Board Game Hot Takes

Latest Episodes:

Our Partners' Top 5 Board Games Jul 17, 2023

Show notes

In Episode 153 Tim and Adam's partners, Danielle and Sarah, join the show to discuss their top 5 games.

Please excuse the lower quality audio and some background noise due to the unique recording space we were in for this episode.

We also discuss a poll on Twitter and our Facebook group about the longest board game you've played.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:42 Poll: What's the longest single play you've had in a board game?
06:17 Danielle and Sarah's Top 5 Games
06:45 Danielle #5 - Welcome To...
08:55 Sarah #5 - Dune: Imperium
11:45 Danielle #4 - The Quacks of Quedlinburg
15:30 Sarah #4 - Abducktion
20:54 Danielle #3 - Clank! Catacombs
24:52 Sarah #3 - Trekking the World
29:00 Danielle #2 - Sea Salt & Paper and Fantastic Factories
32:40 Sarah #2 - Smartphone, Inc.
36:15 Danielle #1 - The Castles of Burgundy
41:32 Sarah #1 - SCOUT
44:50 Honorable Mentions: Everdell, The Lost Ruins of Arnak, Cafe, Azul, Ankh: Gods of Egypt, Wonderland's War, Planted, Radlands, Othello

Top Board Games of All Time 2023 Edition (1-10) Jul 10, 2023

Show notes

In Episode 152 we finish the countdown of our top 40 Board Games of all time with choices 1-10.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:42 Top Games of All Time
03:21 Tim #10 The Castles of Burgundy
05:26 Adam #10 Blood Rage
07:20 Chris #10 Tzolk'in: The Mayan Calendar
10:55 Tim #9 Agricola: Revised Edition
13:06 Adam #9 Barrage
15:50 Chris #9 Terraforming Mars
19:02 Tim #8 Ark Nova
21:14 Adam #8 Rising Sun
24:47 Chris #8 Ark Nova
27:45 Tim #7 Wonderland's War
31:23 Adam #7 Star Wars Rebellion
33:53 Chris #7 Teotihuacan: City of Gods
36:26 Tim #6 Terraforming Mars
38:43 Adam #6 Ankh: Gods of Egypt
41:57 Chris #6 Eclipse: 2nd Dawn for the Galaxy
44:02 Tim #5 Tapestry
47:36 Adam #5 Baseball Highlights 2045
50:09 Chris #5 Barrage
51:56 Tim #4 Dune: Imperium
53:09 Adam #4 Smartphone, Inc.
54:59 Chris #4 Blood Rage
56:05 Tim #3 Blood Rage
57:41 Adam #3 Wonderland's War
48:47 Chris #3 Tapestry
1:01:50 Tim #2 Gaia Project
1:04:25 Adam #2 Dune: Imperium
1:05:23 Chris #2 Gaia Project
1:06:23 Tim #1 Everdell
1:10:41 Adam #1 Eclipse: 2nd Dawn for the Galaxy
1:12:44 Chris #1 Wonderland's War

Top Board Games of All Time 2023 Edition (11-20) Jul 03, 2023

Show notes

In Episode 151 we continue the countdown of our top 40 Board Games of all time with choices 11-20.

We also discuss a poll on how important balance is in board games.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:47 Poll: How important is balance to you in a board game?
08:09 Top Games of All Time
08:22 Adam #20 Capital Lux 2: Generations
10:06 Chris #20 Viticulture Essential Edition
13:12 Tim #20 Beyond the Sun
15:42 Adam #19 Abducktion
18:39 Chris #19 Agricola
21:16 Tim #19 La Granja
23:13 Adam #18 Shamans
25:21 Chris #18 Obsession
28:14 Tim #18 Distilled
30:11 Adam #17 Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization
32:37 Chris #17 Lacrimosa
35:00 Tim #17 Barrage
39:00 Adam #16 Beyond the Sun
40:16 Chris #16 Revive
42:49 Tim #16 Revive
45:47 Adam #15 Gaia Project
47:57 Chris #15 Nemesis
51:43 Tim #15 Paperback Adventures
56:01 Adam #14 The Expanse Board Game
59:25 Chris #14 Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization
1:00:08 Tim #14 Clank! Catacombs
1:02:53 Adam #13 Pax Pamir: 2nd Edition
1:05:36 Chris #13 La Granja
1:07:16 Tim #13 Lost Ruins of Arnak
1:08:46 Adam #12 Inis
1:11:06 Chris #12 Distilled
1:13:01 Tim #12 Underwater Cities
1:15:28 Adam #11 Azul
1:18:50 Chris #11 Dune: Imperium
1:22:18 Tim #11 Scythe

Top Board Games of All Time 2023 Edition (21-30) Jun 26, 2023

Show notes

In Episode 150 we continue the countdown of our top 40 Board Games of all time with choices 21-30.

We also discuss a poll on looking for game stores when travelling.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:50 Poll: Do you seek out game stores or when you travel to no cities?
09:03 Top Games of All Time
09:15 Chris #30 Star Wars: The Deck Building Game
13:19 Tim #30 Frosthaven
16:20 Adam #30 Sol: Last Days of a Star
18:50 Chris #29 Clank! In! Space!
22:22 Tim #29 Magic: The Gathering
25:53 Adam #29 Ghosts of Christmas
28:36 Chris #28 Rap Godz
31:38 Tim #28 Rajas of the Ganges
33:23 Adam #28 Star Realms
35:22 Chris #27 Batman: Gotham City Chronicles
39:23 Tim #27 Lorenzo Il Magnifico
40:44 Adam #27 Robotech Reconstruction
43:27 Chris #26 Endless Winter: Paleoamericans
45:46 Tim #26 Pan Am
47:32 Adam #26 Shards of Infinity
50:15 Chris #25 Outlive
52:44 Tim #25 Rising Sun
55:28 Adam #25 Trekking the World
57:18 Chris #24 Yokohama
49:47 Tim #24 Anachrony
1:02:10 Adam #23 Anachrony
1:04:21 Chris #23 Smarphone, Inc.
1:06:45 Tim #23 Eclipse: 2nd Dawn for the Galaxy
1:10:28 Adam #24 Age of Galaxy
1:12:58 Chris #22 Golem
1:15:22 Tim #22 Yokohama
1:16:20 Adam #22 Downforce
1:18:14 Chris #21 Lost Ruins of Arnak
1:21:48 Tim #21 Outlive
1:24:30 Adam #21 Pan Am

Top Board Games of All Time 2023 Edition (31-40) Jun 19, 2023

Show notes

In Episode 149 we start the countdown of our top 40 Board Games of all time with choices 31-40.

We also discuss a poll on expressing your board game love in public.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:14 Poll: How do you express your board game love in public?
09:18 Top Games of All Time
15:20 Tim #40 and honorable mentions - Tiletum, Woodcraft, Darwin's Journey, Arkham Horror: The Card Game
19:25 Adam #40 and honorable mentions - Dune, La Granja, Air, Land, and Sea, Sentient, Distilled, High Society
22:56 Chris #40 and honorable mentions - Cthulhu: Death May Die, Root, Imhotep, Nidavellir, Ankh: Gods of Egypt, Darwin's Journey
26:05 Tim #39 - Star Realms
28:36 Adam #39 - Planted: A Game of Nature and Nurture
30:35 Chris #39 - Scythe 32:50 Tim #38 - Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest
36:38 Adam #38 - Mosaic: A Story of Civilization
39:50 Chris #38 - Can't Stop
44:00 Tim #37 - Cthulhu: Death May Die
46:12 Adam #37 - Brian Boru: High King of Ireland
47:49 Chris #37 - Final Girl
50:08 Tim #36 - SCOUT
51:34 Adam #36 - SCOUT
52:32 Chris #36 - Space Base
55:27 Tim #35 - Res Arcana
57:10 Adam #35 - Terraforming Mars
58:56 Chris #35 - Terracotta Army
1:02:14 Tim #34 - Paladins of the West Kingdom
1:04:45 Adam #34 - Brass: Birmingham
1:05:54 Chris #34 - Downforce
1:09:07 Tim #33 - Viticulture Essential Edition
1:10:45 Adam #33 - Can't Stop
1:11:49 Chris #33 - Azul
1:14:44 Tim #32 - Teotihuacan: City of Gods
1:17:15 Adam #32 - Lacrimosa
1:18:26 Chris #32 - Pan Am
1:21:06 Tim #31 - Near and Far
1:23:21 Adam #31 - Revive
1:24:41 Chris #31 - The Fox Experiment

Darwin's Journey Jun 12, 2023

Show notes

In Episode 148 we provide our hot take review of Darwin's Journey covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.

We also discuss a poll about receiving board games with missing or damaged components.

Chris provides a Darwin's Journey themed cocktail and then we discuss some board games on our table including Abducktion and Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:41 Poll: Have you ever opened a new copy of a board game to find out components are missing or misprinted?
07:21 Darwin's Journey Description
10:03 Gameplay and Mechanisms
33:55 Production and Theme
39:08 Final Thoughts
44:25 Darwin's Journey Themed Cocktail
47:28 Abducktion
59:53 Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island
1:08:10 Listener Shoutout

Heat: Pedal to the Metal Vs. Downforce Jun 05, 2023

Show notes

In Episode 147 we provide our hot take reviews of Heat: Petal to the Medal and Downforce covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game. We also compare the two and discuss which we liked more.

We also discuss a poll about attending game nights without knowing anyone there.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:45 Poll: Have you ever attended a board game night without knowing anyone there?
09:34 Heat: Petal to the Medal Description
11:18 Gameplay and Mechanisms
25:58 Production and Theme
29:37 Final Thoughts
33:46 Downforce Description
33:15 Gameplay and Mechanisms
47:08 Production and Theme
50:37 Final Thoughts
56:55 Listener Shoutout

Revive May 29, 2023

Show notes

In Episode 146 we provide our hot take review of Revive covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.

We also discuss a poll about storing board game components.

Then we discuss some board games on our table and future takes including Akropolis, Ra, Skull, Smartphone, Inc., and My Father's Work.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:41 Poll: How do you most commonly put your board game components back in their boxes?
08:57 Revive Description
11:08 Gameplay and Mechanisms
30:21 Production and Theme
36:40 Final Thoughts
44:12 Akropolis
48:55 Ra
58:52 Skull
59:54 Smartphone, Inc.
1:01:38 My Father's Work

BGHT SedonaCon Coverage Part 2 (10 Games Discussed) May 22, 2023

Show notes

In Episode 145 we wrap up our discussion of BGHT SedonaCon - our semi-annual gaming weekend. We cover 10 of the games we played that weekend and discussed the rest on part 1 last week.

We also discuss a poll on getting a board game related tattoo.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:40 Poll: Have you considered getting a board game related tattoo?
08:54 SedonaCon
10:04 Wonderland's War
14:31 Pan Am
23:32 Endless Winter: Paleoamericans
30:24 Gaia Project
36:24 Skull
41:51 Rising Sun
49:39 Distilled
56:39 Dune: Imperium
1:05:00 Imperium: The Contention
1:13:48 Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game
1:18:15 Final Thoughts

BGHT SedonaCon Coverage Part 1 (7 Games Discussed) May 15, 2023

Show notes

In Episode 144 we discuss our time at BGHT SedonaCon - our semi-annual gaming weekend. We cover 7 of the games we played that weekend and will discuss the rest on Part 2 next week.

We also discuss a poll on replacing board games due to wear.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:48 Poll: Have you ever replaced a game because the components were worn out?
07:11 SedonaCon
10:45 Clank! Catacombs
17:17 Smartphone, Inc.
23:44 Scout
32:35 Teotihuacan: City of Gods
37:56 Tyrants of the Underdark
45:30 Yokohama
53:07 Sentient

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected