BOARD GAME BROS We are Jeffrey Craig and Matthew Craig - brothers in real life and board game designers in real life. This is our board game hobbyist/design podcast where we talk about our favorite games. We start every episode talking about how the game is played, and then we examine how game desig…
The Board Game Bros are back from their hiatus, and what better game to discuss upon their return than Return to Dark Tower! Listen for Jeffrey and Matthew's strategy tips, then stick around for a discussion on what an app can bring to a tabletop gaming experience.
This episode the board game bros discuss Wolfgang Warsch's roll-and-write-er That's Pretty Clever! Listen for tips on investing early, fox tips, and stick around for a discussion on player expression in a game with no flavor.
This week the Board Game Bros cover the evil-realm-building tile placement game Overboss. Listen for Jeff and Matt's thoughts on the pixel art style, strategies for going big, and a continuation on the discussion on board game spin-offs.
This episode the Board Game Bros review Spiel Des Jahres winner Pictures! Listen for tips on using each of the game's 5 sets of objects, then stick around after the break for a discussion on the game's laid-back vibe and how to add your own objects.
This week the Board Game Bros discuss the dice-bag-building classic Quarriors. Learn how to out-pace your opponents in a race for glory, then listen for Jeff and Matt's thoughts on why a couple lacking design elements make this game feel like autopilot.
This week the Board Game Bros Cover Clank!: A Deck-building Adventure. Listen for Jeff and Matt's 3 strategies for winning and which they think is best, then stick around and listen as Matt reckons with deck-building design principles.
This week the Board Game Bros discuss the party game withe the most scares-per-minute, Fright. Listen for their thoughts on how to be a good ghost, if and when you should scare yourself, and a design discussion on the necessity of fancy components. Thanks to SolidRoots games for sending us the game for this review!
This week its another double feature! Matt and Jeff discuss Looney Labs' very own Fluxx and Chrononauts. Listen for the Board Game Bros' thoughts on a classic, a discussion on feels-bad mechanics, and the importance of a good theme.
This week the Board Game Bros are serving up a double feature with a discussion on Century: Spice Road and Century: Eastern Wonders. Learn about the similarities and differences between parts one and two of the Century trilogy, then stick around for a discussion on designing sequels that combine with their prequels.
This week the Board Game Bros discuss the tile-placement board game The Palace of Mad King Ludwig. Listen for tips on how to score points and race the rising tide of the moat, then stick around for a discussion on rules comprehension.
This week the Board Game Bros discuss the woodland worker-placement game Everdell. Learn strategies for maximizing actions and points, then stick around to hear Jeff and Matt's thoughts on how this game combines mechanical inspiration to great effect.
This week the Board Game Bros discuss the Roll and Write (or Draw and Write) game Welcome To. Listen for tips on placing your houses, meeting objectives, and stick around for a design discussion about tension and payoff.
This episode, the Board Game Bros discuss the beautifully-designed party game Wavelength. Listen for tips on being a good psychic, then stick around for a discussion on the component design, and reasons why this is Jeff and Matt's new favorite party game.
This week the Board Game Bros review Pendulum from Stonemaier Games. Listen for Matt and Jeff's strategy tips for managing your time and workers, then stick around til the end for a discussion on the game's theming and component design.
This week the Board Game Bros discuss the competitive dodecahedron-assembling game Planet. Listen for a discussion on how to spot the synnergies between animals, and how to build 1 birdhouse for 2 birds (or was it with one plank?) Stick around til the end where we discuss the component design and how the game gets in its own way with its satisfying gameplay.
This week the Board Game Bros revisit the stone-cold-classic co-op game Spirit Island and its 2 phenomenal expansions. Listen for strategy tips with the new spirits, then stick around for a discussion on why Matt and Jeff Spirit Island's expansions, though complicated, nail it for their target audience.
This week the Board Game Bros revisit Teamfight Tactics. Listen for Jeff and Matt's strategies for the current set, then stick around for a discussion on past sets and TFT's design philosophy.
This week the Board Game Bros discuss the dice-rolling game of space domination Roll for the Galaxy. Listen for tips on win conditions and making the most of your dice, then stick around for Matt and Jeff's thoughts on the game's theme and design.
This week the Board Game Bros discuss the meta-worker-placement-game Architects of the West Kingdom. Listen for opening strategies, and Matt and Jeff's thoughts on how this game successfully subverts the worker placement genre.
This week the Board Game Bros discuss the "roll" and write map-charting game Cartographers (A Roll Player Tale). Listen for Jeff and Matt's tips on placing your territories, and learn why this quick and simple game is so dang satisfying.
This week the Board Game Bros discuss their 7 favorite mechanics from specific board games. Listen for how each of these unique mechanics stands apart and defines the game that it's from.
This week the Board Game Bros discuss what it takes for a game to have a competitive scene, then go into some professional tips and tricks for their favorite competitive board games.
This week the board game bros discuss the 2011 eurogame classic The Castles of Burgundy. Listen for how to develop tempo and points with clever dice usage, and if/why Jeff and Matt think this game deserves its high rating.
This week the Board Game Bros discuss how player counts impact games, and what games can do to support large or small counts.
This week the Board Game Bros discuss the competitive survival adaptation game Evolution. Learn what traits will bring you success as carnivore and herbivore and how the players create the complexity in this otherwise minimal game.
This week the Board Game Bros discuss the hidden traitor game sensation of 2020 Among Us. Listen for their top Crew mate and Impostor tricks.
This week the board game bros. Discuss their thoughts on the various trends in board games that have come, gone, and in some cases still have potential.
This week the Board Game Bros discuss the rpg board game Sanctum. Listen for how this game successfully adapts elements of games like Diablo into an addictively replayable board game.
This week the Board Game Bros discuss what makes a good 2 player game and list a couple favorites.
This week for their 100th mainline episode, the Board Game Bros discuss the semi-abstract area control game Photosynthesis. Learn the best places to grow your trees, how to collect lots of light, and how this game twists the abstract game formula via indirect conflict.
This week the board game bros discuss Stonemaier Game's first release Viticulture. Learn how to best utilize your workers and plan ahead in this game about wine crafting.
This week the board game bros discuss the roll-and-write print-and-play game Rolling Realms. Listen for how Stonemaier games interpreted each game from their catalog in unique dicey ways and how this game is well suited for our new quarantined lifestyles.
This week the Board Game Bros review the underrated Wii video game board game Fortune Street. Learn the tips and tricks to game the stock market in this game that, despite drawing many comparisons to monopoly, is actually incredibly fun.
This week the Board Game Bros are giving you a sneak preview into their patreon-exclusive series: The Dusty Shelf! The first game Matthew dusts off is Uno! Matthew dives into the small decisions that can help lead to ditching that final card, then explores Uno's legacy and its more dated decisions.
This week the board game bros discuss the Luck and Deduction game Love Letter. Listen for ways to deduce your opponents' cards, play to your outs, and why this game makes for an excellent deduction gateway game.
This week the Board Game Bros have wrapped up their Betrayal Legacy Campaign and are here to discuss it. Learn about how this uses the legacy game format to tell a story with twists and turns and listen for Matt and Jeff's favorite sessions.
that doesn't take place on Mars, Terra Mystica. Listen for how to weave strategically through this complex game and how to not fall for newbie traps.
This week discuss the drafting-est game around Citadels. Learn a couple levels of draft strategy and why this game is great even for folks that don't like drafting so much.
This week the Board Game Bros discuss the efficient engine-building game Res Arcana. Listen for Jeff and Matt's favorite magical artifact engine pieces and why the victory condition of this game changes the way you think about your engine.
This week the Board Game Bros are beyond excited to interview legendary game designer and Chief Restoration Officer at Restoration Games Rob Daviau on the podcast about his career, game design philosophies, and the upcoming Restoration Games kickstarter project Return to Dark Tower. Visit restorationgames.com/return-to-dark-tower/ for more information and to sign up to be notified when the kickstarter goes live on January 14.
This week the Board Game Bros have a big announcement: they are starting a Patreon! Tune in to hear the first episode of Matt's new series "Let's Make a Game" with a special guest appearance from Jeff!
This week the Board Game Bros discuss each of their top 5 games of the 2010s for their 100th recorded episode. Listen for which games Jeff and Matt include in their lists and why, and stick around til the end for an important podcast update.
In this bonus episode for the week the Board Game Bros cover the no-talking co-op game of mall mischief Magic Maze. Learn about what needs to be paid attention to and how this game uses an hourglass in an interesting way.
This week the Board Game Bros discuss the king-of-the-hill kaiju game King of Tokyo. Listen how points are the real king and how it stands as a strong gateway game despite a disconnect between flavor and mechanics.
This week the Board Game Bros cover the Lovecraftian co-op press-your-luck game Elder Sign. Learn how to stop an ancient one from decimating our world and how this game's mechanics tie into it's eldritch theme.
This week the Board Game Bros discuss the hand drafting game of raven transformation Nevermore. Learn about how the unique drafting mechanism changes affects draft strategy and how Nevermore makes getting knocked out fun.
This week the Board Game Bros cover the 2-player game of deception and deduction Mr. Jack. Learn about this gateway game's strategic depth and how it handles being a symmetrical game with asymmetric goals.
This week the Board Game Bros discuss the new civilization board game released by Stonemaier games: Tapestry! Learn about nifty opening strategies, the fine line that new game experiences can walk, and the importance of Narative Equity.
This week the Board Game Bros discuss 5D Mancala aka Five Tribes. Learn the tips and tricks to making it in the sultanate and how the design of the game shines a light on the existence of those tips and tricks.
This week the Board Game Bros the 2-player civ-builder 7 Wonders Duel. Listen for why science and military are important strategies and how this game adapted the original to create a better atmosphere for a 2-player experience.
This week the Board Game Bros. cover aren't covering Star Realms (which keeps coming up) but instead cover the fantasy re-themed deck builder Hero Realms. Listen for the differences between the 2 games, where this game succeeds, and where it falls short.