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Welcome to This Board Game Life
Mark and Rob discuss the news, recent gaming, and some of the surprise hidden costs of a crowdfunding campaign. Enjoy! Games discussed in this episode include: Star Trek Chrono-Trek, Star Trek: Captain's Chair – To Boldly Go, Jump Masters!, Night at the Zoo, Ostia, Shadow Hunters, Mountain Goats: Legacy, Dragons of Etchinstone and Camel Up (Second Edition).
Published On: August 19th, 2026Rob and Mark talk about recent news, recent gaming, and have the Gen Con 2026 debrief. Games discussed in this episode include: Pandemic Legacy: Season 2, Sniper Elite: The Board Game, Cover Your Assets, Zombicide: White Death – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Timecrash, Mountain Goats: Legacy, Architects of the West Kingdom, Viscounts of the West Kingdom, Magical Athlete, Escape: The Curse of the Temple
Published On: August 5th, 2026Mark and Rob hit the mics discussing recent gaming, some news, the SDJ award winners for 2026, and the releases that they're anticipating for Gen Con 2026. Games discussed in this episode include: Panda Royale, The Game Makers, Champions of Midgard, Container, Captain Sonar, Mechs vs. Minions, Oak, Wondrous Creatures, Masters of Renaissance: Lorenzo il Magnifico – The Card Game and Space Hulk: Death
Published On: July 22nd, 2026
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Join Rob from This Board Game Life as he unboxes Drillers, one of the hardest-to-get releases from Czech Games Edition at Gen Con 2026. In this video, Rob digs through the box component by component—cards, mech miniatures, player boards, resource cubes, the score pad, and the two-layer boards—giving you a close-up look at the artwork and quality along the way. Follow along as he explores everything packed inside this highly anticipated title. Drillers is a 1–4 player game (30–120 min) designed by Roman Bednář and Adam Španěl, in which players pilot unique mechs to explore an abandoned mine and excavate the valuable minerals left behind by a forgotten corporation. As you delve deeper, you'll collect multi-use cards to improve your drilling capabilities, unlock new actions, and sell minerals for profit using drones. With fuel running low and every decision affecting all players, it's a game of careful planning, tough choices, and knowing just how far you can afford to drill. 00:00 Intro 00:47 Box Overview 02:01 Unboxing Components 02:19 Player Boards 03:44 Resources And Cubes 04:11 Mech Figures 06:12 Boards And Stickers 08:36 Cards 10:59 Rulebook 11:57 Proper Mech Fitting 13:04 Setup And Modes 15:10 Final Thoughts https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/465669/drillers
Published On: August 20th, 2026Join Rob from This Board Game Life as he cracks open the big box of Ostia: Mariner Edition, the new deluxe release for 2026. In this unboxing, Rob works through the rulebook, checks out the jumbo reference cards, and pulls apart the punchboards, boards, and player components. From the linen-finish pages to the little ships, buildings, and horses, he takes a close look at everything packed inside this hefty box for 1–4 players. Ostia is a modern classic that blends mancala-driven resource management with action selection and a race across the sea routes of ancient Rome. Players amass a fleet of merchant ships, establish ports across the ocean, and gather trade goods, exotic beasts, and the support of the nobility back home to secure their place in history. This Mariner Edition from Crafty Games folds the base game together with the Merchants and Patronus expansions, deluxe content, and a custom storage solution, all with upgrades for smoother, faster play. Designed by Totsuca Chuo, it plays in 100–120 minutes and includes a solo mode. 00:00 Intro 01:36 Rule Book 05:00 Player Aids 05:45 Punchboards And Board 07:03 Player Boards 07:43 Ships And Buildings 09:29 Cards 10:19 Resources 11:14 Component Overview 13:04 Repacking The Box 13:53 Final Thoughts https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/469388/ostia-mariner-edition
Published On: August 19th, 2026This week Mark and Rob share what they have played recently which is a mix of old and new games. Share some industry news, and then have a discussion around the high cost of Crowdfunding. Enjoy. 00:00 Intro 04:10 What We Played 42:00 News 48:40 Is Crowdfunding to Costly? 1:24:50 Crowdfunding Corner
Published On: August 19th, 2026In this video, Mark unboxes Lost Ruins of Arnak: Surprise Shipment, the newest expansion from Czech Games Edition. Join him as he works through a few live setup and lighting hiccups while walking through everything included in the box, from the new site tiles to the updated site that replaces the crashed plane. Mark also digs into the stack of 50 new cards, covering clarifications and showing off some of the fresh items like the motorboat, buggy, and glider. Stick around for a hands-on first look at what this final Arnak expansion has to offer. Lost Ruins of Arnak: Surprise Shipment is the final addition to the world of Arnak, a game where players return to a mysterious jungle island to unearth treasures and uncover secrets. This expansion adds 50 new cards (30 artifacts and 20 items), two new sites, and an updated site to gear up for another expedition. Designed by Elwen and Mín for 1–4 players and playing in about 30–120 minutes, it comes in a beautifully illustrated box that fits right into any Arnak collection. 00:00 Intro 01:35 Setup Troubles 04:11 New Site Tiles 06:22 Replacement Tile 07:22 Card Clarifications 07:57 Item Cards 09:52 Artifact Cards 12:10 Final Thoughts https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/475207/lost-ruins-of-arnak-surprise-shipment
Published On: August 17th, 2026Join Mark for a mailbag of Lost Ruins of Arnak: Surprise Shipment, the final expansion for the popular Lost Ruins of Arnak. Lost Ruins of Arnak: Surprise Shipment is the last expansion for Czech Games Edition's world of Arnak, sending players back to the mysterious island to unearth more treasures and secrets. It adds 50 new cards—30 artifacts and 20 items—along with two new sites and an updated site to expand your adventures. Designed by Elwen and Mín and published in 2026, it supports 1–4 players with games running roughly 30–120 minutes. Gear up with new items and head back into the jungle for one final return to Arnak. https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/475207/lost-ruins-of-arnak-surprise-shipment
Published On: August 16th, 2026July had Mark playing 13 games for a total of 30 plays. What did he play? Let's find out. 00:00 Intro 01:10 Wondrous Creatures 05:03 Panda Royale 07:22 Zombicide White Death TMNT Timecrash 09:53 Champions of Midgard 12:50 The Game Makers 17:16 Container 19:08 Captain Sonar 21:45 Mechs vs. Minions 23:55 Oak 26:27 Masters of Renaissance: Lorenzo il Magnifico – The Card Game 28:23 Pandemic Legacy Season 2 29:27 Sniper Elite The Board Game 32:39 Cover Your Assets
Published On: August 15th, 2026
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