Board Game Hot Takes

In Episode 224 we recount our experience at BGGCon in Dallas. Since this was Chris and Adam's first big game convention we discuss expectations, apprehensions, and excitement leading up to it and then we cover our first couple days of gaming and shenanigans. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 05:50 BGGCon 2024 - Expectations, Apprehensions, and Excitement 10:45 Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy: Seekers and Outcasts Expansions 17:20 Things in Rings 25:12 Underwater Cities (Fail!) 27:23 Everdell: Farshore 36:35 Robot Quest: Arena 40:54 Mosaic: A Story of Civilization 50:37 Surfosaurus: MAX 54:10 Le Havre 1:00:47 SCOUT If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.social Join our Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/boardgamehottakes Join our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205

In Episode 223 we discuss player counts. Which genres and games are best at each player count and which player counts we like the best. We also discuss a poll on listener's average player counts at game night. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:03 Poll: How big is your average player count on game night? 05:50 Feature Discussion - Player Counts If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.social Join our Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/boardgamehottakes Join our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205

In Episode 222 we give our hot take review on Let's Go To Japan covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game. We also discuss some games that have been on our table including Looot, Frozen Frontiers, and The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle Earth. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:06 Let's Go To Japan Description 02:58 Gameplay and Mechanisms 19:10 Production and Theme 29:11 Final Thoughts 33:41 Looot 39:41 Frozen Frontiers 49:11 The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle Earth If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.social Join our Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/boardgamehottakes Join our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205

In Episode 221 we take a look at several games that have voting mechanisms or a theme based around voting. We also discuss some games that have been on our tables including Stamp Swap, Flamecraft, and Frozen Frontier. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 05:07 Top 3 Games with Voting 05:12 Werewords 10:19 Godspeed 15:06 Balderdash 18:27 Votes for Women 22:11 Blood on the Clocktower 27:11 The King's Dilemma 30:17 Lancaster 34:57 Twilight Imperium: 4th Edition 40:27 Hegemony: Lead Your Class to Victory 44:42 Stamp Swap 56:35 Flamecraft 1:05:26 Frozen Frontier 1:11:33 Listener Shoutout If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.social Join our Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/boardgamehottakes Join our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205

In Episode 220 we take a look at games that offer outsized gameplay decisions for their relatively small set of rules. We also share our plans for BGG Con and where listeners can find us. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:25 BGG Con 02:50 Games with Small Ruleset and Big Decision Space 07:24 Welcome To... 10:45 Capital Lux 2 13:32 Tapestry 17:35 Carcassonne 20:35 Skyrise 23:40 Turing Machine 26:42 Tiny Towns 30:06 Mycelia 33:55 7 Wonders Duel 38:05 Istanbul 40:44 Brian Boru: High King of Ireland 45:09 Architects of the West Kingdom 48:24 Cascadia 50:37 Smartphone, Inc. 53:09 Calico 1:00:17 Listener Shoutout If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.social Join our Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/boardgamehottakes Join our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205

In Episode 219 we give our hot take review on Harvest covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game. We discuss a poll on where your board game collection is in your house. We also discuss some games that have been on our table including Unconscious Mind, Star Realms: Rise of Empire, and Apiary: Expanding the Hive. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:19 Poll: Is your board game collection displayed publicly in your house? 07:38 Harvest Description 09:07 Gameplay and Mechanisms 24:04 Production and Theme 30:01 Final Thoughts 35:06 Unconscious Mind 43:59 Star Realms: Rise of Empire 51:46 Apiary: Expanding the Hive If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.social Join our Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/boardgamehottakes Join our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205

In Episode 218 we discuss the top incoming crowdfunded board games that each of us are excited to receive.  We also take a look back at last year's list to see what's been delivered and how they hit for us as well. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 02:19 Look back at 2023 Crowdfund episode 02:25 Wolves 03:54 Wonderland's War: Shards of Madness 05:53 Biohack 06:54 Star Realms: Rise of Empire 07:58 Cthulhu Death May Die: Fear of the Unknown 11:13 Galactic Renaissance 13:23 Teotihuacan: City of Gods Deluxe Master Set 16:04 Arcs 17:39 Star Tycoon 19:02 Batman: Gotham City Chronicles Season 3 22:40 Witchcraft! 23:41 Ceres 26:15 The Fox Experiment 27:21 Gloomhaven: Buttons and Bugs 28:57 Frozen Frontier 30:52 Top Upcoming Crowdfunded Games 33:55 Hyperspace 37:17 Red Dust Rebellion 40:25 March of the Ants Evolved Edition 43:25 Obsession: The Characters Expansion 45:21 Mycelia 48:33 Thunder Road Vendetta - Maximum Chrome 51:33 Unconscious Minds 54:17 Dawn of Madness 59:36 Cyclades: Legendary Edition 1:02:13 Dune: War for Arrakis 1:05:11 Final Thoughts - State of Crowdfunding 1:31:50 BlueSky If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.social Join our Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/boardgamehottakes Join our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205

In Episode 217 we give our hot take review on March of the ants covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game. We also discuss some games that have been on our table including Boop and Tapestry Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 03:19 March of the Ants Description 05:30 Gameplay and Mechanisms 27:43 Production and Theme 33:25 Final Thoughts 37:21 boop. 41:27 Tapestry If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.social Join our Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/boardgamehottakes Join our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205

In Episode 216 we get nostalgic about the board games that sucked us into the hobby. We also discuss a poll about whether you still play the first game that got you into board games. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:30 Poll: Do you still regularly play the board game that introduced you to the board game hobby? (7 Wonders, Ticket to Ride, Wingspan, Euphoria) 12:47 Guillotine (Magic: The Gathering) 17:46 SolarQuest (Tri-ominos, Mr. Big Mouth, Monopoly) 21:14 D&D: Computer Labyrinth Game, The Dark Tower 27:07 Dominion 30:32 Conquest of the Empire (Miles Borne) 33:50 Axis & Allies (Risk) 36:50 King of Tokyo 40:18 Tripoley (Kingmaker) 44:03 Catan 47:43 Lost Cities 50:32 Scrabble (Race for the Galaxy, Memoir '44, Boggle) 55:21 Scythe (Cthulhu: Death May Die, Blood Rage) 59:12 Five Tribes (Agricola) 1:02:39 Terraforming Mars 1:06:35 A Feast for Odin 1:09:43 Listener Shoutout If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.social Join our Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/boardgamehottakes Join our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205

In Episode 215 we give our hot take review on River of Gold covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game. We discuss a poll on feelings about the huge amount of games being published. We also discuss some games that have been on our table including Tikal, KMG, and Gems of Iridescia. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:20 Poll: Does the huge number of board games available make you happy or stress you out? 05:30 River of Gold Description 06:00 Gameplay and Mechanisms 20:17 Production and Theme 26:39 Final Thoughts 32:57 Tikal 37:25 KMG 41:54 Gems of Iridescia If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes Follow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.social Join our Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/boardgamehottakes Join our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205