So Very Wrong About Games

"Observers brought attention to [Gritty's] appearance, which could be construed as frightening, while The Guardian described him as an "acid trip of a mascot." Response to Gritty's introduction was immediate and sharply mixed, with many fans on social media expressing bewilderment and some fright at his appearance. Public perception of Gritty became increasingly positive as Gritty's antics, which subverted the cuddly, family-friendly appearance and demeanor of other NHL mascots, gained more attention on social media." -Wikipedia Games Played Last Week: 00:56 -Can't Stop (Sid Sackson, Playte Games, 2023) 04:01 -Tigris & Euphrates (Reiner Knizia, Hans im Gluck, 1997) 13:09 -Hansa Teutonica: East Expansion (Andreas Steding, Argentum Verlag, 2010) 19:06 -Pandemic: Fall of Rome (Matt Leacock & Paolo Mori, Z-Man, 2018) 22:03 -SpellBook (Phil Walker-Harding, Space Cowboys, 2023) 24:40 -Skara Brae (Shem Phillips, Garphill Games, 2025) 29:52 -Sausage Sizzle (Inka and Marcus Brand, 25th Century Games, 2012) 32:07 -Unstoppable (John D. Clair, Renegade Game Studios, 2025) 38:41 -Toy Battle (Paolo Mori & Alessandro Zucchini, Repos Production, 2025) 40:38 -Leviathan Wilds (Justin Kemppainen, Moon Crab Games, 2024) 43:48 -Men at Work (Rita Modl, Pretzel Games, 2019) News (and why it doesn't matter): 49:10 Lunar Rush expansion: Innovation 49:30 Open registration for SVWAG Con (July 25th-July27th) on Eventbrite! https://tinyurl.com/25s6p5jd 49:58 Lord of the Rings: Fate of the Fellowship 51:18 Please support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/svwag 53:32 Feature Game: Hot Streak (Jon Perry, CMYK, 2025) [EDIT] We neglected to disclose that this was a review copy provided by the publisher. We apologize for the omission. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"gibber--intransitive verb :to speak rapidly, inarticulately, and often foolishly" -Merriam-Webster "gibberer--noun :the hosts of SVWAG" Games Played Last Week: 01:17 -Sausage Sizzle (Inka and Marcus Brand, 25th Century Games, 2012) 05:22 -Landmarks (Rodrigo Rego & Danilo Valente, Floodgate Games, 2024) 09:11 -Skara Brae (Shem Phillips, Garphill Games, 2025) 14:20 -Moving Company (Guo Jiahui & Wu Ying, Whales Entertainment, 2025) 16:49 -First Rat (Gabriele Ausiello & Virginio Gigli, Pegasus Spiele, 2022) 20:47 -Barbecubes (Brett J. Gilbert & Rob Sparks, Alley Cat Games, 2025) 24:35 -Unstoppable (John D. Clair, Renegade Game Studios, 2025) 29:48 -Battle of Mekaverse (Reiner Knizia, Kids Logic, 2024) 34:25 -Dorfromantik: The Board Game (Michael Palm and Lukas Zach, Pegasus Spiele, 2022) 37:41 -Toy Battle (Paolo Mori & Alessandro Zucchini, Repos Production, 2025) 40:04 -Dungeon Twister: The Card Game (Christophe Boelinger, Asmodee, 2013) 46:34 -Rumble Nation (Yogi Shinichi, Hobby Japan, 2017) News (and why it doesn't matter): 50:10 SETI expansion: Space Agencies 50:46 Flamecraft digital 51:28 POGs are coming back? Slam Throne 52:02 Open registration for SVWAG Con (July 25th-July27th) on Eventbrite! https://tinyurl.com/25s6p5jd 53:53 Feature Game: Gibberers: The Word Game of Language Invention and Civilization Development (Keisei, Hobby Japan, 2024) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chaka Khan, let me rock you Let me rock you, Chaka Khan Let me rock you, that's all I wanna do Chaka Khan, let me rock you Let me rock you, Chaka Khan Let me rock you, 'cause I feel for you -Chaka Khan, "I Feel for You" 01:26 AYURIS: Barcelona (Dani Garcia, Board&Dice, 2023) Games Played Last Week: 03:10 -Snap Ships Tactics: Swarm Box (Josh Derksen, Snap Ships, 2025) 10:13 -Battle of Mekaverse (Reiner Knizia, Kids Logic, 2024) 15:34 -Everdell Farshore (James A. Wilson & Clarissa A. Wilson, Starling Games, 2023) 20:19 -Trading Titans (Reiner Knizia, Kids Logic, 2024) 25:03 -TAH WARS: Dice Tower Game (Luca Vince Caltabiano, BOARD TO DEATH, 2025) 31:06 -Things in Rings (Peter C. Hayward, Allplay, 2024) News (and why it doesn't matter): 35:06 Lifeboat by Jeff Siadek reprint on Kickstarter 37:15 Underwater Cities: Data Era expansion 38:18 Open registration for SVWAG Con (July 25th-July27th) on Eventbrite! https://tinyurl.com/25s6p5jd 39:55 Topic: Tricky Edge Cases Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While we pride ourselves in playing more games in a week than many play in a month, when we take a week away from the SVWAG studio we often face a truly herculean backlog of games to discuss. This two-week period is no exception. Rest assured, we would never leave our dear listeners in the lurch, so we will keep you updated so you need not miss a thing. 01:00 AYURIS: Race to the Raft (Frank West, The City of Games, 2023) Games Played Last Week: 03:40 -Knarr (Thomas Dupont, Bombyx, 2023) 06:42 -Quin (Brian Rooney and Taeleen Woodard, Arch & Gravity Publishing, 2024) 11:41 -Slay the Spire: The Board Game (Gary Dworetsky, Anthony Giovannetti, and Casey Yano, Contention Games, 2024) 14:47 -Gùgōng: Pànjūn (Andreas Steding, Game Brewer, 2020) 22:00 -Skull (Hervé Marly, Asmodee, 2011) 24:09 -Space Gits (Mike Hutchinson, Planet Smasher Games, 2025) 30:06 -Bad Company (Kenneth Minde, Kristian Amundsen Østby, and Eilif Svensson, Aporta Games, 2021) 34:44 -Rebirth (Reiner Knizia, Mighty Boards, 2024) 36:48 -Tír na nÓg (Isaac Shalev & Jason Slingerland, Grand Gamers Guild, 2024) 38:51 -Let's Go! To Japan (Josh Wood, AEG, 2024) 41:52 -Keyflower (Sebastien Bleasdale & Richard Breese, R&D Games, 2012) 42:54 -Altay: Dawn of Civilization (Paolo Mori & Ole Steiness, Ares Games, 2024) 47:09 -Abandon All Artichokes (Emma Larkins, Gamewright, 2020) 49:58 -Quacks (Wolfgang Warsch, Schmidt Spiele, 2018) 52:02 -23 Knives (Tyler J. Brown, Play to Z, 2025) 59:15 -Ghost Blitz: Spooky Doo (Jacques Zeimet, Zoch Verlag, 2016) News (and why it doesn't matter): 1:03:26 Catacombs Alpha, new entry point in the Catacombs series, on crowdfunding 1:04:13 Tariff highlights: Stegmaier lawsuit, CMON, Greater Than Games 1:07:15 Open registration for SVWAG Con (July 25th-July27th) on Eventbrite! https://tinyurl.com/25s6p5jd 1:07:47 Commands & Colors news: new Memoir '44, Battle of Hoth 1:09:08 SVWAG interview with James of One Man Clapping episode #26 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tiebreakers are arguably a kind of endgame scoring. I respect the fact that they are invariably necessary (I mean, if for no other reason than if they're omitted some smartass like me will complain). That said, clearly if the scoreboard goes to 200+ I don't imagine we'll be hauling out the second tiebreaker condition all that much. Frequently the endgame conversion of resources to points already serves as a tiebreaker anyway. 01:48 AYURIS: Nidavellir (Serge Laget, GRRRE Games, 2020) Games Played Last Week: 04:57 -FlickFleet (Jackson Pope & Paul Willcox, Eurydice Games, 2018) 11:55 -Slay the Spire: The Board Game (Gary Dworetsky, Anthony Giovannetti, and Casey Yano, Contention Games, 2024) 14:21 -Altay: Dawn of Civilization (Paolo Mori & Ole Steiness, Ares Games, 2024) 17:19 -Wizards of the Grimoire: Shifting Sands (Cole Banning & Joe Banning, Grimoire Games, 2025) 21:23 -Risk 2210 A.D.: Frontline (Mike Gills, Renegade Game Studios, 2025) 32:57 -Calimala (Fabio Lopiano, Alley Cat Games, 2024) 37:20 -Ransom Notes: House Party Edition (Josh Roberts, Evan and Josh's Very Special Games Company, 2023) 40:16 -Leviathan Wilds (Justin Kemppainen, Moon Crab Games, 2024) 42:57 -Regicide (Paul Abrahams, Luke Badger, & Andy Richdale, Badgers from Mars, 2020) News (and why it doesn't matter): 45:15 New Meltwater by Capstone Games 46:19 Open registration for SVWAG Con (July 25th-July27th) on Eventbrite! https://tinyurl.com/25s6p5jd 47:24 Topic: Endgame Scoring Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When is a thing like another thing? Is Albedo like Core Worlds? Is Cat Blues like Rummy? Is Through the Desert like Go? Is a nudge as good as a wink to blind bat? Are all Roll & Writes inferior to Roll a 6, Win a Cookie? Is Christophe Boelinger France's Vlaada Chvátil? Probably, because it's all just like Mage Knight in the end. Games Played Last Week: 04:46 -Street Masters: Tide of the Dragon (Scott McFall, Adam Sadler, Brady Sadler, and Mitch Schroeder, Blacklist Games, 2022) 09:45 -Castles of Mad King Ludwig: Collector's Edition (Ted Alspach, Bézier Games, 2022) 13:55 -Cat Blues: The Big Gig (Reiner Knizia, Bitewing Games, 2024) 22:14 -Moon Colony Bloodbath (Donald X. Vaccarino, Rio Grande Games, 2025) 28:03 -Albedo: Space Pirates! (Kai Herbertz, Herbertz Entertainment UG, 2018) 35:43 -Malediction (Leo Cunha, Nicole Lobo, and Daniel Pettersen de Lucena, Loot Studios, 2025) 39:46 -Hey, That's My Fish! (Günter Cornett & Alvydas Jakeliunas, Bambus Spieleverlag, 2003) 40:55 -Parks: Roll & Hike (Henry Audubon & Mattox Shuler, Keymaster Games, 2024) News (and why it doesn't matter): 44:04 Tariffs impacting the hobby 45:12 Please support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/svwag 46:23 Zombie Princess, a riff on Spades, by Bézier and Ted Alspach 47:05 Feature Game: Rise & Fall (Christophe Boelinger, Ludically, 2024) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People have favourably described our physical appearances as "borderline tolerable" and "just short of hideous", and that was just our mothers. In light of this, we put ourselves forward as candidates for all manner of game show. Mark is quite fond of Rice-a-Roni and thus would be more than happy to just have a consolation prize, and Walker just wants to spin something as hard as he can. Better reinforce your props. 01:43 AYURIS: Archeos Society (Paolo Mori, Space Cowboys, 2023) Games Played Last Week: 03:16 -Ethnos (Paolo Mori, CMON, 2017) 08:20 -Wizards of the Grimoire: Shifting Sands (Cole Banning & Joe Banning, Grimoire Games, 2025) 12:14 -Jenga Maker (Uncredited, Hasbro, 2022) 16:20 -Click A Tree (Uwe Rosenberg, Skellig Games, 2025) 18:15 -Street Masters: Tide of the Dragon (Scott McFall, Adam Sadler, Brady Sadler, and Mitch Schroeder, Blacklist Games, 2022) 22:15 -Crafting the Cosmos (David Gordon & TAM, Office Dog, 2025) 23:48 -Scape Goat (Jon Perry, Indie Boards & Cards, 2020) 28:41 -Shuffle and Swing (Robert Hovakimyan, Bitewing Games, 2025) 32:31 -Bebop (Robert Hovakimyan, Bitewing Games, 2025) 39:53 -El Grande (Wolfgang Kramer & Richard Ulrich, Hans im Glück, 1995) 44:03 -Crokinole (Uncredited, Mayday, 2025) News (and why it doesn't matter): 47:19 Phantom Division returning and editorial challenges 47:55 Early Registration for SVWAGCon for patrons! www.patreon.com/svwag 48:20 G.I. Joe Heroscape--will Transformers follow? 52:53 CMYK game show: Perfect Line hosted by Deborah Norville 54:26 Ark Nova spin-off Sanctuary 54:54 StarCraft miniatures and board games incoming 55:14 Alley Cat games sticking to crowdfunding, skipping retail 55:37 Topic: 20th Century Games Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In logic, conditionals are always true if the antecedent is false. You can't falsify the conditional if the conditions aren't met. For example, if Mark can bench 500 pounds, then vinegar tastes like cotton candy. Rest assured that I ain't benching that much, so don't worry about it; the conditional is true. Similarly, I can invite pretty much whoever I want to SVWAGCon. Fareed Zakaria, Olivia Rodrigo, and Jordan Mechner? Sure, they're all invited. They don't know about us, but it's all good. Games Played Last Week: 04:00 -Finspan (David Gordon & Michael O'Connell, Stonemaier Games, 2025) 07:51 -Slay the Spire: The Board Game (Gary Dworetsky, Anthony Giovannetti, and Casey Yano, Contention Games, 2024) 11:16 -Marvel Dice Throne Missions (Gavan Brown & Nate Chatellier, Roxley, 2025) 13:28 -Star Trek: Into the Unknown (Max Brooke & Michael Gernes, WizKids, 2025) 21:51 -Lunar (Masato Uesagi, Allplay, 2024) 23:25 -Lone Wolves (Yasuyuki Nakamura, Wonderful World Board Games, 2024) 27:57 -Fateforge: Chronicles of Kaan (Gordon Calleja, Mighty Boards, 2024) 33:00 -Duos (Johannes Schmidauer-König, CMYK, 2025) 35:35 -Creature Caravan (Ryan Laukat, Red Raven Games, 2024) News (and why it doesn't matter): 41:00 Early Registration for SVWAGCon for patrons! www.patreon.com/svwag 42:37 Space Gits on Kickstarter soon! A dexterity miniatures game of drunk orcs 43:48 Feature Game: Rebirth (Reiner Knizia, Mighty Boards, 2024) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I was donating blood while wearing my Transformers Converse shoes, and two different phlebotomists commented positively about them. "We have won the cultural argument," I said, deliberately burying the lede that demographic destiny is probably the chief cause. I suspect that the same forces explain increased societal acceptance of toys, and board games are not immune. Thank goodness! Games Played Last Week: 01:22 -Guards of Atlantis II Arcane Hero Pack (Artyom Nichipurov, Wolff Designa, 2024) 07:56 -Creature Caravan (Ryan Laukat, Red Raven Games, 2024) 10:46 -Marvel Dice Throne Missions (Gavan Brown & Nate Chatellier, Roxley, 2025) 15:55 -The Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era (Josh J. Carlson, Michael Gernes, Logan Giannini, Ryan Howard, Salem Scott, and Josh Wielgus, Chip Theory Games, 2025) 26:21 -Dungeon Kart (Michael Xuereb, Brotherwise Games, 2024) 30:50 -Star Trek: Captain's Chair (Nigel Buckle & Dávid Turczi, WizKids, 2025) 34:47 -Keyflower: The Merchants (Sebastian Bleasdale & Richard Breese, R&D Games, 2014) 40:47 -Rush M.D. (Athony Howgego, Konstantinos Kokkinis, & Dávid Turczi, Artipia Games, 2020) News (and why it doesn't matter): 46:34 Yokohama Duel 2nd edition by Synapses Games 46:56 Helldivers II board game by Steamforged Games 49:02 New content for Inis and Tiletum 50:02 Early Registration for SVWAGCon for patrons! www.patreon.com/svwag 50:41 Feature Game: Ascending Empires: Zenith Edition (Ian Cooper, Play to Z, 2024) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As is readily apparent from the show's subject matter and our general presentation, we here at SVWAG are stone-cold jocks who excel at the sports and are thoroughly ripped. We trust the launcher and never ever skip leg day. 00:57 AYURIS: Expeditions (Jamey Stegmaier, Stonemaier Games, 2023) Games Played Last Week: 03:04 -Coloretto (Michael Schacht, ABACUSSPIELE, 2003) 07:16 -Metal Gear Solid: The Board Game (Emerson Matsuuchi, CMON, 2025) 14:20 -Mega Civilization (Flo de Haan, John Rodriguez, and Francis Tresham, 999 Games, 2015) 30:11 -Star Trek: Captain's Chair (Nigel Buckle & Dávid Turczi, WizKids, 2025) 37:38 -Keep the Heroes Out!: Boss Battles (Luís Brueh, Brueh Games, 2024) 40:46 -Until Proven Guilty: The Starry Sky Necklace (Enrico Procacci, DV Games, 2024) 46:46 -Crafting the Cosmos (David Gordon & TAM, Office Dog, 2025) News (and why it doesn't matter): 48:24 Granddaughter success with Heap-O-Sheep 48:48 Registration for SVWAGCon open for patrons! www.patreon.com/svwag 50:18 Note-taking in Space Alert and Paint the Roses 53:57 Topic: Flexing New Muscles Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Despite the welcome relative absence of anthropomorphic animals this week--aside from some sundry ducks in Lorcana--we see a lot of animals and various critters this week. We eschew sacrifices to a dodgy snake in Imperium, we fling sheep with abandon, we throw down with some wrestling bugs, and that's on top of comparatively mundane animal husbandry in Keyflower. Mark offered some unflattering comparisons between Walker and various animals during Crokinole, but that doesn't quite count. Games Played Last Week: 02:22 -Space Alert (Vlaada Chvátil, Czech Games Edition, 2008) 04:58 -Imperium: Horizons (Nigel Buckle and Dávid Turczi, Osprey Games, 2024) 09:17 CMYK's Magenta Series: Duos (Johannes Schmidauer-König, CMYK, 2025), Figment (Wolfgang Warsch, CMYK, 2025), Fives (Taiki Shinzawa, CMYK, 2025), Fruit Fight (Reiner Knizia, CMYK, 2025) 12:21 -Heap-O-Sheep: The High Flying Game of Flingin' Sheep! (Dominic Yard, Fat Brain Toy Company, Unknown) 16:48 -Crokinole (Uncredited, Mayday, 2025) 19:36 -Kabuto Sumo: Sakura Slam (John Brieger, Michael Dunsmore, & Tony Miller, Allplay, 2024) 24:28 -Disney Lorcana (David Iezzi, Ryan Miller, and Steve Warner, Ravensburger, 2023) 32:40 -Keyflower: The Farmers (Sebastian Bleasdale & Richard Breese, R&D Games, 2013) News (and why it doesn't matter): 38:24 Agricola: Dead Harvest from Awaken Realms 39:07 Rest in peace, Rodger MacGowan, prolific designer and artist 40:01 Chris Farrell has a substack! https://chrisfarrell317.substack.com/p/week-of-feb-24th-2025 40:52 Please support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/svwag Patreon perk: early registration for SVWAG Con! 43:03 Feature Game: Beyond the Horizon (Dennis K. Chan, Adam Hill, Ben Pinchback, and Matt Riddle, Cranio Creations, 2024) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While we hate to confirm your most reductive of preconceived notions, snow removal in Canadian cities is no joke. The fleet of vehicles required to allow for daily life in even a small Canadian city after major snowfall is impressive. The balletic dance of some of their formations while in operation calls to mind the precise of mid-air refuelling. 01:03 AYURIS: Ra (Reiner Knizia, alea, 1999) Games Played Last Week: 04:07 -Mistborn (John D. Clair, Brotherwise Games, 2024) 09:17 -Cerebria: The Inside World (Richard Amann, Viktor Peter, István Pócsi, Frigyes Schőberl, Nick Shaw, & Dávid Turczi, Mindclash Games, 2018) 13:40 -1793: Patriots & Traitors (Jason St.Just, Sound of Drums, 2024) 20:35 -Navegador (Mac Gerdts, PD-Verlag, 2010) 26:43 -Galactic Renaissance (Christian Martinez, Matagot, 2024) 29:25 -Cyclades: Legendary Edition (Bruno Cathala & Ludovic Maublanc, Open Sesame Games, 2024) 39:24 -Whale Riders (Reiner Knizia, Grail Games, 2021) 41:06 -Figment (Wolfgang Warsch, CMYK, 2025) 46:01 -Kabuto Sumo: Sakura Slam (John Brieger, Michael Dunsmore, & Tony Miller, Allplay, 2024) 49:53 -Portmanteau: A Cooperative Game of Linguistic Fusion (Robert Fisk, Doghalla Games, 2025) 54:26 -Dragon Valley (CW Karstens, Diamond K Games, 2012) News (and why it doesn't matter): 1:01:56 Dragon Valley: Advisors & Quests, 2012 1:02:27 2001: A Space Odyssey 1 vs. all 1:03:13 Paolo Mori and Alessandro Zucchini form Ingenioso Hidalgo for Battlefields of the Napoleonic Wars 1:03:53 Feya's Swamp from Helge and Anselm Ostertag Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Colour nouns are essentially arbitrary; how one decides to chop up the visible spectrum of light is a matter of contingent taxonomy. Some languages have one noun for both blue and green, for example. English has a word for light red (pink) where other languages don't. Russian similarly has a word for light blue. And then there's magenta, which we can all agree is a scene and a half. Games Played Last Week: 02:35 -Fruit Fight (Reiner Knizia, CMYK, 2025) 06:55 -Fives (Taiki Shinzawa, CMYK, 2025) 09:49 -Figment (Wolfgang Warsch, CMYK, 2025) 12:49 -Duos (Johannes Schmidauer-König, CMYK, 2025) 16:17 -Sidereal Confluence (TauCeti Deichmann, Wizkids, 2017) 19:24 -Fishing (Friedemann Friese, 2F-Spiele, 2024) 24:36 -The Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era (Josh J. Carlson, Michael Gernes, Logan Giannini, Ryan Howard, Salem Scott, and Josh Wielgus, Chip Theory Games, 2025) 32:24 -Storm Raiders (Shem Phillips, Arkus Games, 2025) News (and why it doesn't matter): 38:55 Mythic Games in trouble (again), crowdfunding commitments unfulfilled 40:37 Monolith's Reichbusters: Reloaded 41:10 Cardboard Ghosts by Amabel Holland and CRC Press 41:46 Lord of the Rings Pandemic! Fate of the Fellowship 42:06 Crawling Chaos by Mike Hutchinson on Kickstarter 44:15 Endless Winter expansion crowdfunding soon 44:28 Rebel Princess: Happily Ever After 44:44 Feature Game: SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (Tomáš Holek, Czech Games Edition, 2024) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our upcoming convention, July 25th-27th 2025, is in its planning stages! We have a venue but nothing much else yet. Not even a name! Suggestions welcome. Mark quite likes So Very Wrong About Games Fun Times Good Vibes Only Trans Rights Are Human Rights Boardgame Jamboree, but he worries that it might be too pithy. Few things are off the table! Special guests? Maybe! Fabulous prizes? Well, prizes, definitely. More like obligatory prizes. 03:08 AYURIS: Undaunted: Battle of Britain (Trevor Benjamin and David Thompson, Osprey Games, 2023) Games Played Last Week: 04:49 -Malediction (Leo Cunha, Nicole Lobo, and Daniel Pettersen de Lucena, Loot Studios, 2025) 12:09 -Slay the Spire: The Board Game (Gary Dworetsky, Anthony Giovannetti, and Casey Yano, Contention Games, 2024) 13:43 -Lone Wolves (Yasuyuki Nakamura, Wonderful World Board Games, 2024) 18:51 -Massive Darkness 2: Hellscape (Alex Olteanu & Marco Portugal, CMON, 2022) 24:01 -Critter Kitchen (Alex Cutler & Peter C. Hayward, Carboard Alchemy, 2025) 27:59 -Coloretto (Michael Schacht, ABACUSSPIELE, 2003) 29:26 -The White Castle: Matcha (Israel Cendrero & Sheila Santos, Devir Games, 2024) 32:56 -Planet Unknown: Supermoon (Ryan Lambert & Adam Rehberg, Adam's Apple Games, 2024) News (and why it doesn't matter): 38:59 Bullet big box 40:03 Benjamin Sperling Persuasion roll and write on Kickstarter 40:32 Champions of Midgard 10th Anniversary Edition 41:15 SVWWAG Convention! July 25th, 26th, 27th. Details to follow! 42:21 Topic: How Expansions Can Fail Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you can choose to be the regular version or the spicy version, you obviously choose the spicy version. I mean, sure, the capsaicin may sting, but one assumes that the canonical version is caliente. Put another way, would you prefer "SVWAG" or "SVWAG en fuego?" The choice is clear. It is a corollary of sorts to Winston Zeddemore axiom that when someone asks you if you are a god, you say yes. Games Played Last Week: 01:33 -Under Our Sun (Maximilian Lichtner and David Poluda, tabletopper games, 2024) 06:05 -Cosmic Frog (Jenna Felli, Devious Weasel Games, 2020) 09:34 -Ankh: Gods of Egypt (Eric M. Lang, CMON, 2021) 14:20 -Trio (Kaya Miyano, Cocktail Games, 2021) 17:17 -Don't L.L.A.M.A. Dice (Reiner Knizia, AMIGO, 2021) 18:58 -Slay the Spire: The Board Game (Gary Dworetsky, Anthony Giovannetti, and Casey Yano, Contention Games, 2024) 21:02 -The Vale of Eternity: Artifacts (Eric Hong and Mathieu Rivero, Mandoo Games, 2024) News (and why it doesn't matter): 25:06 If you know of games lost in the L.A. fires, let us know! 26:28 Topic: Year in Review 2024 27:43 Walker and Mark's Personal Top 10s 48:50 2024 SVWAG Game of the Year 52:24 Special Categories Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"Robert! This here is velvet--not velveteen. A gentleman must learn the difference." -Gilbert Fontaine de la Tour D'Haute Rive Games Played Last Week: 01:53 -Fishing (Friedemann Friese, 2F-Spiele, 2024) 08:04 -Revive (Helge Meissner, Eilif Svensson, Anna Wermlund, and Kristian Amundsen Østby, Aporta Games, 2022) 10:46 -SCOUT (Kei Kajino, Oink Games, 2019) 14:33 -MLEM: Space Agency (Reiner Knizia, Rebel Studio, 2024) 16:53 -Unconscious Mind (Laskas, Jonny Pac, Yoma, and Antonio Zax, Fantasia Games, 2024) 20:10 -SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (Laskas, Jonny Pac, Yoma, and Antonio Zax, Czech Games Edition, 2024) 28:27 -Kollide (Uncredited, Relatable, 2024) 31:12 -Gun It (Randy O'Connor, Randy O Games, 2024) 35:14 -Harmonies (Johan Benvenuto, Libellud, 2024) 38:08 -Gudnak (Timothy S. O'Brien and Ian Oliver, Chaotic Great, 2024) 42:19 -Good Puppers (Chris Cieslik, Asmadi Games, 2021) News (and why it doesn't matter): 44:20 The System Works: BGG improved plague counters, Rise & Fall replacement part 45:50 Please support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/svwag 46:05 If you or someone you know has lost games in the West Coast fires, please reach out 47:05 Feature Game: Thunder Road: Vendetta--Maximum Chrome (Dave Chalker, Noah Cohen, Rob Daviau, Justin D. Jacobson, Brett Myers, and Brian Neff, Restoration Games, 2023) Thunder Road: Vendetta--Carnival of Chaos (Noah Cohen, Rob Daviau, Justin D. Jacobson, and Brian Neff, Restoration Games, 2024) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The editorial department of So Very Wrong About Games has several sub-divisions, and admittedly the orgchart gets a bit baroque at this point. The rules errors office is technically a sub-branch of the fact checking desk, but it is funded out of the game design sub-budget. This muddies the line of accountability, and as anyone who works with gibbons can tell you, this is not ideal. 03:53 AYURIS: Lacrimosa (Gerard Ascendi and Ferran Renalias, Devir, 2022) Games Played Last Week: 05:20 -Endeavor: Deep Sea (Carl de Visser and Jarratt Gray, Burnt Island Games, 2024) 08:30 -Hanabi (Antoine Bauza, ABACUSSPIELE, 2010) 13:55 -Thor (Reiner Knizia, Heidelberger Spieleverlag, 2002) 16:39 -Quin (Brian Rooney and Taeleen Woodard, Arch & Gravity Publishing, 2024) 21:12 -Hamster Roll (Jacques Zeimet, Zoch Verlag, 2000) 24:33 -Gun It (Randy O'Connor, Randy O Games, 2024) 30:20 -Spirits of the Forest (Michael Schacht, ThunderGryph Games, 2018) News (and why it doesn't matter): 33:44 Project K: The League of Legends Trading Card Game 35:42 Dragons Down: Natives and Legends on Kickstarter 36:26 Assault on Doomrock: Party Hard expansion soon on crowdfunding 37:11 Gamers in need after Los Angeles fires: https://www.gofundme.com/f/our-home-is-gone-we-need-your-help 38:11 Topic: Only at Certain Player Counts Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It has come to our attention that there has been a great deficiency in SVWAG through the years, namely our shameful neglect of the French language. The sheer Gaul! Games Played Last Week: 01:34 -The Isle of Cats Duel (Frank West, The City of Games, 2024) 04:28 -Res Arcana: Lux et Tenebrae (Thomas Lehman, Sand Castle Games, 2019) 08:00 -Worldspanner Factions (Brett G. Murrell, Worldspanner, 2024) 17:44 -The Crew: Mission Deep Sea (Thomas Sing, KOSMOS, 2021) 20:30 -Atiwa (Uwe Rosenberg, Lookout Games, 2022) 23:33 -My Favorite Things (Daiki [Nilgiri] Aoyama and Pepe_R, Play for Keeps, 2015) 31:03 Endeavor: Deep Sea (Carl de Visser and Jarratt Gray, Burnt Island Games, 2024) 37:35 -Through the Desert (Reiner Knizia, Allplay, 2024) 39:39 -Dro Polter (Paul Schulz, Oink Games, 2023) News (and why it doesn't matter): 41:34 Fort Circle Games' First Monday in October by Talia Rosen available for pre-order 42:28 Stranger Things Risk...? 43:10 APE Games to reprint Whale Riders 43:38 Kasper Lapp's Our Secret Society 44:04 Formaggio, expandalone to... 44:18 Feature Game: Fromage (Matthew O'Malley and Ben Rosset, Road to Infamy Games, 2024) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trust the launcher. 01:28 AYURIS: Darwin’s Journey (Simone Luciani and Nestore Mangone, ThunderGryph Games, 2023) Games Played Last Week: 03:49 -Iron Forest (Brian Gomez, Brain Games, 2024) 10:22 -Slide Quest (Nicolas Bourgoin & Jean-François Rochas, Blue Orange, 2019) 14:00 -The Gang (John Cooper and Kory Heath, KOSMOS, 2024) 17:08 -Harmonies (Johan Benvenuto, Libellud, 2024) 19:23 -Set a Watch (Mike Gnade and Todd Walsh, Rock Manor Games, 2019) 23:12 -Endeavor: Age of Expansion (Jarratt Gray, Burnt Island Games, 2020) 28:05 -Windmill Valley (Dani Garcia, Board&Dice, 2024) News (and why it doesn't matter): 32:35 It's already Lunar New Year 33:33 From Fortress America to 2045, Walker makes associations 37:21 Second Zenobia Award winner: The Porters, by Lucas Cockburn, Neco Cockburn, and Alex Goss about unionization of black Canadian rail workers 38:57 Topic: Sheep in Wolves' Clothing Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Walker's glorious return portends a bumper crop of games to discuss, so we will forego a feature game or topic this week in favour of a deluge. 02:11 AYURIS: Stationfall (Matt Eklund, Ion Game Design, 2023) Games Played Last Week: 07:08 -Tiny Mini Golf (Kamis Kamiński, Self-published, 2023) 12:46 -Green Team Wins (Nathan Thornton, 25th Century Games, 2022) 15:33 -Flip 7 (Eric Olsen, The Op Games, 2024) 18:08 -The LOOP (Maxime Rambourg and Théo Rivière, Pandasaurus Games, 2020) 20:20 -Civolution (Stefan Feld, Deep Print Games, 2024) 24:26 -Iron Forest (Brian Gomez, Brain Games, 2024) 27:20 -Windmill Valley (Dani Garcia, Board&Dice, 2024) 28:44 -Dragons Down (Scott DeMers, Mr. B Games, 2024) 36:05 -The White Castle: Matcha (Israel Cendrero & Sheila Santos, Devir Games, 2024) 37:43 -Black Forest (Tido Lorenz and Uwe Rosenberg, Feuerland Spiele, 2024) 40:26 -Dead Cells: The Rogue-Lite Board Game (Antoine Bauza, Corentin Lebrat, Ludovic Maublanc, and Théo Rivière, Scorpion Masqué, 2024) 47:44 -Tidal Blades 2: Rise of the Unfolders (Tim Eisner and Ben Eisner, Druid City Games, 2024) News (and why it doesn't matter): 51:48 Red Tank media literacy: ask what elements of con hauls were purchased 53:43 Green Team Wins Holiday Party Pack Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In addition to having to struggle with new hardware on account of gravity murdering his tablet of 10+ years, we now must try to adjust to capturing the sweet, sonorous tones of the elusive Jimbo. It's hard to get audio levels right when the mic's compressor itself swoons from sheer bliss. 02:43 AYURIS: Revive (Helge Meissner, Eilif Svensson, Anna Wermlund, and Kristian Amundsen Østby, Aporta Games, 2022) Games Played Last Week: 06:28 -Civolution (Stefan Feld, Deep Print Games, 2024) 19:45 -Race for the Galaxy (Thomas Lehmann, Rio Grande Games, 2007) 25:22 -Don't L.L.A.M.A. Dice (Reiner Knizia, AMIGO, 2021) 27:56 -Windmill Valley (Dani Garcia, Board&Dice, 2024) 30:32 -The Isle of Cats Duel (Frank West, The City of Games, 2024) 34:22 -The White Castle: Matcha (Israel Cendrero & Sheila Santos, Devir Games, 2024) 37:01 -Battalion: War of the Ancients (Paolo Mori and Francesco Sirocchi, Osprey, 2024) 43:11 -Spirit Island (R. Eric Reuss, Greater Than Games, 2017) News (and why it doesn't matter): 45:31 Please support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/svwag 46:00 New content for Snap Ships Tactics! 46:52 Behold: Rome is on The Game Crafter 47:15 Persuasion by Xoe Allred Hollandspiele (PAX Unplugged) 48:11 Topic: Frustration with Randomness Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're trying this YouTube thing in earnest, now, doing the video podcasting thing. This is our inaugural attempt at plastering our mugs on the internet in a podcast form. You have to be where your audience is, and also, Mark hopes that a link to a video can serve in lieu of his having to travel to see anyone ever again. https://www.youtube.com/@SoVeryWrongAboutGames Games Played Last Week: 01:08 -This Is Not a Test: Post-Apocalyptic Skirmish Rules (Joseph McGuire, Worlds End Publishing, 2013) 05:17 -The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-earth (Antoine Bauza & Bruno Cathala, Repos Production, 2024) 11:13 -Iron Forest (Brian Gomez, Brain Games, 2024) 16:55 -Trudvang Legends (Jordy Adan, Fel Barros, Guilherme Goulart, Eric M. Lang, Marco Maggi, Francesco Nepitello, Umberto Pignatelli, & Fabio Tola, 2022) 20:38 -The Gang (John Cooper and Kory Heath, KOSMOS, 2024) 23:31 -Wonderland's War (Tim Eisner, Ben Eisner, & Ian Moss, Druid City Games, 2022) 26:33 -SCOUT (Kei Kajino, Oink Games, 2019) 28:49 -Fromage (Matthew O'Malley and Ben Rosset, Road to Infamy Games, 2024) News (and why it doesn't matter): 33:05 Witcher 3's card game Gwent getting a physical version from No Loading Games 34:57 Hachette distributing MicroMacro Crime City in North America 35:19 Reiner Knizia's Ape Town from Piatnik 36:22 Shut Up & Sit Down form "Strategic Partnership" with Play to Z Games 37:35 Feature Game: D.E.I.: Divide et Impera (Tommaso Battista, Ludus Magnus Studio, 2022) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

All of our musical references are at least a decade out of date, even when we attempt to reference contemporary artists--I must assume, because Mark knows her name, that no one listens to Billie Eilish anymore. We think Drake is suing Kendrick Lamar over claims he plagiarized a board game design, but the details elude us. 01:43 AYURIS: Gatefall (Jack Dire, Jack Dire Studios, 2020) Games Played Last Week: 05:09 -The Gang (John Cooper and Kory Heath, KOSMOS, 2024) 07:45 -Jekyll & Hyde vs Scotland Yard (Gaëtan Beaujannot, Olivier Cipière, and Geonil, Mandoo Games, 2023) 11:28 -Chronicles of Avel (Przemek Wojtkowiak, Rebel Studio, 2021) 13:49 -Han (Michael Schacht, ABACUSSPIELE, 2014) 16:12 -Splendor Duel (Marc André and Bruno Cathala, Space Cowboys, 2022) 18:41 -Battalion: War of the Ancients (Paolo Mori and Francesco Sirocchi, Osprey, 2024) 23:23 -Rats of Wistar (Simone Luciani and Danilo Sabia, Cranio Creations, 2023) 25:12 -Galactic Renaissance Expansion: 5th Player (Christian Martinez, Matagot, 2024) 30:20 -Hallertau (Uwe Rosenberg, Lookout Games, 2020) News (and why it doesn't matter): 34:30 Tales of the Arabian Nights 40th Anniversary Edition 35:11 Powerboats ripped off by Rebellion's Joyride? In any case, cite your work! 38:44 Topic: Tempo Control Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When you are obliged to cite your sources is a fraught question, full of nuance. Even in academia there is some disagreement as to when yo quote, when to paraphrase, and when simply to assume common knowledge. Like the preceding sentence, for example--I assume it is common knowledge not requiring a citation, but then again maybe not, and were I using footnotes here I would comment on the absurdity of citations in episode notes (to say nothing of footnoting episode notes). And don't get me started on ibid, supra, and all their blighted ilk! Safer, I think, just not to ever read anything, and thus one's incoherent nonsense is indisputably one's own. Games Played Last Week: 01:20 -Versailles 1919 (Geoff Engelstein & Mark Herman, GMT Games, 2020) 12:33 -Mass Effect: The Board Game - Priority: Hagalaz (Eric M. Lang and Calvin Wong Tze Loon, Modiphius Entertainment, 2024) 16:11 -Fromage (Matthew O'Malley and Ben Rosset, Road to Infamy Games, 2024) 24:56 -Behold: Rome (Joe Klipfel, Mythfield Games, 2024) 28:34 -Karvi (Torgei Tjong, Hans im Glück, 2023) 30:44 -Revive (Helge Meissner, Eilif Svensson, Anna Wermlund, and Kristian Amundsen Østby, Aporta Games, 2022) 35:07 -Castle Combo (Grégory Grard and Mathieu Roussel, Catch Up Games, 2024) News (and why it doesn't matter): 36:04 Fateforge: Chronicles of Kaan re-print and new campaign on crowdfunding 37:06 Sad passing of Kory Heath, designer of Zendo and co-designer of The Gang 38:44 Join us on Bluesky! https://bsky.app/profile/sowronggames.bsky.social 39:13 Feature Game: The Fellowship of the Ring: Trick-Taking Game (Bryan Bormueller, Office Dog, 2025) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apparently there were scrapped plans for the Gorn (the lumbering rubber lizard suit dude Kirk fights in that famous episode) to show up in other Star Trek properties. One plan had a Gorn show up as Worf's guest to Riker's bachelor party in Nemesis, and frankly despite how awful those latter movies were I would have been all over that. I can only imagine that the plan was abandoned when the props department couldn't get a styrofoam cocktail to look right. 01:42 AYURIS: The Wolves (Ashwain Kamath and Clarence Simpson, Pandasaurus Games, 2022) Games Played Last Week: 03:49 -Tidal Blades 2: Rise of the Unfolders (Tim Eisner and Ben Eisner, Druid City Games, 2024) 10:28 -Mass Effect: The Board Game - Priority: Hagalaz (Eric M. Lang and Calvin Wong Tze Loon, Modiphius Entertainment, 2024) 16:15 -The LOOP (Maxime Rambourg and Théo Rivière, Pandasaurus Games, 2020) 20:57 -Cryo (Tom Jolly & Luke Laurie, Z-Man Games, 2021) 24:37 -Flip 7 (Eric Olsen, The Op Games, 2024) 26:23 -Rebel Princess (Daniel Byrne, José Gerardo Guerrero, Kevin Peláez, and Tirso Virgós, Zombi Paella, 2023) 31:05 -Tiny Laser Heist (Evan Katz and Josh Roberts, Evan and Josh's Very Special Games Company, 2024) 37:54 -D.E.I.: Divide et Impera (Tommaso Battista, Ludus Magnus Studio, 2022) 44:42 -Modern Art (Reiner Knizia, CMON, 2017) News (and why it doesn't matter): 48:13 Please support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/svwag 49:15 Ingenious goes vertical: Einfach Genial 3D 49:58 Clans of Caledonia's long-awaited expansion: Industria 51:26 Star Trek Ascendancy: The Gorn! 52:41 Topic: Opening the Box Downers Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Thrill to the latest superhero epic, "X-Men: Layover in Dulles." When the Blackbird is grounded due to an unexplained indicator light (meddling from the sinister Magneto? Who can say?!?!), the elite group of heroic mutants must navigate the perils of terminal D. Wolverine is having problems with the metal detectors again, which is troublesome as he is smuggling Cuban cigars. Rogue must battle the temptation of the 15-minute massage station. Panera bread keeps getting Cyclops' order wrong. It's epic, it's exciting, it's eight hours long! 01:42 AYURIS: The Great Wall (Kamil 'Sanex' Cieśla, Robert Plesowicz, & Łukasz Włodarczyk, Awaken Realms, 2021) Games Played Last Week: 04:43 -Don't Rock the Croc (Uncredited, FoxMind, Unknown) 07:52 -War Story: Occupied France (Dave Neale and David Thompson, Osprey Games, 2024) 13:20 -Barcelona: Passeig de Gràcia (Dani Garcia, Board&Dice, 2024) 20:27 -Mass Effect: The Board Game - Priority: Hagalaz (Eric M. Lang and Calvin Wong Tze Loon, Modiphius Entertainment, 2024) 27:04 -Freedom Five: A Sentinel Comics Board Game (Richard Launius, Adam Sadler, and Brady Sadler, Arcane Wonders, 2024) 32:13 Behold: Rome (Joe Klipfel, Mythfield Games, 2024) 36:40 -Rebel Princess (Daniel Byrne, José Gerardo Guerrero, Kevin Peláez, and Tirso Virgós, Zombi Paella, 2023) 39:00 -Seers Catalog (Taylor Reiner, Bézier Games, 2024) 40:35 -The Gang (John Cooper and Kory Heath, KOSMOS, 2024) 45:00 -Flip 7 (Eric Olsen, The Op Games, 2024) 49:31 -Scholars of the South Tigris (S J Macdonald and Shem Phillips, Garphill Games, 2023) 53:10 -Dogs of War (Paolo Mori, CMON, 2014) 57:33 -Crossbows & Catapults: Fortress War (Stephen Baker, Noah Cohen, Rob Daviau, Justin D. Jacobson, and Brian Neff, Restoration Games, 2024) 1:03:50 -Catapult Feud (Kristian Fosh, Vesuvius Media, 2021) 1:07:23 -51st State: Ultimate Edition (Ignacy Trzewiczek, Portal Games, 2023) 1:08:54 -Ceres (Gustaf Sundström, Artipia Games, 2023) 1:10:02 -Last Aurora (Mauro Chiabotto, Pendragon Game Studio, 2020) News (and why it doesn't matter): 1:12:32 Barony Royal Edition on Kickstarter 1:13:59 Smurfs Roleplaying Games 1:14:16 Reiner Knizia anthropomorphic animals: Money and Nyakuza 1:15:29 Zeo Genesis scalable miniatures games from OG Games Workshp designers 1:16:25 Planepita: dexterity with magnets! 1:17:01 Keep the Heroes Out! digital version delayed, Russian contract confusion Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Walker: But, indeed, sir, we make holiday, to see Freedom Five and to rejoice in its triumph. Mark: Wherefore rejoice? What delight brings it home? What enjoyment follows it to the table, To grace in fun times its board presence? You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things! Games Played Last Week: 01:08 -Freedom Five: A Sentinel Comics Board Game (Richard Launius, Adam Sadler, and Brady Sadler, Arcane Wonders, 2024) 10:51 -Things in Rings (Peter C. Hayward, Allplay, 2024) 13:46 -City of the Six Moons (Amabel Holland, Hollandspiele, 2024) 19:56 -Lost Cities: Rivals (Reiner Knizia, KOSMOS, 2018) 22:58 -Through Ice and Snow (Fernando Eduardo Sánchez, 2Tomatoes Games, 2024) 29:54 -Don't L.L.A.M.A. Dice (Reiner Knizia, AMIGO, 2021) 32:24 -Cockroach Poker (Jacques Zeimet, Drei Magier Spiele, 2004) 37:03 -The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-earth (Antoine Bauza & Bruno Cathala, Repos Production, 2024) 39:42 -Harmonies (Johan Benvenuto, Libellud, 2024) News (and why it doesn't matter): 40:18 Twilight Struggle 20th Anniversary Hall of Fame Edition 41:25 Richard Garfield and CMYK revamp Magical Athlete 42:19 Tons of upcoming Devir releases 44:49 Amazing hidden movement: Burned is back on Kickstarter 45:31 Feature Game: EGO (Reiner Knizia, Bitewing Games, 2025) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

An auspicious palindrome of an episode number! Granted, in triple digits one encounters a palindrome every ten episodes or so, but I'm sure the numerologists amongst us have special enthusiasm for the mighty TRIP THREE. I mean, primes, and threes, and all that. Anyway, it'll be a minute until we reach episode TRIP FOUR, so let's savour this while we can. 01:10 AYURIS: Mille Fiori (Reiner Knizia, Schmidt Spiele, 2021) Games Played Last Week: 04:06 -Lunar Rush (Steven "Skippy" Brown, Dead Alive Games, 2023) 08:53 -Dragons Down (Scott DeMers, Mr. B Games, 2024) 16:20 -Things in Rings (Peter C. Hayward, Allplay, 2024) 26:00 -EGO (Reiner Knizia, Bitewing Games, 2025) 33:37 -Keep the Heroes Out!: Boss Battles (Luís Brueh, Brueh Games, 2024) 37:20 -Mexica (Michael Kiesling & Wolfgang Kramer, Rio Grande Games, 2002) 40:22 -Avatar: The Last Airbender--Aang's Destiny (Patrick Marino, The OP Games, 2024) 43:47 -Formula D (Laurent Lavaur & Eric Randall, Asmodee, 2008) 45:18 -Aquatica: Coral Reefs (Ivan Tuzovsky, Arcane Wonders, 2024) News (and why it doesn't matter): 50:22 Risk 2210 A.D.: Frontline expansion 51:49 New version of Diplomacy: Era of Empire 52:42 Axis & Allies: Battle for the Deep 53:41 Trilogy of Bitewing Knizia games: SILOS, EGO, and ORBIT 55:20 It's time for another Mission: Red Planet reprint 55:49 Join us in celebrating Arkhipov Day on October 27th 56:08 Topic: Expectations in Crowdfunding Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Once again, a primer on some of the differences between the US and Canada. We Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving in early October, in honour of our second governor general, the Right Honourable October G. Thanksington. Rather than turkey and football, we do latkes and rugby. Games Played Last Week: 00:55 -Black Forest (Tido Lorenz and Uwe Rosenberg, Feuerland Spiele, 2024) 09:36 -Bargain Hunter (Uwe Rosenberg, Valley Games, 1998) 12:21 -Unreliable Wizard (Kamibayashi, Salt & Pepper Games, 2024) 15:25 -Space Alert (Vlaada Chvátil, Czech Games Edition, 2008) 20:21 -Wabash Cannonball (John Bohrer, Rio Grande Games, 2023) 25:28 -Quartermaster General: 1914 (Second Edition) (Ian Brody, Ares Games, 2022) 29:20 -Lunar Rush (Steven "Skippy" Brown, Dead Alive Games, 2023) 32:51 -Cross Clues (Grégory Grard, Blue Orange Games, 2020) 35:46 -Avatar: The Last Airbender--Aang's Destiny (Patrick Marino, The OP Games, 2024) News (and why it doesn't matter): 40:26 The Waste of Parts: a post-apocalyptic journey 42:09 Join us in celebrating Arkhipov Day on October 27th 42:19 Talisman Alliances: Fate Beckons. Co-op Talisman? 43:19 Feature Game: Undaunted 2200: Callisto (Trevor Benjamin and David Thompson, Osprey, 2024) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It is October, the month of Fat Bear Week, Decorative Gourd Season, Halloween, and Arkhipov Day! Sure, it has less candy than some of those other celebrations, but I'll wager neither a corpulent bear nor a kid dressed as a pirate has ever saved the entire human race. 01:00 AYURIS: IKI (Koota Yamada, Sorry We Are French, 2015) Games Played Last Week: 03:38 -Valka (Brooke Penrose, Terrible Games, 2024) 07:16 -Bus (Jeroen Doumen and Joris Wiersinga, Capstone Games, 2019) 09:47 -Warpgate: Beyond (Artyom Nichipurov, Wolff Designa, 2022) 12:33 -Dinosaur World (Brian Lewis, David McGregor, & Marissa Misura, Pandasaurus Games, 2021) 16:02 -SCOUT (Kei Kajino, Oink Games, 2019) 18:18 -Jekyll & Hyde vs Scotland Yard (Gaëtan Beaujannot, Olivier Cipière, and Geonil, Mandoo Games, 2023) 20:11 -Cthulhu: Death May Die--Fear of the Unknown (Rob Daviau, Eric M. Lang, and Marco Portugal, CMON, 2024) 22:57 -Set a Watch (Mike Gnade and Todd Walsh, Rock Manor Games, 2019) 25:04 -Hamster Roll (Jacques Zeimet, Zoch Verlag, 2000) 27:02 -Federation (Dimitri Perrier and Matthieu Verdier, Explor8, 2022) 28:22 -R (Seiji Kanai, Kanai Factory, 2011) 31:03 -Lost Cities: The Board Game (Reiner Knizia, Rio Grande, 2008) 35:21 -Vengeance: Roll & Fight (Gordon Calleja, Noralie Lubbers, & Dávid Turczi, Mighty Boards, 2022) News (and why it doesn't matter): 38:57 Friedemann Friese's Fishing: trick-taking 39:37 Mac Gerdts' 7 Empires 40:40 Reiner Knizia's Cosmolancer: Kingdoms, again 41:48 Burned relaunches on crowdfunding October 23 from Jon Moffat and Stone Circle Games 42:15 Daniele Tascini's Transgalactica 42:29 Chonkers Party: phat animals 42:50 Walker on Boards and Brews 43:14 Join us in celebrating Arkhipov Day on October 27th 44:22 Topic: Our Favourite Factions Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Generally we here at SVWAG prefer sci-fi to fantasy, especially if it is of the general sort. There is something joyous about the weird flights of fancy that sci-fi can enable, such as Andromeda's Edge with its "Jelluloid Technoblorps." That said, there's something particularly odious about importing generic fantasy into your sci-fi, like space dwarves and space dragons--something Andromeda's Edge also does. Call it a wash. Games Played Last Week: 01:01 -Harmonies (Johan Benvenuto, Libellud, 2024) 02:14 -Dro Polter (Paul Schulz, Oink Games, 2023) 05:56 -Rise and Fall (Christophe Boelinger, Ludically, 2024) 11:26 -Planet Unknown (Ryan Lambert & Adam Rehberg, Adam's Apple Games, 2022) 16:27 -Undaunted 2200: Callisto (Trevor Benjamin and David Thompson, Osprey, 2024) 18:18 -Irish Gauge (Amabel Holland, Capstone Games, 2019) 22:25 -Jekyll vs. Hyde (Geonil, Mandoo Games, 2021) 26:42 -Through the Desert (Reiner Knizia, Allplay, 2024) 31:43 -Cthulhu: Death May Die--Fear of the Unknown (Rob Daviau, Eric M. Lang, and Marco Portugal, CMON, 2024) News (and why it doesn't matter): 37:15 From the Voidfall universe Mindclash brings us Revenant by Allan Kirkeby 39:28 Renegade reprints Acquire 41:03 Please support us on Patreon and take our games! www.patreon.com/svwag 41:53 Feature Game: Andromeda's Edge (Luke Laurie and Maximus Laurie, Cardboard Alchemy, 2024) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you replayed all the published SVWAG episodes back-back, it would take over 355 hours, or almost 15 days. This is not necessarily how we would recommend you spend your time. Indeed, for our purposes, we are equally wrong regardless of whether anyone is there to hear it; while we sometimes engage with Western philosophy due to Mark's academic background, the realm of the koan is beyond our purview. Long story short, feel free to re-download all our episodes to your heart's content. I'm sure it would help us with some algorithm somewhere. 01:41 AYURIS: Autobahn (Fabio Lopiano and Nestore Mangone, Alley Cat Games, 2022) Games Played Last Week: 05:06 -Harmonies (Johan Benvenuto, Libellud, 2024) 11:30 -Valka (Brooke Penrose, Terrible Games, 2024) 17:01 -Keep the Heroes Out!: Boss Battles (Luís Brueh, Brueh Games, 2024) 21:43 -Undaunted 2200: Callisto (Trevor Benjamin and David Thompson, Osprey, 2024) 29:36 -CATAN: Starfarers Duel (Klaus Teuber and Benjamin Teuber, KOSMOS, 2023) 33:38 -Rise and Fall (Christophe Boelinger, Ludically, 2024) 40:54 -Martian Dice (Scott Almes, Tasty Minstrel Games, 2011) News (and why it doesn't matter): 42:20 International Gamers Awards announce their 2024 winners 43:18 German wooden monstrosity: Drachentreppe 44:59 David Thompson and Trevor Benjamin Line of Fire: Burnt Moon; in the Undaunted 2200 setting 46:12 Topic: Replayability Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I find so many mnemonics to be profoundly disappointing. Unless there's a structural element to tie the components together, a mnemonic will not serve to dispositively disambiguate a dyad. I assure you, that lamentable bit of alliteration was unintentional. For example, "I before E except after C" also works qua slogan as "I after E except before C." There are the ones about beer and liquor, feeding or starving a cold, colour of the sky and sailors' states of mind... I recall the structure, but not which one goes with which. Relatedly, is there a mnemonic to remember how to spell mnemonic? Games Played Last Week: 02:27 -The Voyages of Marco Polo (Simone Luciani & Daniele Tascini, Hans im Gluck, 2015) 04:52 -Pulsar 2849 (Vladimír Suchý, CGE, 2017) 07:29 -Faiyum (Friedemann Friese, 2F-Spiele, 2020) 12:01 -MicroMacro: Crime City--All In (Johannes Sich, Edition Spielwiese, 2022) 14:45 -Who's the Banana? (Chris Cieslik, Asmadi Games, 2009) 17:07 -Rats of Wistar (Simone Luciani and Danilo Sabia, Cranio Creations, 2023) 19:29 -Raccoon Tycoon (Glenn Drover, Forbidden Games, 2018) 22:05 -Yokohama Roll & Write (Hisashi Hayashi, OKAZU Brand, 2021) 24:29 -Gods Love Dinosaurs (Kasper Lapp, Pandasaurus Games, 2020) 27:05 -Harmonies (Johan Benvenuto, Libellud, 2024) 29:49 -Ratyl (Andy Gallagher, Busy Dad Games, 2023) News (and why it doesn't matter): 33:51 Monopoly goes to Flavortown 34:38 Zheng He by Greg Engelstein and David Thompson on GMT's P500 35:47 Cyberpunk 2077: more promising-looking than CMON's offering 39:46 Beyond the Horizon: Dennis K. Chan, Adam Hill, Ben Pinchback, Matt Riddle 41:20 Studio Ghibli Othello/Reversi sets: https://boardgamegeek.com/image/8405167/othello 43:20 Feature Game: The Vale of Eternity (Eric Hong, Mandoo Games, 2023) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Solidarity, dear listeners, on this most august September Labour Day. Of course, Labour Day is the labour holiday invented for the US and Canada so as to undermine global solidarity. Nearly everywhere else celebrates International Workers' Day instead. One must marvel at the ingenuity of inventing Labour Day so as to undermine global labour solidarity. 02:29 AYURIS: Rolling Heights (John D. Clair, AEG, 2023) Games Played Last Week: 06:59 -Harmonies (Johan Benvenuto, Libellud, 2024) 09:49 -Flowerfall (Carl Chudyk, Asmadi Games, 2012) 11:51 -MicroMacro: Crime City--All In (Johannes Sich, Edition Spielwiese, 2022) 12:29 -Who's the Banana? (Chris Cieslik, Asmadi Games, 2009) 14:52 -Dodo (Frank Bebenroth and Marco Teubner, MOSMOS, 2020) 19:00 -Life in Reterra (Ken Gruhl and Eric M. Lang, Hasbro, 2024) 21:48 -Windmill Valley (Dani Garcia, Board&Dice, 2024) 25:12 -Ra (Reiner Knizia, alea, 1999) 28:28 -River of Gold (Keith Piggott, Office Dog, 2024) 33:06 -Spectral (Ryan Courtney, Bitewing Games, 2024) 37:07 -Bargain Hunter (Uwe Rosenberg, Valley Games, 1998) 41:53 -Fateforge: Chronicles of Kaan (Gordon Calleja, Mighty Boards, 2024) 45:15 -Heat: Pedal to the Metal (Asger Harding Granerud and Daniel Skjold Pedersen, Days of Wonder, 2022) News (and why it doesn't matter): 47:18 Kronologic series: Paris 1920, Cuzco 1450, and Babylon 2500 48:15 Topic: Game Mastery Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some important editorial notes! -the game walker mentioned is Völuspá, and no we don't know what work those accents are doing; -SVWAG does not engage in the eating of seal meat (no one's thought to offer, really); -we hope that Undaunted 2200: Callisto will follow in Battle of Britain's excellent example of having a badass Sikh pilot. Games Played Last Week: 01:02 -Nocturne (David Iezzi, Flatout Games, 2024) 03:24 -Cosmic Encounter (Bill Eberle, Jack Kittredge, Bill Norton, Peter Olotka, and Kevin Wilson, Fantasy Flight, 2008) 12:20 -Spectral (Ryan Courtney, Bitewing Games, 2024) 15:13 -The Edge: Dawnfall (Michał Oracz, Krzysztof Piskorski, and Marcin Świerkot, Awaken Realms, 2018) 22:20 -Darwin’s Journey (Simone Luciani and Nestore Mangone, ThunderGryph Games, 2023) 24:50 -Life in Reterra (Ken Gruhl and Eric M. Lang, Hasbro, 2024) 28:06 -Undaunted: Battle of Britain (Trevor Benjamin and David Thompson, Osprey Games, 2023) News (and why it doesn't matter): 34:55 English Sakura Arms now owned by Japanime Games; third time's the charm? 37:03 Res Arcana Duo expandalone 37:48 Natera: New Beginning: cute and only somewhat anthropomorphic 38:53 Lords of Heaven from PHALANX: Crusades revisionism or culturally sensitive? 40:55 Feature Game: Deep Rock Galactic (Ole Steiness, MOOD Publishing, 2022) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The full title of the Spider Lord is Spider the Third, by the Grace of God of the Unfinished Basement, Canada and His other Realms and Territories King, Head of the Subterranean, Defender of the Faith. 01:56 AYURIS: Ginkgopolis (Xavier Georges, Pearl Games, 2012) Games Played Last Week: 05:02 -Knarr (Thomas Dupont, Bombyx, 2023) 08:12 -Primal: The Awakening (Tommaso Mondadori and Alberto Parisi, Reggie Games, 2024) 12:55 -Beowulf: The Legend (Reiner Knizia, KOSMOS, 2005) 19:19 -Pavlov's House (David Thompson, Dan Verssen Games, 2018) 23:26 -Deep Rock Galactic (Ole Steiness, MOOD Publishing, 2022) 24:47 -Capital Lux 2: Generations (Eilif Svensson & Kristian Amundsen Østby, Aporta Games, 2020) 29:17 -Trolls & Princesses (Pim Thunborg, Game Brewer, 2023) 32:21 -Dro Polter (Paul Schulz, Oink Games, 2023) 36:47 -Gnome Hollow (Ammon Anderson, Levity Games, 2024) News (and why it doesn't matter): 42:22 Board Game Arena: Gnome Hollow, Orleans, Darwin's Journey 43:47 Flickering Stars: sci-fi dexterity by Matt Leacock 44:11 French Republican Calendar from Karate Fight Publishing 45:15 Tikal Legendary 46:19 Please consider supporting us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/svwag 46:40 Topic: Collection Organization Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It is Festivus once again here at SVWAG, where we shall once again vent our collective spleen over features of games that irk us. Sometimes we will assert that our umbrage is righteous and ought to be shared, and other times we will concede we are merely motivated by idiosyncratic pique. Our feelings, in either case, shall not be denied. 00:46 AYURIS: Beowulf: The Legend (Reiner Knizia, KOSMOS, 2005) Games Played Last Week: 04:21 -Terminus (Earl Aspiras and Tom Volpe, Inside Up Games, 2024) 08:53 -For Northwood! A Solo Trick-Taking Game (Wilhelm Su, Self-published, 2021) 12:41 -Deep Rock Galactic (Ole Steiness, MOOD Publishing, 2022) 15:15 -Harvest (Trey Chambers, Keymaster Games, 2024) 20:44 -Assault on Doomrock: Ultimate Edition (Tom Stasiak, Beautiful Disaster Games, 2023) 24:46 -Tribune (Karl-Heinz Schmiel, Spielworxx, 2021) 29:18 -Charioteer (Matt Calkins, GMT Games, 2022) News (and why it doesn't matter): 33:59 Peacemakers: Horrors of War, a promising sequel to Dawn of the Peacemakers 35:27 Quartermaster General: South Front 36:37 Valiant Defense: Guadalcanal: The Battle for Henderson Field NOT designed by David Thompson 37:53 Topic: Game Design Pet Peeves Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Who is this Wilmot? What wares is he housing? Few answers are offered. We are merely told, rather imperiously, that we work at his warehouse. Sure, we have weekends off, but on occasion the fickle demiurge Wilmot commands us to speak in monosyllable, or move seats, or hide secrets from our colleagues. One shudders to imagine what terrible fate befalls those foolhardy enough to flout his edicts. Games Played Last Week: 00:41 -Terminus (Earl Aspiras and Tom Volpe, Inside Up Games, 2024) 10:15 -Hour of Need (Adam Sadler & Brady Sadler, Blacklist Games, 2022) 13:40 -Animal Upon Animal (Klaus Miltenberger, HABA, 2005) 14:01 -Ghost Blitz (Jacques Zeimet, Zoch Verlag, 2010) 14:50 -Green Team Wins (Nathan Thornton, 25th Century Games, 2022) 15:45 -Spirit Island: Nature Incarnate (R. Eric Reuss, Greater Than Games, 2023) 21:39 -Robinson Crusoe: Collector's Edition (Joanna Kijanka and Ignacy Trzewiczek, Portal Games, 2024) 28:29 -Slay the Spire: The Board Game (Gary Dworetsky, Anthony Giovannetti, and Casey Yano, Contention Games, 2024) 34:39 -Deep Rock Galactic (Ole Steiness, MOOD Publishing, 2022) 37:04 -Quartermaster General: East Front (Ian Brody, Ares Games, 2023) News (and why it doesn't matter): 44:49 Phil Walker-Harding, Dr. Finn, and Devir Game's Cities 46:15 Feature Game: Wilmot's Warehouse (Ricky Haggett, Richard Hogg, and David King, CMYK, 2024) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We here at SVWAG take pains to differentiate between two conflated ideas. We say "approachable" for rulesets that are easily learned and internalized, reserving the similar-sounding term "accessible" to refer to games that are usable for people with disabilities. Relatedly, MICHAEL WALKER IS BACK. 02:43 AYURIS: Oak (Wim Goossens, Game Brewer, 2022) Games Played Last Week: 04:25 -Friday (Friedemann Friese, 2F-Spiele, 2011) 07:12 -Fast Sloths (Friedemann Friese, 2F-SPiele, 2019) 10:56 -Ghost Blitz Mini (Jacques Zeimet, Zoch Verlag, 2010) 12:11 -For Sale (Stefan Dorra, Uberplay, 1997) 13:52 -Primal: The Awakening (Tommaso Mondadori and Alberto Parisi, Reggie Games, 2024) 18:19 -Corporate America (Teale Fristoe, Nothing Sacred Games, 2013) 23:10 -Guards of Atlantis II (Artyom Nichipurov, Wolff Designa, 2022) 25:57 -Arcs (Cole Wehrle, Leder Games, 2024) 33:00 -Slay the Spire: The Board Game (Gary Dworetsky, Anthony Giovannetti, and Casey Yano, Contention Games, 2024) 35:33 -Combat Commander: Europe (Chad Jensen, GMT, 2006) 40:08 -Marshmallow Test (Reiner Knizia, Gamewright, 2020) 42:06 -Wilmot's Warehouse (Ricky Haggett, Richard Hogg, and David King, CMYK, 2024) News (and why it doesn't matter): 46:31 Until Proven Guilty: cooperative storytelling 46:55 More Root factions: bats and frogs 47:35 Planet of the Apes cooperative miniatures game 48:24 Barrage legendary box 48:38 Great Western Trail El Paso 48:55 Liège of Games is Walker's source of news: https://www.youtube.com/c/Li%C3%A8geofGames/videos 49:13 Unmatched Adventures: TMNT and cross-license games 51:07 Topic: Michael Walker Revolutionizes Physical Therapy Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our guest host this week is the estimable Mark Besada of the Golden Geek Award-winning podcast, Board Game Barrage! Known as the Green Tank because he is more swole than the Hulk (rumours persist that Lou Ferrigno learned all he knew about bodybuilding from Mark), he nonetheless exudes generosity and hospitality. Unless you throw down in Ghost Blitz, that is. Then it's Go Time. Games Played Last Week: 02:31 -Skytear Horde: Monoliths (Giacomo Neri and Riccardo Neri, Skytear Games, 2024) 07:39 -Lords of Scotland (Richard James, Z-Man Games, 2010) 11:27 -Slay the Spire: The Board Game (Gary Dworetsky, Anthony Giovannetti, and Casey Yano, Contention Games, 2024) [EDIT: The "Ironclad" character was erroneously referred to as the Ironborn. We apologize for the error and look forward to your many, many correction emails] 17:11 -Distilled (Dave Beck, Paverson Games, 2023) 21:51 -RelicBlade: Adventure Battle Game (Sean Sutter, Metal King Studio, 2015) 30:23 -Sky Team (Luc Rémond, Le Scorpion Masqué, 2023) 34:05 -Ghost Blitz Mini (Jacques Zeimet, Zoch Verlag, 2010) 39:55 -Arcs (Cole Wehrle, Leder Games, 2024) News (and why it doesn't matter): 46:00 Atlantis Exodus has an "apotheosis track" 47:18 Please support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/svwag 47:36 Feature Game: Captain Flip (Remo Conzadori and Paolo Mori, PlayPunk, 2024) and the Spiel des Jahres 1:18:14 SVWAG Presents Masterpiece Theatre: Ripley Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our next guest host during Michael Walker's recovery is Efka Bladukas, half of No Pun Included! Efka is an internationally-renowned board game critic and dog enthusiast, known for his detestation of whimsy and tireless tolerance of Mark's yammerings. He once split a mountain in twain with his bare hands while simultaneously inventing cold fusion, but he's so humble he'll probably deny it--which is proof positive that it's all true. Games Played Last Week: 01:37 -Captain Flip (Remo Conzadori and Paolo Mori, PlayPunk, 2024) 08:30 -In the Footsteps of Darwin (Grégory Grard and Matthieu Verdier, Sorry We Are French, 2023) 13:31 -It’s a Wonderful World: Corruption & Ascension (Frédéric Guérard, La Boîte de Jeu, 2020) 17:34 -Cascadero (Reiner Knizia, Bitewing Games, 2024) 22:03 -Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Scrawlers--Heroes of Waterdeep (Vangelis Bagiartakis and Konstantinos Karagiannis, WizKids, 2023) 27:27 -Power Vacuum (Kaleb Wentzel-Fisher, Keen Bean Studio, 2024) 39:03 -Leviathan Wilds (Justin Kemppainen, Moon Crab Games, 2024) 43:32 -Primal: The Awakening (Tommaso Mondadori and Alberto Parisi, Reggie Games, 2024) 53:38 -Dune: Imperium (Paul Dennen, Dire Wolf, 2020) News (and why it doesn't matter): 57:55 Walker continues to recover and is doing well 58:32 Leviathan Wilds expansion and reprint soon on Gamefound; uncertainty as to possible fixes 59:22 Flickering Stars by Matt Leacock and Josh Cappel; another sci-fi flicking boardgame 1:00:34 Feature Game: Slay the Spire: The Board Game (Gary Dworetsky, Anthony Giovannetti, and Casey Yano, Contention Games, 2024) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our first guest host while Michael Walker is recovering is James de Moss, aka Jimbo! Many a human being has become lost in the deep recesses of Jimbo's sonorous voice, and thus one must take care lest you become consumed by his powerful charisma. Jimbo brings his extensive experience of digital board games, and board game adaptations, to SVWAG. 02:29 AYURIS: Planet Unknown Games Played Last Week: 06:13 -Skytear Horde: Monoliths (Giacomo Neri and Riccardo Neri, Skytear Games, 2024) 09:32 -Mythwind (Nathan Lige and Brendan McCaskell, Open Owl Studios, 2023) 12:10 -Slay the Spire: The Board Game (Gary Dworetsky, Anthony Giovannetti, and Casey Yano, Contention Games, 2024) 15:07 -Sentinels of the Multiverse (Christopher Badell, Paul Bender, & Adam Rebottaro, Greater Than Games, 2011) 22:50 -Marshmallow Test (Reiner Knizia, Gamewright, 2020) 26:20 -Primal: The Awakening (Tommaso Mondadori and Alberto Parisi, Reggie Games, 2024) 37:33 -Oak (Wim Goossens, Game Brewer, 2022) 39:50 -Gaia Project (Jens Drögemüller & Helge Ostertag, Feuerland Spiele, 2017) News (and why it doesn't matter): 42:50 A sincere thank you for the outpouring of support 43:23 Shapeways has filed for bankruptcy and ceased operations, independent operators left in the lurch 44:40 X-Wing community's efforts in the wake of cessation of official support 47:54 Martin Wallace news: Cthulhu: Dark Providence with Travis Chance, and Casus Belli 49:42 Topic: When to Go Digital Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One of the under-appreciated virtues of an auction game is that each session can provide its own economy. While daunting to new players, who don't know what things might be worth, their flailing speculation actually helps determine what things are worth. If they buy that share of red for a squillion moneys, guess what, that is what that market would bear. At least for now, that is. Some jerk might then get the next share for two cents and a smile, but watching those economies develop differently every time is part of the magic. Games Played Last Week: 01:22 -Snow Planner (Akashi, Soragame Studio, 2024) 04:24 -That's Not a Hat (Kasper Lapp, Ravensburger, 2023) 05:45 -Guards of Atlantis II (Artyom Nichipurov, Wolff Designa, 2022) 10:27 -Iberian Gauge (Amabel Holland, Capstone Games, 2017) 18:17 -Medici (Reiner Knizia, AMIGO, 1995) 23:08 -CATAN: Starfarers Duel (Klaus Teuber and Benjamin Teuber, KOSMOS, 2023) 28:46 -Mythwind (Nathan Lige and Brendan McCaskell, Open Owl Studios, 2023) News (and why it doesn't matter): 31:08 Star Realms 10th Anniversary edition and Star Trek Star Realms 31:41 Satoshi Matsuura illustrates Yield 31:56 Iliad and Ichor from Reiner Knizia and Bitewing on Kickstarter 32:53 Imperial Borders--massive numbers of troops on a massive map from Larry Summers 33:44 Feature Game: Fateforge: Chronicles of Kaan (Gordon Calleja, Mighty Boards, 2024) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While we pride ourselves on our internationalist focus here at SVWAG, we have been remiss in our multilingualism lately. While we reliably rendezvous with French on a semi-regular basis, a skosh of Japanese here and there, a quantum of Latin periodically, and whatever language AYURIS pretends to be, our Spanish could use some work. We thus devote ourselves to utter three whole words of Spanish in this episode. 01:30 AYURIS: Dwellings of Eldervale (Luke Laurie, Breaking Games, 2020) Games Played Last Week: 03:36 -Federation (Dimitri Perrier and Matthieu Verdier, Explor8, 2022) 06:40 -Successors 4th Edition (Richard H. Berg and Mark Simonitch, PHALANX, 2022) 12:10 -Knarr (Thomas Dupont, Bombyx, 2023) 13:13 -TRICKTAKERs (Hiroken, Joyple Games, 2021) [EDIT: Mark mistakenly claimed that there is no English edition, but this is incorrect] 16:40 -Fateforge: Chronicles of Kaan (Gordon Calleja, Mighty Boards, 2024) 22:03 -The Plum Island Horror (Hermann Luttmann, GMT Games, 2023) 26:36 -Sky Team (Luc Rémond, Le Scorpion Masqué, 2023) 28:45 -Slay the Spire: The Board Game (Gary Dworetsky, Anthony Giovannetti, and Casey Yano, Contention Games, 2024) 35:42 -Gaia Project (Jens Drögemüller & Helge Ostertag, Feuerland Spiele, 2017) 37:47 -nana (Kaya Miyano, Mob+, 2021) 40:48 -Murray the A**hole Frog (Jenna Felli, Devious Weasel Games, 2024) 46:04 -Jenga Maker (Uncredited, Hasbro, 2022) 48:32 -Arcs (Cole Wehrle, Leder Games, 2024) News (and why it doesn't matter): 55:33 Game Brewer, publisher of Stroganov, Oak and Gugong, calls it quits 55:51 Star Wars: X-Wing and Armada terminated by Atomic Mass Games 56:56 Hans im Glück starts asserting its ownership of the word "meeple" 57:30 Mike Hutchinson and Planet Smasher Games' possible future products: Perilous Tales/Gaslands XL box sets?, Space Gits merging dexterity and miniatures, and more 59:26 Topic: The 180 Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

All I need to know about animal reproduction I learned from Uwe Rosenberg. I suspect many people have The Talk, which in my case was my father teaching me how to play Agricola. Navigating my twenties in utter ignorance wasn't easy, but now that Uwe has told me about the birds and the bees (and the sheep and the pigs and the cows) via Agricola I'm practically a biologist. 01:25 AYURIS: Dead Reckoning (John D. Clair, Alderac Entertainment Group, 2022) Games Played Last Week: 05:10 -Tigris & Euphrates (Reiner Knizia, Hans im Gluck, 1997) 09:12 -Antike II (Mac Gerdts, PD-Verlag, 2015) 11:32 -That's Not a Hat (Kasper Lapp, Ravensburger, 2023) 16:26 -Galactic Renaissance (Christian Martinez, Matagot, 2024) 21:56 -The Vale of Eternity (Eric Hong, Mandoo Games, 2023) 23:58 -Meeple Circus (Cedric Millet, Matagot, 2017) 27:31 -Mythwind (Nathan Lige and Brendan McCaskell, Open Owl Studios, 2023) 30:48 -Titans Tactics (G. Kelly Toyama, Imbalanced Games, 2013) News (and why it doesn't matter): 33:59 Please support us on Patreon, if inclined! www.patreon.com/svwag 35:06 Dávid Turczi and Nigel Buckle's pseudo-sequel to Imperium, Star Trek: Captain's Chair 36:47 Dungeon Fighter will get a Star Trek reimplementation 37:05 Mark's new podcast with Caitlin Bailey, All My Best Friends Are Digital: video games and the stories they tell 37:37 Defenders of the Realm gets a reprint and a facelift 38:10 Topic: Games that Make You Uncomfortable Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After a prolonged period where we have not discussed Kramer & Kiesling (the Kramer & Ulrich duo yielded El Grande, which we mention rather frequently), here we see a bumper krop of K&K kollaborations. The gibbons are fickle, and even the mighty Wolfgang and Michael must yield to their whims. But fortune (and apes) have at last smiled on them, and we revel in the classic Euro goodness as well as their more recent offering. Games Played Last Week: 01:05 -Monikers (Alex Hague and Justin Vickers, CMYK, 2015) 05:34 -Java (Michael Kiesling and Wolfgang Kramer, Ravensburger, 2000) 11:31 -Tikal (Michael Kiesling and Wolfgang Kramer, Ravensburger, 1999) 13:31 -Wandering Towers (Michael Kiesling and Wolfgang Kramer, ABACUSSPIELE, 2022) 18:30 -Morgan's Magic Map (Gian Andrea Cappuzzo, Rio Grande Games, 2023) 20:17 -Tiny Towns (Peter McPherson, Alderac Entertainment Group, 2019) 22:08 -Sniper Elite: The Board Game (Roger Tankersly & David Thompson, Rebellion Unplugged, 2022) 25:43 -Earthborne Rangers (Andrew Fischer, Brooks Flugaur-Leavitt, Andrew Navaro, Adam Sadler, and Brady Sadler, Earthborne Games, 2023) 35:57 -Through the Desert (Reiner Knizia, Allplay, 2024) 38:34 -Mythwind (Nathan Lige and Brendan McCaskell, Open Owl Studios, 2023) 44:41 -Tapple (Uncredited, The Op Games, 2021) 46:04 -G.I. JOE: Battle for the Arctic Circle (Matt Hyra, Renegade Game Studios, 2024) News (and why it doesn't matter): 48:56 CYSMIC update on Gamefound and board game bundling economics 51:03 Ada's Dream from Alley Cat 51:20 So much drama around Wonders of the First CCG! AI art, NFTs, ratings, oh my! 53:10 Feature Game: Leviathan Wilds (Justin Kemppainen, Moon Crab Games, 2024) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the vast panoply of human misfortunes, it is often fruitless to try to rank misery. Was historical tragedy X worse or better than atrocity Y? It seems callous to ask. That said, thanks to the applied research of a retired ethicist with the aid of Reiner Knizia's Zoo Vadis, we have conclusively discovered that it is better to be extorted by a marmoset than assaulted by an armadillo. Thus is human knowledge expanded. 01:01 AYURIS: Heroscape (Stephen Baker, Rob Daviau, & Craig Van Ness, Hasbro, 2004) Games Played Last Week: 05:30 -Uprising: Curse of the Last Emperor (Cornelius Cremin, Pawel Mazur, & Dirk Sommer, Nemesis.Games, 2021) 10:23 -Zoo Vadis (Reiner Knizia, Bitewing Games, 2023) 15:53 -Marabunta (Reiner Knizia, Space Cowboys, 2023) 22:35 -Feed the Kraken (Maikel Cheney, Dr. Hans Joachim Höh, and Tobias Immich, Funtails, 2022) 26:19 -La Granja: Deluxe Master Set (Michael Keller and Andreas "ode." Odendahl, Board&Dice, 2023) 31:30 -Sand (Ariel Di Costanzo and Javier Pelizzari, Devir, 2024) News (and why it doesn't matter): 38:45 Calico spinoff: Knitting Circle 39:29 Founders of Reyvick: Richard Garfield and GMT 40:54 Boardgaming has jumped the shark: Winston: Nineteen Eighty-Four 42:56 Expeditions: Gears of Corruption 43:14 Radlands gets 1.2 rules and a new deck 44:20 Topic: The One that Broke the Kallax's Back Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Before the people of Quebec celebrated the Journée nationale des Patriotes (National Patriots' Day), they instead on the same day had the Fête de Dollard. A cynic might speculate that the timing of these holidays was chosen so as to pre-empt the English Canadian Victoria Day, and that cynic would be right. Games Played Last Week: 01:21 -Dice Flick (Rami Gaber, Pegasus Spiele, 2021) 04:49 -A Message from the Stars (Clarence Simpson, Allplay, 2024) 11:21 -Switchbacks (Susumu Kawasaki, Allplay, 2022) 14:23 -Mage Knight: The Board Game (Vlaada Chvatil, WizKids, 2011) 18:29 -Leviathan Wilds (Justin Kemppainen, Moon Crab Games, 2024) 19:32 -Priorities (Uncredited, Clarendon Games, 2020) 22:11 -Word Traveler (Thomas Dagenais-Lespérance, Office Dog, 2024) 25:59 -Cascadito (Reiner Knizia, Bitewing Games, 2024) News (and why it doesn't matter): 28:27 Grail Games will be reprinting Marc André's Barony with its Sorcery expansion 28:53 Indonesia reprint from Splotter with a new board 29:51 Black Forest from Tido Lorenze, Uwe Rosenberg, and Feuerland Spiele 30:04 Another Frostpunk game, this time from Board&Dice 30:28 Walking Dead game from Button Shy 30:39 New expansion for Aquatica, Coral Reefs 30:50 Followup to Oathsworn from Shadowborne and Jamie Jolly: Avalon: The Riven Veil 31:02 Darktide the miniatures game from Games Workshop 31:33 Dungeon Twister 20th Anniversary Edition by Christophe Boelinger and Ludically 32:57 Congratulations to the Golden Geek winners! 34:02 Feature Game: Cascadero (Reiner Knizia, Bitewing Games, 2024) Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It is striking that no one submitted a question regarding the hues of our auras, so allow us to address the issue here and declare that amber is the colour of our energy. I regret nothing. 01:39 AYURIS: Capital Lux 2: Generations (Eilif Svensson & Kristian Amundsen Østby, Aporta Games, 2020) Games Played Last Week: 03:46 -G.I. JOE Deck-Building Game: Raise the Flagg Campaign Expansion (T.C. Petty III, Renegade Game Studios, 2023) 07:10 -Through the Desert (Reiner Knizia, Allplay, 2024) 11:27 -Leviathan Wilds (Justin Kemppainen, Moon Crab Games, 2024) 14:14 -Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Scrawlers--Heroes of Waterdeep (Vangelis Bagiartakis and Konstantinos Karagiannis, WizKids, 2023) 16:44 -Set a Watch (Mike Gnade and Todd Walsh, Rock Manor Games, 2019) 20:52 -Mysterium Park (Oleksandr Nevskiy and Oleg Sidorenko, Libellud, 2020) 24:08 -Biohack (Yofiandhy D Indrayana, uchibacoya, 2024) 30:05 -Mage Knight: The Board Game (Vlaada Chvatil, WizKids, 2011) 32:31 -Word Traveler (Thomas Dagenais-Lespérance, Office Dog, 2024) News (and why it doesn't matter): 36:23 Regicide Legacy on Kickstarter! Can Badgers from Mars triumph again? 38:30 Dune: War for Arrakis expansion/reprint on Gamefound 40:03 Topic: Omnibus Questions Delta Bet Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There is only one novel and commendable Kant pun, delivered in the novel and commendable film Hedwig and the Angry Inch: "I got kicked out of university after delivering a brilliant lecture on the aggressive influence of German philosophy on rock and roll, entitled, 'You, Kant, Always Get What You Want.'" 01:41 AYURIS: Mosaic: A Story of Civilization (Glenn Drover, Forbidden Games, 2022) Games Played Last Week: 04:11 -Gloomhaven: Buttons & Bugs (Joe Klipfel and Nikki Valens, Cephalofair Games, 2024) 07:59 -Scrap (Kenny Michael-Otton, Jolly Swagman Games, 2023) 14:52 -Biohack (Yofiandhy D Indrayana, uchibacoya, 2024) 18:42 -Leviathan Wilds (Justin Kemppainen, Moon Crab Games, 2024) 23:44 -Wolves (Connor Alexander, Coyote & Crow LLC, 2024) 33:57 -Dungeon Fighter: Second Edition (Aureliano Buonfino, Lorenzo Silva, and Lorenzo Tucci Sorrentino, Horrible Guild, 2021) News (and why it doesn't matter): 38:42 Mythic Battles goes to Egypt 40:07 Vote for the Golden Geek and for the Deutsche Spiele Preis (DSP) awards! 40:44 Please support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/svwag Coming soon: 3-part series on philosophy 42:07 Topic: Omnibus Questions Delta Aleph Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices