Operation Game Night

Travis, Clay, & Jared
  • 4.6 (10)
  • GAMES
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Travis Smith, Jared Erickson, and Clay Gable get together to discuss the latest and greatest in board games in this weekly podcast. What's hot, what's hitting the table, featured discussions about board games and the board gaming culture, and the primary mission objective- to play more board games! 

  1. 3D AGO

    Project Hail Mary And Pokopia

    A house where “no smells” are allowed sounds like a joke until you’re living it, and that’s exactly where we start. Travis is back with Clayton Gable for a freewheeling catch-up that somehow turns deodorant choices, candle toxins, and the looming reality of teenage-boy funk into a surprisingly relatable opener. Then we jump to the real headline: Project Hail Mary. Clayton just saw the movie and can’t stop thinking about it, and we dig into why it lands like the kind of sci-fi blockbuster people used to rally around. We talk Andy Weir, the gap between book vs audiobook vs movie, and the very modern problem of attention span, where a podcast can feel effortless but an audiobook suddenly demands “too much brain.” We also get into what makes Ryan Gosling work so well here, and why the story’s tone feels uplifting in a way that invites repeat viewings. From there it’s pure Operation Game Night Podcast flavor: a passionate debate about movie theater snacks (including the Bunch O Crunch popcorn hack), a quick check on the Mario movie for the kids, and a deep dive into Pokopia, a Switch 2 cozy game that feels like a Pokemon, Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley, and Minecraft mashup done right. We close with spicy news: Dungeon Crawler Carl is getting a live-action Peacock adaptation, and we’re not sure that’s the best format, but we’re absolutely going to watch. If you like gaming talk, sci-fi hype, and honest friend-to-friend banter, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review with your hottest take. We want to hear from our listeners! Send us a text with recommendations, weigh in on discussions, or just say hi! Support the show As always, come interact with us online, let us know if you have any feedback, and leave us a review/comment anywhere you get your favorite podcasts! https://www.instagram.com/operation_game_night_podcast/ Show your support for the OGN Crew by contributing to the OGN War Chest: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2396881/support

    19 min

  2. 5D AGO

    How to Spend Your Tax Refund...On Board Games!

    A tax refund hits different when you’ve got a board game wishlist the size of a Kallax. We set a simple (and slightly irresponsible) challenge: spend an average $3,500 refund on the stuff that actually upgrades game night, not just more boxes on the shelf. What starts as a joke turns into a surprisingly practical guide to building a board game room you’ll want to live in. Clay comes in hot with premium picks: six comfy chairs to survive long sessions, Allplay Jasper shelves that look straight out of a showroom, and the kind of crokinole board that doubles as wall art. Then we debate the ultimate hobby trap a 3D printer for inserts, upgraded components, and all the little board game doodads you swear will “save space” once you print them. We also get real about the hidden costs around the hobby: shelving, tables, lighting, and storage can be wildly expensive, so we talk through what feels worth it and what might be pure money-burn. On the other side, Travis leans into atmosphere and function: DIY built-in shelves, LED accent lighting to make the collection pop, framed board game art, and even a library-style card catalog idea for organizing living card games like Marvel Champions, Arkham Horror LCG, and The Lord of the Rings LCG. We round things out with smaller “treat yourself” buys like a Dune Imperium deluxe upgrade, a premium copy of Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation, and a final local board game store spree to support small business. We also share a quick heads-up: you may start hearing short ads as we try to cover podcast costs, plus options to support the show directly. If you’ve ever wondered what a “perfect” game night costs, this one will spark a list of your own. Subscribe, share the episode with your game group, leave a review, and tell us: how would you spend a $3,500 tax refund on board games and game night upgrades? We want to hear from our listeners! Send us a text with recommendations, weigh in on discussions, or just say hi! Support the show As always, come interact with us online, let us know if you have any feedback, and leave us a review/comment anywhere you get your favorite podcasts! https://www.instagram.com/operation_game_night_podcast/ Show your support for the OGN Crew by contributing to the OGN War Chest: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2396881/support

    32 min

  3. APR 2

    Have Word Party Games Reached Saturation?

    A good word game doesn’t need a complicated ruleset, it needs that moment where someone explains their clue and the whole table says, “Wait, your brain went THERE?” That’s the energy we chase here, and it’s why we’re talking about AllPlay’s Alibis, a cooperative word association party game built around linking two secret words with a single clue while everyone tries to identify the one “villain” card nobody owns. We walk through the full gameplay loop: the grid of face-up words, each player getting two assigned cards, simultaneous clue writing, then the deduction phase where you map everyone’s clue back onto the board. We also unpack the heat system, how you remove heat by guessing links exactly, and why the group can still have a strong round even if individual guesses get messy. Theme questions pop up too, because “cops vs criminals” feels a little fuzzy, but the table talk is the real point. From there we zoom out into the bigger board game conversation: how Alibis stacks up against Codenames, Just One, So Clover, Decrypto, and even hidden-role flavored picks like Chameleon. We debate whether word association games have hit a saturation point, why families latch onto one gateway word game for years, and why small design shifts like simultaneous clue writing can make a huge difference for non-gamers. Then we finish by doing what any word-obsessed hosts would do: a quick round of 20 Questions that somehow feels like a terrible idea and an instant tradition. If you love party games, cooperative word games, and the psychology of clue giving, hit play, then subscribe, share the show with your game night group, and leave a review. What’s the one word game you never get tired of bringing to the table? We want to hear from our listeners! Send us a text with recommendations, weigh in on discussions, or just say hi! Support the show As always, come interact with us online, let us know if you have any feedback, and leave us a review/comment anywhere you get your favorite podcasts! https://www.instagram.com/operation_game_night_podcast/ Show your support for the OGN Crew by contributing to the OGN War Chest: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2396881/support

    23 min

  4. MAR 31

    Batman: The Dark Knight Returns - The Board Game

    Gotham does not care that you’re Batman. The city keeps boiling over, the press keeps watching, mutants keep swarming, and the clock keeps moving while you try to hold it all together with a bruised body and a shrinking margin for error. We talk through Batman: The Dark Knight Returns The Board Game with early impressions after Book One, starting with what it is at heart: a solo board game campaign that adapts Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns into a narrative survival experience. We walk the Gotham City map, explain how sectors and locations shape your movement, and dig into how different factions like cops, mutants, and the press create obstacles you can’t ignore. If you love the tension of Pandemic-style threat management, you’ll recognize the “triage” feel immediately, but with Batman flavor layered on top. From there, we break down the turn flow that makes the game click: event cards that reshape the round, ally activation with Commissioner Gordon, and tactical combat driven by custom dice including those gorgeous batarang dice with comic book “pow” energy. The most intriguing system we unpack is the dual-use card decision where you choose which cards go into your hand and which cards become future events, basically picking the trouble you’ll face later. We also talk production value, the deluxe edition miniatures, and why the art being ripped straight from the comics will be a huge plus for some players and irrelevant for others. If you’re curious whether this Batman board game is worth your table time, hit play and listen along, then subscribe, share the show, and leave a review. What’s your favorite solo board game when you want a real challenge? We want to hear from our listeners! Send us a text with recommendations, weigh in on discussions, or just say hi! Support the show As always, come interact with us online, let us know if you have any feedback, and leave us a review/comment anywhere you get your favorite podcasts! https://www.instagram.com/operation_game_night_podcast/ Show your support for the OGN Crew by contributing to the OGN War Chest: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2396881/support

    20 min

  5. MAR 26

    How One Piece On Netflix Turns Weird Into Heart

    A rubber pirate chasing the “One Piece” sounds like a premise that should collapse under its own weirdness, but we can’t stop smiling while we watch it. We talk through Netflix’s live action One Piece series from the perspective of viewers who didn’t grow up on the anime or manga, and why that outsider angle actually helps. The costumes are bold, the characters are unapologetically odd, and the show asks you to suspend disbelief early so it can hit you later with genuine heart, found-family friendships, and moments that sneak up and punch you right in the feelings. From there we jump into travel stories, tabletop gaming, and full-on theme park immersion. Florida gives us a quick look at a local game shop, then Disney Hollywood Studios takes over with Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge. If you’ve ever wanted to “be in Star Wars,” we break down what makes the land work: roaming characters, detailed spaces, and that constant sense that you’re inside a living set instead of a themed hallway. The highlight is Rise of the Resistance, the kind of modern Disney ride that feels like a multi-stage interactive experience, not a two-minute loop. We share what makes it so memorable, plus a practical tip that can save you hours in line: single rider. And because we can’t leave well enough alone, we end up talking about Sabacc, the Star Wars card game, and even float the idea of a board game retreat near Universal and Epic Universe. If you like One Piece, Star Wars, board games, or just hearing friends nerd out with purpose, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a quick review with your favorite comfort watch. We want to hear from our listeners! Send us a text with recommendations, weigh in on discussions, or just say hi! Support the show As always, come interact with us online, let us know if you have any feedback, and leave us a review/comment anywhere you get your favorite podcasts! https://www.instagram.com/operation_game_night_podcast/ Show your support for the OGN Crew by contributing to the OGN War Chest: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2396881/support

    21 min

  6. MAR 24

    Fives, Gachapon Trick, And Rebel Princess For Fans Of Clever Card Play

    A great trick-taking game doesn’t need a thousand rules, it needs one twist that rewires your instincts. Clay and I sit down to debrief three modern trick-taking card games and what they teach us about design, tension, and the weird joy of trying to lose on purpose. If you love classic card games but keep chasing that “one more hand” feeling, this is a tight grab bag of ideas you can steal for your next game night.  We start with Fives, a clever must-follow trick taker from Taiki Shinzawa and CMYK’s Magenta line, where every card can secretly become a magenta five and scoring is a balancing act to finish as close to 25 as possible without busting. From there we jump to Gachapon Trick, the most off-the-wall of the bunch, blending trick taking with set collection and an actual in-game economy where winning a trick forces you to buy cards and leftover money can swing the score. It’s the kind of board game that makes you rethink what a “good” card even is.  We wrap with Rebel Princess, a Hearts-inspired trick-taking game where princes equal penalties, the frog is a nasty surprise, and each round adds a twist plus princess abilities that can either make the game feel fresh or make you miss the clean elegance of the original. Along the way we talk about what makes modern trick takers work, why some added powers create tracking fatigue, and which of these games we’re most excited to play again. If you enjoy trick-taking games, Hearts, set collection card games, or small-box board games with big decisions, you’ll find a new lead here.  If you like what you hear, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave a review so more card game people can find us. We want to hear from our listeners! Send us a text with recommendations, weigh in on discussions, or just say hi! Support the show As always, come interact with us online, let us know if you have any feedback, and leave us a review/comment anywhere you get your favorite podcasts! https://www.instagram.com/operation_game_night_podcast/ Show your support for the OGN Crew by contributing to the OGN War Chest: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2396881/support

    22 min

  7. MAR 19

    Moon Colonization is not for the faint of heart

    A board game where everything you build comes crashing down in front of your eyes is our kind of problem. Jared jumps back on the mic to talk through Moon Colony Bloodbath, the new standalone design from Donald X. Vaccarino, and why our table couldn’t stop laughing even as robots, hunger, and “paperwork” turned the moon into a meat grinder. We also catch up on why Jared’s been away and what it meant to have support during a rough stretch. We walk through the mechanisms that make this game click for engine-building and tableau-building fans: simultaneous turns, a tight menu of actions, and a facility tableau you build up with money, food, restock boxes, and other resources. Then we get into the real star, the shared progress deck. It starts with a few dependable work cards, but every reshuffle drags more event cards into circulation, so the ratio of “good turns” to “bad news” gets funnier and more brutal over time. The most important twist is that your remaining people are basically your survival clock and your victory points, so every decision feels sharp. We want to hear from our listeners! Send us a text with recommendations, weigh in on discussions, or just say hi! Support the show As always, come interact with us online, let us know if you have any feedback, and leave us a review/comment anywhere you get your favorite podcasts! https://www.instagram.com/operation_game_night_podcast/ Show your support for the OGN Crew by contributing to the OGN War Chest: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2396881/support

    22 min

  8. MAR 12

    A Quick State Of The Podcast OTF

    One host, one hotel room, and zero room for pretending everything is perfectly on schedule. Travis checks in solo to share a quick state of Operation Game Night Podcast, give a real update on where Jared’s been, and say thank you to everyone who’s still listening, commenting, and sending messages even when life slows our posting down. If you’ve wondered why the Instagram reels went quiet or whether the crew is still intact, Travis clears it up and keep it honest. After that, he pivots into pure comfort entertainment, starting with a book series that has completely taken over pop culture: Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman. It’s litRPG, it’s chaotic, it’s violent, it’s loaded with jokes, and it’s way more immersive than it has any right to be, especially on the Dungeon Crawler Carl audiobook narrated by Jeff Hays. Travis talks why the voice work and sound design make it feel like a premium production, why book three can feel like a speed bump, and why it’s worth pushing through if you want the bigger story payoffs. Then Travis talks a surprise hit, back in reality TV after basically two decades, thanks to The Traitors on Peacock. He breaks down the murder mystery setup, Alan Cumming’s larger-than-life hosting, and the real reason it’s so addictive: you know who the traitors are while everyone else melts down, forming alliances and accusing the wrong people. The ending hits in a way not all will love, but the ride is undeniable. If you’ve got a dumb fun book rec or a reality show Travis should try next, let him know in the comments. Subscribe, leave a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, and share the episode with a friend who needs something fun right now. We want to hear from our listeners! Send us a text with recommendations, weigh in on discussions, or just say hi! Support the show As always, come interact with us online, let us know if you have any feedback, and leave us a review/comment anywhere you get your favorite podcasts! https://www.instagram.com/operation_game_night_podcast/ Show your support for the OGN Crew by contributing to the OGN War Chest: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2396881/support

    12 min
See All (125)

4.6
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

Travis Smith, Jared Erickson, and Clay Gable get together to discuss the latest and greatest in board games in this weekly podcast. What's hot, what's hitting the table, featured discussions about board games and the board gaming culture, and the primary mission objective- to play more board games! 

Information

  • Creator
    Travis, Clay, & Jared
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    125
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Operation Game Night
  • Show Website
    Operation Game Night

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