Crashes, Cons & Cardboard

Fist My Bump (Anachrony - Project Hail Mary)

Mat is joined by Shawn Hoult from the YouTube channel Allies or Enemies for a sci-fi-heavy episode packed with time travel, impossible decisions, and one very lovable space engineer. We dive into the mind-bending worker-placement masterpiece Anachrony and pair it with Project Hail Mary, the story of one man desperately trying to science the apocalypse away with a little help from an unexpected friend. Along the way, we play a ridiculous game where we give board games and movies completely unnecessary subtitles, because apparently that’s what happens when you spend too much time thinking about timelines and astrophage. An episode full of time travel, questionable humour, and one very important fist bump. Good, good, good.

Cards, Kings & Consequences - The Old King's Crown / Kingdom of Heaven

Mat is joined by Isaac Hirschfeld for an episode that gets off to a… less-than-smooth start. Some early technical difficulties quickly turn into comedy gold, setting the tone for a conversation that only gets more delirious from there. Despite running on low energy (and maybe a little too much caffeine), we dive into The Old King’s Crown and Kingdom of Heaven, exploring themes of power, leadership, and what it really takes to claim—and keep—a crown. It’s thoughtful, a little chaotic, and occasionally unhinged in the best way. Come for the medieval strategy and epic battles, stay for two very tired hosts just trying to do their best.

Crashes, Cons & Cardboard

It’s a solo episode as Mat recaps a truly chaotic few weeks—featuring a massive snowstorm, a car wreck that took him off the road, and somehow… two board game conventions. Through it all, there were still games to be played and (more importantly) games to be bought. Mat runs down the highlights from both cons, including what hit the table, what stood out, and what made its way into the collection.

I could eat a peach for hours - Fav 2P Games-Face/Off

Mat is joined by Jeff Madigan (The Mad Board Gamer) for an episode all about the magic of two-player games—tight decisions, head-to-head tension, and just the right amount of friendly rivalry. We break down some of our favorite 2-player experiences and what makes them shine. Then things get completely unhinged as we dive into Face/Off, the gloriously over-the-top action classic where identities are swapped, doves are in slow motion and subtlety is nowhere to be found. It’s a tale of two players, two faces, and way too much face touching—because sometimes the best matchups are strictly 1v1… even if you come out the other side as someone else. https://linktr.ee/dicecameraactionpod

Print. Die. Repeat. (Moon Colony Bloodbath-Mickey 17)

On this episode, Mat is joined by acclaimed board game designer Daryl Andrews for a deep dive into space capitalism gone wrong. We’re pairing the chaotic survival strategy of Moon Colony Bloodbath with the existential, clone-filled corporate nightmare of Mickey 17. We talk expendable employees, hostile environments, and the implications of swapping worker placement for worker replacement. Daryl brings designer insight to the table, breaking down the mechanics behind surviving (or not surviving) on the moon, while Mat tries to determine whether it’s worse to mismanage your colony… or to be printed as Employee #17. https://linktr.ee/dicecameraactionpod