Bitewing Games Podcast

Nick shares his 1st impressions of a whopping 10 Reiner Knizia board games spanning a wide range of genres.

1:10 - Foodie Forest
6:38 - Dragon Land
10:36 - Medici: The Dice Game
14:38 - The Lord of the Rings
17:17 - Chartae
20:53 - Lost Cites: Rivals
23:37 - Cheeky Monkey
25:56 - High Society
30:48 - Res Publica
33:42 - Classic Art

Follow the Kickstarter page for Cascadero & Cascadito here.

Join the Reiner Knizia Enthusiasts Discord Community here.

In celebration of our newly revealed tile placement games, Nick shares his Top 15 Tile Layers!

Learn more about our new Knizia titles: Cascadero and Cascadito

Follow the Kickstarter page for Cascadero and Cascadito here.

Nick shares his first impressions of 7 recently released board games:

0:48 - Archeos Society
6:11 - Judge Domino
9:00 - Stick Collection
11:37 - Ninja Master
15:40 - Viking See-Saw
19:30 - That's Not a Hat
22:39 - Challengers!

Check out our Kickstarter campaign for Spectral and Trailblazers: Sasquatch here.

Now available from our webstore — Zoo Vadis and Gussy Gorillas. Order today!

In this episode, Nick shares the interesting tale of how Spectral went from a game he had zero interest in all the way to his absolute favorite game of its genre... a game that he loves so much that he had to publish it himself. Who doesn't love a good underdog story? 😉

Check out the Kickstarter campaign for Spectral here.

Nick shares 23 of his most anticipated board games and crowdfunding campaigns for the second half of 2023.

Check out the Kickstarter Page for Spectral & Trailblazers: Sasquatch Expansion Here

Subscribe to the Bitewing Games Newsletter Here

Other cited podcast episodes:

Full thoughts on Pick-A-Pepper and Wandering Towers

Top 15 Games of 2022

We all have our favorite genres and mechanisms of board games... from deck building to roll & writes to area control and more. In this episode, Nick explores 10 board game genres, identifies their common weaknesses, and highlights specific games that defy those weaknesses.

Nick shares his 1st impressions of new-ish and upcoming board games including:

0:49 - Wandering Towers
4:38 - Pick-A-Pepper and Abluxxen
9:49 - Circus Flohcati
13:08 - Trajan
16:49 - QE: Commodities (expansion)
20:23 - 7 Wonders: Architects
23:02 - Mille Fiori: The Masterpieces (expansion)

Join the Reiner Knizia Enthusiasts Discord Server Here

Check out our games and webstore here.

Follow our upcoming Kickstarter — Spectral and a Secret Trailblazers Expansion — here.

Nick shares his 1st impressions of a rather solid batch of 7 board games:

0:42 - Big Top
3:51 - Hallertau
6:29 - My City: Roll & Build
15:29 - Yokohama
17:51 - Earth
23:00 - Inside Job
27:14 - Pollen

Order Trailblazers (and other Bitewing titles) from our new webstore here.

Subscribe to our newsletter here.

Today Nick is sharing his Top 10 Logic Deduction Games, and be sure to stick around for the grand reveal of Bitewing Games’ next big project!

Check out our new game here.

Nick shares his 1st impressions of newer board games including:

0:38 - Dandelions
3:28 - High Score
9:11 - Turncoats
13:02 - Paint the Roses
19:00 - Cascadia
22:55 - SWAT!
24:49 - nana

Click here to subscribe to the Bitewing Games newsletter and be notified when:

•  Zoo Vadis becomes available for preorder
• Trailblazers becomes available on our webstore
• We reveal new information about our upcoming projects

In this Galactic Renaissance Preview, Nick dives deep into this cosmic spiritual cousin of the legendary board game, Inis!

Galactic Renaissance launches on Kickstarter on March 21st. Check it out here.

The hunt is on, and Nick has been tearing through even more board games by Reiner Knizia in a quest to uncover hidden gems. Featuring his first impressions of:

0:45 - Lost Cities: The Board Game
3:45 - Odd Socks / Relationship Tightrope
7:18 - Wiener Walzer
10:56 - Medici: The Card Game
13:58 - Forbidden City
18:44 - Cat Blues / Katzenjammer Blues

Kyle is back on the show with Nick to discuss board game modules. When do they go too far? How are they different from variants and expansions? 

Games discussed include: 

• Trailblazers
• Clever 4 Ever
• Zoo Vadis
• Whale Riders
• Bohnanza
• Taverns of Tiefenthal
• Our upcoming Ryan Courtney deduction game and Reiner Knizia tile placement game
• And more!

Subscribe to the Bitewing Games newsletter here.

Look for Kyle at Salt Con and Nick at Dice Tower West in March! Join our Bitewing Games discord server here. Feel free to reach out if you want to game with us at these conventions.

Today's round of candid cardboard is extra special in that it includes Nick's 1st impressions of the hotly anticipated upcoming game Galactic Renaissance. But before we get to that, let's explore 6 other games he has been playing lately...

0:42 - Undaunted: Stalingrad
4:45 - Spots
10:04 - Gutenberg
13:17 - Blood Rage
17:51 - Skymines
20:35 - Terra Nova
23:02 - Galactic Renaissance

Our Kickstarter for Zoo Vadis and Gussy Gorillas ends this Thursday, February 16. Check it out here. Thanks for your support!

2022 has come and gone, which means it’s time again to celebrate the best new board games of the year!

Check out the Kickstarter page for Zoo Vadis and Gussy Gorillas

Thanks for your support!

Some of the hottest board games of 2022 are still hitting Nick's table and he's ready to share his first impressions of the following:

0:43 - Axio / Ingenious
4:41 - Turing Machine
9:45 - Planet Unknown
14:37 - Horrified: American Monsters
19:36 - Heat: Pedal to the Metal

How did Quo Vadis get turned into Zoo Vadis? What inspired the changes and added features? What does Reiner Knizia have to say about this new version of his design? Find out in today's in-depth publisher diary of Zoo Vadis!

The Kickstarter for Zoo Vadis launches on January 24th! Follow this link and click to be notified when it launches.

Nick has researched and uncovered 27 — count 'em, TWENTY-SEVEN — exciting games set to release this year. Come check out what upcoming releases might be worthy of your wishlist...

For links to (and more info on) these games, head over to the blog post version of this podcast episode.

We're launching Zoo Vadis and Gussy Gorillas on January 24th via Kickstarter! Be sure to follow this link and click to be notified at launch. Thanks for your support!

Nick shares his first impressions of 4 spicy hot board games, 2 stone-cold classics, and 1 hidden gem:

0:56 - Ahoy
5:09 - Orleans
8:14 - Kabuto Sumo: Total Mayhem (Expansion)
11:16 - Carcassonne: The Castle / Zamek
14:51 - Wormholes
19:10 - Space Worm
23:26 - John Company: Second Edition

In January 2023, we’ll be launching Zoo Vadis (by Reiner Knizia) and Gussy Gorillas (a Bitewing Games original) — two wildly clever games of trading and negotiation. Be sure to head over the pre-launch page and click to be notified the moment it launches. Thanks for your support!

Lookout! Loads of interesting new games have been hitting store shelves recently and Nick is here to share his 1st impressions after playing the following:

0:49 - Splendor Duel
3:49 - Guards of Atlantis II
9:16 - Qin
13:15 - The Manhattan Project: Energy Empire
15:32 - 9 Lives
18:22 - The Wolves
22:31 - Ready Set Bet

Zoo Vadis and Gussy Gorillas are launching via Kickstarter in January! Check out the pre-launch page here.

The year is coming to an end which means it’s time again to look back… not on this year but on last year.  That’s right, today we’ll be revisiting and reminiscing the best board games of 2021!

Nick will be offering his thoughts on over 50 games and categorizing them into Lovers, Keepers, Dumpers, Flingers, and Seekers.

Nick shares his 1st impressions of hot board games including the following:

0:40 - Nightmare Productions
5:52 - Zombie Mania
10:39 - Transatlantic
13:24 - Puzzle Strike 2
16:55 - Resist!
20:15 - Carnegie

Nick shares some exciting new details and publication plans for Bitewing Games including unrevealed Reiner Knizia and Ryan Courtney games coming in 2023 or later!

Order Reiner Knizia's Criminal Capers Collection Here

Preorder Trailblazers Here

Check out the Zoo Vadis Weekly Reveals Here

Subscribe to the Bitewing Games Newsletter Here

It's an all Knizia episode!  Nick shares his 1st impressions of 8 Reiner Knizia board games:

1:06 - No Mercy
3:51 - Gang of Dice
7:37 - Treasures of Nakbe
13:42 - Great Wall of China
16:51 - Heckmeck am Karteneck
22:26 - Aristocracy
27:32 - Marshmallow Test
31:02 - The Quest for El Dorado: Dangers & Muisca

Speaking of Reiner Knizia, be sure to subscribe to the Bitewing Games newsletter where we'll keep you up-to-date on our upcoming project: Zoo Vadis by Reiner Knizia.

Nick shares his first impressions of 8 new-to-him board games:

0:53 - San Francisco
8:08 - Cat in the Box: Deluxe Edition
11:47 - Lost Cities: Roll & Write
16:20 -  The Golden Ages
18:40 - Coloretto
20:37 - Poison
24:55 - Catherine: The Cities of the Tsarina
28:58 - Municipium

🚨There is only one week remaining before the close of the Trailblazers Kickstarter!  Support Bitewing Games and secure a copy of Trailblazers for yourself before it's too late. 🙌
Visit the Trailblazers Kickstarter page here.

Continuing on from last week's episode, Nick shares his Top 25 board games of all time!  He also shares where Bitewing Games' revealed publications would fit into his Top 100.

Trailblazers is now live on Kickstarter, and it has already raised over $100k!  Click here to check it out and support Bitewing Games.

Buckle up!  Nick shares and discusses his updated Top 50 board games of all time list, beginning with games 50-26. 

Trailblazers launches on Kickstarter this week (Tuesday, August 16).  Check it out here.

1:20 - Out with the ratings, in the with prognosis

Nick shares his first impressions of the following games:

5:22 - Indigo
8:02 - Savannah Park
10:08 - Railroad Revolution
14:29 - Spectaculum
19:46 - Super Skill Pinball: Ramp it Up
22:26 - Rumble Nation
25:47 - Azul: Queen's Garden
28:39 - An Empty Throne

Our next publication, Trailblazers, launches on Kickstarter next week.  Check out the pre-launch page and follow along.

Nick shares his Top 10 Negotiation Board Games before revealing the next thrilling publications coming from Bitewing Games!

0:39 - Top 10 Negotiation Games
16:03 - Honorable Mentions
20:21 - Our Upcoming Negotiation Publications Revealed!

Read this episode in Blog Post form

Link to Zoo Vadis (and the epic box art)
Link to Gussy Gorillas

Subscribe to the Bitewing Games Newsletter

In this episode of candid cardboard, Nick shares his 1st impressions of new-to-him games:

0:43 - The Great Zimbabwe
5:00 - Switch & Signal
10:54 - Longboard
14:45 - Carpe Diem
17:24 - Sumatra
23:00 - Green Team Wins
24:53 - Wonderland's War
28:10 - Beowulf: The Legend

What are the best travel-friendly board and card games? These 19 portable games are perfect for any trip or outing.

Visit the Kickstarter Pre-Launch page for Trailblazers and click to be notified when it launches!

Read this episode in blog post form.

After 6 months of publisher announcements and upcoming game research, Nick shares even more of his most anticipated games of the year—15 games in 15 minutes!

Check out our Trailblazers Kickstarter Pre-Launch Page and click to be notified the moment it launches.  Thanks for your support!

Nick shares his 1st impressions of hot new games and stone-cold classics including:

0:56 - Into the Blue
6:47 - Ultimate Railroads / Russian Railroads
9:23 - Kingdom Builder
13:00 - Santiago
17:22 - Sound Box
25:30 - Faiyum
28:25 - Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation

After receiving and playing a preview copy, Nick shares his full thoughts on the latest version of Ra by designer Reiner Knizia, artist Ian O'Toole, and publisher 25th Century Games.

Crowdfunding for Ra is still ongoing until May 25th.  You can find the Gamefound page here.  Preview copy provided to Bitewing Games by 25th Century Games.

Bitewing Games is planning to cover even more exciting releases from publishers including upcoming Knizia games and beyond.  We are also collaborating with Reiner on several publishing projects of our own.  To follow our game coverage and publishing projects, subscribe to the Bitewing Games newsletter!

Nick shares his 1st impressions of recently released and classic board games including the following:

1:15 - Foundations of Rome
6:00 - Excape / Rapido
8:35 - The Voyages of Marco Polo
11:26 - Meadow
15:11 - Iberian Gauge
19:54 - Rheinlander
23:28 - Mombasa
31:18 - Long Shot: The Dice Game

Another month means another opportunity to get candid with cardboard!  Nick shares his 1st impressions of the following board games:

0:53 - Art Robbery
5:25 - Twice As Clever
7:19 - Orongo
10:58 - Bear Raid
15:38 - Ghosts of Christmas
20:18 - Factory Funner
25:46 - Pickomino Deluxe (Heckmeck Deluxe)
29:28 - Libertalia: Winds of Galecrest

Nick shares his Top 15 Board Games of 2021!  

This list is a celebration of excellence in game design, illustration, and publishing.  The board games that made the Top 15 earned their place by bringing innovation, excellence, and (most importantly) enjoyment to our table and the industry.  2021 was a killer year for tabletop gaming; let’s explore 15 reasons why…

In another round of Candid Cardboard, Nick shares his first impressions of the following board games:

0:43 - Caesar!: Seize Rome in 20 Minutes!
6:33 - Kemet: Blood & Sand — Book of the Dead Expansion
10:29 - So Clover
12:35 - Family Inc.
14:45 - Coloma
19:27 - Sheepy Time
22:20 - Merv: The Heart of the Silk Road
25:44 - Ark Nova

Subscribe to the Bitewing Games Newsletter

Check out our upcoming game, Trailblazers

Solo gaming is perhaps one of the biggest recent trends in the board and card game industry. 

As Bitewing Games will soon be publishing a quick & easy solo game of our own—Trailblazers by Ryan Courtney (which also plays up to 8 players)—now felt like the right time to investigate, assemble, and share our Top 10 Quick & Easy solo games.  At the end of this list, Nick will also be sharing more info about the Epic Solo Mode that Ryan has developed for Trailblazers.

Subscribe to the Bitewing Games newsletter here.

Play Trailblazers: Epic Solo Mode on Tabletop Simulator here.

Nick shares his 1st impressions of the following board games:

1:00 - Mille Fiori (with comparisons to Witchstone)
7:20 - Pipeline: Emerging Markets
8:48 - Furnace
12:16 - Merchants of the Dark Road
15:37 - The Crew: Mission Deep Sea
17:10 - L.A.M.A. Dice
19:39 - Llamas Unleashed
23:43 - Brian Boru: High King of Ireland

Movies, tv shows, books, and video games are famous for having spin-offs, but what about board games? Nick shares his top 10 spin-off board games plus more details on the upcoming Trailblazers from Bitewing Games and Ryan Courtney.

It's the start of a new year, which means it's time to get hyped for new board games!  With all the "Most Anticipated Games of 2022" lists I've seen over the past few weeks, it feels like Bitewing Games is a little late to the party. On the other hand, I've been surprised to see very little overlap between my list and the many others out there. So today it is my honor to shine a spotlight on many promising—and possibly overlooked—titles.

1:32 - Caesar!: Seize Rome in 20 Minutes
2:25 - Ghosts of Christmas
3:11 - Bear Raid
4:08 - Factory Funner
4:42 - Sound Box
5:50 - Root: The Marauder Expansion
6:51 - John Company: Second Edition
7:50 - Soda Smugglers
9:06 - Pumafiosi
9:45 - Hot Lead
10:53 - Beyond the Sun Expansion
11:33 - Ahoy
12:22 - Trailblazers
13:44 - Horseless Carriage
14:42 - Sidereal Confluence: Bifurcation
15:27 - My City: Roll & Write
16:57 - Crescent Moon
18:13 - Ra
19:17 - The Queen's Dilemma
20:26 - Fit to Print
21:36 - Amun-Re
22:40 - Arcs

Nick shares his first impressions of the following board games:

0:53 - Scout
5:08 - Imperial Steam
9:39 - Keyflower
13:16 - Ankh: Gods of Egypt
18:40 - Rialto
21:06 - MicroMacro: Crime City

In today’s episode, we’re going to sit back and look back on our board gaming experiences of 2021.  Nick is joined once again by Camille as they chat about their year in review including highlights, low points, most played games, and other Bitewing Games adventures...

In our longest, meatiest episode yet, Nick is joined by friend and fellow gamer, Ryan Flaherty, where they share and discuss their Top 10 Spatial Puzzle Games.  At the end of the episode, Nick reveals the next title coming from Bitewing Games and some juicy details about this game!

0:45 - About Ryan—his gaming tastes and preferences
7:30 - Ecos
9:42 - Introducing the topic—Our Top 10 Spatial Puzzle Games
13:50 - The Estates
17:07 - Patchwork / New York Zoo
20:47 - Tiny Towns
24:27 - Galaxy Truckey
28:13 - Pipeline
32:24 - Curious Cargo
34:04 - The Azul Series
38:50 - Number 9, Llamaland
43:29 - Carcassonne, Isle of Skye
47:28 - A Game of Thrones: Hand of the King
51:35 - A Feast for Odin
56:06 - Cascadia
1:00:52 - Isle of Cats
1:03:39 - Savannah Park
1:10:46 - Sprawlopolis
1:15:46 - Reef
1:20:15 - My City
1:29:30 - Honorable Mentions
1:36:02 - The next title coming from Bitewing Games!  Click here to learn more...

Stay updated on our content and upcoming games by subscribing to the Bitewing Games newsletter!

Nick shares his 1st impressions of spicy hot new releases and new-to-him games...

0:55 - Radlands
9:17 - Anno 1800
13:12 - Stockpile: Epic Edition
16:55 - Mind MGMT
20:58 - Quantum
26:04 - The Siege of Runedar

Nick revisits the best board games of 2020 by categorizing 60 of them into lovers, keepers, dumpers, flingers, and seekers.

1:56 - Lovers
8:08 - Keepers
12:55 - Dumpers
17:20 - Flingers
27:10 - Seekers

Nick shares his first impressions of the following new-ish board games:

0:43 - Rorschach
6:00 - Regicide
11:12 - Fort: Cats & Dogs Expansion
14:17 - Calimala
18:36 - Witchstone
23:17 - Riftforce

Tis the season to buy more board games for your friends and family (and maybe even treat yourself)! Selecting the perfect gift can often be a Nightmare before Christmas, but worry not, Bitewing Games is here to guide you to some of the hottest games of the year for casual and hobbyist gamer alike.

Follow this link to check out the blog post (and all of the direct links where you can buy these games)

2:54 - Gifts for the Casual Board Gamer
3:13 - Kabuto Sumo
4:20 - Equinox
5:10 - Hibachi
5:59 - Ethnos
6:50 - Chinatown
7:45 - Gifts for your Significant Other
7:59 - My City
9:07 - Riftforce
10:13 - Royal Visit
10:51 - Summoner Wars (Second Edition)
11:24 - Caesar!: Sieze Rome in 20 Minutes!
12:52 - Stocking Stuffer Gifts
13:09 - Durian
13:41 - Schotten Totten 2
14:24 - Illusion
15:16 - The Crew: Mission Deep Sea
15:52 - Parade
16:20 - X-Trayz from Game Trayz
17:04 - Games for your Holiday Party
17:19 - Don't Get Got
17:56 - Skull
18:46 - Bristol 1350
19:19 - Sidereal Confluence (Remastered Edition)
20:08 - Decrypto
20:56 - Rorschach
22:08 - Gifts for the Hobbyist Board Gamer
22:35 - Oath: Chronicles of Empire and Exile
23:33 - Hansa Teutonica: Big Box
24:19 - The Search for Planet X
24:55 - Beyond the Sun
25:39 - Iberian Gauge 

Nick shares his first impressions of 4 new(ish) games and 5 classic games:

1:00 - Treasure Island Expansion: Captain Silver—Revenge Island
5:39 - L.L.A.M.A.
8:52 - Hibachi
14:34 - Nusfjord
19:10 - Wildlife Safari
20:11 - Libertalia
21:09 - Blue Moon Legends
22:28 - Bohnanza
24:03 - Tower of Babel

Kyle joins Nick to discuss games they've been playing recently:

Lost Legacy - 4:08
Winner's Circle - 10:47
Cascadia - 18:33
Spyrium - 27;14
My City - 34:37
Parade - 42:39

Subscribe to the Bitewing Games newsletter to follow our latest content and upcoming publications.

Nick is back with another episode of podcast comfort food in September's Candid Cardboard: 1st Impressions of new (and sometimes not new) board games.

0:49 - Summer Wars (Second Edition)
3:46 - Ra: The Dice Game
4:57 - Tajuto
6:54 - Coffee Traders
11:45 - Kabuto Sumo

With our Kickstarter campaign closing this Thursday, September 2, Nick takes a look at the future of Bitewing Games including plans for the podcast, blog, publications, and beyond.

Like all the content that Bitewing Games has provided over the past year and a half?  Then support us in our Kickstarter campaign so we can keep putting out more juicy content and you can acquire some killer games.  Consider this our form of Patreon ;)

Nick is joined by artist and graphic designer, Paul Halkyon, to discuss the world, lore, and visual design behind Soda Smugglers, Pumafiosi, and Hot Lead.

Link to the Criminal Capers Collection on Kickstarter

Link to Paul Halkyon's instagram page

Send us your questions for a Bitewing Games Q&A podcast episode!  Follow this link to submit your questions or email [email protected]

• Intro to Paul Halkyon - 0:53
• How Paul got into art and graphic design - 4:21
• How Paul and Nick met (screen printing apparel) - 11:40
• Designing the world behind the Criminal Capers Collection - 14:30
• The art and soda brands behind Soda Smugglers - 18:25
• The art and mafia families behind Pumafiosi - 22:14
• The lore behind the Boss Knife and Boss Rose - 25:38
• The impact of excellent art in board games - 30:48
• Counterbalancing the criminals with the investigators of Hot Lead - 32:19
• Unique art styles within a consistent universe - 34:15
• Paul's favorite Soda Smugglers soda brand - 35:37
• Paul's favorite Pumafiosi characters - 36:34
• Paul's favorite Hot Lead character - 38:33
• The hardest parts of illustrating the Criminal Capers Collection - 40:30
• Paul's entry and goals into the board game industry - 44:28
• How Paul broke his toe - 47:10
• Easter eggs in the art - 48:58
• Where you can find Paul - 52:30

Nick is joined by internationally acclaimed designer Reiner Knizia for an epic interview exploring an entire spectrum of board game topics!  This is one episode you don't want to miss...

Link to the Kickstarter campaign for Reiner Knizia's Criminal Capers Collection

• Intro to Dr. Reiner Knizia - 1:49
• Inspiration behind Soda Smugglers, Pumafiosi, & Hot Lead - 2:50
• Reiner's favorite animal - 10:08
• Designing different genres of games - 12:08
• Deck-builders & The Quest for El Dorado - 15:47
• The Siege of Runedar - 19:33
• Reiner's future with legacy games; a sequel to My City? - 28:13
• Personal & career goals moving forward - 31:47
• Observations on international publishing - 36:10
• Reiner's mysterious 2000+ game library - 40:13
• Current design projects that Reiner is excited about - 46:05
• How the pandemic has affected Reiner's work - 48:58
• Reiner's take on remixing his classic games (Tigris & Euphrates -> Yellow & Yangtze) - 50:10
• Advice to game designers - 53:33

How do you publish a board game?  What's all behind the process of taking a Reiner Knizia design and getting it to Kickstarter?  Find out in this behind-the-scenes scoop on the Criminal Capers Collection!

Check out the Kickstarter campaign page for the Criminal Capers Collection by clicking here.

Check out some of the early concept art for Soda Smugglers, Pumafiosi, and Hot Lead by clicking here.

July was quite the dry month for me in more ways than one.  Part of that has to do with me moving from Ohio to the Arizona desert.  The other part, well, let's find out...

0:53 - Crystal Palace
3:36 - Nidavellir: Thingvellir
5:03 - Juicy Fruits
12:05 - Cryo (with comparisons to Crystal Palace)
17:40 - The Red Cathedral

Check out our Kickstarter Campaign Page for Reiner Knizia's Criminal Capers Collection

Watch Soda Smugglers — How to Play
Watch Soda Smugglers — Play-through

Watch Pumafiosi — How to Play
Watch Pumafiosi — Play-through

Watch Hot Lead — How to Play
Watch Hot Lead — Play-through

In this episode, we'll feast our mind's eye on some of the best board game artists in the industry.  Nick shares his 15 favorite artists including his favorite art and favorite games of theirs.  Stick around at the end of the episode for a preview of the podcast schedule for August, where we'll be kicking off our Kickstarter launch with some major insights and interviews!

If you'd like to see some of the art and games from the artists mentioned in this episode, then click here to read the blog post version of today's episode.

Call it a Board Gamer’s Odyssey, Autobiography, History, or whatever you please, but today we’ll be exploring many of the games and moments that made Nick into the designer, publisher, and gamer that he is today.  What games were his favorites at certain times in his life, and why?  Are they still among my favorites, or have they fallen out of favor?  How have his preferences changed over time?  Let’s do the Odyssey!

In celebration of our own auctioning games launching on Kickstarter next month that are designed by the master Auctioneer himself, Reiner Knizia, Nick thought it fitting to explore the many games which have fostered his love for this genre.  The notable titles in this episode are huge reasons why we love auctioning game Hot Lead and quasi-auctioning game Pumafiosi enough to publish them ourselves.

Rather than rank these bidding games in order from Nick's most to least favorite, he decided it would be more fun to award his favorites by category and type.  Hopefully these categories help you to find a new great game that would fit in perfectly with your collection…

1:34 - Meanest Auctioning Game
2:45 - Best Large-Group Auctioning Game
3:25 - Best Small-Group Auctioning Game
4:06 - Best Game with just a hint of Auctioning
5:09 - Best Looking Auctioning Game
5:55 - Best All-Around Auctioning Game
6:38 - Most Unique Auctioning Game
8:38 - Best New(ish) Auctioning Game
9:14 - Best Auctioning Game I Haven't Played (Yet)
9:55 - Most Regret-Filled Auctions
10:40 - Best Auctioning Game of Chicken
11:43 - Best Shared Incentive Auctioning Game
12:29 - Best Overall Auctioning Game
13:09 - Two New Auctioning Games Coming Fresh out of the Oven

Nick's latest first impressions of new board game releases span from ambitious epics to Knizian comebacks...  Let's jump right into it!

0:42 - Equinox
4:18 - Stellar
7:00 - Kemet: Blood & Sand
11:38 - Tutankhamun
18:02 - Oath: Chronicles of Empire & Exile

We kicked off this year and this podcast with an episode featuring My Most Anticipated Board Games of 2021… twenty games highlighted and hyped, many of which we’ve now had the pleasure of playing.  Few have disappointed, and many more will find their way to the table very soon.  Meanwhile, a whole extra batch of games have been surfacing from the deep unknown sea, landing a spot on my ever growing wishlist.

Due to their striking presentations, intriguing mechanisms, thrilling promises, and/or reliable creators, the following fifteen games have earned a place onto my most anticipated games of 2021 part II...

2:01 - Bear Raid
2:38 - Savannah Park
3:44 - Factory Funner
4:33 - The Great Zimbabwe
5:30 - Ghosts of Christmas
6:15 - The Siege of Runedar
7:37 - Juicy Fruits
8:41 - Radlands
9:30 - Super-Skill Pinball: Ramp It Up
10:19 - Riftforce
11:06 - Oltréé
11:56 - Pipeline: Emerging Markets
12:21 - Witchstone
13:05 - Summoner Wars: Second Edition
14:00 - Imperial Steam
14:43 - One More Thing to Hotly Anticipate...

In this episode, Kyle joins Nick to chat all about roll & write board games!  What’s the deal with this genre?  Which roll & writes are the very best?   Are they going out of style or just getting started?  Let’s find out!

Filler games are essential to filling in the cracks and crevices of one’s board game collection, and so Nick has set out to determine the top 10 best recommendations for filler games.  While there are far more than 10 fantastic options to choose from, this list will serve as our most reliable team of fillers for anyone and everyone.

Speaking of fantastic fillers, check out the newly reveal box art for Reiner Knizia's Criminal Capers Collection!

Nick is coming to find that being a Reiner Knizia fan is much like being a fan of eating.  You're constantly hungry for more, and there's always new & exciting flavors to explore.  Today we'll sandwich Nidavellir between these hunks of Reiner bread as Nick shares his first impressions of the following:

0:56 - Whale Riders (the board game)
4:35 - Whale Riders: The Card Game
7:44 - Modern Art Card Game
10:12 - Nidavellir
13:09 - Royal Visit
16:08 - Yellow & Yangtze

Nick shares his insights and observations on Kickstarter board game bundles as Bitewing Games prepares their own bundle.  This episode will be particularly engaging for those who are interested or involved in the creation of board games (publishing, designing, etc.), so if you'd rather just skip to the big Reiner Knizia news then feel free to jump to 13:16 in the episode!

Nick is joined by his lovely wife, Camille, as they discuss their top 10 board games to play together.  Whether you have a SO, a friend, or a stranger willing to play a 2-player game with you, we think you'll find some killer suggestions within this discussion.

1:29 - Meet Camille
5:57 - About this list
7:53 - Cami's 1st pick
11:29 - Nick's Best Huge Sprawling Game
16:29 - Cami's favorite no brain required game & Nick's Most Prized Possession
20:46 - Nick's Best Cooperative Game
23:43 - Cami's next polyomino pick
25:08 - Nick's Most Addictive Game
28:48 - Cami's Chess-style preference
30:43 - Nick's Most Polarizing Game
34:43 - Cami's go-to card game
37:08 - Nick's Best Non-Confrontational Game
40:31 - Cami & Nick's Endlessly Entertaining Pick
44:17 - Nick's Best AP-Inducing Game(s) + Cami's similar alternative
50:13 - Cami's favorite classic
53:21 - Nick's Old Reliable Choice
56:03 - Cami's final pick
59:00 - Nick & Cami's Favorite New Game
1:06:11 - An exciting upcoming reveal... (Click here to follow along)

It's time for us to come clean and face the truth.... the best hobby is, in fact, tabletop gaming. Nick shares 10 reasons why! 

Let’s talk about the games that are leaving or entering my collection, and why!  For “surge” games, I’ll stick with titles that are not recent releases as I already cover those in my monthly New Release 1st Impressions series.

0:40 - PURGING Chill Vacation Games: PARKS & Tokaido
1:56 - SURGING The Knizian Flood: Ingenious, Yellow & Yangtze, Quo Vadis?
5:00 - PURGING Roll & Writes: Railroad Ink, Welcome To, On Tour
6:08 - SURGING Train Games: Age of Steam maps, Stephenson's Rocket expansion, Chicago Express
8:58 - PURGING Classics: Catan, Dixit, Clank!, Sushi Go!, Deep Sea Adventure
12:47 - SURGING Other Classics: Agricola, Bohnanza, Keyflower
14:16 - PURGING Old Friends: Dice Throne, Dragon Castle, Aerion

With some hot games getting a second print run and others making their initial splash, I've been able to try a fresh handful of new releases.  It's that time again to get candid with the cardboard by sharing my first impressions...

0:45 - The Search for Planet X
3:31 - Red Rising
9:57 - Blitzkrieg Nippon Expansion
12:36 - Railroad Ink Challenge (Lush Green and Shining Yellow Editions)
15:30 - Barrage
17:50 - How you can simultaneously support Bitewing Games and acquire 3 killer card games!

Welcome back to my Top 50 Board Games of All Time!  If you missed part 1 of this post, then head on over and check out games 50-26.  Today, we'll be finishing things out by discussing games 25-1.  That's right, the cream of the cream of the crop...

It’s that time of year once more, my friends!  Now that the cardboard dust of 2020 has settled, as we find ourselves in the calm before the storm of 2021 releases, I’ve been reflecting on all the tabletop games I’ve ever played.  

Within this mountain of ever growing titles, fifty designs have risen to the top.  These are the board games that have proven their quality over hours of play across many tables surrounded by friends, family, and strangers.  These are the games that I love and want to play more than any others.  Indeed, these are my current Top 50 Board Games of All Time.  In this episode, I'll be covering games 50-26.

In this podcast exclusive episode, Nick and Kyle are joined by a fellow dentist and gamer, Jacob Gowans, as they discuss the in’s and out’s of collections and gaming groups. 

Whether you are looking to add to your collection, cull your collection, make new gaming friends, or convert your friends into gamers, we’ve got you covered! At the end, we also share some recent and upcoming games we are currently excited about. And if you listen closely, you might even sneak away with some free dental advice. Cavities beware!

1:04 - Meet our guest, Jacob Gowans
4:33 - Growing a collection, finding your favorite new games
10:19 - Culling a collection
19:26 - Finding gamers to game with
26:24 - Growing the hobby by bringing in newcomers
38:30 - Games we've been playing recently
  39:00 - The Search for Planet X
  43:23 - Street Fighter: The Miniatures Game
  46:00 - Anachrony
  47:20 - Why no definitive Harry Potter game?
  49:31 - Oros
52:25 - Games we've been backing recently
  53:55 - Bear Raid, Factory Funner, Ghosts of Christmas; John Company: Second Edition
  55:13 - Cryptid Cafe
  56:33 - Don't Get Got (Shut Up & Sit Down Edition), Radlands, The Castles of Mad King Ludwig, Stellaris: Infinite Legacy
1:00:44 - Juicy nuggets of dental wisdom that nobody asked for

Watch out, this latest batch of board game first impressions might give you a bit of whiplash!
Nick shares his thoughts on the following recent(ish) releases:

0:53 - CloudAge
6:10 - Maracaibo
6:59 - The Shores of Tripoli
13:59 - Age of Steam: Deluxe Edition
15:52 - Lost Ruins of Arnak
16:44 - Sleeping Gods
19:50 - A War of Whispers

You can also read this episode at our Bitewing Games Blog.

Don't miss out on exciting updates regarding our upcoming bundle of three 20-minutes games!  Subscribe to the monthly Bitewing Games Newsletter.

10 Games, 2 Saturdays, 1 Mission: Play until our brains are fried.  Nick shares his experiences and impressions of these 10 games hand-picked for maximum entertainment and played over the course of two gaming marathons.

1:10 - Beyond the Sun
2:05 - Stephenson's Rocket + Eastern US Expansion Map
3:34 - Lords of Vegas
4:44 - Hansa Teutonica Big Box
5:37 - Bristol 1350
6:55 - Social Grooming
9:00 - Galaxy Trucker
10:39 - Brass Birmingham
12:04 - Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy
15:26 - Soda Smugglers

To follow the above mentioned Social Grooming and Soda Smugglers as they come to Kickstarter, subscribe to our newsletter and follow Bitewing Games on social media!

🎵Come with me and you’ll be in a world of pure imagination!🎵

 That’s right, today we’re talking about the Willy Wonka of board games, Reiner Knizia, and my top 10 Knizia Games. 

At the end of this episode, I’ll be revealing even more juicy details about the two Knizia Games that will be part of our Kickstarter campaign later this year including the game titles and descriptions!  So let’s strap in and explore some of the best board games in the industry from the master designer himself…

2:45 - #10: High Society
4:58 - #9: Modern Art
6:14 - #8: Through the Desert / Blue Lagoon
9:37 - #7: Lost Cities
11:40 - #6: Stephenson's Rocket
13:03 - #5: The Quest for El Dorado
14:58 - #4: Babylonia / Samurai
18:24 - #3: My City
19:19 - #2: Ra
21:25 - #1: Tigris & Euphrates / Yellow & Yangtze
25:23 - Revealing the titles and descriptions of our Knizia Publications!!!

Be sure to subscribe to our monthly newsletter email so you don’t miss out on further reveals and the 2021 Kickstarter campaign of this killer filler bundle!

Welcome back to another episode of Tabletop Tastes: My Favorite Flavors in Board Games!  Today we’ll be taking a big gulp of why refreshing replayability is central to a board game’s vitality.

Games discussed include Pendulum, Calico, My City, Gugong, Hansa Teutonica, Crusaders: Thy Will Be Done, and Roll/Race for the Galaxy.

This latest batch of board game impressions has been a mixed bag at our table...  Nick shares his 1st impressions of the following:

0:46 - Dice Throne Adventures & Dice Throne Season 1 ReRolled
5:42 - Renature
8:15 - Under Falling Skies
10:21 - Hadara
11:39 - Schotten Totten 2
14:26 - Loot of Lima

You can also read this episode in blog form here:
https://bitewinggames.com/candid-cardboard:-new-release-1st-impressions-(march-2021)

2020 will be memorable for a lot of reasons, but at least it gave us a bunch of fantastic releases. Here are the Top 15 Board Games of 2020!

Note: If you prefer, you may also read this list on our blog.

0:33 - The what, why, and how of this list
5:50 - #15
6:55 - #14
8:22 - #13
11:20 - #12
12:39 - #11
14:20 - #10
16:39 - #9
18:19 - #8
19:33 - #7
20:41 - #6
21:52 - #5
22:50 - #4
24:40 - #3
27:19 - #2
29:20 - #1
32:55 - Remaining Contenders
38:06 - Best Art
39:08 - Best Production
40:18 - Best Expansion
41:55 - What's with our Home Page tease?!? - https://bitewinggames.com

Welcome to Tabletop Tastes: My favorite flavors in board games. Today, we search for purpose in potently mean games.

Games discussed include Cover Your Assets, Bus, Citadels, Catan, Tournament at Avalon, and Caylus 1303.

Kyle joins the podcast again as we share and discuss our Top 10 Family Games!  With Nick having a million cousins and Kyle doing nearly all his gaming with siblings, parents, and his spouse, we've put plenty of titles to the test with our "non-gamer" family members.

Find out which board games are guaranteed to please at your next family gathering!

1:10 - What do we mean by "Family Games?"
4:12 - Blokus
5:18 - Camel Up (Second Edition)
8:00 - Bohnanza
10:05 - Chinatown
13:18 - The Mind
15:15 - For Sale
18:03 - The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine
21:57 - Crokinole, Klask
24:52 - Ticket to Ride
26:05 - Condottiere
28:52 - On Tour
30:25 - Wavelength
33:27 - Ethnos
36:28 - Kingdomino
38:05 - Love Letter
41:02 - 7 Wonders, Sushi Go Party
42:57 - My City
47:26 - Between Two Cities
50:26 - Codenames, Decrypto
52:10 - Another teaser for our upcoming publications!

Welcome to Tabletop Tastes: My favorite flavors in board games. Today, we consider how balanced games are just as important as balanced diets.

Games discussed include Pandemic, Forbidden Desert, Root, and Tapestry.

Read this episode in blog form here.

The hot new releases of 2020 continue to make it to our table! Nick shares his latest 1st impressions of Iwari, Dune: Imperium, Rajas of the Ganges: The Dice Charmers, Rococo Deluxe, and Beyond the Sun.

0:50 - Rajas of the Ganges: The Dice Charmers
3:34 - Iwari
4:55 - Rococo Deluxe Edition
8:10 - Dune: Imperium
11:16 - Beyond the Sun

You can also read this episode in blog post form here:  https://bitewinggames.com/candid-cardboard:-new-release-1st-impressions-(february-2021)

Does this puzzly head-to-head game crumble under the weight of its oppressive playstyle? Find out whether Curious Cargo is up your alley in this board game review!

Welcome back to another episode of Tabletop Tastes: My favorite flavors in board games. Today, we gorge our thoughts upon the satisfaction of filling meals and filling turns.

Games discussed include Dune: Imperium, Pandemic, Flash Point: Fire Rescue, Catan, and Concordia.

Candid Cardboard is a monthly series containing genuine, blunt, and thoughtful opinions about board games that the folks at Bitewing Games have recently played!  Most often, these are first impressions of hot new releases.

In this episode, Nick shares his first impressions of recent releases including Sidereal Confluence (Remastered Edition), Sequoia, GPS, Mountain Goats, Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy, and Babylonia!

1:02 - Sidereal Confluence (Remastered Edition)
3:23 - Sequoia
4:31 - GPS
6:00 - Mountain Goats
7:00 - Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy
9:38 - Babylonia

Welcome to the Bitewing Games Podcast!  Our mission is to create and share unique and evocative tabletop gaming experiences – or, in other words, board games that bite!  For hobbyist gamers, this podcast will help you to explore your own tastes in the hobby and perhaps discover your next favorite game that fits those tastes. For game designers, this podcast will offer you more tools to add to your utility belt and metrics to measure your projects by.

  In this episode, we'll take a look at 20 of the most anticipated board games of 2021 as well as publishers and designers you should keep on your radar.  Games will range from sprawling, epic Egyptian wars to family-friendly beetle wrestling.  All aboard the hype train!

  If reading is your preference, you can catch this episode in blog form at https://bitewinggames.com/category/game-list/

Welcome to Tabletop Tastes: My favorite flavors in board games. Today, we explore the importance of a dynamic arc in games (and snacks)!

  Games discussed include A Feast for Odin, Raiders of the North Sea, Dead Man's Cabal, and Babylonia.

  If reading is your preference, you can catch this episode in blog form after January 11 at https://bitewinggames.com/category/tabletop-tastes/

Kyle joins Nick in sharing our 10 hot things we are currently most excited about in the board game industry.  These hot things span through specific board games, talented game designers, engaging mechanisms, and more!

  Additionally, we share the origins and purpose of Bitewing Games and peek behind the curtains of exciting plans to come!

  This episode does not exist in blog form, but if you prefer to read then you can learn plenty more about Bitewing Games and things we are hot on at BitewingGames.com