Board Game Hot Takes

Latest Episodes:

1 Year Anniversary - Aquatica and Origin Story Aug 23, 2021

Show notes

Episode 53 is our 1 year anniversary episode!

we provide our hot take review of Aquatica covering the mechanisms, the production, noteworthy moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game.

We also discuss poll results around re-buying games when a new edition is released.

Finally, we celebrate our 1 year anniversary by telling our origin story. We talk about how the podcast got started and then each of our 5 hosts tell you how they got started with board games and answer a bunch of rapid fire questions about their board game past and present.

Thank you for listening for the last year!

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:06 Poll: Re-buying games
06:36 Aquatica Description
09:37 Gameplay and Mechanisms
12:55 Production and Theme
17:45 Standout Moments
21:22 Final Thoughts
25:45 BGHT Origin Story
38:12 Jen Gaming Background
43:22 Tim Gaming Background
49:24 Adam Gaming Background
54:37 Steve Gaming Background
1:00:59 Chris Gaming Background
1:05:49 Rapid Fire Questions

Windward Aug 16, 2021

Show notes

In Episode 52 we provide our hot take review of Windward covering the mechanisms, the production, exciting moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game. We also discuss our favorite premium board game components and discuss poll results around this topic.

Chris provides a Windward themed cocktail recipe then we discuss some games we've been playing this week including The Bears and The Bees, Qwirkle, and Shards of Infinity and some games we're excited about including Nunami, Earthborne Rangers, and Earth Rising: 20 Years to Transform our World.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
03:10 Poll: Premium Board Game Components
10:14 Windward Description
12:39 Gameplay and Mechanisms
40:44 Production and Theme
47:50 Standout Moments
43:33 Final Thoughts
1:04:00 Cocktail Of The Week: Grog
1:07:30 The Bears and the Bees
1:09:11 Nunami
1:11:34 Earthborne Rangers
1:13:55 Earth Rising: 20 Years to Transform our World
1:16:28 Quirkle
1:17:05 Shards of Infinity

Smartphone, Inc. Aug 09, 2021

Show notes

In Episode 51 we provide our hot take review of Smartphone, Inc. covering the mechanisms, the production, exciting moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game. We also discuss overused themes in board games and discuss poll results around this topic.

Then we discuss some games we've been playing this week including Imperium: The Contention, Catan: Cities and Knights, and The Isle of Cats.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:37 Poll: Overused Themes in Board Games
05:30 Smartphone, Inc. Description
07:16 Gameplay and Mechanisms
21:55 Production and Theme
29:15 Favorite Moments
34:38 Final Thoughts
40:26 Imperium: The Contention
44:08 Catan: Cities and Knights
47:42 The Isle of Cats

Game Tables and The Perfect Game Night Aug 02, 2021

Show notes

In episode 50 we have a discussion on game tables, which features are important to us, and our personal experience with our own tables.

We also have a conversation about our dream game night - who would be there, what we'd play, where it would be, and all of the other things that would make the perfect game night for us.

Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
00:50 Game Tables Conversation
43:16 The Perfect Game Night
44:55 Adam's Perfect Game Night
52:45 Chris' Perfect Game Night
1:06:25 Tim's Perfect Game Night
1:22:13 Goodbye to a Friend

Portland Gaming Weekend - 12 Games in 90 Minutes Jul 26, 2021

Show notes

In Episode 49 Chris and Tim discuss the 12 games that were played over a long weekend together. Adam hangs out to chat with us about them.

The audio isn't great on this episode due to some technical issues but stick with us because we think you'll enjoy the conversation.

00:00 Introduction
03:04 Calico
13:02 Tapestry
16:06 Red Rising
22:09 Marvel: United
32:17 Sorry!
33:43 Zombie Kids Evolution
34:51 Terraforming Mars
39:49 Pendulum
54:33 Outlive
1:06:00 Fossilis
1:14:48 Viticulture
1:18:18 Disney Villainous

Obsession Jul 19, 2021

Show notes

In Episode 48 we provide our hot take review of Obsession covering the mechanisms, the production, exciting moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game. We also discuss our favorite ways to consume board game reviews and other media and discuss poll results around this topic.

Chris provides a recipe for an Obsession themed cocktail and finally we discuss some games we've been playing including Smartphone, Inc. and Viticulture: Tuscany.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:39 Poll: Favorite Ways to hear Board Game Reviews
05:30 Obsession Description
09:07 Gameplay and Mechanisms
30:06 Production
38:20 Favorite Moments
43:22 Final Thoughts
51:45 Cocktail of the Week: Sherry Cobbler
55:45 Smartphone, Inc.
1:01:54 Viticulture: Tuscany

Top 5 Board Game Expansions Jul 12, 2021

Show notes

In Episode 47 we discuss our picks for the top 5 board games expansions!

Tim, Chris, and Adam list off our picks for the best expansions of all time. We discuss how we feel about expansions, why publishers might release expansions, and why these are our picks for the best expansions.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:49 Poll: Favorite Type of Game
10:13 Expansions
18:30 #5 Chris - Villainous - All Expansions
22:41 #5 Adam - Race for the Galaxy - The Gathering Storm, Rebel vs Imperium, The Brink of War
24:25 #5 Tim - Underwater Cities - New Discoveries
29:37 #4 Chris - Terraforming Mars - Hellas and Elysium
31:38 #4 Adam - Terraforming Mars - Prelude
32:33 #4 Tim - Near and Far - Amber Mines
35:30 #3 Chris - Cthulhu: Death May Die - Season 2
40:02 #3 Adam - The Expanse Board Game - Doors and Corners
44:20 #3 Tim - Orleans - Trade and Intrigue
50:25 #2 Chris - Star Realms - All Expansions
56:25 #2 Adam - Xia - Embers of a Forsaken Star
59:06 #2 Tim - Scythe - Modular Board
1:03:57 #1 Chris - Scythe - The Rise of Fenris
1:08:45 #1 Adam - Star Wars: Rebellion - Rise of the Empire
1:10:48 #1 Tim - Jamaica - The Crew
1:14:25 Honorable Mentions

Kemet: Blood and Sand Jul 05, 2021

Show notes

In Episode 46 we provide our hot take review of Kemet: Blood and Sand covering the mechanisms, the production, exciting moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game. We also discuss our favorite places to play board games and discuss poll results around this topic.

Chris provides a recipe for a Kemet: Blood and Sand themed cocktail and finally we discuss some games we've been playing including Terraforming Mars: Colonies and some games we're excited about including Dune: A Game of Conquest and Diplomacy, Now or Never, and Lost Ruins of Arnak: Expedition Leaders.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:40 Poll: Favorite Places to Play Board Games
06:22 Kemet: Blood and Sand Description
09:39 Gameplay and Mechanisms
39:51 Production
44:56 Favorite Moments
51:50 Final Thoughts
59:09 Cocktail of the Week: Blood and Sand
1:06:10 Terraforming Mars: Colonies
1:08:10 Dune: A Game of Conquest and Diplomacy
1:09:10 Now or Never
1:13:35 Lost Ruins of Arnak: Expedition Leaders

Power Grid Jun 28, 2021

Show notes

In Episode 45 we provide our hot take review of Power Grid covering the mechanisms, the production, exciting moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game. We also discuss board game collection sizes and some of the thoughts our listeners have about their board game collections.

We also discuss some games we've been playing including 7 Wonders: Duel, Isle of Skye, Coloretto, The Mind, and Blokus Duo and some games we're excited about including Smartphone, Inc

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:40 Poll: Board Game Collection Sizes
13:22 Power Grid Description
15:56 Gameplay and Mechanisms
43:15 Production
48:51 Favorite Moments
52:08 Final Thoughts
54:58 Isle of Skye: From Chieftain to King
57:42 The Mind
1:00:36 Smartphone, Inc.
1:02:30 7 Wonders: Duel
1:04:56 Coloretto
1:06:57 Blokus: Duo

Carpe Diem Jun 21, 2021

Show notes

In Episode 44 we provide our hot take review of Carpe Diem covering the mechanisms, the production, exciting moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game. We also discuss why dry euro games may not fit for us all and compare Carpe Diem to Stefan Feld's most popular game with some similar mechanisms: Castles of Burgundy.

We also discuss some games we've been playing including Hearts, Manila, MicroMacro: Crime City, and Hadrian's Wall and some games we're excited about including Robot Quest Arena.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
02:10 Carpe Diem Description
03:43 Gameplay and Mechanisms
24:29 Production
27:22 Favorite Moments
31:44 Final Thoughts
35:50 Robot Quest Arena
37:22 Hearts
40:28 MicroMacro: Crime City
44:48 Hadrian's Wall
47:06 Manila

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