Eat Lunch and Board Game
133 episodes - English - Latest episode: 25 days ago - ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsNeed a better lunch break at work than just occupying yourself on your phone or surfing the internet? Why not start a board game group? Adam started a gaming group at his office. He also reviews games on their lunch time playability among other attributes.
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Episodes
Butts in Space
March 29, 2024 18:00 - 8 minutes - 6.05 MBSometimes, you just buy a game because of the name. You know nothing about it. But, the price is right, and it is called Butts in Space. I came across this card game on Etsy. I am starting to think that I should not be allowed on the internet unsupervised. Anyway, I added it as a favorite to come back to buy at a later date. Well that date came, but when I went back, the shop/publisher, The Dusty Tophat, was on a hiatus or vacation. I got an alert that they were back, but the game was no lo...
Interview with Brian Henk of Pull the Pin Games
March 26, 2024 10:00 - 47 minutes - 32.3 MBBrian and I had a rough time with the recording website, but we still managed a fantastic conversation. He gave insight to working with an IP as a small designer, the differences with working with digital versus analog games, and we found out that we have a lot of the same tastes in games. Thanks for listening!
Long Shot (The 2009 Original Game)
March 14, 2024 08:00 - 13 minutes - 9.27 MBWell, it took me little time to hunt down an affordable copy of Chris Handy’s original Long Shot in the United States. I found it via BoardGameGeek Market. I had it delivered straight to work, and we played it the lunch hour of the day it arrived. It might be the shortest time from purchase to play ever! In Long Shot, you and your opponents are gamblers at the race track vying to make the most of your money. You can make money by placing bets that pay out, buying horses, or just playing car...
Long Shot: The Dice Game
February 22, 2024 13:00 - 14 minutes - 9.97 MBI have mentioned it before many times on this show, Edward and I love racing games. One evening, he and I were at a local game shop looking through the used games section. We found two games that caught our eyes: Long Shot: The Dice Game and Elfenland. Long Shot caught our attention because it was designed by Chris Handy and published by Perplext, the same designer publisher duo behind Roland Wright. That was, well, a roll and write game that I impulsively bought for $5 at a convention and w...
Interview with Etsy Shop Owner and Game Enthusiast Larry Saunders
February 15, 2024 08:00 - 40 minutes - 27.9 MBIn this episode, I am joined by Larry Saunders. I came across Larry when searching for Christmas presents for my coworkers. He has an Etsy shop where he makes various game related stickers. I reached out to him, and he told me that board games had helped him through a tough part of his life. Well, after almost two months of trying to get a night free together, Larry and I finally got to have our conversation. He has a great, but sad, story to tell. Thanks for listening.
Cockroach Poker
February 01, 2024 08:00 - 8 minutes - 5.94 MBA few of my past guests have suggested Cockroach Poker for a lunchtime game. I put it on my Christmas list a few years back. I never received it from friends, family, or Santa. One day while I was perusing the local game shop, there it was, hanging on a peg board. I was surprised that it was in a box that was barely four inches square. I don’t know what I was expecting, but not that. I immediately took it off the peg and purchased it for $11.99. Then, it sat unplayed for a month or so. It wa...
Edward's Review of Outfoxed!
February 01, 2024 07:00 - 6 minutes - 4.38 MBMy dad found Outfoxed on the clearance section of Target and got it as a gift to the family for Easter. We played it right away with my sister who was 4, my mom who is 10 times that and some change, and my dad who is a little younger than mom. In outfoxed you work together as chickens trying to stop a fox from reaching the fox hole and escaping. WHY is the fox on the run? Because, the clever fox has stolen Mrs. Plumpert's pot pie and is high-tailing it to the foxhole! Can you and your chick...
High Society
December 21, 2023 17:00 - 11 minutes - 8.06 MBAt a recent board game day at the library, I was left as the odd man out. That did not bother me. I was happy to see so many people playing games. A fellow game nerd has his bag of games there. He said I could have a look, so I did. He had For Sale, a game that has been mentioned by a few guests and has come up in a few books. I sat down with it, opened the box, and was immediately distracted by the insert advertising the Bookshelf Series. Now, this was an old advertisement. It only listed g...
Manhattan - 1994's Spiel des Jahres Winner
December 07, 2023 11:00 - 12 minutes - 8.9 MBI was talking with a fellow designer at a Protospiel about past Spiel des Jahres winners. About how it is sad that some of these games, these games that helped propel the board game hobby to the heights it is today, are no longer available. We then started looking at some of the games, and I couldn’t help purchasing a few. One that struck my interest was Andreas Seyfath’s Manhattan, 1994’s winner. He is better known for creating the 2002 game Puerto Rico. He and his wife won the 2006 Spiel d...
Interview with Game Designer Freddie Carlini
November 30, 2023 18:00 - 53 minutes - 36.5 MBIn this episode, I am joined by Freddie Carlini. He is the mastermind behind Mixtape Massacre, a highly thematic board game where you are the slasher hunting down victims to collect souvinirs. Freddie talks about how Mixtape Massacre is NOT TSA Friendly! It is a hilarious story. We also talk about running over zombies on a motorcycle, chunky dice being cool, and how dice trays save time and dice! All this and more coming up. Thanks for listening! Get a copy of Mixtape Massacre!
Interview with Game Designer Spencer Mohr from Dastardly Fun Entertainment
November 16, 2023 21:00 - 45 minutes - 31.4 MBSpencer Mohr joins me on this episode. His company, Dastardly Fun Entertainment, has put out two games a year, and I have played and enjoyed both. Their second game, Dastardly Drivers, was a finalist in the game design competition I sponsored last year. Thanks for listening. Dastardly Fun Entertainment on The Game Crafter
Interview with Game Designer Spencer Moore from Dastardly Fun Entertainment
November 16, 2023 21:00 - 46 minutes - 32.3 MBSpencer Moore joins me on this episode. His company, Dastardly Fun Entertainment, has put out two games a year, and I have played and enjoyed both. Their second game, Dastardly Drivers, was a finalist in the game design competition I sponsored last year. Thanks for listening. Dastardly Fun Entertainment on The Game Crafter
13 Dead End Drive
November 09, 2023 17:00 - 14 minutes - 9.76 MBMy grandmother, who I called Mee-Maw, bought Michael Marra’s 13 Dead End Drive for me back in 1993 when it came out. I am not 100% sure why, but I am so glad she did. It is hard to believe that the game is 30 years old! That makes me even older. Anyway, 13 Dead End Dr got a lot of playing when I was young. My little sister, brother, and I played a lot of Clue, and this gave us a new mystery to solve, a new toy to play with. 13 Dead End Drive feels like Clue and Mouse Trap had a baby. In 13...
Interview with Pied Raven founder Jesse Daniels
October 26, 2023 17:00 - 38 minutes - 26.4 MBPied Raven
Interview with Game Designer John J. Wick
October 20, 2023 16:00 - 56 minutes - 39.1 MBJohn J. Wick, the game designer and RPG creator, joins me in this episode. He is the man behind CAT, a great RPG where you play a cat protecting your human from forces they cannot see. John and I talk about the usual stuff, and also his fun RPG's that can be played in a lunch hour. (Links below) PLAY CAT
Horrified: Universal Monsters
October 12, 2023 19:00 - 21 minutes - 14.4 MBIn early 2019, The Son and I were watching a lot of Watch It Played with Rodney Smith. One episode that caught my eye was Horrified, by Ravensberger. Then, for some reason, I forgot about it. It kept coming up on lists of games that are great to play in an hour. While attending a convention, I saw it at the flea market event and snatched it right up. I sat down that night and played it with a fellow game designer. We both enjoyed it. In Horrified, you and your teammates are working together...
Interview with Board Game Advocate Corey Clark
October 05, 2023 20:00 - 42 minutes - 29.5 MBCorey Clark, founder of Blue Falcon Board Gaming, joins me to talk about his organization and what they do. He has one of the most original ways to get into gaming. We try to come up with a term for people that are not board game literate. He also has one of the more obscure hidden gem games that I feel like I must own. All of that an more. Thanks for listening! Hidden Gem
Clue: The Classic Whodunnit
September 28, 2023 16:00 - 38 minutes - 26.7 MBWhen you think of the classic games, what comes to mind? Monopoly, Risk, Candyland, Chutes & Ladders, and of course Clue. It is unfortunate that Clue doesn’t get more respect in today’s board gaming community. The playtime is short. The rules are simple. And dammit, it is just plain fun! We had a copy of Clue when I was growing up. I am the oldest of three, and my sister, brother, and I would play Clue for hours. That is the best part about the game. You can just sort the cards out, draw a n...
Interview with XX72 Game Designer Mike Heiman
September 21, 2023 17:00 - 1 hour - 47.3 MBA month ago, I was quarantined to my bedroom with COVID. One night, I had a bout with insomnia. Then, it occurred to me! I had a few solo print and play games printed in my print and play box (link in the show notes) that were specifically designed for solo play. So, I got up, grabbed my D6’s and played 1472 The Lost Samurai. I did not win, but I was then encouraged to try 1972 The Lost Phantom. Again, I did not win. This time, I was encouraged to reach out to their designer Mike Heiman. He ...
The Mystery of the Abbey
August 17, 2023 17:00 - 19 minutes - 13.8 MBAs you faithful bridge-building listeners know, I am a huge fan of reading about board games. I then like to try and interview the author. This happened with The Beginner’s Board Game Bible and its author Ben Hoppe. In his fantastic book, (if you haven’t bought it yet, do it) he mentions games to help break people into this great hobby. Many of his game suggestions I had heard of, or already had played. Yet, one game nagged at me that I really wanted try. It was 1995’s Mystery of the Abbey. ...
Champions of Midgard
August 03, 2023 17:00 - 31 minutes - 21.6 MBI wish that I could say that I bought just a few games that came to my attention via Wil Wheaton’s Tabletop on YouTube, but that would be a lie. What I can say though, few games have come to my attention and immediately jumped into my top 5, if not top 3, like Champions of Midgard. Ole Steiness’s worker placement game made an immediate impact on me. I love worker placement games, yet there was something different about this game. Something about the way it played. Something about the interac...
Turn for the Wurst
July 20, 2023 17:00 - 8 minutes - 6.08 MBWho doesn’t love a good pun? I know I do. Also, who doesn’t know some form of rummy? I believe most people that have a grandma have been exposed to rummy. My grandma, my aunt, my cousins and siblings, and I used to play rummy all the time. There were stenographer notebooks filled with scoring tallies. Not just scores for their games, but also tally marks for the wins. My grandma recently passed, and a scorebook was buried with her. So, when Turn for the Wurst came out by Wam Wam Games, I ha...
Flamme Rouge
June 29, 2023 20:00 - 19 minutes - 13.7 MBIt is no secret that I love racing games. I have many racing games in my collection. I have talked about many racing games on this show. I love them! Whether I am racing cars, postal vehicles, boats, bikes, chariots, or even camels, I am drawn to a racing game like a moth to the flame. While perusing the used games section at the local Half-Priced Books, I saw Asger Harding Granerud’s cycling racing game, Flamme Rouge. The Son and I have wanted this game for some time. It goes in and out of ...
Interview with SLPL Creative Experience Specialist: Ana Gomez
June 15, 2023 17:00 - 33 minutes - 22.8 MBI am very active with the public library systems here in St. Louis City and County. I have taken many courses through them online. I have taken the kids to events. Heck, I took my kids to every single St. Louis Public Library branch. That was 15 branches. A let me tell you, some of those buildings were absolutely stunning. During the pandemic, I used the library to print off many print and play games that I downloaded. When the restrictions lifted, I found out that the public library system...
Interview with René Uittenbogaard design competition WINNER!
May 25, 2023 17:00 - 31 minutes - 21.4 MBA few months back, like six or more, I sponsored a design competition on past guest JT Smith’s The Game Crafter. The competition was to design a lunchtime game. It had to be playable in a lunch hour and appropriate for work. There were 77 entries! Of those, seven were selected to be finalists. Those seven were then shipped to me to playtest. I took all of these to work to play with my coworkers. I mean, that was literally the purpose of the competition. So, with the help of 2 or 3 of my cow...
Quest for the Trident
May 18, 2023 18:00 - 14 minutes - 10 MBA few months back, I reviewed a hilarious game about a group of cats on their ninth and final life. I then interviewed the man that handmade each copy of that game. Then, out of the blue, Colby Lippencott reached back out to me to inform me that his new game, Quest for the Trident, was available. I couldn’t resist. I had to try the latest from Lab Rats Board Games. I received the handmade, custom designed, wooden box with the familiar 3D printed components holding it together, three differen...
Can't Stop (1980)
May 04, 2023 20:00 - 9 minutes - 6.32 MBI have mentioned a few times, like dozens probably, that The Son and I love to read books about board games at bedtime. I have also mentioned one such book many times, Family Games The 100 Best by Jeremy Lowder. Recently, I organized the first Protospiel St. Louis where we had over 40 designers come and show their game designs and over 50 playtesters come and play them. As part of the badge purchase, the store where we were holding the event offered 10% off purchases. So, I perused the store...
7 Wonders: Armada & Edifice Expansions
April 20, 2023 22:00 - 15 minutes - 10.9 MB7 Wonders is one of my favorite lunchtime games of all time. I have played it probably close to one-hundred times. I did a very long, 18-minute, podcast episode on it a long time ago. It was actually the third episode of the show. At the time, I covered all the expansions that I had, which was all of them except Babel. I still have not purchased Babel. No interest. But, the completionist in me is calling to procure it. I am not going to lie. After writing that sentence, I went and looked int...
Interview with James Cole
March 24, 2023 19:00 - 58 minutes - 40 MBIn this episode, I am joined by designer James Cole. He designed and tested a game at work. His game, Thrown Under the Bus, is currently on Kickstarter. Give it a look. He also had some amazing game suggestions. Thanks for listening. Thrown Under the Bus Kickstarter
Pandemic: The Cure
March 16, 2023 19:00 - 23 minutes - 16.5 MBWell, quite simply put, I am now obsessed with the Pandemic world. After a rough relationship at the start with the original base game, my love was rekindled with Rapid Response and Hot Zone, coincidentally during the COVID pandemic. As I have been working my way through the Pandemic expansions, I branched out, like a disease, and decided to try some of the other versions of the game. First up, I located, purchased, and played The Cure. That’s right, I played it relatively soon after purcha...
Interview with Adam J. Collins (and Chad) from The Humble Approach
March 10, 2023 18:00 - 46 minutes - 31.9 MBA few years back, I bought a game of Kickstarter. It was designed by Adam Collins. I was shocked to know I designed a game and didn't know it. Turns out, there is another Adam Collins in the board game industry, the podcast market, and in a construction related day job. He joins me in this episode, with his business partner. We talk the usual, and get some great game recommendations. They also have a Kickstarter currently up at the time of this recording. Link below. BOARD GAMES BUILD BRIDG...
Pandemic: Rapid Response
March 03, 2023 18:00 - 14 minutes - 9.99 MBI remember seeing Rodney Smith’s video for Pandemic: Rapid Response and knowing instantly, this was a game for me! Oddly, it was a Target exclusive. I had to wait a few months before it came out. I ordered it off the site as soon as I could. Then, as most games do, it sat unplayed for a few more months. Finally, March 20th, the son and I broke out the Kane Klenko, real-time, board game. In case you don't recognize that date, it was the start of the COVID lockdown. It just felt fitting. A few...
Interview with author James Polczynski
February 23, 2023 18:00 - 50 minutes - 35.1 MBIn this episode, I am joined by author James Polczynski. I came across his book, A History of Mystery and Detective Games, and I had to read it. It turns out, James reads everything he can about board games, too! We talk about his book, the 3M Bookcase series, his meeting Sid Sackson, and Clint Eastwood westerns (?). We kept getting disconnected by the online site I use, and it made my mic sound funny. But, the episode is still great, as is his book. Board Games Build Bridges! A History of ...
Interview with Game Designers Charles and Chad Massengill
February 16, 2023 20:00 - 36 minutes - 24.8 MBCharles created a game back in 1983 about stock car racing. Now, 40 years later, he and his son have finally produced it and brought it the world. Stock Car Racing Team Game is a fun, huge board, colorful, racing game for 2 to 6 players. This father-son duo have had a lifelong love for racing, and they want to share their love for it with you via their game. Board games build bridges! Get a copy here: https://stockcarracingteamgame.com/
Red Dragon Inn
February 09, 2023 13:00 - 17 minutes - 11.8 MBYou and your adventuring party are tired and thirsty from your day's fun. You find yourselves at the Red Dragon Inn for some much needed drinks, fun, and tale telling. In this game, you are seeking to get yor friends alcohol content over their fortitude, or steal all their gold in rounds of gambling. Last one sober, or last one with money is the winner. This is not a drinking game, rather a game about drinking. Board Games Build Bridges.
Interview with author Amanda Bridgeman
February 03, 2023 00:00 - 36 minutes - 25.4 MBIn this episode, I am joined by author Amanda Bridgeman who resides in the land down under. She wrote the book Pandemic: Patient Zero. Yes, that is a tie-in book to the award winning Matt Leacock board game of the same name. She talks about how she got involved in the project, the woes that COVID caused, among other things. She also talk about how she judges a game by the cover. More accurately, how the artwork is what draws her to a game. Get the book here!
Interview with Chelsea Schwartz from The OP
January 29, 2023 17:00 - 42 minutes - 29.4 MBIn this episode, Chelsea Schwartz joins me. She has an incredible job title of Hobby Marketing and Influencer Specialist at The OP. She and I have a lot of fun chatting about IP games. The Good ones. Some bad. We also discussed her love of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and my fondness for Dream Phone. Stay through the end for the final payoff for that tangent. Her game: Bananya: The Card Game
King of New York
January 12, 2023 18:00 - 14 minutes - 10.1 MBI have never, and will never, hide my love of King of Tokyo. A short four years later, the sequel game was released. King of New York elevates its predecessor's gameplay. The character packs I talked about in the King of Tokyo episode are compatible with New York as well. This makes for a lot of fun characters and replayability. King of Tokyo episode Leave a message, question, or game suggestion. podinbox.com/eatlunchandboardgame
The Godfather: Last Family Standing
January 05, 2023 18:00 - 10 minutes - 6.97 MBIn my house, we are huge fans of The Godfather trilogy. We have watched it twice in two years. When an ad banner came up to announce a new Godfather game, I clicked over to Target.com and bought it. It was an offer I couldn't refuse. Does this card game, by the same designer behind Bosk, hold up to the IP? Let's take a look. Buy The Godfather: Last Family Standing here.
Interview with Doreen DiCreccio from Mom's Choice Award
December 15, 2022 18:00 - 32 minutes - 22.3 MBThis will be a more unconventional episode of Eat Lunch and Board Game. I am joined this episode by Doreen DiCreccio from Mom’s Choice Awards. She and I talk about what the award is, how to get it, some past winners, and other goodies. This episode was recorded a bit out of order, and I put on display my editing skills. So, if things sound a bit weird, that is why. Also, this is our second attempt at recording this interview as an internet outage in my neighborhood derailed the first one. Do...
Interview with author Mary Pilon
December 01, 2022 18:00 - 41 minutes - 28.3 MBIn this episode, author Mary Pilon joins me to talk about her amazing book, The Monopolists: Obsession, Fury, and the Scandal Behind the World's Favorite Board Game. It is one of my favorite books about board game history. Mary spent five years doing research on the history of Monopoly and its actual origins. Her book is simply amazing, and you should find it, read it, and enjoy it. We talk about the usual stuff, as well as receiving the original NES for Christmas, our shortcomings at chess,...
Ticket to Ride: San Francisco by Days of Wonder
November 17, 2022 18:00 - 12 minutes - 8.69 MBIn this episode, I take a look at the latest from Alan R. Moon and Ticket to Ride, San Francisco. I give a brief how-to, you can always catch a more in depth review of T2R on the original episode. I also talk about the nuances for this edition. Is it better than the last entry, Amsterdam? And what is up with the fan made add-on, Star Trek expansion? HERE The Presidio thumb fight. Thanks for listening. You can find Amazon links to most of the games currently in production HERE. Anything b...
Corpse Cat
November 10, 2022 18:00 - 9 minutes - 6.34 MBIn this episode, I take a deeper dive into Corpse Cat. I recently interviewed Colby Lippincott from Lab Rat Games, who published this amazing game. From the start, you are drawn to this game by its wooden coffin box. Then, the game itself is very unforgiving and addicting. This game might be a bit morbid, but it is hilarious, too! Pod In Box: https://podinbox.com/eatlunchandboardgame Corpse Cat: https://tinyurl.com/d2s77jyc Colby Lippincott Interview: https://www.eatlunchandboardgame.com/in...
Dualing Dice
November 03, 2022 17:00 - 13 minutes - 8.98 MBIn this episode, I talk about my new favorite dice game, Dualing Dice, by Mythica Gaming. Do not be swayed by its lack of rating on Board Game Geek, the game is very new. What should sway you is, I LOVE IT! Thanks for listening. Buy the game here: https://mythicagaming.com/product/dualing-dice/ Support the show and interact with other fans and the host: https://podinbox.com/eatlunchandboardgame
Interview with game producer Colby Lippincott
October 27, 2022 20:00 - 37 minutes - 25.6 MBIn this episode, Colby Lippincott joins me to talk about making his company's game at his houe. It is the unforgiving game, Corpse Cat, by Labrat Games. You can, and should, pick up a copy from their Etsy store: LabRatGames
Wits & Wagers
October 13, 2022 21:30 - 8 minutes - 5.97 MBI put a call out to you, the listeners, for a game that I should try at lunch. Kev Con answered the call with the suggestion of Wits & Wagers. So, I tracked down a copy, took it to the office, and we played it. This is a trivia game with a twist. All the answers are numerical, and you aren't supposed to know the answer. That makes is all the more fun. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/adam-f-collins/support
Interview with board game entrepreneur Chris Backe
October 06, 2022 17:00 - 58 minutes - 40.2 MBIn this episode, I am joined by Chris Backe. Like me, Chris does multiple things for the gaming community. We talk about the usual topics, as well as his two websites that he is working on to benefit the community: prereleasegames.com and tabletoppublishers.com These sites could help designers at all levels of the design process. More details about these sites in this episode. Thanks for listening!
Interview with board game entrepreneur
October 06, 2022 17:00 - 58 minutes - 40 MBIn this episode, I am joined by Chris Backe. Like me, Chris does multiple things for the gaming community. We talk about the usual topics, as well as his two websites that he is working on to benefit the community: prereleasegames.com and tabletoppublishers.com These sites could help designers at all levels of the design process. More details about these sites in this episode. Thanks for listening! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/adam-f-collins/support
Interview with Ole Steiness
August 11, 2022 17:30 - 57 minutes - 39.4 MBI got up at 4:45am local time to interview Ole Steiness who lives 7 hours ahead of me in Denmark. He is the designer of one of my all time favorite games, Champions of Midgard. I will be doing an episode on this amazing work-placement game soon. Ole and I talk the usual, how the pandemic is the only thing that has kept him from Essen, and that his kids don't like playing his games. Why? They are amazing games! Well, they are also dad's work. Notable games mentioned: Chaos of the Old World ...
Stratego
August 04, 2022 17:30 - 16 minutes - 11.1 MBStratego is a classic 2-player capture the flag game that is almost 80 years old. It has had little to no changes from Jaques Johan Mogendorff's orignal game. There have been some newer versions, some of which I have procured. The standard IP treatment has ocurred. But in the end, Stratego remains a staple. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/adam-f-collins/support