Board Game Hot Takes

In Episode 244 we discuss the huge number of changes that have been happening to the Board Game Geek Top 100 and what this means for the hobby. Timestamps:00:00 Introduction02:23 BGG Top 100 Changes11:02 Games that have recently moved onto the list31:56 Games that have recently left the list39:57 What these changes mean for the hobbyIf 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 243 we give our hot take review on the latest expansion for Dune: Imperium, Bloodlines, covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game and discuss what we think is the best way to play Dune: Imperium now between all of the expansions, modules, and multiple standalone games available.We also talk about some games that have been on our tables including Brian Boru and Clank! Catacombs - Lairs and Lost Chambers. We also discuss a poll on average weekly board game time.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:31 Poll Time: On average how many hours of actual tabletop gameplay do you have per week?05:14 BGG Golden Geek Awards06:34 Dune: Imperium - Bloodlines08:35 Gameplay and Mechanisms27:49 Production and Theme31:36 Final Thoughts35:17 The Best way to play Dune: Imperium now.44:54 Brian Boru50:55 Clank! Catacombs - Lairs and Lost ChambersIf 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 242 Steph Hodge joins us to discuss our top 5 quirky mechanisms in board games.You can find Steph's blog here: https://boardgamegeek.com/blog/3802/all-the-meeples-of-the-rainbow and her videos here: https://www.youtube.com/@boardgamerstephTimestamps:00:00 Introduction05:12 Top 5 Quirky Mechanisms08:11 Marrakesh11:24 Time of Empires14:00 Euphoria: Build a Better Dystopia17:34 Truffle Snuffle19:25 Keyper22:00 Viscounts of the West Kingdom24:50 Trotofant27:45 Redwood30:31 Black Orchestra34:10 Argo37:13 Once Upon a Line39:23 Greedy Kingdoms42:58 The Faceless45:35 Piazza Rabazza48:24 Dungeon Petz52:49 Honorable Mentions: Picture Perfect, Dungeon Fighter, Canvas, Captain Sonar, Turing Machine, Treasure Island, Bullet Heart, Mord Im ArosaIf 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 241 we each talk about 3 board games that we've played recently including Windmill Valley, Zoo Vadis, The Fellowship of the Ring: Trick-taking Game, Captain Sonar and many more. Timestamps:00:00 Introduction01:54 No Thanks09:52 Zoo Vadis22:12 Black Orchestra32:37 Captain Sonar41:35 Torchlit49:51 Windmill Valley58:44 Power Vacuum1:07:11 Anunnaki: Dawn of the Gods1:21:10 The Fellowship of the Rings: Trick-Taking Game1:27:25 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 240 we discuss board games that have gotten a facelift. New productions, 2nd editions, and similar topics. We also discuss a poll about leaving game groups.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:29 Poll Time: Have you ever left a game group?10:54 Board Games That Get Facelifts13:45 Recent Examples - Castles of Burgundy, La Granja, Brass, Kemet, Cyclades, Irish Gauge, Ethnos, Acquire, Yokohama20:33 How we feel about this - Terraforming Mars, Agricola, Great Western Trail, The Castles of Burgundy, Mosaic, Manhattan Project: Energy Empire30:50 What would we want out of Agricola refresh - Agricola: Dead Harvest40:14 What Makeovers Do We Want - Gaia Project, Beyond the Sun, Le Havre, Quacks of Quedlinburg, The Expanse, Forbidden Stars47:55 Are big refreshes a problem because of price? - Agricola, Marrakesh, Foundations of Rome, Foundations of Metropolis, EclipseIf 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 239 we each talk about 5 board games that we love but can run a little longer than they should. We also discuss a poll on publicly discussing your board game interests.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:55 Poll Time: How public are you about your board game love?12:08 Games we enjoy that can outstay their welcome12:28 Trailblazer: The Arizona Trail15:51 Kabuto Sumo19:57 Tapestry25:30 Lords of Xidit29:37 Dominant Species34:09 Final Girl37:27 Star Wars: Outer Rim41:38 Star Wars: Rebellion44:22 Harmonies49:43 Aquatica55:20 Wonderland's War58:16 Starship Captains1:02:52 Chimera Station1:05:43 Battlestar Galactica1:09:39 Auztralia1:14:10 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 238 we each talk about 5 board games that have the types and level of player interaction that we really like. We also discuss a poll on whether complexity and price should have a correlation.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:44 Poll Time: Do you correlate complexity with price?14:02 Player Interaction19:52 Parks (Agricola)25:35 Ankh: Gods of Egypt (Carnegie)30:31 Clans of Caledonia (Gaia Project)34:35 My Little Scythe (Wolves, Gaia Project, Sol: Last Days of a Star)40:01 Stockpile (Pan Am, Lancaster, Modern Art)45:24 Nidavellir (Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest)48:54 Great Wall (Lancaster)53:10 Hegemony: Lead Your Class to Victory56:44 Troyes1:01:00 Carcassonne (Barrage, Terraforming Mars)1:07:44 Baseball Highlights 2045 (Blood Rage, Magic: The Gathering)1:12:31 Rebirth (Tigris and Euphrates, Samurai, Blue Lagoon)1:17:17 Fractal (Rising Sun, Blood Rage, Dune, Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy, Battle for Rokugan)1:25:34 Bruxelles 1893 (Lancaster, Barrage)1:30:33 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 237 we give our hot take review on SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.We announce some board game giveaways and then talk about some games that have been on our tables including Dinosaur Island, Stockpile, Guild of Merchant Explorers, and Architects of the West Kingdom: Age of Artisans.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:20 Patreon Board Game Giveaways02:50 SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Description04:25 Gameplay and Mechanisms18:42 Production and Theme25:49 Final Thoughts37:21 Dinosaur Island44:46 Stockpile53:40 Guild of Merchant Explorers55:18 Architects of the West Kingdom: Age of ArtisansIf 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 236 we discuss the decisions you make around setting up a game to make it the best possible experience for your game group including things like changes you make after random setup steps, how you pick asymmetric factions, and what expansions you add in.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:38 Curating board game setupIf 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=11417205

In Episode 235 we give our hot take review on The Guild of Merchant Explorers covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.We discuss a poll on how tariffs might impact board game buying habits and we discuss some games that have been on our table including Skyrise, Black Forest, Belaad, Oh No Volcano, and Slay the Spire.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:22 Poll: If the percentage of prices on board games increase by double digits due to tariffs how much would that change your buying habits?07:26 The Guild of Merchant Explorers Description09:15 Gameplay and Mechanisms21:15 Production and Theme27:32 Final Thoughts32:42 Skyrise and Black Forest revisited37:42 Belaad: The Land of Swords and Quills46:32 Oh no, Volcano!50:51 Slay The Spire: The Board gameIf 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 Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/boardgamehottakesJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd