Board Game Hot Takes

In Episode 55 we provide our hot take review of Cascadia covering the mechanisms, the production, notable moments in play, and our overall feelings of the game and we make a lot of comparisons to a similar tile drafting and placement game by Flatout Games: Calico.  We also discuss different types of card games and poll results around this topic. Then we discuss some games we've been playing this week in our On The Table segment including Battle for Rokugan, One Deck Dungeon, and Watergate and we look at some games that have our attention in our Future Takes segment including Nemesis, One Deck Galaxy, and the Dragon Prince: Battlecharged. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:06 Poll: Favorite Type of Card Game 11:04 Cascadia Description 13:06 Gameplay and Mechanisms 24:07 Production and Theme 29:22 Memorable Moments 37:33 Final Thoughts 42:23 Cocktail of the Week 47:07 Battle for Rokugan 50:35 One Deck Dungeon 1:09:22 Watergate 1:19:19 Nemesis 1:24:35 One Deck Galaxy 1:25:31 Dragon Prince: Battlecharged

In Episode 54 we discuss solo board gaming and our picks for the top 5 solo board games. Tim and Adam list off our top 5 solo games of all time and Chris discusses the top 5 solo games he thinks might get him into solo gaming.  We also discuss poll results around solo gaming. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:52 Poll: Do you solo game? 8:51 #5 Tim - Underwater Cities 10:14 #5 Adam - Space Corp - 2025-2300AD 12:05 #5 Chris - This War of Mine 16:17 #4 Tim - Cthulhu: Death May Die 19:23 #4 Adam - Baseball Highlights: 2045 20:35 #4 Chris - Nemesis 26:43 #3  Tim - One Deck Dungeon 29:25 #3 Adam - Dune: Imperium 32:08 #3 Chris - Cthulhu: Death May Die 33:07 #2 Tim - Everdell 36:26 #2 Adam - Imperium: The Contention 38:36 #2 Chris - Return to Dark Tower 40:27 #1 Tim - Lost Ruins of Arnak 43:54 #1 Adam - Pax Pamir - 2nd Edition 46:23 #1 Chris - Dawn of Madness 49:17 Honorable Mentions - Smartphone, Inc., Nemo's War, Under Falling Skies, Gaia Project, Scythe, Tapestry, Mage Knight

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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