Best Boardgame Design Podcasts (2025)

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E145. Content creator Series #2 ft Rachel @MissKittysDiscussion 59:58

Play Pause

3d ago59:58

59:58

In this episode, Rachel Mullen, a prominent board game content creator and cosplayer, shares her journey into the world of board gaming, starting with her love for the game Copenhagen and he position at Queen Games. She discusses the challenges of building a gaming community in a rural area, her passion for cosplay, and her active involvement in ch…

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161: Autobattlers, card crafting, Mystic Lands (guests: John D Clair, John Zinser) 35:06

7d ago35:06

35:06

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 …

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E144.1 Content Creator Series Announcement 4:04

8d ago4:04

4:04

PJ spends a few minutes contextualizing the new Content Creator Series and calls to action the entire community to a message of DIVERSITY & UNITY!!!

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At The Table with The Dice Tower: The Games of Essen 2025 56:59

9d ago56:59

56:59

Tom, Julie, and Eric run through their game plan for Essen Spiel 2025, including where they'll be, and what games are on the internet's radar, as well as trying to narrow down what three games are of the most interest to them personally. 00:59 - Bookkeeping: Dice Tower East, West, Cruise 01:57 - The Weather in Germany 03:12 - Eric's First Time Back…

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E144. Content Creator series ft Banz from @banzainator 52:13

10d ago52:13

52:13

In this episode, P J launches a NEW SERIES featuring content creators in the board gaming community, starting with Banz. They discuss her journey into gaming, her favorite board games and mechanics, and the transition from being a gamer to a content creator. The conversation also touches on maintaining joy in gaming, navigating challenges in conten…

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Ludology 347 Sail Away 1:23:51

11d ago1:23:51

1:23:51

Erica and Sen welcome designers of the award-winning Endeavor: Deep Sea, Carl de Visser and Jarratt Gray, along with their publishers, Helaina and Josh Cappel (Burnt Island) and Marc Specter (Grand Gamers Guild) to talk about the past, present, and future of the game. What has changed over the years and what does the future hold for this excellent …

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Thinking BEyond Mechanisms Ep 23 6:27

11d ago6:27

6:27

Sen and Erica welcome Sarah Shipp as she hosts her Thinking Beyond Mechanism series. In this episode, she discusses the permissions that games and their rules give us to break social conventions within the construct of the so-called "Magic Circle".

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E143. Bass Lines to Board games ft. Jackie Fox 1:00:44

17d ago1:00:44

1:00:44

In this episode, PJ chats with Jackie Fox, a former rock musician turned board game designer. They discuss her journey from performing on stage to creating the board game Rock Hard, 1977 exploring the mechanics, themes, and personal experiences that shaped her design process. Jackie shares insights on the importance of inclusivity in gaming, the ch…

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B05. Kavango Lodges Expansion ft. Matt & Zara @mazazagames 24:00

17d ago24:00

24:00

In this BONUS episode, PJ speaks with Zara and Matt, the designers of Kavango, about their upcoming expansion focused on eco tourism. They discuss the journey of Kavango from its initial concept to its retail launch, the development process of the expansion, and how eco tourism plays a crucial role in the game. The conversation delves into the modu…

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160: Moon cakes + Moon Bunny, push-your-luck dice games 33:48

21d ago33:48

33:48

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…

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At The Table with The Dice Tower - Essen Prep 57:31

23d ago57:31

57:31

By Tom Vasel, Julie Ahern, and Eric Summerer

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E142. Community Across Continents ft. Lenny & Phill @wonderfulworldboardgames 56:19

24d ago56:19

56:19

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Ludology 346 That Seems Familiar 52:57

25d ago52:57

52:57

It's the return of Erica! Sen got to goof off most of the summer without her, but now she's back and she has a great topic to start off Q3-Q4 of 2025 - Familiarity. Erica and Sen discuss how designers and publishers may want to think about familiarity when producing games. While the saying usually goes something like "familiarity breeds contempt," …

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E141. Iberia: Kings & Emirs ft. Ian & Sara Curtis from @csquared_games 53:37

1M ago53:37

53:37

In this episode, P J interviews Sarah and Ian Curtis from C Squared Games about their upcoming board game, Iberia: Kings and Emirs. The conversation explores the game's inspiration, design process, and unique mechanics that emphasize population management and accessibility. The hosts discuss the importance of player dynamics, the role of wonders in…

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159: Board game universes, cultural appropriation (guest: Jane Hoffacker, Incredible Dream) 47:44

1M ago47:44

47:44

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 appr…

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At The Table with The Dice Tower - Where There's a Will There's a Way 1:09:49

1M ago1:09:49

1:09:49

Tom begins by recapping his adventures at the Dice Tower Retreat, and looks forward to the World Series of Boardgaming, before turning to the topic of figuring out what to do with your game collection after you're gone, and why it might be a good idea to make some choices sooner rather than later. Later, we share a new Tale of Boardgaming Horror, p…

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E140. Design Sprint Mania ft. Devon from @grodgames 52:29

1M ago52:29

52:29

In this episode, PJ discusses the innovative use of design sprints in game design with Devon from Grod Games. They explore how design sprints can accelerate the game development process, the challenges of production and tariffs, and the importance of playtesting and community feedback. Devon shares insights on navigating the complexities of game de…

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Ludology 345 Out of the Dungeon 1:22:07

1M ago1:22:07

1:22:07

Sen is back after a short hiatus, this time speaking with fellow podcaster, Kristin Vermilya, about her endeavour to document the 50+ year history of role playing games in her forthcoming audio documentary series, Out of the Dungeon. For more information on Kristin's work, check out: https://www.kristinvermilya.com/dungeon We look forward to Erica'…

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E139. For Love of Gaming ft. Craig @getintogamesuk 1:26:10

1M ago1:26:10

1:26:10

Listen as PJ & Craig discuss their board game collection journey and each have chosen to discuss 8 games in their collection. They have brought something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. Listen as they talk about Taverns of Tiefenthal, Obsession, Galactic Cruise, Everdell Silverfrost, Battle of Hoth, Lurk, Alpaca, Rebirth …

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Thinking Beyond Mechanisms Ep 22 6:31

2M ago6:31

6:31

Sen and Erica welcome Sarah Shipp as the host of the Thinking About Mechanisms segment. This episode, Sarah talks about social distance as one of the main differentiators between video games and tabletop games.

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097 – Life of a Game Designer with Chris and Christian Kudahl 57:36

2M ago57:36

57:36

Welcome back to The Nerdlab, where we transform our love for gaming into powerful game designs and uncover the secrets of what makes games truly shine. In this special episode, things are a little different: Marvin hands over the microphone to Chris, who takes the lead as interviewer. Why? Because today, the spotlight is on Christian Kudahl, co-des…

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158: Cozy games, what makes a game a good product (guest: Alex Cutler) 50:06

2M ago50:06

50:06

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 arrangi…

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At The Table with The Dice Tower - Where You Least Expect 56:11

2M ago56:11

56:11

Tom sits at the small table. Eric's parents make friends on a cruise. Julie travels the country spreading boardgames wherever she goes. We also talk about what surprises await in those little pockets of games in places where you don't expect to find them. We delve into the mailbag for some pertinent questions, and we gather a new crop of Roses, Tho…

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E138 Will you crawl into the dungeon to hunt for food to supply diners? 52:55

2M ago52:55

52:55

Listen as PJ chats with Alex Lovins as he shares the story of his upcoming new game, Dungeon Diners that will be published by BA Games next year.❤️FOLLOW US ON ALL THE SOCIALSInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/meeple2meepleSpotify - @Meeple2MeepleBoard Game Podcast#boardgames #tabletopgaming #gamingcommunity…

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Pros and Cons Ep 15 55:07

2M ago55:07

55:07

Once again, Sen catches a wild game designer at Origins 2024! This time, he captures Josh Derksen of Lynnvander Games and gets the chance to talk about Josh's work. In particular, Sen is interested in the campaign modes that Josh has devised for several miniature battle systems. What started out as a fan mod (Heroes of the Aturi Cluster for X-Wing)…

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E137. Will you be a Legend? 56:36

2M ago56:36

56:36

Discover how developers craft immersive experiences that keep players on the edge of their seats, blending unpredictability with strategic mastery. Whether you're a gamer or a creator, this episode offers insights into the art of maintaining equilibrium in virtual worlds. Tune in for a journey through the mechanics that make games both thrilling an…

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157: Great 2-player games, final thoughts on Gen Con (guest: Corey Thompson) 55:27

2M ago55:27

55:27

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 …

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At The Table with The Dice Tower - Paint Me A Picture 1:08:51

2M ago1:08:51

1:08:51

Eric starts the show by sharing tales of his European adventures, which leads Tom to share some of our plans for Spiel in October. Then, we discuss the process for adding art to your game. How do you find an artist? How long does it take to draw a picture of a horse? What if the horse is holding a corn dog? Later, we share a tale of horror and a qu…

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E136. Confectionary Chaos - Marsh Hollow 46:25

2M ago46:25

46:25

In this episode, PJ interviews Kervin Queliza, the designerof the upcoming board game Marsh Hollow. They discuss the game's uniquemechanics, the inspiration behind its whimsical theme, and the journey of gamedesign from concept to playtesting. Kervin shares insights on the importance ofcommunity feedback, the challenges of self-publishing, and how …

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Pros and Cons Ep 14 51:58

2M ago51:58

51:58

Sen met with new designer but veteran writer Nathan Long (several Warhammer novels, the screenplay for Guyver: Dark Hero, and the scripts for the Wastelands and Bardstale video games) at Origins 2024. Sen had the opportunity to play Nathan's game, Shanghai Noir prior to this so he wanted to discuss how to build narrative in games.…

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E135. How old is CATAN? 1:01:17

2M ago1:01:17

1:01:17

In this episode, we delve into the fascinating evolution ofboard games, spotlighting the iconic Catan. Join PJ as he sits down with Pete Fenlon, CEO of Catan Studio, to explore how this hex-shaped classic has transformed the gaming landscape over the past three decades. Discover howCatan's strategic gameplay has not only changed how we play but als…

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156: The 2025 Gen Con Games of the Show 1:02:43

3M ago1:02:43

1:02:43

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 C…

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At The Table with The Dice Tower - Escaping Gen Con 2025 54:38

3M ago54:38

54:38

We are back from Gen Con, and ready to talk about our adventures! We discuss the crowds, the events, and the games we enjoyed, and maybe a little about the food we ate as well. We also share a new Tale of Boardgaming Horror, and share our latest crop of Roses, Thorns, and Hula Hoops. 00:46 - Announcements: Dice Tower West and Dice Tower Cruise 01:4…