This week we continue our Spiel Essen Preview with a look at

March of the Ants: Evolved Edition by Tim Eisner and Ryan Swisher from Weird City Games

then delve further into the halls, checking out Halls 4 & 5!

Thanks as always to our sponsor Bezier Games - they will be in Hall 2-B510 at Spiel!

You can follow along with our discussion of Essen releases and see my notes on them on this Google Doc:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1J1aQen2zzQVLaOJPr_eh5e3SEo7sbowaflLufYje3YU/edit?usp=sharing

REMEMBER TO CHECK OUT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE:

www.youtube.com/@garrettsgames

We will be releasing at least 1 video EACH DAY from Essen 2025, so make sure to subscribe so that you don't miss them.

You can support the podcast and our video series by going to www.patreon.com/garrettsgames

OR check out our extensive list of games that no longer fit on OUR shelves, but belong on YOUR table:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing

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Usually the moniker of ‘Cosy Game’ is a snug portent of mild-mannered fun - a thoroughly whelming box that’s pleasant enough, but doesn’t tickle us for more than a couple plays. But this week on the podcast? Matt and Tom are chatting about a whole bunch of cosy games that surprised them, with a bit more pep than might have been expected…

We’re talking Frogs and Rabbits and Crows in ‘A Wild Venture’, Trains and Cars and Passengers in ‘Railroad Tiles’, and Lakes and Lakes and Lakes and LAKES in Cascadia…. Alpine Lakes!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Timestamps:
02:54 - A Wild Venture
16:20 - Railroad Tiles
27:43 - Cascadia: Alpine Lakes

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Only three games this episode? What gives? Well, in the tried and true brand tradition, we decided to go back to our original formula. But no sad trombone noises please - we're really, definitely, honestly going to make it work this time...

On this episode, we have Identity - a trick taking game that promises personality, Out of Sorts - a game of inventing a cataloguing system for books in an alien library, and Magical Athlete - a game of racing a banana, a giant baby, and various other quirky things round a track.

If you’d like to check out our bonus episodes - become a patreon supporter on https://patreon.com/nopunincluded

SHIRTS! Find them on https://no-pun-included-shop.fourthwall.com/

On to the timestamps:

00:00 Cold open & intro
05:50 Identity
14:16 Out of Sorts
28:57 Magical Athlete
42:03 Correspondence 

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In this video of Ben's Top 100 he covers some bangers!

Support the show here

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/five-games-for-doomsday--5631121/support.

Support the show here

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Greetings, travelers! Gather close, for the Lords convene to recount the end of AC’s mighty Planescape saga. Yet as one tale closes, another dawns, Jesko’s long-awaited Dark Sun campaign rises upon the horizon! The fellowship then answers a listener’s query on what board games stir their adventuring hearts, before delving into a most curious matter indeed: the use of artificial intelligences in the realm of tabletop role-playing. Attend well, and enjoy the discourse, my friends!

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In this episode Ben and Steve discuss if games can promote tolerance and the notion of the posteuro game.

Support the show here

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/five-games-for-doomsday--5631121/support.

Support the show here

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It's your turn...to click here to send us your comments on the show

Guess who's back...back again.   Ok it's Chris Priscott from Unfringed who we interviewed back in 2022 when talking about Zuuli.  It's been great to catch-up with Chris' successes in the board game industry and how he has been developing more games including the upcoming crowdfunding campaign of Fetching Feathers & D.O.T.

GUEST PLAYER: Chris Priscott
PLAYERS: Becky & JP

In this episode you'll learn:
- how Zuuli (aka Moving Wild) ended up joining forces with Oink Games for it's international release
- more about Chris' new games Fetching Feathers & D.O.T. 
- about insights from Chris' perspective designing games in the industry
- about a tease for his next new game

LINKS REFERENCED IN THE SHOW
Unfringed Games website - https://unfringed.co/
Fetching Feathers & D.O.T. Kickstarter Page - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/unfringed/fetching-feathers

EPISODE CHAPTERS

0:00 - TURN 1 - Player Count

0:50 - TURN 2 - Introducing Chris...again & Oink Games collaboration

4:03 - Where there any lessons learned from Zuuli for your newer games

6:46 - TURN 3 - Fetching Feathers

11:40 - Discussing Chris' creative processes

17:55 - How do you interact with the board game community and players in the design process?

20:58 - Discussing the visuals of Fetching Feathers

27:36 - Adding more layers of strategy and depth

30:54 - TURN 4 - D.O.T.

39:29 - Do you feel the pressure on keeping up with the success of past designs?

43:32 - What are your predictions on future designs and themes coming up?

46:02 - The importance of lack of downtime in the designs

51:45 - TURN 5 - Future Teasing & Board Game Chat

59:32 - Thanking Chris

1:00:32 - TURN 6 - The Final Turn

You can check out JP's new podcast called Just Play right here https://www.justplaypod.co.uk we'd love to have you and also on the new YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@JustPlayPodcast

ENGAGING WITH THE SHOW
- Join us on Discord

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Tom is stuck in traffic, so Julie and Eric take control to discuss what it takes to setup a booth at Essen. How do you get all that stuff overseas, and how do you minimize what has to come back? And of course, there are Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops.

00:45 - Where is Tom? and Julie's Work Trip

03:56 - Dice Tower Cruise and Dice Tower West

05:07 - Moving a Booth to Essen

35:50 - Tiletum: Prospect for Silver

41:20 - I Made You a Mixtape

45:12 - High Tide

50:00 - The Yellow House

Questions? Tales of Horror? tom@dicetower.com

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Rest assured that every topic we address here at SVWAG will be utterly comprehensive and final, unless and until we decide to address it again. Thus, when we discuss tile-laying games, we perforce will cover all of them, each and and every one, and failure to specifically mention any title means it does not exist and must be scrubbed from all records as a revisionist lie.

01:41 AYURIS: Kutná Hora: The City of Silver (Ondřej Bystroň, Petr Čáslava, and Pavel Jarosch, Czech Games Edition, 2023)

Games Played Last Week:

04:55 -Caper: Europe (Unai Rubio, Keymaster Games, 2022)

07:55 -Framework (Uwe Rosenberg, Edition Spielwiese, 2022)

12:38 -INK (Kasper Lapp, Final Score Games, 2025)

16:59 -Bombastic (Robert Hovakimyan, Bitewing Games, 2025)

18:56 -No Loose Ends (Taiki Shinzawa, GameHead, 2025)

26:48 -Marabunta (Reiner Knizia, Space Cowboys, 2023)

30:03 -Saltfjord (Kristian Amundsen Østby & Eilif Svensson, Aporta Games, 2024)

32:01 -Titans Tactics (G. Kelly Toyama, Imbalanced Games, 2013)

35:39 -Guildlands (Ken Boyter & Kedric Winks, Outset Media, 2025)

43:36 -Ascending Empires: Zenith Edition (Ian Cooper, Play to Z, 2024)

News (and why it doesn't matter):

46:27 Please support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/svwag

48:09 Fat Bear Week concludes: Chunk is victorious

49:39 Don't Starve: The Board Game

50:38 Arkhipov Day! In recognition of Vasily Arkhipov saving the entire world on October 27, 1962, we celebrate Arkhipov Day on October 27th.

51:43 Uprising: Curse of the Last Emperor Big Box and True Solo Mode on Kickstarter

52:45 Decipher the Voynich Manuscript in The Voynich Puzzle

55:25 Topic: Tile-Laying Games

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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00:01:40 Intro
00:06:45 Dream Theater: Music Video
00:13:22 Arkham Horror: The Nightmare Quest of April May
00:16:00 MegaMoose Con
00:17:00 SWU Intro Battle Hoth – Starter Box
00:25:30 Taste Buds
00:32:30 Game Toppers LLC
00:34:00 Neuroshima Hex: Battle
00:40:00 Tianxia
01:00:00 Portal Games
01:01:30 White Castle Duel
01:09:30 Aeterna
01:28:45 Miniature Market
01:29:45 Wroth
01:37:15 Toy Hall of Fame

As the days grow shorter and the air turns crisp, fall arrives with its pumpkin spice, lawn maintenance, and Halloween decorations. The season invites cozy gatherings, a time when board games find their way to kitchen tables and living rooms, bringing people together in shared strategy and laughter. It’s the perfect backdrop for diving into rich, immersive games that stretch the imagination and challenge the mind.

This fall, three standout titles offer distinct flavors of strategic depth. Aeterna spans eras, asking players to draft cards and manage resources across shifting historical landscapes, testing tactical foresight. Tianxia, set in China’s Warring States period, blends politics, trade, and tower defense as players vie for prestige while fending off nomadic invaders. It’s a Euro-style game with layered mechanics and historical nuance. Meanwhile, Wroth provides the challenge of area control and alliances that can suddenly turn cold just like the air outside. Together, these games reflect the season’s introspective mood, where complexity and strategy take center stage.

This year’s National Toy Hall of Fame finalists celebrate both nostalgia and innovation for us. From timeless tabletop classics like Catan, Battleship, and Trivial Pursuit. Or for those toys that make us scratch our head and say really — thus soft balls of Snow. Iconic toys like Furby and Tickle Me Elmo bring a wave of 90s tech nostalgia for your kids, while Spirograph and Connect Four remind us of our childhoods.

Thanks for listening and be sure to head over to our Discord channel and discuss not board games, but who do you think should be in the Toy Hall of Fame.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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This week, join Jules, Dana and Adrian as they chat about the games hitting their table. Dana has been surviving the harsh desert conditions in Desperate Oasis. Jules has been journeying through the mystical landscapes of Faraway. Adrian continues to rabbit on about Barrage and its expansions - because apparently one dam episode wasn't enough!

This plus our Question of the Pod recap and finally ending with what has us fired up! (yee-haw)

 

New Question of the Pod: What game will you always go "all in" for?

Check out our Eventbrite page for all of our upcoming Game Days: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/o/board-game-bbq-32833304483 

Has this episode left you with a thirst for more? Here are all of the games that we discussed:
Mandala - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/264241/mandala
Wriggle Roulette - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/443829/wriggle-roulette
Hel: The Last Saga - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/274056/hel-the-last-saga
Container - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/453740/container
Isle of Feathers - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/455519/isle-of-feathers
Barrage - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/251247/barrage
Twinkle Twinkle - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/408280/twinkle-twinkle
Lord of the Rings: Confrontation - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/18833/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-confrontation
Desperate Oasis - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/428904/desperate-oasis
Faraway - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/385761/faraway

 

SPONSORS
Our podcast is proudly sponsored by Advent Games and More Than Meeples.

Advent Games is an Australian online board game store based in Sydney, NSW. http://www.adventgames.com.au/ 
More Than Meeples is an Australian retail and online game store based in Brisbane, QLD. https://morethanmeeples.com.au/ 

PATREON
Hey there, BBQ fans! Guess what? We’ve got a Patreon! By joining, you’ll unlock exclusive content, gain access to a members-only section of our Discord where you can help shape the show, and so much more. Plus, your support will help us grow and bring some awesome new projects to life in 2025.

At the Board Game BBQ Podcast, we’re passionate about what we do and promise to keep the fun and shenanigans rolling. We’re so grateful for your support! Joining our Patreon is totally optional, and we ask that you don’t contribute if it’ll cause financial stress. But if you’d like to chip in from just USD$5 a month, click the link to check out our Patreon page.

Thanks a million for being amazing! We’re committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive community, and you all make it special. See you at the BBQ!! https://www.patreon.com/BoardGameBBQ 

SOCIALS
Support the podcast and join the community!
https://linktr.ee/BoardGameBBQ 

LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS
https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-board-game-bbq-podcast/id1515192971

LISTEN ON SPOTIFY
https://open.spotify.com/show/4VZjYJV1E3AWND62urWlP9 

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On this episode of On Board Games, Erik talks with Sen-Foong Lim about games (and other things) they've played including:

• Fate of the Fellowship
• Happy Salmon
• Flip 7
• Hot Streak
• Camel Up
• Truckin' 76

You can get a discount on Zencastr.com using this link.

(31:47) Then, the two talk about what RPG elements can be used in board game design.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Inverse Genius: http://www.inversegenius.com/ Patreon account: http://www.patreon.com/obg Twitter: @onboardgames

RSS Feed: http://onboardgames.libsyn.com/rss

Email us: onboardgamesmailbag@gmail.com

On Board Games Guild at Board Game Geek

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This weeks guest is host of Orkenspalter TV and face of 2025's Essen Spiel, Mháire Stritter. We talk about writing, being a YouTube personality and the art of the LARP...but which games did she choose?


Support the show here

  Call of Cthulhu
  Eldritch Horror
  Blade Runner RPG
DIE:The Roleplaying Game
  Warhammer Fantasy RPG

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/five-games-for-doomsday--5631121/support.

Support the show here

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This week Peter & Mike have a design discussion about complexity, and how much is too much. _________________________ YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UCrOtGhui_jdLdoQNI7PU4Pg X - @onestopcoopshop Discord - discord.gg/p4jX8AF Merch: one-stop-co-op-shop.creator-spring.com/ Donate to One Stop Co-op Shop - www.patreon.com/onestop Email - onestopcoopshop@gmail.com

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Shelley and I begin our Essen 2025 Preview this week, first checking out one of the new titles that will be available at the fair:

Parks and Potions by Chris Eastridge from Moon Saga Workshop

then we begin our journey through the halls, starting with Hall 2, 1/2 of which is dedicated to "Expert" titles, then head into the biggest hall, Hall 3.

Thanks as always to our sponsor Bezier Games!

You can follow along with our discussion of Essen releases and see my notes on them on this Google Doc:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1J1aQen2zzQVLaOJPr_eh5e3SEo7sbowaflLufYje3YU/edit?usp=sharing

REMEMBER TO CHECK OUT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE:

www.youtube.com/@garrettsgames

We will be releasing at least 1 video EACH DAY from Essen 2025, so make sure to subscribe so that you don't miss them.

You can support the podcast and our video series by going to www.patreon.com/garrettsgames

OR check out our extensive list of games that no longer fit on OUR shelves, but belong on YOUR table:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ovRDNBqur0RiAzgFAfI0tYYnjlJ68hoHyHffU7ZDWk/edit?usp=sharing

💾

Ambie, Crystal, and special guest Amanda Panda discuss a couple games they played recently (which all happen to be from AllPlay), including Slambo!, Llama Llama, Tearable Quest, Alibis, and Waddle. Then, we talk about relaxing or cozy games that we like and what can make a game relaxing (or the opposite of relaxing).
Check out Amanda on all her links!

0:00-Intro
0:45-Recent Games
1:45-Slambo!
4:15-Llama Llama
8:24-Tearable Quest
12:28-Alibis
18:15-Waddle
20:23-Cozy Games
32:50-Outro
33:54-Bloopers

Join our discord

Support us directly at https://ko-fi.com/boardgameblitz
Or shop at our merch store or our Amazon Storefront

This episode was sponsored by Grey Fox Games. Use the code "BLITZ10" to get 10% off your entire cart.

Consolidated Links

For the full show notes visit our site at http://www.boardgameblitz.com/posts/420

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Dreaded continuity! We're following up Episode 41 from seven years ago about the games that started our love for board games! After those first loves, what really got our hearts aflutter with the joy that the hobby had to offer? Before we yearn, we talk about Der Fliegende Holländer, and The Hobbit: There and Back Again.

02:52 - Der Fliegende Holländer 16:03 - The Hobbit: There and Back Again 27:14 - The games that made us 29:11 - Deception: Murder in Hong Kong 32:54 - Mage Knight Board Game 36:33 - Francis Drake 39:33 - Two Rooms and a Boom 42:44 - Survive: Escape from Atlantis! 46:46 - Grand Austria Hotel 49:53 - Dead Last 55:26 - Rising Sun

Get added to the BGB community map at: https://boardgamebarrage.com/map

Send us topic ideas at: https://boardgamebarrage.com/topics

Check out our wiki at: https://boardgamebarrage.com/wiki

Join the discussion at: https://boardgamebarrage.com/discord

Join our Facebook group at: https://boardgamebarrage.com/facebook

Get a Board Game Barrage T-shirt at: https://boardgamebarrage.com/store

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Please join us on the Boardgames To Go discord server where you can chat online with other podcast listeners.

Opener: The games we played at the second BGTG Online Mini-Con

Closer: Essen is almost here, and I'll still follow it (but not anticipate it) For a long time I've wanted to have a boardgamer's discussion about different sports...as games. I don't mean sports boardgames, or season/league play. Nor do I mean franchise management. I mean the physical game itself, on the field, with its rules. Sure, a sport is a physical activity. An enormous part of the resulting play comes from the athletic prowess and physical skill of the players. However, there's a lot of strategy in the best sports games. It's part of what makes them fun to watch, to discuss, to second-guess, and so on. Whether it's football, baseball, basketball, hockey, soccer, or tennis, these games have rules, they have scoring systems, they have strategic texture. Right? If you don't see that, then it might explain why you don't care for sports.

Maybe all sports have strategic texture. It's much harder for me to see in something like the dash races on the track or in a pool. Those seem to be much more measures of sheer physical athleticism. Though even in races, I've heard runners talk about the strategy for a race, especially with the energy management and psychological contest against other runners. However, I'm really focusing on sports that have more rules, more scoring. I think these provide greater opportunity for players and teams to differentiate from each other by their strategy. Sometimes it comes from the coach or manager, such as when managing the clock. Part of the reason this is a solo episode is that I've always had difficulty getting others to understand what I'm talking about. Or perhaps no one is interested! Whatever--I decided to record this episode by myself and find out what kind of response it generates. If you are a sports fan--and a boardgamer--does any of this make sense to you? Did I forget something? Especially with the sports I don't follow so much (soccer, basketball, hockey), I'm sure that I did. Boardgamers seem to gravitate toward baseball, a game that offers the opportunity for deep study and second-guessing. I'm anticipating some reaction there. -Mark

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Hey Now Cabalists! Today Don and Jamie share their time at one of the best game stores they've ever experienced - Games and Stuff in Glen Burnie, Maryland. Then the gang dives into a bunch of games they've been playing, including The Presence, Mythwind, Etherstone, Shackleton Base, and Age of Galaxy. Don, Chris, and Jamie throw down a feature review of Tea Garden from Tomas Holek and Capstone Games. And after Tony T’s legendary news segment, the gang tackles a slew of listener questions like what types of players we most enjoy gaming with, whether Kickstarting board games has become too volatile, and how to handle the dreaded phrase: We got it, let’s just play. The Presence: 00:08:42, Mythwind: 00:17:16, Etherstone: 00:28:33, Shackleton Base: 00:36:06, Age of Galaxy: 00:46:26, Tea Garden Review: 00:59:59, News with Tony T: 01:32:18, Short Topic Extravaganza: 02:27:30. Check out our sponsors Restoration Games at https://restorationgames.com/ and Game Toppers at https://www.gametoppersllc.com/.

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Paula hosts out 200th episode!!!!

This Game is Broken is a comedy board game panel show with Matthew Jude, Dave Luza, Paula Deming, Nick Murphy and Mike Murphy. We play a lot of nonsense games full of role playing and trivia as well as other fun stuff which can be found at the links below.

Support us here!

PATREON - https://www.patreon.com/thisgameisbroken

This Game is Broken is eternally thankful to our Sponsors

Restoration Games Find them at https://restorationgames.com/

Game Night Picks - GameNightPicks.com/thisgame

Many Worlds Tavern - Find your coffee for game night here - https://manyworldstavern.com/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/TGiBpodcast

iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/this-game-is-broken/id1282526804?mt=2

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/this_game_is_broken_podcast/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Thisgameisbrokenpodcast/

Email - Thisgameisbrokenpodcast@gmail.com

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