In Episode 299 we discuss all of the games played during the second half of our semi-annual in-person games gathering in San Diego, California.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

01:45 Stroganov

12:14 Manhattan Project: Energy Empire

23:19 Boast or Nothing

29:15 Grand Austria Hotel

40:44 Mule: The Board Game

53:03 Echoes of Time

59:41 Nokosu Dice

1:07:03 Burn the Fort

1:14:35 River Rush

1:30:43 Listener Shoutout

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In Episode 298 we discuss all of the games played during the first half of our semi-annual in-person games gathering, this time in San Diego, California.

If you enjoy the show, please vote for Board Game Hot Takes for best podcast in the annual Board Game Geek Golden Geek Awards here: BoardGameGeek

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

04:53 Ayar: Children of the Sun

14:40 Captain Flip

17:57 Lords of Vegas

28:15 Endeavor: Deep Sea

33:13 March of the Ants: Evolved Edition

40:25 Origin Story

45:15 Civolution

If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes

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In Episode 297 we discuss how board games trigger dopamine and name our top 5 games loaded with dopamine hits.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

Top 5 Dopamine Loaded Board Games

05:57 Endeavor: Deep Sea

9:02 No Thanks

11:43 Champions of Midgard, Batman: Gotham City Chronicles, Eclipse: 2nd Dawn for The Galaxy, Arcs, Star Wars Rebellion

16:00 Nippon: Zaibatsu

19:48 Sol: Last Days of a Star

22:32 Kanban EV, Barrage, Tapestry

26:18 Slay the Spire: The Board Game

28:15 Tycoon: India 1981

30:53 Can't Stop, Quacks, Wonderland's War

35:35 Grand Austria Hotel

37:38 Dune, Fractal, Glory to Rome, Blood Rage

43:45 Rebirth

45:25 Brass: Birmingham, Steam Power

49:06 Motor City, Darwin's Journey, Rajas of the Ganges: The Dice Charmers, Cribbage

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In Episode 296 we talk through our real-time nominations for the 2025 boardgamegeek.com Golden Geek Awards.

If you enjoy our show and would like to support us by nominating us for Best Board Game Podcast you can do that here: https://boardgamegeek.com/goldengeek

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

04:05 Above and Below: Haunted

04:57 Ada's Dream

06:53 Ape Town

08:35 Aquaria

09:32 Ayar: Children of the Sun

11:03 Clank! Catacombs - Underworld

12:44 Dark Heists

14:26 Dewan

15:55 Dune: Imperium - Bloodlines

17:28 Echoes of Time

18:56 Eternal Decks

19:46 Etherstone

20:12 Everdell Duo

20:40 Finspan

22:08 Fliptoons

23:23 Galactic Cruise

25:47 Gems of Iridescia

27:11 Great Western Trail: El Paso

28:07 Hot Streak

30:15 Hyperspace

31:17 Lord of the Rings: Fate of the Fellowship

32:54 Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring: the Trick Taking Game

33:40 Luthier

34:50 No Loose Ends

35:50 Iliad

36:53 Lost Ruins of Arnak: Twisted Paths

37:44 March of the Ants: Evolved Edition

39:36 Quorum

40:11 Scoville: 2nd Edition

41:32 SHASN: AZADI

42:36 Steam Power

43:52 Moon Colony Bloodbath

45:10 The Old King's Crown

46:33 Origin Story

47:23 Sea Salt & Paper: Extra Pepper

48:31 Speakeasy

50:28 Stupor Mundi

52:26 Toy Battle

53:02 Tycoon: India 1981

55:04 Vantage

57:30 Wroth

59:34 Best Board Game Podcast Category

59:58 Chris' News

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In Episode 295 we give our hot take review on Endeavor: Deep Sea covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.

We talk about the games we'll be playing at our bi-annual (or semi-annual) BGHT Con and also discuss some games that have been on our tables including Captain Flip, Endless Space 2, and Earthborne Rangers.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:22 BGHT SandyCon Excitement Chat (M.U.L.E, Stroganov, Kanban E.V., Speakeasy, March of the Ants, Echoes of Time, Lords of Vegas, Civolution, Aquaria, Endeavor: Deep Sea, Beyond the Horizon)

7:50 Endeavor: Deep Sea Description

10:47 Gameplay and Mechanisms

31:27 Production and Theme

37:21 Final Thoughts

41:23 Captain Flip

45:22 Endless Space 2

53:46 Earthborne Rangers

If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes

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In Episode 294 we invite board game designer, Andy Schwarz, on to discuss his experience with self-publishing a game and he shares lessons learns, tips and tricks, and some real financial numbers.

You can read Andy's blog post covering some of the discussed topics here: https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3215750/an-analysis-of-what-it-costs-to-self-publish-a-gam

If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes

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In Episode 293 we each cover 5 board games that integrate animals themes.

We also discuss a poll on packing board games when travelling on a plane.

00:00 Introduction

03:50 Poll Time: How do you pack board games when travelling via airplane

11:40 15 Great Animal Themed Games

If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes

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In Episode 292 we give our hot take review on two board game expansions - Viticulture: Bordeaux and Revive: Call of the Abyss

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

0:35 Viticulture: Bordeaux

0:51 Gameplay and Mechanisms

19:36 Production and Theme

21:29 Final Thoughts

28:03 Revive: Call of the Abyss

28:51 Gameplay and Mechanisms

39:04 Production and Theme

40:33 Final Thoughts

45:29 News and Listener Shoutout

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In Episode 291 we look back at some hidden gems from 2020-2024. We each name at least one game that doesn't get discussed much anymore from each of these years and talk about why they deserve more attention.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:49 Top 5 Overlooked Board Games (2020-2024)

05:00 2020 - Whistle Mountain (Rajas of the Ganges: The Dice Charmers, The Castles of Tuscany, Star Wars Unlock, Mariposas)

10:22 2020 - Godspeed

11:23 2020 - New York Zoo

15:20 2021 - Viking See-Saw (Boon Lake, Mille Fiori, Messina 1347)

21:26 2021 - Dune: A Game of Conquest and Diplomacy

25:42 2021 - The Emerald Flame

27:33 2021 - That Time You Killed Me

33:18 2022 - Vagrantsong (Sea Salt & Paper, Woodcraft, Creature Comforts, Paperback Adventures)

39:49 2022 - Mosaic: A Story of Civilization

41:47 2022 - Age of Galaxy

42:37 2022 - Aeon Trespass Odyssey

44:29 2022 - Three Sisters

48:45 2023 - Imperial Miners (Pirates of Maracaibo, Rats of Wistar, Surfasaurus Max)

53:56 2023 - Fractal, Robot Quest Arena

56:35 2023 - Europa Universalis: The Price of Power

59:28 2023 - Sea Dragons

1:03:33 2024 - Lone Wolves (Let's Go To Japan, Fromage, Rebirth, Windmill Valley, Flip 7, Captain Flip, Invincible: The Hero Building Game, Stamp Swap, Spring Cleaning)

1:08:50 2024 - Frozen Frontier, Biohack

1:10:08 2024 - Reforest, Looot

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In Episode 290 we discuss board game strategy, how we approach it, and why we care about strategy when we're playing board games.

We also discuss a poll about discussing strategy after a play.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:25 Poll Time: Do you discuss the strategy of your play after finishing a game?

12:05 Board Game Strategy

12:38 How do you approach strategy on a first play of a board game?

17:15 What's your approach for getting better at board game strategy after your first play?

24:57 Is getting better at strategy important to you?

32:35 Are there any games you feel you're the best you'll ever be?

37:29 Are there any games you aren't good at and don't know how to get better?

46:08 If you aren't getting better at strategy in a game does that game become less fun for you?

52:54 Have you every looked for strategy tips online for a game?

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In Episode 289 we give our hot take review on Dewan covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.

We also discuss some games that have been on our tables including Speakeasy, Saltfjord, and Ape Town.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

00:41 Dewan Description

02:18 Gameplay and Mechanisms

18:40 Production and Theme

23:55 Final Thoughts

28:25 Speakeasy

37:25 Saltfjord

45:06 GameCon at House on the Hill (Portland Metro Area)

47:53 Ape Town

57:53 Listener Shoutout

If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakes

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