Board Game Hot Takes

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**Board Game Hot Takes**

We tell you how a board game experience felt – just minutes after we finish playing. Three unique points of view. No non-game nonsense.

Latest Episodes:

Hot Topic: Healthy(?) Competition Nov 03, 2025

Show notes

In Episode 273 we discuss competition and specifically what we think is healthy competition.

We also discuss a poll about cheating in tabletop games.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:29 Poll Time: Have you ever experienced intentional cheating when playing a tabletop game?

5:59 Competition: General Thoughts

9:19 What creates healthy competition?

18:48 How has our competitiveness evolved over time?

29:41 How do different games illicit a different competitiveness in you?

49:02 How does your preferred competition level influence your preferred game choices?

54:05 Final Thoughts

If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes

Join our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205

Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd

Top 5 Board Game Designers on Our Shelves Oct 27, 2025

Show notes

In Episode 272 we discuss the top 5 board game designers that are represented on our game shelves.

01:02 Corrections (Creature Comforts and Distilled: Cask Strength)

06:32 Poll: How does it make you feel when a reviewer messes up a rule?

12:25 Top 5 Board Game Designers on our Shelves

16:54 Cole Wehrle (Pax Pamir 2nd Edition, Arcs, John Company 2nd Edition)

19:26 Elizabeth Hargrave (Wingspan, The Fox Experiment)

20:58 Adam Kwapinski (Lords of Hellas, Lords of Ragnarok, Nemesis)

22:44 Bruno Cathala (Sea Salt & Paper, Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle Earth, Cyclades: Legendary Edition)

23:53 Prospero Hall (Pan Am, Top Gun: The Board Game, Horrified)

25:44 Eric Lang (Blood Rage, Cthulhu: Death May Die, Rising Sun)

29:12 Tim Eisner (March of the Ants, Wonderland's War)

32:23 Paul Dennen (Clank! In! Space!, Clank! Legacy, Dune: Imperium - Uprising)

35:19 Vladimir Suchy (Underwater Cities, Pulsar 2849, Woodcraft)

38:11 John Perry (Hot Streak, Air Land & Sea, Spots)

40:57 Simone Luciani (Annunaki: Dawn of the Gods, Barrage, Tzolk'in: The Mayan Calendar, Rats of Wistar)

43:24 Jamey Stegmaier (Tapestry, Viticulture, Scythe, Vantage, Origin Story)

44:47 Stefan Feld (Castles of Burgundy, Marrakesh, Notre Dame, Civolution)

48:23 Reiner Knizia (Modern Art: The Card Game, Royal Visit, High Society, The Quest for El Dorado, Rebirth)

51:42 Jamey Stegmaier (Tapestry, Viticulture, Expeditions, Red Rising)

53:35 Rob Daviou (Cthulhu: Death May Die, Pandemic Legacy, Return to Dark Tower, Thunder Road: Vendetta)

56:34 Simone Luciani (Darwin's Journey, Lorenzo il Magnifico, Nucleum, Tzok'in: The Mayan Calendar, Etherstone)

If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes

Join our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205

Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd

Cosmic Frog Oct 20, 2025

Show notes

In Episode 271 we give our hot take review on Cosmic Frog covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.

We also talk about some games that have been on our tables including Creature Comforts, That Time You Killed Me, and March of the Ants.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:29 Cosmic Frog Description

02:41 Gameplay and Mechanisms

26:24 Production and Theme

30:55 Final Thoughts

36:06 Creature Comforts

49:05 That Time You Killed Me

54:41 March of the Ants

1:06:22 Listener Shoutout

If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes

Join our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205

Join our Discord server at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠

Retro Board Games Oct 13, 2025

Show notes

In Episode 270 we take a look at three retro board games that got us into the hobby with mini reviews of each - D&D Computer Labyrinth Game, Solarquest, and Guillotine.

We also discuss a poll topic on how important it is that board games are 'fun' and whether fun is a useful term when discussing or reviewing board games.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:44 Poll Time: Is 'Fun' important to you when playing board games AND is fun a useful term to use when discussing board games.

11:58 Retro Board Games

15:42 Dungeons & Dragons Computer Labyrinth Game

30:50 Solarquest

47:19 Guillotine

If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes

Join our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205

Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd

BGHT CampCon Recap Part 2 (8 Games Discussed... and a Rant!) Oct 06, 2025

Show notes

In Episode 269 we discuss all of the games (and many expansions) played during the second half of our semi-annual in-person games gathering, this time in Government Camp, Oregon.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

01:24 Obsession: Characters Expansion

10:51 Terraforming Mars: Prelude

14:26 Pan Am

18:30 Barrage

21:23 Distilled: Cask Strength AND Africa and Middle East Expansion

28:36 Dune: Imperium - Uprising

32:42 Isle of Skye: From Chieftain to King

36:55 Blood Rage: Gods of Asgard

43:50 Rant! - Blood Rage: Valhalla

52:53 CampCon Final Thoughts

56:29 Listener Shoutout

If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes

Join our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205

Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠

The Game Makers Sep 29, 2025

Show notes

In Episode 268 we give our hot take review on The Game Makers covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.

We discuss a listener question on best 2 player mid-weight Euro style games, and then we talk about some games that have been on our tables including Age of Comics, Pagan: Fate of Roanoke, and Arborea.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

01:43 Patreon Question: Best mid-weight Euro game at 2 players?

10:38 The Game Makers Description

12:49 Gameplay and Mechanisms

28:05 Production and Theme

26:25 Final Thoughts

45:00 Age of Comics: The Golden Years

53:14 Arborea

54:48 Pagan: Fate of Roanoke

1:02:33 Listener Shoutout

If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes

Join our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205

Join our Discord server at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠

BGHT CampCon Recap Part 1 (8 Games Discussed) Sep 22, 2025

Show notes

In Episode 267 we discuss all of the games played during the first half of our semi-annual in-person games gathering, this time in Government Camp, Oregon.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

06:02 The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle Earth

10:44 Hot Streak

16:21 Tycoon: India 1981

25:42 Cascadia

27:34 Scoville 2nd Edition

33:36 Darwin's Journey

40:02 Wroth

44:06 Wonderland's War

48:20 Vantage

1:03:37 Listener Shoutout

If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes

Join our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205

Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd

Theme Driven Mechanisms Sep 15, 2025

Show notes

In Episode 266 we discuss mechanisms and board games that were inspired by the theme they represent.

Dave Beck (designer of Distilled and Luthier) also joins us for the discussion and gives us a sneak peak at the upcoming Distilled expansion, Distilled: Cocktails.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

01:06 Distilled: Cocktails

15:14 Theme Driven Mechanisms

17:25 Obsession

19:39 Woodcraft

21:35 Captain Sonar

28:25 Hegemony: Lead Your Class To Victory

36:14 Wingspan, The Fox Experiment

37:33 Viticulture, Scoville

40:23 Western Legends

45:08 Baseball Highlights 2045, Barrage

49:35 Nemesis, Batman: Gotham City Chronicles

51:33 Android: Netrunner

54:43 Flamme Rouge, Heat: Pedal to the Metal

If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes

Join our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205

Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd

Wyrmspan: Dragon Academy and What We Want in Expansions Sep 08, 2025

Show notes

In Episode 265 we review and discuss the Wyrmspan: Dragon Academy expansion.

We also discuss what we look for in expansions and what usually makes great expansions for us.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:50 Wyrmspan: Dragon Academy

20:13 Hot Topic: What We Look for in Board Game Expansions

If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes

Join our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205

Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd

Stupor Mundi Sep 01, 2025

Show notes

In Episode 264 we give our hot take review on Stupor Mundi covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.

We discuss a poll on 'Take That' in board games, Chris gives us his 5 year anniversary cocktail segment, and then we talk about some games that have been on our tables including District Noir, and The Lord of Rings: Fate of the Fellowship.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:21 Poll Time: How do you feel about 'Take That' in multiplayer board games?

09:15:Board Game Giveaway Winner Announced

10:30 Stupor Mundi Description

11:01 Gameplay and Mechanisms

36:02 Production and Theme

45:36 Final Thoughts

50:08 5 Year Anniversary Cocktail

54:48 Azul and District Noir

1:01:27 The Lord of the Rings: Fate of the Fellowship

If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes