
Who doesn’t love board games? Find lots of board gaming (and a few RPGs). Tabletop Bellhop, your cardboard concierge, is here to answer your gaming and game night questions, helping you make your game nights better with tabletop game reviews and advice.
Tonight we’re talking about achieving thematic depth in board games, including games that get it right and games that get it wrong. We review a game themed on Belgian beers and talk about the games we’ve been playing, including first thoughts on a Dice Kingdoms expansion, the new My Little Pony deck-builder, Downforce and more.
Tabletop Bellhop Gaming Podcast Episode 203, Recorded March 29th 2023. Join us Wednesday at 8 PM EST at https://www.twitch.tv/tabletopbellhop.
If you enjoy the show, consider tipping the Bellhop at: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopbellhop
Detailed show notes for this episode: https://tabletopbellhop.com/episode203
Disclosure: Links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Games mentioned may be review copies provided by publishers.
CHECK IN AND SUGGESTION BOX
Send feedback to moe@tabletopbellhop.com
Grade School Gaming
Full Ep. on YouTube https://youtu.be/CxOtwPHe7dU
Segment on YouTube https://youtu.be/zBzpsTZ9d6U
Written Article https://tabletopbellhop.com/gaming-advice/grade-school-games/
Supers RPGs
A look at Eight Super Hero RPGs https://tabletopbellhop.com/game-reviews/nine-super-hero-rpgs/
Podcast Ep https://tabletopbellhop.com/podcast/ep125/
Dice Kingdoms of Valeria
Unboxing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4AMHXi4IlI
Video Review https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yk_YwwQ4b4A
Written Review https://tabletopbellhop.com/game-reviews/dice-kingdoms-of-valeria/
Our Top 25 Games
Segment on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vh-zx0DPJmA
200th Ep on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVH6X72mTQs
200th Ep on the Blog https://tabletopbellhop.com/podcast/ep200/
The Duke https://amzn.to/3Kt1u3g
ANNOUNCEMENTS – Last Chance to Enter our Giveaway
Our giveaway ends at Midnight Eastern on the day this podcast drops!
To Enter: https://tabletopbellhop.com/giveaway/
ASK THE BELLHOP – Board Game Budgeting
“Are there board games that pick a time in history or a region for the aesthetic that are actually good?”
The Tabletop Bellhop Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopbellhop
The Tabletop Bellhop Discord: https://discord.tabletopbellhop.com/
Games Mentioned And Other Links
Monopoly https://amzn.to/3K5XSCO
Star Wars Monopoly Episode One Collector’s Edition https://www.nobleknight.com/P/2147772198/Star-Wars-Monopoly—Episode-I-Collectors-Edition?awid=1091
Court Review https://tabletopbellhop.com/game-reviews/court/
Podcast Ep 202 https://youtu.be/pVuJ79Rx2Y8
Blood Bowl https://amzn.to/3nzP54B
Lords of Waterdeep https://amzn.to/3KnZNnH
Isle of Skye https://amzn.to/40MSI5K
Gunkimono https://www.nobleknight.com/P/2147735698/Gunkimono?awid=1091
Rise of Augustus https://www.nobleknight.com/P/2147525672/Augustus?awid=1091
Gorinto https://amzn.to/43cKOVh
Attika https://www.nobleknight.com/P/2147341780/Attika?awid=1091
US Telegraph https://amzn.to/3nzM9VD
Clans of Caledonia https://www.nobleknight.com/P/2147694850/Clans-of-Caledonia?awid=1091
Freedom the Underground Railroad https://amzn.to/3U71Hwq
The Belgian Beers Race https://grandgamersguild.com/products/belgian-beers-race
Revolution of 1828 https://amzn.to/3KBPqwV
Twilight Struggle https://amzn.to/3m49kak
Nyctophobia https://www.nobleknight.com/P/2147733878/Nyctophobia—The-Hunted?awid=1091
Shadows in the Forest https://amzn.to/3G6GzjN
Hammer of the Scotts https://amzn.to/3U1AlHQ
Julius Caesar https://amzn.to/3lZ0lqH
Fire in the Lake https://amzn.to/3zoO7dY
Root https://amzn.to/3KsvLzm
The Red Burnose Algeria 1857 https://hitemwithashoe.com/product/the-red-burnoose-algeria-1857/
DC Deck-building Game https://amzn.to/3MbgNPu
Draconis Invasion https://www.draconisinvasion.com/en-ca
Hellbringer https://hellbringergame.com/
Send your gaming or game night questions to questions@tabletopbellhop.com or visit TabletopBellhop.com and click on Ask The Bellhop.
THE GAME ROOM – The Belgian Beers Race
Unboxing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vDILtPorvU
Written Review https://tabletopbellhop.com/game-reviews/belgian-beers-race/
Buy It https://grandgamersguild.com/products/belgian-beers-race
BELLHOP’S TABLETOP
The Belgian Beers Race https://www.nobleknight.com/P/2147932075/Belgian-Beers-Race-The?awid=1091
Dice Kingdoms of Valeria https://www.dailymagicgames.com/other-valeria-games/dice-kingdoms-of-valeria-base-game
Dice Kingdoms of Valeria Winter Expansion https://www.dailymagicgames.com/other-valeria-games/dice-kingdoms-of-valeria-winter-sheets
My Little Pony Adventures in Equestria https://amzn.to/3zr8B63
Downforce https://amzn.to/3K1NcoV
La Famiglia https://puzzlingpursuits.com/?sca_ref=2493956.kelQAVfMgX
FIND US:
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Mastodon: https://dice.camp/@TabletopBellhop

Tonight we’re talking about achieving thematic depth in board games, including games that get it right and games that get it wrong. We review Belgian Beers Race, a game themed on Belgian beers, and talk about the games we’ve been playing including first thoughts on a Dice Kingdoms expansion, the new My Little Pony deck-builder, Downforce and more.
Episode 203 of the Tabletop Bellhop Gaming Podcast, was recorded March 29th, 2023.
Join us as we stream live weekly on Twitch at our new earlier start time of 8pm Eastern.
If you prefer some video with your audio, you can watch the Youtube version of Tabletop Bellhop Gaming Podcast Episode 203.
Disclosure: Some links below are affiliate links. Using these links costs you nothing extra and helps us offset the cost of producing this show. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Some of the games mentioned in this podcast were provided by publishers as review copies.
—Suggestion Box, Fan Feedback—
Grade School Gaming
- Back in Class – Podcast Episode 146 on YouTube
- Back in Class Audio and Show Notes
- Running a One Hour Grade School Gaming Event on YouTube
- Great Games for a Grade School Gaming Event, Article
Supers RPGs
Dice Kingdoms of Valeria
- Dice Kingdoms of Valeria Unboxing
- Video Review of Dice Kingdoms of Valeria
- Dice Kingdoms Written Review
Our Top 25 Games
- The Tabletop Bellhop Top 25 Board Games of All Time Segment on YouTube
- The Tabletop Bellhop Gaming Podcast 200th Episode on YouTube
- Listen to the 200th Episode and check out the show notes on the blog
- Pick up The Duke
Send feedback to moe@tabletopbellhop.com
—Announcements!—
Our giveaway ends at Midnight Eastern on the day this podcast drops!
Enter here: https://tabletopbellhop.com/giveaway/
—Ask The Bellhop—
Youtube version of this segment: VIDEO: Board Games and Thematic Depth, Discussing Meaningful Themes in Board Games
“Are there board games that pick a time in history or a region for the aesthetic that are actually good?”
Games Mentioned and Other Links:
- Monopoly
- Star Wars Monopoly Episode One Collector’s Edition
- Chess
- Court Review
- Budgeting for Boardgamers Podcast Ep 202
- Blood Bowl
- Lords of Waterdeep
- Isle of Skye
- Gunkimono
- Rise of Augustus
- Gorinto
- Attika
- US Telegraph
- Clans of Caledonia
- Freedom the Underground Railroad
- The Belgian Beers Race
- Revolution of 1828
- Twilight Struggle
- Nyctophobia
- Shadows in the Forest
- Hammer of the Scotts
- Julius Caesar
- Fire in the Lake
- Root
- The Red Burnose Algeria 1857
- DC Deck-building Game
- Draconis Invasion
- Hellbringer
Send your questions to questions@tabletopbellhop.com.
—The Game Room: The Belgian Beers Race—
Youtube version of this review: VIDEO: The Belgian Beers Race Review, backpack around Belgium in this beer themed board game
A game about backpacking around Belgium and visiting its world famous breweries.
- The Belgian Beers Race Unboxing
- The Belgian Beers Race Written Review
- Pick up a copy of The Belgian Beers Race
—The Bellhop’s Tabletop—
What we’ve been playing lately:
- The Belgian Beers Race
- Dice Kingdoms of Valeria
- Dice Kingdoms of Valeria Winter Expansion
- My Little Pony Adventures in Equestria
- Downforce
- La Famiglia
—Support our efforts—
If you enjoy our content then please consider donating to our Patreon.
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