The only thing worse than coming away from a first game with a really bad impression, is when it takes a really long time to shake. Imagine all the amazing games you’re not playing because of one bad first game! Whether we saw the error of our ways or not, we’re reflecting on the times that games left a mark that took a long time to fade. Before we make our impression, we talk about Things in Rings, Yedo: Deluxe Master Set, and Harmonies
Oh man, oh man, I always love this one. It’s the latest edition of the Listener Top 20! We asked you all to submit your lists of your favourite board games, and we collected, collated, and compiled all of that beautiful beautiful data using a magical formula to get THIS: The definitive rankings of your collective taste in board games. Before we throw it to you, we talk about Shuffle and Swing, Mythwind, and Cat Blues: The Big Gig.
We’re spread across the world and time, so we do the thing we should never do; we put the questions to you. Yes, you! It’s a mailbag episode, we’re answering a trio, a trilogy, a trichopteran of your questions. Before we put in our hand and pull out a letter, we talk about Caesar!: Seize Rome in 20 Minutes!, Symphony No.9, and Arrakis: Dawn of the Fremen.
The penultimate episode of the grand series is here, it’s the BGB Top 50! As the journey approaches its end, we’re venturing into our 20th to 11th favourite games, with some support from the peanut gallery. And with thirty more board games to blitz through, who better to help us than Ambie Valdés of Board Game Blitz!
Design often builds heavily on what has come before, but some designers, have made an art of iteration, taking their own beloved designs, and frequently reinventing them in new ways. We dig into this practice of extremely iterative design, and how it fits into an industry hungry for fresh ideas. Before we do it again, we talk about Dirge: The Rust Wars, Electropolis, Vinhos Deluxe Edition, Architects of the West Kingdom, and Sagani.
We’ve been doing it a lot lately, so we thought we’d reflect on the ways that we evaluate our favourite games. How do you even begin to compare extremely dissimilar games, some party, some strategy? The process of making and ordering our lists is a fun challenge every year, and one we’d recommend you try too! Before we make hard choices, we talk about Medici: The Dice Game, The Gallerist, and Iberian Gauge.
We’re moving into the terrible teens of the Board Game Barrage Top 50 Games of All Time. I learned all I know about American teenagers from TV, so I assume this is where all the sex and drugs come in. Let’s get to it then, forty (roughly) more games that we simply adore. As the list goes on, they only get better and better. That is, after all, the premise.
While all games have some restrictions, some games are more willing than others to let you go off the rails. For instance, some leave the economy entirely in the hands of the players, free to tank it if they please. We look at how games do (or don’t) use player constraints to deliver unique experiences. Before we rein ourselves in, we talk about Tournay, Bullet♥︎, Wonder Woman: Challenge of the Amazons, and Container.
Some games put their best foot forward on the first play, eager to have most players feel good right out of the box. Other games are content to take their time. This episode we’re focusing on the latter, games that we’ve only come to appreciate as we’ve given them more time and more plays. Before we grow together, we talk about Ginkgopolis, Time Chase, and Food Chain Magnate.
Area control is the first subject of our new recurring feature, “What we love, what we hate”, where we deep dive into a single mechanic and describe … well, exactly that! We tend to enjoy games that have you fighting over territory, but what is it that specifically gets us excited about them? And what are the downsides? Before we assume direct control, we talk about The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine, Stay Cool, and Mezo.