The GamerNode Show: A Board Game and Video Game Podcast · GamerNode

GamerNode Show 99: Top 75 Board Games, 25-21

·20 min·1 clip

Terraforming Mars combines engine building and board competition, earning its spot as a top-ranked game with intense strategy.

Host Eddie Inzotto continues his personal countdown of his top 75 board games, covering entries 25 through 21 in this solo episode. The selections represent a diverse range of game styles, from economic Euros to thematic Ameritrash. This episode serves as a detailed, personal curation from his own gaming library. Number 25 is Navigador, a 2010 Euro economic game by Matt Gertz about exploration and colonization from Europe to Asia. Players manage colonies, factories, and fleets using a rondel action system that requires paying extra to move more than three spaces ahead. The game incorporates an economic cycle where goods values fluctuate, and players can adjust end-game scoring values through a "privileges" section. Eddie notes Navigador shows design DNA that later evolved into Gertz's more famous game, Concordia. Number 24 is the 2021 Bloodborne board game, a cooperative campaign game based on the video game. It features a card-driven combat system focused on timing and a deck-building hand management aspect. The narrative unfolds through a card-based story system similar to Arkham Horror: The Card Game, with a board that expands during play. Eddie contrasts it favorably with the Dark Souls board game, which he did not enjoy as much. Number 23 is Carpe Diem, a 2018 tile-laying game by Stefan Feld where players build a personal grid to score points based on tile placement and size. A key mechanism involves drafting tiles from a circular arrangement of depots, requiring players to physically move to claim desired pieces. The game has seen multiple editions, including one that changed the original star-shaped path to a clearer circular track. Number 22 is the highly popular Terraforming Mars from 2016, ranked number five on BoardGameGeek. Eddie describes it as a Frankenstein of mechanisms, primarily an engine-building card game where players develop corporations to make Mars habitable. Players compete on a central board to place ocean, forest, and city tiles, while tracking oxygen, temperature, and water parameters. The game includes milestones, awards, and "take-that" elements, supported by numerous expansions. Number 21 is Watergate, a 2019 two-player card-driven game about the historical scandal. The journalist player aims to connect President Nixon to incriminating evidence on a board resembling a detective's pegboard, while the Nixon player works to block those connections. Players use cards for action points or specific events, competing to place or remove evidence tokens in a tense tug-of-war. A surprising claim is that the Bloodborne board game's combat system, which lacks spatial tactics, proved more engaging than Eddie anticipated from its card-based mechanics. He also notes a perceived cultural shift where disliking the universally popular Terraforming Mars has become "the cool thing" in some circles. The episode reveals Eddie initially disliked Terraforming Mars before it grew on him, and he finds the subject matter of Watergate particularly resonant following the 2016-2020 U.S. administration. The historical context of the Watergate scandal is directly tied to the game's tense, adversarial gameplay. Eddie observes that Carpe Diem's seemingly complex star-shaped movement track is mathematically identical to a simpler circular track used in later editions. He positions Navigador as a precursor that offers a distinct experience from the more streamlined Concordia. The tone is conversational and enthusiastic, delivered as a solo monologue from a knowledgeable collector. The style is educational and review-focused, structured as a straightforward countdown with clear descriptions of mechanics and personal anecdotes. Eddie's delivery is passionate and informal, reflecting his deep personal engagement with the hobby. Board game enthusiasts who enjoy detailed mechanical analysis and personal top lists will love this episode. Listeners interested in the design evolution of games like Concordia or the specifics of mid-weight Euros will find value. Those seeking high-energy group banter, critical debate, or narrative storytelling might want to skip this solo, list-driven format. People looking for reviews of brand-new releases may find the focus on games from 2010-2021 less appealing.

As heard by us

A quick countdown that makes five board games easy to follow.

Episode 99 keeps Eddie Inzotto's top 75 board game countdown moving, covering numbers 25 through 21. Navigador gets the fullest treatment, with its 2010 mix of exploration, colonies, factories, fleet building, and the rondelle driving each turn.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You want a sharp countdown that moves from rondelles to tile drafting without losing momentum.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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