The Fifth Meeple Board Game Podcast

Episode 93 (Mini): First in Flight Today we’re taking to the skies with First in Flight, a game all about pushing the limits of early aviation. It’s fast, it’s clever, and it might just surprise you with how tense those first few seconds off the ground can feel. Let’s see if this one soars… or stalls on the runway. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:03 First in Flight 02:36 First in Flight: The Good 06:50 First in Flight: The Bad 12:16 First in Flight: Final Scores Thanks for listening! Want to keep the conversation going? Reach out to us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com—we’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, and hot takes. And as always… play more board games!

Episode 92: Forever and Ever-dell: Everdell vs Everdell Silverfrost In today's episode we’re heading deep into the forest—but don’t forget your coat, because things are about to get cold. That’s right, we’re putting Everdell head-to-head with its frosty counterpart, Everdell: Silverfrost. This one’s more than just vibes—it’s a true test of design. We’re comparing the cozy, streamlined engine-building of the original against the expanded systems and icy twists Silverfrost brings to the table. Does the classic still deliver the tightest, most satisfying experience, or has the new contender evolved the formula into something even better? Only one game earns the win—let’s find out into today's battle of the funnest showdown! Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:00 Topic of the Day! 10:20 Everdell Silverfrost 21:54 Everdell Silverfrost: Collector's Corner 23:47 Everdell Silverfrost: Final Thoughts 25:53 Battle of the Funnest Showdown Thanks for listening! Want to keep the conversation going? Reach out to us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com—we’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, and hot takes. And as always… play more board games!

Episode 91: Meeple Madness 2026 Tournament (Part 2) We crown a champ! It's part 2 of our epic Meeple Madness Tournament with the Final 8 teams battling it out to see who shall come out on top!  Enjoy! Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 02:06 Meeple Madness 2026 Tournament - Final 8 Games Thanks for listening! Want to keep the conversation going? Reach out to us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com—we’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, and hot takes. And as always… play more board games!

Episode 90: Meeple Madness 2026 Tournament (Part 1) It’s March… which means chaos. Not on the court—but on the table. Inspired by March Madness, we’re seeding this past year's winners of our Battle of the Funnest Matches into one brutal bracket.  Upsets will happen, favorites will fall, and legacies are on the line. This is Meeple Madness 2026!  Want to fill out a bracket before you listen?  Print one out here: https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Fifth-Meeple-Board-Game-Podcast-61558676691506/ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:51 Meeple Madness 2026 Tournament Thanks for listening! Want to keep the conversation going? Reach out to us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com—we’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, and hot takes. And as always… play more board games!  

Special Episode 89: One and Done In this episode we're talking about games we're glad we played once ... but never want to play again. Plus, we're honored to be joined by Tim, one of the hosts of Board Game Hot Takes! Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:58 Guest Host: Tim from Board Game Hot Takes 02:11 Interview with Tim 12:47 One and Done Board Games Thanks for listening! Want to keep the conversation going? Reach out to us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com—we’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, and hot takes. And as always… play more board games!

Episode 88 (Mini): Take Time Today we’re taking a quick look at Take Time, a cooperative puzzle game from Libellud. In this one to four player experience, you’ll be placing cards around a clock face while trying to solve a series of increasingly tricky logic challenges.  See what our crew thinks about this unique co-op! Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:08 Take Time 02:34 Take Time: The Good 08:03 Take Time: The Bad 11:51 Take Time: Final Scores Thanks for listening! Want to keep the conversation going? Reach out to us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com—we’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, and hot takes. And as always… play more board games!

Episode 87: Pfister Face-Off:  Great Western Trail vs Maracaibo Two heavy euros enter: Great Western Trail and Maracaibo. We compare route optimization and deck refinement against exploration and campaign progression. Only one can claim the Pfister crown. It’s cowboys versus captains in a cardboard clash for bragging rights. We argue over cows, ships, buildings, and bonus tiles like our reputations depend on it. By the end, someone walks the plank—or rides off into the Kansas City sunset. Timestamp: 00:00 Introduction 01:02 Topic of the Day! 06:46 Great Western Trail 19:49 Great Western Trail: Collector's Corner 21:05 Great Western Trail: Final Thoughts 22:49 Maracaibo 38:08 Maracaibo: Collector's Corner 39:40 Maracaibo: Final Thoughts 41:43 Battle of the Funnest Showdown Thanks for listening! Want to keep the conversation going? Reach out to us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com—we’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, and hot takes. And as always… play more board games!

Episode 86 (Mini): Foolish Fool Today we’re spotlighting Foolish Fool, a fast-paced card game packed with quick turns and playful tension. Everyone’s trying to dodge becoming the round’s fool, which leads to light strategy, cheeky moves, and just enough chaos to keep the table buzzing. Listen in to see what we think about this small box game! Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:54 Foolish Fool 02:07 Foolish Fool: The Good 07:43 Foolish Fool: The Bad 10:08 Foolish Fool: Final Scores 13:40 Bloopers Thanks for listening! Want to keep the conversation going? Reach out to us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com—we’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, and hot takes. And as always… play more board games!

Episode 85: Battle of the Beards: Carnegie vs Darwin's Journey Welcome to Episode 85! Today we’re throwing down two heavyweight Euro titans — Carnegie vs Darwin’s Journey. Industrial empire building meets evolutionary exploration. Steel rails or sailing ships? Ruthless efficiency or carefully crafted engine growth? Both games bring deep strategy, tough decisions, and long-term planning to the table — but which one delivers the tighter design, stronger progression, and more satisfying path to victory? Let’s break it down and find out which beard reigns supreme! Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:06 Topic of the Day! 04:48 Carnegie 22:26 Carnegie: Collector's Corner 23:02 Carnegie: Final Thoughts 26:08 Darwin's Journey 43:13 Darwin's Journey: Collector's Corner 44:12 Darwin's Journey: Final Thoughts 45:18 Battle of the Funnest Showdown Thanks for listening! Want to keep the conversation going? Reach out to us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com—we’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, and hot takes. And as always… play more board games!

Episode 84 (Mini): For Sale In this mini review, we take a look at For Sale, the fast-paced auction card game that’s become a staple of the hobby. We break down its two-phase gameplay, why it works so well as a filler, and whether its simple design still holds up today. Quick, clever, and full of tense decisions — find out what we think about this classic game. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:56 For Sale 02:16 For Sale: The Good 09:11 For Sale: The Bad 11:52 For Sale: Final Scores Thanks for listening! Want to keep the conversation going? Reach out to us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com—we’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, and hot takes. And as always… play more board games!  

Episode 83: Dice, Engines, and Domination: Space Base vs Valeria: Card Kingdoms Both games promise satisfying engine-building and dice-driven decisions—but which does it better? We break down Space Base vs. Valeria: Card Kingdoms and see which system really earns its victory points in this battle of the funnest showdown. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:00 Topic of the Day! 07:18 Space Base 17:11 Space Base: Collector's Corner 17:54 Space Base: Final Thoughts 19:55 Valeria: Card Kingdoms 29:58 Valeria: Card Kingdoms: Collector's Corner 30:28 Valeria: Card Kingdoms: Final Thoughts 34:14 Battle of the Funnest Showdown 45:55 Bloopers Thanks for listening! Want to keep the conversation going? Reach out to us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com—we’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, and hot takes. And as always… play more board games!

Special Episode 82 (Trivia): Board Game Mechanisms How well do you really know game mechanics? In this trivia-style episode, we dive into worker placement, design complexity, and the language gamers use—inviting listeners to play along as we break down what makes these systems tick.  Thanks for listening! Enjoy Timestamps:  00:00 Introduction 00:38 Chris's 15 Trivia Questions (Mechanisms) Play along with us! Have any great trivia questions for us? Email us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com and maybe we'll put your trivia up on our podcast in the future (10 questions minimum| 15 questions max) as always play more board games!

Special Episode 81: Never Again: Worst Plays of 2025 Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:00 Worst 3 Plays of 2025 Thanks for listening! Want to connect with us? Email us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com and as always play more board games!

Episode 80: Don't Bet on It: Hot Streak vs Magical Athlete Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:02 Topic of the Day! 04:24 Magical Athlete 13:35 Magical Athlete: Collector's Corner 14:40 Magical Athlete: Final Thoughts 16:22 Hot Streak 27:24 Hot Streak: Collector's Corner 27:51 Hot Streak: Final Thoughts 30:02 Battle of the Funnest Showdown 41:29 Bloopers Thanks for listening! Want to connect with us? Email us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com and as always play more board games!

Special Episode 79: Cream of the Crop Top Plays of 2025 Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:03 Top 3 Games We Played in 2025 37:32 Bloopers Thanks for listening! Want to connect with us? Email us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com and as always play more board games!

Episode 78 (Mini): Toy Battle Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:02 Toy Battle 02:43 Toy Battle: The Good 08:42 Toy Battle: The Bad 15:07 Toy Battle: Final Scores 21:45 Bloopers Thanks for listening! Want to connect with us? Email us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com and as always play more board games!  

Episode 77: What's the Buzz? Honey Buzz vs Apiary Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:13 Topic of the Day! 08:22 A Listener Review! 09:10 Honey Buzz 22:41 Honey Buzz: Collector's Corner 24:52 Honey Buzz: Final Thoughts 27:22 Apiary 41:37 Apiary: Collector's Corner 42:11 Apiary: Final Thoughts 44:24 Battle of the Funnest Showdown 58:51 Bloopers Thanks for listening! Want to connect with us? Email us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com and as always play more board games!

Special Episode 76 (Trivia): Board Game Trivia Challenge Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:59 Board Game Trivia Challenge (play along with us!) 01:24 Pete's 10 Trivia Questions 31:45 Our Final Scores 33:11 Bloopers Have any great trivia questions for us? Email us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com and maybe we'll put your trivia up on our podcast in the future (10 questions minimum| 15 questions max) as always play more board games!

Episode 75: The Enemy Within: Shadows over Camelot vs Nemesis Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:13 Topic of Discussion 04:49 Shadows over Camelot 18:17 Shadows over Camelot: Collector's Corner 18:53 Shadows over Camelot: Final Thoughts 21:34 Nemesis 39:22 Nemesis: Collector's Corner 39:51 Nemesis: Final Thoughts 42:35 Battle of the Funnest Showdown 55:40 Bloopers Thanks for listening! Want to connect with us? Email us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com and as always play more board games!

Episode 74 (Mini): Trinket Trove Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:59 Trinket Trove 02:33 Trinket Trove: The Good 10:12 Trinket Trove: The Bad 13:37 Trinket Trove: Final Scores 17:35 Bloopers Thanks for listening! Want to connect with us? Email us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com and as always play more board games!