The Fifth Meeple Crew
A board games podcast featuring a group of diverse friends who offer their takes on the latest and greatest board games to hit their table and face them off 1v1 in the “Battle of the Funnest” Showdown.
Episodes
4 days ago
4 days ago
Join us for part 2 of our Origins 2026 coverage! We explore 16 new to us games and give our opinions on all of them. So come enjoy as we close out Origins 2026!
Special Episode 106: Origins Recap Part 2 (16 Games Discussed)
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:38 Origins 2026 Part 2 (16 games discussed!)
Want to keep the conversation going? Reach out to us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com—we’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, and hot takes. And as always… play more board games!
Thursday Jul 02, 2026
Thursday Jul 02, 2026
Join us for this special episode as we recap Origins 2026! We explore 17 new to us games and give our opinions on all of them. So buckle up as we bring you Origins 2026 from Columbus, OH.
Special Episode 105: Origins Recap Part 1 (17 Games Discussed)
Timestamps:
00:00 Introductions
00:34 Origins 2026 Part 1 (17 games discussed!)
Want to keep the conversation going? Reach out to us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com—we’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, and hot takes. And as always… play more board games!
Thursday Jun 25, 2026
Thursday Jun 25, 2026
Welcome back to The Fifth Meeple! Today's showdown is a race unlike any other. One contender brings post-apocalyptic carnage, while the other delivers fantasy-fueled kart racing. Will Thunder Road Vendetta run its rival off the road, or will Dungeon Kart use a few magical shortcuts to claim the crown? Let's hit the track and find out!
Episode 104: Raucous Racing: Thunder Road Vendetta vs Dungeon Kart
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:08 What's on our table?
14:40 Thunder Road Vendetta
30:52 Thunder Road Vendetta: The Collector's Corner
31:57 Thunder Road Vendetta: Final Thoughts
35:12 Dungeon Kart
52:57 Dungeon Kart: The Collector's Corner
54:42 Dungeon Kart: Final Thoughts
56:15 Battle of the Funnest Showdown
Want to keep the conversation going? Reach out to us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com—we’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, and hot takes. And as always… play more board games!
Thursday Jun 18, 2026
Thursday Jun 18, 2026
Every kingdom needs a ruler, but only one can wield Excalibur. Today we're sharing our quick thoughts on this medieval-themed board game and whether it's a quest worth embarking on as we tell you what we loved, what we didn't, and whether it's worth your time.
Episode 103 (Mini): Excalibur
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:54 Excalibur
02:28 Excalibur: The Good
07:14 Excalibur: The Bad
11:03 Excalibur: The Collector's Corner
13:41 Excalibur: Final Scores
Thanks for listening! Want to keep the conversation going? Reach out to us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com—we’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, and hot takes. And as always… play more board games!
Thursday Jun 11, 2026
Thursday Jun 11, 2026
Episode 102: Classic Drafts: Azul vs Sagrada
In today's episode the Goofy Noob Returns as we battle and review two modern classic board games. Both are masterpieces of color and design. One asks players to craft breathtaking mosaics for a Portuguese palace. The other challenges them to create stunning stained-glass windows worthy of a cathedral. Both have captivated millions of players around the world. But when the dust settles, which puzzle reigns supreme? Join us as we dive deep into the beauty, strategy, and tension of Azul versus Sagrada!
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction (Return of the Goofy Noob)
01:10 Topic of the Day!
14:22 Azul
26:17 Azul: The Collector's Corner
27:06 Azul: Final Thoughts
29:58 Sagrada
44:27 Sagrada: The Collector's Corner
46:17 Sagrada: Final Thoughts
49:50 Battle of the Funnest Showdown
If you are going to be at Origins 2026 and want to catch us reach out this week and we can maybe play a game or two with you!
Want to keep the conversation going? Reach out to us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com—we’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, and hot takes. And as always… play more board games!
Thursday Jun 04, 2026
Thursday Jun 04, 2026
Episode 101 (Mini): Ito
In this bite-sized review, we break down Ito, a cooperative party game that turns simple numbers into creative conversations. Easy to teach, quick to play, and packed with laughs, we'll tell you who this game is best for and whether it deserves a spot at your next game night.
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:00 Ito
02:20 Ito: The Good
08:19 Ito: The Bad
13:32 Ito: The Collector's Corner
14:18 Ito: Final Scores
Thanks for listening! Want to keep the conversation going? Reach out to us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com—we’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, and hot takes. And as always… play more board games!
Thursday May 28, 2026
Thursday May 28, 2026
Episode 100: Music to Our Ears: Luthier vs Lacrimosa
Welcome to our 100th episode spectacular! We couldn’t think of a better theme than Music to Our Ears! Today’s contenders are two of the hobby’s most melodic heavy hitters: Lacrimosa and Luthier. Tune your instruments and shuffle your decks — it's time to see which performance earns the standing ovation! Enjoy!
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:18 Topic of the Day!
10:54 Luthier
32:27 Luthier: Collector's Corner
36:14 Luthier: Final Thoughts
39:03 Lacrimosa
58:35 Lacrimosa: Collector's Corner
01:00:01 Lacrimosa: Final Thoughts
01:01:52 Battle of the Funnest Showdown!
Thanks for listening to our 100th episode! We never thought we would make it this far and want to say to all of our listeners thanks for listening! We couldn't have done it without you all!
Want to keep the conversation going? Reach out to us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com—we’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, and hot takes. And as always… play more board games!
Thursday May 21, 2026
Thursday May 21, 2026
Episode 99 (Mini): Avant Carde
Today we’re diving into Avant Carde — the stylish card battler where every play feels like a duel between an art exhibit and a tactical mind game. We’ll talk about what makes it stand out, why people are buzzing about it, and whether this avant-garde experiment deserves a spot on your table.
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:51 Avant Carde
02:17 Avant Carde: The Good
07:37 Avant Carde: The Bad
11:33 Avant Carde: Collector's Corner
12:03 Avant Carde: Final Scores
Thanks for listening! Want to keep the conversation going? Reach out to us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com—we’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, and hot takes. And as always… play more board games!
The Fifth Meeple
We are a diverse group of friends offering our takes on the latest and hottest titles to hit our table. Between the Collector, the Intellectual Introvert, the Goofy Noob and the Deluxifier, chances are that one of us has a background or approach to games that you can align with!
In each episode, we talk about two games that have a common link to each other, touching on best moments, frustrations, components, cost considerations, and anything else that tickles our fancy. We often (but not always) play with higher player counts, so we also touch on how the number of players impacts the gaming experience. And then, because we just can't help ourselves, we pit both games against each other in the ultimate showdown.
Tune in each episode to find out which game comes out on top in the "Battle of the Funnest Showdown"
Chris C. ~ The Intellectual Introvert
Generation X
Shy by nature, I’m almost always the quietest one at the table, but my competitive side likely has me silently scheming on how to pull out a win. A chemical engineer by trade, I love math, science, and finding better ways to do things. As a result, I love games that present an ever-changing puzzle, incorporating some luck but also a means by which to mitigate it. As the resident “old man” of the group, I’ve built an appreciation for the joy of the overall gaming experience and can take as much satisfaction from an epic loss as I can from a well-earned win.
Much of my adult gaming history has been playing solo, representing multiple players at the same time. I love the mental challenge and it’s a great way for me to explore several strategies simultaneously. When playing with this group, however, the player interaction and verbal banter really shine, and I feel like I still come out of my shell just a little more each time we play together.
Daniella N. ~ The Goofy Noob
Millennial Generation
I honestly have no clue how I got here or why David invited me to start playing games, but here I am! Growing up I played all the classics: Mouse Trap, Life, KerPlunk, Hungry Hungry Hippos, etc… Fast Forward to my middle/high school years and you’d find a very sore loser who was too competitive and hated defeat, therefore I stayed away from board games. Now in the back half of my 30’s, I’ve matured a bit and try to keep the sore losing ‘tude to a minimum.
In December of 2022, David invited me to be a part of a few game nights where I first met Emily and Emerson. They tricked me into some easier games like Azul and Quacks where winning was more luck-based and I had a few victories. Now, we’ve gained Chris and these clowns are teaching me games I need a PhD for. But, I come to game night ready, willing and able to learn and grow. I have not been on a victorious streak in a while but I'm slowly growing my knowledge and coming up with strategies. I consider myself the “goofy noob” because I like to cut the tension in the room with comments, jokes and laughter.
David G. ~ The Collector
Millennial Generation
500, 632, 750…Where did all these games come from? As someone who loves the artwork and the theme of board games, I just can’t help myself when I see a good bargain! Collecting is fun, but playing is better! If you’re looking for the type of gamer who loves the competitive aspect of our hobby and tries to outthink and outsmart his opponents, you’ll enjoy what I have to say about most games. My favorite part of the hobby is seeking out new mechanisms and discovering how they work. Because I love to study game design, unique gems like these keep me coming back to look for both new and old games to play.
When I’m not out competing, I love bringing new gamers into the hobby and showing them how amazing a modern board game can be. This passion has led me to create many different playgroups one of which has now become the Fifth Meeple. I never thought I would be a podcaster, but I feel that this diverse group of five has something unique to offer the board gaming community. I am excited for the adventure. I’m also hoping listeners will be able to connect with each one of us given that we come from various backgrounds, ages, game experience, and game interests. In the meantime, you can catch me hanging out with my new baby girl, teaching youth group at church, playing co-ops with the wife (we are too competitive to play against each other, lol), chasing our 6 cats around our small family flower farm, and last but not least, trying to “get some games to the table!”
Pete M. ~ The Deluxifier
Generation X
I’ve been playing games in one form or another all my life. As GenX'ers, it was up to us to entertain ourselves. During the day we played outdoor games like kickball, ghost in the graveyard, SPUD, or one of the many other schoolyard games. When the streetlights came on or it was too bad outside, we were playing board or card games!
In the 70’s and 80’s I played countless hours of many of the popular games of the time. I discovered more complex game titles and I was introduced to Dungeons and Dragons while in Jr. High School. My other pastime was the video arcade. My love of the arcade launched me into a computer career along with computer gaming. In the mid 90’s started playing Magic the Gathering with friends but we still played other popular games such as Settlers of Catan, Formula De and others.
My wife Eryn and I married and started our family in the mid 2000’s. Raising a family consumed much of my time, however I still did continue to play Magic the Gathering regularly when our boys were young. As our two boys grew, I found myself playing more board games with them and as a family. The past 10 years, I’ve been primarily playing board games and jumped back into the hobby 100%.
Looking to connect?
Email us at thefifthmeeple@gmail.com