Welcome back to The Fifth Meeple! Today's showdown is a race unlike any other. One contender brings post-apocalyptic carnage, while the other delivers fantasy-fueled kart racing. Will Thunder Road Vendetta run its rival off the road, or will Dungeon Kart use a few magical shortcuts to claim the crown? Let's hit the track and find out!

Episode 104: Raucous Racing: Thunder Road Vendetta vs Dungeon Kart

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

01:08 What's on our table?

14:40 Thunder Road Vendetta

30:52 Thunder Road Vendetta: The Collector's Corner

31:57 Thunder Road Vendetta: Final Thoughts

35:12 Dungeon Kart

52:57 Dungeon Kart: The Collector's Corner

54:42 Dungeon Kart: Final Thoughts

56:15 Battle of the Funnest Showdown

Want to keep the conversation going? Reach out to us at [email protected]—we’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, and hot takes. And as always… play more board games!

Every kingdom needs a ruler, but only one can wield Excalibur. Today we're sharing our quick thoughts on this medieval-themed board game and whether it's a quest worth embarking on as we tell you what we loved, what we didn't, and whether it's worth your time.

Episode 103 (Mini): Excalibur

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:54 Excalibur

02:28 Excalibur: The Good

07:14 Excalibur: The Bad

11:03 Excalibur: The Collector's Corner

13:41 Excalibur: Final Scores

Thanks for listening! Want to keep the conversation going? Reach out to us at [email protected]—we’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, and hot takes. And as always… play more board games!

Episode 102: Classic Drafts: Azul vs Sagrada

In today's episode the Goofy Noob Returns as we battle and review two modern classic board games. Both are masterpieces of color and design. One asks players to craft breathtaking mosaics for a Portuguese palace. The other challenges them to create stunning stained-glass windows worthy of a cathedral. Both have captivated millions of players around the world. But when the dust settles, which puzzle reigns supreme? Join us as we dive deep into the beauty, strategy, and tension of Azul versus Sagrada!

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction (Return of the Goofy Noob)

01:10 Topic of the Day!

14:22 Azul

26:17 Azul: The Collector's Corner

27:06 Azul: Final Thoughts

29:58 Sagrada

44:27 Sagrada: The Collector's Corner

46:17 Sagrada: Final Thoughts

49:50 Battle of the Funnest Showdown

If you are going to be at Origins 2026 and want to catch us reach out this week and we can maybe play a game or two with you!

Want to keep the conversation going? Reach out to us at [email protected]—we’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, and hot takes. And as always… play more board games!

Episode 101 (Mini): Ito

In this bite-sized review, we break down Ito, a cooperative party game that turns simple numbers into creative conversations. Easy to teach, quick to play, and packed with laughs, we'll tell you who this game is best for and whether it deserves a spot at your next game night.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

01:00 Ito

02:20 Ito: The Good

08:19 Ito: The Bad

13:32 Ito: The Collector's Corner

14:18 Ito: Final Scores

Thanks for listening! Want to keep the conversation going? Reach out to us at [email protected]—we’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, and hot takes. And as always… play more board games!

Episode 100: Music to Our Ears: Luthier vs Lacrimosa

Welcome to our 100th episode spectacular! We couldn’t think of a better theme than Music to Our Ears! Today’s contenders are two of the hobby’s most melodic heavy hitters: Lacrimosa and Luthier. Tune your instruments and shuffle your decks — it's time to see which performance earns the standing ovation!  Enjoy!

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

01:18 Topic of the Day!

10:54 Luthier

32:27 Luthier: Collector's Corner

36:14 Luthier: Final Thoughts

39:03 Lacrimosa

58:35 Lacrimosa: Collector's Corner

01:00:01 Lacrimosa: Final Thoughts

01:01:52 Battle of the Funnest Showdown!

Thanks for listening to our 100th episode!  We never thought we would make it this far and want to say to all of our listeners thanks for listening!  We couldn't have done it without you all!  

Want to keep the conversation going? Reach out to us at [email protected]—we’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, and hot takes. And as always… play more board games!

Episode 99 (Mini): Avant Carde

Today we’re diving into Avant Carde — the stylish card battler where every play feels like a duel between an art exhibit and a tactical mind game. We’ll talk about what makes it stand out, why people are buzzing about it, and whether this avant-garde experiment deserves a spot on your table.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:51 Avant Carde

02:17 Avant Carde: The Good

07:37 Avant Carde: The Bad

11:33 Avant Carde: Collector's Corner

12:03 Avant Carde: Final Scores

Thanks for listening! Want to keep the conversation going? Reach out to us at [email protected]—we’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, and hot takes. And as always… play more board games!

Episode 98: Living the Theme: Obsession vs Rock Hard 1977

Some board games have a theme pasted on top. Others pull you completely into their world. That’s what this week is all about. Today, we’re diving into two games that don’t just give you actions to take… they give you a life to live. In Rock Hard: 1977, you’re chasing fame, sleep deprivation, and your next big gig in the gritty world of late-70s rock. In Obsession, you’re managing servants, social status, and scandal in high society England. By the end of the episode, we’ll decide which game does the better job of making players forget they’re sitting at a table… and start believing they’re living another life!

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

01:14 Topic of the Day!

06:32 Obsession

27:09 Obsession: Collector's Corner

29:55 Obsession: Final Thoughts

32:04 Rock Hard 1977

44:19 Rock Hard 1977: Collector's Corner

44:57 Rock Hard 1977: Final Thoughts

47:35 Battle of the Funnest Showdown

Thanks for listening! Want to keep the conversation going? Reach out to us at [email protected]—we’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, and hot takes. And as always… play more board games!

Special Episode 97 (Rating the Rankings): BGG 1-10

Ten games. Thousands of ratings. Endless arguments. Today, we enter the sacred list: BoardGameGeek’s top 10. Some of these are masterpieces… some might be a little overrated. Either way, we’re ranking, critiquing, and maybe stirring the pot just a bit.  Afterwards we do our first ever draft where each host picks what games they would take out of the top 10 in a snake draft as we compete to earn your votes on who drafted the best!  Thanks as always for the listens and spreading the word!

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

01:27 BGG Top 10

37:52 The Draft

Whose draft did you like best? Let us know by emailing us at [email protected] and maybe we'll give you a shout out in our next episode!  As always get those games to the table!

Episode 96: Stars, Sweets, and Heavy Euros: Galactic Cruise vs Sweet Lands

Welcome back! This week, we’ve got a showdown that pits cosmic elegance against confectionery chaos. Galactic Cruise promises five-star experiences in zero gravity, while Sweet Lands delivers a bright, candy-filled world of playful competition. We’re throwing them into the ring to see which one actually satisfies. Space luxury or sugar rush—what’s it going to be? Listen in as these 2025 Heavy Euros battle for victory!

Time Stamps:

00:00 Introduction

01:03 Topic of the Day!

06:07 Galactic Cruise

24:45 Galactic Cruise: Collector's Corner

26:09 Galact Cruise: Final Thoughts

27:46 Sweet Lands

46:04 Sweet Lands: Collector's Corner

47:48 Sweet Lands: Final Thoughts

50:02 Battle of the Funnest Showdown

Thanks for listening! Want to keep the conversation going? Reach out to us at [email protected]—we’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, and hot takes. And as always… play more board games!

Special Episode 95 (Trivia): Starting Player Rules

Before the first move is made, before alliances are broken, before someone flips the table—there’s one critical question: who goes first? And apparently, board game designers have decided the answer should involve astrology, recent meals, or your proximity to a houseplant. Today’s trivia episode is all about starting player rules—the good, the bad, and the ‘why does this exist?’ Let’s find out who really deserves to go first.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:40 Chris's 10 Trivia Questions (Starting Player Rules) Play along with us!

Have any great trivia questions for us? Email us at [email protected] and maybe we'll put your trivia up on our podcast in the future (10 questions minimum| 15 questions max) as always play more board games!