Our furriest, fluffiest and most paw-some episode ever! Discover how pet ownership and board gaming collide and bring together wagging tails with cunning strategies and cardboard boxes become enchanted castles. Jump to a specific section: 00:00 Game Night Tails: Pet-Approved Playtime 11:34 DIG (2017) 24:41 MLEM: Space Agency (2024) 37:39 Dog Park (…

Join Matt and Chris on an exploration into the captivating realm where the joy of board gaming converges with the profound state of 'Flow.' In this episode we delve into the intricacies of the Flow state, a state of consciousness marked by effortless effort, exhilarating challenges, and the seamless flow of actions. Discover how board games, with t…

From Page to Play: The Renaissance of Remarkable IP Board Games | Escape Into Board Games Podcast In this episode of The Escape Into Board Games Podcast, hosts Chris and Matt explore the flourishing landscape of high-quality board games based on Intellectual Properties (I.P.). The duo reflects on the bygone era of lackluster I.P. games and passiona…

Join Matt and Chris on a journey through the imaginative landscapes of board gaming! In this episode we explore how board games can transport you to intellectual spaces within your mind and how these games become vibrant, memorable destinations in your gaming adventures. From bustling cities to serene islands, each game is a doorway to fun, excitin…

Four Fast Games for Fright Night Join hosts Matt and Chris as they dive into the world of board games perfect for a chilly October evening. Just like the variety of spooky movies that grace our screens during this haunted season, board games offer a diverse range of experiences to match your Halloween vibes. In this episode, we explore some quick g…

In this episode Matt and Chris explore board games with a nature theme and in doing so, discover how the nature of games is changing. Jump to a specific section: 00:00 The Nature of Games 06:30 Parks 24:50 Herbaceous 35:00 Second Summer 43:05 Living Forest Please remember to like and subscribe to the Escape Into Board Games podcast Listen to the sh…

Press Your Luck or Push Your Luck can be found in thousands of different board games. In this episode Chris and Matt talk about just four of them. Exploring from the distilled to the deeply embedded. There’s plenty of great games that Push Your Luck. Jump to a specific section: 00:00 Push Your Luck Games 03:31 Can’t Stop 12:14 Celestia 19:40 Ten 27…

Board Games are Bigger on the Inside Board Games can offer a variety of experiences, challenges and escapes! Sometimes it's hard to imagine the adventure that awaits inside the small, unsuspecting game box on the shelf. Join Chris and Matt as they explore some of their favourite board games that come in small packages and within that, try to explai…

Games That Do The Trick Card Games have been around for centuries and trick-taking games have been around for just as long and yet game designers continue to discover, invent and remix the genre in new and exciting ways. In this episode Chris and Matt talk about some trick-taking games they grew up with and then dive into some of the newer games th…

Board Games You Can Play When You're Lit For those nights when you don't want to learn a new game and everyone is more into "chilling out." These are just some of our games that are *high* on our list of favorite games to play when you're lit. Jump to a specific section: 00:00 Board Games You Can Play When You Are Lit 07:13 Taco Cat Goat Cheese Piz…

Hidden Gems Some of our favourite games on our shelves are little known treasures, surprise bargain deals or classic games that have been lost to time. In this episode Chris and Matt explore some of their favourite Hidden Gems. Jump to a specific section: 00:00 Hidden Gems 3:18 The Boss 9:08 Ceylon 17:57 Next Station: London 25:19 Broom Service Wha…

Games That Cascade Like triggering a line of falling dominoes, some games capture a feeling of excitement and action. In this episode we explore games that have a windfall or chain-reaction that is successively passed on during the game. Join Matt and Chris as they talk about Games That Cascade. Jump to a specific section: 00:00 Games That Cascade …

Date Night at the Board Game Café Are you interested in games that are easy to learn, quick to play, are low in confrontation and "take that" and take up just a little table space? In this episode, Chris and Matt explore some great games that go well on a date, at a Board Game Café. Jump to a specific section: 00:00 - Date Night at the Board Game C…

The All Ages Board Game Party When family time brings together lots of different personalities, it’s hard to find an activity that everyone will enjoy. In this episode, Chris and Matt talk about some games that will bring together the most diverse family members and create memories that everyone will remember for years to come. Jump to a specific s…

Great Games for Giving Giving the gift of gaming is really about giving the gift of great times, fun and laughter to your friends and loved ones. In this DOUBLE-SIZED episode, Chris and Matt share over 30 different games that would make great gifts for just about anyone! 00:00 Great Games for Giving 03:39 Great Games for Very Young Families 12:02 E…

Creepy Board Games for a Scary Night! In this episode, we explore some creepy, scary or horror-themed board games that bring family and friends around the table. Park all your brooms at the door and stop in for a spell as we tell tales of: Creepy Board Games for a Scary Night! 05:42 Haunt the House 17:56 Eldritch Horror 35:12 Horrified 46:07 Dexter…

Unique Board Game Experiences Sometimes, when you play the right board game at the right time with just the right people you experience something very different. What makes some games we play different? In this episode Chris and Matt explore some board games that have provided them with unique experiences that have been remembered long after they l…

Beautiful Board Games In this episode Chris and Matt explore what makes a game beautiful, some of their favorite beautiful games and how the art in board games continues to improve. Games Presented: 3:23 Sagrada 15:49 Lanterns: The Harvest Festival 27:53 Arboretum 40:47 Wasabi 50:26 Scythe 1:17:31 Everdell The Beautiful Board Games logo for this ep…

Table for 2 - Board Games for 2 Players In this episode we look at the great games you can only get to the table when it's only you and one other player. We also learn how Chris acquired his Grail Game. So pull up a chair to our Table for Two as we explore board games for two players. 3:24 Lost Cities 14:01 Akrotiri 21:52 Fugitive 31:10 Targi 38:32…

A Contemplation of Deduction Games Deduction Games have been around for a long time. Clue is almost 75 years old! Recently, we've seen some impressive improvements in deduction games. In this episode, we explore a few classic games as well as some newer games that are bringing some advancements to the genre. 03:29 Purrrlock Holmes: Furriarty's Trai…

Board Games Dripping With Theme What's your favorite board game theme? Which board game has the most immersive theme? Theme is often the hook that brings you into a game, but it's also the clothes the game wears and the language we use when we talk about the game. In this episode we talk about just some of our favorite games that are dripping with …

Modern Classics How many board games on your shelf are fifteen, twenty, thirty years old? They might show a little shelf wear and their art might be a little dated but these games still get plenty of plays at our table. Maybe you're not familiar with them all, in which case we'd be happy to introduce you to some of our favourite Modern Classics. Ju…

Near Mint Comic Book Board Games In this edition of the Escape Into Board Games podcast, Matt and Chris squeeze into spandex and capes to talk about some board games based on comic books. Jump to a specific section: 00:00 Near Mint Comic Book Board Games 03:42 Legendary: A Marvel Deck Building Game 14:21 The Walking Dead: The Board Game 20:53 Marve…

In the Fantastic Fillers Finale we continue talking about the fast-to-set-up and easy-to-learn filler games that we enjoy. Jump to a specific section: 00:00 Fantastic Fillers Finale 00:58 Zombie Dice 05:11 Blank Slate 11:04 Coup 16:14 No Thanks 23:01 Cockroach Poker 28:40 For Sale 33:31 Fantastic Gymnastics Please remember to like and subscribe to …

In this episode Chris Cormier and Matt McKenzie talk about some of their favourite Filler Games. They discuss the difficulties of playing a game about some of the gruesome details of the French Revolution, talk about a strategy to rescue a certain unloved game from thrift stores, and mention a game that you can play online with your friends using B…

Chris Cormier and Matt McKenzie talk about games that have interesting and unique game mechanisms. We're not claiming to have discovered the next great genre of boardgaming and these garme are not the only games that contain these mechanisms, however, we think they are implemented in new and interesting ways. We also do a segment about sleeving you…

Several Superior Spelling Games that Supersede Scrabble In this episode Chris and Matt talk about the spelling games that have replaced Scrabble for them. Jump to a specific section: 00:00 Several Superior Spelling Games that Supersede Scrabble 04:31 Bananagrams 10:16 Word on the Street 16:23 Spell Smashers 22:57 Letter Jam 29:00 Wordsy 33:11 Paper…

Board Games with Unique Mechanisms In this episode Matt and Chris talk about 8 board games that have interesting and unique game mechanisms. As well as a segment about Sleeving your games Jump to a specific section: 0:00 Games with Unique Mechanisms 03:26 Wavelength 07:47 Jungle Smart 13:33 Concept 18:46 Kluster 23:11 Treasure Island 28:47 Mord im …

Five Fun Games for Families Whether your family is small or large, every game collection should include some go-to games that you can bring out that the entire family will enjoy. However, finding the right game for your family can be tricky and often involves balancing thematic elements, table presence, learning time, skill levels, confrontational …