Tabletop Bellhop

Your Cardboard Concierge

Gateway Games

Board Game Review – The Alpha a wolf pack themed hobby board game from Bicycle Cards

by Leave a Comment

I have to admit I was a bit shocked when I got an email from Bicycle Cards about reviewing a couple of hobby board games. I didn't know that the largest card game company in the world is now trying to break into the board game market. This is a look at one of their two new light strategy games, The Alpha.

In The Alpha, three to six players take on the role of a wolf pack and have to compete for limited food resources. Packs battle for dominance and food using a prisoner's dilemma mechanic, but that's only after a successful chase. Sometimes a hunt turns up nothing. [ READ MORE ]

25 Free Tabletop Games That Only Require You to Have Some Standard Dice on Hand to Play – Ask The Bellhop

by Leave a Comment

Looking for some games to play with the resources you already have on hand? Here is a list of free board games and role playing games that only require you to have some standard D6 dice on hand as well as maybe needing to print out a few additional free resources to play.

Jeff writes:
What are some good, free, printable, D6 games for family night? One autistic, one ADHD. We play games like Yahtzee and Farkle but would like and are willing to expand into the RPG multiverse. [ READ MORE ]

Great Board Games For When You Have a Mix of Gamers and Non-Gamers – Ask the Bellhop

by Leave a Comment

What do you play when your board game table is a mix of experienced board game players and people new to hobby board games? That's what I will be discussing today based on this question:

Samantha Bryant asks:
What are some of your favorite games for when you've got a mixed crowd of mundanes and gamers? I'm looking for things that are simple enough that they won't overwhelm nubes, but interesting enough to engage gamers in the same group. [ READ MORE ]

The Top Gateway Board Games of the Last Three Years – Ask The Bellhop

by Leave a Comment

When people mention gateway games everyone thinks of Settlers of Catan, Carcassonne, and maybe Ticket To Ride. The thing is, these games are all over 15 years old! Surely there must be some gateway games that are more modern, games that have come out recently that make for great introductions to the world of hobby board games.

This post is inspired by a question by MrUncleAwesome, who contacted me on Twitch, to write:
What is your favorite newish game to play with people just getting into the hobby, after games like catan, and ticket to ride? [ READ MORE ]

Moving Day AMA – Childhood favourites, Con Budgeting, Board Games for Console Gamers and Lots More! – Episode 47 Tabletop Bellhop Gaming Podcast

by Leave a Comment

 This is the 47th episode of the Tabletop Bellhop Gaming Podcast, an edited version of our live show recorded on June 26th, 2019. Join us as we stream live every week on Wednesdays at 9:30 Eastern on Twitch. If you like some video with your audio, you can also watch/listen to an unedited version of the show over on YouTube.

Ep 47 - Moving Day AMA. This episode we are spending the entire Ask the Bellhop segment answering questions from The Lobby our live chatroom on Twitch. [ READ MORE ]

Great games for introducing a new player to hobby board games – Ask The Bellhop

by Leave a Comment

I love getting new people into the tabletop gaming hobby. I make it a point to try to be a board gaming ambassador, to try to spread my love of games to the world. Today's question deals with one aspect of advocating for our hobby, picking which games to introduce to new gamers.

Kat asked,
What game would you introduce to people who aren't used to playing games? What's the one game that you have introduced to hook people? [ READ MORE ]