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The Tabletop Takeaway: A Board Game Design Podcast
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The Tabletop Takeaway: A Board Game Design Podcast

Author: Ananda Guneratne, Charlie McCarron, Trevor Muller-Hegel

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Join game designers Ananda Guneratne, Charlie McCarron, and Trevor Muller-Hegel as they analyze published games from a game developer's perspective. Each month, they pick a new game mechanic and three games to play in that genre. Each episode is 20 minutes of pure game design nerdiness!
112 Episodes
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105. No Thanks!

105. No Thanks!

2025-11-0513:53

Should currency be hidden? Why is liquidity so powerful? Trevor, Ananda, and Charlie pass the buck in No Thanks!
How do you make a game fun when players lose most of the hands they play? Should cards have effects when played? Trevor, Ananda, and Charlie talk about trick takers.
103. Fishing

103. Fishing

2025-10-2217:48

Should players be encouraged to exploit catch-up mechanics? What are the benefits of stacking decks? Ananda, Charlie, and Trevor trawl the depths in Fishing.
102. Cat in the Box

102. Cat in the Box

2025-10-1414:08

Why is bidding popular in trick-taking games? What is a suit, really? Charlie, Trevor, and Ananda collapse superpositions in Cat in the Box.
101. Hearts

101. Hearts

2025-10-0816:20

How do you make each suit feel different? Why shoot the moon? Trevor, Ananda, and Charlie avoid the queen in Hearts.
100. Top 10 Takeaways

100. Top 10 Takeaways

2025-09-3001:14:20

Ananda, Charlie, and Trevor each give their top 10 takeaways in this very special 100th episode.
99. Listener Takeaways

99. Listener Takeaways

2025-09-2427:28

Charlie, Trevor, and Ananda respond to listener takeaways in this special 99th episode.
What should happen when two locations are joined by a route? Which mechanics work well with route-building? Charlie, Trevor, and Ananda talk about Route-Building games.
97. Bus

97. Bus

2025-09-0921:14

Do routes need to branch? How do you get players to care about action resolution order? Ananda, Charlie, and Trevor build a public transit network in Bus.
96. Wabash Cannonball

96. Wabash Cannonball

2025-09-0321:07

When players share control of assets, how do you give them unique advantages? What should happen to the money spent in an auction game? Trevor, Ananda, and Charlie listen to the jingle, the rumble, and the roar in Wabash Cannonball.
95. Akrotiri

95. Akrotiri

2025-08-2716:49

Can victory points and progression go together without snowballing? How can you draw a map to something when even the game doesn't know where it is? Charlie, Trevor, and Ananda discover temples in Akrotiri.
94. Tabletop RPGs

94. Tabletop RPGs

2025-08-2036:18

How should authority be divided amongst players? How should conflicts be resolved? Trevor, Ananda, and Charlie discuss tabletop role-playing games.
93. Dread

93. Dread

2025-08-1229:04

How does the illusion of control affect players' perception of conflict resolution mechanics? Can players be made to look forward to their elimination? Charlie, Trevor, and Ananda face their fears in Dread.
Broken glasses, angry ghosts, and dwarven journalists. Charlie, Trevor, and Ananda seek justice.
Loss, baby dragons, and giant pecs. Charlie, Trevor, and Ananda flee their doom.
92. Dungeon World

92. Dungeon World

2025-08-0526:14

What is a player's role in worldbuilding? When should a campaign end? Ananda, Charlie, and Trevor make moves in Dungeon World.
Bounty hunters, magic rituals, and burning roots. Ananda, Charlie, and Trevor traverse the wilds.
Crazy cows, omens, and magical trails. Ananda, Charlie, and Trevor attempt a side quest.
91. Dungeons & Dragons

91. Dungeons & Dragons

2025-07-2927:40

How often should players level up? Should you split the party? Trevor, Ananda, and Charlie roll for initiative in Dungeons and Dragons
Berries of straw, free wine, and priceless vases. Trevor, Charlie, and Ananda meet the villain.
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