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Description
In this award-winning game, players take on the roles of Grandes in medieval Spain. The king's power is flagging, and these powerful lords are vying for control of the various regions. To that end, you draft caballeros (knights) into your court and subsequently move them onto the board to help seize control of regions. After every third round, the regions are scored, and after the ninth round, the player with the most points is the winner.
In each of the nine rounds, you select one of your 13 power cards to determine turn order as well as the number of caballeros you get to move from the provinces (general supply) into your court (personal supply).
A turn then consists of selecting one of five action cards which allow variations to the rules and additional scoring opportunities in addition to determining how many caballeros to move from your court to one or more of the regions on the board (or into the castillo - a secretive tower). Normally, you may only place your caballeros into regions adjacent to the one containing the king. The one hard and fast rule in El Grande is that nothing may move into or out of the king's region. One of the five action cards that is always available each round allows you to move the king to a new region. The other four action cards vary from round to round.
The goal is to have a caballero majority in as many regions (and the castillo) as possible during a scoring round. Following the scoring of the castillo, you place any cubes you had there into the region you secretly indicated on your region dial. Each region is then scored individually according to a table printed in that region. Two-point bonuses are awarded for having sole majority in the region containing your Grande and in the region containing the king.
Year Published
1995
Featured Videos
Playthrough
Let's Play EL GRANDE | Board Game Club
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 35
This page: 35
Sentiment:
pos 30 ·
mix 0 ·
neu 4 ·
neg 1
Showing 1–35 of 35
Video f-aH0vpaoyo
Dungeon Dive top_10_list at 5:02 sentiment: positive
video_pk 61224 · mention_pk 153917
Click to watch at 5:02 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- described as near-perfect and elegant
- classic for mastering area control
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- gerund-style control and bluffing
- medieval Spain in a strategic area-control game
- elegant but tactical
Comparison games
- Cosmic Encounter
- Massive Darkness 2
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — players vie for control over territories using action selection and influence.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- They are what I would call omniamers.
- El Grande seems to be the forgotten game because to me that is still the most perfect board game ever made.
- I absolutely love all of the work that Tom does.
- Cosmic Encounter is just so so much fun.
- The complete lack of El Grande.
- The minis are way too big. Just ridiculous.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Jp62ycPn9AI
BoardGameGeek top_10_list at 20:13 sentiment: positive
video_pk 60122 · mention_pk 152575
Click to watch at 20:13 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- pioneer of modern area-control design
- tight, distilled gameplay
- influential for many later euros
Cons
- older artwork; newer editions update visuals
- can be heavy for casual players
Thematic elements
- power politics and control mechanisms
- Spain, historical period around area control
- strategy-heavy abstract with theme
Comparison games
- Tzolk'in
- Risk
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — players place arrows to influence region control and scoring.
- Card-driven actions — cards provide powers that affect placement and scoring.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is something that's a living document, which is really, really cool.
- It's driven by y'all.
- Dominion put deck building on the map.
- Sky Team won. That's incredible.
- It's truly one of the most replayable games ever.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video MyF00fzT3bY
Possibly Board Gaming general_discussion at 24:54 sentiment: neutral
video_pk 60208 · mention_pk 152643
Click to watch at 24:54 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
neutral
Pros
- deep strategic tension
- classic lasting impact on the eurogame scene
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- area majority
- medieval Iberia-inspired power struggle
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — players compete for influence in regions using cards and grande (the grande player acts as a kingmaker per round)
- positioning via piles — players organize action delegates into a central board by placing tiles representing territories
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- There are so many possibilities, Jamie, even if you took it and decided to make it a campaign-based game where you took scenarios from the actual show, took the characters from the show and decided to, okay, you can play any of these characters, here's the scenario, solve the scenario with the people that you have.
- Deck builders are a good way to tell stories well. I think they tell stories well.
- There are so many subtleties that could happen.
- Paradise has been something that I have enjoyed actually.
- It's a wonderful distraction, wonderful information, wonderful source of joy when you're doing other things that require like a lot of physical attention and it's a stress reliever.
- There are so many tricks and twists you can do with the two universes; the campaign could progress season by season with an evolving core game.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Z0oSBJX1skI
Board Shipping top_5_list at 51:51 sentiment: positive
video_pk 41389 · mention_pk 125570
Click to watch at 51:51 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Massive influence on meeple and euro-language
- long-standing family-friendly entry to eurogaming
Cons
- Can feel heavy to new players without guidance
Thematic elements
- area control, political negotiation
- Medieval power struggle on a grand board
- classic euro with competitive dynamics
Comparison games
- Katan
- Ticket to Ride
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Players vie for dominance across regions via hidden orders.
- Area control via card-driven influence — Players vie for dominance across regions via hidden orders.
- Meeple-based scoring — Traditional euro piece movement and scoring through influence.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Exploding Kittens was raised $8 million on Kickstarter for many years. It opened the floodgates for other publishers to look at Kickstarter as a viable medium.
- I don't think we'd have Gloomhaven without Exploding Kittens.
- Blood on the Clock Tower is the de facto social deduction game taking shape.
- It's a beautiful game about nature reserves.
- ARCs has done very very well and other games in the leader lineup as well as the sister company.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video b6YBZWbzkeU
Board Stupid top_5_list at 21:59 sentiment: positive
video_pk 40956 · mention_pk 124241
Click to watch at 21:59 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- tight, tense decisions
- classic, elegant design
- great four- to five-player interaction
Cons
- older design may feel dated to some
- take that style can be sensitive to player count
Thematic elements
- area control and dominance through powerful moves
- Medieval Spain (Castile)
- structured, strategic, direct competition
Comparison games
- Raids of the North Sea
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- area majority — Players seek to control regions by placing tiles and meeples
- Variable scoring via areas — End-game scoring hinges on control of key regions
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Raiders of the North Sea
- it's a work placement game which does clever very very clever things with workers you have one worker and that is it you place a worker do an action you pick up another one and you do that action
- Cascadia cuz he's I think it's simple as a banger and MH but delivers a lot I like it it's very simple to to put on the table
- Root is a world that I I it's the closest to a board game world I just want to live in
- Pizza Pizza you can't beat Pizza Pizza is always you can't argue with your genetics
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video iUiNnJQTVAQ
Board Stupid general_discussion at 5:53 sentiment: positive
video_pk 40781 · mention_pk 123664
Click to watch at 5:53 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Timeless design with deep strategy
- high player interaction
- strong player agency and negotiation dynamics
Cons
- older production values may feel dated
- learning curve can be steep for newcomers
Thematic elements
- territory control and political influence
- Medieval Iberian Peninsula - territorial control
- abstract strategy
Comparison games
- Quo Vadis
- Robinson Crusoe
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- area majority — Players compete to control districts with guards and action tiles, scoring by majority across regions.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- board gaming isn't a particularly environmentally friendly product
- the newest reprint of El Grande is an example of that
- absolutely the best storage solution in a box I ever seen
- it's all positive
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video bigQQiHW-gM
Board Stupid general_discussion at 30:06 sentiment: positive
video_pk 39943 · mention_pk 120685
Click to watch at 30:06 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- snappy at 3 players
- tight decision space
- classic design
Cons
- older design might feel stiff to new players
Thematic elements
- tactical area majority with area control
- medieval Iberian political territory control
- fast, snappy rounds with regional influence
Comparison games
- Root
- Dune Imperium
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — players vie for influence across provinces via tiles and actions.
- factional influence and scoring — temporal scoring zones and council votes affect outcome.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's the magic of editing
- this is the game of the month that we love the most, the most that we play
- Harmony is an easy buy, for yeah it's a good place price point and an excellent production
- Patchwork with bees, or Flower Fields, is absolutely lovely
- we love all of the reward stuff, we love all of that
- we're building together with you guys
- Different Strokes for Different Folks
- Ironwood was our November 2024 game of the month
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video VbXJdza8dwQ
Board Stupid analysis at 13:28 sentiment: positive
video_pk 36758 · mention_pk 110342
Click to watch at 13:28 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Deep strategic depth with relatively few mechanics
- Elegant rule set and teachability
Cons
- Older design; some modern audiences expect more width
- Limited interaction compared to heavier games
Thematic elements
- area majority with political influence
- Medieval Iberia, power struggles
- abstract-to-semi-themed
Comparison games
- Raw
- Ra
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- area majority — Players vie for control of regions via influence cards.
- Card-driven actions — Actions driven by hand management and timing.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Twilight Imperium is over four (weight) and a lot of people still find it rewarding.
- heavy doesn't mean good, and should never be assumed to be better.
- we should have a graph rather than just a chart for weight, depth, and breadth.
- mom threshold: anything below that is considered very simple.
- it's a messy but fun game—Nemesis is a mess with too many rules.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video cJXWL10DVvs
Board Stupid top_40_list at 32:07 sentiment: positive
video_pk 36261 · mention_pk 108598
Click to watch at 32:07 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- elegant, tense control game
- clear yet deep strategic pathways
- replayable with compelling endgame choices
Cons
- can feel heavy for new players
- fiddliness in early setup
Thematic elements
- Area majority with a king and Castillo twist
- Spain, regional influence and court politics
- Classic euro with dramatic endgame tension
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- area majority — score points by controlling regions on the map
- area_majority — score points by controlling regions on the map
- Auction / Bidding — select actions and influence placement through bidding
- card_selection_and_bidding — select actions and influence placement through bidding
- king_and_castillo — king tiles and the Castillo mechanic alter endgame scoring
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- It's a Space Opera you go in with your race
- the production is fantastic
- the best two-player game to win the YIS
- Cascadia is fantastic game, I love it
- Western Legends is the best Western game you can buy
- Undaunted Normandy or North Africa if you've played those a lot
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video fd667SFWRWw
Board Stupid analysis at 18:06 sentiment: positive
video_pk 31075 · mention_pk 91623
Click to watch at 18:06 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Lauded as one of the finest abstract/Euro designs
- Clean, tight design with excellent interaction
Cons
- Can be fiddly or heavy for casual players
- Requires player count balance to shine
Thematic elements
- area majority with grand meeples
- medieval Spain-inspired arena of nobles and provinces
- classic, elegant
Comparison games
- Settlers of Kat(an)
- Manhattan
- Tikal
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- area majority — players use cards to determine where grande meeples are placed; most points in districts wins those regions
- area majority with card-driven placement — players use cards to determine where grande meeples are placed; most points in districts wins those regions
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's the Noble Prize for ball games
- one of the biggest hits of all time in Settlers of Katan
- El Grande is one of the finest area majority games ever made
- there is not a spare bit of fat on that game
- a tremendously Eternal game
- The current score is 6.5 on BGG
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video DgsALyE6m3M
Bo Stupid general_discussion at 8:35 sentiment: positive
video_pk 29991 · mention_pk 88033
Click to watch at 8:35 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- tight player interaction
- elegant design
- clear strategic depth
Cons
- older theme
- learning curve for new players
Thematic elements
- feudal power struggles
- medieval Iberia
- historical strategy
Comparison games
- Katan
- Carcassonne
- Brass Birmingham
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- area majority — Players compete for control of regions by placing influence and scoring at the end of the round.
- area_majority — Players compete for control of regions by placing influence and scoring at the end of the round.
- Auction — Players bid for actions/influence and placement advantages each round.
- Auction / Bidding — Players bid for actions/influence and placement advantages each round.
- shared_system — Players operate within a common framework of regional scoring and political influence.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Everything is hybrid. Everything that is what you see in uh in music and you see in movies tend a certain point just to mix up together and create and create something else that is new that is simply taking stuff from from the old stuff.
- I suppose, these days Eurogame is more of a vibe than anything else.
- Euro is banned.
- PhD games.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video htxCgrRnYPg
Unknown Channel top_10_list at 9:28 sentiment: positive
video_pk 28811 · mention_pk 84568
Click to watch at 9:28 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- beautiful tension between action and counteraction
- great five-player experience
Cons
- newer versions tighten the player count balance
Thematic elements
- power, influence, and tactical placement
- medieval Iberia with region control
- elegant, strategic, with a touch of unpredictability
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — dominate regions via card-driven actions
- Card-driven actions — cards determine turn order and available actions
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This pseudo tileing auction game is an absolute banger.
- Spirit Island is the best cooperative experience you will ever have.
- A Feast for Odin is my number one, but other games in his catalogue are almost as good.
- In a two-player game, this is one of the tightest board games you can play.
- The push your luck aspect in RAW is absolutely wonderful.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video lqIhJmvymYI
Adam in Wales analysis at 7:21 sentiment: positive
video_pk 13712 · mention_pk 40040
Click to watch at 7:21 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- pioneering area control mechanic
- high player interaction
Cons
- can be unforgiving for new players
Thematic elements
- area control and counter dominance
- fantasy-medieval kingdom
- strategic, abstracted
Comparison games
- Tikal
- Glen More
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — placing pieces to control zones and scoring majorities
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I don't know very much about wargames I haven't played many war games
- these games are for adults
- these are the vast majority these are available easily
- abstract strategy games don't really look like that anymore
- these are not children's items they're for adults to have a serious time together
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video ntwCRbk3z5k
Going Analog top_10_list at 14:43 sentiment: positive
video_pk 13302 · mention_pk 38991
Click to watch at 14:43 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- classic, tight gameplay
- deep strategy with accessible rules
Cons
- older artwork may feel dry
Thematic elements
- territory control through influence
- medieval Spain
- abstracted, strategic
Comparison games
- Lords of Vegas
- Castles of Burgundy
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — claim territories via guards and influence
- Card-driven action order — cards determine when and how actions trigger
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- we call him a beige gamer because the color of my skin
- it's basically monopoly with cows
- beige is fine I like beige
- Rising Sun is the behemoth of modern euros
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video sz5Dmz7xpbw
Chairman of the Board general_discussion at 24:13 sentiment: positive
video_pk 13314 · mention_pk 39043
Click to watch at 24:13 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- classic, influential design
- highly competitive and strategic
Cons
- older design may feel dated to some
Thematic elements
- area majority control
- medieval Spain
- classic euro with direct competition
Comparison games
- Puerto Rico
- Tigua? (contextual placeholder for euro classics)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- action_selection — players choose actions from a fixed set
- area majority — score over regions based on ruler influence
- area_majority — score over regions based on ruler influence
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- probably my favorite tire placement game of all time
- this one is like a companion game to el grande
- Arc Nova certainly the hotness at the moment
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video OUNghnQV_LI
Chairman of the Board general_discussion at 0:34 sentiment: positive
video_pk 11908 · mention_pk 34930
Click to watch at 0:34 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- considered the host's favorite game of all time
- close four-player experience
- top-tier design and tension
Cons
- high learning curve for new players
- older design may feel heavy to newcomers
Thematic elements
- political influence and regional control
- Medieval Iberian kingdoms
- abstract-with-theme-flavor
Comparison games
- Talisman
- Twilight Imperium
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- area majority — Players vie for regional control using a king token placement mechanic.
- king deck/initiative control — Managing initiative to influence scoring and region control.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- my favorite game of all time
- Head and Shoulders Above the Rest as my favorite game of all time
- the solo mode might be one of the best renditions of a solo mode I've ever played
- a quite nice filler game that flew under the radar
- definitely got a nice flow
- it's breezy and quick
- the artwork is fantastic
- Hidden Gem treats
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video btL7Sz6MXbM
The Broken Meeple discussion at 46:57 sentiment: neutral
video_pk 11883 · mention_pk 34851
Click to watch at 46:57 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
neutral
Pros
- card mechanism sounds interesting
Cons
- bare bones area control game
Thematic elements
none
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Remember it's only a game
- I am very much one of these people that if you go after my family or friends there will be hell to pay
- Five out of ten is average, it's a game that I would still play if you put it on the table
- I do really like closed drafting in games
- I love the way that you plan for this sort of stuff
- Power Grid is the worst contender for this, auctions in this just refuse to freaking end
- I want to see it more - the typewriter mechanic
- Area control is just kind of meh
- It's just so many of these games are just like oh we need to make a quick buck
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video AI1omwj64kE
Going Analog general_discussion at 24:35 sentiment: positive
video_pk 10964 · mention_pk 32306
Click to watch at 24:35 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- classic, deeply strategic, and compact with a clean system
- recent updates preserved its core while modernizing visuals
Cons
- some players find the realism and beige theme off-putting
- older graphic design may feel dated to new gamers
Thematic elements
- feudal competition with central and local influence
- traditional European theme; classic area-control euro
- classic, beige Euro style but timeless in strategy
Comparison games
- Quo Vadis
- Quo Vadis (Quovadis) as a historical negotiation comparison
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- area majority and influence — control the Grande territories for points and strategic advantage
- card-driven action bidding — cards are used for one-time powerful actions; players bid for the next move
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Silos is all about area majority and being in the right spot at the right time because the UFO is moving around the board and you have to predict where it's going.
- It's basically a meeting of a strategy game and a pure party game; it's hilarious.
- The Cosmic Silos Trilogy—Silos, Ego, Orbits—launched as a bundled Kickstarter with big box content.
- El Grande is a classic; Silos flips the idea by making the card actions feel like a slot machine, more frequent and dynamic.
- I love the retro Quan Moria art; it's quirky and visually striking.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video D8M5ZOC-o98
Chairman of the Board top_10_list at 28:36 sentiment: positive
video_pk 10795 · mention_pk 31873
Click to watch at 28:36 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Timeless, elegant area-control system
- Subtle but deep decision-making with deployment and king position
- Flawless core design; smooth and timeless
Cons
- Older design; some players may crave newer mechanics
- Strategy can be very cutthroat
Thematic elements
- king influence and secret deployment of troops
- Medieval Iberia with grand scale area control
- timeless, elegant control
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- blind/deployed troop placement — Blinded or hidden placements drive strategy and bluffing.
- castle/deployment tuning — Castillo-like features for deployment add tactical depth.
- Compound Scoring — King location and surrounding regions affect point values and deployment options.
- Hidden deployment — Blinded or hidden placements drive strategy and bluffing.
- king dynamic scoring — King location and surrounding regions affect point values and deployment options.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I love the sense of urgency when it comes to rushing to these islands and getting them populated as quickly as you can.
- This game is the absolute best of the best. You know, the top 1% of the top 1% of the games that I've played.
- I could not speak more highly of this design.
- The dice-driven twist, the engine-building, the tension—this is why I play board games.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video tEXrEHKppGY
Chairman of the Board top_25_list at 17:44 sentiment: positive
video_pk 9011 · mention_pk 26573
Click to watch at 17:44 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- El Grande is my favorite game of all time; it is the original area control game and the cream of the crop.
- Only your best round will count in Coliseum, which is a cool twist on scoring.
- El Grande and the King, with simultaneous selection and Castillo, harmonize to create a rich gameplay experience.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video XF17e6woWKI
Chairman of the Board top_10_list at 14:05 sentiment: positive
video_pk 8755 · mention_pk 25833
Click to watch at 14:05 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- classic, faultless area-control experience
- tight card-driven initiative creates compelling tension
Cons
- some players may find it approachable yet its depth is fully realized with repetition
Thematic elements
- classic area-control with dramatic initiative and card play
- Spain with regional control and area scoring
- elegant, timeless design with deep tactical play
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — play higher cards for first dibs and lower cards to bring more troops into play
- area control with card-driven initiative — play higher cards for first dibs and lower cards to bring more troops into play
- Betting and bluffing — decisions about when to sit back and when to push for control
- bluff and positional play — decisions about when to sit back and when to push for control
- castle/CASTILLO system — blind deployment into a Castillo, with later redemption for scoring and repositioning
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- board gaming Perfection such a an intricate and nuanced design
- the best negotiation game out there
- fast so engaging
- I can't find a fault with this game it is just so much fun
- one of the original area control style games
- the time track system I've ever seen
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 46pNaqmHgvc
Unknown top_10_list at 10:16 sentiment: positive
video_pk 8456 · mention_pk 24859
Click to watch at 10:16 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Considered the godfather of area-control games
- Elegant design with lasting influence on later titles
Cons
- Older design; may feel dated to some players
Thematic elements
- Area control through card-driven drafting and influence
- Noble power struggle in historical Iberia
- classical abstract strategy with thematic veneer
Comparison games
- Blood Rage
- Chaos in the Old World
- Ankh
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Players vie for dominance on a grid-like layout via placement and influence cards.
- card play / drafting — Drafting and timing of influence for strategic control.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- El Grande is the Godfather of the area control games
- the longevity of Pandemic uh this can't be denied
- it's basically descent with Star Wars slapped on
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video YOjcTcMIAxE
Chairman of the Board general_discussion at 11:22 sentiment: positive
video_pk 7761 · mention_pk 22924
Click to watch at 11:22 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- depth and strategic planning
- ambition for keeping track of opponent moves
Cons
- older design may feel heavy for newcomers
Thematic elements
- memory of actions and placements to secure points
- area control in a Spanish fantasy realm
Comparison games
- Keyflower
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- area_control — players place and move pieces to control regions
- memory — remembering opponent placements to anticipate moves
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- the game is super fast
- I highly recommend that one
- Witness used memory in quite an interesting way
- it's really good family weight game where the actual lack of memory skills can actually make the game better
- Extremely charming and I think um very underrated actually
- This is a cool party game because even if your trivia knowledge isn't very good, you can still get the answers correct based on the previous clues given
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video mZ7RMmW4Rrs
Chairman of the Board top_10_list at 12:56 sentiment: positive
video_pk 7469 · mention_pk 22139
Click to watch at 12:56 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- my personal favorite game of all time
- dynamic tactical and strategic depth
Cons
- older design may feel heavier to new players
Thematic elements
- classic area-control euro with dynamic scoring
- Spain, area control map with influence markers
- elegant and strategic
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — influence markers are moved to score regions on a map
- card play and initiative — cards drive actions and command initiative shifts
- Resource management — manage coffers and troops to maintain presence on regions
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- It's one of the best filler games out there. It's absolutely evergreen.
- El Grande... the best area control game of all time.
- Resistance Avalon, this was actually my number one in my top 50.
- I can't quite actually answer why I don't play Age of War as regularly as I should because whenever I do play it, I thoroughly enjoy it.
- This is actually the original version of a party game which is now called Good Critters.
- This is one of the best filler games that you will play.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video cEooPFaIhtU
No Pun Included general_discussion at 2:29 sentiment: positive
video_pk 7336 · mention_pk 21681
Click to watch at 2:29 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Elegant, classic design with balanced mechanics
- Art refresh adds appeal
Cons
- May feel dated to some players compared to modern designs
Thematic elements
- ruthless and satisfying area-control
- medieval European kingdom conflict and regional influence
- Array
Comparison games
- Tigris & Euphrates
- Ra
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — control regions through influence cards and strategic placement
- area_control — control regions through influence cards and strategic placement
- hand management — manage action cards to determine order and actions taken
- hand_management — manage action cards to determine order and actions taken
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Thank God you said that! Honestly, I was just winging that last bit - I had no idea where I was going.
- You know what I love? Giving a game of the year to a game that didn't win game of the year.
- This is the best jumping in point into the series and if you want to see what the older version was like, the app version on Steam is pretty spiffy for that.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video _CH652PtXac
Unknown Channel top_100_list at 3:06 sentiment: positive
video_pk 7082 · mention_pk 20971
Click to watch at 3:06 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Classic design with elegant mechanics
- High strategic depth for a medium weight game
Cons
- Can feel repetitive after many plays
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area majority via cube placement — Place influence cubes to control regions and score points.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Dominant species is a truly awful game that I really really dislike
- this is a very very light worker placement game
- the seventh continent for us
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video bGz0HZsD7Ds
The Dice Tower top_32_list at 41:08 sentiment: positive
video_pk 7012 · mention_pk 20774
Click to watch at 41:08 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Classic, elegant classic design
- Dense strategic decisions
Cons
- Older theme may feel dated
- Components vary by edition
Thematic elements
- Area majority through political influence
- Spanish noble court
- Tension-driven strategy
Comparison games
- Bombbusters
- Torus
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Players vie for influence in regions via card-driven actions.
- area_control — Players vie for influence in regions via card-driven actions.
- simultaneous_planning — Players plan moves with limited visibility and bluff.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is a Splender Killer.
- Ticket to Ride destroyed Katon.
- All the covers are changing.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video ewofyrGqdZk
game_rules_teach at 0:02 sentiment: neutral
video_pk 6530 · mention_pk 19347
Click to watch at 0:02 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
neutral
Pros
- Strategic turn order mechanism
- Multiple action options
- Interesting region control dynamics
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Regional dominance and political control
- 15th century Spain
- Historical strategy
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Action Card Selection — Players choose action cards with specific movement and scoring options
- Area Control — Players place caballeros to dominate nine regions and the castle region
- Power Card Selection — Players choose power cards that determine turn order and caballero allocation
- Secret Scoring — Players secretly choose regions to score majority points
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- In the game, players take the role of grandes fighting for supremacy by dispatching their loyal cabayeros to dominate regions in the 15th century Spain.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video aM3wjZUXDHE
No Rolls Bard playthrough at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 2759 · mention_pk 8083
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Deep strategic bidding and placement decisions
- Tension from power-card bidding and turn order
- Dynamic Castillo and king mechanics create swingy but controlled scoring
Cons
- Rule complexity can be intimidating
- Downtime can spike with many players
- Cluttered components for new players
Thematic elements
- area control, political influence, and kingly strategy
- Spain, nine regional kingdoms vying for control
- competitive, strategic
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — Players place cavaleros across nine Spanish regions; scoring based on who has most in each region during scoring phases
- Castillo — Castillo track and discs create a multi-stage scoring twist; the Castillo turn influences which regions will score and how meeples are moved
- hand management and bidding — Power Cards 1–13 determine action order and reinforcement; lower cards grant more cavaleros but go later in the turn order
- king token and restricted placement — A king token sits in a region, constraining where players can place meeples; the king's region is locked from changes
- multi-phase scoring — Three scoring phases per round, with extra points for meeting region-specific bonuses and for Grande or king presence
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I like this game a lot
- this is an area control game which we're going to be vying over the different regions of Spain
- the bidding begins with the power cards; 13 is very powerful
- it's a crazy swingy game with a lot of tactical depth
- I love it I love this game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video ZxV4mZdbTUk
Chairman of the Board general_discussion at 0:45 sentiment: positive
video_pk 2616 · mention_pk 7735
Click to watch at 0:45 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- A personal all-time favorite for the host
- Elegant and approachable for heavier Euros
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
- Wallenstein
- Marrakesh
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- area majority — Players compete for control of different regions each round.
- area majority control — Players compete for control of different regions each round.
- Hidden actions / bluffing — Tactical placement of big movers without always revealing intent.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- these are all like nines or 10 out of ten for me
- I'm going to stand up now because I'm in a very uncomfortable position but um yeah you can see that I have cut down on the heavier style games
- museum is fine I think it's a gorgeous looking game probably one of the most attractive games I have actually
- you can lie about what's in your bag the last one there which is where I keep all of my sleeves
- I have a nice library that I can always pick and choose from
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video D_-XavWVh_M
Chairman of the Board top_10_list at 19:57 sentiment: positive
video_pk 2579 · mention_pk 7640
Click to watch at 19:57 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- forefather of area control games with a timeless feel
- highly interactive and deeply strategic, with elegant balance between space control and card management
- rich tactical choices around when to move the Grande and how to leverage regions
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- maneuvering the Grande and control of regions through strategic placement
- classic area control with Castillo style and card based initiative
- interpretive and elegant interaction focused on board presence
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Area Control — control majorities across regions with strategic placement of influence tokens
- Castillo mechanism — a blind bidding style to hijack majorities via the Grande moving across regions
- initiative cards (order of play) — players use initiative cards to prioritize turns, with a tradeoff of caballeros
- Simultaneous action selection — players select cards that determine actions, creating planning with hidden information
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I love the fact that the game itself is so simple but the action selection system is just that compelling
- this is one of the best games of all time I could have argued to have this from higher on the list
- there is an amazing level of interaction here where the more you collect these Noble tokens on the map will not only score your points but give you voting power
- the level of interaction here is very high and the dynamics around kicking off spots are interesting
- on paper I should not like this game because I do not like terribly cutthroat games but this one is logical
- El Grande is the forefather of the area control genre and still the best among its peers
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video lUnrbCsqs2U
The Broken Meeple general_discussion at 14:40 sentiment: positive
video_pk 2093 · mention_pk 6117
Click to watch at 14:40 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- classic game
- area control excellence
- interesting card system
Cons
- hard to find copy
- expensive megabox
- cube tower not major feature
Thematic elements
- spanish history
- area control
- themeless
Comparison games
- Amerigo
- Edge of Darkness
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- you're listening to the broken meeple show a podcast that speaks passionately about board games
- i'm trying to keep this episode a little bit shorter
- i'm the sort of person who likes to play the sport not watch it
- i started my new job what two weeks ago now and it's going well
- all i hear about tsu is that if you play with anybody who knows how to play the game they're going to hate your guts afterwards
- ryan lockett what are you on so what are you seriously on
- this guy does not sleep this guy does not age
- this is just way too much stuff for one single person to undertake it's crazy
- i don't want to have to care anymore about sleep or aging
- convert me into a machine and i'll join the robot uprising
- it's only a game
- i am mainly just a case of i'll wait and see
- the amount of buzz that game has got has to put it at the top ten
- so many games so little time well who'd be a content creator with a job anyway
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video pcBX9Jtrg-w
Chairman of the Board general_discussion at 0:31 sentiment: positive
video_pk 1836 · mention_pk 5309
Click to watch at 0:31 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- timeless area-control design
- tight micro-decisions
- strong thematic appeal
Cons
- steeper learning curve for new players
Thematic elements
- Area control and political maneuvering
- Medieval Spain
- abstract strategy
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- area-control — players vie for control of regions by placing pieces to maximize regional scoring
- card-drafting — action cards determine initiative and available actions each turn
- region-scoring — regions score and contribute to the final tallies
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- this is the best area control game out there
- a perfect 10
- I adore El Grande
- really nice game I taught this to a complete non-gamer
- I love Feld games this one is just an absolutely brilliant one
- it's one of the best two-player games ever made
- overproduced to say the least
- one of my favorite dice games and it's actually just broken into my top 100 for the first time
- the sudden death mechanism where if you are the first player to collect three buildings then you'll instantly win
- really cool decisions
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 8dRk-3uWzqo
Board Gameco top_10_list at 11:21 sentiment: neutral
video_pk 1557 · mention_pk 4497
Click to watch at 11:21 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
neutral
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- There's no real order.
- There are ties on the dates.
- The 12 oldest and the 12 newest.
- There's just brownie points.
- I haven't played Age of Innovation.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Ttpw1MBgVjc
Adam Porter (inferred from speaker) analysis at 7:17 sentiment: negative
video_pk 133 · mention_pk 380
Click to watch at 7:17 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
negative
Pros
- Good font on title
Cons
- Bored-looking characters
- Outdated artwork
- Needs modern reprinting
- Doesn't convey game experience
Thematic elements
- Majority control
- Spain
- Historical
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- area majority — Classic majority game
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- The box cover makes a promise to the customer
- Every box cover tells me what I'm going to be doing and how I'm going to be feeling
- This artist is one of the best board game artists working in the industry right now
- This is how you do it
- This cover is a mess
- Striking iconic design
- The box cover is not selling the game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
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