The Board Game BBQ Podcast

Episode 341 – Post-Play Con Catch-up: Gen Con, Ladies’ Gaming Weekend & Mic Chaos

In a post-Play Con world, the BBQ crew is back behind the mics — well, most of the mics. Jules shares tales from his big trip to Gen Con, Dana recounts her epic ladies’ weekend away full of board games, and Adrian… well, let’s just say his microphone wasn’t having a good day. Blame him for any dodgy audio — we sure are.

This week’s sizzling games:

We apologise for some minor sound quality issues this week. We hope you enjoy the pod all the same!

This week join Conor, Lauren and Dana as they discuss their Play Con 2025 highlights, including TTRPGs, big group games and some hot new releases. Conor has been throwing it back playing a game painted so beautifully that all other games are ruined for him, with Foundations of Rome. Lauren is casting aside life, youth, and rest, in...

Episode 339 - Wellycon Adventures!

Joe and Adrian are back from an incredible trip to New Zealand where they hit up Wellycon, the biggest board gaming event in NZ! They talk about all the amazing games they played, the wonderful people they met, and the awesome Kiwi gaming community.

A massive shout out to the team at Garphill Games for being absolute legends and making them feel so welcome — and for showing off some seriously cool...

Join Conor, Joe and Lauren and they discuss what has been hitting their tables and screens. Conor has gone absolutely rogue venturing off the table and into the digital space with Monster Train 2. Lauren enlightens the guys on her recent solo tower defence adventure with The Last Lighthouse. Joe has been playing a fun party game, no wait a really fun party game, no wait a game that dances and teaches itself and gives everyone free ...

Join Adrian and Lauren as they get up close and personal, literally, and discuss games they have been playing that deserve a merry mention. Then they join together in a shared sizzle fresh off a play of the 2-player GMT release, A Gest of Robin Hood. That, plus the regular question of the pod and what has us fired up. Timestamps:

What we’ve been playing [02:30] A Gest of Robin Hood [30:48] Question of the Pod Recap [57:05] New Qu...

In this episode, Jules, Adrian and Dana could be giddy from tiredness or there’s something in the water …

Jules has been experimenting with corded transport routes in the String Railway Collection.  Adrian chats about his son’s continuing board game education with Pipeline.  Meanwhile Banana is chuffed with a mega game at the Brisbane Game Day called Scissors, Paper, Rock … or wait …, is it rock, paper, scissors????

There are p...

In this jam-packed episode, Conor takes the reins as host and is joined by Adrian and Joe to chat about what they’ve been playing, some solo deep-dives, party chaos, and emerging favourites.

Joe's Long Weekend of Mayhem Joe dives into his recent experience playing Blood on the Clocktower over a long weekend with friends. Expect stories of bluffing, betrayal, and late-night accusations as he shares how this social deduction classic ...

This week, Joe, Jules and Lauren tuck into a mixed bag of gaming experiences. Jules has been dipping his fins into the Wingspan universe and getting back into Magic: The Gathering whilst being very excited about some upcoming IPs that are coming for his wallet. Joe has finally rejoined his weekly game group and had an absolutely kraken time bidding for the favour of gods in Cyclades. Lauren has been exploring a game that has her pl...

In this episode, Banana, Adrian and Conor are in the mood to reminisce about a HUGE gaming weekend for Adrian’s 40th birthday. Adrian has fallen for The Gang, and by that he means not just the people at his birthday bash, but the game as well.  Meanwhile Conor has been battling head-to-head and having fun with one of his favourite TCG’s without breaking the bank, in Altered.  Banana surprisingly enjoyed a game that prides itself on...

It wouldn’t be Oceania month without Matthew Dunstan, who is closing in on the title for the most guest appearances on the podcast!  In this episode, Jules and Joe chat about Matthew’s new YouTube channel, co-designing, and how he enjoys giving back to the board game design community.  We also hear about some upcoming games, the business of being a full-time board game designer, and which designer he’d like to co-design a game with...

Continuing on with our Oceania theme, Conor and Dana Banana are back and chatting to Aussie designer, Craig E. Somerton.  Craig is still on a high after a successful Kickstarter with his first published game, Farm Hand.   He talks about his journey in board gaming and designing, and in particular, his affinity for trick-taking games.  He even hints at his new design! 

As usual, when Conor and Banana get together, the episode is ful...

Happy Oceania month! This week, Adrian and Lauren are joined by Jay Bendixen, designer of Surfs up and fellow Aussie as we talk about his design philosophy and upcoming games. Jay also gives his tips and insights into pitching games to publishers and going from prototype to published for small or even first time designers. We also chat about some of his upcoming designs and he plants some seeds of sweet excitement for some games ab...

This week, Conor and Lauren are joined by Peter C Hayward, designer of podcast darling Things in Rings. Peter sports his blue beard talking about his approach to design, his plethora of upcoming releases, and his affinity for Pixar easter eggs. Then, Lauren shares her recent Button Shy escapades. Conor tells us about some prototypes from former podcast host Sarah which includes a disdain for onions and affinity for spirits. There ...

In this episode, Adrian, Joe and Banana are in the hot seat.  Adrian, in his first episode back after the break, has lots to talk about. From his continued love of Age of Steam with his son and Mum, to channeling his inner Marlon Brando, and making offers they can’t refuse in La Famiglia.   Joe is finally back online and setting up his “Board Game Bungalow”, while dabbling in a bit of feline rescue in Isle of Cats The Duel, all the...

In this episode, Conor and Dana Banana are back for their first episode of 2025, while Lauren has so much to talk about, she returns for another chat in back-to-back episodes.

Lauren has us with our mouths open as she talks about her latest trick-taking game that has the weirdest theme we’ve heard in a while.  Conor has settled into his role as a hobo as he rummages through his bindle looking for goodies at 2am in Vagrantsong.  Mea...

Join Jules and Lauren as they bring in the new year with what has been hitting their tables over the holidays. Jules' gaming appetite has him trying out the combo meal which is fit for a king in Castle Combo. Lauren has been wracking her brain to remember where she put Gandalf's staff and if it was next to that bowl of jelly in Wilmot's Warehouse.  

They also share the community responses from out last Question of the Pod, and get ...

This is it. The episode you've been waiting for. The whole crew is back together one last time for 2024, continuing the countdown of our Top 10 Games. There are so many great games in our Top 5s, and more than a few surprises.

Thanks to everyone for your support in 2024. We can't wait to return in 2025 with more games, more shenanigans, and more Board Game BBQ.

5 [01:50]

4 [18:30]

3 [35:25]

2 [51:05]

1 [1:11:00]

Check out our Eve...

The whole crew is back together for Episode 324 as we count down our Top 10 Games. And you know that when the whole team gets together chaos isn't far behind.

This week we share our top 10-6, and then next week we will reveal our 5-1.

10 [14:00]

9 [29:30]

8 [44:55]

7 [1:04:55]

6 [1:23:35]

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Episode 323: Awkward Guests, The Light in the Mist.

On this week’s Episode, Dan and Dana have to take the reins at short notice while Adrian is recuperating.  Dan has been trying to get rid of all his ‘midden’ as a Scottish Farmer in Skara Brae, only to find he is perhaps better suited to being Captain Obvious or a super sleuth in Awkward Guests.  Meanwhile, Dana has been mulling over whether her daughter’s fear of electrocution ha...