BGB Podcast #78 – You Gotta Get a Gimmick

And you too can be a star.

Gimmicks are elements of a game that are the fundamental selling point, the core attention grabbing mechanic or experience that the game is built around. This episode, we’re breaking down gimmicks in board games, figuring out if they’re good or bad for the hobby, and talking about some of the most notable. Before we cave to flashy marketing, we also talk about Are You A Robot?, Jaws, and FUSE.

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Timecodes:

01:17 – Bärenpark
03:12 – Keyforge: Age of Ascension
05:25 – Are You A Robot?
09:46 – Wingspan
10:37 – Jaws
13:55 – FUSE
18:34 – I don’t even know
20:23 – Games with Gimmicks
22:27 – The Adventurers
23:22 – Niagara
24:31 – Shogun
24:31 – Wallenstein
24:59 – Amerigo
25:41 – Mord im Arosa
28:14 – Camel Up
29:18 – Sheriff of Nottingham
30:34 – Via Appia
31:33 – Dice Forge
32:39 – Alchemists
33:13 – Tzolk’in: The Mayan Calendar
34:38 – Council of 4
35:11 – Mouse Trap
36:13 – Star Trek: The Next Generation – Interactive VCR Board Game – A Klingon Challenge
38:23 – The VCR Quarterback Game
42:01 – Hanabi
42:39 – Planet

Thank you to Heart Society for generously letting us use What’s On Your Mind, Kid? from their album Wake the Queens.