Growing up a Board Gamer

Growing up a Board Gamer

Author: Tabletop Bellhop April 22, 2025 Duration: 1:59:31

Gwen joins us again on the tabletop bellhop, this time sharing the favourite games she played growing up, including some great games you may want to share with your kids. After that we talk about the games we’ve been playing lately and we wrap up with two reviews: Survive the Island and Oros

Tabletop Bellhop Gaming Podcast Episode 271, was recorded on April 16th, 2025. Join us live on Wednesdays at 8 PM EST at https://www.twitch.tv/tabletopbellhop

For detailed show notes with links to everything we talk about in this episode: https://tabletopbellhop.com/podcast/ep271/

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

(00:01:46) Ask The Bellhop

(00:45:51) A Message From Our Sponsor
Endangered: Australia launching soon on Kickstarter https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/grandgamersguild/endangered-australia
If you don’t have Endangered yet pick it up and the New Species expansion direct from Grand Gamers Guild where you can use BELLHOP to save 10%
https://grandgamersguild.com/discount/BELLHOP

(00:47:02) The Bellhop's Tabletop

(01:21:23) The Game Room - Survive the Island
Unboxing Survive the Island https://youtu.be/I10guFYF_RU
Get Survive The Island on Amazon:
US: https://amzn.to/3Y9OENW
Canada: https://amzn.to/4jAsD2Q
UK: https://amzn.to/4430FbK
Check out the Zygomatic website: https://www.zygomatic-games.com/en/homepage/

(01:35:44) The Game Room - Oros
Get the Kickstarter Collector’s Edition of Oros direct from AESC
https://www.aescgames.com/products/oros-collectors-edition
Or get the Lucky Duck version on Amazon:
US: https://amzn.to/3GjiB88
Canada: https://amzn.to/4lV0WEa
UK: https://amzn.to/4cHCZM4

(01:57:59) Closing the Doors

TIP THE BELLHOP:
Get bonus content by becoming a Patron: https://www.patreon.com/tabletopbellhop
Shop Tabletop Bellhop merch https://tabletopbellhop.com/merch
Buy us a coffee https://ko-fi.com/tabletopbellhop

FIND US: Webpage: https://tabletopbellhop.com
Discord: https://discord.tabletopbellhop.com
Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/tabletopbellhop.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tabletopbellhop/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tabletopbellhop/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/tabletopbellhop
Twitch: https://twitch.tv/tabletopbellhop
Mastodon: https://dice.camp/@TabletopBellhop


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]

Duration: 1:33:43
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…
Quality of Life [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:13:35
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…
Meeples & Memories [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:51:53
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…
When is a board game too pretty? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:18:55
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
We try to help someone decide what cooperative game to buy next, including a list of our favourite cooperative board games. We then have three reviews: Trickdraw, a fast flipping card game, Outsmarted!, a modern take on…
Highlights from Origins 2023 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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…