Board Game Hot Takes

In Episode 214 we dive deep on a whole bunch of our listener's board game queries. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:31 Is there a point in a game where you should call it quits? 7:25 What are games you might enjoy more if the publisher added, removed, or changed one thing? 16:08 What games are you jealous of players experiencing for the first time? 30:58 Do good gamers make good game designers and vice versa? 36:32 Do you think you'll outgrow the hobby or slow down your current interests? 50:16 How much time do you spend playing games each week and are you playing them with friends or family? 55:58 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 213 we discuss our top 5 filler board games. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:09 Top 5 Filler Games 06:54 Ticket to Ride: San Francisco 10:23 Pass the Pigs 16:22 Kingdomino 20:14 Imhotep 23:23 The Mind 28:43 Fantasy Realms 34:24 Can't Stop / Mountain Goats 38:40 Azul 42:47 Coloretto 45:25 7 Wonders Duel 52:20 Sea Salt & Paper 57:34 Onitama 59:49 Star Realms 1:07:04 Fantastic Factories 1:12:52 Strike 1:16:08 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 212 we give our hot take review on Tikal covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game. We discuss a poll on whose games you're playing. We also discuss some games that have been on our table including Between Two Castles of Mad King Ludwig, Fractal: Beyond the Void, and 7 Wonders Duel. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:20 Poll: Whose boardgames are you most often playing? 09:37 Tikal Description 10:36 Gameplay and Mechanisms 26:48 Production and Theme 29:55 Final Thoughts 38:00 Between Two Castles of Mad King Ludwig 49:05 Fractal: Beyond the Void 52:53 7 Wonders Duel 56:24 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 211 we've gone back to the mailbag and answered our listener's questions. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:07 What mechanisms do each of you gravitate towards? 6:16 What are your feelings on board games becoming video games and vice versa? 15:48 What makes a good rulebook to you? 25:41 What games would you take on a trip that are appropriate to play outside? 30:33 What tactics have you used to get a non-gamer into board game night? 39:27 Describer your ideal 3 course board game meal. 48:17 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 210 we give our hot take review on Daybreak covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game. We discuss a poll on quarterbacks in co-op games. We also discuss some games that have been on our table including Batman: Gotham City Chronicles, Cat in the Box, and 7 Wonders Duel, and give a future take on Lord of the Rings Duel for Middle Earth Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:20 Poll: Who's the quarterback when playing co-op games in our game group? 08:24 Daybreak Description 10:22 Gameplay and Mechanisms 20:57 Production and Theme 33:35 Final Thoughts 39:35 Batman: Gotham City Chronicles 49:45 Cat in the Box 55:27 7 Wonders Duel and Lord of the Rings Duel for Middle Earth 1:01:21 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 209 we discuss the Board Game Geeks Top 20 games. We also discuss a poll on whether you've been influenced to buy a game because it was high up on that ratings list. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:29 Poll: Do you think a board game being in the Board Game Geek Top 20 ever influenced your decision to buy it? 07:35 Feature Discussion - Board Game Geek Top 20 Games. 58:24 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 208 we discuss some of our biggest annoyances that some publishers do in regards to the production, components, or presentation of their board games. We look at games that have these problems but also games that we think solved those issues. We also discuss a poll on whether a past production issue would turn us off from future games by that publisher. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:36 Poll: Has a production or component issue ever made you hesitate in buying another game from that publisher? 11:50 Top 3 Board Game Production Pet Peeves 13:50 Boring or non-thematic first player tokens (Discussed: Nucleum, Boonlake, Pan Am. Wingspan/Wyrmspan, Tzolk'in: The Mayan Calendar, Dune: Imperium, Dinosaur Island) 20:03 Bad rulebooks (Discussed: Kemet: Blood and Sand, Bitoku, Batman: Gotham City Chronicles, Trellis, One Deck Galaxy, Arcs, Smartphone, Inc., Inis, Tainted Grail, This War of Mine) 28:34 Game boxes are too small (Discussed: Great Wall, Lords of Hellas, Blood Rage, Ankh: Gods of Egypt, Return to Dark Tower, Lords of Ragnarok) 36:57 Paper thin player boards (Discussed: Terraforming Mars, Underwater Cities, Pan Am, Apiary, Tapestry) 42:44 Lack of diverse representation in art (Discussed: Hansa Teutonica, Grand Austria Hotel, Skyrise, Royal Visit, My Father's Work, Abducktion) 49:15 Repetitive Card Artwork (Discussed: Capital Lux 2: Generations, Nidavellier, Revive, Tapestry, Star Realms, Shamans) 55:48 Molded inserts that make setup or teardown harder (Discussed: Great Western Trail: 2nd Edition, Lords of Waterdeep, Apiary, Expeditions, Dwellings of Eldervale, Cat in the Box, Wonderland's War, Brass: Birmingham) 1:02:24 Production obstructs function (Discussed: Voidfall, Arcs, Smartphone, Inc., Trekking the World, Eclipse: 2nd Dawn, Trouble, Tacocat 1:09:26 Excessive Card Tucking (Discussed: One Deck Galaxy, Terraforming Mars, Revive, Expeditions, La Granja, Lacrimosa, Space Base, Aquatica) 1:17:30 Runner Ups (Discussed: Voidfall, Magic: The Gathering, Scythe, Carcassone, Baseball Highlights 2045, Star Realms) 1:21:56 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 207 we give our hot take review on Luthier covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game. We discuss a poll on publisher/designer behavior influencing your interest in buying games. We also discuss some games that have been on our table including Arcs: The Blighted Reach Expansion, Poetry for Neanderthals, and Sail. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:45 Poll: Do the personalities (good or bad), political stances, or past business practices (good or bad) of a publisher or designer influence your willingness to buy a game? 11:50 Luthier Description 14:38 Gameplay and Mechanisms 32:19 Production and Theme 39:10 Final Thoughts 47:15 Poetry for Neanderthals 51:14 Arcs: The Blighted Reach Expansion 1:00:58 Sail 1:06:40 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 206 we're joined by Arwen from the Cardboard Time Podcast to discuss the reasons that we decide to buy games. We discuss a poll on how much thought you put into a game before purchasing it. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 04:45 Poll: How much thought do you put into your choice to purchase a board game? 09:24 Why do we buy games? 10:13 Interactive puzzle 14:16 Easy teach with strong decision space 18:12 I've played it, I LOVE it, and I have a group to play it with 22:14 Captivating system 27:34 Mechanically or thematically unique 31:15 The best version of a mechanism 34:27 Unique or novel 37:58 Accessibility 46:09 Intriguing and deeply discounted 50:22 Speed Round Questions 1:05:54 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

The hosts dive into a poll about how many board games travelers pack on vacation, sharing amusing listener responses. They revisit the game Arcs, discussing its intricate trick-taking mechanics and ambitious scoring dynamics. The ups and downs of player experience are explored, especially the challenge of overthinking. Production elements like artwork and game design get mixed reviews. Additionally, they share their thoughts on engaging games like Captain Flip and Architects of the West Kingdom, culminating in a spirited discussion about their replayability.