Board Game Swap

Board Game Swap

Author: Tabletop Bellhop October 19, 2025 Duration: 1:49:52

We recently hosted a board game swap meet and tonight we’re going to talk about how that went in hopes of giving you some tips to run a similar event for your community.

We will also share our first thoughts on Vantage, the new sci-fi open world sandbox game from Stonemaier Games and talk a bit about our first ProtoWIN local game designer day.

We close out with three reviews: The Uncharted Expansion for Land Vs Sea, Pencil Book Quest, and the P’Kup

Tabletop Bellhop Gaming Podcast Episode 285, was recorded on October 15th, 2025. We usually try to record Wednesdays at 8 PM Eastern at https://www.twitch.tv/tabletopbellhop

Find full, detailed show notes at https://tabletopbellhop.com/podcast/ep285/

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
(00:02:10) Announcements
Expect to see our podcast drop at 3pm Eastern on Sundays going forward. That includes all formats, the blog, on your podcatcher and the YouTube video.

(00:02:49) Ask the Bellhop
(00:36:48) The Bellhop's Tabletop
(01:03:14) The Game Room - Land Vs Sea Uncharted
Our original Land Vs Sea Reviews:
On the Blog https://tabletopbellhop.com/game-reviews/land-vs-sea/
On YouTube https://youtu.be/y3Z6Y5U0HOI?si=Odw_V7w1T52C8pWz
Pick up the Uncharted Expansion for Land Vs Sea https://amzn.to/46WuN9L
We’ve covered a lot of Good Games Publishing's Games, Check it out: https://tabletopbellhop.com/search/?q=%22good%20games%20publishing%22
(01:22:19) The Game Room - Pencil Book Quest
Our Pocket Book Adventures Previews
On the Blog: https://tabletopbellhop.com/game-reviews/pocket-book-adventures/
On YouTube: https://youtu.be/UlyPLZbEcbI?si=Pe6_qNfUNxxiy5px
Pick up Pencil Book Quest https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/grumpy-spider-games/pencil-book-quest
Pick up Pocket Book Adventures https://grumpyspider.com/product/pocket-book-adventures/

(01:35:06) The Game Room - P’Kup Card Lifter
Pick up a P’Kup (Use BELLHOP to save 10%) https://getpkup.com/?ref=ahwzwxdz

(01:48:04) Closing the Doors

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Ever find yourself staring at your shelf of board games, wondering which one would actually work for your particular group this weekend? Or perhaps you’ve just unboxed a new game and feel a bit lost in the rulebook. That’s the space where the Tabletop Bellhop Gaming Podcast lives. Hosted by the folks at Tabletop Bellhop, this show is like having a knowledgeable friend on call to help navigate the vast world of tabletop gaming. Each episode dives into practical advice and genuine conversations aimed at making your game nights smoother and more fun. You’ll hear detailed reviews of specific games, discussions on common gaming hurdles, and tips for everything from teaching rules to managing player dynamics. While the focus is firmly on board games, the occasional role-playing game conversation slips in, reflecting the full spectrum of tabletop hobbies. The tone is welcoming and down-to-earth, avoiding insider jargon in favour of clear, useful insights. It’s a resource built on the idea that the best games are the ones that actually get played, and that a great experience is about more than just the components in the box. Tune in for a podcast that feels like a direct consultation with your own cardboard concierge, dedicated to answering the real questions that pop up around the gaming table.
Author: Language: en-ca Episodes: 100

Tabletop Bellhop Gaming Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Pub Crawl [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Tonight we’ve got someone looking for great games to bring out for a night at the pub. That’s followed by reviews of two games that are great for playing at a bar, Shobu and Psychobabble. We wrap up with our usual week i…
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This episode we discuss quality of life board game improvements we’ve found and those that we would love to see more of in the games we play. That’s followed by reviews of the At the Ready Expansion for Disney Sorcerer’s…
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This is a special episode celebrating our 5th birthday as a podcast. We start off with a couple of quick reviews, including a preview of the latest puzzle box from EscapeWelt and then a review of a birthday-themed escape…
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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 wo…
Allies in Fun [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:33:36
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Duration: 2:57:49
Welcome to our Origins 2023 recap where we spend the majority of the episode talking about our experience at the Origins Game Fair held last week in Columbus Ohio. Along with that we do talk a bit about some games we pla…
Live Board Game Q and A [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:27:35
We’re taking it easy this episode, answering some shorter questions from our questions pile, as well as answering questions in real time from The Lobby, our chatroom on Twitch. Interestingly all of these questions end up…
The Rhythm of Play [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:48:17
In this episode, we discuss board game pacing, what affects it, and what you can do to keep a game moving. We also review the Leading the Charge expansion for Disney Sorcerer’s Arena Epic Alliances and Dr Lovenstein Pres…
Damage Control [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:22:02
Ask the Bellhop: “How can I protect my board games?” Reviews: Thrills & Chills expansion for Disney Sorcerer’s Arena and Castellans of Valeria Preview. We also talk about Kitara, Aqualin, Kings in the Corner, Skip Bo, De…
Looks Like Kids' Games But They're Not! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:46:33
In this episode we talk about games that look like they are made for kids but then when you sit down to play them you find out they are not. We’ve got two reviews to go with that, My Little Pony Adventures in Equestria D…