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In this episode of This Board Game Life (Episode 132: "Cruises and Awards"), hosts Rob and Mark catch up on what they've been playing lately and tease the cruise and awards topics hinted at in the title. Mark dives into recent plays including Spooktacular, the asymmetrical monster game with a theater theme, and Thunder Road Ignition, the newer streamlined take on the vehicular racing series. Along the way the duo share some fun stories, talk shop about the hobby, and point viewers toward the rest of the content on their channel. Stick around to hear their full thoughts and find out what the cruises and awards are all about. This episode is part of the Podcast series from This Board Game Life, an ongoing show dedicated to board games, card games, tabletop games, and the hobby in general. Each installment features casual conversation about what the hosts have been playing, plus news, impressions, and discussion for gamers of all kinds. No detailed game description is available, but if you enjoy laid-back tabletop talk between two friends, this is a great place to start. 00:00 Intro 02:47 What We Played 23:40 News And Announcements 34:30 Dice Tower Cruise to Alaska 1:15:30 Gamefound Awards 1:38:49 McDonalds Tangent 1:42:20 Crowdfunding Damage

Join Mark for a solo play-through of Dice Throne: Vanguard, the latest release in the ever-expanding Dice Throne universe. In this video, Mark takes the Duelist into battle against the boss character hidden inside the box's magnetic lid, playing through the fight for the very first time. Along the way, he shares his setup, his first impressions of these brand-new heroes, and a few thoughts on what's coming next for Dice Throne. Come along and see how the showdown unfolds! Dice Throne: Vanguard is a 2–4 player dice-chucking combat game for ages, playable in around 30 minutes, published by Dice Throne, Inc. in 2026 and designed by Nate Chatellier, John Heidrich, and Manny Trembley. It introduces four new Vanguard heroes — the Druid, Duelist, Forgemaster, and Sun Elf — all fully compatible with the wider Dice Throne roster. With fresh mechanisms, legendary themes, and a boss you can take on solo or as a group, it's built to be boldly accessible and heroically replayable. 00:00 Intro 07:10 Camera Setup 10:44 Boss Rules 15:23 Card Explanations 22:38 Starting Hand 23:50 Tracking Gameplay 26:40 Gameplay Begins 37:37 Boss Attack 42:30 Combat Rolls 58:20 Taking Damage 1:05:48 Final Turns 1:07:59 Defeat https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/453942/dice-throne-vanguard

Only six games played this month, but there were some great ones. Which do you like the best?

Mark and Rob are back to discuss what they played recently and some industy news. Then its on to the main topics. Can we get gaming Fatigue and Is boardgaming becoming to mainstream? They wrap up with some new crowdfunded items. Enjoy. 00:00 Intro 02:00 What we played 25:00 Industry News 34:05 Gaming Fatigue 51:50 Is Gaming to Mainstream? 1:08:10 Crowdfunding Corner

Join Mark as he unboxes Drillers from Czech Games Edition, complete with the upgraded components package. In this video, he walks through everything in the box—from the unique mechs and player boards to the cubes, cards, player aids, and the main mine board. Follow along as Mark reveals each component and shares his first impressions ahead of his first game night with this new release. Drillers is a game for 1–4 players in which you explore an abandoned mine using your mech, searching for anything valuable left behind by a forgotten mining corporation. As you dig deeper, each level of the mine offers fresh opportunities and tougher challenges while your fuel runs low and decisions get tighter. By collecting cards you upgrade your mech's drilling abilities, unlock new actions, and sell mined minerals for profit. It's a game about planning ahead, tough decision-making, and knowing just how far you can afford to drill. 00:00 Intro 00:33 Game Description 02:28 Opening The Box 04:05 Components 05:39 Player Boards 08:00 Rule Book 10:16 Cards Overview 14:36 Upgraded Components 16:58 Final Thoughts https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/465669/drillers

Join Mark as he opens up his latest addition to his gaming library. Will he have to dig deep to extract the game? https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/465669/drillers