It's ESSEN SPIEL week! BJ from Board Game Gumbo is back with TEN more games that he has the ENVIE to buy at ESSEN SPIEL 2025. Plus, there's a little bit of lagniappe, with six interesting games that might slip under the radar, and two expansions that would have definitely come home in the Gumbo suitcase. Do these games catch your eye, too?

Laissez les bon temps rouler!

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The summer break is over, and we are back in the Gumbo Pot! This time, Jeremy from the Acadiana Board Gamers is back to teach us how to play CASCADIA ALPINE LAKES, out on Kickstarter right now from our friends at Flatout Games.  You like Cascadia? You want it even more breezy, and with a 3D component? Check this game out! 

But we were not alone. The chat krewe was with us, and we did some deep dives about the gameplay and our thoughts after this first two player game for BJ. (Jeremy has played it a bunch with his spouse at home). Plus, there's talk about SoBo and Pax and lots of other shenanigans. 

Sit back with a cold bottle of Berliner Weisse, grab your favorite jagerschnitzel, and enjoy another episode of Lagniappe from Board Game Gumbo! Laissez les bon temps rouler! 

For more information about CASCADIA ALPINE LAKES, which is already funded, click here:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/flatoutgames/cascadia-alpine-lakes

** A prototype copy of the game was provided by the publisher. The production, artwork, and rules are subject to change during the project -- although Flatout does a great job of sending us pretty stout production copies before the campaign starts. ** 

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It’s another “lagniappe” episode of the Gumbo podcast, this time with Jay from Cardboard East! Jay is the marketing manager for Bezier Games, and he’s here to chat about The Game Makers! 

First, Jay gives us his two ENVIE games from Asian designers that will be featured at GENCON (to demo, check out Age of Galaxy and to buy, look at 12 Rivers). Plus, we throw in some lagniappe — Buffet Boss. 

Then, we get into a deep dive with Jay all about The Game Makers, designed by Ben Rossett from Panda Games and coming in September to crowdfunding from Bezier Games.

Finally, Jay dishes on two spicy hot games he played recently:  Castle Raisers and The Wondrous Museum before we close out the show. 

Sit back with a cold bottle of Dr. Enuf, grab your favorite meat-and-three, and enjoy another episode of Lagniappe from Board Game Gumbo! Laissez les bon temps rouler! 

Get your Board Game Gumbo merch here: https://boardgamegumbo.wordpress.com/gumbo-merch/

Board Game Gumbo plays your games every TUESDAY on TWITCH!

twitch.tv/boardgamegumbo

@boardgamegumbo on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Twitch, Bluesky, Threads and Instagram

www.boardgamegumbo.com ← our written reviews, news, and convention recaps

We took the month off of June from podcasting to play some games! We’re back with a special episode of Gumbo Live! this time with Steve “The Name Father” O’Rourke dishing on his recent adventures at Chuck Con IV in Salt Lake City. 

But Steve’s not alone — he’s brought friends! Our old friend, Phillip Millman (“Baseball Highlights 2045”) joins Becke from the Chuck’s Gateway & Filler Games Facebook Group to chat about all things Chuck Con. 

Chuck Con is an annual “friend con” hosted by the members of the Chuck’s Gateway & Filler Games group. The group is dedicated to the memory of Chuck Yeager, who started the group and championed lightweight family friendly games that just have a way of bringing more people into the hobby. 

Sit back with a cold dirty soda, grab some smooth cheese and Russian pickled peppers, munch on a croissant from the Beaucoup Bakery and enjoy another Gumbo Live! 

Laissez les bon temps rouler! Get your Board Game Gumbo merch here: https://boardgamegumbo.wordpress.com/gumbo-merch/

Board Game Gumbo plays your games every TUESDAY on TWITCH!

twitch.tv/boardgamegumbo

@boardgamegumbo on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Twitch, Bluesky, Threads and Instagram

www.boardgamegumbo.com ← our written reviews, news, and convention recaps

It’s another Twitch Tuesday in the Gumbo Pot! This time, Jeremy and Doug stop by to play Pirates of Maracaibo and Schrodinger’s Cat, which you can find on our Twitch and YouTube channels. But before they get to playing the games, they have to chat about the news that came out today — it’s Spiel nominations time!

The krewe chat about their experiences playing all of the Spiel and Kennerspiel nominations:

Kenner:  Endeavor Deep Sea, Faraway and Looooot

Spiel des Jahres: BombBusters, Flip 7 and Krakel Drakel

Until next time, laissez les bon temps rouler!

Gumbo Live! welcomed in Josh Ballagh, designer and publisher of Coalition: Councils of the Republic, which is hitting Kickstarter this summer! Josh is also one of the co-heads of our awesome GEAUXPUB section at Southern Board Game Fest, and we chatted about the successful con!

Then we chatted up the history of Coalition and how it came from Josh’s days in school to now. Plus, we played a game live with the Chat Krewe!

For more information on Coalition: Councils of the Republic: 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/coalition-the-game/coalition-councils-of-the-republic 

www.coalitionthegame.com

Laissez les bon temps rouler! 

Jerod and I opened up a new box on Twitch — the kickstarter preview copy of The Pirate Code — and once we finished, we started chatting about our top games played at Southern Board Game Fest 2025 in beautiful downtown Lafayette, Louisiana!  

Laissez les bon temps rouler! 

Gumbo Live! welcomed in Rob from www.theboardboyspodcast.com and Logan from the Acadiana Board Gamers Discord to chat about everything SoBo2025! (But only after we got in a BEAUX-NESS episode with Beau from the Board Boys). 

That’s right, the krewe is back from another successful Southern Board Game Fest in beautiful downtown Lafayette, Louisiana. 

We chatted about the top games checked out of the Library, Hot Games, and Play-to-Win sections, then moved on to our spicy hot games: 

And many other games! 

Laissez les bon temps rouler! 

Gumbo Live! welcomed Charlie McCarron, designer of SURPLUS OF SLOTHS, into the Gumbo Pot! 

We chatted about his background in music, the process of tying theme to these mechanisms, and all of the fun of the crowdfunding campaign! For more information, click here:

Plus, we chatted about his previous game, FOUR HUMOURS, that we are giving away at Southern Board Game Fest!

Before we wrapped up the night, we continued our quest to come up with the perfect board game quiz with the guest. This time, it’s all about the world of movie themes. Can you spot the fake ones from the real? 

Don't forget -- Southern Board Game Fest 2025 in Lafayette, Louisiana the weekend of March 29: www.southerngamefest.com Come join the Krewe and play some games -- you might even see some special Gumbo guests there!  

Laissez les bon temps rouler! 

Gumbo Live! welcomed Gregory Alford, designer of FOOD TRUCK RACE, into the Gumbo Pot! 

We chatted about his start in board gaming, the design process behind the game, playtesting the game, and all of the fun of the upcoming kickstarter! For more information, click here:

https://www.foodtruckracegame.com/yes-chef

Plus, we chatted about some spicy hot games that we’ve played recently: 

Before we wrapped up the night, we played THE ENVIE GAME with Gregory. This is one we should’ve gotten. Did we guess it? 

Don't forget -- tickets are still on sale for Southern Board Game Fest 2025 in Lafayette, Louisiana the weekend of March 29: www.southerngamefest.com Come join the Krewe and play some games -- you might even see some special Gumbo guests there!  

Laissez les bon temps rouler!