When is a board game too pretty? Board game graphic design taken too far, Tabletop Bellhop Gaming Podcast Episode 213

July 25, 2023
by Moe T.

Tabletop Bellhop Gaming Podcast

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.

In this episode, we talk about art in board games and how it can be taken too far. We then have a preview of the latest rendition of the Fighting Fantasy gamebooks. That is followed by two reviews, Illiterati, a co-op word game, and The Independence Incident, a small escape room in a box style game. We then wrap up with a rather busy week in review.

Tabletop Bellhop Gaming Podcast Episode 213, July 19th, 2023. Join us Wednesdays at 8 PM EST at https://www.twitch.tv/tabletopbellhop.

If you enjoy our show, tip the Bellhop at: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopbellhop
Detailed show notes: https://tabletopbellhop.com/episode213
Disclosure: Links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Games mentioned may be review copies provided by publishers.

SUGGESTION BOX
Send feedback to moe@tabletopbellhop.com
Great Cooperative Board Games
Allies in Fun shownotes: https://tabletopbellhop.com/podcast/ep212/
Video version: https://youtu.be/9egAojFC-oA
Pandemic https://amzn.to/3Y2Q2Ra
Atlantis Rising https://amzn.to/3KaHNg2
Flash Point Fire Rescue https://amzn.to/3KcXinT
The Initiative https://amzn.to/44ZvDyq
Roll Player Adventures https://www.gamenerdz.com/roll-player-adventures?aff=85
Dorfromantic https://amzn.to/3QbS67A
The Captain is Dead https://amzn.to/3Kgeh8H
Disney Sidekicks
Written Review https://tabletopbellhop.com/game-reviews/disney-sidekicks/
Video Review https://youtu.be/yCNLAbcE6Hg
Buy it https://amzn.to/3Q4bRhg
Siege of Valeria
Written Review https://tabletopbellhop.com/game-reviews/seige-of-valiera/
Video Review https://youtu.be/5SuMS-D8LBg
Buy it https://www.gamenerdz.com/siege-of-valeria?aff=85

ANNOUNCEMENTS – 5th Anniversary Episode Wednesday
Be sure to join us live on Twitch on July 26th for a special 5th anniversary episode which will include door prizes, a new giveaway, a look back at the previous year, and more!
Hope to see you in the lobby at https://www.twitch.tv/tabletopbellhop starting at 8pm EDT on Wednesday!

ASK THE BELLHOP
“When is a game Too Pretty?”
The Tabletop Bellhop Patreon https://www.patreon.com/tabletopbellhop
Roger Doger Games https://rogerdogergames.com/
Pret-A-Porter https://amzn.to/3O53Rd5
Scott Rogers Zones of Play https://mrbossdesign.blogspot.com/2019/07/
Games that go too far:
Thrones of Valeria https://www.nobleknight.com/P/2148042852/Thrones-of-Valeria?awid=1091
Castellans of Valeria https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dailymagicgames/castellans-of-valeria
Scythe https://amzn.to/3Dsw0Gf
My Little Pony Adventures in Equestria https://amzn.to/3O7IzeR
Aldabas Doors of Cartagena https://amzn.to/3O8FHOU
Games with a perfect balance of art and playability
boop. https://amzn.to/44STO2h
Azul https://amzn.to/3DwCWC0
Vinhos Deluxe https://amzn.to/3Y89MTC
Send your questions to questions@tabletopbellhop.com or visit TabletopBellhop.com and click on Ask the Bellhop.

THE GAME ROOM – Fighting Fantasy Adventures Preview
Unboxing https://youtu.be/HNmEKkkJqqU
Written Preview https://tabletopbellhop.com/game-reviews/fighting-fantasy-adventures-preview/
On Gamefound https://gamefound.com/projects/martin-wallace/fighting-fantasy

THE GAME ROOM – Illiterati Deluxe Edition
Unboxing https://youtu.be/lMyzJ-EKCEg
Written Review https://tabletopbellhop.com/game-reviews/illiterati/
Get the standard edition on Amazon https://amzn.to/44Vdpye
Or the Deluxe edition direct from Gap Closer Games
https://gapclosergames.com/en-ca/products/illiterati-deluxe

THE GAME ROOM – Holiday Hijinks #2 The Independence Incident
Written Review https://tabletopbellhop.com/game-reviews/independence-incident/
Buy a copy https://amzn.to/3q1aMw4

BELLHOP’S TABLETOP
Reality Shift (Preorder) https://www.gamenerdz.com/reality-shift-preorder?aff=85
Psycobabble https://amzn.to/44XtH9T
boop. https://amzn.to/3Kzh6lF
Shobu https://amzn.to/3qa49Yd
Disney Sorcerer’s Arena https://amzn.to/3DtuT98
Holiday Hijinks #5 The Birthday Burglary https://amzn.to/474pHq0
Illiterati https://amzn.to/44Vdpye

FIND US:
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Webpage: https://tabletopbellhop.com
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/tabletopbellhop
Twitch: https://twitch.tv/tabletopbellhop
Mastodon: https://dice.camp/@TabletopBellhop

Episode 213 of the Tabletop Bellhop Gaming Podcast was recorded on July 19th, 2023.

Join us as we record live weekly on Twitch at 8pm Eastern.

If you like some video with your audio, you can watch individual segments from this show on YouTube.

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—

Great Cooperative Board Games:

Disney Sidekicks and its marketing:

Disney Sidekicks Written Review
Video Review of Disney Sidekicks
Buy Disney Sidekicks (for hobby gamers, not for little kids)

Siege of Valeria Content:

Send feedback to moe@tabletopbellhop.com

—Announcements—

Be sure to join us live on Twitch on July 26th for a special 5th anniversary episode which will include door prizes, a new giveaway, a look back at the previous year, a live Q&A and more!