Going Analog Podcast

Our favorite "just playing games" convention is behind us now, and...we did spend a lot of time just playing games. A LOT. BGG.CON features BoardGameGeek 's legendary library plus the latest hotness from the king of board game shows, Essen Spiel , so we had no shortage of options. Listen in to see what our highlights were and to get a tease of what we have in store for Season 6 of The Board Game Quiz Show .

A lot of drafting games have been hitting our table lately, and they're all putting their own twists on the genre. We've been enjoying them so much that we're dedicating this whole episode to our top picks. Plus, the sequel to Yomi , is here. Shoe's played a lot of fighting (video) games, so what does he think about probably the most pure card-game interpretation around? Timeline 0:53 - Going Analog's game pick: Yomi 2 . 7:54 - 6 new drafting games worth checking out.

All this business (or loss of) around tariffs has repeated raised a question from the gaming community: Why not just manufacture games in the U.S. instead of, say, China? James Hudson, game designer and owner of Druid City Games , took time out of promoting his Wonderland's War Duel Kickstarter (check out our preview !) to explain why it's so difficult. We've heard the facts from the board game industry before, but James has additional insight worth hearing out. Timeline 1:30 - Going Analog's game pick: Everbloom. 4:58 - James' game pick: Galileo Galilei. 11:35 - Wonderland's War Duel , a new Wonderland's War expansion, Madcala , Off With Their Heads! , and an expansion to Tidal Blades 2 . 22:03 - James' topic: Why making board games in America is so difficult.

The OG card-crafting game Mystic Vale is getting a major makeover. Or is it a sequel? Whatever you want to call it, Mystic Lands is taking Vale 's original concept of layering clear cards to create powerful combinations and streamling gameplay while beautifying the art. The result is a much better game (from our one play), and now we have to suffer the wait for the November Kickstarter campaign to run and fulfill. Designer John D Clair and CEO of publisher Alderac Entertainment Group (AEG) John Zinser stopped by our home to play a full game of Mystic Lands with us (Shoe would rather we don't discuss the final scores). Before we would let them out of the house, however, we made both sit down to record this podcast. Clair is working on some autobattler game designs, so that was his topic for us this week. Timeline 1:15 - Going Analog's game pick: Fight 5. 3:05 - John D Clair's game pick: Living Forest. 5:13 - John Zinser's game pick: Love Letter. 7:37 - Mystic Lands and card-crafting. 21:38 - John D Clair's topic: The new trend of autobattler board and card games.

Let's try something new! For some reason (spoiler: the reason is laziness), we don't have a guest this week, so Shoe and Christina decided to feature the seasonally appropriate (for the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival) Moon Bunny and then discuss some exciting new push-your-luck dice games that we've been enjoying. Timeline 1:30 - Game pick: Moon Bunny 7:12 - Topic: push-your-luck dice games

We've been keeping an eye on the Kinfire series (which includes the cooperative campaign Kinfire Chronicles and tactical card game Kinfire Delve ), and we walked away very impressed with our plays of the latest one in the franchise, Kinfire Council , a competitive worker-placement game set in the same world. Publisher Incredible Dream Studios is approaching gaming differently, so we asked CEO and co-founder Jane Hoffacker to discuss the massive amount of work that goes into designing a shared-universe space. And we continued the chat with Jane posing some thoughtful questions about cultural appropriation in gaming. Timeline: 4:08 - Going Analog's game pick: Tea Witches. 8:25 - Jane's game pick: Dungeon Mayhem. 10:38 - Going Analog's topic: board game universes, the Kinfire series. 31:46 - Jane's topic: cultural appropriation in gaming.

Cozy is the new zombie. Or Cthulhu. Seriously -- just keep your eye on those store shelves (especially over the next few months), and you'll likely see so many new board games themed around the art of non-conflict. Maybe you'll be cuddling up with kitties . Or you'll be sitting around, peacefully matching tiles at your own pace. Or you'll be arranging books around your home in ways that please only you, as in our guest's co-designed A Place for All My Books . Alex Cutler joins the podcast this week to talk about what exactly makes a game "cozy." Plus we lean into his experience as a developer (not just designer) to learn what makes for a good product. Sure, great gameplay is a must -- but what else will make gamers want to make that purchase? Timeline: 3:15 - Going Analog's game pick: Black Forest. 6:59 - Alex's game pick: Fishing. 10:33 - Going Analog's topic: cozy games. 22:12 - Alex's topic: what makes a game a good product.

We love Gen Con so much, we couldn't fit everything into our Games of the Show episode . And Corey Thompson loves Gen Con so much that he became a part-owner of the giant North American gaming convention. Corey leads Above Board TV , cohosts the Board Games Insider podcast, co-owns Play to Z Games , and...lots more that will just take up way too much space to write all out. So he was the perfect guest to invite on our show to chat about about more Gen Con highlights -- and some of our recent and classic two-player favorites. Timeline: 3:48 - Going Analog's game pick: Panda Spin. 7:30 - Corey's game pick: Giberrers. 10:57 - Going Analog's topic: final Gen Con thoughts and highlights. 29:36 - Corey's topic: great two-player games (classic and new).

We're back from North America's giant gaming convention: Gen Con 2025 ! Did you miss us? Don't answer and don't worry -- we've got the coverage for ya. We sit down and talk about SO MANY GAMES -- over 20 of 'em in this episode alone. Which did we like? Which were the best in show for us? Listen to find out! Timeline: 4:21 - 2025 Party Games of Gen Con. 13:00 - 2025 Light Games of Gen Con. 35:42 - 2025 Medium Games of Gen Con. 53:10 - 2025 Heavy Games of Gen Con.

We love unique gaming experiences, especially from those tough-to-find games in Asia. Why are they so different from Western-made games? And what are the differences between games that originated from Japan, Taiwan, Korea, or other parts of the East? Jay Bernardo, marketing manager at Bezier Games and content creator at Cardboard East (which specializes in covering board games from Asia), was kind enough to join Going Analog to teach us the ways. We also recommend some new games that play best at 5 or 6 players! Timeline: 3:29 - Going Analog's game pick: Finca . 8:35 - Jay's game pick: Dune (1979 version). 18:01 - Jay's topic: East vs. West board games. 41:51 - Going Analog's topic: 5- to 6-player games.

Do you enjoy hosting a handful of people for game night? How about a few hundred? That's what these three tried for the first time about a month ago in Burbank, CA: Dustin Staats, content creator and owner of online and brick-and-mortar retailer BGE Tabletop ; George Caceres, owner of board game cafe Game N' Grounds ; and Dae, owner of board game store Fire & Dice , came together to put on the very first LFG Con this past June. We asked Dustin to join us on the podcast to talk about how their convention dreams started and what it took to make them a reality. Plus, Dustin shares how he made the transition from board game content creator to board game retailer. Listen in! Timeline: 3:53 - Going Analog's game pick: Dark Heists. 8:58 - Dustin's game pick: Scythe. 11:59 - Going Analog's topic: Running a game convention (for the first time). 25:47 - Dustin's topic: From content creator to retailer (how I opened my brick & mortar store)

We just finished Halloweeeen! What are your favorite board games for spoopy season? We ask Creepshow: The Suspense-Building Game co-creators Ben Kepner and Dan Stong about what they like to play during this holiday...plus how they feel about designing while working in-house at a publisher compared to working independently. Timeline: 3:45 - Going Analog's game pick: Babylon. 9:46 - Ben & Dan's game pick: Rattus. 21:19 - Ben & Dan's topic: spooky games. 45:40 - Going Analog's topic: indie vs. in-house design work.

Game time! We catch up on a bunch of reviews for new games and expansions -- tune in to find out how much we liked them! And whether Christina ever found her Pringle. Thanks to the publishers for providing review copies. Timeline: New games: 1:30 - The Architects of Amytis. 6:24 - Medieval Academy. 11:41 - Combo. 15:55 - Star Trek: Star Realms. New expansions: 21:45 - Evergreen: Pines and Cacti. 27:52 - Ancient Knowledge: Heritage. 34:44 - Sky Team: Turbulence. 40:31 - Rebel Princess: Happily Never After.

The 2025 American Tabletop Awards were just announced! (Whispers offstage inform us that they were announced back in April....) Well, we're now ready to talk about them after our extended break. With ATTA cofounder and content creator Eric Yurko of What's Eric Playing? , we react to the recently crowned finalists and winners -- and tell you how we each voted as part of the judging panel. Timeline: 7:08 - Early Gamers category. 17:54 - Casual Games category. 30:29 - Strategy Games category. 40:03 - Complex Games category.

We're back! Again! Tune in to hear all our excuses about why we haven't been podcasting recently, then stay to hear our guest, fabulous designer ( Evolution , Wits & Wagers, Oceans) and North Star Games founder Dominic Crapuchettes! We talk about the upcoming Evolution sequel Nature , tariffs (gah), and Dominic's process when designing a science-based game. Timeline: 1:39 - Nature. 8:45 - Going Analog's game pick: Super Boss Monster. 12:26 - Dominic's game pick: The Gang. 17:32 - Going Analog's topic: tariffs impacting the board game industry. 29:42 - Dominic's topic: designing science/real life games.

Imagine the longest, most suspenseful drumroll ever....... Sorry we've been MIA, but real life has been unforgiving and busy. Luckily, we're making it up to you by commemorating our 150th episode with our TOP 10 GAMES OF ALL TIME! We invite Ultimate Beige Gamer and Going Analog Editor Mike Zipkin to join us to share our individual top 10 lists. Whose taste will reign supreme? Which Going Analog-er is your favorite board game soulmate? You'll have to listen to find out.

Did someone say Phil Walker-Harding ? Praise be! The prolific designer ( Sushi Go! , Barenpark , Imhotep , Gizmos , Adventure Games, and so many more!) joins Christina and Shoe to talk about how his film background has surprisingly influenced his design process. Plus, Phil's been noticing the "playfulness" inherent in some games recently. Why is he excited about this, and what does it mean for his own designs? Watch or listen to find out! Timeline: 3:01 - Going Analog's game pick: Rivages. 5:32 - Phil's game pick: Acquire . 9:27 - Going Analog's topic: How Phil's film background influences his game design. 25:56 - Phil's topic: Playfulness in game design.

We just wrapped up last year with our 2024 Games of the Year episode , so naturally, it's time to move on with our lives and think about what gets us all excited about 2025. What are we looking forward to playing? What have we previewed previously and are now eagerly awaiting the retail release? What's the buzz we're hearing from others in the biz? Comedian and board game content creator Grant Lyon joins the show to share his thoughts on the biggest offerings for this new year. Plus, with the roller coaster that's TikTok and the continued rise of online toxicity, just how are we looking at board game social media these days? Timeline: 4:45 - Going Analog's game pick: Andromeda's Edge . 14:18 - Grant's game pick: Dice Throne . 19:38 - Going Analog's topic: 2025 games we're looking forward to. 45:44 - Grant's topic: the state of board game social media.

We did it, folks! We recorded our 2024 Games of the Year episode before the end of the year! (We didn't say anything about releasing it before the end of the year, though.) Joining us just under the wire is content creator and Twitch streamer Beneeta Kaur who contributed her own picks. We actually played a good number of games in-person with Beneeta this year, so we know she has great taste! Tune in for our favorite party, light, medium, and heavy games of the year. What did we miss? What do we NEED to play? Tell us on our socials! Timeline: 2:42 - 2024 Party Games of the Year. 13:42 - 2024 Light Games of the Year. 25:22 - 2024 Medium Games of the Year. 46:40 - 2024 Heavy Games of the Year.

How is it almost the end of 2024?! Christina and Shoe sneak in some more recent games and tell you about them. Timeline: 1:02 - Small-box games: Bottle Imp , Codex Naturalis . 14:10 - Medium-box games: Looot, In the Footsteps of Marie Curie. 26:30 - Big-box games: Rallyman: Dirt, Creature Caravan.

BoardGameGeek's BGG.CON is always a good time: just days and days of straight gaming (with some delicious Texas BBQ sprinkled in throughout). So what did we play? And what stuck out to us? Christina and Shoe talk through the games, the show, and more in their big post-BGG.CON update. Timeline: 2:41 - SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence . 11:04 - Windmill Valley . 19:14 - Video Game Champion . 27:26 - Pixies . 32:23 - Castle Combo . 36:49 - Quick hits: Black Forest , Forges of Ravenshire , Fishing , Wine Cellar , Everbloom .

Publisher Bitewing Games has a thing for designer Reiner Knizia (most recently with Zoo Vadis and the Mythos Collection's Illiad and Ichor ). Now they're back at it with a new three-part, big-box, Knizia-palooza Kickstarter campaign . We had the opportunity to play one of those parts, SILOS ( Secret Interlopers from Outer Space ), a retro sci-fi (with cows!) rethemed version of Municipium ...and we instantly fell in love. So we invited Bitewing founders Nick Murray and Kyle Spackman to chat about SILOS , other great area-control games, and board game series and franchises. Timeline: 3:25 - Going Analog's game pick: Magic Maze Tower . 11:22 - Bitewing's game pick: Moonrollers . 19:48 - Going Analog's topic: SILOS and other great area-control games. 47:57 - Bitewing's topic: gaming series and franchies.

Tired of hoarding resources, majority-ing areas, and adding up victory points? Want to make your frenemy continuously act like they're milking a cow instead? Then let's talk party games! Shoe and Christina run through a bunch of new big-group activities to help you with your next big game night. This episode was sponsored by Magic Mind, our favorite Mental Performance Shot. As a special offer for our listeners, they're giving 40% off the next 10 (and only 10!) uses of this promo code. Go to https://magicmind.com/ANALOG40 and use our code ANALOG40 to get this deal. Timeline: 1:09 - Christina's game pick: Minos: Dawn of the Bronze Age. 6:09 - Shoe's game pick: Nature. 12:44 - Games that tweak party game formulas: Sync, Rabble, Lovestruck. 24:59 - Team games: Belratti, Blank Slate: Challenge, Mini-Game Party. 35:27 - Drawing games: Caution Signs, Speed Colors. 42:37 - Quick hits: Task Team, Ultimate Dibs, I'm Kind of a Big Dill.

We were thrilled to meet Ben Rosset , co-designer of our favorite deduction games The Search for Planet X and The Search for Lost Species (as well as the classic Between Two Cities ), at Gen Con 2024 . Find out why that first meeting was ridiculous (in our eyes), what's Ben's creative process on his deeply thematic designs, and how we feel about the various types of second-edition board games. Timeline: 2:58 - Christina's game pick: Kronologic: Paris 1920. 9:58 - Shoe's game pick: Sacred Valley. 14:58 - Ben's game pick: Century: Spice Road/Golem Edition. 23:05 - Going Analog's topic: designing board games around interesting themes. 34:13 - Ben's topic: the good and bad of second editions.

Board games = cardboard. It's in the name of the material itself! But...what about An Age Contrived , a new Euro-style, action-programming strategy game designed by Chris Matthew of indie publisher Bellows Intent? It has magnetic bits, chunky Azul -style tiles, and in the Founder's and Collector's Editions, the player boards are set into solid metal frames . What? And you can shoot those tiles out with a spring/lever mechanism. Whaaaat? We had to bring Chris on to ask how he balanced the component "wow" factor with manufacturing affordability -- and as a big gamer himself, Chris wanted to talk about how games have surprised and delighted us. We were delighted to chat with him, so give us a listen! Timeline: 4:05 - Going Analog's game pick: Open Season. 9:40 - Chris's game pick: Revive. 16:36 - Going Analog's topic: An Age Contrived , balancing cool components with high costs. 41:20 - Chris's topic: how games can surprise and delight us.