Going Analog Podcast
Dan "Shoe" Hsu and friends
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Three board gamers, each bringing a game and unique topic for the group to discuss. Hosted by Christina Ha and Dan "Shoe" Hsu, with new industry guests each episode.
Available episodes
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2 days ago
109: We went to Japan! (guest: Before You Play)
We just returned from a whirlwind two-week visit to Japan, and visions of fantastic food and strange (to us) board games still swirl around in our head. What is the board game scene there like? What was it like shopping for games whose titles and descriptions we couldn't read, but whose art was so, so pretty?
We teamed up with Monique and Naveen of Before You Play, who happened to tour Japan at the same time we did, to relive our amazing adventures.
Timeline:
* 3:55 - Naveen's game pick: Let's Go! To Japan.
* 9:49 - Monique's game pick: Hanamikoji.
* 15:12 - Christina's game pick: Rumble Nation.
* 19:04 - Christina's topic: attending the Tokyo Game Market.
* 35:00 - Naveen's topic: Japanese vs. Western board games.
* 46:57 - Monique's topic: Japanese-themed games -- just how accurately thematic are they?
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May 4, 2023
108: May the Fourth be...with your games! (Guest: Corey Konieczka)
We're publishing this episode on May the Fourth, and we somehow wrangled superstar designer Corey Konieczka (Star Wars: Rebellion, Imperial Assault, Destiny, and Outer Rim...phew!) for our Star Wars special show. Now at his own studio Unexpected Games (The Initiative, Voices in my Head, 3000 Scoundrels), Corey humors our geeky Star Wars board game questions and discusses what makes a design transcend its mechanics.
Timeline:
* 3:05 - Shoe's game pick: Darwin's Journey.
* 6:17 - Corey's game pick: Betrayal Legacy.
* 11:40 - Christina's game pick: Wicked & Wise.
* 15:47 - Shoe's topic: Designing Star Wars games.
* 32:10 - Christina's topic: Favorite Star Wars tabletop experiences.
* 41:29 - Corey's topic: Games that transcend mechanics.
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Apr 20, 2023
107: The 2023 American Tabletop Awards (guests: Eric Yurko, Nicole Brady)
The 2023 American Tabletop Awards were just announced, and as brand-spanking-new committee members, we at Going Analog of course wanted to chat about these elite games -- with two of the judges themselves, Nicole Brady of SAHM Reviews and Eric Yurko of What's Eric Playing? Listen to hear our thoughts!
Timeline:
* 2:45 - ATTA nomination process.
* 10:15 - Early Gamers.
* 17:40 - Casual Games.
* 32:18 - Strategy Games.
* 47:02 - Complex Games.
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Apr 6, 2023
106: Great expansions, underappreciated card games, the best gamers (guest: Beneeta Kaur)
We have prolific content creator and Twitch streamer Beneeta Kaur on the show to trade opinions on our favorite expansions and underrated card games. And if you want to become our board game BFF, we discuss what qualities we value in a good gaming partner.
Timeline:
* 3.46 - Shoe's game pick: Earth.
* 8:47 - Beneeta's game pick: Mille Fiori.
* 12:51 - Christina's game pick: Rolling Heights.
* 16:22 - Shoe's topic: Our favorite underrated card games.
* 38:02 - Christina's topic: What makes a good gaming friend?
* 50:46 - Beneeta's topic: Great expansions.
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Mar 23, 2023
105: The history of colonialism in board games, co-op interactivity (guest: Resonym)
Indie games publisher Resonym does things differently. Just take a look at its recent Glitch Squad (a party game about faulty forensic science), Surrealist Dinner Party (you can guess what that's about), and Buffalo (a party game that makes you less prejudiced). We love the company's socially conscious design philosophy, and Mary Flanagan (founder, professor, game designer, and artist) just co-authored an entire book about the history of colonialism in board games, Playing Oppression. We snagged Mary and fellow Resonym game designer Max Seidman to discuss all of the above -- plus how much cooperation we really want in cooperative games.
Timeline:
* 4:11 - Christina's game pick: Shamans.
* 5:47 - Max's game pick: Lost Ruins of Arnak.
* 7:01 - Mary's game pick: MonsDRAWsity.
* 8:46 - Max's topic: The four categories of interaction in co-op games.
* 23:22 - Mary's topic: The long, sordid history of colonialism in board games.
* 41:36 - Christina's topic: Hiding social good in games (embedded game design).
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Mar 9, 2023
104: Hot games of all sizes!
Sometimes substantive board game discussion topics are tiring. And pretty much all the time, we play a lot of new games. So this episode, Shoe and Christina just talk about some new, sexy games in a variety of sizes. HOT!
Timeline:
* 3:19 - Christina's big game: Mosaic: A Story of Civilization.
* 13:05 - Shoe's big game: Marvel: Age of Heroes.
* 26:58 - Christina's small game: Fiction.
* 35:18 - Shoe's small game: Marvel: Damage Control.
* 43:05 - Christina's expansion: QE: Commodities.
* 48:00 - Shoe's expansion: Unmatched: Houdini vs. The Genie.
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Feb 23, 2023
103: Video games X board games, mean content, Asmodee (guests: Plaid Hat)
Plaid Hat CEO Colby Dauch and Marketing Manager Niki Shults team up to discuss some hot (spiteful content creation, life with mega publisher Asmodee, etc.) and not-so-hot (Candy Land??) on the Going Analog Podcast this week. They've put out some incredible and memorable board games over the years, so give them a listen!
Timeline:
* 4:00 - Christina's game pick: Motor City.
* 6:20 - Niki's game pick: The Guild of Merchant Explorers.
* 11:54 - Colby's game pick: Candy Land. Yes, that Candy Land.
* 17:24 - Colby's topic: The intersection of video gaming and board gaming.
* 35:36 - Christina's topic: Talking Plaid Hat's life before, during, and after the huge Asmodee aquisition.
* 53:33 - Niki's topic: Mean and spiteful content creation -- does it have a place?
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Jan 26, 2023
102: American Tabletop Awards, gaming at bars, culling (guest: What's Eric Playing?)
This episode guest stars prolific and punny content creator Eric Yurko from What's Eric Playing?, a site full of fantastic board game photography and 1000+ (!) reviews. And as a founding committee member of the American Tabletop Awards (and a big fan of cocktails) Eric is THE go-to guy to talk games...especially which ones to play at which drinking establishments.
Timeline:
* 5:45 - Eric's game pick: Mists over Carcassonne.
* 11:39 - Shoe's game pick: Orichalcum.
* 18:00 - Christina's game pick: Great Western Trail: Argentina.
* 23:25 - Shoe's topic: Which American Tabletop Award winner would you keep?
* 36:40 - Christina's topic: Which games would you bring to a beer hall, vineyard, and cocktail bar?
* 56:45 - Eric's topic: What's our process for culling games?
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Jan 12, 2023
101: The 2022 Games of the Year episode (guest: Our Family Plays Games)
We're a podcast! Therefore, we're contractually obligated to tell you our Games of the Year. But who wants to hear just Christina and Shoe squabble about their faves of 2022? Everyone would rather hear us and Mik and Starla from Our Family Plays Games squabble, so far be it for us to withhold this top-notch content from our listeners! So get ready for lots of discussions (and lots of yelling at Christina for cheating on her picks) in this episode!
Timeline:
Intro (before we get into the awards):
* 2:32 - Starla's game pick: Wonderland's War.
* 4:40 - Mik's game pick: Heat: Pedal to the Metal.
* 5:55 - Shoe's game pick: Keystone: North America.
* 8:37 - Christina's game pick: Blackout: Hong Kong.
The 2022 Games of the Year:
* 10:35 - Party games of 2022.
* 23:32 - Light games of 2022.
* 35:44 - Medium games of 2022.
* 50:22 - Heavy games of 2022.
Check out website to read the list of winners!
*Note: Our Family Plays Games is still working on their own Games of 2022, so their picks for this show are "as of today" but not necessarily final. Also, some games appear in different categories due to everyone's subjective opinions on weight.
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Dec 29, 2022
100: Our 100th Episode! Best games, best moments, and more
For our 100th episode, we had to make sure everyone's topics were epic. So we rounded up some of the Going Analog crew, including OG contributor Nick Suttner and writer Henry Stenhouse, to discuss...
Timeline:
* 7:19 - Henry's topic: Board games that stand up to 100 plays...or more.
* 26:56 - Christina's topic: Your favorite board gaming moment ever.
* 39:22 - Shoe's topic: BoardGameGeek's top 100...save one game, kill one game, swap in one game.
* 1:02:32 - Nick's topic: Your favorite memory from 100 episodes of The Going Analog Podcast.
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Dec 15, 2022
99: The PAX Unplugged 2022 Wrap-Up Show
We're back from chilly Philly where the PAX Unplugged board game convention just wrapped up. It's our fourth con of the year -- you'd think we've seen it all by now but nope! There were still plenty of new board games to discover and try out.
With us to discuss the show are Kasey Girven (better known as Brain in a Jar) and Miguel Plylar-Moore (aka Johnny Deathhawk). They create/stream board game content -- and she's a neuroscientist! And they love to talk board gaming, so have a listen as we discuss...
Timeline:
* 3:29 - Shoe's game pick: Deal with the Devil
* 12:34 - Kasey's game pick: Electropolis
* 21:47 - Miguel's game pick: Bitoku
* 32:56 - Kasey's topic: The most exciting or promising games we saw at PAXU that aren't out yet
* 55:34 - Miguel's topic: The games we were surprised to see at PAXU and the ones we wish were there
* 1:05:50 - Shoe's topic: How does PAXU stack up to other board game cons?
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Nov 21, 2022
98: The BGG.CON 2022 Wrap-Up Show
We're back from BoardGameGeek's big show, BGG.CON 2022! Your hosts Christina and Shoe sit down to talk about their Top 10 games panel with Our Family Plays Games, stand-up comedy with Grant Lyon, our own live Board Game Quiz Show events, and of course, all the great games they got a chance to check out.
Timeline:
* 1:47 - BGG.Con highlights, including our live Board Game Quiz Show!
* 4:50 - Our Family Plays Games Top 10 games panel
* 8:21 - Grant Lyon's board game standup
* 12:09 - Exhibit Hall, Many Worlds Tavern
* 13:59 - Gaming stories
* 19:50 - BGG Top 5 games we played
* 20:07 - Starship Captains
* 27:13 - Lacrimosa
* 31:40 - Tiletum
* 36:40 - Atiwa
* 42:28 - Splendor Duel
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Nov 3, 2022
97: Too many games! Highlights from a weeklong board gaming binge
We recently spent six solid days playing board games. Seriously. It was exhausting -- but amazingly fun.
We blame Going Analog contributor Jess Yi, who visited and forced us to play one board game after another. At the end, with bloodshot eyes and brains working at half speed, Shoe and Jess picked three games each to discuss. Hear their thoughts on...
Timeline:
* 2:52 - Knight Fall
* 11:02 - Star Wars: Rebellion, Stars Wars: Rebellion - Rise of the Empire
* 18:26 - Bequest
* 23:00 - My Father's Work
* 31:58 - Disney Sorcerer's Arena: Epic Alliances, Disney Sorcerer's Arena: Epic Alliances – Turning the Tide
* 44:40 - The Guild of Merchant Explorers
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Oct 13, 2022
96: Music pairings and a board game where turns last as long as you can hold your breath (guest: Terrible Games)
Can a board game kill ya? Nah...but Black Mold may try. This "co-op till it's not" survival-horror game has players taking as many actions as they can until they can no longer...hold their breath. You read that right.
So we have questions -- lots of questions -- for our guest John de Campos, CEO of Terrible games and co-designer of Black Mold.
Timeline:
2:37 - Oceans: Legends of the Deep
7:00 - Veiled Fate
11:59 - Keystone: North America
17:00 - Shoe's topic: What's up with Black Mold?
32:19 - Christina's topic: Other games with great/interesting pitches
46:59 - John's topic: Pairing the right music with your board games
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Sep 29, 2022
95: Turing Machine, good/bad rulebooks, artwork (guests: Danni Loe, Scorpion Masque)
Logic-deduction board game Turing Machine challenges players to figure out a secret code using innovative punch-card verifiers that layer atop each other to "magically" reveal clues. How does it work?!
We had to know, so we asked our guests from publisher Scorpion Masqué and Hachette Games to sit there and explain it to us. Oh, we also talk artwork and rulebooks, too.
Topics on this episode:
* Christina (host): How Turing Machine was made (14:43)
* Matthew (guest): What makes for good or bad rulebooks? (34:51)
* Danni (guest): How does artwork influence gameplay? (50:12)
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Sep 1, 2022
94: The trouble with heavy games, games that travel well (guests: Ryan Courtney, Bitewing)
Game designer Ryan Courtney loves making connections (if you've played Pipeline or Curious Cargo, then you know what we're talking about). His newest creation, Trailblazers from Bitewing Games has you -- you guessed it -- making and blazing connecting trails in nature.
We invited Ryan as well as Bitewing co-founder Nick Murray to join our podcast to talk about this new project, other games that travel well, and more.
Topics this episode:
* Christina (host): Games would you pack for travel (18:22)
* Nick (guest): Games that work well at all (stated) player counts (25:17)
* Ryan (guest): Heavy games and their matchmaking problems (40:18)
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Aug 18, 2022
93: Gen Con 2022 Recap (guest: Amanda Panda/Panda8ngel)
Gen Con 2022 saw the return of over 50,000 attendees (and four days of non-stop gaming) to Indianapolis -- and, most importantly, the return of Christina and Shoe to the big show! We invited Twitch streamer and content creator Amanda Panda to join us to discuss our experiences and the hot new games.
Topics this episode:
* Christina (host): Hot games of Gen Con (15:31)
* Amanda (guest): Lighter party games of Gen Con (34:16)
* Shoe (producer): Games that flew under the radar (50:34)
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Jul 7, 2022
92: Best "X meets Y" games, roll & writes, and road-trip games (guest: Peter C. Hayward)
Since you can download the fantastic and completely free Sunshine City from Coffee Bean Games, we invited designer Peter C. Hayward to talk some of our favorite lighter and heavier games in the roll & write genre. Shoe tries to articulate the idea of "hybrid" games of multiple ideas coming together to form one new product, and we discover Peter's complete fascination and almost encyclopedic knowledge of games you can play in a car.
Plus, Peter reveals details about an upcoming game to be published by BoardGameTables.com called Fiction!
Topics this episode:
* Christina (host): Favorite lighter and heavier roll-and-writes (16:35)
* Shoe (producer): "X meets Y" games (35:41)
* Peter (guest): Games for road trips or Disneyland lines (47:31)
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Jun 23, 2022
91: Playing "bad guys," shortening games, returning to conventions? (guest: Brotherwise Games)
Johnny O'Neal, one of the brother cofounders of Brotherwise Games (publisher of Unearth, Call to Adventure, and the recently successfully funded Castles by the Sea), drops by Going Analog to discuss his design philosophy and asserts that every game needs to be shorter. We're pretty sure that's the takeaway.
We also figured the co-designer of Boss Monster (in which you play as, well, the end-of-dungeon boss monster) would have thoughts about why it's so fun to to be so bad (ahem, play the "bad guy") in games. And with Gen Con and BGG.CON coming up, what's our take on the continuing return to in-person conventions?
Topics from this episode:
* Johnny (guest): How games end (11:18)
* Christina (host): Playing as the "bad guy" (26:57)
* Shoe (producer): Return to conventions (41:25)
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Jun 9, 2022
90: Escape (not escape room!) and word games, anticipation, and more (guest: Tim Fowers)
Tim Fowers, indie designer and publisher at Fowers Games, intrigues Christina and Shoe with the concept of "anticipation" and how it plays into dopamine-filled play. And because Tim is such a marketing mastermind, he drops a Fugitive 2 tease about...46 minutes into this episode.
Christina talks to Tim about Paperback and Hardback, Fowers Games's two popular word/spelling games...and listen for a shocking revelation from Tim!
Topics in this episode:
* Tim (guest): Anticipation in games (15:12)
* Shoe (producer): Escape (not escape room!) games (25:44)
* Christina (host): Our favorite word (spelling) games (39:40)
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May 27, 2022
89: Animal games, gaming lifestyles, rising prices (guest: Board Game Bollocks)
Matt from YouTube's Board Game Bollocks drops by to (somehow successfully!) not swear while chatting about his gaming lifestyle, nihilism, and how Americans are so "happy and bouncy." Our topics this week:
* Christina (host): Our favorite animal-themed games (10:36)
* Mike (editor): Board gaming as a lifestyle (19:59)
* Matt (guest): The rising prices of board games and their implications (32:27)
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Apr 28, 2022
88: More matchups! Namiji vs. Tokaido, G.I. Joe vs. Transformers... (guest: Amanda Panda)
It's rematch time! Amanda Panda, board game Twitch streamer and content creator, returns to argue over three fresh new matchups -- and we're throwing hands!
Our matchups for this sequel:
* Christina (host): Namiji vs. Tokaido (12:27)
* Shoe (producer): G.I. Joe Deck-Building Game vs. Transformers Deck-Building Game (23:31)
* Amanda (guest): Kingdom Builder vs. The Guild of Merchant Explorers (40:48)
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Apr 14, 2022
87: Hot crowdfunding games, diversity & inclusion in gaming (guest: Our Family Plays Games)
Mik and Starla of Our Family Plays Games join Going Analog to talk about the state of diversity and inclusion in the board gaming community, why they felt the need to start their new OFPG Voices channel, and which crowdfunding games we're most excited to get delivered soon!
Topics this week:
* Starla (guest): The current state of diversity and inclusion in the board gaming community (8:22)
* Mik (guest): Why we started OFPG Voices (21:53)
* Christina (host): Crowdfunding games that we're most excited to get delivered (35:22)
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Mar 31, 2022
86: Libertalia: old vs. new, Dice Tower West, our fave board game cons
The Going Analog gang has recovered from their Vegas trip to Dice Tower West. So how does this convention stack up to their other faves? What did they play? And how's the new remake of one of their fave board games?
Topics this week:
* Christina (host): Our highlights from Dice Tower West and our tips for attending a convention (11:01)
* Jess (contributor): Comparing our favorite board game cons (23:35)
* Shoe (producer): Libertalia vs. Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest (37:57)
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Mar 17, 2022
85: Hidden gems, makeovers, themes our guest should illustrate (guest: Kwanchai Moriya)
The Going Analog Podcast hosts our first full-time board game illustrator, and it's KWANCHAI MORIYA. He even showed up to our house with beef jerky! The prolific and versatile illustrator of many of your favorite games (including Dinosaur Island, Capital Lux, In the Hall of the Mountain King) recently commemorated his 100th piece of board game art, so we had to celebrate with him on our show. Topics this week:
* Kwanchai Moriya (guest): What are some board games that you consider hidden gems? (12:42)
* Christina (host): What themes would we want Kwanchai to illustrate? (32:55)
* Shoe (producer): Which games would we like to give an art or graphic-design makeover to? (44:31)
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Mar 3, 2022
84: Instant classics, celebs we'd like to game with (guests: The Op)
Some friends from The Op join Christina to swap gaming stories and imagined celebrity gaming stories! Pat Marino (Game Design Manager and designer of Court of the Dead: Mourner's Call and Cuphead: Fast Rolling Dice Game) and Wes Ferrer (Lead Playtest Coordinator), with topics in hand, get on the Going Analog Podcast to discuss:
* Christina (host): If you could teach a game to any celebrity, real or fictional, whom would you pick? (9:38)
* Wes (guest): What makes a game an "instant classic"? (19:07)
* Pat (guest): What about a game can stick with you after playing it? (29:20)
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Feb 17, 2022
83: Board game match-ups! (guest: Amanda Panda/Panda8ngel)
Agricola vs. Caverna? We've discussed that hundreds of times, and the obvious right answer is Caverna. But what about 7 Wonders vs. 7 Wonders: Architects? Calico vs. Cascadia? And a more recent classic clash, Funkoverse vs. Unmatched?
We brought on Amanda Panda, aka Panda8ngel, board game Twitch streamer and all-around enthusiastic gamer, to give us her opinions, we all agree: Shoe is wrong.
Our match-ups on this episode:
* Shoe (producer): 7 Wonders vs. 7 Wonders: Architects
* Christina (host): Calico vs. Cascadia
* Amanda (guest): Funkoverse vs. Unmatched
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Feb 3, 2022
82: Deck building, Kickstarter surprises/disappointments, culling collections (guest: Rock Manor)
Mike Gnade, founder/CEO of Rock Manor Games (Set a Watch, Lawyer Up, and the upcoming Seas of Havoc) is our guest this week. The topics we each picked:
* Christina (host): What deck-building games do we first show to newbies? And then after they need to graduate to something more advanced?
* Mike Gnade (guest): Which Kickstarter board games pleasantly surprised you? And which disappointed you?
* Shoe (producer): How do you go about culling your board game collection?
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Jan 20, 2022
81: Puzzle Strike 2, video game influences, push-your-luck (guest: Sirlin Games)
David Sirlin, President of Sirlin Games, drops by to do a deep dive into video game influences on his tabletop designs, especially with the new Puzzle Strike 2! We also discuss how push-your-luck mechanisms and designing a board game universe.
Our chosen topics this week:
* David Sirlin (guest): How his game design draws from video game influences
* Christina (host): Push-your-luck in game design and some favorites in that genre
* Shoe (producer): Building a board game universe
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Jan 6, 2022
80: New (and old!) games to look forward to in 2022 (guest: Ruel Gaviola)
We're slamming the door on 2021 and looking forward to the new year! Older games we're itching to get to the table, long-awaited games we're anxiously waiting for, and neglected shelf-of-opportunity games that are finally coming due -- we bring back prolific content creator Ruel Gaviola to talk about them all!
Topics this week:
* Shoe (producer): Which older games are we excited to get to the table this year?
* Christina (host): Which 2022 games are we excited to play?
* Ruel (guest): Which games are you pulling off the shelf of shame/opportunity this year?
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Dec 23, 2021
79: The 2021 Games of the Year episode
Even though we've cautiously emerged from our social bubble, we figured we'd bring back our neighbor-friends and former bubble-ers James Hudson (Senior Director of Tabletop Games at Skybound) and Tom Twedell to discuss/argue about the games we played this year!
* Party Game of 2021
* Light Games of 2021
* Medium Games of 2021
* Heavy Games of 2021
* Favorite New-to-Us Games of 2021
What's a medium vs. heavy game anyway? Turns out we obviously don't know! Check out a list of our winners below. 2021 Game of the Year (Party Game)
* So Clover! (everyone) 2021 Game of the Year (Light Games)
* Cascadia (James)
* The Crew: Mission Deep Sea (Shoe)
* Canopy (Christina)
* The Crew: Mission Deep Sea (Tom)
* Runners up: Dice Throne: Season One ReRolled, Cubitos, Night Cage 2021 Game of the Year (Medium-weight Games)
* Genotype (James)
* Genotype (Christina)
* Sleeping Gods (Shoe)
* Ankh: Gods of Egypt (Tom)
* Runners up: Red Rising, Shelfie Stacker, Summone…
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Nov 18, 2021
78: Board Game Arena pros/cons, playing "blind," and more (guest: Emerson Matsuuchi)
We love playing games in-person! But sometimes you want to scratch that board-gaming itch for a few minutes in the middle of the workweek. Or during a "break." Or, well, all the damn time. Playing asynchronously on Board Game Arena lets you do just that...a lot. Just don't tell our bosses.
Our BGA play pals Emerson Matsuuchi (designer of the Century series, Specter Ops, Reef, and the upcoming Foundations of Rome) and Jess Yi (frequent Going Analog contributor) join Christina and Shoe to gab about Board Game Arena vs. Tabletop Simulator, which games work best on the platform, and whether we can learn how to play (and enjoy) an entire game online without ever reading the rules.
Our topics this episode:
* Jess (contributor): Board Game Arena vs. Tabletop Simulator
* Christina (host): Which games are better on Board Game Arena, and which are worse?
* Emerson (guest): Our experiences playing "blind" on Board Game Arena
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Nov 4, 2021
77: Robots, worker placement, game design jealousy (guest: Peter C. Hayward/Blue Beard)
Peter C. Hayward (founder of Blue Beard & Jellybean Games and designer of quirky games like Scuttle!, The Lady and the Tiger, and the upcoming That Time You Killed Me and Robotopia) joins Christina and Shoe to gush about so many mutually favorite games!
Topics this episode:
* Shoe (producer): What are some of your favorite board games that feature robots?
* Christina (guest): Which game do you secretly wish you had designed?
* Peter (guest): What have different games done with the worker-placement mechanic?
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Oct 21, 2021
76: Video games going analog, turning theme into gameplay (guests: Level 99 Games)
Yes, our show is called Going Analog, so you know we love our video games -- but how do board games bring in the digital vibe that we love into the tabletop medium?
Luckily, we found the perfect guests to ask: Level 99 Games, the publisher of video-game-inspired fare such as the recent Bullet series, BattleCON, and Exceed! Joshua Van Laningham, Production and Design Lead at Level 99, and Ferdinand Capitulo, Head of Media at Level 99 and the Cardboard Stacker himself, join us to discuss which aspects we've seen in board games and how they designed the "feel" of certain video game genres into their lineup.
Plus, how is theme symbiotically integrated into certain game designs, and when does it pay to abstractify certain thematic steps (and when does it not)?
Topics this episode:
* Christina (host): What are some other games that have given us the "video game" vibe?
* Ferdinand (guest): What are some great examples of crafting mechanisms we've seen in games?
* Josh (guest): Abstr…
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Oct 7, 2021
75: Forever games, teaching newbies, coolest marketing (guest: Board Game Barrage)
Kellen Laker, Red Tank from the popular podcast Board Game Barrage, joins Christina and Shoe to discuss Innovation and...fine, some games other than Innovation, too.
Plus, we're old hands at gaming these days, so what do we try to keep in mind when introducing brand spanking newbies to tabletop games? And what stands out to us as the best marketing we've seen in the board game biz?
Topics this week:
* Christina (host): Which games do you consider your favorite "Forever Games"?
* Kellen (guest): Maintaining perspective when introducing new gamers to the hobby
* Shoe (producer): What are some examples of the coolest game marketing you've seen?
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Sep 23, 2021
74: Recent co-op faves, crafting in games, & board game "dream teams" (guest: Nikki Valens)
Designer Nikki Valens (Legacy of Dragonholt, Eldritch Horror, Quirky Circuits) drops by Going Analog again to discuss recent favorite co-op games, crafting mechanisms, and their latest project, the ambitious co-op, campaign-based Artisans of Splendent Vale.
Plus, which designers and artists would we pair together for our ultimate game-design dream teams?
Games mentioned on this show:
Intro:
* Eldritch Horror
* Mansions of Madness
* Arkham Horror
* Legacy of Dragonholt
* Quirky Circuits
* Artisans of Splendent Vale
* MicroMacro: Crime City
* Nemesis
* Grand Austria Hotel
Christina's topic: Recent co-op faves
* The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine
* The Crew: Mission Deep Sea
* Forgotten Waters
* Shipwreck Arcana
* Team3
* Gloomhaven
* Artisans of Splendent Vale
* Sleeping Gods
* The Night Cage
Nikki's topic: Crafting examples in games
* Caverna: The Cave Farmers
* Descent: Legends of the Dark
* Le Havre
* Artisans of Splendent Vale
*…
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Sep 9, 2021
73: Partner swap! Two-player gaming with 1 Minute Board Games
Have a bunch of two-player games you want to play? You and your partner can't agree on which ones to play? Try a Partner Swap (trademark forthcoming, and get your mind out of the gutter)!
Board game TikTok champions Raina and Phil from 1 Minute Board Games took a random Wednesday off and swapped partners with Going Analog: Phil and Shoe played head-to-head two-player card games, and Christina and Raina played twice as many games together in the same amount of time.
Were we still all friends afterward? Did we leave our partners for the new and shiny? Listen and find out!
Topics for this episode:
* Phil (guest): What can two-player games bring to the table that higher player-count games can't?
* Raina (guest): Gaming with your significant other versus with friends
* Shoe (producer): Thoughts on booster-less card games (Keyforge, Summoner Wars, Ashes Reborn)
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Aug 26, 2021
72: Design inspirations, gaming trends, and trivia! (guest: Reiner Knizia)
Famed board game designer Dr. Reiner Knizia (Tigris & Euphrates, Lost Cities, Modern Art, and tons more) graces Going Analog with his bowtied presence. (You won't be able to hear the bowtie, but trust us that it was there, and it was glorious!)
We ask Reiner for some juicy stories about some of his most acclaimed designs and what he thinks about current board game trends...and then we spring a trivia quiz on him at the end -- just a sampling of what we do on The Board Game Quiz Show.
How well did the good doctor do? Listen to find out!
Games mentioned in this episode:
Intro:
* Tigris & Euphrates
* Modern Art
* Ra
* Ingenious
* Lost Cities
* The Quest for El Dorado
* L.L.A.M.A.
* Ankh: Gods of Egypt
* Dominion
* Magic: The Gathering
* Coffee Roaster
Three influential Reiner Knizia games:
* Modern Art
* Tigris & Euphrates
* Lost Cities
* Pickomino
* Lost Cities: Roll & Write
* Lost Cities: The Board Game
* Keltis
Gaming trends:
* The Quest f…
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Aug 5, 2021
71: Working with a legend, game length, and fave genres (guests: Bitewing Games)
New game publisher Bitewing Games has not one, not two, but THREE Reiner Knizia games to offer in their upcoming Kickstarter. How does a brand spanking new publisher sign the famous, prolific (famously prolific?) German designer Reiner Knizia?
We invited Nick Murray and Kyle Spackman, cofounders of Bitewing Games, to chat with Christina about how it all went down! Plus, we have opinions about our favorite game genres and game length vs. enjoyment.
Topics for this week:
* Christina (host): What are the challenges of being a first-time publisher? How did you sign Reiner Knizia?!
* Nick (guest): Which game genres do you never get tired of? Which ones are you over?
* Kyle (guest): Are game length and game satisfaction proportionally related? What are our faves on either side of the spectrum?
Games mentioned in this episode:
Intro:
* Soda Smugglers
* Pumafiosi
* Hot Lead
* Social Grooming
* Oath: Chronicles of Empire and Exile
* Ticket to Ride
* Mandala
* Lost Ci…
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Jul 22, 2021
70: Solo games - here to stay? Plus tons of recs! (guest: Jeremy Howard)
Jeremy Howard, solo gaming expert from Man vs. Meeple, joins Christina and Shoe to personally recommend some great solo games and convince everyone that solo gaming is here to stay! But which games need that multiplayer aspect?
Topics for this episode:
* Shoe (producer): What are some good solo games we should check out?
* Jeremy (guest): Solo gaming during the pandemic...here to stay or no?
* Christina (host): What do we look for in multiplayer games that solo gaming can’t scratch the itch for?
Games mentioned in this episode:
Intro:
* On Mars
* Tapple
* Exit: The Sacred Temple
Shoe's topic: Jeremy recommends some solo games!
* Sky Towers
* Sprawlopolis
* Agropolis
* Coffee Roaster
* Warp Speed
* Bullet♥︎
* BattleCON
* Pixel Tactics
* Argent: The Consortium
* Dawn of the Zeds
* Tainted Grail
* A Gentle Rain
* Caverna
* Terra Mystica
* The Pursuit of Happiness
* Tiny Towns
* Villagers
* Smartphone, Inc.
* Chronicles of Crim…
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Jul 8, 2021
69: Popping the social bubble, surprise games, publisher woes (guest: James Hudson)
As US game groups start meeting up again, we chat with fellow social bubble-r James Hudson (Skybound Games) about quarantine's effects on us as gamers, which games surprised us, and the unintended effects of COVID on board game shipping and logistics. (Last topic = sad James)
Our topics for this show:
* Shoe (producer): Board gaming outside of the social bubble: what it's been like so far, what's changed, what are the challenges?
* Christina (host): Games that surprised you over the pandemic
* James (guest): How publishers are evaluating the short-term future, with current COVID conditions/trends
The games mentioned in this episode:
Intro:
* The Grimm Masquerade
* Guardian's Call
* Tidal Blades: Heroes of the Reef
* Wonderland's War
* Valor & Villainy: Lludwik's Labyrinth
* Robot Quest Arena
* Sky Towers
* Beyond the Sun
Shoe's topic: Board gaming outside of the social bubble
* Beyond the Sun
* Dune: Imperium
* Lost Ruins of Arnak
* Tidal Blades: He…
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Jun 24, 2021
68: Gamer origin stories, adjacent hobbies, and Uwe! (guest: Dice Tower Podcast)
Suzanne Sheldon and Mandi Hutchinson from the Dice Tower Podcast take some time off to do...another podcast with Christina! Listen for our board gamer origin stories, how we balance other hobbies, and Christina and Suz strongly recommend some games to Mandi from Uwe Rosenberg (one of our favorite designers).
The games mentioned in this episode:
Intro:
* Fields of Arle
Christina's topic: Our board-gamer origin stories
* Monopoly
* Mouse Trap
* Power Grid
* Bohnanza
* Chess
* Checkers
* Trouble
* Frustration
* Dominoes
* Risk
* Magic: The Gathering
* Big 2
* Bridge
* Hearts
* Euchre
* Poker
Suz's topic: Other hobbies
* First Ascent
Mandi's topic: Which Uwe Rosenberg games should Mandi play?
* Patchwork
* Fields of Arle
* Ora et Labora
* Le Havre
* Caverna
* Agricola
* Fields of Arle: Tea & Trade
* At the Gates of Loyang
* A Feast for Odin
* Spring Meadow
* Cottage Garden
* Second Chance
* Halltertau
* Bohnanza
* A…
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Jun 3, 2021
67: Post-quarantine gaming, elegant designs, content creation (guest: JonGetsGames)
Things are a mess around the world, but many of us are just starting to socialize again. So what will we be playing first with our long-lost gaming buddies?
The prolific Jonathan Cox from JonGetsGames joins us to discuss this and more. Our chosen topics:
* Christina Ha (host): What board games are you most excited to play with your friends, post-lockdown? (2:24)
* Jonathan Cox (guest): How do we define "elegant design," and what are our favorite examples? (17:20)
* Mike Zipkin (editor): What difficulties are there in making board games media a full-time job? (35:28)
The games mentioned in this episode:
Christina's topic: Games you're excited to get to, post-quarantine
* Beyond the Sun
* Lost Ruins of Arnak
* Taxi Derby
* Fast and Furious: Highway Heist
* Ginkgopolis
* Anno 1800
* Trans-Siberian Railroad
* Irish Gauge
* Iberian Gauge
* 18XX
* Ticket to Ride
* Paris Connection
* Praga Caput Regni
* Telestrations
* Dixit
Jonathan's topic: Elegance…
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May 20, 2021
66: Real-time board games, games partners disagree on (guests: 1 Minute Board Games)
All the cool kids are on TikTok, so Raina and Phil from 1 Minute Board Games make Christina and Shoe honorary Gen Z-ers this week! We discover Raina's allergy to real-time games, Phil's addiction to Android: Netrunner, and Christina needs to shut up about Innovation.
Our topics for this episode:
* Christina (host): Favorite real-time games (3:57)
* Raina (guest): Which games do you and your partner not agree on? (15:21)
* Phil (guest): Games that we feel are the epitome of a board game mechanic (35:51)
The games mentioned in this episode:
Intro
* Don't Get Got
Christina's topic: Favorite real-time games
* Sorcerer City
* 5-Minute Marvel
* Captain Sonar
* Space Cadets: Dice Duel
* Magic Maze
Raina's topic: Which games do you and your partner disagree on?
* Azul: Summer Pavilion
* Azul: Stained Glass of Sintra
* Azul
* Memoir '44
* BattleLore
* Cthulhu Wars
* War of the Ring
* Werewolf
* Werewords
* Innovation
* Glory to Rome
* Medieval…
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May 6, 2021
65: What board games have taught us, themes, online sales (guest: BoardGameCo)
YouTube creator and BoardGameCo founder Alex Radcliffe stops by the show! Our picks for topics this week:
* Alex (guest): How important is theme? Have you kept mediocre board games purely because of a great theme? And what games do you love despite their theme?
* Shoe (producer): What are some interesting facts that we've learned from playing board games?
* Christina (host): How did the pandemic affect online retail sales? What gaming trends popped up during stay-at-home?
The games discussed in this episode:
Alex's topic: Theme in board games
* Cthulhu: Death May Die
* Arkham Horror
* Eldritch Horror
* Robinson Cursoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island
* First Martians: Adventures on the Red Planet
* Terra Mystica
* Gaia Project
* Gentes
* Crusader
* Surrealist Dinner Party
* Ugly Gryphon Inn
* Marvel United
* Obsession
* Photosynthesis
Shoe's topic: Things we've learned from board games
* Goa
* Keystone: North America
* The Search for Planet…
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Apr 22, 2021
64: 3-course gaming, culling collections, & evolving tastes (guests: Red Raven Games)
Husband-wife team Ryan and Malorie Laukat of Red Raven Games (Sleeping Gods, Above and Below, Megaland) stop by with a few gaming topics in hand:
* Christina (host): Our ideal "3-course meal" of board games
* Malorie (guest): Culling our collections
* Ryan (guest): How our gaming tastes have evolved over time
The games discussed in this episode:
Intro:
* Above & Below
* Near & Far
* Empires of the Void II
* Eight-Minute Empires
* Roam
* Sleeping Gods
* Megaland
* Now or Never
* Surrealist Dinner Party
Christina's topic: Ideal 3-course meal of games
* Point Salad
* A Feast for Odin
* Letter Jam
* Blue Moon City
* Agricola
* Caverna
* Codenames
* Great Western Trail
* Race for the Galaxy
* Roll for the Galaxy
* Jump Drive
* New Frontiers
Malorie's topic: Culling games/hoarding games
* Yinzi
* Arkham Horror
* Twilight Imperium
Ryan's topic: How our gaming tastes have changed
* Tawantinsuyu: The Inca Empire
* War of the Ri…
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Apr 1, 2021
63: Fave game names, tech in games, and conventions (guests: Rose Gauntlet)
Isaac Vega (designer of Ashes Reborn, co-designer of Dead of Winter and Forgotten Waters) and Lindsey Rode (designer of Labyrinthos) take a quick break from managing their new company, Rose Gauntlet Entertainment, to discuss gaaames!
Our topics: our favorite board game names, mixing technology with tabletop, and how we feel about attending conventions this year.
The games discussed in this episode:
Intro:
* Dead of Winter
* Forgotten Waters
* Ashes Reborn: Rise of the Phoenixborn
* Keystone: North America
* Countdown: Action Edition
* Labyrinthos
Christina’s topic: Your favorite names for board games
* So, You’ve Been Eaten
* Ashes: Rise of the Phoenixborn
* Dead of Winter
* Abyss
* Terra Mystica
* Above and Below
* Roam
* Alice is Missing
* Gravwell
* Bärenpark
* A Fake Artist Goes to New York
* Campy Creatures
* Curious Cargo
* Pipeline
* The Quacks of Quedlinburg
* Frenemy Pastry Party
Lindsey’s topic: Technology in board gam…
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Mar 18, 2021
62: Board games we changed our opinions on, invested the most in, have a hard time getting to the table (guests: Before You Play)
Great board game discussions with Monique and Naveen of Before You Play! What games did we change our minds on (either way) after a second play? What games have we invested the most in? And what ones do we find hardest to get to the table...for whatever reason?
Here are the games covered in this episode:
Christina’s topic: Games you’ve invested the most in
* Lost Ruins of Arnak
* Abomination: The Heir of Frankenstein
* Killer Bunnies
* Dead of Winter
* Scythe
* Scythe: Rise of Fenris
* Wingspan
* The Quacks of Quedlinburg
* Innovation
* Grand Austria Hotel
* Kanban EV
Naveen’s topic: Games you’ve changed your mind about after a second play
* Root
* Medium
* Just One
* Hansa Teutonica
* Ticket to Ride
* Terraforming Mars
* Loot of Lima
* The Search for Planet X
* Cryptid
* Alchemists
Monique’s topic: The hardest games to get to the table
* The Gallerist
* Lisboa
* Vinhos
* On Mars
* Pandemic Legacy
* Sleeping Gods…
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Mar 4, 2021
61: Board games that get you HYPED, our backlogs, livestreaming (guest: Paula Deming)
The always fun, always funny Paula Deming from Things Get Dicey joins the podcast this week to discuss:
* Board games that really get us riled up (in good and bad ways)
* The games in our "shelf of opportunity" that we're most excited to get to
* Why we livestream playthroughs -- or not
The games discussed on this episode:
Intro:
* Tidal Blades: Heroes of the Reef
* Kingdom Rush: Rift in Time
Christina’s topic: Games that get you hyped
* Dominant Species
* Targi
* Twilight Imperium
* Draw Your Own Conclusions
* Telestrations
* Escape: The Curse of the Temple
* Dungeon Fighter
* Flip Ships
* The Quacks of Quedlinburg
* Wonderland’s War
* Libertalia
* Modern Art
Shoe’s topic: What are the games in your backlog that you're most excited to get to (and why haven't you yet)?
* Too Many Bones
* Sleeping Games
* Near and Far
* Above and Below
* Adventure Tactics: Domianne’s Tower
* Space Base
* Space Base: The Emergence of Shy Plu…
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Feb 18, 2021
60: Learning/teaching pet peeves, favorite animal-themed games, Capstone Games (guest: Board Games in a Minute)
Sarah Shah of Board Games in a Minute slows down just long enough to record a podcast with us. We chat about our favorite games centered around animals, our big pet peeves when teaching (or learning) a new board game, and publisher Capstone Games.
The games mentioned in this episode:
Christina’s topic: What are some of your favorite games centered around animals?
* Everdell
* Ecos: First Continent
* Gods Love Dinosaurs
* Evolution
* Oceans
* Endangered
* Calico
* Isle of Cats
* Beez
* Honey Buzz
* Aqua Garden
* Heaven and Ale
Shoe’s topic: What are your pet peeves when learning or teaching games?
* Innovation
* The Mind
Sarah's topic: Capstone Games
* New York Zoo
* Crystal Palace
* Terra Mystica
* Gaia Project
* The Estates
* CloudAge
* Coffee Traders
* Pipeline
* Cooper Island
* Renature
* Curious Cargo
* Watergate
* Iberian Gauge
* Ticket to Ride
Final thoughts:
* Mr. Cabbagehead’s Garden
* Whistle Mountain…
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Feb 4, 2021
59: Separating art from artist, video game licenses, deckbuilding (guest: Boards Alive)
This is a special Voltron Podcast episode with Boards Alive's Aaron Cassidy!
(Touchy subject) We talk about the recent drama and controversies in the board game biz (and whether we can separate the art from the artists).
(And not-so-touchy) On a lighter note, we also discuss video-game-licensed board games and deckbuilding in games we wouldn't call deckbuilding games.
Shoe: Board games based on video game licenses that you've enjoyed or are excited about
* Bloodborne
* Kingdom Rush: Rift in Time
* Bloodborne: The Card Game
* The Witcher
* Civilization
* Civilization: A New Dawn
* X-Com
* This War of Mine
* Level 7: Omega Protocol
* Rampage/Terror in Meeple City
* Exceed
* BattleCON
* Portal
* Mechs vs. Minions
* Railways of the World
* Megaland
Christina’s topic: Deckbuilding in games you wouldn’t call deckbuilding games
* Dune Imperium
* Lost Ruins of Arnak
* Viscounts of the West Kingdom
* Dominant Species
* Dice Throne
* The Gall…
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Jan 21, 2021
58: Fave things to do with board games (besides playing them), best components, and...jigsaw puzzles??
We're so obsessed with board games, that we enjoy them...even when we're not actually playing them. What are these "play-adjacent" activities that we love so much?
And what are our favorite components? And why on earth are we talking about jigsaw puzzles on a board game podcast?
The board games we discuss on this episode:
Christina’s topic: your favorite game components
* Everdell
* Tidal Blades
* Honey Buzz
* Wingspan
* Wavelength
* Blockbuster
* Potion Explosion
* Portal
* Dragoon
* Ascension
* Life Siphon
* Guts of Glory
* Mouse Trap
* Trouble
* Hungry Hungry Hippos
* HeroQuest
* Scrabble
* Jenga
* Junk Art
* Fireball Island
* Crokinole
* Pinnacle
* The Climbers
* Riff Raff
Shoe’s topic: What do you like doing with board games...outside of playing them?
* The Castles of Burgundy
* Viscounts of the West Kingdom
* Tekhenu: Obelisk of the Sun
Final thoughts:
* P for Pizza
* Scapegoat
* Air, Land, and Sea
* Viscou…
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Jan 7, 2021
57: The 2020 Board Games of the Year episode
Party game of the year! Light game of the year! Medium-weight game of the year! Heavy game of the year!
We grab two of our social-bubble gaming crew (James Hudson of Skybound and Shoe's co-worker Tom Twedell), and we all give our picks for the #1 games in all those categories for 2020.
Plus: What trends did we see in 2020 (and what might we see in 2021? And how did gaming get us through the rough patches of last year?
The games covered in this episode:
Intro:
* Bloodstone
Tom’s topic: Party and Light Games of the Year
* Cross Clues
* Codenames
* P for Pizza
* Telestrations: Upside Drawn
* MonsDRAWsity
* Silver: Dagger
* Silver
* My City
* Santa Monica
* The Crew
* Calico
* D&D Adventures Begin
* Fossilis
* The Crew
* The Mind
Christina’s topic: Medium and Heavy Games of the Year
* Smartphone, Inc.
* Tidal Blades
* Dune: Imperium
* Lost Ruins of Arnak
* The Search for Planet X
* Sorcerer City
* Dwellings of Eldervale
* The Man…
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Dec 10, 2020
56: More party games, "old" games that need love, mechanics we seek out or avoid (guest: comedian Grant Lyon)
Professional comedian Grant Lyon (who also creates board game videos and co-designed Curmudgeon) joins us on the podcast this week. We talk about "old" (pre-2018) games that need more live, mechanics that we seek out or actively avoid, and more party games we love playing.
Games mentioned on this episode:
Intro:
* Curmudgeon
Christina’s topic: “Old” games that don’t get enough love
* Love Letter
* Lost Legacy
* Grand Austria Hotel
* Taverns of Tiefenthal
* High Society
* Take 5
* Take a Number
* Cover Your Assets
* Cover Your Kingdom
* Potion Explosion
* Sea of Clouds
* Lords of Waterdeep
* Raiders of the North Sea
* Dominions
* Raiders of Scythia
* Descent: Journeys in the Dark
* Gloomhaven
* Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion
Shoe’s topic: More party games
* Cross Clues
* Codenames
* Curmudgeon
* MTV: The Throwback Music Party Game
* Blockbuster
* Who’s the G.O.A.T.?
Grant’s topic: Seeking out or avoiding games based o…
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Nov 25, 2020
55: Party + gateway games, childhood memories, and house rulin' (guests: Plaid Hat)
Plaid Hat Marketing Manager Niki Shults and Multimedia Director Donald Shults talk board games -- and tons of D&D -- with us. Our topics:
1. What are some new party games you can play over Zoom or within one average household?
2. Is Catan still the perfect gateway game? If not, what is?
3. What are your best childhood memories of playing board games?
4. House rules: How do you feel about them?
Here are the games covered on the show:
Intro:
* Forgotten Waters
* The Settlers of Catan
Shoe’s topic: Great party games for quarantine or households
* Telestrations
* Telestrations: Upside Drawn
* P for Pizza
* Herd Mentality
* Forgotten Waters
* Wavelength
* Just One
* Dungeons and Dragons
* Mastermind
* Master Word
* Corinth
Donald’s topic: Is Settlers of Catan still the best gateway game?
* Monopoly
* Magic the Gathering
* Clue
* The Settlers of Catan
* Pandemic
* Dungeon Twister
* Dungeons and Dragons
* Ticket to Ride
* Azul
* Win…
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Nov 1, 2020
54: Inclusivity, innovative gameplay, educational games that aren't educational games (guest: Elizabeth Hargrave)
Guest Elizabeth Hargrave (Wingspan, Mariposas) drops a hint about her next project while we discuss our four new topics:
1. Learning factoids in non-educational games
2. How we can make board gaming more inclusive for everyone
3. Games whose themes have inspired innovative gameplay
4. Designing games and finishing prototypes
Games discussed in this episode:
Intro:
* Wingspan
* Tussie Mussie
* Mariposas
Christina’s topic: How theme can lead to innovative gameplay
* Wingspan
* Mariposas
* Photosynthesis
* Wind the Film
* Remember Our Trip
* Here Comes the Dog
* Abomination: The Heir of Frankenstein
* Castell
* The Search for Planet X
* Viticulture
* Dead of Winter
* Battlestar Galactica
* The Thing: Infection at Outpost 31
* Scooby-Doo! Escape from the Haunted Mansion
Shoe’s topic: Educational games that aren’t educational games
* Wingspan
* Mariposas
* Tussie Mussie
* The Search for Planet X
* Beez
* Arraial
* Tokaido
*…
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Oct 15, 2020
53: Top 3 games we're dying to play, the board game café business (guest: Meepleville)
Guest Timm Metivier of Meepleville (a board game cafe in Vegas and a channel for board game content) joins us to discuss the top 3 games we can't wait to get to the table, the business of running a board game cafe (you'd be surprised how he works around COVID), how we discover the games we want to buy, and more.
The games talked about on this episode:
Timm’s topic: The top games we can’t wait to get to the table
* Food Chain Magnate
* Trickerion
* Pax Porfiriana
* Telestrations: Upside Drawn
* Tekhenu: Obelisk of the Sun
* Tzok’in: The Mayan Calendar
* Teotihuacan: City of Gods
* Master Word
* Anachrony
* Barrage
* The Gallerist
* City of the Big Shoulders
* 18XX
* Escape Plan
* Vinhos
* On Mars
* Viscounts of the West Kingdom
* Sleeping Gods
Shoe’s/Christina’s topic: Running a board game cafe during COVID + how we discover games
* Bridge
* Pinochle
* Backgammon
* Catan
* Ticket to Ride
* Life
* Connect Four
* Tekhenu:…
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Oct 1, 2020
52: Spiel des Jahres 2020, Euro vs. Ameritrash...fight! (guest: Roy Cannaday)
The big games of the year have been announced. What do we think of them? The Dice Tower's Roy Cannaday joins us to discuss the Spiel and Kennerspiel des Jahres 2020 nominees/winners; if we still use "Euro" and "Ameritrash" to define those genres; video production during quarantine times; and his new, upcoming game, Last Light.
The games we talk about on this episode:
Intro:
* Last Light
* Eclipse
* Twilight Imperium
* Concordia
Christina's topic: Spiel des Jahres 2020 nominees/winners
* My City
* Nova Luna
* Pictures
* Just One
* Machi Koro Legacy
Shoe's topic: Kennerspiel des Jahres nominees/winners
* Hearts
* Spades
* The Crew
* Cartographers
* The King’s Dilemma
Roy's topic: "Euro" vs. "Ameritrash"
* Settlers of Catan
* Carcassonne
* Arkham Horror
* Risk
* Century
* Concordia
* Black Angel
* The Magnificent
* Pret-A-Porter
* Abomination
Final Thoughts
* Luna
* Belfort
* Loot of Lima
* The Search for Planet X
* Ma…
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Sep 17, 2020
51: RPGs, video games, and our ideal gaming groups (guests: Jon Gilmour, Ian Moss)
Game designers Jon Gilmour (Dead of Winter, Dinosaur Island) and Ian Moss (Duelosaur Island, Wonderland's War) join us to discuss video games that would make cool board games, what video games have taught them about game design, our ideal gaming group, and how new RPGs make themselves stand out from the crowd.
Here are the games covered on the show:
Intro
* Dead of Winter
* Dinosaur Island
* Wasteland Express
* I Dissent
* Duelosaur Island
* Wonderland’s War
* Bunkers and Badasses
Ian’s topic: How do newer RPGs make themselves stand out?
* Bunkers and Badasses
* Kids on Bikes
* Jiangshi: Blood in the Banquet Hall
* Kids on Brooms
* Blades in the Dark
* Apocalypse World
* Fiasco
* ATMA
* The Quiet Year
Jon’s topic: What video games have you played recently that would make cool board games?
* Path of Light and Shadow
Shoe’s topic: What have video games taught Jon and Ian about game design?
* Dinosaur Island
* Duelosaur Island
* Tav…
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Sep 3, 2020
50: Best games, genres, and podcast moments -- our 50th episode special!
It's our 50th episode! We celebrate by discussing:
* Our top 3 games in BoardGameGeek's top 100
* Our favorite genres (and our favorite game in that genre)
* The best moments from our podcast so far
* The board game that got us into board gaming
Here are the games we mention on the show:
Mike's topic: Favorite game in our favorite genre
* Gloomhaven
* Hansa Teutonica
* 7 Wonders
* Libertalia
* Campy Creatures
* R (BraveRats)
* Orleans
* Caverna
* A Feast for Odin
* Alien Frontiers
Shoe's topic: Top 3 games in the BGG Top 100
* Caverna
* Tzolk'in: The Mayan Calendar
* Codenames
* 7 Wonders
* La Boca
* Wingspan
* Innovation
* Caverna: The Forgotten Folk
* Terra Mystica
* Crokinole
* Lords of Waterdeep
* The Castles of Burgundy
* Broom Service
* Hansa Teutonica
* Lords of Vegas
* Troyes
* Terraforming Mars
* Chess
* Boggle
* Monopoly
* Go
* Black Angel
* San Juan
* Concordia
Nick's topic: The game that got…
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Aug 20, 2020
49: Unique deckbuilders, design vs. development, hobbies that should be board games (guests: Leder Games, Terrible Games)
Two guests! Nick Brachmann (Leder Games) and John de Campos (Terrible Games) join us to discuss their upcoming games (Fort and Token Terrors Battlegrounds, respectively) and our four new topics:
* Deckbuilding games with a unique twist
* Our other hobbies that we'd like to see brought to life for tabletop gaming
* The differences between "design" and "development"
* Establishing a visual identity for a game company
Here are the games discussed/mentioned in this episode:
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Aug 6, 2020
48: Points? Who cares? Plus: Fave universes, illustration-based games, and social interactions (guest: Eric Slauson)
We're talking so many "favorites" today: our favorite games where points don't matter, favorite games that revolve around illustrations (not necessarily drawing), favorite board game universes, and favorite game-induced social interactions.
Our guest is Eric Slauson, designer of Tattoo Stories, Nerd Words, and the upcoming MonsDRAWsity.
Here's a list of the games discussed on the show: Intro
* Tattoo Stories
* Nerd Words: Science!
* MonsDRAWsity
* Welcome To...
* Tumblin' Dice
Christina’s topic: Favorite type of social interactions
* Twilight Imperium
* Exit
* Unlock!
* Level 7: Omega Protocol
* Forgotten Waters
* Charterstone
* Arcadia Quest
* Dead of Winter
* Telestrations
* MonsDRAWsity
* The Crew
* Deckscape
Eric’s topic: Favorite games where the points don’t matter
* Medium
* Mobscenity
* Bye, Felicia!
* Just One
* Wavelength
* Telestrations
* Alcatraz: The Scapegoat
* Flip Ships
* FUSE
* Tokaido
* Namiji
Shoe…
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Jul 23, 2020
47: Fave themes, RPG-ish board games, designers' inspirations, cultural appropriation (guests: Sen-Foong Lim, Banana Chan)
What do we really mean when we want to play a "storytelling" game? Designers Sen-Foong Lim and Banana Chan join to discuss this as well as the upcoming Jiangshi RPG, our favorite board game themes, and board game cultural appreciation vs. appropriation.
Here's a full list of games discussed on the show:
Intro
* Jiangshi: Blood in the Banquet Hall
* Scooby-Doo: Betrayal at Mystery Mansion
* Sea of Legends
* Dune RPG
* Junk Art
* Dungeons & Dragons: Rock Paper Wizard
* The Legend of Korra: Pro-Bending Arena
* Scooby-Doo: Escape from the Haunted Mansion
* Mind MGMT
* Kingdom Rush
* Betrayal at House on the HIll
Christina's topic: What are inspirations for the settings in your games?
* Jiangshi: Blood in the Banquet Hall
* Scooby-Doo: Escape from the Haunted Mansion
Banana's topic: Favorite game themes that you don't see as often
* Succulent
* Pret-a-Porter
* Abomination: Heir of Frankenstein
* Alice is Missing
* Wait for Me
* Anachrony
* T.I.…
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Jul 8, 2020
46: Sleeper hits, games to play outside, genres we dislike (guest: Ruel Gaviola)
Uber content creator Ruel Gaviola (Geek & Sundry plus a million other things) joins us this week to talk about under-the-radar games that need more love, games we can play outside that won't get blown away, genres we don't like (and exceptions to them), and online communities.
Here's a full list of games discussed on the show:
Mike's topic: Games we can play outdoors
* Heckmeck
* Pickomino
* Q.E.
* Hanabi Deluxe
* Shobu
* Backgammon
* Dominoes
* Secrets
* Wavelength
* Pinnacle
* Jenga
* Azul
Shoe's topic: Recent under-the-radar board games
* The Shipwreck Arcana
* Deep Vents
* Oceans
* Pre-a-Porter
* London
* Mechanica
* Steam Park
* Brass
* MonsDRAWsity
* Telestrations: Upside Drawn
* Telestrations
* FUSE
* Dead Men Tell No Tales
* Stellar
* Arboretum
* Little Town
* Tiny Towns
Ruel's topic: Online gaming communities
* Wingspan
* Railways of the World
* 18XX
* City of the Big Shoulders
* Tokaido
* 7 Wonders…
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Jun 24, 2020
45: Streamable games, big-name licenses, and that X factor (guest: The Op's Pat Marino)
We talk (non-roll-and-write) board games that are perfect for streaming to your friends, and we delve into how a game company like The Op works with so many big-name licenses (Marvel, Harry Potter, and...um, Golden Girls).
Plus, what is that X factor that makes a game really great? And Mike Zipkin gives impressions on Nintendo's Clubhouse Games.
Here's a full list of games discussed on the show:
Intro
* Star Wars: Dark Side Rising
* Harry Potter: Death Eaters Rising
* Die Hard: The Nakatomi Tower Heist
* Monopoly
* Yahtzee
* Scrabble
* Trivial Pursuit
* Telestrations
* Clubhouse Games
* Russian Railroads
* Grand Austria Hotel
Christina's topic: Streamable non-roll-and-write games
* Blank Slate
* Just One
* Hues and Cues
* Codenames
* MonsDRAWsity
* Telestrations: Upside Drawn
* Telestrations
Shoe's topic: Game design when working with different licenses
* Courth of the Dead: Mourner's Call
* Scooby-Doo: Escape from the Haunted Mansion
*…
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Jun 10, 2020
44: Politics, premium bits, and remakes (guest: James Hudson)
How should game publishers and designers respond to recent political events? We also talk about premium components (the business behind them and how we do our own upgrading) and reissued/remade games like King of Tokyo Dark and Kemet: Blood and Sand.
James Hudson, senior director of tabletop gaming at Skybound Games (Sorcerer City, Superfight, Tidal Blades) joins us this week for this discussion.
Here's a full list of games discussed on the show:
Intro
* The Grimm Masquerade
* Guardian's Call
* Sorcerer City
* Wonderland's War
* Tidal Blades: Heroes of the Reef
Christina's topic: How should game publishers respond to calls for more inclusiveness vs. "less politics" in games?
* Dead of Winter
* Summoner Wars
* Bloodstone
* The Grimm Forest
* Guardian's Call
Shoe's topic: Board game remakes...do you buy them?
* Dune
* King of Tokyo
* King of Tokyo: Dark
* Kemet
* Kemet: Blood and Sand
* Caylus
* Caylus 1303
* Tribune
* Last Bastion
* Ghost…
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May 27, 2020
43: Pirate games, Forgotten Waters, losing interest in the hobby (guests: Plaid Hat, Tim Schafer)
We talk about Plaid Hat's new storytelling adventure game Forgotten Waters, our other favorite pirate-themed games, and some of the most memorable characters in board gaming.
But...is quarantining slowly killing our love for board games?
We have three special guests! Video game designer Tim Schafer (whose work on The Secret of Monkey Island influenced Forgotten Waters), and Forgotten Waters co-designers Isaac Vega and Joe Ellis.
Here's a full list of games discussed on the show:
Intro
* Forgotten Waters
* Ashes: Rise of the Phoenixborn
* City of Remnants
* Dead of Winter
* Crystal Clans
* Raxxon
Christina's topic: What are our favorite pirate-y games?
* Forgotten Waters
* Sea of Legends
* Tiny Epic Pirates
* Sea of Nadia
* Jamaica
* Sea of Clouds
* Libertalia
* Citadels
* Merchants and Marauders
* Pirate's Cove
* Loot
* Xia: Legends of a Drift System
Joe's topic: Inspirations behind Forgotten Waters
* Forgotten Waters
Isaac's topic: What…
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May 6, 2020
42: 2P/solo games, failing co-op, roll & writes, Uwe Rosenberg (guest: Jamey Stegmaier)
What are our favorite two-player, solo, and roll-and-write games? Do you want to restart or fail forward when you lose a cooperative adventure? And we all love designer Uwe Rosenberg!
With guest Jamey Stegmaier of Stonemaier Games (Wingspan, Tapestry, Scythe).
Here's a full list of games discussed on the show:
Intro
* Wingspan
* Viticulture
* Scythe
* Euphoria
* Tapestry
Shoe's topic: What are our favorite two-player and solo games?
* Lost Cities
* Hanamikoji
* Jixia Academy
* Onitama
* 7 Wonders Duel
* 7 Wonders
* Shards of Infinity
* Shards of Infinity: Shadow of Salvation
* SHOBU
* Jaipur
* War Chest
* War Chest: Nobility
* Patchwork
* Pathfinder: Adventure Card Game
* The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game
* Arkham Horror: The Card Game
* Coffee Roaster
Jamey's topic: How do we feel about replaying scenarios vs. "failing forward" in cooperative games?
* Forgotten Waters
* Gloomhaven
* Pandemic Legacy
* Legacy of Dragonholt…
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Apr 22, 2020
41: Async digital games, designing during COVID, and more (guest: Emerson Emerson Matsuuchi)
Which games transport us to new places or worlds? What makes a good asynchronous digital game? And how does sheltering in place change how a designer goes about his business?
Board game designer Emerson Matsuuchi (Century series, Metal Gear Solid, Specter Ops) joins us to discuss.
Here's a full list of games discussed on the show:
Intro
* Century
* Metal Gear Solid
* Foundations of Rome
Christina's topic: What are your top board games that help you escape?
* Tokaido
* Namiji
* Tales of Arabian Nights
* Hive Mind
* King of Tokyo
* Mansions of Madness
* Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island
* Dead of Winter
* Above & Below
* Near & Far
* Mice & Mystics
* Aftermath
* Forgotten Waters
* Suburbia
Emerson's topic: How important is it for a game to have something innovative?
* The Mind
* Dead Man's Cabal
* In the Hall of the Mountain King
* The Castles of Burgundy
* Lost Cities
* Codenames
* Paladins of the West Kingdom
* Ar…
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Apr 8, 2020
40: Gaming (and publishing) in a COVID-19 world + The Crew (guests: Deep Water Games)
The world has changed. How are we playing games now? How has coronavirus impacted the game-publishing business? And why is community more important than ever?
We cover these big topics with Nolan Nasser (CEO) and Jacob Way (COO) of Deep Water Games (Welcome To..., Hanamikoji).
In lighter news, we go on and on about one of our favorite games of 2020 so far: The Crew. It's so amazing, we guaranteed our guests their money back if they bought it and didn't like it.
Here's a full list of games discussed on the show:
Intro
* Hanamikoji
* Realm of Sand
* Welcome to...
* Fantastic Factories
* Spirit Island
* New Bedford
* Fleet: The Dice Game
* The Crew
Jacob's topic: Importance of community during COVID-19
* Monstrosity
* Diplomacy
* Gloomhaven
Christina's topic: What do our board gaming lives look like during shelter-in-place?
* Ascension
* Shards of Infinity
* Patchwork
* Tang Garden
* Sagrada
* Ganz Schon Clever/That's So Clever
* Doppelt So Cle…
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Mar 18, 2020
39: Classic games, culling games, and conventions (guests: Board Game Spotlight)
How do we pick which board games to cull when we move? What is gaming life like in the military? What's considered a classic nowadays? And what's our ideal convention experience -- deadly viruses aside, that is?
Lizzy Funkhouser (Board Game Spotlight) and Derek Funkhouser (Skybound Games) join us to discuss!
Here's a full list of games discussed on the show:
Intro
* Medium
* Q.E.
* The Walking Dead: Something to Fear
* Herbaceous Sprouts
Derek's topic: What makes an evergreen or classic board game?
* Axis & Allies
* Azul
* Ticket to Ride
* Dominion
* Settlers of Catan
* 7 Wonders
* Risk
* Paladins of the West Kingdom
* Marvel Champions: The Card Game
* Nemesis
* Terraforming Mars
* Twilight Struggle
* The Castles of Burgundy
* Viticulture
* Architects of the West Kingdom
* Quacks of Quedlinburg
* Tidal Blades
* Gloomhaven
* Blood Rage
* Carcassonne
* Monopoly
* Scrabble
* The Game of Life
* El Grande
* Wingspan
Christina'…
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Feb 26, 2020
38: Is there a board game for everyone? Plus: The LOLest games, board game movies, and Kickstarter trailers
Why we'll never get some of our friends to play board games; the best laugh-so-hard-we-always-cry games; board game movies (our faves and the ones we'd like to see); and whether high-production trailers are good -- and bad -- for Kickstarter campaigns.
Games discussed on the show: Mike's topic: board game movies -- the good, the mostly bad, and what we want to see
* Clue
* Jumanji
* Battleship
* The Castles of Burgundy
* Pandemic
* Pandemic: Legacy
* Settlers of Catan
* One Night Ultimate Werewolf
* Gloomhaven
* Root
* T.I.M.E Stories
* Scythe
* Nine Tiles Panic
* Mice & Mystics
* Aftermath
* Above & Below
* Near & Far Christian's topic: Is there really a game for everyone?
* Lost Cities
* The Mind
* Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective
* Crokinole Christina's topic: What are your funniest board game experiences?
* Telestrations
* Draw Your Own Conclusions
* A Fake Artist Goes to New York
* Head's Up
* Skull
* Cards Against H…
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Feb 12, 2020
37: Mike Young (Plan B) explains why game publishing is so tough! Plus, our fave board game franchises and imports.
Mike Young (Plan B) explains why game publishing is so tough! Plus, our fave board game franchises and imports.
Games mentioned on the show:
Shoe's topic: Game franchises
* Azul
* Azul: Stained Glass of Sintra
* Azul: Summer Pavilion
* Century
* Century: Golem Edition
* Chess
* Othello
* Ticket to Ride
* Settlers of Catan
* Codenames
* Cottage Garden
* Indian Summer
* Spring Meadow
* Funkoverse Strategy Game
* Unmatched
* Android: Netrunner
* Magic: The Gathering
* Mexica
* Tikal
* Java
* Terraforming Mars
* Castles of Tuscany
* Castles of Burgundy
* Blood Rage
* Rising Sun
* Ankh Christina's topic: Favorite import games
* 5211
* 5 Colors
* Aquatica
* Modern Art
* Nokosu Dice
* Orchard Ocean
* Let's Make a Bus Route
* Sunflower Valley
* Great Western Trail
* Oh My Goods!
* Broom Service
* Tybor the Builder
* Startups Final thoughts:
* Team3
* Nyctophobia
* Oceans
* Evolution
* Tuki
* Junk A…
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Jan 29, 2020
36: Celebrating 20 years of BoardGameGeek
BoardGameGeek just turned 20! Owner/co-founder Scott Alden and Director of Media Lincoln Damerst stop by to talk about the two-decade making of the do-everything board game website, its most underrated games, and much more.
Games discussed:
Intro & Scott's topic: How did you first hear about BoardGameGeek?
* Settlers of Catan
* Manhattan
* Die Hanse
* Magic: The Gathering
* Chess
* Poker
* UNO
* Risk
* Mahjong
* Scrabble
* Carcassonne
* Black Box
* Lost Cities
* Wingspan
* Thunderstone
* Dominion
* Android: Netrunner
* Love Letter
* Coup
* Puerto Rico
Lincoln's topic: The history of BoardGameGeek media
* Power Grid: Factory Manager
* Aquatica
* Space Dealer
Shoe's topic: What do you use BoardGameGeek for the most?
* Throne of Allegoria
Christina's topic: The most underrated games on BoardGameGeek
* Lost Legacy: The Starship
* Lost Legacy Legend
* Billabong
* Speculation
* Wyatt Earp
* Koryo
* Choson
* Alcatraz: Th…
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Jan 15, 2020
35: The 2019 games of the year...and looking ahead at 2020
It's time for Going Analog's 2019 Games of the Year! The crew offers their picks for the best of last year, talks about the state of their board game collections, and makes New Years gaming resolutions. Plus: What are we most excited to play in 2020?
Games discussed:
Shoe's topic: Games of 2019
* Medium
* Silver: Bullet
* Letter Jam
* Ecos: First Continent
* Sorcerer City
* Paladins of the West Kingdom
* Maracaibo
* Egizia: Shifting Sands
* Klask
* Pipeline
* Q.E.
* Wavelength
* 5211
* In Front of the Elevators
* Remember our Trip
* Let's Make a Bus Route
* PARKS
* Painter Detective
* Portrait Robot
* Nine Tiles Panic!
* Point Salad Mike's topic: Current state of our gaming shelves
* Acquire
* Murano
* The Palaces of Carrara
* L.L.A.M.A.
* Set & Match
* Team3
* Tuki Nick's topic: Gaming resolutions
* Calimala Christina's topic: Games we're looking forward to in 2020
* Loot of Lima
* Honey Buzz
* Calico…
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Dec 18, 2019
34: BoardGameGeek drops in to discuss Azul, Abomination, and BGGCON
BoardGameGeek's Scott Alden (owner) and Lincoln Damerst (host of GameNight!) stops by to offer their thoughts on all three Azul games, the monsterous Abomination, and our favorite popular and under-the-radar games from BGGCON.
Games discussed:
Intro:
* Abomination
* Azul
* Azul: Stained Glass of Sintra
* Azul: Summer Pavilion Christina's topic: Best game of BGGCON
* Aquatica
* Marvel Champions: The Card Game
* Silver
* Silver Bullet
* Medium Aldie's topic: Best game at BGGCON...that no one's heard of
* Soviet Kitchen Unleashed
* Colorful
* Match Me: What Color Is This?
* Tokyo Series
* The Magnificent
* Escape: The Curse of the Temple
* Automania
* Santa Maria
* Rebel Nox
* Capital Lux
* Offshore
* Horticulture Master
* Orchard Ocean
* Draw Your Own Conclusions
* Telestrations Lincoln's topic: Abomination
* Tapestry Final thoughts:
* The Mind
* The Mind Extreme
* Wavelength
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Dec 4, 2019
33: John D. Clair (Ecos, Mystic Vale) explains how he designs board games. Also: Our fave Star Wars, deckbuilding, and engine-building games.
John D. Clair (Ecos, Mystic Vale) talks us through his mechanics-first approach to game design. And the group discusses our favorite Star Wars, deckbuilding, and engine-building games.
Games discussed:
Intro:
* Mystic Vale
* Custom Heroes
* Space Base
* Edge of Darkness
* Ecos: The First Continent
* Ascension
* Ascension: Skulls & Sails
Shoe's topic: Engine-building games
* Rise of Augustus
* Gizmos
* Great Western Trail
* Innovation
* Dominion
* Magic: The Gathering
John's topic: From inspiration to game
* Downfall
* War Chest
* Dead Reckoning
* Black Angel
Christina's topic: Deck-building games
* Shards of Infinity
* Tyrants of the Underdark
* The Big Book of Madness
* Aeon's End
* Path of Light and Shadow
* Thunderstone
* Thunderstone Quest
* Concordia
* Res Arcana
* Clank!
* Clank! In! Space!
* Clank! Legacy: Acquisitions Incorporated
Jess's topic: Star Wars board games
* Star Wars: Rebellion
* Star Wars: The…
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Nov 20, 2019
32: Rob Manuel (Indie Megabooth, ex-G4TV/Geek & Sundry) discusses what it takes to be a successful board game content creator, plus how to talk to non-gamers about board games over the holidays, why there aren't more negative game reviews, and some Ravens
Rob Manuel (Indie Megabooth, ex-G4TV/Geek & Sundry) discusses what it takes to be a successful board game content creator, plus how to talk to non-gamers about board games over the holidays, why there aren't more negative game reviews, and some Ravensburger appreciation
Games we mentioned:
Intro: Age of Steam
Christina's topic: How to talk to people about board games over the holidays
Monopoly
The Settlers of Catan
Agricola
Caverna
Risk
Small World
Kingdomino
Wind the Film
Broom Service
Hive Mind
Scattergories
Red Dragon Inn
Happy Salmon
King of Tokyo
Lost Cities
Hanabi
Codenames
Just One
Taboo
Love Letter
Ticket to Ride
Rob's topic: What it takes to be a successful board game content creator in 2020
Wingspan
Tapestry
Shoe's topic: Why isn't there more negative coverage or reviews in board game media?
Fog of Love
The Grizzled
Pandemic Legacy
Nick's topic: Ravensburger love
Journey Around the World
Labyrinth
Enchanted Forest
Heimlich & Co.
Flying…
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Nov 6, 2019
31: Jerry Hawthorne (Mice and Mystics) talks world-building, plus kid-friendly family games, how game design taps into dopamine, and leftover legacy game content
Jerry Hawthorne (Mice and Mystics, Stuffed Fables) talks about how he world-builds for his story-rich adventure games. Also: kid-friendly family games, dopamine (and how game design taps into it), and what we do with the content we never see in adventure/legacy games.
Intro: Mice & Mystics
Stuffed Fables
Comanauts
Aftermath
Battlelands
Christina's topic: How do we feel about the content we might not see in campaign/legacy games?
Pandemic Legacy
Mike's topic: Game recommendations for kids of different ages
Penguin Trap
Don't Break the Ice
Bugs in the Kitchen
Loopin' Louie
Buckaroo!
Jenga
Pie Face
Celestia
Fireball Island
Mysterium
Dixit
Muse
Snake Oil
Apples to Apples
Jerry's topic: Dopamine and board games
Agricola
Final Thoughts:
Pret-a-Porter
Tussie Mussie
Betrayal Legacy
Betrayal at House on the Hill
Horrified
Skulk Hollow
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Oct 23, 2019
30: Bebo (Be Bold Games) brings the strangest/coolest topic to date. Also: most anticipated Essen releases, the biggest problems in the industry, and games that are/aren't worth the setup time
Bebo (Be Bold Games) brings the strangest/coolest topic to date. Also: most anticipated Essen releases, the biggest problems in the industry, and games that are/aren't worth the setup time.
Games we discussed:
Bebo's topic: Which 3 games in a trench coat are you?
* Caverna
* Battleline
* Junk Orbit
* Rebel Nox
* Wingspan
* Flamme Rouge
* Web of Spies
* Detective: City of Angels
* Deception: Murder in Hong Kong
* Caverna: The Forgotten Folk
* Barenpark
* Tokaido
Mike's topic: Essen Spiel games we're looking forward to
* Terramara
* Maracaibo
* Ecos
* Cat Lady
* Evolution
* On Mars
* Deep Blue
* Abyss
* Azul: Summer Pavilion
* Marco Polo 2
* Vast
* Root
* Merchant's Cover
* Pret-a-Porter
* Paranormal Detectives
Christina's topic: Games that are and aren't worth the set-up time
* Yinzi
* A Feast for Odin
* Mysterium
* Dixit
* Muse
* Eclipse
* Terra Mystica
* Pipeline
* Teotihuacan
* Star Wars: Imperial Assaul…
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Oct 9, 2019
29: Why are some games so hard to buy? Scott Morris of GTS Distribution explains the manufacturing/distribution process for us -- plus recent faves that we've been playing and some of the best worker-placement games (with a twist).
Why are some games so hard to buy? Scott Morris of GTS Distribution explains the manufacturing/distribution process for us -- plus recent faves that we've been playing and some of the best worker-placement games (with a twist).
Games we discussed: Scott's topic: How games get into stores, why they sell out, why they take so long to restock
Root
Batman: Gotham City Chronicles
7th Continent
Shoe's topic: Recent faves
Letter Jam
Boggle
Scrabble
Parks
Campy Creatures
Space Park
Paladins of the West Kingdom
Raiders of the North Sea
Architects of the West Kingdom
Christina's topic: Worker placement twists and faves
Agricola
Caverna
Tzolk'in
Everdell
Everdell: Pearlbrook
Vindication
Alien Frontiers
Caverna: Forgotten Folk
A Feast for Odin
Near and Far
Above and Below
Final thoughts:
Sorcerer City
Abomination
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Sep 25, 2019
28: Nikki Valens (Mansions of Madness, Quirky Circuits) tells us how she goes from designing horror games to cute and adorable ones, plus our fave co-op games, how legacy games use legacy elements, and escape-room games
28: Nikki Valens (Mansions of Madness, Quirky Circuits) tells us how she goes from designing horror games to cute and adorable ones, plus our fave co-op games, how legacy games use legacy elements, and escape-room games
Games we discussed:
Intro: Quirky Circuits
Eldritch Horror
Mansions of Madness
Arkham Horror
Legacy of Dragonholt
Cloudspire
Shoe's topic: Designing horror-themed vs. family-friendly games
Dread
Jess's topic: Favorite co-op games
The Mind
Magic Maze
Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island
Detective
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle
Hanabi
Team3
Mental Blocks
Letter Jam
Scrabble
Pandemic Legacy: Season One
Nikki's topic: Legacy games
Charterstone
Betrayal Legacy
Risk Legacy
Rise of Queensdale
Machi Koro Legacy
Aeon's End: Legacy
Christina's topic: Escape room design and games
Exit: The Game -- Dead Man on the Orient Express
Unlock! Escape Adventures
The Tale of Ord
Mystery House: Adventures in a Box
Final Thoughts:
Vindication…
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Sep 11, 2019
27: Scott Alden (BoardGameGeek co-founder) asks if there are too many games being published, plus the top 3 non-obvious things we look for in games, the baggage of BoardGameGeek reviews, and a rave about Japanese favorite Wind the Film
27: Scott Alden (BoardGameGeek co-founder) asks if there are too many games being published, Christina wants to know the top 3 non-obvious things we look for in games, Shoe tackles the baggage of BoardGameGeek reviews head-on, and Nick raves about an all-time import favorite, Wind the Film
Games we mentioned:
Intro: Tricks and the Phantom
Scott's topic: Too many games?
Monopoly
Shoe's topic: Board Game Geek ratings
Gloomhaven
Tapestry
Tigris & Euphrates
Wingspan
Christina's topic: Top 3 qualities you look for in a game (besides gameplay and fun)
Dead Man's Cabal
Architects of the West Kingdom
Azul
Time Barons
Castles of Burgundy
Broom Service
Space Park
Castles of Mad King Ludwig
Yinzi
Rising Sun
Nick's topic: Wind the Film!
Wind the Film!
Let's Make a Bus Route
Blend Coffee Lab.
Take the "A" Chord
In Front of the Elevators
Lost Cities
Coffee Roaster
Final thoughts:
Vindication
Sabotage
Edge of Darkness
Mystic Vale
Gloom
Parks
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Aug 28, 2019
26: Dan Ackerman (Techlandia) chats with us about the making of his board game, how important winning is, the current state of board game media, and how the indie tabletop scene feels like the indie video game scene from five years ago
Tech journalist/author and first-time designer Dan Ackerman chats with us this week. Our new topics: the making of his board game Techlandia, how important winning is, the current state of board game media, and how the indie tabletop scene feels like the indie video game scene from five years ago.
Games we mentioned: Intro: Techlandia
Pipeline
Mike's topic: Importance of winning a board game
Terra Mystica
Foundations of Rome
Fleet: The Dice Game
Heroes of Land, Air, and Sea
Christina's Topic: Current state of board game media
Flocks & Flyways
Dan's topic: How the indie board game scene is similar to indie video games five years ago
Mansions of Madness
Zombicide
Star Wars: Imperial Assault
Final Thoughts:
The Estates
Wingspan
Le Havre
Resident Evil 2: The Board Game
Arkham Horror
Deck Box Dungeons
Silver
Ecos
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Aug 14, 2019
25: Post-Gen Con 2019! We team up with Board Game Spotlight to announce our games of the show, our favorite early prototypes, why we buy what we buy at the show, and building communities
Mega gaming convention Gen Con 2019 is over! We team up with Board Game Spotlight to announce our games of the show, our favorite early prototypes (of games we won't see until 2020), why we buy what we buy at the show, and building communities.
Intro: The Walking Dead: Something to Fear
Christina's topic: Gen Con Game of the Show
Dead Man's Cabal
Abomination
Medium
The Mind
Unmatched
Star Wars: Epic Duels
Foundations of Rome
Letter Jam
Lizzy's topic: What's worth the Gen Con haul, and what do we wait to order later?
Black Angel
Troyes
Solenia
Sininster Six
Welcome to...
Draftosaurus
Quacks of Quedlinburg
Silver
Nine Tiles Panic
Team3
Time Chase
Ishtar
Funkoverse Strategy Game
Century: Golem Edition
Era: Medieval Age
SHOBU
Derek's topic: Importance of building community at conventions
Just One
Lisboa
Shoe's topic: Favorite prototypes/games to look forward to
Foundations of Rome
Namiji
Tokaido
Metal Gear Solid: The Board Game
Wonderland's War
Adve…
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Jul 31, 2019
24: Gen Con 2019 preview special! Our favorite Gen Con memories, what to plan for as a first-timer, lesser-known things to do there, and a bonus review of a unique new bidding game!
Gen Con 2019 is this weekend, and we’re too excited not to do a show all about it! Christina shares her favorite Gen Con memories, friends of the show Jess Yi and Joe Canalin talk about what to plan for as a first timer and lesser-know things to do there, while Nick bucks the trend with a review of the unique new bidding game Q.E. Christina's topic: Favorite Gen Con memories
Abyss
Unearth
Scarabya
Race for the Galaxy
Campy Creatures
Control
Jess's topic: Gen Con rookie advice
FUSE
Flip Ships
Sentient
Passing through Petra
Artsy
Capital Lux
Terror Below
Coimbra
Imhotep: The Duel
Kingdomino Duel
Exit: The Game
Adventure Games
Century" Golem Edition - Eastern Mountains
Tokaido
Namiji
Joe's topic: Lesser-known Gen Con activities
True Dungeon
Villainous
Nick's topic: Q.E.
Q.E.
Codenames
Final thoughts:
Glory to Rome
Innovation
Import/Export
In Front of the Elevators
Wind the Film
Legendary: A Marvel Deck Building Game
Hail Hydra
Wakanda Forever…
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Jul 17, 2019
23: A pre-Gen Con Kickstarter glut, games we’ve purchased second (or third) editions of, and Epic Space Games
Only three podcasters this time but still plenty of games to talk about! Shoe asks how we're doing with the pre-Gen Con glut of Kickstarter deliveries, Mike wants to know which games we've purchased second (or third) editions of, and Christina talks recent Epic Space Games. Shoe's topic: Kickstarter rush
The Ancient World
Thunderstone Quest
Tiny Epic Mechs
Tiny Epic Defenders
Tiny Epic Kingdoms
Tiny Epic Quest
Tiny Epic Western
Fantastic Factories
Metal
Campy Creatures
Detective: City of Angels
Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game
Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective
Chronicles of Crime
ShipShape
SpyMaster
Luxor: The Mummy's Curse
Mike's topic: Buying newer editions of older games
Acquire
Magic: The Gathering
Monopoly
Orleans
Yokohama
Homesteaders
Gentes
Suburbia
Alien Frontiers
Tokaido
Innovation
Glory to Rome
Council of 4
Thunderstone Advance
Thunderstone
Christina's topic: Epic space games
Twilight Imperium
Empires of the Void II
Arkham Horror…
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Jul 3, 2019
22: Grant Rodiek (Cry Havok, Farmageddon) can only save three games to play forever, plus the trials of an indie game designer, what kind of collectors we are, and Tokyo Game Market
Grant Rodiek of Hyperbole Games (Cry Havok, Farmageddon, Solstice) wants to know our three desert island games, while Shoe asks him about the life of an indie game designer, Christina shares what type of collector she is, and Nick attends Tokyo Game Market
Games we discussed:
Intro:
Cry Havoc
Farmageddon
SPQF
Imperius
Christina's topic: What Kind of Game Collector Are You?
Isle of Cats
Puerto Rico
dibdib/Moneybags
Ginkgopolis
6 Nimmt
Cockroach Poker
The Mind
Arboretum
No Thanks!
Coloretto
Grant's topic: Top 3 Games
Carcassonne
Brass: Lancashire
High Society
La Boca
Alien Frontiers
Libertalia
The Mind
Codenames
Small World: Designer Edition
War of the Ring
Star Wars: Rebellion
Terra Mystica
Gaia Project
Caverna
Agricola
A Feast for Odin
7 Wonders
Chess
Scrabble
Lost Cities
Hanabi
Campy Creatures
Shoe's topic: Life of an Indie Game Designer
Hocus
Solstice
Nick's topic: Tokyo Game Market
Nine Tiles Panic
Dual Clash Poker
Here Comes the Dog…
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Jun 5, 2019
21: Origins Game Fair, 2019 (Kenner)spiel des Jahres, and growing up with Steve Jackson Games
Pandasaurus Games's Hunter Shelburne drops some industry knowledge as we preview the big Origins show, dissect this year's nominees for gaming's most prestigious awards, and reminisce over how we grew up with Steve Jackson Games. Games we discussed:
Intro:
The Castles of Burgundy
Hunter's topic:
Arraial Dead Man's Cabal
Puerto Rico
Draftosaurus
7 Wonders
Sushi Go
Teotihuacan: Late Preclassic Period
Mississippi Queen
Detective: City of Angels
Machi Koro
The Mind
Machi Koro Legacy
Century: New World
Lanterns Dice: Lights in the Sky
Set a Watch
Second Chance
Escape Plan
Pipeline
Mike and Christina's topic:
Azul
Just One
L.A.M.A.
Werewords
Keltis
El Grande
Hanabi
Taboo
Chronicles of Crime
The Quacks of Quedlinburg
Camel Up
Kingdomino
Codenames
Colt Express
Kingdom Builder
Carpe Diem
Detective
Wingspan
Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island
Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective
Shoe's topic:
Illuminati
Munchkin
Car Wars
Ogre
Final t…
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May 22, 2019
20: Nicole Amato (Cardboard Fortress) joins our chat! We discuss licensed board games, social deduction (without the lies), what it's like to co-design, and what themes we'd like to see more of
Nicole Amato of Cardboard Fortress - co-creator of Lazer Ryderz, Resistor_, and Atari's Centipede - joins our chat! We discuss licensed board games, social deduction (without the lies), what it's like to co-design, and what themes we'd like to see more of.
Games we discussed:
Intro:
Lazer Ryderz
Atari's Centipede
Resistor
Shoe's topic: Social Deduction Games without Bluffing
Werewolf
Hail Hydra
Secrets
Moneybags
Coup
Grifters
Cryptid
The Mind
Growl
The Grimm Masquerade
Spyfall
Insider
A Fake Artist Goes to New York
Werewords
Christina's topic: Board Game Theme Wishlists
Tokyo Series Games
Food Chain Magnate
Dune
Imperius
Planetarium
Starfall
Seikoro
And Then There Were Stars
Photosynthesis
Caterpillar Fungi
Beluga
Mayfly
Fog of Love
First Martians
Terraforming Mars
Nick's topic: Co-designing Board Games
Nicole's topic: Licensed Games
Tiny Tina's Robot Tea Party Borderlands Card Game
The Tea Dragon Society Card Game
Portal: The Uncooperative…
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May 8, 2019
19: The OG crew are reunited, as Shoe celebrates some recent Kickstarter arrivals, Christina takes stock of the rise of the Roll & Write genre, Mike reflects on the role of ‘super filler’ games, and Nick pens a love letter to Castles of Burgundy
The OG crew are reunited, as Shoe celebrates some recent Kickstarter arrivals, Christina takes stock of the rise of the Roll & Write genre, Mike reflects on the role of ‘super filler’ games, and Nick pens a love letter to Castles of Burgundy.
Games we discussed:
Intro segment:
Splendor Shoe's topic:
The Ancient World
Gentes
Resident Evil 2: The Board Game
Dark Souls: The Board Game
Airdeck 2.0
Mech Command RTS
Christina's topic:
Welcome to...
Avenue
Kokoro: Avenue of the Kodama
Let's Make a Bus Route
Ganz Schon Clever
In Front of the Elevators
Mike's topic:
Calimala
Hansa Teutonica
Teotihuacan: City of Gods
Nick's topic:
The Castles of Burgundy
Shards of Infinity
The Settlers of Catan
Outro:
Arkham Horror
Eldritch Horror
El Grande
Inhuman Conditions
Campy Creatures
Metal
Tokyo Series
Stonehenge and the Sun
Parks
Life Syphon
Wavelength
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Apr 24, 2019
18: Our friend Laura Hubbard stops by to talk math in games, plus games about science (naturally), our favorite games to play with our significant others, and how we engage with early game prototypes
18: Our friend Laura Hubbard stops by to talk math in games (and how much is too much), plus Christina complements it by discussing games about science (naturally), Shoe wants to know our favorite games we play with our significant others, and Nick has early game prototypes on the mind
Shoe's Topic:
Lost Cities
Jaipur
Crokinole
Asante
Jambo
Targi
Tokyo Highway
Hatsuden
Hounded
Raptor
Spirit Island
Spirit Island: Branch & Claw
Arkham Horror: The Card Game
The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game
The Mind
Hanabi
Onitama
The Reclamation
7 Wonders
7 Wonders: Duel
Fields of Arle
Patchwork
Laura's Topic:
The Castles of Burgundy
Five Tribes
Clans of Caledonia
Age of Steam
Christina's Topic:
Evolution
Wingspan
Virulence
Nerd Words: Science
Play with Your Food
Photosynthesis
Parks
Lost Valley: The Yukon Goldrush 1896
Planetarium
Nick's Topic:
Can't name these games!
Round-Up:
Terraforming Mars
First Martians: Adventures on the Red Planet
Robinson Crus…
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Apr 10, 2019
17: Anna Kipnis (ex-Double Fine) discusses games with uniquely human interactions, plus modern pub games, games that reveal players’ personalities, and how working in video games has influenced our board game preferences
Anna Kipnis (ex-Double Fine) joins us to discuss games with uniquely human interactions, while Nick shares his favorite modern pub games, Christina highlights games that reveal players’ personalities, Shoe muses on how working in video games has influenced our board game preferences.
Games we discussed: Intro:
Orleans
Yokohama
Scoville
Crusaders: Thy Will Be Done
Small World
Nick's Topic:
Skull
Liar's Dice
Kobayakawa
Lie
The Mind
Illusion
A Fake Artist Goes to New York
Dead Last
Just One
A Game of Thrones: Hand of the King
Christina's Topic:
Pandemic Legacy
Pandemic
Ascension
Lost Cities
Werewolf
Shadows Over Camelot
Coup
Battlestar Galactica
Secret Hitler
The Thing: Infection at Outpost 31
Anna's Topic:
Codenames
Dead of Winter
Shoe's Topic:
Gloomhaven
TIME Stories
Puerto Rico
Round-Up:
Hanabi
Rising Sun
Doro-Doko
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Mar 20, 2019
16: Theresa Duringer (Shards of Infinity) tells us how board games can help your career, plus board games we only play digitally, the best ones that need an app, and themed snacks!
This week, guest Theresa Duringer joins the board game discussion. She's the co-founder of Temple Gates Games, the developer responsible for digital ports of several popular tabletop games like Roll for the Galaxy or Shards of Infinity. And she's a pretty damn good baker, too.
Games we talked about:
Intro: Ascension
Race for the Galaxy
Roll for the Galaxy
Shards of Infinity
Shoe:
Carcassonne
Settlers of Catan
Risk
Monopoly
The Castles of Burgundy
Ticket to Ride
Mike:
Mansions of Madness, 2nd edition
Chronicles of Crime
Werewords
Exit: The Game
Unlock! Escape Adventures
SolForge
Christina:
Edible Games Cookbook by Jenn Sandercock
Mice and Mystics
Resident Evil 2
Pretense
Theresa:
All games can lead to democratization!
Final Thoughts:
Starfarers of Catan
Porta Nigra
Through the Ages
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Mar 6, 2019
15: Jordan Draper (Tokyo Series) discusses integrating diverse themes into games, plus great travel games, expectations for game length, and how games have changed our lives
Designer Jordan Draper (Tokyo Series, Import/Export) joins us to discuss his innovative oeuvre, and integrating diverse themes into games, while Nick reps his favorite travel games, Christina ponders expectations of game length, and Shoe tells us how games changed his life.
Games we discussed -
Intro: Tokyo Series
Tokyo Jutaku
Tokyo Metro
Tokyo Jidohanbaiki
Tokyo Game Show
Tokyo Tsukiji Market
Tokyo Coin Laundry
Metal
Tribe
Cactus
Import/Export
Glory to Rome
Container
Nick's topic:
Celestia
A Fake Artist Goes to New York
Kobayakawa
Modern Art
Nine Tiles
Maskmen
Troll
The Game
The Mind
This Is It
Praise
Startups
Turin Market
Rights
Hanabi
Love Letter
Lost Legacy
Pack O Games
R (BraveRats)
Campy Creatures
Pickomino
Sushizock im Gockelwok
Shoe's topic:
Perfect Hotel
Kamakura Collection
Jordan's topic:
Archipelago
Christina's topic:
Antiquity
Hab & Gut
18XX
Monopoly
Final Thoughts:
Scythe
Castles of Burgundy
Nothing to Talk About
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Feb 20, 2019
14: James Hudson (Druid City Games, Skybound Games) joins us to revisit ethics in board game media, plus bad board game art, the importance of story context, and our favorite board game influencers
Our friend James Hudson, head of Druid City Games and the tabletop division of Skybound Games, joins us to revisit ethics in board game media, as well as answer the many questions we throw at him. Plus Christina asks how ugly game art happens, Shoe discusses the importance of story in games that don’t center around story, and Mike shares some of his favorite board game influencers.
Games we discussed - Intro:
Tidal Blades
Valor & Villainy
The Grimm Forest
The Grimm Masquerade
The Walking Dead: Something to Fear
Sorcerer City
Christina's segment:
The Castles of Burgundy
Innovation
Fairy Tile
Rising 5: Runes of Asteros
Hansa Teutonica
Shoe's segment:
Tales of the Arabian Nights
Steampunk Rally
Brass: Birmingham
Near and Far
Above and Below
Dogs of War
Wonderland's War
Pandemic Legacy: Season 1
Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective
James's segment:
Orleans
Mike's segment:
No games mentioned, but lots of people to follow
Final Thoughts:
Gugong
Treasure…
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Feb 6, 2019
13: Steve Nix (Gen7) discusses his worldbuilding and how game mechanics can trigger emotions, plus worker placement vs. dice placement games, and the pros and cons of game promos
Steve Nix (Gen7) joins us to discuss how game mechanics can trigger emotions, as well as how he built the world of his game, while Christina compares worker-placement to dice-placement games, and Mike goes over the pros and cons of game promo goodies
Games we mentioned: Shoe's topic
Gen7
Steve's topic
Dead of Winter
Gloomhaven
Pandemic
Arkham Horror
Robinson Crusoe
Forbidden Island
Forbidden Desert
Forbidden Sky
Tokaido
Nyctophobia
Letters from White Chapel
Fury of Dracula
Escape from the Aliens in Outer Space
Christina's topic
Agricola
Caverna
Lords of Waterdeep
Voyages of Marco Polo
Teotihuacan
Bora Bora
Alien Frontiers
Kingsburg
Cosmic Run Regeneration
Architects of the West Kingdom
Lords of Vegas
Castles of Burgundy
Mike's topic
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle
Yedo
Dixit
Mysterium
Android: Netrunner
Star Wars Destiny
Wrap-up
Urban Tribes
Shards of Infinitiy
Ascension
Kashgar: Merchants of the Silk Road
Hollywood Golden Age
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Jan 23, 2019
12: Emerson Matsuuchi (Century series, Reef) ponders what qualities of board games attract video gamers, plus what makes for a good rule book, giving players meaningful story choices, and designing games to be merged together
Emerson Matsuuchi (Century series, Reef, the upcoming Metal Gear Solid game) ponders what qualities of board games attract video gamers, Christina goes over what makes for a fun and helpful rule book, Nick pits Tales of Arabian Nights against Betrayal Legacy to discuss giving players meaningful story choices, and Shoe asks Emerson how he approaches designing games that can be merged together. Emerson's games we mentioned:
Reef
Century: Spice Road
Century: Eastern Wonders
Century: From Sand to Sea
Century: A New World
Specter Ops
Emerson's segment:
Metal Gear Solid
Settlers of Catan
Monopoly
Ticket to Ride
Carcassonne
Christina's segment:
Castles of Burgundy
Broom Service
Space Alert
Dungeon Petz
Galaxy Trucker
Brass: Lancashire
Brass: Birmingham
Nick's segment:
Tales of Arabian Nights
Choose Your Own Adventure: House of Danger
Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective
Betrayal Legacy
Betrayal at House on the Hill
Forest of Fate
Dungeons and Dragons
Agents o…
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Jan 9, 2019
11: Game of the Year Celebration - Part 2
The crew are back to wrap up their favorite games of 2018, with final Game of the Year picks and other favorites that almost made the cut. And stick around until the end, as an array of very special guests share their GOTY as well!
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Dec 26, 2018
10: Game of the Year Celebration 2018 - Part 1
It’s a holiday miracle! The crew are united in person, and we dole out awards for some of board gaming’s best - and worst - distinctions of 2018. From best components, to the most disappointing sequel, to the best beige game, to the most stressful game.
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