Punchboard Cathedral

About Punchboard Cathedral

Dispatches from the gaming life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Publisher

Kenan & Alba

Category

leisure

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

23 Nov 2023

Latest episode

2 Nov 2025

Latest episodes

17 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   2 Nov 2025

   16: Late to the Party

   Breaking: good games are good. Celebrated classic Tae (Tae_Eat_Tea) joins us to discuss the beloved, time-honored, essential games we're only now discovering. Alba reunites with a childhood love. Kenan makes Tae Bin his darlings. Then we spend equal time salivating over sleek second editions and and defending some unlovely originals. After Tae abandons us, our loyal rabble guide us through the wilderness. Discussed: point-and-clicks, Underwater Cities, Anno 1800 and sprawling productions, Obsession and consumer-focused production, the word of the day, Castles of Burgundy and user-unfriendly production, the importance of board game aesthetics, Newton vs. Darwin's Journey, Parks v1 vs. v2, planning ahead, competitive spouses and victory portraits, a theoretical second edition of Grand Austria Hotel, welcoming newcomers with foxy games, The Hundred Years War and the 18 Rounds of Orleans, games that get more thematic over time, Quacks, Monks Gone Wild, Altiplano and deckbuilding vs. bagbuilding, seamlessly harmonized ludic systems, availability and price, Franz revisiited, Agricola, enjoying the punishment, Franz vs. Awaken Realms, exploring vs. winning, where to send your comments and complaints, A Feast for Odin, learning from the greats, Shackleton Base and when something becomes a classic, Keyflower, Lacerda Pronunciation Guide, Caverna, Ticket to Ride expansion maps, the lure of Acquire, GOATed Alba, the best Carcassonne configuration, Bunny Kingdom, White Castle, Splendor, Lost Ruins of Arnak, the party and the afterparty and the enduring appeal of the classics. Party On. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

2. 

   20 Jul 2025

   15: Game as Directed

   Sometimes your friends know what's best for you. Don't argue. Alba investigates the sepia-filtered nostalgic appeal of adult gaming. Kenan subjects a ravenous Alba to a round of Random Name Generator. Alba subjects you to attempted baseball metaphors. Then we report on our experiences with games we forced one another to play, and solicit further recommendations from the Rabble. Discussed: Grand Austria Hotel, Klemens Franz, Cafe culture in the Viennese Modern Age, The White Castle and games with tight action economies, rubber banding and bowling bumpers and good first experiences, games that grow on you, Taverns of Tiefenthal, Orléans, Quacks (of Quedlinberg), strategy and push-your-luck games, risk aversion and making your father proud, giggling as you bust, uninviting UI for welcoming games, accessibility and the Quacks revamp, Games that isolate single mechanisms, Oracle of Delphi and grail games, TI4 birthday bashes, Nemo's War and dancing with oneself, Tir Na Nog or possibly Hog, River Valley Glassworks, Vindication and too many choices, Fairy Rings, Dale of Merchants and too many choices, Mesos, Rebel Princess and frog princes, Concordia and analysis paralysis, head-to-head vs. private puzzles, Groundhog Day, Alchemists and app assistance, Underwater Cities, After Us and trash talk, Faraway and making the most of the hand you're dealt, Last Bastion and exceptions revisited, Fire Tower and competitive marriages, Kodachi and deckbuilding, Earth and overabundance, Euchre, Endeavor Deep Sea and the Dharma Initiative, and what to play next. Do as you're told. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

3. 

   8 Jul 2025

   Bonus: Rolling Reggie's Mid-Year Board Game Tag

   The hosts share their surprising and delightful board game experiences from the first half of 2025, tagging others to participate in the discussion.

4. 

   16 Jun 2025

   14. Exceptions to the Rule

   Tara from Tara's Bad Luck Club discusses games that defy personal preferences and unexpectedly become favorites, exploring nostalgia, family traditions, and biases in gaming, in this interview.

5. 

   30 May 2025

   13: Gaming up an Appetite

   Kenan and Alba explore board game themes, focusing on inoffensive epicurean subjects and the evolving landscape of board game subject matter, while also discussing Kenan's experiences at Dice Tower West.

6. 

   10 Dec 2024

   12: Games that Made Us Want to Make Games

   Game designer Heather Dixon shares the games that inspired her to create her own, from house rules to new game designs, revealing the power of creative iteration and inspiration.

7. 

   27 Nov 2024

   Games After Bedtime

   Alba and Kenan discuss their late-night gaming habits and explore games that keep them up, from Friday to Marvel Snap, highlighting the appeal of complexity and escalating challenges.

8. 

   11 Jun 2024

   Games that Changed the Game

   Sometimes a game knows us better than we know ourselves. Rolling Reggie joins us to discuss games that subverted our expectations. Kenan tries to recreate one of his game-changing gaming experiences for friends and strangers alike. Alba greets our guest with a superfly icebreaker. Kenan takes accountability for his tile-based crimes. Then we consider some games that managed to surprise us when we thought we'd seen it all while Alba does her victory dance. Finally, we hear about what sorts of base diversions surprise the Rabble. Discussed: Spirit Island, Coffee Rush, Akropolis, Kingdomino, Memoir '44, Votes for Women, Captain Sonar, Battleship, Vale of Eternity, Winners' Circle, Pandemic, Just One, Bang the Dice Game, Kodama, Halls of Hegra, Maquis, Catan, Too Many Bones, Sky Team, Next Station London, innovations that become commonplace, balance, exploiting the strategy less traveled by, board game baristas, boardless games, variable turn order, knowable quantities, simple games that allow for expertise, private metas, the relativity of game weight, the appeal of aggressive games, playing the bad guy, meeting your friends' board game dads, self-discovery through gaming, being too cool, novelty deflation, childish games, floppers, accidental cheating, simultaneous turns, player interaction, asymmetry in coops, war themes in Euros, acclimating to heavy games, the value of lavish productions, productions that punch above their weight, and how to talk to Kayden about the Punchboard Cathedral podcast. Music by Alba and the Mighty Lions and Kenan. Wonder aloud. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

9. 

   19 May 2024

   Games We're Happy to Lose

   Can you have fun when you don't have a prayer? Kenan draws a line in the sand. Alba proselytizes for the rock gods. Kenan name-drops his Dice Tower West buddies. Then we discuss some games we enjoy even when we're losing. Well, one game we're fine losing and one we hate losing. Alba doesn't love constraints. Topics include Apistocracy, Dominion, Magic the Gathering, Go, Scythe, Tapestry, deckbuilding, deck construction, metas and determinism, variable setup, thematic integration, and recreating the uncanny after it becomes commonplace. Then we learn what games our listeners have been losing gracefully. Music by Alba and the Mighty Lions and Kenan. Losers unite. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

10. 

    7 May 2024

    Games that are So Us

    Did you ever feel like a game was made just for you? Alba's gaming life has been a Tapestry of rich and royal hue. Kenan isn't allowed to run the icebreakers anymore. Our brainy guest Dr. Dana tells us about her puzzly Obsession, and we tell her about ports and pyramids. Needless to say, we all get stumped. Also discussed: juggling obligations in games and life, hype fatigue, why no one wants Charles, games that are sexy-ugly, the best way to learn new games, Kenan's overconfidence, rich jerks who try to rename your favorite hangs, Le Havre, Uwes for all seasons, mechanical expression of theme, mathematical humor, urban growth, Materialism, playing games on repeat, Oltréé, Sagani and spatial puzzles, well-researched games, Tzolk'in, Gimmicks, miracles, feeling thematically "seen," Eurogames vs. Ameritrsh, and what makes a game an "earworm." As always, we consult our beloved rabble/chusma to learn what games call your names. With music by Alba and the Mighty Lions and Kenan. Now let's all go out there and balance those competing objectives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

11. 

    23 Apr 2024

    Shameless Gaming

    What's the use in feeling bad? Kenan attempts to explain the shelf of shame to non-gamers. Alba attempts to salvage the vibes by dangling some tantalizing theoretical IP adaptations. We correct the record, discuss our ongoing flame war with our northern rivals, and recap holiday gaming (we recorded this one a while ago), discussing Jamaica, Werewolf, Pyramido, Akropolis, verticality, and downtime mitigation. Then we chat about Taverns of Tiefenthal, overly thematic language, deck-gentrification, Quacks, Kanban EV, workplace backstabbery, cool games with unappealing themes, beastly games with appealing themes, the value of aspirational games, the questionable necessity of the My City Roll n' Write, why no one ever told Alba about Beacon Patrol, Blitzkrieg!, the appeal of games/girls that don't even try, and the thematic ubiquity of WWII. We find out what games are buckling your shelves of shame and savagely critique your moral failings. JK we would never. We're obsessed with you. Featuring soulful jams by Alba and the Might Lions and bedroom guitar by Kenan. Carry that Weight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

12. 

    6 Feb 2024

    Games to Remember

    We all look forward to game night, but the best game nights are the ones you look back on. Kenan tells us about a game he only played once but has been thinking about for nearly three decades. Alba breaks the ice with our guest Eli of Black Market Press (@blackmarketpress on IG), and then the trio discuss Nemesis, Alice's Garden, games-as-destinations, different types of enjoyment, and the challenges of accessibility in game design and production. Not content only to trash talk the luminaries of board game illustration, Alba fires shots at Claude Monet. There was also a great discussion of Robinson Crusoe that fell victim to technical difficulties so please just imagine Eli waxing rhapsodic about its punishing gameplay and grisly narrative. We get a recap of PAX U 2023 and a preview of Maize Borg, an RPG hack based in Mesoamerican history and myth. Then we hear about your most memorable plays in the Rabble Round. We've got more great intro and interstitial music from Alba and the Mighty Lions and our usual outro jam by Kenan. Let's reminisce. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

13. 

    28 Dec 2023

    Games We Didn't Need

    Have you ever bought a game you didn't know much about, or were unlikely to actually play? What's that about? Kenan and Alba discuss Azul, Blood Rage (BLOOOOD RAAAAGE), On the Origin of Species, Unearth, Forgotten Waters, and a great many listener regrets. Plus: fake games, heartfelt apologies, a Spanish vocab lesson, and more. With intro and incidental music by Alba & the Mighty Lions and outro music by Kenan. Ramble on. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

14. 

    12 Dec 2023

    Games that Always Hit

    Can a game persuade people to have fun, even if they're in a lousy mood, even if they're morally opposed to or constitutionally incapable of fun? We welcome your new favorite gamer Sam to the show to discuss Disney Lorcana, Dune Imperium, Just One, Carcassonne, Timeline, Stay Cool, Cascadia, 7 Wonders Architects, and the great many things we've already been wrong about in our show's short run. Then we look at the games that never let you folks down. This episode's intro music is by Alba & the Mighty Lions, and the outro music is by Kenan. That's us! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

15. 

    27 Nov 2023

    Games We Actually Play

    There are the games we dream about, and the games we actually come home to. What's the difference? In this episode, we discuss top 10 lists, reviews and reviewers, Dune Imperium, Witchstone, Forest Shuffle, Grove, Beacon Patrol, small solo games, The Quest for El Dorado, Kingdom Builder, Splendor + Cities of Splendor, Cribbage, Forgotten Depths, trick-taking, Atiwa, the challenge of getting your faves to the table, solo modes, and more. Alba proposes some compelling titles for nonexistent games. Then we learn what games have been hitting your tables lately and opine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

16. 

    26 Nov 2023

    Games We Wanted to Hate

    Sometimes you make up your mind about a game before you've even played it. What's that about? Discussed: GenX, hipsters, Brass v. Gloomhaven, corporate IP's, hateration, Disney Lorcana, Wingspan, Lost Ruins of Arnak v. Dune Imperium, minimalism v. maximalism, Unmatched, Tapestry's slow burn, Concordia, learning games on BGA, Trudvang Legends, Massive Darkness 2, buying games v. investing in systems, Magic: the Gathering, hype aversion, snap judgements, eating crow, taking board games "seriously," and pulling people in. Then we look at the games that exceeded your expectations and try to figure out why we're all so judgey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

17. 

    23 Nov 2023

    Games We Wanted to Love

    What is the allure of the new game? In this episode we discuss escapism, hype, pirate games, Eternal Palace, Roll Player, Kingdomino, Dragomino, Ice Cool, Flamecraft, Glow, Spirit Island, Everdell, and more. Then we discuss the games that disappointed you folks, as well as those that lived up to your expectations. Outro music: Alba and the Mighty Lions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.6 / 5

10 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

22 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 25 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

19

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

77

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.