Cthulhu Wars
More actions
Featured Episodes
Episode 352: Combined Top 50 Games of All-Time 2025 Draft: 10-1
Well, we started this thing, so I guess we ought to finish it, as ill-advised as that might be. This is where all the chickens come home to roost, where we learn how badly we've set ourselves up to fail - but you never know, it might just all work out! It's the top ten greatest board games ... of all-time! |
|
Episode 331: One Thing I Hate About You
We've spent a lot of time over the years singing the praises of the games we love, but they can't be perfect right? Surely there's something, one little thing, that bugs us - a small blemish in our otherwise most beloved games? Before we come clean, we talk about Classified Information, Starline Hill, Panda Spin, and SHASN: AZADI. |
|
Episode 326: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2024: Neilan's 30-11
Neilan's back to continue the journey down the lazy river of cardboard that is his top 50 board games of all time. It's games 30 through 11! I just counted, and that's twenty amazing games that I can't wait to tell you all about! |
|
Episode 323: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2024: Mark's 50-31
It's time! The grand spectacle that is our greatest games of all time is here at last! We're breaking things out a bit differently this year, so Mark's taking center stage while Kellen & Neilan mock his choices. It's the first twenty games from his list, so games 50 through 31. LET'S GOOOO! |
|
Episode 299: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2023: 10-1
We made it! We've arrived at last at the final ten(-ish) games, in fact, our TOP TEN (or so?) favourite games of all time. Thanks for joining us again on this yearly pilgrimage, as always it's the journey that's the important thing - but that's not to say that there isn't some exciting moving and shaking to happen at the destination. That said, it's time to pass out on the couch. |
|
Episode 298: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2023: 20-11
We're almost bursting at the seams, but there's room for a little more. It's the penultimate episode of our five part series, the Top 50 games of all-time! We're moving on to our 20th to 11th favourite games, which means it's time for some big risers and dramatic falls. Make yourself a coffee (sugar's over there in the corner), it's not time to sleep just yet. |
|
Episode 295: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2023: 50-41
It's tiiiiiiime! It's the top fifty! That's right, the much anticipated, much celebrated, much imitated (we definitely did it first) event of the season is here. We're counting down each of our favourite fifty games of all time! Or at least, for right now! It's a beautiful, beautiful thing, and we'd love if you pulled up a chair and joined us for it. |
|
Episode 287: There's a Time and Place for Everything
Timing is everything, which is why it's so important that this episode came out when it did. Had we made it too early, it would have felt dated, and any later, you wouldn't have been ready for it. Before it's about time, we talk about Planet etuC, Undaunted: Stalingrad, Undaunted: Battle of Britain, and Tycoon: India 1981. |
|
Episode 283: Good Artists Copy, Great Artists Steal
Not all are as blessed as we are by the gift of truly original thought, and so many turn to others for inspiration. Whether it's Newton standing on the shoulders of giants, or stealing from our rich neighbour Xerox, many great ideas are born from what has come before. Before we make the inspired choice, we talk about Masters of Renaissance: Lorenzo il Magnifico – The Card Game, Innovation Ultimate, and Dawn of Ulos. |
|
Episode 269: Keep On Rollin', Bob
BGBBOB's back, and he's rollin' (rollin') rollin' on a river of amazing games, all of which feature some incredible dice play. As is our sacred duty, we won't rest until we've arranged them in some sort of numerical order, a ranked list, if you will. Before we rattle the bones, we talk about The Lord of the Rings Adventure Book Game, The South: Terminus, Beyond Baker Street, and The Defence of Procyon III. |
|
Episode 260: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2022: 10-1
Here it is, the one we've all been waiting for, the Board Game Barrage top ten games of all time! It's been a long road and we'll wrap it up by seeing some old favourites ... and maybe a few new faces? Old or new, these are the thirty games we enjoy the most (at least, right now.) We loved sharing these lists with you and hope you've enjoyed listening to them! |
|
Episode 259: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2022: 20-11
We've reached the penultimate part of our five part series, the great series that is sometimes called our top fifty greatest games of all time! We're barreling close to the end now, but not without a lot of moving and shaking first. Here's another fine selection of thirty amazing games we love. |
|
Episode 257: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2022: 40-31
I hope you all had a good holiday break, but it's time to get back to business. The very serious business that is the top fifty greatest games of all time. We return to our heroes in what the enthusiasts call phase two, and boy are things heating up! Thirty more incredible games that we absolutely love are coming right at you. |
|
Episode 237: Where Are They Now?
Given that we hyped up all those games last week, it's only fair that we prepare ourselves for the aftermath. We look back at some of the most famous and infamous games of yesteryear that were very highly anticipated, and wonder what became of them. Before we relive the comedown, we talk about Master Word, Living Forest, and Tidal Blades: Heroes of the Reef. |
|
Episode 210: No One Man Should Have All That Power
Few things feel better than those moments in board games that make you feel powerful. Whether it’s playing the perfect card, pulling off a perfectly executed turn, or splashing down that giant mini, we look at some of our favourite power plays in board games. Before we corrupt absolutely, we talk about Biblios: Quill and Parchment, Cryo, and Origins: First Builders. |
|
Episode 208: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2021: 10-1 (ft. Tom Brewster)
It's the grand finale of the event of events that is the BGB Top 50 Games of All-time! These are our ten absolute favourite games, and, fittingly, it's a bumper episode with more than one surprise. Joining us in the peanut gallery this week, it's none other than the manic imp of Shut Up & Sit Down himself, the absolute mad genius that is Tom Brewster. Buckle in, it's going to get weird. |
|
Episode 207: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2021: 20-11 (ft. Ambie Valdés)
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! |
|
Episode 205: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2021: 40-31 (ft. Monique & Naveen)
We're back for the second part of the year's greatest celebration, it's the top fifty! We've got thirty more incredible games to talk about this week, as we get into our games ranked 40th to 31st. This week in the peanut gallery, critiquing our picks, we're thrilled to have Monique (the Lavender tank herself) and Naveen of Before You Play! |
|
Episode 198: Making Memories
If you've ever been a board game host, then you know it's not always just about playing games, it's about creating lasting memories for everyone playing. We'd never leave that to chance though, so of course we're often going out of our way to make a board game experience memorable. Before we do the unforgettable, we talk about Khôra: Rise of an Empire, Dune: Betrayal, and Santa Maria. |
|
Episode 187: Fantasy Draft: BoardGameGeek 201-300
We're back with another fantasy draft, as we keep on moving down the BoardGameGeek top games list. If you're not familiar, we're each picking a standalone collection of five games before our picks get stolen out from under us. Want to win a $50 gift card? You've got to vote on whose collection is best! Before we get the knives out, we talk about Raiders of Scythia, and Ankh: Gods of Egypt. |
|
Episode 172: Don't Hate the Player, Hate the Game
After last week's love-fest made us all uncomfortable, we had to get back to what do best, spirited in-fighting. To that end, we've devised three debates around the same core: is that often criticized mechanic a design problem, or a player problem? Before we pit designers against players, we talk about Red Rising, Via Magica, and Alma Mater. |
|
Episode 160: Resolutions and Revisitations
Look, when we made those resolutions in episode 105, how were we to know? The world exploded, and here we are, one year later, sheepishly looking back on the goals we set. But we're not beaten yet, we cast our minds forward (always forward, never back) and set our sights on our resolutions for 2021. Before we make promises we definitely will keep, we talk about Sprawlopolis, Bandada, and Terramara. |
|
Episode 158: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2020: 10-1
It's the big one! We've come at last to the grand finale of the Board Game Barrage Top 50 Games of All Time ... Top. Ten. Baby. These are our absolute favourite games, forty (thirty?) all together, that we'd just about never turn down a game of. Thanks for joining us on this ride, it's been wild. |
|
Episode 157: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2020: 20-11
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. |
|
Episode 147: The Great Compromise
At least in some things, you've got to give a little to get a little, but what would you give to get what you want? We're coming up with our big board game compromises, the things we'd happily trade away to fix some of our biggest frustrations. Before we deal with the devil, we talk about Lost Ruins of Arnak, Ohanami, and Beyond the Sun. |
|
Episode 142: Play Me a Memory
Blessed are the forgetful, because they don't have to play memory games? After all, games with a strong memory component often get a bad rap in the hobby. We look at some of the reasons why very few games want to test your memory, and just to be otherwise, we discuss some of our favourite games that do. Before we walk our mind palaces, we talk about Fort, Under Falling Skies, and Tellstones: King's Gambit. |
|
Episode 134: CHAOS!
Some board games (and board game podcasts) thrive on chaos, which absolutely isn't the same thing as randomness. All of this has happened for a reason, it's just ... hard to tell what those reasons are exactly. Before we blame the butterfly, we talk about Path of Light and Shadow, Jixia Academy, and Chaos in the Old World. |
|
Episode 128: The Means of Production with Richard Simpson
We're joined by Richard Simpson of We're Not Wizards, who is definitely not a magician, Victorian or otherwise, to talk about the line between game design and production. Should production values be an integral part of the discussion of a game's merits, or should we learn to separate the two? Before we get productive, we talk about Doughnut Dash, Cities, Azul: Stained Glass of Sintra, and L.L.A.M.A. |
|
Episode 116: The Cyber Reloaded
To make it through quarantine, we take another look at digital games in a time when it might just be our only option. We've got to get our board game fill somehow! We investigate how our relationship to the electronic side of the hobby has changed, and give our recommendations for the many options. Before we plug in, we talk about Remember Our Trip, Castell, and Caylus 1303. |
|
Episode 113: Trust is Good, Area Control is Better
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. |
|
Episode 110: One Small Thing
Sometimes a game is hitting all the right notes, and you want to recommend it wholeheartedly … but there’s just one tiny blemish you can’t overlook. It’s not enough to make a great game bad, but, man, just imagine if it someone had fixed that. This week we’re looking at games that almost nail it. Before we smooth the last crease, we talk about Chaosmos, Subtext, On a Scale of One to T-Rex, and Empyreal: Spells & Steam. |
|
Episode 106: Popcorn Time with Mike DiLisio
Mike DiLisio (of The Dice Tower, and Sporadically Board) makes his BGB podcast debut as the Fandango Tank! Mike's trying to sell us on popcorn games. These are games that may or may not be ... critically sound, but nevertheless provide fun experiences that we find ourselves returning to. But why wouldn't we just play something more substantive instead? We investigate. |
|
Episode 104: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2019: 10-1
Here it is, the episode you've all been waiting for, the grand finale, the culmination of five weeks of episodes. These are our top ten favourite board games of all-time, games that we absolutely adore, and would happily play at a moment's notice. Heck, we'd even play the games on each others' lists ... on, you know, birthdays and special occasions. That's how good they are. |
|
Episode 103: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2019: 20-11
A new year, a new decade, a new podcast, and a new batch of games that we love talking about. It's the fourth in our five part series of our 50 favourite board games of all-time, and appropriately, we're kicking off 2020 by breaking into the top twenty. Synergy. |
|
Episode 99: Sore Today, Strong Tomorrow
It's getting close now, can you feel it? Or are you just feeling sore from the game you just lost? We're talking sore losers and sore winners: people who are hard to be around when they lose or win a game. What can you do to avoid being that person, and what games bring out the worst in us? Before we fight our feelings, we talk about Paris: New Eden, Glory to Rome, and No Swap No Pay. |
|
Episode 70: Spiel des Jahres! The Games War!
Somewhere in Germany every year, a specialist team assembles to decide on the best board games ... that released in Germany that year ... that no one has ever heard of. Look, the Spiel des Jahres is a bit weird, and no one ever agrees about the winners, but we're going to talk about the nominees anyway, okay? Before ze Germans get here, we also talk about Glorantha: The Gods War, and Corinth. We also recap our weekend at Strategicon Gamex 2019. |
|
Episode 66: The Only Winning Move
Dominant strategies can ruin a game; if there's one clear best way to win, why not use it every time? We discuss these optimal strategies, whether they're always problematic, and how to deal with them at your game table. Before we break the game, we talk about A Feast for Odin: The Norwegians, Lost Cities: Rivals, and Second Chance. |
|
Episode 50: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2018: 10-1
Top ten, baby! We finally made it. And thus concludes our five part series of our favourite games of all-time. Frankly, we were changed by the experience, and will never be the same again. We hope you were too. |
|
Episode 49: Top 50 Games of All-Time 2018: 20-11
The end is nigh! If you squint just right you can see it from here. We're almost done counting down our favourite fifty games of all time, so join us in the penultimate part of our five part series. |
|
Episode 44: Red Letter Episode
It's your time to shine! We field questions from you, our adoring fans, in our first ever Q&A episode. You sent us the important topical issues you've been yearning for our take on, and takes ye shall receive. Before we line up in front of the mic, we also talk about Blokus, Brass: Lancashire, and Teotihucan: City of Gods. |
|
Episode 43: My Triumphs, My Mistakes
We're getting introspective this week, weighing up the mistakes we've made in our collections, and reflecting on our earlier selves. Would you reset your board game collection? What games might you not buy if you had to do it all over again? Before we turn back time, we also talk about Between Two Castles Of Mad King Ludwig, Claustrophobia, and KeyForge: Call of the Archons. |
|
Episode 35: The Power of Balance
Asymmetry is a powerful tool for game design, if done right. There's a lot of replayability right out of the box, and finding a playstyle that works for you can be very satisfying. But this dark alchemy has a darker byproduct: imbalance. When so much is different between each player, how do you ensure that things stay fair? Before we nerf plz, we discuss Container, and more Root. |
|
Episode 29: Cult of the You Do You
Shiny and new! Everyone online is talking about the latest, greatest thing, and you can't help but feel that you're missing out. How important is it to keep up with the cult of the new? We also talk about Cthulhu Wars, World Championship Russian Roulette, Kubb, and Word Slam. |
|
Episode 23: Are You Feeling Lucky?
Luck is an element of almost every board game there is, but it's still a major point of contention. Whether it's the roll of dice, or the draw of a card, randomness can make or break a game. We also talk about Lowlands, Bilder, In the Year of the Dragon, and revisit Space Base. |
|
Episode 20: Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
We're counting down games that replace other games in our collections! We also talk about Chimera Station. |
|
Episode 19: What Are You Made Of?
What would a board game be without components? Just rules and a box, I guess. Before we pick up our pieces, we talk about Wildcatters, Bärenpark, Chimera, Star Cartel, and Council of 4. |
|
Episode 8: Just Deserts
Trapped on a desert island and forced to bring only five board games? We've all been there. And we're going back. To the island. The board game island. |
|
