Ep 88 - Gen Con 2026 Preview

Join us as we delve into the hotness as we debate whether Realm of Reckoning is Hot or Not. Next we decide which bidding games we will Play, Shelf and Trade featuring Power Grid, Arena for the Gods and Old London Bridge. We finish up by comparing our Top Three games that could start a fight. 0:00 - Intro8:02 - Hot or Not: Realms of Reckoning 13:56 - Daniel’s take17:35 - John’s take22:20 - Kelly’s take29:16 - Play, Shelf, Trade featuring Power Grid, Arena for the Gods and Old London Bridge31:19 - John’s result 34:20 - Kelly’s result39:05 - Daniel’s result46:35 - Awesome Commercial 48:07 - Top Three games that can start a fight 48:45 - Kelly’s three: High Society, Zoo Vadis, Colt Express 54:01 - Daniel’s three: Blood Bowl, Battle for Rokugan, Red Carpet59:00 - John’s three: Catan, Night Soil, Risk1:04:10 - Honorable Mentions 1:07:15 - CloseBuy Our T-Shirts:https://aroundtheboard-shop.fourthwall.com/E-Mail us at [email protected] and [email protected] our Facebook Page at:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1374236329514579Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/aroundtheboard_atb/

Can we build the ultimate Top 10 Spooky Board Games list? Or will our own hosts ruin everything?This Halloween, Around the Board is putting together a collective Top 10 list of the best spooky board games to hit the table! But there's a catch: every host gets TWO VETOES to strike games from the list. Will your favorite creepy classic survive? Will someone get a little too trigger-happy with their vetoes? And which games will make the final cut as we build the ultimate Halloween gaming lineup?Join us for spooky games, heated debates, questionable decisions, and plenty of Around the Board chaos as we try to decide which games deserve a spot on our Halloween table!What spooky board game would YOU put in your Top 10? Let us know in the comments!Like board games? Love friendly debates? You're in the right place. Join us Around the Board!E-Mail us at [email protected] and [email protected] our Facebook Page at:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1374236329514579Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/aroundtheboard_atb/0:00 Intro5:26 Boooop09:13 Unmatched: Tales to Amaze13:10 Whirling Witchcraft15:44 Broom Service18:34 Dead of Winter21:04 Spooky Bar25:02 Lovecraft Letter28:23 Clank! Catacombs32:12 Marvel Zombies34:56 Abomination39:44 Blood on the Clocktower42:10 Agricola: Dead Harvest44:43 Spooktacular 49:07 Final Girl52:19 Golem54:41 Tyrants of the Underdark57:00 Honorable Mentions

Today, Kelly takes the day off, so it’s just Andy, Daniel, and John as they have a Great Game Debate about Res Arcana!Then we’ve got a pop quiz, where we talk about mechanisms that do — and don’t — appear on Board Game Geek.After that, we’ll tell you our Top 3 Tableau Builders.And finally, we end the show with a Table Top Team Up… which apparently Andy has completely forgotten how that segment works. So hold on to your hats when we get to his choice!Now, join us Around the Board!

We have a brand-new segment on Around the Board! Introducing High Low Ruffalo, where we each bring a good game, a bad game, and a weird game to the table. You never know what we're going to pull out!Then we head across Europe to review Abroad, the euro game all about traveling through Europe with a huge deck of cards. Is this journey worth taking, or should you stay home?Finally, we wrap things up by sharing the stories of the longest board games we've ever played. How long is TOO long for a board game? We've got some stories that might just test your patience!So grab a game, pull up a chair, and join us Around the Board! 🎲#BoardGames #AroundTheBoard #BoardGameReviews #AbroadE-Mail us at [email protected] and [email protected] our Facebook Page at:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1374236329514579Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/aroundtheboard_atb/0:00 Intro4:30 High Low Ruffalo6:42 Realm of Reckoning7:46 Tend8:43 Super Show12:00 Solar Garden13:36 Market Fresh14:20 Joker Chess16:12 Chess17:49 Mottainai19:05 Bloody Inn20:58 Falling22:50 Donuts23:52 Toothpaste Rash25:14 Abroad25:40 Overview31:05 Andy's Review36:21 Daniel's Review39:55 John's Review43:54 Kelly's Review48:45 Hansa50:08 Longest Game50:25 Arydia54:25 Axis and Allies58:38 Muchkin1:02: Ticket to Ride: Legends of the West1:06:21 Board Game Birthdays1:08:27 Outro

Kelly is Wrong! This episode of Around the Board is all about one thing: Kelly’s questionable taste in board games!We kick things off with the new hotness, Kano, and everyone gives their thoughts in our Hot or Not review segment.Then things take a turn as we take turns accusing Kelly of making some truly terrible board game choices. For Play, Shelf, Trade, we’re heading to Japan with three Japanese-themed games: Tatsumi, Hanami, and Snow Colony.Is Kelly actually wrong? Or are the rest of us just jealous of her incredible taste?Join us Around the Board!E-Mail us at [email protected] and [email protected] our Facebook Page at:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1374236329514579Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/aroundtheboard_atb/0:00 Game Night7:54 Kano Overview11:51 Kano Review25:01 Kelly is Wrong39:07 Hansa Comment41:15 PST, Tatsumi - Hanami - Snow Colony58:05 Birthdays

Gen Con 2026 may be over, but the conversation is just getting started!Andy, Daniel, and John are joined by Ryan Guerra from  @howiroll   to create a collective Top 10 list of the best games they played at Gen Con 2026. But there’s a twist—each host gets TWO vetoes!Who will put a game on the list that everyone else can’t stand? Who will have the most games make the final Top 10? Who actually played the best games at Gen Con? And, most importantly… why does Andy keep getting another unimpressive game onto the list?!Watch as four board game fans battle it out to determine the ultimate Gen Con 2026 Top 10!Follow Ryan on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@howirollE-Mail us at [email protected] and [email protected] our Facebook Page at:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1374236329514579Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/aroundtheboard_atb/0:00 How I Roll6:11 The Game Makers10:40 Flintlock15:00 Marvel Crisis Protocol: Night of the Goblin22:00 Six Sojourns27:50 Diables32:15 Abroad38:18 Realm of Reckoning42:26 Estate: Raise the Realm48:00 Vampire Survivor53:29 Cola Wars58:40 Kingdom Come: Deliverance1:05:00 Raas1:12:00 Codenames: Critical Role

Please welcome our special guest: Scott Morrison from Steelwing Games https://www.steelwinggames.com/ and Lucky Duck games! https://luckyduckgames.com/usa/Scott brings a refreshing level of maturity, expertise, intelligence and relevance that is sorely lacking in our original cast of characters. Join us as we discuss Scott’s newest project: Rainbow Blvd. This is an amazing looking game and passion project that Scott has been working on for years. Hear about the inspiration, struggles and challenges that even someone experienced in the game industry goes through to produce a game. Follow Rainbow Blvd using the link below:https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/steelwinggames/rainbow-blvd?ref=263eosAfter that, we have three rounds of discussions (or arguments). 1. Save One Game - we each must pick one game to save from the years 2007, 2017 and 2027. 2 Kickstarter Must Haves - we discuss what it is we look for in a game that will convince us to crowdfund it. 3. Favorite Game Components - everyone gives their take on the components that can make or break a game. E-Mail us at [email protected] and [email protected] our Facebook Page at:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1374236329514579Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/aroundtheboard_atb/0:00 - Introduction2:25 - Rainbow Blvd17:47 - Save One Game18:54 - 2007 Daniel (some game no one has heard of)20:40 - 2007 John (Tammany Hall)23:28 - 2007 Kelly (Biblios)24:44 - 2007 Scott (Get Bit!)28:00 - 2017 Daniel (Gloomhaven)30:00 - 2017 John (Godfather: Corleone’s Empire)31:55 - 2017 Kelly (Quest for Eldorado)33:50 - 2017 Scott (Too Many Bones)36:12 - 2027 Daniel (DC United)37:35 - 2027 John (Vampire Lords)39:19 - 2027 Kelly (Stag)40:43 - 2027 Scott (Hercules and the 12 Labors)43:20 - Kickstarter Must Haves43:40 - Kelly46:25 - Scott49:10 - Daniel63:43 - John58:05 - Favorite Game Components 58:21 - John1:00:35 - Kelly1:03:22 - Scott1:05:54 - Daniel1:10:14 - Scott’s Final Say

Episode 87 features Tim Aberli from the YouTube channel Board Game Rundown. We start with The Great Game Debate and discuss (argue) about whether or not this game that’s near and dear to Tim (Clank) still holds up today. Next is another regular segment: Play, Shelf, Trade. We take a look at three push-your-luck games (Port Royal, Ra & Quacks) and rate them accordingly. We then discuss (argue) about the legitimacy of the opinion that you shouldn’t play certain games with the “wrong” people. Gatekeeping or improving the gaming experience?Finally, a return of the “award winning” Board Game Believe it or Not segment. Can you tell which games are real or fake from a brief description?Thanks to Tim for joining us!You can find his channel here:https://youtube.com/@BoardGameRundown?si=zexkPsMlFFG8lXYKE-Mail us at [email protected] and [email protected] our Facebook Page at:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1374236329514579Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/aroundtheboard_atb/

GEN CON 2026 SPECTACULAR!In this episode, Andy, Daniel, John and Kelly dive into the sea of games available at Gen Con and each have selected their top five. Their lists were then submitted to producer Randy to insure there were no crossovers. What we end up with is 20 unique games that we have found worthy of your attention at Gen Con this year. How did we do?Is this a good list?What would YOU include?Let us know in the comments or drop us an email. Make sure you say “Hi” if you run into us at Gen Con!0:00 Intro6:34 - All Mine9:26 - Night at the Zoo11:25 - Pop Art14:49 - Fame and Fable17:16 - Papyria20:24 - Realm of Reckoning 23:07 - Estate: Raise the Realm25:52 - Dino Gardens28:25 - Greylune30:52 - Drillers33:48 - Ji•So•Gi Anime Studio Tycoon36:39 - Wine and Cheese38:27 - Kingdom Crossing41:10 - Mythologies44:50 - Inkwell47:50 - Clandestine 52:05- Abroad54:06 - Entropy56:00 - Enemies of Gotham City1:00:20 - Hanami1:04:05 - Honorable Mentions E-Mail us at [email protected] and [email protected] our Facebook Page at:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1374236329514579Follow us on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/aroundtheboard_atb/

The French Kiss Awards are here! 💋🏆At Around the Board, we don't always agree on board games. In fact, disagreements are usually half the fun. But every once in a while, a game comes along that earns the highest honor we can give: a unanimous French Kiss Award.In this video, Andy, Daniel, John, and the rest of the Around the Board crew each present a board game that all four of us agree is absolutely fantastic. These are the rare games that transcend personal tastes, genres, and play styles to earn a French Kiss from everyone at the table.What makes these games so special? Why do they stand out in a hobby filled with incredible options? Join us as we celebrate four board games that have achieved the impossible—complete agreement from the Around the Board team.Do you agree with our picks? Which games would earn a French Kiss Award from your gaming group? Let us know in the comments!👍 Like, Subscribe, and ring the bell for more board game reviews, top lists, news, and all things tabletop gaming.#BoardGames #TabletopGames #FrenchKissAwards #AroundTheBoard #BoardGameReview #BoardGaming