Board Game Hot Takes

In Episode 274 we give our hot take review on Galactic Cruise covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.We cover a poll on board game productions and then discuss some games that have been on our tables including Demoniac, Rebirth, Abomination: The Heir of Frankenstein, and Thurn and Taxis.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:20 Poll: Which production element is more likely to get you excited about a board game?06:36 Galactic Cruise Description09:52 Gameplay and Mechanisms36:14 Production and Theme41:43 Final Thoughts48:15 Demoniac52:53 Rebirth1:00:20 Thurn and Taxis1:05:33 Abomination: The Heir of Frankenstein1:14:02 Listener ShoutoutIf you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠

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 Introduction00:29 Poll Time: Have you ever experienced intentional cheating when playing a tabletop game?5:59 Competition: General Thoughts9:19 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 ThoughtsIf you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd

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 Shelves16:54 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/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd

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 Introduction00:29 Cosmic Frog Description02:41 Gameplay and Mechanisms26:24 Production and Theme30:55 Final Thoughts36:06 Creature Comforts49:05 That Time You Killed Me54:41 March of the Ants1:06:22 Listener ShoutoutIf you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠

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 Introduction00:44 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 Games15:42 Dungeons & Dragons Computer Labyrinth Game30:50 Solarquest47:19 GuillotineIf you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd

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 Introduction01:24 Obsession: Characters Expansion10:51 Terraforming Mars: Prelude14:26 Pan Am18:30 Barrage21:23 Distilled: Cask Strength AND Africa and Middle East Expansion28:36 Dune: Imperium - Uprising32:42 Isle of Skye: From Chieftain to King36:55 Blood Rage: Gods of Asgard43:50 Rant! - Blood Rage: Valhalla52:53 CampCon Final Thoughts56:29 Listener ShoutoutIf you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠

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 Introduction01:43 Patreon Question: Best mid-weight Euro game at 2 players?10:38 The Game Makers Description12:49 Gameplay and Mechanisms28:05 Production and Theme26:25 Final Thoughts45:00 Age of Comics: The Golden Years53:14 Arborea54:48 Pagan: Fate of Roanoke1:02:33 Listener ShoutoutIf you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠

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 Introduction06:02 The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle Earth10:44 Hot Streak16:21 Tycoon: India 198125:42 Cascadia27:34 Scoville 2nd Edition33:36 Darwin's Journey40:02 Wroth44:06 Wonderland's War48:20 Vantage1:03:37 Listener ShoutoutIf you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd

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 Introduction01:06 Distilled: Cocktails15:14 Theme Driven Mechanisms17:25 Obsession19:39 Woodcraft21:35 Captain Sonar28:25 Hegemony: Lead Your Class To Victory36:14 Wingspan, The Fox Experiment37:33 Viticulture, Scoville40:23 Western Legends45:08 Baseball Highlights 2045, Barrage49:35 Nemesis, Batman: Gotham City Chronicles51:33 Android: Netrunner54:43 Flamme Rouge, Heat: Pedal to the MetalIf you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd

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 Introduction00:50 Wyrmspan: Dragon Academy20:13 Hot Topic: What We Look for in Board Game ExpansionsIf you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd