Love board games? Let’s talk boardgames, 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.
When game time is limited, getting the most out of the game nights you do have can be important. In addition to sharing our game night optimization tips, we announce our giveaway winners and talk about what we’ve been playing lately, including first thoughts on a couple small box games from Envy Born Games. We finish off with three detailed reviews, including King’s Coalition from new game company Play to Z games, The Crooked Crown, a take that game from Outset Media, and the Jaws Robot Pack for Robot Quest Arena from Wise Wizard Games.
Tabletop Bellhop Gaming Podcast Episode 252, was recorded on September 4th, 2024.
Join us live on Wednesdays at 8 PM EST at https://www.twitch.tv/tabletopbellhop
Full show notes with links can be found here: https://tabletopbellhop.com/episode252
Disclosure: Links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Games mentioned may be review copies provided by publishers.
(00:00:00) Checking In
(00:01:50) Ask The Bellhop
(00:35:08) A Word From Our Sponsor
(00:36:36) Announcements
(00:38:21) The Bellhop’s Tabletop
(01:00:12) The Game Room – King’s Coalition
(01:12:22) The Game Room – The Crooked Crown
(01:21:47) The Game Room – The Jaws Robot Pack for Robot Quest Arena
(01:28:35) Closing the Doors
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When game time is limited, getting the most out of the game nights you do have can be important.
In addition to sharing our game night optimization tips, we announce our giveaway winners and talk about what we’ve been playing lately, including first thoughts on a couple of small box games from Envy Born Games.
We finish off with three detailed reviews, including King’s Coalition from new game company Play to Z games, The Crooked Crown, a take that game from Outset Media, and the Jaws Robot Pack for Robot Quest Arena from Wise Wizard Games.
Episode 252 of the Tabletop Bellhop Gaming Podcast was recorded on September 4th, 2024. Join us as we record live weekly on Twitch at 8pm Eastern.
If you’d prefer to see the video version, just jump to the bottom of this post.
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.
— Ask The Bellhop: Tips on picking games— [00:01:50]
Our game night optimization tips:
- Have an RSVP system
- Have some lonely fun, have games ready to play
- Component organization
- Check for rules questions, errata, FAQ
- Play a learning game before the big game night
- Share the rules or how to play resources
- Set up the game in advance
- If you can’t set it up in advance, have everyone help
- Box inserts, component organisation, and player trays all help
- Decide what to play in advance
- Leave clean up for later
- Make clean up easy with labels, pictures, and more
- Prepare to deal with rule questions
- Watch for analysis paralysis
- If you have to leave the table, do it after your turn
- Eat before or after the game, not during
- Figure out food ahead of time
- Bowls and component splitting can speed things up
- Act simultaneously if possible
- Play real time games
Tips from The Lobby
- Solo play means no scheduling conflicts
- Take photos of sorted components
- Watch for sweaty glasses
Send your questions to questions@tabletopbellhop.com.
— A Word From Our Sponsor, Grand Gamers Guild —
Grand Gamers Guild will be at Essen Spiel Booth #3-H313
Check out Endeavor Deep Sea at the con or pre-order Endeavor Deep See direct from Grand Gamers Guild where you can use our code BELLHOP to save 10%
Find out what else they will have at Essen though the SPIEL Essen 24 Preview on BGG.
— Announcements —
Congratulations to Gabby J. and Jeffery B.
Fourthwall is the new source for Tabletop Bellhop Merch
— The Bellhop’s Tabletop — [00:38:21]
What we’ve been playing lately:
— King’s Coalition Review — [01:00:12]
Impress the King by building a coalition of cards. The player with the best hand at the end of six rounds will win, but what the king is looking for changes each game.
- Preorder King’s Coalition from Miniature Market
- Learn more about Play to Z Games
- Up next from Play to Z will be Lynx
— The Crooked Crown Review — [01:12:22]
Goblins fight over a beaten and battered crown. At the end of eight rounds of backstabbing, spying and card stealing, all that matters is who is holding the crown.
- The Crooked Crown Unboxing Video
- Our written review of The Crooked Crown
- Pick up The Crooked Crown on Amazon US, Canada, or UK
- Visit the Outset Media Amazon Store
- Check out our other Outset Media Reviews including Psychobabble and Deanna’s favourite, Zensu.
— The Jaws Robot Pack for Robot Quest Arena Review — [01:21:47]
In addition to a new bot you also get the rules for upgrade cards and new battlefield tiles including a button and two types of pits.
- Episode 245 What makes a game, a game, featuring our Robot Quest Arena Review
- Episode 250 Happy Birthday Bellhop with our Kettle Robot Pack Review
- Pick up the Jaws Robot Pack on Amazon US, Canada, or UK
- Check out the Wise Wizard Games Amazon store
- Check out our other Wise Wizard Games reviews including Sorcerer, Star Realms Frontiers, and more.
—Tip the Bellhop—
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- Join the Bellhop Discord.
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- shop Tabletop Bellhop merch.
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