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.
We share the best new to us games that we played in 2025, five from each of us, for fifteen total. We also talk about all of the games we played over the holidays (which was a lot!). Then we wrap up with a review of SETI from CGE.
Tabletop Bellhop Gaming Podcast Episode 292 was recorded on January 14th, 2026. We usually record Wednesdays at 8 PM Eastern at https://www.twitch.tv/tabletopbellhop
Find full detailed show notes at https://tabletopbellhop.com/podcast/ep292/
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) CHECK-IN
(00:02:01) Announcements
We renewed our GAMA membership https://www.gama.org/
We will be at GAMA Expo https://www.gama.org/page/gama-expo
Learn more about GAMA and the Expo: https://tabletopbellhop.com/podcast/ep236/
Upcoming Events:
Jan 22nd – Brews & Board Games at the Walkerville Brewery
Jan 25th – Board Game Mixer at Hidden Trail
Our event calendar: https://tabletopbellhop.com/local/
(00:03:41) Ask the Bellhop
(00:32:36) The Bellhop’s Tabletop
(01:37:51) The Game Room – SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
Pick up SETI at B&N, https://barnesandnoble.sjv.io/jex6DM
Check out our other CGE content, https://tabletopbellhop.com/search/?q=CGE
Visit https://www.czechgames.com
(02:08:42) Closing the Doors
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Happy New Year! This episode we share the best new to us games we played in 2025, five from each of us, for fifteen total. We also talk about all of the games we played over the holidays, which was a lot, including a ton of games off of the pile of shame. Then we wrap up with a review of SETI from CGE.
Tabletop Bellhop Gaming Podcast Episode 292 was recorded on January 14th, 2026. You can join us when we record live, usually on Wednesdays at 8 PM Eastern on Twitch.
If you’d like to watch the (slightly less edited) video version of this recording you can jump to the bottom of the 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 free by publishers, designers, or distributors.
— Announcements —
We have renewed our GAMA membership and will be at GAMA Expo 2026 in March.
Upcoming Events:
- Jan 22nd – Brews & Board Games at the Walkerville Brewery
- Jan 25th – Board Game Mixer at Hidden Trail
- Our event calendar: https://tabletopbellhop.com/local/
— Ask The Bellhop: What are the best board games we played in 2025? — [00:03:41]
We track our plays with Board Game Stats
- Perch
- House of Fado
- SETI
- Beer & Bread
- Earth
- How to Save a World
- Kutna Hora
- Floristry
- Galileo Galilei
- Tea Witches
- Ark Nova
- Please Don’t Burn My Village
- Guildlands
- The Fellowship of the Ring Trick-Taking Game
- Vantage
Send your questions to: Questions@tabletopbellhop.com
— The Bellhop’s Tabletop: What we’ve been playing — [00:32:36]
- SETI
- 3-2-1 Countdown
- The Bears and The Bees
- Ticket to Ride 10th Anniversary
- One Small Step
- Ark Nova
- Ra
- Sagrada
- Brick Like This!
- Skull King Expansion (use BELLHOP to save 15%)
- Metrorunner
- Rebirth
- Galileo Galilei
- Hand Games 21
- Ghost Blitz
- Flamecraft
- On Mars
- Jaipur
- The Lord of the Rings Duel for Middle Earth
— Review of SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence — [01:37:51]
Search the solar system and beyond for signs of intelligent life in this science based, heavier euro from CGE that ended up being one of the best games we played in 2025.
—Support our efforts—
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