Board Game Hot Takes

In Episode 201 we start the 2024 countdown of our top 40 Board Games of all time with choices 31-40.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

01:11 Top Games of All Time - How we made our lists

08:44 Chris #40 Battle for Rokugan

10:57 Adam #40 Brass: Birmingham

12:54 Tim #40 Rajas of the Ganges

14:47 Chris #39 - Castles of Burgundy

16:55 Adam #39 - Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game

20:22 Tim #39 - Voidfall

21:28 Chris #38 - Nidavellir

26:32 Adam #38 - Apiary

27:30 Tim #38 - Marrakesh

29:11 Chris #37 - Fractal: Beyond the Void

31:22 Adam #37 - Rising Sun

33:55 Tim #37 - Scythe

36:12 Chris #36 - The Quacks of Quedlinburg

39:21 Adam #36 - It's a Wonderful World

41:37 Tim #36 - Viticulture: Essential Edition

43:43 Chris #35 - Robot Quest Arena

46:03 Adam #35 - Capital Lux 2: Generations

48:03 Tim #35 - Space Base

50:30 Chris #34 - Smartphone, Inc.

52:10 Adam #34 -  SpaceCorp 2025 - 2300 AD

55:21 Tim #34 - Sky Team

58:56 Chris #33 - Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization

1:01:02 Adam #33 - Xenon Profiteer

1:02:29 Tim #33 - Revive

1:04:50 Chris #32 - Woodcraft

1:08:18 Adam #32 - Glory to Rome

1:11:24 Tim #32 - Battle for Rokugan

1:12:32 Chris #31 - Heat: Pedal to the Metal

1:15:56 Adam #31 - Star Tycoon

1:20:52 Tim #31 - Star Realms

In Episode 200 we provide our hot take review of D.E.I.: Divide et Impera covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.

We discuss making the podcast after 200 episodes. We also discuss some games that have been on our table including Hallertau and Kanban EV and a Future Take on Founders of Reyvick.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

02:08 Discussion: Episode 200!

05:58 D.E.I.: Divide et Impera Description

07:53 Gameplay and Mechanisms

17:08 Production and Theme

23:51 Final Thoughts

28:43 Hallertau

37:30 Future Take: Founders of Reyvick

42:39 Kanban EV

If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes

In Episode 199 we talk about types of games that don't get us excited... but we also reflect on why that is and talk about some games in those genres that have worked or might work for us.

We also discuss a related poll on genres or types of board games that are an immediate turn off.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:24 Poll Time: Are there any genres or types of board games that are an automatic turn off?

02:56 Game types that we're not into

05:47 Skirmish Games (Guards of Atlantis II, Warhammer 40K, Heroclix, Batman: Gotham City Chronicles, Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game, Battletech)

10:50 Team Games/Cooperative Games (Cerebria: The Inside World, Batman: Gotham City Chronicles, Star Wars: Rebellion, Ankh: Gods of Egypt, Sky Team, Oathsworn: Into the Deepwood, Cthulhu: Death May Die, Codenames, Rush Out)

19:18 Collectable Card Games (Magic: The Gathering, Wonders of the First, Disney Lorcana, Star Wars Unlimited, Mindbug, Star Realms)

28:14 Party Games (Trivial Pursuit, Apple to Apples, Codenames, Challengers!, Skull, Just One, So Clover, Green Team Wins, Balderdash, El Grande, Libertalia)

38:45 Multi-player Solitaire (Hallertau, Nucleum, Bruxelles 1893, Wingspan,

43:20 Negotiation Games (John Company, Rising Sun, Dune, Pax Pamir: 2nd Edition, Diplomacy, Chinatown, Poker, Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy)

50:47 Message Games (Daybreak, Doubt is our Product, This War of Mine, Meltwater: A Game of Tactical Starvation)

54:17 Wargames (Maria, Twilight Struggle, Undaunted)

1:00:23 Abstract Games (Mandala, Cascadia, Azul, Sagrada, Project L)

1:02:03 Trick Taking Games (Shamans, Cat in the Box, Brian Boru: High King of Ireland, Skull King, Lettertricks, Euchre, Spades, Boast or Nothing.

1:05:39 Listener Shoutout

In Episode 198 we each discuss our top 5 board games that have a small footprint on the table.

We also discuss a poll on whether the footprint of a game influences your purchase.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:24 Poll Time: Does the footprint of a board game on the table have an impact on whether you'll purchase a game?

07:26 Top 5 Small Footprint Games

09:14 Skull

12:42 Age of Galaxy

16:08 For Sale

19:15 High Society

22:06 Watergate

25:30 Rajas of the Ganges: The Dice Charmers

28:34 Five Three Five

33:21 Calico

37:48 Sea Salt & Paper

38:53 Patchwork

44:29 Disney Villainous

48:55 Sky Team

56:20 Shamans

59:27 Star Realms, Hero Realms, Cthulhu Realms

1:03:44 Haggis

1:07: Runners Up (Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game, Shards of Infinity, Cat in the Box, Cafe, Azul, Hissy Fit)

1:14:18 Listener Shoutout

In Episode 197 we each discuss our top 5 board games that we really like but can't seem to win.

We also discuss a poll on whether you've bought board games because of an award.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:24 Poll Time: Have you ever purchased a board game because it won a prominent award?

04:45 Top 5 Games We Suck At

07:46 Tapestry

10:32 Space Base and Nidavellir

14:42 Barrage

18:32: Apiary

20:17 The Castles of Burgundy

22:50 The Voyages of Marco Polo and Marco Polo II: In the Service of the Khan

25:54 Underwater Cities

28:40 Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy

32:44 Dune

35:35 Ark Nova

41:14 Yokohama

42:35 Pan Am

44:15 Agricola

48:02 Clank! Legacy

50:00 Runners Up (Battle for Rokugan, Skyrise, Rising Sun)

54:28 Listener Shoutout

In Episode 196 we provide our hot take review of Biohack covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.

We discuss a poll on buying expansions sight unseen. We also discuss some games that have been on our table including Camel Up, Le Havre, and Skyrise.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:20 Question: Are there any games you would buy an expansion for without knowing anything about them?

08:33 Wyrmspan Giveaway Winner

09:26 Biohack Description

11:09 Gameplay and Mechanisms

31:41 Production and Theme

41:41 Final Thoughts

44:58 Camel Up

49:38 Le Havre

57:05 Skyrise

1:03:34 Listener Shoutout

If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes

In Episode 195 we discuss the second half of our semi-annual BGHT convention. 3 gamers, 5 days, 16 games played. In this episode we discuss 8 of those games including several that were new to us.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:42 Revive

06:20 Starship Captains

13:31 Tzolk'in: The Mayan Calendar

16:27 Marvel Remix

19:10 Voidfall

35:10 Galactic Renaissance

45:57 Marrakesh

50:31 Pan Am

55:22 Listener Shoutout

If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes

In Episode 194 we discuss the first half of our semi-annual BGHT convention. 3 gamers, 5 days, 16 games played. In this episode we discuss 8 of those games including several that were new to us.

We kick off the episode off with a poll on how long you can game without burnout.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:58 Poll: How many hours can you play board games straight before you get burned out and need a break?

07:37 BGHT Big Bear Con

08:06 Dune: Imperium

12:01 Sea Salt & Paper

13:31 Pulsar 2849

19:52 Apiary

25:00 Fractal: Beyond the Void

34:51 The Quest for El Dorado

40:50 Xenon Profiteers

46:31 Godspeed

52:15 Listener Shoutout

53:08 Retraction

If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes

In Episode 193 we provide our hot take review of Orleans covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.

We discuss a poll on favorite board games based on French cities and then we discuss some board games on our table including Galactic Renaissance, The Vale of Eternity, and Wolves.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

01:06 Question: Which board game based on a French city is your favorite?

04:57 Orleans Description

07:01 Gameplay and Mechanisms

30:19 Production and Theme

34:24 Final Thoughts

38:36 Galactic Renaissance

46:00 The Vale of Eternity

52:18 Wolves

55:05 Listener Shoutout

If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes

In Episode 192 we each discuss our top 5 board games that use the worker placement mechanism in a very unique or interesting way.

We also discuss a poll on what to do with components after you upgrade them.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:24 Poll Time: If you upgrade components for a board game, what do you do with the replaced components?

10:16 Top 5 Unique Worker Placement Games

11:57 Lost Ruins of Arnak

16:25 Raiders of the North Sea

19:47 Bus and Dominant Species

23:32 Come Together (Great Wall)

27:52 Lorenzo Il Magnifico

32:10 Anachrony

35:03 Terracotta Army

38:16 The Godfather: Corleone's Empire

42:47 Architects of the West Kingdom

45:40 Chimera Station (Godspeed, Darwin's Journey)

50:32 Euphoria: Build a Better Dystopia

56:50 Star Wars: Rebellion

1:00:06 Pendulum

1:06:34 Underwater Cities

1:09:21 Ceres

1:14:28 Runners Up (Argent: The Consortium, Cryo, Dwellings of Eldervale, Whistle Mountain)

1:15:55 Listener Shoutout