This is part of my podcast series of posts . Below is a list of the various podcasts (in alphabetical order) and my thoughts on each of them. The name of the podcast is linked to the feed itself. The “(info)” link will take you to the podcast’s homepage. As for ratings, clearly I like the podcast at least somewhat or I wouldn’t have it on the list at all. So I’m going with a 3-star system. Three stars means I look very forward to the next episode and almost always listen to the entire episode. Two stars are ones I still really enjoy, but I sometimes skip at least parts of the episode, maybe even half. One stars are podcasts that I feel are hit and miss. I will routinely skip sections of the podcast and occasionally skip an entire episode.

If you know me at all, you know I love board and video games, so it should be no surprise that the “Gaming” category is the largest on my playlist. The first place boardgamers should visit, though, is the Dice Tower Network . There are a ton of podcasts there that I don’t listen to but that you might be really interested in. It’s a tremendous place to start. And of course, for information on any game ever produced, visit Board Game Geek .

Again, let me know if you have any questions, and don’t hesitate to make suggestions for other podcasts I should listen to.

The title of this podcast comes from the 1960’s game The Game of Life . The presenters are two couples. The two guys are the main speakers, but the wives come on almost every episode to talk about some game or topic. I enjoy the perspective and there are a good number of laughs.

This is one of Tom Vassel’s  ancillary podcasts. These are short (20–30 minutes) interviews with game designers, publishers, and others in the business side of the hobby. I appreciate Tom’s direct questions, and he gives the interviewees lots of time to talk. It’s the only interview-style podcast I enjoy.

The three main hosts are Anthony, Paul, and Matthew. As with many gaming podcasts, they start with a “what we’ve been playing” segment, review a game or two, and generally have some sort of topic they discuss. There’s also a good rant or two sometimes. I enjoy their banter and try to listen to the whole thing, but it is a little long. I can see how this might not be for everybody, so like with everything else, give it a listen and decide for yourself.

This is my favourite gaming podcast. I look forward to every Tuesday and never miss an episode. I’m a fan of Tom Vassel , and Eric Summerer is a great co-host. They have a standard format of “what we’re playing”, news, and alternating between a top-ten list and a topic discussion. This is interspersed with “tales of gaming horror” and emails from listeners. If you listen to no other gaming podcast, this is the one you should have on your playlist. It’s a ton of fun and very informative.

This is another of Tom Vassel’s ancillary podcasts. In this, Tom is a moderator in a sort of “debate club” of gaming. There are two issues debated: the first is a pair of similar games (Alien Frontier vs. Kingsburg, for example) and then a general gaming topic (like “Are Kickstarter exclusives good for the hobby?”). I often skip episodes that don’t contain games or topics I’m interested in. I will also skip it if one of the debaters is annoying. The ones I listen to, though, I enjoy.

  • Final Score  (info ) - Frequency: weekly
  • Avg. Duration: 60–90 minutes
  • My Rating: 3 stars

This is one of the two video gaming podcasts I follow. For focused and serious content, I tend to prefer Gamers With Jobs (see below), but I really enjoy the personalities of the Final Score folks. This is a part of the Frogpants Network . You will hear more about their podcasts in other sections. Some great stuff.

  • Flip the Table  (info ) - Frequency: semi-monthly (not often enough)
  • Avg. Duration: 60 minutes
  • My Rating: 3 stars

I love this podcast and never miss an episode. They play some crazy old mass-market game (like Saved by the Bell or eBay the boardgame) and poke at it. They always end their episode with the “Battle of Wits,” a trivia game of some kind or other. This show is freaking hilarious. I just cannot get enough. You have to hear it to believe it. And yes, Flip is a professional clown. Go listen to it!

This is my favourite video gaming podcast. The information is solid and the discussion relevant and informative. On top of that, the guys themselves work great together and provide tons of good laughs. I look forward to this one every week.

  • The Long View  (info ) - Frequency: monthly
  • Avg. Duration: 90–120 minutes
  • My Rating: 1 star

If you like long, in depth discussions of specific games, this might be up your alley. I skip many episodes if they’re not about a game I care about. I sometimes find the the host somewhat verbose, but give it a listen. It may be something you enjoy.

  • Ludology  (info ) - Frequency: weekly
  • Avg. Duration: 60 minutes
  • My Rating: 3 stars

The purpose of this podcast is to explore the technical details of game design, including detailed math, statistics, and even chaos theory. I enjoy it quite a bit.

Also talks about subjects of geek culture.

This is the only podcast by a game publisher that I follow. While they do mention the games they publish, they talk about much more. This is another podcast where it’s the personalities that make the difference. I really enjoy their banter. I really enjoy this one—funny stuff.

I enjoy their laid-back delivery and perspective. I enjoy their 5-minute initiatives, too (a 5-minute review of a game). I can’t say I get to all the episodes, but I still enjoy it from time to time.

I really enjoy the Secret Cabal guys. I find the podcast is too long, though, and I often skip the last half, which talks most often about pen-and-paper RPGs. I enjoy the guys and appreciate their reviews, though, and always listen to as much as I can.

  • The Spiel  (info ) - Frequency: every 2 weeks
  • Avg. Duration: 2 hours
  • My Rating: 2 stars

Like The Dice Tower, this is a very well-established podcast that provides great formal coverage of gaming news, including great interviews at major conventions. It’s sometimes a little long, and I will skip the middle review section if I’m not interested in the games themselves, but overall this is a solid gaming podcast.

Unlike the Plaid Hat podcast, I find the Dice Hate Me guys dwell a little too long on the games they’re producing themselves. It doesn’t help that they’re not games I personally find interesting. There’s some good banter, though, and they have some good info, but I find myself skipping a fair bit.