This week we're looking at the 20 games and expansions we're most excited to see and play through the end of 2024. There's a lot of good stuff on the horizon. Let's dig in! Acquisition Disorders - Everdell Duo, BOOM Patrol - Arcade-style Tank Battling Action! At the Table Reviews - Star Wars Shatterpoint, Dune: Imperium - Uprising, Munchkin: Cleric…

This week we're joined by Dave Eng, host of the Experience Points podcast, leader of the Games-Based Learning Alliance, and founder of Banditos Gaming. He joins us to chat about recent plays, his work in the gaming community, and his own favorite game. Find out more at www.davengdesign.com Acquisition Disorders - River Glassworks, DC Heroes United,…

All the components in one place! What could go wrong. Join us as we explore the monkey's paw situation that is the "big box." Why we wanted them, why we regret buying them, and just how big and dumb these things have become. Acquisition Disorders: Saltfjord, Defenders of the Wild At the Table Reviews: Digsaw, Arcs, Self Careless, Twilight Inscripti…

This week, Chris from Board Games for the Better joins Chris one more time to discuss another wave of award nominations from The Dice Tower, and the winners of the Origins Awards. ======= The Board Game Academics Conference for 2024 is taking place on July 4 at Dex Lite in Morristown, NJ. Join us live or in person by registering at https://boardgam…

Chris is joined this week once again by Chris from Board Games For the Better, to discuss Gen Con 2024 and the preview of new games being released or shown at the convention. They discuss the upcoming Board Game Academics conference plus the recent filing for a trademark of the word "meeple." ======= The Board Game Academics Conference for 2024 is …

Anthony's away this week, so Chris from Board Games for the Better joins the podcast to discuss the award nominations for Origins Game Fair and the Spiel des Jahres, both recently announced. Question of the Week: Anthony’s away, so what did YOU play this week? And how would YOU rate it? Acquisition Disorders: Sovereign: Fall of Wormwood, Ada's Drea…

Last week we talked about games that need more expansions. This week? Which ones have gone too far? We list off 10 games that have too many expansions and need to stop. Question of the Week: What is the most complex game you know how to play without looking at the rules? Acquisition Disorders: Nucleum: Court of Progress, Star Trek Captain Chair, Ki…

We revisit our original games that need an expansion list from 2018 to see which games eventually got expansions and which we're still waiting on, plus we add 10 more games to the list - so many games that need more content! Acquisition Disorders: Oath New Foundations, Star Trek: Star Realms At the Table Reviews: Cat in the Box Deluxe, Mini Rogue I…

This week we're looking at the best of the best from one of the best: Reiner Knizia. We whittle down our selection of the ten best of his more than 600 game designs from the last 30 years, plus some previews and reviews of what's coming out soon. Question of the Week: What is the most challenging aspect of the board gaming hobby? (e.g. finding play…

Summer is almost upon us and that means convention season! This week we're diving in a bit earlier to look at the games we're expecting to see at Origins Game Fair in June. We also talk about the Golden Geek Award winners at the top of the show, plus give our thoughts on X-Men '97 and the newly announced Lord of the Rings movie coming in 2 (!) year…

This week, we're looking at the best of the best from Splotter; the heavy, crunchy, kind of mean, and not always pretty (but frequently brilliant) euro games from Jeroen Doumen and Joris Wiersinga. Question of the Week: What game makes you saltier than any other game? Do you avoid playing it? Acquisition Disorders: Dune: War for Arrakis - Desert Wa…

This week, we take a deep dive into the recently announced BBG award nominations to discuss what we like for the awards and which games we want to track down and play before voting. Question of the Week - What's a game for which the retail edition is just as good as the crowdfunded version (or close enough)? Let's talk about games that didn't need …

This week, we're joined by special guest Chris Rodriguez from Board Games for the Better to discuss the hottest games on the April 2024 Board Game Geek hotness list. Acquisition Disorders: Vantage, Slay the Spire: The Board Game, 2025 Board Game Mosaic Calendar, Earth Abundance Expansion At the Table Reviews: Trailblazers, Expeditions: Around the W…

This week we look at data from several sources outlining some of the best selling games from 2023, and what we think of how well they sold. What games hit the most tables last year, which expansions did we all hoard? We take a deep dive to find out. Question of the Week: What's the most complex game you'd comfortable recommend for people new(ish) t…

This week we're revisiting the best of the best games of 2023 to discuss what games we will be nominating for the Golden Geek Awards (and why). Check out all of our picks for the last year's best games, plus previews of DC Heroes United and Bebop. * Acquisition Disorders: DC Heroes United, Bebop === Nominate us for a Golden Geek Award! The nominati…

This week we take you on an epic tabletop odyssey into the worlds of Star Wars and Star Trek board games and RPGs. Find out how to string together some of the best experiences from both IPs at your table. === Nominate us for a Golden Geek Award! The nominations are now open here: https://boardgamegeek.com/geekawards/boardgame We'd appreciate your s…

Part two of March Gamer Madness is now! Enjoy our rundown of the 32 best-remaining games from the top non-IP-based themes in board games. Find out which one comes out on top in this year's bracket showdown. This year, we're looking at the most popular non-IP-based themes, meaning the best games featuring: Cats Zombies Aliens Robots Samurai Knights …

It's time again for March Gamer Madness! Our annual bracket face off challenge pitting 64 board games against each other to find the very best of a very particular set of requirements. This year, we're looking at the most popular non-IP based themes, meaning the best games featuring: Cats Zombies Aliens Robots Samurai Knights Vikings Cowboys === If…

We're going digital this week with a look at some of the best all-digital deck builders, card flippers, and more. === If you're attending Long Island Tabletop Gaming Expo, be sure to stop by and say hi, or attend one of our two panels over the weekend: Long Island Tabletop: Level Up Your Teach & Your Mental Health === CONTEST! Our annual March Game…

This week, we give ChatGPT a series of prompts and pitches board games based on those prompts. Chris guesses what input led to the description written by the AI. Can we guess the direction of the generative AI or will it outsmart us with clever designs? * Question of the Week: What's the best thing you've ever purchased for your board game collecti…

We're looking at games that spin off from and are often better than the board game they are based on (dice games, card games, and everything in between). What are some of your favorites that fit this? Acquisition Disorders: Puerto Rico Special Edition, Star Trek Ascendancy on Game Found, Castles of Burgundy: Special Edition Reprint, Cascadia Rollin…

This week, Anthony and Chris are looking at some of the many games to hit big box stores as exclusives or limited time releases (or streamlined versions of long time classics), in particular, Target and its long run of hobby games. Question of the Week: What's the best designer/publisher combo? Acquisition Disorders: King of Tokyo: Origins, Fled, F…

We're looking at the best of the best from Vladimir Suchy this week, running down our top 10 of his very diverse ludography. Question of the Week: What's a game you think should be in the upper pantheon of board games that everyone stopped talking about? Acquisition Disorders: Inferno Deluxe Edition, Dante: Inferno At the Table Reviews: Flamecraft,…

Anthony and Chris run through the catalog of Stonemaier Games and put them on a tier list using our review rating scale. Plus: Question of the Week: What do you do in support of tabletop gaming? Organize? Design? Publish? Media? Events? DM? Teach games? Acquisition Disorders: Speakeasy, Stefan Feld City Collection Nassau & Kathmandu, Kemet Blood an…

It's that time again; we take a deep dive into the best games currently listed on BoardGameGeek's hotness list, plus we have fresh new reviews and previews: Question of the Week: Let's talk expansions: what new elements added to a game have the best chance to wow you and enter rotation? (e.g. asymmetry, new cards, the dreaded 5th player) Acquisitio…

This week, we're looking at the top 100 thematic games as listed on BoardGameGeek.com. Which ones deserve to be ranked so high and which would we drop lower? Find out in a full rundown of the top 100 listing on BGG. Question of the Week: What's your favorite thematic game and why? Acquisition Disorder: Steam Power, EVE: War for New Eden, Conan by M…

Over the last 10+ years, we've reviewed a lot of games. Hundreds of experiences, many of which we really enjoyed. But every now and then, a game hits just wrong, and we can't help but give it our dreaded "burn" rating. This week, we're taking a look back at some of these duds, and discussing why they fell flat for us. For those eager to hear more n…

We run through our favorite games of 2023, with our top 10 games of the year and awards for: Best Digital Implementation Best Family Game Best Strategic Gameplay Overlooked Gem Best Kickstarter Best 2.0 Release Best Solo Game Best Expansion If you haven’t yet, be sure to connect with us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/boardgamersanonymous), Twitter (…

The new year is here and we have a list of the 50 (give or take) most anticipated games of the upcoming year. It's our supersized, mega-acquisition disorder! If you haven’t yet, be sure to connect with us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/boardgamersanonymous), Twitter (http://twitter.com/bgapodcast), and our website (www.www.boardgamersanonymous.com).…

This week, we're taking a look back at the year that was 2023, with a rundown of the games we played, the ones that didn't come out (and some that will never come out), and our overall thoughts of the year as a whole. If you haven’t yet, be sure to connect with us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/boardgamersanonymous), Twitter (http://twitter.com/bgap…

We're back with another episode of hot takes, looking at the games that people may not be as generally positive on but that we love. Plus reviews of Horrified: Greek Monsters and Hexarchy. Acquisition Disorders: Fief England - Alliances, Treachery, And Power, Stormgate At the Table Reviews: Horrified: Greek Monsters, Hexarchy If you haven’t yet, be…

This week we're looking at some of the truly great games out there that just don't click for us and discuss what about them doesn't work (and if either of us disagrees). Question of the Week: What's a game that completely upended your expectations (good or bad)? How so? Acquisition Disorders: Nucleum: Australia, Star Realms Deluxe Colonial Collecti…

Another PAX Unplugged has come and gone, and we're discussing all the cool things we saw, did, and played over the three-day gaming weekend in Philadelphia. Games discussed: - Defenders of the Realm 2.0 - Dune Imperium: Uprising - Undergrove - Cascadia Flip and Roll and Write Games - Evacuation - Nucleum - Star Wars Unlimited - Evil Corp. - Nautilu…

We asked and you answered! This week we've constructed the top 10 games of 2023 according to the listeners. Thank you to everyone who filled out the survey and congratulations to Omar, who won a game as part of that contest. Join us for a rundown of these ten, plus a bit of a rant from Anthony on the spiraling of crowdfunding for classic games, and…

It's that time of year again. Games and gifts and gifts that are games! Check out our 2023 holiday gift guide, complete with 20 different games, accessories, and apps that you can gift to yourself or a gamer friend for the holiday season. Additionally, we chat about the direction of crowdfunded upgrades to classic games and what it will take to mak…

This week, we're looking at another collection of mechanics based on a single component: the meeple! Check out 15+ unique uses of meeples and how they represent the hobby as a whole. * Acquisition Disorders: Cargo Empire, Calimala * At the Table Reviews: Raiders of the North Sea, Evolution If you haven’t yet, be sure to connect with us on Facebook …

Thanks to Ryan for the suggestion on this week's topic! We're looking at different ways dice have been used as a mechanic in board games with 15 different takes (and representative games) from the hobby. * Question of the Week: Ouija is a _______ game * Acquisition Disorders: Cities, Star Trek: Into the Unknown * At the Table: Tichu, Terraforming M…

This week, we're looking at the best trick (not treat) taking games for the Halloween season. Which small box, quick fun games should you bring to the table (or hand out) on Halloween this year? Question of the Week: What game is sneaky in its complexity, offering a lot more depth (or barriers) than you'd expect based on the artwork, presentation, …

This week, we take a look at the sequel games that have launched their way up the BoardGameGeek Top 100 list, becoming, at least numerically, better versions. It's not a top 10, because there are 11. Find out how they iterated and changed their own formula and became more popular games. Question of the Week: What's your favorite board game producti…

This week, Chris welcomes special guests Chris from Board Games for the Better and Game Master Dave to talk games, the upcoming Tabletop Charity Game Day on November 4, and much more! Acquisition Disorders: Metal Gear Solid The Board Game, Twilight Imperium 4th Edition (BGA), The Night Cage: Shrieking Hollow At the Table Reviews: Tokaido Duo, Advan…

This week, we look from afar at the hotness from Essen Spiel 2023, talking about the games that sold out, the games that hit the BGG hotness, and all the things we're interested in tracking down for ourselves in a few months when they reach the US. Question of the Week: What should be a mandatory addition to the side of game boxes (along with playe…

We take a look back at the last 10 years and the games we named "best of the year" in each of those years, then discuss if those selections have changed since then. Some years remain strong, others change substantially. Find out which games we're still playing. Acquisition disorders: Haggis, Mycelia | The Strategic Mushroom Game At the Table review…

This week we're talking the BGG hotness as of the end of September. Which games are hot and why? Always a fun discussion. Plus Anthony discusses the process of unpacking and learning Voidfall (it's a lot!) Acquisition Disorders: Evacuation, Flock Together - An Asymmetric Cooperative Game At the Table Reviews: Race to the Raft, Heat: Pedal to the Me…

This week we're talking about all those Roman Empire games we can't get out of our heads, plus a discussion of the Terraforming Mars AI controversy, and an announcement for upcoming NJ gaming goodness. Acquisition Disorders: Fromage, One Page War At the Table Reviews: Moon, Bullet♥︎, Ra (Deluxe Edition) If you haven’t yet, be sure to connect with u…

This week we're running through the 10 best games that Simone Luciani has worked on. All the best of meeples on maps and dice for actions. Question of the Week: In the age of board game sequels, has a new version or sequel truly killed an old game for you? How so? Acquisition Disorders: Planet Nubo, More Terraforming Mars! At the Table Reviews: Num…

This week, we're talking about...games that aren't Lorcana! Specifically, we're reminiscing about some of the now defunct CCGs and TCGs that devoured our money in years past. Find out what happened to them and why it seems like every collectible card game that isn't Magic, Pokemon, or Yu Gi Oh eventually folds up shop. Question of the Week: What's …

We have a special guest this week: Geof Gambill, previously of The Longview Podcast, joins us to discuss all things gaming, including his background in the hobby, some recent reviews, and a rundown of his favorite civilization games. Acquisition Disorders: Obojima Tales from the Tall Grass: A 5E Campaign Setting, Dungeon Kart, Unsettled At the Tabl…

We're in the heart of Essen announcement season, meaning the BGG hotness is loaded with fresh new games with only tidbits of information to tie us over until the fall. Join us as we run through the top 50 on BGG's hotness list for August. Question of the Week: What's changed most about you as a gamer since you entered the hobby? Acquisition Disorde…

My how time flies! It's been ten years since Board Gamers Anonymous launched, and over the course of 437 episodes, we've played a bunch of games, talked about a lot in the industry, and experienced a lot in both life and gaming. This week we're looking back, not just at the last year of episodes (as we do every summer), but at the last decade as a …

Gen Con 2023 was an amazing time, filled with friends, games, academic discussions, and more! Listen to our rundown of the games played, events attended, and academic conferences run during Gen Con 2023 in this week's episode. Games discussed: Terraforming Mars The Dice Game Point City Waffle Time Deep Dive War of the Ring the Card Game Keyforge Lo…