Board Game Barrage
313 episodes - English - Latest episode: 17 days ago - ★★★★★ - 381 ratingsJoin 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
#260: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2022: 10-1
January 19, 2023 10:43 - 1 hour - 60 MBHere 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 02:46 - Mark #10 - Hansa Teutonica 04:19 - Kellen #10 - Cosmic Encounter 06:...
#259: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2022: 20-11
January 12, 2023 08:07 - 1 hour - 42.7 MBWe'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 Grande 08:19 - Neilan #19 - The Oracle of Delphi 09:15 - Mark #19 - Pax Pa...
#258: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2022: 30-21
January 05, 2023 08:27 - 56 minutes - 40.4 MBIt'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 06:06 - Mark #29 - Modern Art 07:44 - Kellen #29 - Taj Mahal 09:06 - Ne...
#257: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2022: 40-31
December 29, 2022 08:05 - 1 hour - 49.5 MBI 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 - Kellen #40 - Zendo 07:45 - Neilan #39 - Deception: Murder in Hong Kong 10:04 -...
#256: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2022: 50-41
December 15, 2022 09:11 - 1 hour - 50.7 MBIt'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 Express 14:56 - Kellen #49 - Dominion 16:25 - Neilan #49 - Bus 17:50 - Mark #...
#255: Kellen Played a Hop of Games!
December 08, 2022 08:21 - 48 minutes - 34.3 MBKellen 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 - Dois 35:55 - Nine Lives 38:37 - BANANINE Check out our wiki at: htt...
#254: A Celebration of Innovation
December 01, 2022 09:26 - 47 minutes - 34.1 MBOne 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 Reckoning 31:52 - Dive 32:37 - Maglev Metro 33:05 - Loony Quest 33:52 - Kitc...
#253: The Ghost of Turkeys Past
November 23, 2022 21:41 - 20 minutes - 14 MBHow 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 - Rook 16:01 - Scythe 17:09 - Biblios Check out our wiki at: ...
#252: Digital Killed the Tabletop Star
November 17, 2022 08:34 - 54 minutes - 38.4 MBWe 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 30:39 - Kellen's phone number 31:08 - Digital replacing physical games 4...
#251: Tabling the Teach
November 10, 2022 07:36 - 34 minutes - 23.8 MBLook, 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 11:13 - Seize the Bean 23:13 - Feature topic Mark thought we were doing 23:33...
#250: The Times They Are a-Changin'
November 03, 2022 03:58 - 52 minutes - 37.4 MBTwo 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 18:53 - Aegean Sea 26:33 - What's changed since we started 43:49 - Gloomha...
#249: The Essence of Excess
October 27, 2022 01:35 - 46 minutes - 33.5 MBGames 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 Inscription 21:40 - It's a Wonderful Kingdom 32:46 - Excess in games 33:28 - ISS ...
#248: The Need for Theme
October 20, 2022 06:03 - 51 minutes - 36.6 MBThe 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 - Oathsworn: Into the Deepwood 34:25 - The importance of theme 34:50 - Tigris & E...
#247: We Played A Heap of Games!
October 13, 2022 08:00 - 1 hour - 46 MBWhat 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 Merchant Explorers 20:59 - Puzzle Strike 2 34:14 - Ghost Turkey! 34:41 - Games we...
#246: SHUX 2022 Live with Tom Brewster
October 06, 2022 09:08 - 48 minutes - 34.4 MBWe'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 15:03 - Turncoats 20:58 - Flick Fleck 27:39 - Weird games 28:36 - Mord im Ar...
#245: Essen SPIEL 2022 Hype List
September 29, 2022 07:25 - 54 minutes - 38.9 MBIt'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 Capsules 23:45 - Heat: Pedal to the Metal 25:45 - La Famiglia: The Great Mafia...
#244: Quick Count
September 22, 2022 03:28 - 42 minutes - 29.1 MBWe'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: https://www.shutupandsitdown.com/shux22 Check out our wiki at: https...
#243: We’re on Each Other’s Team
September 15, 2022 07:01 - 59 minutes - 41.8 MBThe 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 32:51 - Team games 35:26 - Guards of Atlantis II 39:20 - Ingenious 40:10 ...
#242: Second Time's the Charm
September 08, 2022 07:01 - 46 minutes - 33.5 MBNot 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 that need a second chance 24:01 - Gaia Project 26:39 - Space Station Phoenix...
#241: Fantasy Draft: BoardGameGeek 601-700
September 01, 2022 07:01 - 56 minutes - 40.1 MBOkay, 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 - Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation 31:11 - So Clover! 32:49 - 6 nimmt! ...
#240: The Pillars of Recreation
August 25, 2022 07:00 - 57 minutes - 40.6 MBThe 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 Avalon 04:01 - Trailblazers 11:38 - Wind the Film! / Photograph 18:22 - Ys 28...
#239: We're Back and We Brought Lots of Games
August 18, 2022 00:40 - 50 minutes - 35.1 MBWell, 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 Inscription 26:26 - Games we played at Gen Con 26:50 - Splendor Duel 33:38 - Gr...
#237: Where Are They Now?
August 04, 2022 03:31 - 52 minutes - 36.2 MBGiven 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 - Tidal Blades: Heroes of the Reef 25:04 - Anticipated games of years past 26:56 ...
#236: Gen Con 2022 Preview
July 28, 2022 06:11 - 55 minutes - 38.5 MBGen 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 games 25:50 - San Francisco 27:07 - Diamond Dig 28:28 - Turing Machine 29:55...
#235: The Twin Game Showdown
July 21, 2022 07:50 - 58 minutes - 40.3 MBThere'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 - Codex Naturalis 17:52 - Luna 28:30 - Twin game matchups 30:46 - Azul 30:46 ...
#234: It's About Family with Ambie Valdés from Board Game Blitz
July 14, 2022 07:23 - 48 minutes - 33.6 MBAmbie 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 - Tidy Up! 33:01 - Wingspan 38:03 - Ticket to Ride 40:04 - Flash Point: Fir...
#233: A Decade of Missed Games: 2010-2019
July 07, 2022 08:07 - 1 hour - 44.9 MBWell, 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 last decade we want to play 24:14 - Sid Meier's Civilization: The Board Ga...
#232: Transcontinental Mailbag Express
June 30, 2022 07:55 - 1 hour - 46.7 MBWe'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 - Symphony No.9 19:10 - Arrakis: Dawn of the Fremen 37:48 - Do you create game speci...
#231: Why Fight When You Can Negotiate?
June 23, 2022 09:47 - 55 minutes - 38.5 MBYes, 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 as a mechanic 35:51 - Catan 38:01 - Sidereal Confluence: Trading and Nego...
#230: Worth the Weight
June 16, 2022 08:22 - 57 minutes - 40.2 MBWhile 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 Reckoning 32:23 - Diplomacy 34:43 - War of the Ring: Second Edition 35:15 - A ...
#229: The Positives of Being Negative
June 09, 2022 06:42 - 1 hour - 44.5 MBThere'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 30:31 - Negative criticism 56:06 - Quest Check out our wiki at: https:/...
#228: Bob is Beautiful
June 02, 2022 07:31 - 1 hour - 56.1 MBIt'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 Rome 32:51 - BGBBOB: Beautiful games 34:18 - Photosynthesis 35:23 - Root ...
#228: Bob Is Beautiful
June 02, 2022 07:31 - 1 hour - 56.6 MBIt'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 Rome 32:51 - BGBBOB: Beautiful games 34:18 - Photosynthesis 35:23 - Root ...
#227: Board Games: The Sequel: Part II: Electric Boogaloo
May 26, 2022 08:24 - 57 minutes - 39.6 MBIt 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 of the Zeds (Third Edition) 21:44 - Azul: Queen's Garden 39:51 - A Study in ...
#226: Metapod
May 19, 2022 07:23 - 1 hour - 45.8 MBMetagaming 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 - Shamans 22:11 - Crescent Moon 38:55 - Metagaming 44:01 - Hanabi 44:40 - The R...
#225: Itchy, Tasty
May 12, 2022 07:56 - 54 minutes - 37.5 MBWith 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 24:22 - Cryptid: Urban Legends 37:36 - Games we're itching to play 38:40 - De...
#224: Golden Geek Awards 2021
May 05, 2022 07:42 - 1 hour - 51.9 MBThe 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 42:15 - Golden Geek Awards 43:29 - That Time You Killed Me 43:58 - Summoner W...
#223: Ye Olden Games with Mark Bigney from So Very Wrong About Games
April 28, 2022 06:33 - 1 hour - 54.5 MBIt'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 Leader Deluxe, and Terraforming Mars: Ares Expedition. 04:30 - Sobek: 2 Players 1...
#222: Are You the Gatekeeper?
April 21, 2022 08:12 - 49 minutes - 33.8 MBThere 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 10:57 - Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion 20:34 - Ghosts of Christmas 32:03 - Explodi...
#221: P-P-P-Party Questions
April 14, 2022 06:45 - 47 minutes - 33.2 MBIt 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: Sabotage at Lucky Llama Land 28:06 - Beyond the Sun 30:57 - The Quest for El ...
#220: Fantasy Draft: BoardGameGeek 501-600
April 07, 2022 07:41 - 1 hour - 41.8 MBIt'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: Blood and Sand 37:51 - Through the Desert 39:28 - Pax Renaissance 40:45...
#219: A Perfect Ten
March 31, 2022 06:38 - 45 minutes - 31.9 MBDoes 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 - Picture Perfect 31:05 - Tigris & Euphrates 37:58 - Ark Nova 40:17 - Wingspa...
#218: Our Listeners’ Top 20 Board Games of All-Time 2022
March 24, 2022 07:12 - 1 hour - 42.2 MBWow, 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 Science! 23:17 - The Bridges of Shangri-La 33:59 - Pax Pamir: Second Edition 35:07...
#217: We Got Rid of a Bunch of Games!
March 17, 2022 11:00 - 55 minutes - 38 MBThere 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 - Visitor in Blackwood Grove 33:35 - Mr. Cabbagehead's Garden 33:52 - Bosk...
#216: We're Doing This Together!
March 10, 2022 09:25 - 53 minutes - 37.4 MBWaiting 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 Galecrest 47:20 - Guards of Atlantis 48:49 - Sidereal Confluence: Trading an...
#215: Some Like It H-H-Hot
March 03, 2022 10:27 - 39 minutes - 27.4 MBWe'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: https://boardgamebarrage.com/discord Join our Facebook group at: https:...
#214: Bob's Alright (For Fighting)
February 24, 2022 08:03 - 1 hour - 59.4 MBReturn 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. 03:18 - 7 Wonders: Architects 10:46 - Kokopelli 19:22 - Canopy 31:42 - Dipl...
#213: Approach Without Caution
February 17, 2022 04:01 - 55 minutes - 38.7 MBApproachability 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 - Boonlake 37:34 - Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion 38:13 - Wavelength 39:14 ...
#212: Two Can Play At That Game
February 10, 2022 09:19 - 47 minutes - 32.9 MBIt'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: Normandy, Fields of Arle, and That Time You Killed Me. 02:12 - Undaunted: Normandy 11:07 - Fields of Arle 17:27 - That Time You Killed Me 28:19 - Two p...
#211: Our Most Anticipated Games of 2022
February 03, 2022 04:54 - 1 hour - 46.9 MBNew 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 22:21 - Coffee Traders 34:16 - Aegean Sea 34:35 - Hamburg 36:01 - The Gui...