - Zendo 11:42 - Mark #29 - Age of Steam 13:37 - Neilan #29 - Coloretto 15:12 - Christina #29 - Beyond the Sun 20:03 - Kellen #29 - Hanabi 22:52 - Mark #28 - Pax Renaissance 25:20 - Neilan #28 - Archipelago 28:03 - Christina #28 - Hansa Teutonica 30:02 - Kellen #28 - Krass Kariert/Dealt 32:50 - Mark #27 - Maracaibo 35:46 - Neilan #27 - Twice as Clever! 39:05 - Christina #27 - Glory to Rome 41:41 - Kellen #27 - Taj Mahal 44:49 - Mark #26 - City of the Big Shoulders 47:25 - Neilan #26 - Werewords 49:22 - Christina #26 - Modern Art 51:02 - Kellen #26 - Startups 53:19 - Mark #25 - The Great Zimbabwe 55:06 - Neilan #25 - Aeon's End 56:21 - Christina #25 - Chaos in the Old World 59:23 - Kellen #25 - Keyflower 01:01:57 - Mark #24 - Pax Pamir: Second Edition 01:03:38 - Neilan #24 - Spirit Island 01:05:30 - Christina #24 - Rumble Nation 01:07:33 - Kellen #24 - A Study in Emerald (Second Edition) 01:09:22 - Mark #23 - Glory to Rome 01:09:58 - Neilan #23 - The Quest for El Dorado 01:13:18 - Christina #23 - The Crew 01:14:40 - Kellen #23 - Codenames 01:15:58 - Mark #22 - Modern Art 01:16:58 - Neilan #22 - Patchwork 01:18:44 - Christina #22 - Coloretto 01:19:54 - Kellen #22 - Insider 01:20:43 - Mark #21 - Imperial 2030 01:22:58 - Neilan #21 - Decrypto 01:24:29 - Christina #21 - Lost Cities 01:29:08 - Kellen #21 - Deception: Murder in Hong Kong

https://boardgamebarrage.com/discord

#155: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2020: 40-31 Jan 07, 2021

Show notes

Now we're getting into the thick of it, in fact some are calling it the most ambitious Part II released in any medium. It's the Board Game Barrage Top 50 Games of All Time! We're in our thirties (even if we wish we weren't) and it's full speed ahead. That's forty(ish) more games, and ten spots closer to the grand finale. Now that we've got this train going, there's no stopping it.

01:06 - Neilan #40 - In the Year of the Dragon 03:19 - Christina #40 - Fuji Flush 05:39 - Kellen #40 - Rumble Nation 06:55 - Mark #40 - Pipeline 09:00 - Neilan #39 - Orléans 11:04 - Christina #39 - Cheating Moth 13:28 - Kellen #39 - Eye My Favorite Things 15:28 - Mark #39 - A Question of Scruples 17:26 - Neilan #38 - Hansa Teutonica 18:52 - Christina #38 - Carnival of Monsters 21:16 - Kellen #38 - Maskmen 22:22 - Mark #38 - Genoa 24:27 - Neilan #37 - Agricola 25:48 - Christina #37 - Ohanami 27:10 - Kellen #37 - Throne and the Grail 29:20 - Mark #37 - Ricochet Robots 31:59 - Neilan #36 - Yellow & Yangtze 34:15 - Christina #36 - Splendor 35:15 - Kellen #36 - Dogs of War 37:28 - Mark #36 - Great Western Trail 39:20 - Neilan #35 - Android: Netrunner 40:47 - Christina #35 - Dune 40:47 - Kellen #35 - Dune 43:57 - Mark #35 - Sol: Last Days of a Star 45:27 - Neilan #34 - Kemet 47:43 - Christina #34 - Startups 49:55 - Kellen #34 - Agricola 51:59 - Mark #34 - Rising Sun 54:36 - Neilan #33 - Brass: Birmingham 56:33 - Christina #33 - Anomia 59:13 - Kellen #33 - Hanabi 1:00:37 - Mark #33 - Ra 1:02:34 - Neilan #32 - Deception: Murder in Hong Kong 1:04:14 - Christina #32 - Fafnir 1:05:52 - Kellen #32 - Imperial 2030 1:07:48 - Mark #32 - Troyes 1:09:07 - Neilan #31 - Gaia Project 1:10:41 - Christina #31 - Biblios 1:15:04 - Kellen #31 - Fuji Flush 1:07:17 - Mark #31 - The Voyages of Marco Polo

https://boardgamebarrage.com/discord

#154: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2020: 50-41 Dec 31, 2020

Show notes

It's here at last, the big event! Yes, it's the first episode of the yearly ritual we inventively call the Board Game Barrage Top 50 Games of All Time. And this year, for the first time, the Blue Tank, Christina is weighing in too. That's forty incredible games to kick us off! Join us in the weeks ahead as we sing the praises of our absolute favourite board games, because we're just getting started.

03:20 - Happy Salmon 04:20 - Piñata/Balloon Cup 04:56 - Bruges 05:32 - Air, Land, & Sea 06:55 - Christina #50 - Clank! 08:36 - Kellen #50 - Root 11:14 - Mark #50 - Innovation 12:58 - Neilan #50 - Modern Art 14:36 - Christina #49 - Fresh Fish 15:51 - Kellen #49 - Cursed Court 18:19 - Mark #49 - Blue Lagoon 21:02 - Neilan #49 - Sol: Last Days of a Star 22:53 - Christina #48 - Diamant/Incan Gold 25:24 - Kellen #48 - Wizard 26:49 - Mark #48 - Chaos in the Old World 28:07 - Neilan #48 - Eternal: Chronicles of the Throne 30:06 - Christina #47 - Decrypto 32:10 - Kellen #47 - Blood Rage 33:54 - Mark #47 - Pictomania 36:56 - Neilan #47 - Nova Luna 38:56 - Christina #46 - True Colors 41:10 - Kellen #46 - Detective Club 42:48 - Mark #46/Christina #45 - Fast Sloths 45:15 - Neilan #46 - Innovation 48:18 - Kellen #45 - Nusfjord 49:30 - Mark #45 - Anomia 51:39 - Neilan #45 - Gùgōng 53:03 - Christina #44 - Krass Kariert/Dealt 54:46 - Kellen #44 - Smartphone Inc. 56:29 - Mark #44 - Dungeon Fighter 59:44 - Neilan #44 - Letter Jam 1:01:47 - Christina #43 - Battlestar Galactica 1:04:35 - Kellen #43 - Lords of Vegas 1:05:46 - Mark #43 - Cuba Libre 1:07:28 - Neilan #43 - Panic on Wall Street! 1:09:22 - Christina #42 - Ethnos 1:10:52 - Kellen #42 - Bruges 1:12:19 - Mark #42 - The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine 1:14:33 - Neilan #42 - The Oracle of Delphi 1:16:12 - Christina #41 - Air, Land, & Sea 1:19:00 - Kellen #41 - Splendor 1:20:15 - Mark #41 - Wyatt Earp 1:21:36 - Neilan #41 - Pipeline

https://boardgamebarrage.com/discord

#153: Never Look Back at 2020 Dec 17, 2020

Show notes

Heads set firmly forward, we reflect on what's been a completely wild year. Despite our complete inability to play a lot of them, board games did happen, so we take a bit of time to talk about the biggest surprises and disappointments. Finally, we cast our mind ahead to the games we're looking forward to playing in 2021. Before we try to forget, we talk about Paris, The Fox in the Forest, and Cthulhu Wars: Duel.

02:27 - Paris 12:12 - The Fox in the Forest 16:58 - Cthulhu Wars: Duel 29:14 - Reflections on 2020 36:02 - 2020's Best Surprises 36:54 - Beyond the Sun 39:47 - The Red Cathedral 41:02 - Nova Luna 43:22 - 2020's Biggest Disappointments 44:16 - Tang Garden 44:45 - Troyes Dice 45:13 - Crystal Palace 46:41 - Sanctum 48:55 - Games to Play in 2021 49:21 - My City 49:56 - Dwellings of Eldervale 51:26 - Merv: The Heart of the Silk Road 51:42 - Dominant Species: Marine 52:20 - Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy 53:39 - Ankh: Gods of Egypt Check out Kellen's review of Cthulhu Wars: Duel here: https://boardgamebarrage.com/2020/12/10/cthulhu-wars-duel-a-sandy-petersen-game-review

https://boardgamebarrage.com/discord

#152: Bob's Holiday Gift Guide Dec 10, 2020

Show notes

'Tis the season, and if you're me, your first thought around this time of year is, "How many people can I just buy board games for?" But not all board game gifts are created equal! No, no, no, we need to find the best. So, of course, we put BGBBOB on the case. Before we start stocking stuffings, we talk about Pandemic: Fall of Rome, and Rajas of the Ganges: The Dice Charmers.

06:07 - Pandemic: Fall of Rome 13:31 - Rajas of the Ganges: The Dice Charmers 18:18 - Rajas of the Ganges 20:23 - BGBBOB: Board Game Gifts 21:39 - SHH 23:11 - Codenames 26:38 - Just One 27:00 - The Quest for El Dorado 29:31 - Modern Art 30:21 - Werewords 33:38 - Insider 35:38 - Unmatched 38:44 - Biblios 41:19 - Illusion 46:33 - Azul 48:40 - Fast Sloths

https://boardgamebarrage.com/discord

#151: Your Attention Please Dec 03, 2020

Show notes

There's so much going on in board game land all of the time that it can be hard to know where to focus your attention. So, this week, we each give an example of people, publishers, and sites that we've been keeping an eye on, that we think you might want to as well. Before we turn your gaze, we talk about New York Zoo, Targi, Throne and the Grail, and The Red Cathedral.

02:07 - New York Zoo 02:40 - Bärenpark 10:36 - Targi 14:36 - Throne and the Grail 18:47 - Imperial Struggle 20:33 - The Red Cathedral 28:13 - Things to pay attention to 28:32 - Dire Wolf Digital and Paul Dennen 33:06 - Eternal: Chronicles of the Throne 35:11 - New Release Lists 45:00 - Kramer & Kiesling 45:52 - Riverboat 53:40 - Paris

Check out Steph Hodge's blog: https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/3802/all-meeples-rainbow

https://boardgamebarrage.com/discord

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