Tom and Eric are back from the Dice Tower Cruise, trying not to make Julie jealous, but failing miserably. We talk about games played, ports visited, and flights cancelled. Plus, we dive into the listener mailbag, and gather a new round of Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops.
Arkwright is an economic engine-builder that revels in its own weight. It drops players into the heart of the Industrial Revolution and asks them to run competing factories—managing workers, improving machinery, manipulating prices, and navigating the volatile tides of supply and demand. What makes it so gripping is the way every lever you pull affects the entire market. Lowering prices might boost sales but crush profits; upgrading machines cuts labor costs but risks unemployment penalties. It’s a game where efficiency is power, foresight is everything, and every decision feels like it echoes across an entire industrial landscape.
We’re heading back to Plum Island to talk about the desperate scramble to evacuate civilians from an infected coastline—and how the new expansion tightens the experience into a sharper, faster, and even more chaotic rescue puzzle. But that’s not the only horror creeping into the episode. Marty and Vanessa dive into Film Fatale, the newest scenario for Arkham Horror: The Card Game, where silver‑screen nightmares spill into reality and investigators find themselves trapped in a reel of stylish, cinematic dread.
To balance all that terror, we close things out by building something far more peaceful—an entire ecosystem in Pondscape. Frogs, insects, and shifting waterscapes weave together as we try to craft the most harmonious (and high‑scoring) pond possible. It’s a gentle puzzle with clever spatial decisions, offering a refreshing contrast to the tension earlier in the show and reminding us how beautifully varied the board‑gaming world can be.
Thanks for listening and appreciate all the support
On the back of Jules’ wedding, join Conor and Banana as they discuss what has been hitting their tables. Conor has been gaming like crazy after the new move to Sydney. He’s particularly enamoured with hoarding dates and slippers in Marrakesh. Meanwhile, Banana is obsessed with ‘Huge Baby’ and his ability to throw his weight around in Magical Athlete! All this and much more, so enjoy the listen!
Sizzling Games:
Magical Athlete [53.02]
Marrakesh [1.06.41]
New Question of the Pod: Do you prefer games that have one path to victory, or multiple paths? Why?
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
Then we check out another one of our Essen 2025 pick ups:
Popcorn by Victor Saumont from Iello
Thanks to our sponsor this week - Dr. Finn's Games
You can sponsor the podcast and our video series directly 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:
On this post-apocalyptic episode of the Shut Up & Sit Down podcast, we’ve got the last remaining swigs of game in this here canteen - don’t gulp it all to yourself, now! Share nicely…
First up is Phoenix New Horizon, a game of building post-apocalyptic power networks and trying to get a promotion. That’s followed by a slightly spoilery chat about Regicide Legacy - a game that asks the bold question; “What If Regicide, But Legacy?”. The pod’s rounded off with a quick chat about Zenith’s standard two-player mode, and spicy four player variant! Just like… never mind.
Ambie and Crystal discuss a couple games they played recently, including Jisogi: Anime Studio Tycoon and Applejack. Then we talk about different player colors in board games, including what color we like playing in games and why.
Check out our new Valentine's shirt design!
Hey now and happy Cabal Wednesday! Today we bust into the episode talking about Don’s first foray into tabletop roleplaying games, then get into some of the games we’ve been playing, including Rising Sun, In Front of the Elevator, Chu Han, Versailles 1919, and Bebop. Don and Jamie then put the spotlight on Cthulhu Dark Providence, the newest edition of Martin Wallace’s classic A Study in Emerald, with Travis Chance lending his unique design flair to the mix. After that, Tony T gets down and dirty with his gaming news segment. And finally, the gang tackles a slew of listener-submitted questions. Rising Sun: 00:08:29, In Front of the Elevator: 00:19:21, Chu Han: 00:25:33, Versailles 1919: 00:32:54, Bebop: 00:39:08, Cthulhu Dark Providence Review: 00:56:47, News with Tony T: 01:33:15, Short Topic Extravaganza: 02:34:08. Check out our sponsors Restoration Games at https://restorationgames.com/ and Game Toppers at https://www.gametoppersllc.com/.
Mike is at the helm with Taglines, Buzzwords and some very mysterious ratings.
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.
This week's guest is designer of Cloud Age and Ohanami, Christian Opperer. We discuss the difference in twins, traditional games and the limitations of A.I....but which games did he choose?
In a huge disappointment to everybody, Clef and Tim breeze past all the non-board game talk and get to board games quicker than ever. We talk recent plays of Ark Nova, Antiquity, New York Central, Alliance, Runebound, and Downfall: Conquest of the Third Reich! We also discuss the impact of taking back actions in board games and how we feel about it.
Board games start at 3:43!!
Join the discord at discord.gg/s8hYtWkMS3 and visit punchboardparadise.com for more info on PPCon 2026!
Openers: The Hobbit: There and Back Again, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – Trick-Taking Game Although it's true that episode #250 is a milestone, this podcast passed that some time ago. Between all of the extra episodes for BGGcons and Mark Madnesses, plus the occasional double-episodes in the old days, I don't know how many podcasts have actually been released. (My podcast host Libsyn says it's almost 400.) So this isn't an anniversary episode, just another "regular" one where I share some thoughts about games & the hobby overall. Although I missed EsCon in January (and Gulf Games last summer) due to illness, I still managed to play a bunch of games last month, including several at SoCal Games Day. I've described this event before. This was the 94th one of those, and I have a special fondness for them…maybe more than they even deserve! In the podcast I forgot to mention how they offer me the chance to play with my regular friends, and also other gamer friends that I don't see as often. Besides the games, part of the day was going out to lunch at an Italian deli and just talking. Can't believe I forgot to mention that! Closer: More comments & griping from me about how there aren't enough boardgames that are really about their subject matter. I think of this most of all when I'm visiting somewhere, and I wish there was a game I could play & learn/appreciate my vacation more. -Mark
This time, we look at what happens when a production error is found in a game after it has reached the wild. What should producers do to make it right, and can they do anything at all? Also, a new dramatic Tale of Boardgaming Horror, and a new collection of Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops.
00:50 - Storytime from Tom: Loading the Cruise Library
Anmelden
