BGGCon Spring 2026 Recap

In Episode 305 we answer a bunch of mailbag questions asked by our Patreon supporters.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction2:28 For what game do you prefer the digital implementation? What game do you refuse to play digitally?11:48 At what point do you decide to buy a game?20:52 How often do you get nostalgia for games you haven't played in many years?26:32 Are there any goals for the pod over the next 5 years?33:34 Has having the podcast taught us anything we didn't know about ourselves?36:41 What legacy game would we want to play next?42:25 What are some tips for teaching a complex game without a 30 minutes rules explanation?48:35 If there's a game that your fellow hosts need a head start on what would it be?51:54 What is one board game you'd like to see made into a movie or show?56:53 If you can invite one guest onto the podcast, who would it be and what would you ask them?1:01:10 What's your favorite game mechanic written in the form of a haiku or limerick?If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠

In Episode 304 we give our hot take review on Emberleaf covering the mechanisms, the production, and our overall feelings of the game.We discuss a poll on anthropomorphic animals in board games and also discuss some games that have been on our tables including Dune: War for Arrakis and Blueprints and Chris discusses his excitement about finally receiving (after 8 years) his crowdfunded Dawn of Madness.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:22 Poll Time: Anthromorphic Animals?09:11 Emberleaf Description11:30 Gameplay and Mechanisms31:27 Production and Theme39:44 Final Thoughts47:48 Dawn of Madness50:56 Dune: War for Arrakis1:04:27 Blueprints1:11:25 Listener ShoutoutIf you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠⁠⁠⁠

In Episode 303 Tim discusses all of the games played during his recent weekend at BGGCon in Dallas.We also discuss a poll related to making friends at board game conventions.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction 00:30 Poll Time: Have you ever made friends at a board game convention?09:28 BGGCon Spring12:42 Coming of Age24:15 Underwater Cities: Data Era28:23 The White Castle Duel34:58 SETI: Space Agencies39:02 Moon Colony Bloodbath40:37 Encyclopedia44:14 Lacrimosa44:49 Vantage46:46 Formaggio50:01 Everdell: Silverfrost57:01 The Gang1:01:59 Lightning TrainIf you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠⁠⁠

In Episode 302 we discuss a bunch of recent games that we've been playing. We also discuss a poll on how many games you get played in an average session.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:37 Poll Time: How many games do you get played in your regular game sessions?07:55 Emberleaf17:38 Off With Their Heads!25:35 Tag Team34:04 Postcards41:30 Euphoria: Essential Edition54:46 Soothsayers1:03:44 Listener ShoutoutIf you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠⁠⁠

In Episode 301 we feature two games by Vital Lacerda: Speakeasy and Kanban EV. We also discuss a poll on heavy games and include our final thoughts on heavy games in general and whether Vital Lacerda is a designer we want to revisit.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction02:53 Poll Time: How many board games do you own that are rated over 4.0 weight on Board Game Geek?12:43 Speakeasy Description14:10 Gameplay and Mechanisms31:55 Production and Theme37:33 Kanban EV Description39:13 Gameplay and Mechanisms51:56 Production and Theme55:40 Final Thoughts1:08:56 Listener ShoutoutIf you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠⁠

In Episode 300 we reflect on doing the show for so long and share tons of our favorite clips from the history of the show.If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠⁠

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 Introduction01:45 Stroganov12:14 Manhattan Project: Energy Empire23:19 Boast or Nothing29:15 Grand Austria Hotel40:44 Mule: The Board Game53:03 Echoes of Time59:41 Nokosu Dice1:07:03 Burn the Fort1:14:35 River Rush1:30:43 Listener ShoutoutIf you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠⁠

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: BoardGameGeekTimestamps:00:00 Introduction04:53 Ayar: Children of the Sun14:40 Captain Flip17:57 Lords of Vegas28:15 Endeavor: Deep Sea33:13 March of the Ants: Evolved Edition40:25 Origin Story45:15 CivolutionIf you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠

In Episode 297 we discuss how board games trigger dopamine and name our top 5 games loaded with dopamine hits. Timestamps:00:00 IntroductionTop 5 Dopamine Loaded Board Games05:57 Endeavor: Deep Sea9:02 No Thanks11:43 Champions of Midgard, Batman: Gotham City Chronicles, Eclipse: 2nd Dawn for The Galaxy, Arcs, Star Wars Rebellion 16:00 Nippon: Zaibatsu19:48 Sol: Last Days of a Star22:32 Kanban EV, Barrage, Tapestry26:18 Slay the Spire: The Board Game 28:15 Tycoon: India 198130:53 Can't Stop, Quacks, Wonderland's War35:35 Grand Austria Hotel37:38 Dune, Fractal, Glory to Rome, Blood Rage43:45 Rebirth45:25 Brass: Birmingham, Steam Power49:06 Motor City, Darwin's Journey, Rajas of the Ganges: The Dice Charmers, CribbageIf you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠

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/goldengeekTimestamps:00:00 Introduction04:05 Above and Below: Haunted04:57 Ada's Dream06:53 Ape Town08:35 Aquaria09:32 Ayar: Children of the Sun11:03 Clank! Catacombs - Underworld12:44 Dark Heists14:26 Dewan15:55 Dune: Imperium - Bloodlines17:28 Echoes of Time18:56 Eternal Decks19:46 Etherstone20:12 Everdell Duo20:40 Finspan22:08 Fliptoons23:23 Galactic Cruise25:47 Gems of Iridescia27:11 Great Western Trail: El Paso28:07 Hot Streak30:15 Hyperspace31:17 Lord of the Rings: Fate of the Fellowship32:54 Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring: the Trick Taking Game33:40 Luthier34:50 No Loose Ends35:50 Iliad36:53 Lost Ruins of Arnak: Twisted Paths37:44 March of the Ants: Evolved Edition39:36 Quorum40:11 Scoville: 2nd Edition41:32 SHASN: AZADI42:36 Steam Power43:52 Moon Colony Bloodbath45:10 The Old King's Crown46:33 Origin Story47:23 Sea Salt & Paper: Extra Pepper48:31 Speakeasy50:28 Stupor Mundi52:26 Toy Battle53:02 Tycoon: India 198155:04 Vantage57:30 Wroth59:34 Best Board Game Podcast Category59:58 Chris' NewsIf you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us at https://www.patreon.com/boardgamehottakesFollow us on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamehottakes.bsky.socialJoin our Board Game Arena Community: https://boardgamearena.com/group?id=11417205Join our Discord server at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/vMtAYQWURd⁠