DiscoverDecision SpaceAn Ode to the Tile, the Best Component in Tabletop Gaming?
An Ode to the Tile, the Best Component in Tabletop Gaming?

An Ode to the Tile, the Best Component in Tabletop Gaming?

Update: 2025-07-16
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Decision Space is the podcast about decisions in board games.


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Episode 223 - Ode to the Tile


In this quite academic episode, Paul goes into full teacher mode with Brendan to discuss the many ways different types of tiles are used in board games.  Stay tuned to hear Paul use the term "recreational mathematics" MULTIPLE times!


 


Timestamps


2:00- background


5:00- types of tile laying games


9:00- spatial puzzles and math stuff


16:00- tiles and theme


19:30- tiles and interaction


23:00- squares


32:00- dominos


35:20- polyominos


39:40- hexagons


47:00- other shapes


51:00- mechanical systems


 


Games Mentioned


Tigris & Euphrates, Tetris, Patchwork, My City, Isle of Cats, Stamp Swap, Renature, Blokus, Animalia, Isle of Skye, Glen More, Carcassone, Scrabble, Kingdomino, Dragomino, Renature, Gardlings, Barenpark, A Feast for Odin, Expeditions, Cascadia, Keyflower, Hex, My Island, Aqua, Flow, Alhambra, Miyabi, Akropolis, Llama Land, Honey Buzz


 


Preplanners


A few deep dives are in the works, so get in some plays of Apiary, Castles of Mad King Ludwig, Dominion, and more Root!


Also, start thinking about what your "guilty pleasure" board games are (if that's even a thing).


 


Music and Sound Credits


Thank you to Hembree for our intro and outro music from their song Reach Out. You can listen to the full song on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQuuRPfOyMw&list=TLGGFNH7VEDPgwgyNTA4MjAyMQ&t=3s


You can find more information about Hembree at https://www.hembreemusic.com/


Thank you to Flash Floods for use of their song Palm of Your Hand as a sting from their album Halfway to Anywhere: https://open.spotify.com/album/2fE6LrqzNDKPYWyS5evh3K?si=CCjdAGmeSnOOEui6aV3_nA




Rules Overview Music: 

Way Home by Tokyo Music Walker https://soundcloud.com/user-356546060​ Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/tokyo-music-walker-way...​ Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/pJThZlOuDtI



Intermission Music:

music elevator ext part 1/3 by Jay_You -- https://freesound.org/s/467243/ -- License: Attribution 4.0


Bell with Crows by MKzing -- https://freesound.org/s/474266/ -- License: Creative Commons 0


hammer v2.wav by blukotek -- https://freesound.org/s/337815/ -- License: Creative Commons 0


 


Contact


Follow and reach us on social media on Bluesky @decisionspace.bsky.social.


If you prefer email, then hit us up at decisionspa@gmail.com.


This information is all available along with episodes at our new website decisionspacepodcast.com.


Byeee!

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An Ode to the Tile, the Best Component in Tabletop Gaming?

An Ode to the Tile, the Best Component in Tabletop Gaming?

Jacob Frydman, Brendan Hansen