In Episode 288 we dive into the mailbag in search of our listener's best board game related questions.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

2:14 Theme that doesn't exist that you'd like to see in a game?

12:28 What are your once a year games?

20:02 What is the best deal you've ever scored on the secondary market and what is your most regrettable board game purchase?

29:53 Thoughts on ordering a game outside of the U.S.A?

34:35 Most promising board game designers to look out for?

41:47 What does a typical productions schedule for an episode look like?

50:07 Do you feel like your preference for playing complex board games is affected by the mental load you have in life?

54:30 Do you manage to pull 4 Azul tiles out of the bag every single time?

55:40 Do we pay too little for board games?

1:00:18 Does your family life suffer as a result of your board game hobby?

1:07:58 How old are we?

1:10:25 Listener Shoutout

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In Episode 287 we give our hot take review on Forest Shuffle and Reforest and cover the gameplay and production of both and then discuss which we preferred.

We also discuss a poll on separating resource components when setting up a game and then discuss some recent plays of Fibbage and Super Motherload.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:22 Poll Time: Separating Resources

8:27 Forest Shuffle Description

9:52 Gameplay and Mechanisms

22:14 Production and Theme

28:11 Reforest Description

29:48 Gameplay and Mechanisms

41:32 Production and Theme

46:24 Final Thoughts - Forest Shuffle and Reforest

58:56 Hot Streak, Fibbage, and Flip 7

1:01:10 Super Motherload

1:07:15 Listener Shoutout

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In Episode 286 we cover 5 board game expansions each that are (almost) mandatory.

00:00 Introduction

01:45 Board game expansions we won't play without

03:31 Look back at Top 5 Board Game Expansions from Episode 47

10:17 Roll Player - Monsters and Minions

15:02 Agricola - Belgium, France, Gamer's Deck, etc.

19:43 Radlands - Cult of Chrome

22:05 Thunder Road: Vendetta - Choppe Shoppe

24:36 Blood Rage - Kickstarter Exclusive Monsters

29:04 Stockpile - Continuing Corruption

31:04 The Castles of Burgundy - Trade Routes

34:51 Obsession - Upstairs, Downstairs

38:36 Chaosmos - The Temple

42:16 Downforce - Danger Circuit, Wild Ride

46:07 Tapestry - Plans and Ploys

50:20 Gaia Project - The Lost Fleet

53:13 Fantastic Factories - Manufactions

55:12 Dune: Imperium - Rise of Ix

59:33 March of the Ants: Evolved Editions - Predators and Prey

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In Episode 285 we give our hot take review on The Old King's Crown covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.

We talk about the BGG Hall of Fame inductee, For Sale, and then discuss some games that have been on our tables including Reforest, Biblios, and Subjective.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:21 BGG Hall of Fame: For Sale

05:40 The Old King's Crown Description

08:18 Gameplay and Mechanisms

33:50 Production and Theme

38:52 Final Thoughts

46:20 Echoes of Time

48:22 Reforest

53:06 Dead Cells

54:25 Biblios

58:53 Subjective

1:04:25 Listener Shoutout

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In Episode 284 we give our hot take review on Echoes of Time covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.

We cover a poll on motivations to engage with the board game hobby and then discuss some games that have been on our tables including Sanctuary and Fearsome Floors and a first look at some games that have recently arrived including Chaosmos: The Temple and Speakeasy.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:21 Poll: What is your primary motivation for being a part of the board gaming hobby?

09:18 Echoes of Time Description

10:57 Gameplay and Mechanisms

27:08 Production and Theme

37:26 Final Thoughts

47:00 Sanctuary

56:06 Recent Arrivals: Chaosmos: The Temple and Speakeasy

59:51 Fearsome Floors

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In Episode 284 we take a look back at 2025 and discuss some of the great (and no so great) games we played last year. Most of them were even published last year.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

2:27 Biggest Surprises in 2025 (Dead Cells, Hot Streak, Slay the Spire: The Board Game)

16:45 Biggest Disappointments in 2025 (Wroth, Scoville 2nd Edition, SETI: Search for Extra-terrestrial Intelligence)

25:04 Best New to Us in 2025 (Lords of Vegas, Thurn and Taxis, Crokinole, Nokosu Dice)

30:23 Best Production Published in 2025 (Hot Streak, March of the Ants Evolved Edition, Stupor Mundi)

36:51 Lookback at Best Games of 2024 (Unconscious Mind, Fromage, Civolution)

40:35 Best Games of 2025 (March of the Ants Evolved Edition, Luthier, Moon Colony Bloodbath)

48:40 Board Game Resolutions

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In Episode 282 we discuss the current state of the hobby and if it's the best it's ever been. Are we in peak board gaming? Where do we go from here?

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In Episode 281 we look back at the games we played once for the first time in 2025. Great games and we want to play them more.

We briefly look at last year's list and see how we did.

00:00 Introduction

04:24 Last Year's List

04:34 Luthier

05:04 Marrakesh

05:21 Dune

06:12 Unconscious Mind

07:25 Thunder Road: Vendetta

08:27 Lancaster

09:44 Dune: Imperium Uprising (6 Player)

09:53 Biohack

10:01 Ceres

10:39 March of the Ants

11:36 Clockwork Wars

12:38 Hallertau

12:55 Walnut Grove

15:01 Black Forest

15:42 Endeavor: Deep Sea

16: 32 Top 5 Games We Only Played Once in 2025

16:44 Moon Colony Bloodbath

20:14 Modern Art

23:45 Crokinole

27:56 Chaosmos

30:51 Frozen Frontier

32:30 Rebirth

34:34 Manhattan Project: Energy Empire

36:27 Stroganov

39:35 SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

41:17 Crystal Palace

43:57 Ada's Dream

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