Brendan shares a bit about how jargon and game design interact, and what they do for people outside the hobby. Join us, won’t you?

• WHAT IS THIS KIND OF GAME CALLED? (BGG thread)

What experiences have you had with board game jargon? Is it useful? Frustrating? Gate-keepery? Share your thoughts over on boardgamegeek in guild #3269. We’d love to have you there!

Brendan shares his first impression of three different games he tried recently. Join us, won’t you?

• Wilmot’s Warehouse (2024)
• Istanbul: The Dice Game (2017)
• Hanabi (2010) (revisited)
• Trekking the World (2020)

What new games have you played lately? What do you think of the games featured in this episode? Share your thoughts over on boardgamegeek in guild #3269.

Brendan shares some of his favorite things about Boardgamegeek. Join us, won’t you?

1. Ongoing contests or activities
   • NAME….THAT….GAAAAYME!!!
   • Out of the Dust
2. Really detailed discussions of rules questions
   • Sanctuary – Gain a tile from the pile and use it for open space.
3. Fan-made content
   • Loop inc – Solo Rules plus Additional Stretch Goal Rules, fancy formatting
4. Recommendations forum
5. The Boardgamegeek Database
6. Moderation
7. Geek Citizenship Recognition

What do you like about Boardgamegeek? What would you change to make it better? Share your thoughts over on …. boardgamegeek in our forums, guild #3269.

Brendan talks about how five ways story and games interact. Join us, won’t you?

• A set narrative
  • Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Thames Murders & Other Cases (1981)
  • Chronicles of Crime (2018)
  • Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game (2018)
• A selection of narrative elements
  • Betrayal at House on the Hill (2004)
  • A Touch of Evil: The Supernatural Game (2008)
• Player-generated narrative
  • Wilmot’s Warehouse (2024)
  • Microscope
• Mechanical narrative moments
  • Risk (1959)
  • Hot Streak (2025)
  • Ready Set Bet (2022)
  • A Study in Emerald (2013)
• Narrative purpose embedded in rules
  • Dungeon Petz (2011)
  • Anachrony (2017)

What ways do you appreciate how story and narrative blend together? Share your thoughts over on boardgamegeek in guild #3269.

PU&D 819: Epona, Marshmallow Test, Finspan, Gizmos (revisited)Brendan shares his thoughts on three games he tried for the first time recently, and one he revisited. Join us, won’t you?

• Epona (2025)
• Marshmallow Test (2020)
• Finspan (2025)
• Gizmos (2018)

Have you played any of these games? What games have you tried lately? Share your thoughts over on boardgamegeek in Guild #3269.

Brendan shares some thoughts about the themes and ideas in the cult classic teen comedy, Empire Records. Join us, won’t you?

• Empire Records (1995)
• Running a Store
  • Bargain Quest (2017)
  • Epic Resort (2014)
• Music is Life
  • GWAR vs. Time! (2020)
  • Vinyl (2019)
  • Rock Hard: 1977 (2024)
• What Life Will You Lead?
  • The Pursuit of Happiness (2015)
  • Funny Friends (2005)
• Cult Classics
  • A Study in Emerald (2013)
  • Cosmic Frog (2020)
  • Glory to Rome (2005)
• Needle Drops
  • What’s He Building in There? (2013)
    • “What’s He Building?”
  • Come Together (2022)
    • “Come Together”

Do you celebrate Rex Manning day? What other movies do you think about once a year? Share your thoughts over on boardgamegeek in guild #3269.

Brendan shares some quick observations about the games that went out and came in at the Chicago Area No Ship Math Trade last weekend. Join us, won’t you?Games I got rid of:

• Rolling Realms (2021)
• Android: Infiltration (2012)
• BEEEEES! (2017)
• Sky Team (2023)
• A Game of Thrones: The Board Game (Second Edition) (2011)
• Furnace (2020)
• Leaf (2023)
• Great Western Trail: Second Edition (2021)
• It’s a Wonderful World (2019)
• La Pâtisserie Rococo (2026)
• Tenpenny Parks (2022)
• Scape Goat (2020)
• The Final Flicktier (2019)
• Lord of the Rings: The Duel (2002)
• Clue Conspiracy (2023)

Games I acquired:

• Horrified: Greek Monsters (2023)
• Bury Me in the Rift (2019)
• Horseless Carriage (2023)
• Istanbul: The Dice Game (2017)
• Mystery Rummy: Jack the Ripper (1998)
• Faiyum (2020)
• Tranquility (2020)
• Gnome Hollow (2024)
• Teotihuacan: City of Gods (2018)
• Seasons (2012)
• Warhammer Quest: The Adventure Card Game (2015)
• Reign of Dragoness (2022)
• HerStory (2022)
• Starship Captains (2022)
• Valka (2024)

What games would you put into a big trade event? Share your choices over on boardgamegeek in guild #3269.

Brendan shares his first impressions of three games he played recently. Join us, won’t you?

• Hansa Teutonica (2009)
• Kanban EV (2020)
  • Vinhos: Deluxe Edition (2016)
  • Escape Plan (2019)
• Hot Streak (2025)
  • Ready Set Bet (2022)
• Via Nebula (2016) (revisited)

What do you think of these games? What have you been playing lately? Share your thoughts over on boardgamegeek in guild #3269. Join us, won’t you?

Brendan shares his thoughts on the games he played this month. Join us, won’t you?

• March 2026 Top of the Stack
  • New Game – Hansa Teutonica
  • Top 50 game – Lost Ruins of Arnak
  • Old Game New to Collection – Root
  • One More – Core Worlds
• Shelf of Opportunity
• Expand yourShelf
• April 2026 Top of the Stack
  • New Game – Light Speed Arena
  • Top 50 game – Lost Ruins of Arnak
  • Old Game New to Collection – Root
  • One More – Core Worlds

What games did you play this month? Share your thoughts over on Boardgamegeek Guild #3269.

Brendan shares his thoughts about books he read in October, November, and December of 2025. Join us, won’t you?

• The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Vol. 1
  • Victoriana (2019)
• The Player of Games (Culture, #2)
  • Civilization (1980)
• Midnight in Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World’s Greatest Nuclear Disaster
  • Daybreak (2023)
• Mister Magic
• I Was a Teenage Slasher
  • Last Friday (2016)
• Victorian Psycho
• Carpathians
• Too Like the Lightning (Terra Ignota, #1)
• Mighty Fitz: The Sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald
• Empire of Silence (The Sun Eater, #1)
• We Are Legion (We Are Bob) (Bobiverse, #1)
• The Lost Village
• Friend of the Devil
• How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps
• Death Comes at Christmas
• The Titanic Story: Hard Choices, Dangerous Decisions

What did you read in the last part of 2025? Share your thoughts over on boardgamegeek in guild #3269.