Operation Game Night

Trick-taking games are everywhere right now, but not all of them earn a permanent spot on the shelf. We put Clay’s full taste on the record with a ranked list of 35 trick-taking games, from “still happy to play” to the titles that absolutely nail what we love about the genre: clean decisions, readable hands, and one great twist that changes everything without adding a rulebook’s worth of exceptions.

Along the way, we warm up with recent plays that hit very different corners of tabletop gaming. Clay breaks down Game Makers, a big box board game about making board games, complete with a rotating wheel, resource timing, and contract fulfillment choices that constantly ask “keep this for scoring or spend it for upgrades?” Travis shares thoughts on First Giants and why some modern worker placement and set collection designs can be solid yet still struggle to stand out once you already own a few favorites. We also shout out Pictomania as a drawing party game that actually feels strategic, with speed, deduction, and scoring pressure baked into every round.

Then we hit the main event: Clay’s definitive trick-taking ranking, including classics like Hearts and Spades, modern hits like Skull King and Cat In The Box, and why cooperative trick-taking games like The Crew are so satisfying when the whole table becomes your partner. The top spot goes to a story-driven Lord of the Rings co-op trick taker that keeps the mission magic and adds theme and progression for maximum payoff.

Subscribe for more board game rankings, trick-taking game recommendations, and honest takes, and if you disagree with our list, share the episode and tell us your top three trick-taking games.

We want to hear from our listeners! Send us a text with recommendations, weigh in on discussions, or just say hi!

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A lot of games feel fun for one night and then vanish into the shelf. We wanted to figure out the opposite: the board games that keep tugging at your brain weeks later, the ones you actually want to play again instead of just admiring the box.

We start by debriefing what we played recently, including Harvest and why its planting and harvesting rhythm feels so satisfying even when you get absolutely thwomped. Clayton breaks down quick hitters like Excalibur, Pick A Pepper, Tag Team, and Mind Bug, then we spend real time on Hanami, the gorgeous Keymaster Games take on Reiner Knizia’s Samurai. The production is deluxe, but the hook is the same classic tension: surround spaces, win majorities, and watch a simple tile placement turn into sharp area control decisions in about 30 minutes.

Then Travis brings in newer plays like Solstis and a first pass at Container before we geek out over dnup (Down Up), a small-box card shedding game from the designer of Scout that adds nasty interaction, clever flipping values, and that “one more round” feeling. From there, we hit our midyear “new to us in 2026” rankings, with standouts like Gazebo, Old King’s Crown, Layers, and more, plus a quick over-the-fence check-in on shows, reading, and a wild World Cup moment.

If you like board game reviews, top three lists, and practical “should we play this again?” talk, subscribe, share the episode with your game group, and leave a review so more people can find us.

We want to hear from our listeners! Send us a text with recommendations, weigh in on discussions, or just say hi!

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As always, come interact with us online, let us know if you have any feedback, and leave us a review/comment anywhere you get your favorite podcasts!

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They're back. Travis survived the move. Clay survived a month without his leader. The long form format is officially back by popular demand — and to celebrate, Clay drops a full military-tier deployment report on 38 games across 69 plays in June.

Plus: Travis debriefs on Lairs and Deep Regrets (Lovecraftian push-your-luck fishing game — yes it's as good as it sounds), a shoutout to Jared playing Root and Skull King somewhere overseas, Clay's new job with the National Wrestling Coaches Association, Travis settling into Space Force, and a mutual vote on who is most likely to become the grouchy old gamer shaking his fist at the clouds.
 Spoiler: it's Clay.

Chapters:
 0:00 — We're back! Long form returns
 0:57 — The return of Travis & apologies for the solo month
 2:41 — Rolling Deep & Eureka Kickstarter talk
 3:16 — Like, subscribe, leave a review (seriously though)
 5:18 — Travis debrief: Lairs with the Adventure Pack
 13:36 — Travis debrief: Deep Regrets & Deeper Regrets
 24:06 — Shoutout to Jared playing Root overseas
 25:18 — Clay's June Deployment Report — 38 games, 69 plays
 26:33 — Dishonorable Discharge tier
 34:23 — Honorable Discharge tier
 43:34 — Reserves tier
 47:28 — Active Duty tier
 58:09 — Special Forces tier
 1:01:47 — Over the fence: new jobs, the move, life updates

We want to hear from our listeners! Send us a text with recommendations, weigh in on discussions, or just say hi!

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New Zealand has no wild bears, which is exactly why we end up talking about building the best bear zoo we can. Clay and Sam dig into Baron Park, the Phil Walker-Harding tile-laying board game that turns Tetris-style polyomino pieces into a fast, satisfying puzzle you can teach to almost anyone. If you love games that reward smart placement without burying you in rules, this one keeps delivering that “one more turn” feeling.

We walk through how the game actually flows: place a tile, cover an icon, draft the next tile, and slowly expand your park as construction sites unlock new boards. Along the way we talk about the difference between lowly amenity tiles and those juicy animal enclosures, plus the risk of grabbing a huge high-point piece that simply will not fit. We also get into the bear statue race mechanism, where finishing sections early pays off big, and how the optional expert variant adds goal tiles that give experienced players extra targets without making the game feel heavier.

You will also hear the real table talk: how Baron Park scales at two, three, and four players, why it can feel fiddly on Board Game Arena compared to moving physical pieces, and why setup might be the true final boss unless you get an organizer. Then we detour into a spirited Patchwork debate that reveals what each of us actually wants from a polyomino puzzle.

If you enjoy Baron Park, zoo board games, family strategy games, or quick tile-laying games with meaningful choices, hit subscribe, share this with a friend who loves puzzles, and leave a review. What is the one tile you always regret taking?

We want to hear from our listeners! Send us a text with recommendations, weigh in on discussions, or just say hi!

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Catan has a weird superpower: it’s one of the most loved gateway board games and one of the most mocked “I’m too serious for this” targets. We lean into that tension and ask the honest question: is Settlers of Catan actually good, or are we just remembering 1995 with rose-colored glasses? Clay brings the frustration many hobby gamers feel, like three-hour runtimes, dead turns, and trading that drags. Sam joins us bright and early from New Zealand to make the case that the problem usually isn’t Catan, it’s how the table plays it.

We get tactical fast: why Catan is closer to an engine builder than a pure dice fest, how initial placement and number coverage can prevent that “I got nothing for 20 minutes” spiral, and why upgrading to cities early changes the whole pace. We also talk trading etiquette, decisiveness, and simple house rules that reduce early pain without turning the game into something unrecognizable.

Then we zoom out to what keeps Catan ubiquitous in board game culture: replay value through changing board layouts and changing opponents, plus expansions that add the right kind of variety. Sam shares favorites like Seafarers and the Through The Fog scenario, plus lighter add-ons like Helpers of Catan for asymmetric player powers. If you’ve ever sold your copy and wondered whether you should buy it back, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this with your game night group, and leave a review with your hottest Catan take.

Check out Sam at https://www.instagram.com/mesmerealm_games/

We want to hear from our listeners! Send us a text with recommendations, weigh in on discussions, or just say hi!

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We trade the usual birthday expectations for a weeklong board game celebration as Mike turns 40 and brings a list of 20 games he wants on the table. We break down what makes the list work, which titles he’s most hyped to play, and why having a partner who truly loves the hobby changes everything. 

•building a 20-game birthday week list that’s realistic to play 
•who’s joining the sessions and how the week is structured 
•early plays and quick hits like Druids of Edora and Dunup 
•goofy story moments in Botany and why it stays memorable 
•bigger table picks like A Gest of Robin Hood and Great Western Trail 
•why Tapestry is the must-play birthday tradition 
•Barnes and Noble clearance surprises with Pick a Pepper and Floristry 
•the one brand-new birthday buy he hopes arrives in time: Trismegistus 

https://www.instagram.com/themeeplethatloses/

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A five-hour learning game sounds like a warning label, but Speakeasy has the rare kind of weight that makes us lean in instead of bounce. I’m Clay, and I’m joined by Mike from Meeple That Loses on Instagram to talk through Vital Lacerda’s Speakeasy board game and why it’s hitting so hard for fans of heavy eurogames, worker placement, and deep “efficiency puzzle” planning.

We dig into what makes the theme actually work: Prohibition-era Manhattan, building distilleries, running rum across the city, and turning deliveries into real momentum on your player board. Mike explains how Lacerda’s signature cascading turns show up here, plus the constant pressure of police heat and mob wars that can punish sloppy defense. If you’ve ever wondered what justifies a long, complex strategy game, this chat gets specific about the mechanisms that create tension, pacing, and payoff.

We also talk practical reality: ideal player count for newcomers, why pre-watch prep helps, and why the player aids matter more than you’d think in a rules-dense game. Then we zoom out to compare Speakeasy to other Vital Lacerda titles, including which games make the best stepping stones before you commit.

If you’re curious about Speakeasy, Vital Lacerda games, or the best thematic heavy board games to try at a convention, hit play. Subscribe, share this with your heaviest-game friend, and leave a review telling us which big game is next on your bucket list.

We want to hear from our listeners! Send us a text with recommendations, weigh in on discussions, or just say hi!

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Pirates who serve tea instead of plundering feel like a joke until you see how well the idea works on the table. Clay sits down with Mike from Meeple That Loses to review Pirates of the High Teas, the 2026 release from designer Emily Vincent and Pink Hawk Games, and we dig into why this light board game is such an easy sell for a relaxed game night. You draft tea cards that act like scoring objectives, draft dish cards that provide flavors and fleet colors, then try to serve the captain for the biggest doubloon payout. Simple goal, surprisingly chewy choices.

We walk through the core systems: nine rounds of worker placement, card drafting from face-up displays or the top of the deck, and the constant tension of turn order as the left-to-right ship positions determine who grabs the perfect card first. We also get into the gadgets that add momentum and interaction, like the cannon that refreshes a market row, the monkey that grabs extra cards, and the parrot that lets you sell snacks to the crew for quick cash when your captain combo just won’t cooperate. If you like contract fulfillment, set collection, and approachable strategy, there’s a lot to like here.

Then the real debate hits: is Pirates of the High Teas a “Critter Kitchen killer” that trims the fat and delivers the fun faster, or is it a pleasant game that doesn’t quite carve out its own identity among modern gateway favorites? We talk art, theme, teachability, and the key puzzle decisions, including stacking cards for better flavor matches and whether it ever makes sense to score only half a tea card’s requirements.

If you’ve been hunting for an entry-level worker placement game with great table presence and a cozy, funny vibe, this conversation will help you decide if it belongs on your shelf. Subscribe for more board game reviews, share this with a friend who loves food-themed games, and leave a rating with your take: streamlined gem or too familiar?

Thanks for Mike from the Meeple that Loses on Instagram for chatting with us!

We want to hear from our listeners! Send us a text with recommendations, weigh in on discussions, or just say hi!

Support the show

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https://www.instagram.com/operation_game_night_podcast/

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A board game about growing up sounds like pure theme, until you see Coming of Age’s head-shaped player board packed with mood tracks, goals, and friendships. We’re joined by Tiffany from tiffs.board.games, and she walks us through why this Dani Garcia design surprised her: it looks like a lot, but after one play the whole system snaps into focus and starts flying.

We break down the core mechanism as a clean dice-placement Eurogame. You start small with a D4 and a short list of childhood interests, then add bigger dice as new places open up, from the cinema to the basketball court to the music store. Each choice shifts you across five emotion tracks, and those shifts aren’t just flavor. They generate points and resources, including motivation tokens that pay for key actions. We also dig into frustration tokens, the push-your-luck lever that lets you change course when the roll doesn’t match your plan, but can cost you value later.

Then we get into the rest of the loop: bus stop actions, building friendships (including a clever way to connect directly with other players), and goal systems that determine how many endgame objectives you’re even allowed to score. We also talk honestly about the theme debate, why some people bounce off the “left is bad” framing, and why the game still feels like a smart integration of mechanics and story for a medium-weight, under-an-hour play.

If you’ve been on the fence about Coming of Age, this conversation is built to help you decide. Subscribe for more board game breakdowns, share this with a friend who loves theme-forward Euros, and leave a review. Would you rather a life-theme game feel realistic or feel rewarding?

Be sure to check out Tiff at @tiffs.board.games on instragram!

We want to hear from our listeners! Send us a text with recommendations, weigh in on discussions, or just say hi!

Support the show

As always, come interact with us online, let us know if you have any feedback, and leave us a review/comment anywhere you get your favorite podcasts!

https://www.instagram.com/operation_game_night_podcast/

Show your support for the OGN Crew by contributing to the OGN War Chest:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2396881/support

A two-player board game that feels like Battleship grew up, learned dungeon design, and decided to mess with your head. Clay Gable is joined by Tiff from @tiffs.board.games on intstagram to unpack Lairs from Kids Table Board Games, a build-then-explore dungeon crawl where you create a maze behind a screen, hide treasure, plant a trap and a monster, then race through your opponent’s creation while they do the same to you.

We break down what makes the system click: the moment-to-moment tension of turning corners, the satisfaction of building a dungeon that “reads” like a puzzle, and the mind games that show up fast once you learn how your opponent thinks. We also get honest about the base game. The core loop is fun and the production is charming, but the limited variety can leave experienced gamers wanting more after a couple plays, especially if you start to feel like hustling is always the obvious move.

Then we dig into what the expansions add to replayability and strategy. The Adventure Pack brings more monsters, traps, and new actions that open up your decision space, while Deeper Dungeons goes bigger with larger boards, challenges, bosses, terrain like mist that blocks peeking, special wall types like lock-and-key obstacles, and even asymmetrical characters. If you’re shopping for a great two-player strategy board game, a compact dungeon crawler, or a hidden movement experience with real table talk, this conversation will help you decide how deep to go.

If you enjoy the show, subscribe, share this with a friend who loves tense head-to-head games, and leave a review. Are expansions a dealbreaker for you, or part of the fun?

We want to hear from our listeners! Send us a text with recommendations, weigh in on discussions, or just say hi!

Support the show

As always, come interact with us online, let us know if you have any feedback, and leave us a review/comment anywhere you get your favorite podcasts!

https://www.instagram.com/operation_game_night_podcast/

Show your support for the OGN Crew by contributing to the OGN War Chest:

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