We buy games for a lot of reasons. To have fun with friends, to discover a new designer or enjoy a mechanic we don’t currently have represented in our collection. But could there be… another reason? One that goes down to the very root of human nature? Are we maybe buying promise more than just the hot new cardboard offering at our FLGS?

This week on the show, Steve, Rob and Evan attempt to find out!

Want to ask a question or give us your two cents about the state of euros? Hit us up at [email protected]!

Want to play some of Robert’s games? Grab them here! - https://www.allplay.com/board-games/partner/bitewing/

Cites and Sources

3 Ring Circus - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/371947/3-ring-circus

7th Citadel - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/286063/the-7th-citadel

Agricola - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/31260/agricola

Arydia: The Paths We Dare Tread - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/219650/arydia-the-paths-we-dare-tread

Batman: The Animated Series Adventures – Shadow of the Bat - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/299566/batman-the-animated-series-adventures-shadow-of-th

Botswana - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/398/wildlife-safari

Caesar!: Seize Rome In 20 Minutes - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/338957/caesar-seize-rome-in-20-minutes

Cat Blues: The Big Gig - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/414351/cat-blues-the-big-gig

Dark Souls: The Board Game - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/197831/dark-souls-the-board-game

Elden Ring: Realm of the Grafted King - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/373107/elden-ring-realm-of-the-grafted-king

Frosthaven - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/295770/frosthaven

Gloomhaven - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/174430/gloomhaven

Horizon Zero Dawn: The Board Game - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/260410/horizon-zero-dawn-the-board-game

Merchants of Andromeda - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/436516/merchants-of-andromeda

Merchants of Amsterdam - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/531/merchants-of-amsterdam

Oathswarn - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/251661/oathsworn-into-the-deepwood

Ra - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/12/ra

Root - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/237182/root

Slay The Spire: The Board Game - https://boardgamegeek.om/boardgame/338960/slay-the-spire-the-board-game

Tainted Grail - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/264220/tainted-grail-the-fall-of-avalon

Unconscious Mind - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/329500/unconscious-mind

Veiled Fate - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/315695/veiled-fate

Yucatan - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/330510/yucatan

Some would say that points make the board gaming world go round! A lot of our favorite games all come down to a contest of having the most points… but what do those points tell us about the game? More to the point… what to they tell us about the players and the session? Are more points really always better?

This week on the show, Steve, Rob and Evan attempt to find out!

Want to ask a question or give us your two cents about the state of euros? Hit us up at [email protected]!

Want to play some of Robert’s games? Grab them here! - https://www.allplay.com/board-games/partner/bitewing/

Cites and Sources

American Bookshop - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/292811/american-bookshop

Brian Boru - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/337765/brian-boru-high-king-of-ireland

Bus - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/552/bus

Castles of Burgundy - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/84876/the-castles-of-burgundy

Cat Ass Trophy - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/651/zero-down

Chess - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/171/chess

Discordia - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/360206/discordia

Five Three Five - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/311031/oh-meow-bow

Great Western Trail - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/193738/great-western-trail

Heaven & Ale - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/227789/heaven-and-ale

Iwari - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/270109/iwari

L.A.M.A - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/266083/llama

Last Will - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/97842/last-will

Lisboa - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/161533/lisboa

Medici - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/46/medici

Parade - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/56692/parade

Penguin Party - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/56933/penguin-party

Pipeline - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/256730/pipeline

Poison - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/17025/poison

REX: Final Days of an Empire

Tatari - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/368554/tatari

Tinner’s Trail - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/321277/tinners-trail

Wavelength - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/262543/wavelength

We did a mini-con! It was invite only, and only 3 invites were sent out. We had guest travel over 5000 k/m to join in the fun… so what better way to commemorate this than a bonus pod!

Please enjoy this recap of our time together for Cardboard Con 2024. And thanks for being a listener of Cardboard Philosophy. It’s been a great year, can’t wait to continue this into 2025!!

Want to ask a question or give us your two cents about the state of euros? Hit us up at [email protected]!

Cites and Sources

Friday:

Neuland – https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/12681/neuland

Scharfe Schotten - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/153480/scharfe-schoten

Galactic Renaissance (2X) - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/365526/galactic-renaissance

Surfosaurus MAX - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/394887/surfosaurus-max

Byzantium - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/19348/byzantium

Penguin Party - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/56933/penguin-party

Trendy - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1412/trendy

Saturday:

Age of Steam - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/4098/age-of-steam

Power Grid - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2651/power-grid

Fast Sloths - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/277597/fast-sloths

Rebel Princess - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/381249/rebel-princess

Bridges of Shangri-La - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/8190/the-bridges-of-shangri-la

Tatari - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/368554/tatari

Marco Polo Expeditions - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/9139/marco-polo-expedition

Sunday:

Mexica - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2955/mexica

Comic Hunters - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/322616/comic-hunters

Mini Express - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/300751/mini-express

Mombasa - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/172386/mombasa

Medici TCG - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/202288/medici-the-card-game

Galactic Renaissance - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/365526/galactic-renaissance

Voodoo Prince - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/234248/voodoo-prince

We say the word “play” a lot in board gaming. “Wanna play a game” usually initiates the game nights that got us into the hobby in the first place… but what is play?

That’s a big question. So big we’ve enlisted the help of The Dice Tower’s Chris Yi to make sure we cover all the ins and outs of play… and the Treaty of Versailles!

Want to ask a question or give us your two cents about the state of euros? Hit us up at [email protected]!

Want more of Chris in your life?

https://www.dicetower.com/team-members/chris-yi

https://x.com/dicetowerchris

Cites and Sources

Arcs - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/359871/arcs

Botswana (Wildlife Safari) - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/398/wildlife-safari

Chinatown - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/47/chinatown

Concept - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/147151/concept

Hansa Teutonica - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/43015/hansa-teutonica

Imperium: Horizons - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/367518/imperium-horizons

Ito - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/327778/ito

Men-Nefer - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/404431/men-nefer

Mexica - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2955/mexica

Monikers - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/156546/monikers

SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/418059/seti-search-for-extraterrestrial-intelligence

That’s Not A Hat - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/375651/thats-not-a-hat

Zoo Vadis - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/368061/zoo-vadis

Theme and setting are both terms that get thrown around a lot in board game discussions – often as synonyms. But are they actually the same thing? If not… what makes them different?

This week on the show Evan, Robert and Steve are all diving into the weird and wonderful world of Theme VS Setting!

Want to ask a question or give us your two cents about the state of euros? Hit us up at [email protected]!

Cites and Sources

An Infamous Traffic - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/206490/an-infamous-traffic

Beowulf: The Movie Board Game - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/29308/beowulf-the-movie-board-game

Chess - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/171/chess

Chinatown - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/47/chinatown

Cosmolancer - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/119/cosmolancer

Decrypto - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/225694/decrypto

Galactic Renaissance - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/365526/galactic-renaissance

Great Plains - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/330036/great-plains

Halls of Hegra - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/336131/halls-of-hegra

Heaven & Ale - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/227789/heaven-and-ale

Imperium: Horizons - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/367518/imperium-horizons

John Company Second Edition - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/332686/john-company-second-edition

Lisboa - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/161533/lisboa

Modern Art - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/118/modern-art

Mombasa - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/172386/mombasa

Municipium - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/29410/municipium

On Mars - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/184267/on-mars

Pax Pamir - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/256960/pax-pamir-second-edition

Root - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/237182/root

Samurai - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3/samurai

SILOS - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/429765/silos

Skymines - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/359438/skymines

Star Trek: Captain’s Chair - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/422541/star-trek-captains-chair

Tatari - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/368554/tatari

The Defence of Procyon III - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/267244/the-defence-of-procyon-iii

Through The Desert - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/503/through-the-desert

Trendy - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1412/trendy

Veiled Fate - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/315695/veiled-fate

Waterfall Park - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/396618/waterfall-park

How far is too far in board gaming? No, I don’t mean collection size… and no, I don’t mean how far would you travel to play one… I mean subject matter!

How far is too far? Is there a too far? Is there anything fully off limits for publishers or players?

This week on the show, Evan, Robert and Steve try to find out!

Want to ask a question or give us your two cents about the state of euros? Hit us up at [email protected]!

Cites and Sources

Alice Is Missing - https://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/311654/alice-is-missing

An Infamous Traffic - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/206490/an-infamous-traffic

The Cost - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/292894/the-cost

Heading Forward - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/363538/heading-forward

Hegemony: Lead Your Class To Victory - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/321608/hegemony-lead-your-class-to-victory

I Guess This Is It - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/346911/i-guess-this-is-it

Mombasa - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/172386/mombasa

Pax Pamir: Second Edition - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/256960/pax-pamir-second-edition

Secret Hitler - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/188834/secret-hitler

Skymines - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/359438/skymines

Tinner’s Trail - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/35570/tinners-trail

In a rare continuation on the previous week’s topic – this week we’re talking immersion!

But what is immersion in a game? Is it a Scrooge McDuck style dive into a swimming pool of board games? Or is it something more design based? More player based? I’m sure curious to know what Robert, Evan and Steve dredge up from the depths of philosophy on this one!

Want to ask a question or give us your two cents about the state of euros? Hit us up at [email protected]!

Cites and Sources

Blood On The Clocktower - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/240980/blood-on-the-clocktower

Captain Sonar - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/171131/captain-sonar

Checkers - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2083/checkers

Decrypto - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/225694/decrypto

Gussy Gorillas - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/335864/gussy-gorillas

High Society - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/220/high-society

Just One - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/254640/just-one

Monikers - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/156546/monikers

Ra - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/12/ra

Shuffle & Swing - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/414350/shuffle-and-swing

Sky Team - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/373106/sky-team

That’s Not A Hat - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/375651/thats-not-a-hat

Twilight Imperium - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/233078/twilight-imperium-fourth-edition

Wavelength - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/262543/wavelength

Werewolf - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/925/werewolf

Wilmot’s Warehouse - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/424975/wilmot-s-warehouse

Books, movies, TV shows, slam poetry, art – there are a lot of artistic mediums out there; but what makes board games unique among the lot?

Are they better geared to a specific type of storytelling? Or are they bad for story telling full stop?

This week on the show, the dynamic trio of Steven, Robert and Evan endeavor to find out!

Want to ask a question or give us your two cents about the state of euros? Hit us up at [email protected]!

Cites and Sources

Age of Steam - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/4098/age-of-steam

A Gest of Robin Hood - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/338376/a-gest-of-robin-hood

Botswana - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/398/wildlife-safari

Brass: Lancashire - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/355093/woodcraft

Byzantium - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/19348/byzantium

Cards Against Humanity - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/50381/cards-against-humanity

Checkers - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2083/checkers

John Company: Second Edition - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/332686/john-company-second-edition

Kanban EV - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/284378/kanban-ev

Modern Art - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/118/modern-art

Power Grid - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2651/power-grid

Secret Hitler - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/188834/secret-hitler

Sekigahara: The Unification of Japan - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/25021/sekigahara-the-unification-of-japan

The Cost - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/292894/the-cost

Tinner’s Trail - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/321277/tinners-trail

Woodcraft - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/355093/woodcraft

“I just can’t wait to be king!” We all know that catchy musical number from the hit 1994 musical “The Lion King.” But Simba wasn’t able to become king on his own. It took a bit of king making from his evil uncle Scar.

Just like the Disney animated classic; board games have king making too (just usually less inspired by Hamlet). How do designers leverage king making? Is it a feature of a design or more of a bug?

This week on the show, the dynamic trio of Steven, Robert and Evan endeavor to find out!

Want to ask a question or give us your two cents about the state of euros? Hit us up at [email protected]!

Cites and Sources

Bohnanza - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/11/bohnanza

Botswana - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/398/wildlife-safari

Chess - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/171/chess

Cole Wehrle: In Defense of King Making - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UraJElx1ebg

Cosmic Encounter - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/39463/cosmic-encounter

Inis - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/155821/inis

Oath - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/291572/oath

Root - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/237182/root

Secret Hitler - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/188834/secret-hitler

Terra Mystica - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/120677/terra-mystica

Twilight Imperium: 4th Edition - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/12333/twilight-struggle

Zoo Vadis - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/368061/zoo-vadis

In board gaming, collections can range anywhere from 1 to 1001 (anything after 1001 will cause an explosion). With such a wide swath of options there has to be a perfect number, right? A “goldilocks zone” if you will?

Today on the show Robert, Evan and Steve endeavor to find out!

Want to ask a question or give us your two cents about the state of euros? Hit us up at [email protected]!

Cites and Sources

Abomination - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/239472/abomination-the-heir-of-frankenstein

Art Robbery - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/341935/art-robbery

Azul - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/230802/azul

Barrage - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/251247/barrage

Bullet - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/307305/bullet-love

Carpe Diem - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/245934/carpe-diem

Castles of Burgundy - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/271320/the-castles-of-burgundy

Genial Spezial - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/40830/genial-spezial

Great Western Trail - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/193738/great-western-trail

Haggis - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/37628/haggis

Hot Lead - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/339924/hot-lead

Iliad - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/420914/iliad

Inis - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/155821/inis

Imperial Steam - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/338760/imperial-steam

John Company - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/332686/john-company-second-edition

Kanban Ev - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/284378/kanban-ev

Kingdoms - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/119/kingdoms

Knights of Charlemange (Hungry) - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/182/hungry

La Havre - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/35677/le-havre

London - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/65781/london

Monikers - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/156546/monikers

On Mars - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/184267/on-mars

Quacks of Quedlinburg - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/244521/the-quacks-of-quedlinburg

Ra - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/12/ra

Renature - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/300001/renature

Root - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/237182/root

Sea Salt & Paper - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/367220/sea-salt-and-paper

Shamans - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/313262/shamans

Take The A Chord - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/174975/take-the-a-chord

The Great Zimbabwe - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/111341/the-great-zimbabwe

Tower of Babel - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/15510/tower-of-babel

Twilight Imperium: Forth Edition - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/233078/twilight-imperium-fourth-edition

Two Rooms & A Boom - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/134352/two-rooms-and-a-boom