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 Assault
• Gloomhaven
• Aftermath
• Mice and Mystics
• Stuffed Fables
• Twilight Imperium

Shoe's topic: What are the biggest problems with the board game hobby/industry today?

• Cards Against Humanity
• Monopoly
• The Settlers of Catan
• King of Tokyo
• Ticket to Ride
• Pickomino
• Mousetrap
• Care Bears: On the Path to Care-a-Lot
• Battlestar Galactica: The Board Game

Final thoughts:

• Munchkin
• Crown of Emara
• The Primary
• Hive Mind
• Decrypto
• Blockbuster
• Time's Up: Total Recall
• Monikers
• Taboo

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 restockRoot Batman: Gotham City Chronicles 7th Continent Shoe's topic: Recent favesLetter 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 favesAgricola 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

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 Vinhos Viticulture Brass; Birmingham Brass: Lancashire Trogdor!!

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

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

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 Adventure Tactics Time of Legends: Destinies Time of Legends: Joan of Arc Chronicles of Crime The Isofarian Guard Holi: Festival of Colors Tidal Blades Fossilis Detective: City of Angels   Final Thoughts Point Salad Deck Building: The Deck Building Game Q.E.

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 Sinister Six Moon Base

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 Star Wars: Outer Rim Firefly Xia: Legends of a Drift System Star Wars: Rebellion   Final thoughts: Agricola Caverna Caverna: The Forgotten Folk Luxor Chronicles of Crime: Welcome to Redview

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 HavocFarmageddon 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 Tokyo Highway Tokyo Series Final thoughts:   Gugong Q.E. The Estates The Tale of Ord (PostCurious) Wingspan

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 thoughts:   Naga Raja Small World Yokohama Carcassone Alhambra Thurn and Taxis Liar's Dice Rummikub Broom Service Istanbul