The Gateway Gamers Podcast

08/02/2025

Just played Transmute: Game of Alchemists, and wow — this little two-player card game really surprised me! You and your rival are racing to become master alchemists by transmuting elements into metals, completing quests, and calling on the power of mystical Zodiac cards. Each round, you’re working with a shared deck of five suits (earth, air, fire, water, and aether), trying to match a recipe’s value while making sure you include the right element. The twist? The order you play your phases each turn is totally up to you — which opens up some really clever combos and strategies.

The production is top-notch for a small indie release. The cloth mat gives it a cool arcane feel, and the artwork is simple but really sells the theme. It’s a great mix of puzzly hand management, light player interaction, and fast turns — perfect for a quick yet thinky game night. If you’re into dueling card games or anything with a mystical vibe (Fullmetal Alchemist fans, I’m looking at you), definitely give this one a try.

07/23/2025

Humbled that our tiny little podcast was discovered and honored by Time Magazine.

Read article here
https://tinyurl.com/Too100podcasts

07/11/2025

Stoked to be apart of Time magazines top 100 creators. An honor to be among legends such as Mr. Beast and the Hawk Tuah girl.

07/04/2025

The realm of Enemier has fallen into chaos, and we have been happily flinging dice into the fray. Barnburners & Noblemen is a new skirmish-style board game that feels like Heroscape and unmatched had a baby then raised it on metal coins, acrylic standees, and just the right amount of mayhem.

At its core, it’s a team-based brawler. You draft a squad of fantasy fighters from rival factions, then go head-to-head (or in teams) to see who’s left standing. Movement and positioning matter. Timing your attacks matters. But what really caught us off guard is how quickly this game becomes strategic. Once you understand what each champion brings to the table, you start seeing combos, counterpicks, and sneaky plays emerge and that’s where it gets addictive.
It’s also extremely approachable. Teaching Rp took maybe ten minutes and games can wrap up in under an hour. If you’re into tight two-player duels, the game plays fast and mean. But bring in four players, and suddenly the coin system, diplomacy cards, and shifting alliances really start to pop.

The production quality is also worth shouting out. Our preview copy already felt better than a lot of finished games—metal coins (with their own pouch!), custom dice, thick cards, and standees that actually match their character cards. It’s tactile, colorful, and easy to set up.

There are a few areas where the game shows its youth. Right now it’s a pure beat-’em-up—one map, one main mode. But the developers have plans for more game types and modular boards down the line, and based on how solid the foundation already is, we are confident they’ll deliver. And honestly? The game doesn’t feel like a work in progress. It’s fun, functional, and done. This Kickstarter isn’t a gamble—it’s a near-ready product looking for a launchpad.

Barnburners & Noblemen is live on Kickstarter now, and if you’re into fast-paced skirmishes, beautiful components, and the thrill of finding your perfect team combo, this one’s worth a look. It’s a gateway to tactical battles that won’t drain your wallet or your brain—and for the Gateway Gamers, that’s a win.

06/20/2025

🕷️ NEW EPISODE DROP! 🕷️

Your friendly neighborhood Gateway Gamers are back at it as our Marvel United Summer swings on! This week, we're crawling through the multiverse with the Spider-Geddon box— a web-slingin’ expansion clearly inspired by those Spiderverse movies we all love.

From Gwen to Miles, and even some deep-cut Spideys, this box is packed tight. But does the gameplay stick the landing like a perfect Spidey pose, or does it trip over its own web-shooters?

We break down the heroes, the villains, and every tangled web in between. Does this box bring great power and great replayability? Or is it destined to be another Uncle Ben moment? (Too soon?)

Expect comic book banter, a few radioactive hot takes, and the occasional existential multiverse crisis — all in a day's work for your favorite Marvel-loving podcast duo.

So grab your mask, cue up your Spidey senses, and swing on over to your favorite podcast platform to give it a listen.

🕷️ Available wherever podcasts are found.

https://pod.link/1564298651/episode/24ef19c371da48c3040b2d08546b9d93

05/27/2025

Worminators: Inside Job and Shell Company: Don’t Write Me Off were sent our way a while back, and after our first play, we completely forgot them. That rarely happens. So we gave them a second shot—and sadly, came to the same conclusion.
These games look fantastic. High production. Colorful, clever art. Wild themes like buddy cop worm detectives and turtle dating meets tax fraud. Both were “Born at PAX,” created live with help from attendees and then developed into real games by Lynnvander Studios. A cool concept! But unfortunately, it feels like the theme was the star—and the gameplay never quite caught up.
Worminators is a cooperative deckbuilding game that tries to blend Pandemic mechanics with a murder mystery twist. It’s ambitious and has some great visual direction, but the rules are clunky and the experience often feels more confusing than compelling.
Shell Company is an auction/bluffing party game that leans hard into humor and satire. The turtle dating/tax write-off mechanic is hilarious in theory—but in play, it’s light, chaotic, and ultimately forgettable.
Neither game has made a splash on BoardGameGeek, and honestly? We’re not surprised. For games with such eye-catching components and quirky themes, we were shocked at how little impact they had on us—or the community.
If you're a collector of oddball indie games or love PAX-born creations, these might be worth a look. But for most gamers, these stylish titles might just end up collecting dust.

Have you played these? Did we miss something genius? Let us know!

04/26/2025

The battle for the Iron Throne just got tiny but still epic!
If you're a Tiny Epic fan or a Game of Thrones fanatic, this one deserves a spot on your gaming table — and fast!

Gameplay Highlights:
Players take control of powerful Houses in Westeros, forging alliances, betraying "friends," and battling across the Seven Kingdoms for victory points.
Every round, a pool of dice is rolled — you’ll pick one to activate a double action combo from the board and the die. It's an action-draft, resource-manage, stab-your-friends-in-the-back fest, just like George RR intended.

Plot cards, whisper actions, sailing armies, sieging castles... it’s ALL here packed into a 45-60 minute game you can actually finish without dedicating an entire weekend

What I Loved:
- Gorgeous art and chunky mini figs
- Smart dice system — always making big choices and risking big betrayals
- Smooth solo mode
- Captures the cutthroat feel of Westeros without a 6-hour commitment.
- That satisfying twist when you steal an alliance right out from under another player? *Chef’s kiss*

Minor Gripes:
- Had to skim back and forth a little during my first few plays, but the Dized app helps a lot.
- Wish I'd grabbed the mat for even more table presence... but it’s not a game-breaker.

Final Thoughts:
Tiny Epic Game of Thrones doesn't replace the Fantasy Flight behemoth — but it proudly stands alongside it. Quick, brutal, and bursting with betrayal, it’s a must-play for GoT fans who want the flavor of Westeros in a fraction of the time.
Winter is coming… and so is your next board game obsession.

04/16/2025

New Episode Alert!

Allons-y! Bryan's taking the TARDIS for a spin through space and cardboard in our latest episode of The Gateway Gamers Podcast!

We're talking Doctor Who: Time of the Daleks from Gale Force Nine — a dice-chucking, co-op adventure through time where your favorite regenerations team up to outwit the Daleks and save the universe!

Will this game become a timeless classic or is it doomed to collect dust like an abandoned sonic screwdriver?

Bryan dives into:
Who’s who in the Whoniverse
How the game plays (no psychic paper needed)
And whether this Who-fi favorite earns a spot on the shelf or the TARDIS trash bin.

No spoilers… unless you listen!

Stream now wherever you get your podcasts!

04/09/2025

Ready to launch into a galaxy of card game fun?

In Countdown, each turn you’ll jettison cards (solo or in sets) onto one of two discard piles, then fuel up with a card from the other pile—or go full rocket mode with a risky blind draw!

Think your hand is low enough to touch down at 5 or less? Call “Countdown” at the start of your turn and if you're right, you score 3 points + a bonus boost for your gutsy call.
Wrong guess? Houston, we have a problem—you get zilch!

But wait—there’s another way to win the round:
If all your cards are cosmic twins, shout “Blastoff!” to end the round instantly and earn 3 points!

And don’t worry, second and third place still score some stardust with 2 and 1 point(s).
After 5 rounds, the highest score in the galaxy wins!

04/06/2025

A Gentle Rain is a peaceful solo puzzle that’s as beautiful as it is brain-bending. In this calming game, you’ll draw and place tiles to match colored lily pads, trying to form 2x2 water grids to bloom flowers. The catch? You’ve got to bloom all 8 before the tiles run out.

It’s deceptively simple, endlessly replayable, and plays in just 10 quiet, meditative minutes—perfect for pairing with a morning cup of coffee. I’m not great at it (yet), but I keep coming back. There’s just something so satisfying about watching the blooms unfold one by one.

If you need a gentle way to start your day or wind down your evening, this little box of zen might be just what you’re looking for.

03/24/2025

In the latest episode of the podcast (Gateway Gamers), we covered one of the boxes of the latest Dice Throne sets. The X-Men have arrived, and in part 1 we covered the lovebirds, Rogue, Gambit, Cyclops, and Jean Grey.Spoiler alert: we absolutely love the gameplay and characters.
However, we do have some gripes as longtime Dice Throne fans.
Be sure to listen wherever podcasts are available!

03/14/2025