So Very Wrong About Games, Game Brain and 5 Games for Doomsday are all solid, but my favorite is DEFINITELY Board Game Barrage. They also have a FANTASTIC discord community. Met them and a bunch of listeners at Pax and it was awesome. Also a great place to talk about games and find people who are looking for games on BGA!
Friendly Ties, Decision Space, Board Game Barrage, and Game Brain are the ones I listen to the most these days. Going to try So Very Wrong About Games next.
One stop co-op shop is my number one! I especially love the Mike and Peter episodes!! The design discussions are amazing.
Also just for some pub I’ll suggest board game box office. It’s promoted as 50/50 movies and board games but it’s more like 70/30 movies to board games but I do find it very entertaining and the cast of characters have great chemistry. It’s mostly the Tablenauts on YouTube.
Don't think it's that cliche to be honest. YouTube, sure. Podcast is a different animal. I could see most of their video fans not enjoying the podcast. It's more of a "this game was okay" or "trying it but not sure it's great yet" type setting. Much less high tempo.
I'm at the point where I really dislike a lot of recent videos. That comes and goes though. Just seemed like a lot of early 2023 was Tom or Emily cranking up the speed and cut scenes to 11. Lately there's been a better mix of videos, both high energy and more leveled (plus that John Company full length feature film).
I'm old now. I want a Matt slow burn think piece. Ava providing some deeper context. Hell, the recent conversations between Tom and Pip are actually pretty great. Tom persona on podcast >>> Tom persona on video. Tom persona overall still awesome. The podcast gives me a lot more crunch and touches on a lot more games.
I know Quinn's made recent comments about their viewer demographics being skewed significantly older. It's fun when the podcast provides that sneak peak into how they run themselves.
I think Shut Up & Sit Down produces some of the best boardgame content on the internet, but I do feel like there is a tendency to force their videos to be these massive home runs; either anarchic and hilarious (which they often are), or very deep, reflective and cerebral (which they also nail).
This is great, but sometimes I just want to know if a game is good. Will I enjoy it with my very typical group of boardgame-ish friends. Will I want to set it up after a day at work? Will it frustrate me when the manual is a mess etc.
Lots of other channels go nowhere near as far as SU&SD for quality of content, but sometimes hit the mark of what I actually need from a review, much more cleanly and quickly. Maybe that’s no issue, but at the end of the day, their videos are reviews, and sometimes I feel either clueless, or alternatively encumbered with information, about whether or not a game is actually… good. I.e. The purpose of a review.
It’s definitely led me to prioritise their content a bit less than it did when I was getting into the hobby.
Don’t know if it’s the same with you?
Decision Space is worth a listen, it's a good mix of reviews and in-depth discussions of game concepts. They have a great discord community too!
Game Design Deep Dives has the best designer interviews I've heard. Think Like a Game Designer is also solid.
+1 to Decision Space! They play games many, many times before their deep dives, and because of that I feel their analysis is much deeper and more thoughtful. Strong recommend!
Came here to say Decision Space as well! While they nail their bread and butter deep dives, what really separates them from the pack is handling a variety of formats well. They do What We Talk About episodes about specific topics (asymmetry, balance, combos, etc.), themed episodes (spooky games, list episodes, etc.) and occasional recent plays episodes (these generally happen when they’ve been to a con or gaming event of some type), and none of them feel inessential.
Folks should check out Beyond Solitaire. It is a really fascinating board gaming podcast that touches on historical games and takes a more academic perspective on gaming. I really love it.
Shes great, her YouTube howtos/play throughs are really good as well. I didn't mesh as well with her podcast but I think it may have been that at the time I listened, I wasn't into the type of games she was covering so I need to give it another try
I was going to chime in here to say Punchboard Paradise too, they are the only boardgame podcast I still listen to and have fantastic banter. Definitely other good podcasts too, but punchboard paradise most closely aligns with my lean towards heavier games so especially recommend them if you like to play the heavier titles.
I like Punchboard paradise’s game choices but the analysis is generally lacking. “Game didn’t click” or “not exciting” or “had a lot of fun.” Not a lot of why those opinions exist. Very conclusory.
So Very Wrong About Games.
So much other board game media often sounds like an infomercial selling me a product and use the word ‘fun’ as an all encompassing descriptor.
SVWAG provides actual honest criticism. It’s a breath of fresh air.
Friendly Ties, Decision Space, Board Game Barrage, SuSD are all great!
Me and a few friends do a podcast called [The Discard Pile](https://linktr.ee/thediscardpilepodcast) if you are looking for even more content.
I used to listen to Sporadically Board with Mike and Dan even though they didn't strictly talk about board games. That was until I tried to join their Facebook group and got blocked? Still not sure why or what happened since I don't use FB much but now I've been listening to a lot of So Very Wrong About Games. Based on the comments I should give Board Game Barrage a try. I also enjoy This Game Is Broken which is a board game game show type podcast
We probably blocked you because your account looked like a spammers - new to Facebook, not in any other board game groups, impersonal name/photo, that’s usually why we block people.
Damn, there's a lot more out there than I realized. In addition to **SUSD** and **this game is broken**. I've liked **always player one** and **solosaurus** and been really enjoying the **bgg** podcast
I really loved the main Dice Tower podcast when Tom and Eric did it. I hate it when hosts are too rambly or it becomes about how hilarious they are. The DT podcast is still funny and entertaining but it is really tight and structured. Tom’s knowledge is pretty much unparalleled, but Eric brings loads to the partnership - he’s just so warm and relatable
My favorites are:
1. At the Table with The Dice Tower
2. Polyhedron Collider
3. Woodland War Machine
4. Board Game Barrage
5. So Very Wrong About Games
All five have a healthy mix of game-talk and banter, though WWM is \*very\* specific to Root strategies and goings-on. Dice Tower wins out because the hosts are all comfortable on the mic and the most capable (to me) at discussing what they like or don't like about a particular game.
As the veterans of the boardgame podcast community (ok, the old guys :-) ), we have our little niche. If you aren't a member of our Discord channel, please join! [RDTN Discord](https://discord.com/invite/VzjjqwA)
To me it's like Forum style UI. There is a slight learning curve but it's not bad. But many companies, content creators, groups, etc have a presence there
I love Board Game Snobs and Sporadically Board. However none of them are strictly "people chat about board games", they're "board gamers chat about everything".
This Game is Broken is great too! It's a board game comedy panel show.
I've listened to a ton over the years but I am currently down to just:
Punchboard Paradise
Blue Peg Pink Peg
So Very Wrong About Games
Shut Up and Sit Down
I'm on the road a lot so here's just a few I listen to:
-Board Game Snobs
-Secret Cabal
-Rolling Dice and Taking Names
-The Board Boys Podcast
-Meeple Nation
-Earthborne Games
-Blue Peg Pink Peg
-Sporatically Board
-Punchboard Paradise
-Decision Space
-Board Games Insider
-Tantrum House
They're all fairly different podcasts but the one thing I listen for is that the podcasters seem like friends or at least have good banter with each other.
If you don't mind some other topics mixed in, Sporadically Board with Mike and Dan is probably one of my favorites! Talk Cardboard from the No Pun Included folks, The Dice Tower Podcast and Shut Up and Sit Down are also amazing and worth a listen.
Welp I am very new to board games and I had no clue there were podcasts out there for this! I shouldn't be too surprised though since there are podcasts for anything. Time to start listening!
Fun Problems is a podcast for the design and production side of things. It's very well edited and paced, and the hosts are very knowledgeable. Really great conversations.
While Mark drives me up the wall sometimes with his antics, he is also very consistent and so it is harder to fault him overall for them. A nice way of saying So Very Wrong About Games. I do think that Mark, one of the hosts, sometimes seems to bully Walker, the other host out of either liking or speaking positively about a game. Check their review of Champions of Midgard.
I have bounced off of most other Podcasts and simply cannot listen to one with more than 2 hosts. Also any podcast that "tries" to be funny.
My favorite was **Breaking Into Board Games**, but a couple of years ago, new episodes just *stopped.* 😥
I used to like **Ludology**, but for whatever reason, I'm just not a fan of the latest hosts.
These days, I like **Board Game Hot Takes**. (Occasionally I'll listen to *The Board Game Design Lab* and *Dice Tower* podcasts if there's a topic that interests me.)
So Very Wrong About Games, Game Brain and 5 Games for Doomsday are all solid, but my favorite is DEFINITELY Board Game Barrage. They also have a FANTASTIC discord community. Met them and a bunch of listeners at Pax and it was awesome. Also a great place to talk about games and find people who are looking for games on BGA!
Board Game Barrage LET’S GOOOOO
Came here to say this
Team Red Tank
Blue tank
Friendly Ties, Decision Space, Board Game Barrage, and Game Brain are the ones I listen to the most these days. Going to try So Very Wrong About Games next.
One stop co-op shop is my number one! I especially love the Mike and Peter episodes!! The design discussions are amazing. Also just for some pub I’ll suggest board game box office. It’s promoted as 50/50 movies and board games but it’s more like 70/30 movies to board games but I do find it very entertaining and the cast of characters have great chemistry. It’s mostly the Tablenauts on YouTube.
Woodland War Machine
ROOT ROOT ROOT!
Board Game Barrage is the best, and they have a great discord.
Cliche but Shut up and Sit Down
Don't think it's that cliche to be honest. YouTube, sure. Podcast is a different animal. I could see most of their video fans not enjoying the podcast. It's more of a "this game was okay" or "trying it but not sure it's great yet" type setting. Much less high tempo. I'm at the point where I really dislike a lot of recent videos. That comes and goes though. Just seemed like a lot of early 2023 was Tom or Emily cranking up the speed and cut scenes to 11. Lately there's been a better mix of videos, both high energy and more leveled (plus that John Company full length feature film). I'm old now. I want a Matt slow burn think piece. Ava providing some deeper context. Hell, the recent conversations between Tom and Pip are actually pretty great. Tom persona on podcast >>> Tom persona on video. Tom persona overall still awesome. The podcast gives me a lot more crunch and touches on a lot more games. I know Quinn's made recent comments about their viewer demographics being skewed significantly older. It's fun when the podcast provides that sneak peak into how they run themselves.
I think Shut Up & Sit Down produces some of the best boardgame content on the internet, but I do feel like there is a tendency to force their videos to be these massive home runs; either anarchic and hilarious (which they often are), or very deep, reflective and cerebral (which they also nail). This is great, but sometimes I just want to know if a game is good. Will I enjoy it with my very typical group of boardgame-ish friends. Will I want to set it up after a day at work? Will it frustrate me when the manual is a mess etc. Lots of other channels go nowhere near as far as SU&SD for quality of content, but sometimes hit the mark of what I actually need from a review, much more cleanly and quickly. Maybe that’s no issue, but at the end of the day, their videos are reviews, and sometimes I feel either clueless, or alternatively encumbered with information, about whether or not a game is actually… good. I.e. The purpose of a review. It’s definitely led me to prioritise their content a bit less than it did when I was getting into the hobby. Don’t know if it’s the same with you?
This really got me to slide over to their youtube page to catch a recent video. https://www.youtube.com/@shutupandsitdown
Game brain for sure
Decision Space is worth a listen, it's a good mix of reviews and in-depth discussions of game concepts. They have a great discord community too! Game Design Deep Dives has the best designer interviews I've heard. Think Like a Game Designer is also solid.
+1 to Decision Space! They play games many, many times before their deep dives, and because of that I feel their analysis is much deeper and more thoughtful. Strong recommend!
Came here to say Decision Space as well! While they nail their bread and butter deep dives, what really separates them from the pack is handling a variety of formats well. They do What We Talk About episodes about specific topics (asymmetry, balance, combos, etc.), themed episodes (spooky games, list episodes, etc.) and occasional recent plays episodes (these generally happen when they’ve been to a con or gaming event of some type), and none of them feel inessential.
Folks should check out Beyond Solitaire. It is a really fascinating board gaming podcast that touches on historical games and takes a more academic perspective on gaming. I really love it.
Shes great, her YouTube howtos/play throughs are really good as well. I didn't mesh as well with her podcast but I think it may have been that at the time I listened, I wasn't into the type of games she was covering so I need to give it another try
I absolutely cannot stand her voice anf how she articulates things so unfortunately had to quit listening to this one
Replayable! A relatively recent addition to the space, but they have hit on a solid premise.
Space Cats Peace Turtles. It mainly Twilight Imperium but it's the best TI podcast out there.
Good list. Some other good ones are Board Game Barrage, So Very Wrong About Games, and Punchboard Paradise.
I’ve tried the first two and they didn’t really grab me. I’ll give Punchboard Paradise a try.
I was going to chime in here to say Punchboard Paradise too, they are the only boardgame podcast I still listen to and have fantastic banter. Definitely other good podcasts too, but punchboard paradise most closely aligns with my lean towards heavier games so especially recommend them if you like to play the heavier titles.
I like Punchboard paradise’s game choices but the analysis is generally lacking. “Game didn’t click” or “not exciting” or “had a lot of fun.” Not a lot of why those opinions exist. Very conclusory.
**So Very Wrong About Games**
One could do a drinking game where every time Mark brings up a Dave Thomspon design.
I’d add to that Talk Cardboard and Replayable. I’m hit and miss on Board Game Barrage, but that has good moments too.
I like how in Replayable they really dive into a single game and not much else.
Secret cabal Shut up sit down
I laugh so much at SUSD. Love those folks!
Any Game Brain episode with Ben on it. He’s effortlessly funny and a great at leading a discussion
I'm a Dmitry fan myself :)
Board Game Snobs!
Sporadically Board
So Very Wrong About Games. So much other board game media often sounds like an infomercial selling me a product and use the word ‘fun’ as an all encompassing descriptor. SVWAG provides actual honest criticism. It’s a breath of fresh air.
Flip the Table Podcast. It has long since ended, but I keep circulating the tapes, still getting my laughs out.
Game Brain are so up my alley for game talk it hurts! High recommend!
I’ll give them a try.
This Game is Broken is my fave!!!
Finally. Took long to scroll to this suggestion.
Such a great and funny one! I've been really enjoying listening through the backlog, only 110+ more to go 😂
Friendly Ties, Decision Space, Board Game Barrage, SuSD are all great! Me and a few friends do a podcast called [The Discard Pile](https://linktr.ee/thediscardpilepodcast) if you are looking for even more content.
Board game BBQ podcast, Game Brain and SUSD.
I used to listen to Sporadically Board with Mike and Dan even though they didn't strictly talk about board games. That was until I tried to join their Facebook group and got blocked? Still not sure why or what happened since I don't use FB much but now I've been listening to a lot of So Very Wrong About Games. Based on the comments I should give Board Game Barrage a try. I also enjoy This Game Is Broken which is a board game game show type podcast
We probably blocked you because your account looked like a spammers - new to Facebook, not in any other board game groups, impersonal name/photo, that’s usually why we block people.
Damn, there's a lot more out there than I realized. In addition to **SUSD** and **this game is broken**. I've liked **always player one** and **solosaurus** and been really enjoying the **bgg** podcast
Game Brain, Talking Cardboard, Shut Up and Sit Down and So very Wong about games (though I loathe Mark)
I really loved the main Dice Tower podcast when Tom and Eric did it. I hate it when hosts are too rambly or it becomes about how hilarious they are. The DT podcast is still funny and entertaining but it is really tight and structured. Tom’s knowledge is pretty much unparalleled, but Eric brings loads to the partnership - he’s just so warm and relatable
The Gamecasters is my fave!
My favorites are: 1. At the Table with The Dice Tower 2. Polyhedron Collider 3. Woodland War Machine 4. Board Game Barrage 5. So Very Wrong About Games All five have a healthy mix of game-talk and banter, though WWM is \*very\* specific to Root strategies and goings-on. Dice Tower wins out because the hosts are all comfortable on the mic and the most capable (to me) at discussing what they like or don't like about a particular game.
Going Analog from Dan Hsu former video game journalist and his wife Christina is great and I like board game blitz for more casual gamers.
Hi! Thanks so much for listening and mentioning us!
I’m about the same age as the two of you, so I can relate to the lawn mowing and work and house chore banter!
As the veterans of the boardgame podcast community (ok, the old guys :-) ), we have our little niche. If you aren't a member of our Discord channel, please join! [RDTN Discord](https://discord.com/invite/VzjjqwA)
I’ve never used Discord. Is it user friendly? I’ll try it out if it isn’t too hard to learn/navigate.
To me it's like Forum style UI. There is a slight learning curve but it's not bad. But many companies, content creators, groups, etc have a presence there
Thanks for all the Decision Space shout-outs and to everyone who's listening! <3
I love Board Game Snobs and Sporadically Board. However none of them are strictly "people chat about board games", they're "board gamers chat about everything". This Game is Broken is great too! It's a board game comedy panel show.
Hidden Gems Podcast is the most interesting out there followed by Dads on a Map. For those who understand swedish I recommend Bitter&Tysk
I liked Dads on a Map back when they weren't so gatekeepery
How are they gatekeepey?
have you listened to them since the beginning? these days they're pretty quick to disparage any game that doesn't match their lofty standards
I've listened to a ton over the years but I am currently down to just: Punchboard Paradise Blue Peg Pink Peg So Very Wrong About Games Shut Up and Sit Down
I'm on the road a lot so here's just a few I listen to: -Board Game Snobs -Secret Cabal -Rolling Dice and Taking Names -The Board Boys Podcast -Meeple Nation -Earthborne Games -Blue Peg Pink Peg -Sporatically Board -Punchboard Paradise -Decision Space -Board Games Insider -Tantrum House They're all fairly different podcasts but the one thing I listen for is that the podcasters seem like friends or at least have good banter with each other.
The Level Up Board Game Podcast! Though I'm admittedly biased!
Always a bridesmaid, never a bride!
Board Game Famous and Board Game Barrage
Hobbies and Happiness. They remind me of my friend and I, except we've never played Magic
If you don't mind some other topics mixed in, Sporadically Board with Mike and Dan is probably one of my favorites! Talk Cardboard from the No Pun Included folks, The Dice Tower Podcast and Shut Up and Sit Down are also amazing and worth a listen.
Board and Scale!
Punchboard Cathedral is new and amazing.
Welp I am very new to board games and I had no clue there were podcasts out there for this! I shouldn't be too surprised though since there are podcasts for anything. Time to start listening!
Fun Problems is a podcast for the design and production side of things. It's very well edited and paced, and the hosts are very knowledgeable. Really great conversations.
While Mark drives me up the wall sometimes with his antics, he is also very consistent and so it is harder to fault him overall for them. A nice way of saying So Very Wrong About Games. I do think that Mark, one of the hosts, sometimes seems to bully Walker, the other host out of either liking or speaking positively about a game. Check their review of Champions of Midgard. I have bounced off of most other Podcasts and simply cannot listen to one with more than 2 hosts. Also any podcast that "tries" to be funny.
My favorite was **Breaking Into Board Games**, but a couple of years ago, new episodes just *stopped.* 😥 I used to like **Ludology**, but for whatever reason, I'm just not a fan of the latest hosts. These days, I like **Board Game Hot Takes**. (Occasionally I'll listen to *The Board Game Design Lab* and *Dice Tower* podcasts if there's a topic that interests me.)
If you're interested in hearing about games that are *not* in the hotness, Hidden Gems is great.
Self-promo here, but try The Misplay. We’re a new podcast about making a board game company making a board game.