Going Analog Show

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: The Scapegoat
• A Game of Thrones: Hand of the King
• Secrets
• Werewolf
• Mafia

Final thoughts:

• Root
• Russian Railroads
• Kingdom Death Monster

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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
• Isle of Cats
• Grand Carnival
• Nouvelle-France
• Mariposas
• Die Crew/The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine
• Rallyman: GT
• Smartphone Inc.
• Cleopatra and the Society of Architects
• Burgle Bros 2: The Casino Capers
• Inhuman Conditions
• Unsettled
• Wonderland's War
• Foundations of Rome
• Namiji
• Ankh: Gods of Egypt

Final thoughts:

• T-Rex's Holiday
• Nokosu Dice
• Food Chain Magnate
• Bus
• Kobe
• Abomination: Heir of Frankenstein

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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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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 Card Game
• Star Wars: Destiny
• Star Wars: Imperial Assault
• Star Wars: Outer Rim
• Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures
• Star Wars: Legion
• Star Wars: Armada

Final thoughts:

• Slide Quest
• Draw Your Own Conclusions

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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 Carpet Scotland Yard Disney Villainous Puerto Rico San Juan The Castles of Burgundy Carpe Diem Bora Bora Jaws Troll

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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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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

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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

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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!!

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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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