Pick Up and Deliver

Brendan talks about three games he played for the first time recently. Join us, won’t you?

• Postcards (2025)
• Leviathan Wilds (2024)
  • Episode 027: Shadow of the Leviathan
• MANTIS (2022)
  • “Why the MANTIS shrimp is my new favorite animal.”
• Fugitive (2017) (revisited)

What games have you tried lately? Share your plays over on boardgamegeek in guild #3269.

Brendan shares his thoughts about what makes for a great beginning to a game. This follows up on the previous episode about ends of games. Join us, won’t you?

• Happy Salmon (2016)
  • Bruce Voge III
  • Paku Paku (2017)
  • Escape: The Curse of the Temple (2012)
  • dude (2018)
• Agricola (2007)
  • Res Arcana (2019)
  • 3 Chapters (2024)
• Calico (2020)
  • Las Vegas (2012)
• A Game of Thrones: The Board Game (Second Edition) (2011)
  • A Handful of Stars (2017)
  • Sidereal Confluence (2017)
• Pandemic (2008)
• Honorable Mentions:
  • Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization (2015)
  • The Resistance: Avalon (2012)

Which games do you hope think have amazing openings? Share your thoughts with the guild over on boardgamegeek, #3269. See you there!

Brendan talks about how games end, and recommends five games with compelling endings. Join us, won’t you?

• Skull King (2013)
• Arkham Horror: The Card Game (2016)
• Monikers (2015)
• Escape! The Curse of the Temple (2012)
• A Study in Emerald (2013)

Honorable Mentions

• Res Arcana (2019)
• The Adventurers: The Pyramid of Horus (2011)
• QE (2019)

What games do you think have good endings? Share your thoughts over on boardgamegeek in guild #3269.

Brendan talks about three games he tried recently for the first time, and one game he dusted off. Join us, won’t you?

• Light Speed: Arena (2025)
• Core Worlds (2011)
  Verdant (2022)
• Underwater Cities: Data Era (2025)

What do you think of these games? What have you been playing lately? Share your thoughts over on boardgamegeek in guild #3269.

Brendan shares the films he watched during March and April of 2026, and what he thought of them. Join us, won’t you?

• An Honest Liar
  • Trickerion: Legends of Illusion (2015)
  • Unmatched: Houdini vs. The Genie (2022)
• Birds (workaround for Listers)
  • Listers
  • Wingspan (2019)
• Project Hail Mary
  • Daybreak (2023)
  • The Search for Planet X (2020)
• The Naked Gun
  • Deception: Murder in Hong Kong (2014)
  • Poetry for Neanderthals (2020)
• Empire Records
  • Empire Records (themestorm)
• Red, White & Royal Blue
  • Fog of Love (2017)
• Road House
  • Free With Ads podcast “Road House”
  • Vengeance (2018)

What films did you watch in March and April of 2026? Share your viewing and game recommendations over on boardgamegeek in guild #3269.

Brendan examines the games that came out between 2001 and 2004 (inclusive), and shares his view of which games are best. Join us, won’t you?

• Top 5 games from 2001-2004
  • Betrayal at House on the Hill (2004)
  • Ticket to Ride (2004)
  • The Downfall of Pompeii (2004)
  • Coloretto (2003)
  • Alhambra (2003)
• Best Game whose revised version is great: A Game of Thrones (2003)
• Best Game I don’t like that much: Power Grid (2004)
• Best Game I haven’t played much: Puerto Rico (2002)
• Best Game with a BORING theme: Ingenious (2004)
• Best Stabby game: Lifeboat (2002)

Previous Look Back episodesWhat are your favorite games from 2001-2004? Which ones should I seek out to try? Share your thoughts over on Boardgamegeek in guild #3269.

Brendan shares his gameplay stats and experiences from April of 2026, and his plans for May. Join us, won’t you?

• Top of the Stack, April 2026
  • New Game – Light Speed Arena✓
  • Top 50 game – Lost Ruins of Arnak
  • Old Game New to Collection – Root
  • One More – Core Worlds✓
• Shelf of Opportunity
• My Top 50
• Top of the Stack, May 2026
  • New Game – Ahoy
  • Top 50 game – Lost Ruins of Arnak
  • Old Game New to Collection – Teotihuacan
  • One More – Level 7 Escape

What did you play in April? Share your plays and your plans in our boardgamegeek guild #3269!

Brendan shares his thoughts on three games he tried for the first time recently. Join us, won’t you?

• Gnome Hollow (2024)
• Horrified: Greek Monsters (2023)
  • Horrified (2019)
  • Horrified: American Monsters (2021)
  • Horrified: World of Monsters (2024)
• Awkward Guests 2: The Berwick Cases (2023)
  • Clue (1949)
  • Awkward Guests: The Walton Case (2016)
• Seasons (2012)
  • Res Arcana (2019)

What games have you been playing lately? What do you think of this episode’s games? Share your thoughts over on boardgamegeek in our guild, #3269.

Brendan talks a bit about Earth Day and games that reflect on the topics related to it.

• Environmental Activism
  • Endeavor: Deep Sea (2024)
  • Endangered (2020)
  • Daybreak (2023)
• Animals and Nature
  • Wingspan (2019)
  • Wild: Serengeti (2022)
  • Cascadia (2021)
  • Undergrove (2024)
  • Earth (2023)
• Environmental Balance
  • Harmonies (2024)
  • CO2: Second Chance (aka CO₂: Second Chance) (2018)
  • 20th Century (2010)

What games would you add to the discussion of Earth Day? Share your thoughts over on boardgamegeek in guild #3269.

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!