Podcast
So Very Wrong About Games
A podcast about all manner of hobby games by Mike Walker and Mark Bigney. Bad games don't go easy on you, so we don't go easy on them. Thorough analysis via reviews, news, and discussion of topics in gaming. We take context seriously, we value your time, and we're not into hype. Just because games are fun doesn't mean we can't take them seriously, and just because we take them seriously doesn't mean we can't have fun.
- Hobbies chart
- #27
- Episodes
- 434
- Releases
- Weekly
- Typical length
- 1 hr 9 min
- On air since
- 2017
- Latest episode
- 17 hours ago
Episodes
434 episodes, newest first
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1 hr 23 min
Gunsen: The Battle for Toshi Ranbo
Episode 433
Show notes
Invented proper names are fine and all, but come on, give me a context. Is Gunsen a person, place or thing? Is it an event, a state of mind, a code, a vibe? I am meant to believe that Toshi Ranbo is the big fortress in the middle, definitely unlike a factory or Mecatol Rex, but is a Toshi Ranbo truly the best of all Ranbos? I don't know. I asked Louie, and he seemed about to get to the answer, but I kind of lost the plot when he started showing me one of his framed Legend of the Five Rings card sets. I say one of, for there were several.
Games Played Last Week:
01:26 -Ceres (Gustaf Sundström, Artipia Games, 2023)
06:49 -Sidereal Confluence (TauCeti Deichmann, Wizkids, 2017)
14:07 -Deckers (Richard Wilkins, Deep Print Games, 2025)
19:03 -Eternal Decks (Hiroken, tricktakers Games, 2025)
26:03 -Star Wars: Imperial Assault (Justin Kemppainen, Corey Konieczka, and Jonathan Ying, Fantasy Flight, 2014)
28:03 -Guards of Atlantis II (Artyom Nichipurov, Wolff Designa, 2022)
34:33 -Mountain Goats: Legacy (Alex Cutler, Michael Mihaelsick, & Stefan Risthaus, Allplay, 2026)
38:45 -Cthulhu: Dark Providence (Travis R. Chance & Martin Wallace, CMON, 2025)
49:00 -Rheinländer (Reiner Knizia, 25th Century Games, 2026)
News (and why it doesn't matter):
56:11 Battlestar Galactica reprint by Ghost Galaxy
57:21 Tag Team: SNK Legends Iori Yagami bonus characer pre-order bonus from Scorpion Masqué
58:34 A Billion Suns 2nd Edition from Mike Hutchinson
59:59 Feature Game: Gunsen: The Battle for Toshi Ranbo (Matthew O'Malley & Ben Rosset, Office Dog, 2026)
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53 min
Arkhipov Day
Episode 432
Show notes
Nothing captures the fundamental duality for which SVWAG strives than our two patron saints, Vasily Arkhipov and Honky Chonk Beardonkadonk. We aspire to be both enlightening and diverting, embracing both the ridiculous and the sublime, while trying to be simultaneously erudite and stupid. It's a daunting endeavour, but then again, both Arkhipov and The Beardonkadonk put in the work.
02:12 AYURIS: Thunder Road: Vendetta--Maximum Chrome (Dave Chalker, Noah Cohen, Rob Daviau, Justin D. Jacobson, Brett Myers, and Brian Neff, Restoration Games, 2023)
Games Played Last Week:
04:41 -Star Wars: Imperial Assault (Justin Kemppainen, Corey Konieczka, and Jonathan Ying, Fantasy Flight, 2014)
07:48 -Blood Rage: Valhalla (Eric M. Lang, Tycoon Games, 2026)
15:15 -Falling (Kentaro Yazawa, SUNNY BIRD, 2026)
18:19 -Regicide Inferno (Paul Abrahams, Luke Badger, and Andy Richdale, Badgers from Mars, 2026)
24:06 -Alibis (Yusuke Sato, Allplay, 2025)
28:02 -Starts With Ends With (Uncredited, Relatable)
30:27 -Bookshelf (Caezar Al-Jassar, Alley Cat Games, 2026)
33:08 -Opera Magna (Tommaso Battista & Stefano Castelli, Ludus Magnus Studio, 2026)
39:29 -Feya's Swamp (Helge Ostertag & Anselm Ostertag, Fractal Juegos, 2025)
44:19 -Got Five! (Yoann Levet, Blue Orange, 2026)
News (and why it doesn't matter):
47:06 Creature Caravans expansion--more creatures, longer caravan
47:42 Feya's Swamp does mushrooms, and the ducks would like a word
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56 min
The LOOP
Episode 431
Show notes
Walker claims that his grandfather invented Crokinole, just because no one else is given credit. Next he'll be saying someone in his family invented poutine, or calculus even before Leibniz and Newton got to it. Heck, let's say an ancient Walker formalized Linear B and call it a day.
01:44 -Crokinole (Uncredited, Mayday, 2025)
04:40 -Spaggetin (Franco Spardo, Alley Cat Games, 2026)
07:34 -Galileo Galilei (Tomáš Holek, Pink Troubadour, 2024)
10:36 -Gunsen: The Battle for Toshi Ranbo (Matthew O'Malley & Ben Rosset, Office Dog, 2026)
19:16 -Regicide: Crown Duels (Paul Abrahams & Sketchgoblin, Badgers from Mars, 2026)
25:31 -Into the Machine (Kasper Lapp, AEG, 2026)
28:37 -Grabble (Naoki Fukuda, CMYK, 2026)
31:45 -Railroad Tiles (Hjalmar Hach & Lorenzo Silva, Horrible Guild, 2025)
News (and why it doesn't matter):
35:30 Arkhipov Day! In recognition of Vasily Arkhipov saving the entire world on October 27, 1962, we celebrate Arkhipov Day on October 27th.
35:58 TurnSignal
38:37 Feature Game: The LOOP (Maxime Rambourg and Théo Rivière, Pandasaurus Games, 2020)
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59 min
Regionalisms
Episode 430
Show notes
In addition to using The Seven Years War quasi-exclusively to refer to that conflict, Canadians have a bevy of unique regionalisms to delight and confound our American neighbours. Our standards and measures are famously opaque, switching between imperial (a person's height and weight, distances less than ~100 meters) and metric (temperature always [except when baking], non-human weights usually, volume always [OUNCES DON'T MAKE SENSE, Y'ALL], most long distances [except when driving, then we use time]).
There are more, trust me.
02:51 AYURIS: Fromage (Matthew O'Malley and Ben Rosset, Road to Infamy Games, 2024)
Games Played Last Week:
06:33 -Deckers (Richard Wilkins, Deep Print Games, 2025)
10:45 -Salton Sea (David Bernal, Devir, 2024)
16:30 -Regicide Inferno (Paul Abrahams, Luke Badger, and Andy Richdale, Badgers from Mars, 2026)
20:41 -Regicide Legacy (Paul Abrahams, Luke Badger, and Andy Richdale, Badgers from Mars, 2025)
23:45 -Dune: Imperium--Uprising (Paul Dennen, Dire Wolf, 2023)
27:49 -Azure (Trevor Benjamin & Brett J. Gilbert, Bitewing Games, 2026)
29:34 -Sky Garden (Totsuca Chuo, uchibacoya, 2026)
35:15 -Ostia (Totsuca Chuo, uchibacoya, 2022)
40:43 -Star Wars: Imperial Assault (Justin Kemppainen, Corey Konieczka, and Jonathan Ying, Fantasy Flight, 2014)
45:02 -Romi Rami (Antoine Lefebvre, Randolph, 2023)
News (and why it doesn't matter):
49:14 Witches of Willowspur by Devious Weasel in distribution, more to follow
50:30 The LOOP correction: expansions will not come bundled, to be purchased separately
51:05 Rebirth 2, featuring Greece and Italy
52:47 Magical Athlete expandalone, Second Wind
53:23 A Feast for Odin pseudo-sequel The Danes hitting crowdfunding soon
54:18 Arkhipov Day! In recognition of Vasily Arkhipov saving the entire world on October 27, 1962, we celebrate Arkhipov Day on October 27th.
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1 hr 8 min
Toy Battle
Episode 427
Show notes
"Oh, boardgaming's very popular, Ed. The sportos, the motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, wastoids, dweebies, dickheads — they all adore it. They think it’s a righteous hobby."
-Grace from Ferris Bueller's Day off, correctly observing that the hobby is for everyone
Games Played Last Week:
01:13 -Revenant (Allan Kirkeby, Mindclash Games, 2026)
06:33 -Torres (Michael Kiesling & Richard Kramer, Rio Grande Games, 1999) (TIK< JAV< MEX Kramer & Kiesling
12:13 -Mein Lieber Scholli (Stefan Kloß & Anna Oppolzer, Zoch Verlag, 2024)
15:06 -Battlefields of the Napoleonic Wars (Paolo Mori & Alessandro Zucchini, Ingenioso Hidalgo, 2025)
21:02 -Star Wars: Imperial Assault (Justin Kemppainen, Corey Konieczka, and Jonathan Ying, Fantasy Flight, 2014)
25:12 -All In: Predictions (Phil Walker-Harding, Next Move Games, 2026)
29:25 -The Court of Miracles (Vincent Brugeas & Guilhem Gautrand, Lumberjacks Studio, 2019)
34:08 -Pagan: Fate of Roanoke (Kasper Kjær Christiansen & Kåre Storgaard, Wyrmgold GmbH, 2022)
39:59 -Patchistory (Yeon-Min Jung & Jun-Hyup Kim, Deinko Games, 2013)
42:01 -Endeavor: Deep Sea (Carl de Visser and Jarratt Gray, Burnt Island Games, 2024)
44:11 -Reef Gardens (Jeffrey D. Allers, dlp games, 2025)
46:48 -Got Five! (Yoann Levet, Blue Orange, 2026)
News (and why it doesn't matter):
47:41 More Keep the Heroes Out: Keep the Villars Out!
48:37 Flintlock!: Global Warfare in 20 Minutes. Blitzkrieg! successor by Paolo Mori, Roger Tankersly, and David Thompson
50:44 The LOOP reprint
51:11 Arkhipov Day! In recognition of Vasily Arkhipov saving the entire world on October 27, 1962, we celebrate Arkhipov Day on October 27th.
51:26 Feature Game: Toy Battle (Paolo Mori & Alessandro Zucchini, Repos Production, 2025)
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54 min
Moving Day
Episode 428
Show notes
We cover the gamut of historical figures this week, from shy spiders, Thor, the Italian Masters, Iggy Pop, Terry Bogard, and one underexamined and grossly underappreciated figure in the form of Vasily Arkhipov. He made your life possible, so you owe him at least a day.
01:07 AYURIS: D.E.I.: Divide et Impera (Tommaso Battista, Ludus Magnus Studio, 2022)
Games Played Last Week:
04:01 -Patchistory (Yeon-Min Jung & Jun-Hyup Kim, Deinko Games, 2013)
07:04 -Grabble (Naoki Fukuda, CMYK, 2026)
10:47 -Creature Caravan: Wanderers (Ryan Laukat, Red Raven Games, 2024)
15:59 -Blood Rage: Valhalla (Eric M. Lang, Tycoon Games, 2026)
23:39 -Star Wars: Super Teams (Max Gerchambeau, Zygomatic, 2025)
27:09 -Claustrophobia 1643 (Croc & Laurent Pouchain, Monolith, 2019)
32:04 -Igloo Pop (Heinz Meister & Klaus Zoch, Zoch Verlag. 2003)
34:57 -Entropy (Tommaso Battista, Simone Luciani, & Nestore Mangone, Board&Dice, 2026)
41:36 -Rumble Nation (Yogi Shinichi, Hobby Japan, 2017)
44:25 -Tag Team (Gricha German & Corentin Lebrat, Scorpion Masqué, 2025)
News (and why it doesn't matter):
47:53 Arkhipov Day! In recognition of Vasily Arkhipov saving the entire world on October 27, 1962, we celebrate Arkhipov Day on October 27th.
48:53 Tag Team expansions: Arthur's Legacy and SNK Arcade Legends (!).
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1 hr 12 min
How to Save a World
Episode 427
Show notes
To paraphrase Sir Mix-a-Lot (O.B.E.), I like big bears and I cannot lie! Fat Bear Week is upon us. Let these corpulent kings of ursine excellence strut their stuff, and let us admire in awe at their tangible gains. These bears do not skip leg day. Some people have mukbang--we have out fat bears.
Games Played Last Week:
01:05 -Panda Spin (Carl Chudyk, Moon Gate Design 2024)
05:04 -Brightcast (Nicholas Forker & Hugh Kramer, self-published, 2025)
09:10 -Landfall: A Cozy Volcano Island-Building Game (Evan Katz, Zachary Lee, and Josh Roberts, Evan and Josh's Very Special Game Company, 2026)
14:08 -Leaps and Ledges (Uncredited, MindWare, 2014)
16:44 -Spaggetin (Franco Spardo, Alley Cat Games, 2026)
20:24 -Othello (John W. Mollett, Lewis Waterman, and Goro Hasegawa, Tsukuda Original, 1973)
27:26 -Cyberpunk Trading Card Game (Chris Solis, WeirdCo, 2026)
33:50 -Floral (James Newman, Edition Spielwiese, 2024)
36:00 -Drillers (Roman Bednář & Adam Španěl, CGE, 2026)
41:31 -Jibber Jabble (Cassie Sikes, Allplay, 2026)
News (and why it doesn't matter):
48:33 Got Five: Ghost!
49:26 Opera Magna: Throwback theme, novel distribution?
50:43 It's Fat Bear Week! https://explore.org/fat-bear-week
51:11 Feature Game: How to Save a World (Yuval Grinspun, Burnt Island Games, 2025)
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1 hr 9 min
Games Catch-Up
Episode 426
Show notes
With Walker imminently about to move (to Kingston from Kingston) and Mark still storing his games from the previous move, the overwhelming preponderance of the SVWAG collection(s) is currently shackled by packing tape. So much good design and fun toys yearning to get out! Alas, physical instantiation is a curse, the material world is a prison, and entropy always wins. Find me one realtor sympathetic to the specific needs of a boardgame collector, and that'd be something, at least.
01:12 AYURIS: The Fellowship of the Ring: Trick-Taking Game (Bryan Bormueller, Office Dog, 2025)
Games Played Last Week:
04:04 -The Crew: Journey to the Ends of the Earth (Thomas Sing, KOSMOS, 2026)
06:32 -Avalon: The Riven Veil (Jamie Jolly, Shadowborne Games, 2026)
18:14 -Got Five! (Yoann Levet, Blue Orange, 2026)
22:06 -Tiefe Taschen (Fabian Zimmermann, Fobs Games, 2016)
28:14 -Keltis: Dad Orakel (Reiner Knizia, KOSMOS, 2010)
32:16 -Regicide (Paul Abrahams, Luke Badger, & Andy Richdale, Badgers from Mars, 2020)
34:04 -Starts With / Ends With (Jason Tagmire, Championland, 2008)
36:58 -Pacts (Ben Brin, DVC Games, 2025)
39:39 -Cyclades: Legendary Edition (Bruno Cathala & Ludovic Maublanc, Open Sesame Games, 2024)
47:24 -Race for the Galaxy: Xeno Counterstrike (Thomas Lehmann, Rio Grande Games, 2026)
53:53 -Railway Boom (Hisashi Hayashi & Simone Luciani, Arclight Games, 2025)
57:08 -Reef Gardens (Jeffrey D. Allers, dlp games, 2025)
News (and why it doesn't matter):
1:00:44 Too Many Bones -> Too Little Time from Chip Theory
1:01:27 Cola Wars pulled from crowdfunding over AI generated art, will retool and relaunch
1:03:19 Antlanteum from Bad Comet
1:03:52 New expansion for Dwellings of Eldervale
1:04:39 New Deception in Hong Kong! No Murder, Heist
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1 hr 19 min
Canon Update
Episode 425
Show notes
The SVWAG Canon (https://www.sowronggames.com/svwag-canon) is an elite list of games that Walker and Mark both very much enjoy. Walker is nervous around recommendations, per se, and the imitations on an ideal game library or somesuch is subject to many practical constraints--so instead SVWAG has an unruly list of games that are greatly enjoyed by both the hosts. And it is time for that list to be updated!
02:08 AYURIS: EGO (Reiner Knizia, Bitewing Games, 2025)
Games Played Last Week:
04:52 -Dwellings of Eldervale (Luke Laurie, Breaking Games, 2020)
09:10 -Brumble Quest (J. Arthur Ellis, Plaid Hat Games, 2026)
13:53 -Endless Winter: Paleoamericans (Stan Kordonskiy, Fantasia Games, 2022)
16:31 -Banana Governance (Mukai, Mukai, 2025)
23:06 -Avalon: The Riven Veil (Jamie Jolly, Shadowborne Games, 2026)
30:26 -Cats Knocking Things Off Ledges (David Killing & Sen Foong-Lim, The Op games, 2026)
35:37 -The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers--Trick-Taking Game (Bryan Bornmueller, Office Dog, 2026)
38:06 -World Championship Russian Roulette (Anthony Burch, Tuesday Knight Games, 2017)
News (and why it doesn't matter):
43:57 Please support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/svwag
49:17 Glorious Listener Survey over
46:07 Concept Kids to Concept: Stories
47:00 Mass market, big box store versions of Scout and now Dro Polter
47:54 Wizards of the Grimoire (aka Bookie Bookie, Pew Pew) 3
48:24 Topic: Canon Update
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1 hr 15 min
Robo Rally Dice
Episode 419
Show notes
It's hard to go wrong with cats. Even most people who don't like cats are wise enough to keep relatively quiet about it, lest they suffer the consequences. What consequences? Oh, I don't know, maybe the fury of needle-armed psychopaths who watch things die for fun! And that's just the cat owners. ZING
I kid, I kid. We here at SVWAG have considerable enthusiasm for Official SVWAG cat, Chandler, aka Chan-Chan aka Chan Man aka Potato.
Games Played Last Week:
00:54 -Movie Tricks (Vegard Eliassen Stillerud, Eilif Svensson, and Åsmund Svensson, Chilifox Games, 2025)
06:49 -Avalon: The Riven Veil (Jamie Jolly, Shadowborne Games, 2026)
15:04 -D.E.I.: Divide et Impera (Tommaso Battista, Ludus Magnus Studio, 2022)
17:27 -Barrage: The Colorado Connection (Tommaso Battista & Simone Luciani, Cranio Creations, 2024)
25:06 -Alibis (Yusuke Sato, Allplay, 2025)
27:36 -Landmarks (Rodrigo Rego & Danilo Valente, Floodgate Games, 2024)
28:22 -dnup (Kei Kajino, asmodee, 2025)
31:11 -Bookshelf (Caezar Al-Jassar, Alley Cat Games, 2026)
33:19 -Realm of Reckoning (Max Anderson, Zac Dixon, and Austin Harrison, IV Studio, 2026)
39:37 -Totally Human (Kasper Lapp, Bitewing Games, 2026)
45:52 -Cats Knocking Things Off Ledges (David Killing & Sen Foong-Lim, The Op games, 2026)
News (and why it doesn't matter):
49:17 Glorious Listener Survey! https://forms.gle/ghqMH9cuiRWCVyZn9
49:46 Valuable creator, JonGetsGames, on hiatus
51:38 Dinosaurs, everybody! Dino Racer from Underdog and Marceline Leiman
53:08 Rebels Against Rebellion by Trevor Benjamin, David Thompson, and art by Kwanchai Moriya
54:32 Feature Game: Robo Rally Dice (Kane Klenko, Renegade Game Studios, 2026)
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1 hr 23 min
Games that Build Cred
Episode 423
Show notes
[EDIT] In this episode, Mark falsely attributes the co-authorship of Ayar to Nestore Mangone, when in fact it was designed by Mandela Fernandez-Grandon and Fabio Lopiano. We regret the error.
Have you heard of the Walker Quint? This patent-pending, uncopyrightable system is more than just a game organizational schema--it is a multipurpose framework that will REVOLUTIONIZE YOUR LIFE in every way! It's more like a cult, really. Join us in following the Eternal Path of the Walker Quint.
01:43 AYURIS: Undaunted 2200: Callisto (Trevor Benjamin and David Thompson, Osprey, 2024)
Games Played Last Week:
05:53 -Gold Country (Reiner Knizia, Bitewing Games, 2026)
09:45 -Bottle Imp (Günter Cornett, Grail Games, 2024)
15:27 -Las Vegas (Rüdiger Dorn, alea, 2012)
18:44 -Avalon: The Riven Veil (Jamie Jolly, Shadowborne Games, 2026)
28:06 -Tiletum (Simone Luciani and Daniele Tascini, Board&Dice, 2022)
32:53 -Baghdad: The City of Peace (Fabio Lopiano & Nestore Mangone, Alley Cat Games, 2025)
40:03 -Into the Machine (Kasper Lapp, AEG, 2026)
46:22 -Sentinels of the Multiverse: Definitive Edition (Christopher Badell & Adam Rebottaro, Greater Than Games, 2022)
News (and why it doesn't matter):
54:19 Calactic Cruise rakes in the Dice Tower ards at Gen Con
54:36 Glorious Listener Survey! https://forms.gle/ghqMH9cuiRWCVyZn9
55:05 Nidavellir re-developed into Dwarves of Aquilon
56:20 One Page Rules is crowdfunding starter boxes
57:39 Blind buy for Games Workshop minis
1:00:35 Topic: Games that Build Cred
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1 hr 18 min
Notebook Nations
Episode 422
Show notes
The world is changing, what with everything being cozy and (some) crowdfunding projects fulfilling in weeks rather than years. This dizzying pace of evolution can be disorienting, which is why Notebook Nations seeks to comfort and console you by having throwbacks to the design decisions of years past.
Games Played Last Week:
01:55 -Wonderland's War (Tim Eisner, Ben Eisner, and Ian Moss, Druid City Games, 2022)
06:48 -The Quest for El Dorado: Expansion Collection (Reiner Knizia, Lautapelit.fi, 2025)
13:54 -Star Wars: Rebellion (Corey Konieczka, Fantasy Flight, 2016)
23:34 -Container (Franz-Benno Delonge, Thomas Ewert, and Kevin Nesbitt, Allplay, 2026)
30:06 -Tag Team (Gricha German & Corentin Lebrat, Scorpion Masqué, 2025)
35:38 -Chang'an (Carlo Camarotto & Nestore Mangone, Arcane Wonders, 2026)
37:57 -Nokosu Dice (Yusuke Matsumoto, Engames, 2016)
44:12 -Kabuto Sumo: Sakura Slam (John Brieger, Michael Dunsmore, & Tony Miller, Allplay, 2024)
News (and why it doesn't matter):
47:26 Glorious Listener Survey! https://forms.gle/ghqMH9cuiRWCVyZn9
48:26 The Lord of the Rings: King's Gambit price speculation and lamentation
52:21 Feature Game: Notebook Nations (Amy Droz & Dusty Droz, Dux Somnium Games, 2026)
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1 hr 17 min
Mid-Year Tag Questions
Episode 421
Show notes
We have recovered from SVWAG Con II: Electric Boogaloo, and to the best of our knowledge there was no "con crud" or equivalent contagion. We make no claims that the con possesses curative powers, though we haven't had anyone say that it *didn't* cure a chronic illness.
01:27 AYURIS: Andromeda's Edge (Luke Laurie and Maximus Laurie, Cardboard Alchemy, 2024)
Games Played Last Week:
03:48 -Eternal Decks (Hiroken, tricktakers Games, 2025)
09:46 -D.E.I.: Divide et Impera (Tommaso Battista, Ludus Magnus Studio, 2022)
14:58 -Coalitions (Andrew Rourke, PHALANX, 2026)
21:37 -Smartphone Inc. (Ivan Lashin, Cosmodrome Games, 2018
24:42 -Wroth (Manny Trembley, Chip Theory Games, 2025)
32:19 -Alibis (Yusuke Sato, Allplay, 2025)
35:35 -Hot Streak (Jon Perry, CMYK, 2025)
36:16 -Green Team Wins (Nathan Thornton, 25th Century Games, 2022)
36:39 -The Resistance (Don Eskridge, Indie Boards & Cards, 2009)
38:49 -The Defence of Procyon III (Dávid Turczi, PSC Games, 2021)
News (and why it doesn't matter):
44:06 Aristeia 2.0: Hexadome Tactics
45:55 XCom miniatures game for preorder
46:46 Malediction expands with new factions and starter sets
48:12 Allplay gives Dominant Species an Ian O'Toole facelift
48:54 Through the Desert gets a sequel: Through the Mountains
49:57 Spirit Island's future, according to R. Eric Reuss: https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3728767/eric-s-2026-update
51:00 Topic: The Mid-Year Tag Questions
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1 hr 6 min
SVWAGCon Beckons
Episode 420
Show notes
Just in time for SVWAGCon, Mark's car has fallen prey to Princeton's unforgiving roads and local practitioners of the mechanical arts. Which ones are trustworthy? Which are inept mountebanks? As far as mountebanks are concerned, would one prefer an inept one or a skilled one? These pressing questions will have to wait, as in the interim the barrier between Mark and his SVWAGCon obligations is ALL THE MONEYS.
01:55 AYURIS: The Vale of Eternity (Eric Hong, Mandoo Games, 2023)
Games Played Last Week:
06:12 -Tidal Blades: Heroes of the Reef (Tim Eisner & Ben Eisner, Druid City Games, 2020)
09:24 -Autobahn (Fabio Lopiano & Nestore Mangone, Alley Cat Games, 2022)
14:18 -Shackleton Base: A Journey to the Moon (Fabio Lopiano & Nestore Mangone, Sorry We Are French, 2024)
18:29 -Daybreak (Matt Leacock & Matteo Menapace, CMYK, 2023)
24:10 -Super Auto Pets Card Battle (Nick Conley, Plaid Hat Games, 2026)
29:38 -Gal4xeon (Jackson Pope, Eurydice Games, 2026)
36:03 -dnup (Kei Kajino, asmodee, 2025)
37:53 -Mystic Curling Club (Chris Cieslik, Asmadi Games, 2026)
44:31 -Shadowrift (Jeremy Anderson, Game Salute, 2012)
52:25 -HEROish (TechDweeb, Web-published, 2026)
https://techdweeb.itch.io/heroish
News (and why it doesn't matter):
56:44 Come join us in Kingston, Ontario July 24th-26th for SVWAG Con!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/svwag-con-ii-electric-boogaloo-tickets-1986634285627
Icebreaker events to meet new people at SVWAG Con!
https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/379864/svwagcon-2-icebreaker-signup
58:23 Alexander Pfister and Peter Prinz go Sixty Below in -60°
58:55 Upcoming Snap Ships Tactics "Massive Expansion"
buttons
1:00:27 More details on Tigris & Euphrates reprint's deluxe tile options
1:01:46 Please support us on Patreon! Last week before price increase. www.patreon.com/svwag
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1 hr 14 min
Falling in Love with Your Collection
Episode 419
Show notes
"If you're down and confused
And you don't remember who you're talking to
Concentration slips away
Because your baby is so far away
Well there's a rose in a fisted glove
And the eagle flies with the dove
And if you can't be with the one you love honey
Love the one you're with"
-Confucius (probably, maybe Socrates, I don't know)
02:13 AYURIS: Deep Rock Galactic (Ole Steiness, MOOD Publishing, 2022)
Games Played Last Week:
05:28 -Firefighters on Duty (Konstantinos Kokkinis & Sotirios Tsantilas, Artipia Games, 2025)
08:48 -The Witches of Willospur (Jenna Felli, Devious Weasel Games, 2026)
18:53 -Gingham (Robert Hovakimyan, Bitewing Games, 2025)
22:53 -Revenant (Allan Kirkeby, Mindclash Games, 2026)
30:51 -Pencil Book Quest (David David, Grumpy Spider Games, 2025)
34:30 -3 Witches (Corey Young, Allplay, 2025)
38:18 -The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers--Trick-Taking Game (Bryan Bornmueller, Office Dog, 2026)
40:46 -Harmonies (Johan Benvenuto, Libellud, 2024)
News (and why it doesn't matter):
44:03 Come join us in Kingston, Ontario July 24th-26th for SVWAG Con!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/svwag-con-ii-electric-boogaloo-tickets-1986634285627
Icebreaker events to meet new people at SVWAG Con!
https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/379864/svwagcon-2-icebreaker-signup
45:10 Shelfy by Brotherwise lets you blind buy your collection in miniature
48:08 Why associate with Kingdom Come: Deliverance's creator, Daniel Vávra, and his GamerGate support? Make better choices, Vlaada Chvátil! Rated "U" for "UGH"
49:51 Topic: Falling in Love with Your Collection (Again)
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1 hr 20 min
Recall
Show notes
I was three actions deep into my tenth turn of Recall when I achieved total mastery. I was beyond the Schwarzenegger and the Farrell, deep with Koato and triple-mammaried subversives. A newb at the table interrupted my reverie with a question concerning ambiguous inconography. "That card?" I said, feeling like cutting a deal. "I can remember it for you wholesale." They called me a dick.
Games Played Last Week:
01:20 -Innovation Deluxe (Carl Chudyk, Asmadi Games, 2017)
05:19 -Wroth (Manny Trembley, Chip Theory Games, 2025)
08:37 -All In: Predictions (Phil Walker-Harding, Next Move Games, 2026)
12:06 -dnup (Kei Kajino, asmodee, 2025)
14:36 -Double Seven (Michael Schacht, TIKI Editions, 2025)
17:54 -Eternal Decks (Hiroken, tricktakers Games, 2025)
24:49 -Knarr (Thomas Dupont, Bombyx, 2023)
26:03 -Orléans: Invasion (Inka Brand, Markus Brand, & Reiner Stockhausen, dlp Games, 2015)
30:58 -Queen of Spies (Liz Davidson & David Thompson, Salt & Pepper Games, 2026)
37:32 -Regicide (Paul Abrahams, Luke Badger, & Andy Richdale, Badgers from Mars, 2020)
39:07 -Snakes and Hawks (Carey Suber, Suber Electronics, 2020)
News (and why it doesn't matter):
42:10 Come join us in Kingston, Ontario July 24th-26th for SVWAG Con!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/svwag-con-ii-electric-boogaloo-tickets-1986634285627
Icebreaker events to meet new people at SVWAG Con!
https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/379864/svwagcon-2-icebreaker-signup
43:57 Kingdom Come: Deliverance preorder from CGE (by Vlaada Chvátil & Tomáš Holek!)
47:14 Eternal Sevens, psuedo-sequel to Eternal Decks
47:41 Feature Game: Recall (Helge Meissner, Kristian Amundsen Østby, Kjetil Svendsen, and Anna Wermlund, Alion – by Dr Ø, 2025)
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1 hr 29 min
Teaching vs. Discovery
Episode 417
Show notes
It is Inadvertent Surprise Railway Week (ISRW, pronounced "is raw") here at SVWAG, and we take a look at some train games without directly addressing the raging controversy of what, exactly, constitutes a train game.
02:25 AYURIS: Wilmot's Warehouse (Ricky Haggett, Richard Hogg, and David King, CMYK, 2024)
Games Played Last Week:
07:06 -Railway Boom (Hisashi Hayashi & Simone Luciani, Arclight Games, 2025)
14:48 -Pickomino (Reiner Knizia, Zoch Verlag, 2005)
19:25 -Keltis: Neue Wege, Neue Ziele (Reiner Knizia, KOSMOS, 2009)
23:04 -King of Tokyo (Richard Garfield, IELLO, 2011)
29:22 -Jekyll & Hyde vs Scotland Yard (Gaëtan Beaujannot, Olivier Cipière, and Geonil, Mandoo Games, 2023)
33:30 -Irish Gauge (Amabel Holland, Capstone Games, 2019)
35:42 -Railroad Tycoon/Railways of the World (Glenn Drover & Martin Wallace, Eagle-Gryphon Games, 2005)
43:06 -Portobello Market (Thomas Odenhaven, Schmidt Spiele, 2007)
46:00 -Medina (Second Edition) (Stefan Dorra, Stronghold Games, 2014)
News (and why it doesn't matter):
49:09 Come join us in Kingston, Ontario July 24th-26th for SVWAG Con!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/svwag-con-ii-electric-boogaloo-tickets-1986634285627
Icebreaker events to meet new people at SVWAG Con!
https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/379864/svwagcon-2-icebreaker-signup
52:21 Stonemaier's Scythe/Expeditions mashup: Duel of Meloch
54:06 Kabuto Sumo Dice! Alex Culter Michael Mihaelsick (Tidal Banner, Flotilla)
55:21 Topic: Teaching vs. Discovery (what to teach and what to let players find out)
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1 hr 8 min
Goa
Episode 416
Show notes
Acronyms and initialisms are a tricky thing. In SVWAG circles, one must be careful to use proper punctuation, lest GOA imply 2022's Game of the Year (GotY, not Gotye) Guards of Atlantis. Mark remains enraged that the SC2 acronym was robbed from Greatest of All Time (GOAT, not goat, obviously) Star Control 2 by the usurper StarCraft 2.
Games Played Last Week:
01:07 -The Old King's Crown (Pablo Clark, Eerie Idol Games, 2025)
08:05 -Keltis (Reiner Knizia, KOSMOS, 2008)
11:43 -Das letzte Paradies (Reiner Knizia, KOSMOS, 1993)
16:01 -Keep the Heroes Out (Luís Brüeh, Brueh Games, 2022)
20:56 -All In: Predictions (Phil Walker-Harding, Next Move Games, 2026)
23:52 -Finspan: Sharks and Reefs (Michael O'Connell, Stonemaier Games, 2026)
27:16 -Genshin Tarot (MingYang Lu, Brother Ming Games, 2022)
33:43 -Recall (Helge Meissner, Kristian Amundsen Østby, Kjetil Svendsen, and Anna Wermlund, Alion – by Dr Ø, 2025)
36:21 -Railway Boom (Hisashi Hayashi & Simone Luciani, Arclight Games, 2025)
News (and why it doesn't matter):
41:29 Come join us in Kingston, Ontario July 24th-26th for SVWAG Con!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/svwag-con-ii-electric-boogaloo-tickets-1986634285627
42:21 Icebreaker events to meet new people at SVWAG Con!
https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/379864/svwagcon-2-icebreaker-signup
43:06 Star Trek Lower Decks: Chaos Protocol. Escape room in a box!
43:38 Witches of Willowspur by Devious Weasel and Jenna Felli. Murray's origins!
44:50 Feature Game: Goa (Rüdiger Dorn, Quined Games, 2026)
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1 hr 21 min
The Successful Campaign Experience
Show notes
SVWAG CON II Electric Boogaloo
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/svwag-con-ii-electric-boogaloo-tickets-1986634285627
www.sowronggames.com
www.twitch.tv/soverywrongaboutgames
www.youtube.com/c/SoVeryWrongAboutGames
https://twitter.com/sowronggames
www.facebook.com/sowronggames
www.patreon.com/svwag/
We are now a transnational podcast, bearing the official approval of both United States Customs and Immigration Services and the King of Canada. While it is commonly held that New Jersey is a lawless wasteland ruled over by full service gas station attendants and Wawa franchise holders, the writ of the American Federal Government does in theory hold sway. As for the King, while Walker's embarrassing incident at high tea that one time in '12 didn't go over well, he hasn't been expelled from the Commonwealth yet.
1:11 AYURIS: Captain Flip (Remo Conzadori and Paolo Mori, PlayPunk, 2024)
Games Played Last Week:
04:14 -Corrosion (Stefan Bauer, Capstone Games, 2021)
08:07 -Hunt for Blackbeard (Volko Ruhnke, Fort Circle Games, 2026)
16:26 -Shards of Infinity: Saga Collection (Gary Arant & Justin Gary, Stone Blade Entertainment, 2025)
19:51 -Azure (Trevor Benjamin & Brett J. Gilbert, Bitewing Games, 2026)
23:05 -Nokosu Dice (Yusuke Matsumoto, Engames, 2016)
28:31 -Tag Team (Gricha German & Corentin Lebrat, Scorpion Masqué, 2025)
34:44 -Tidal Blades 2: Rise of the Unfolders (Tim Eisner and Ben Eisner, Druid City Games, 2024)
36:50 -Schotten Totten (Reiner Knizia, IELLO, 1999)
39:23 -Tidal Blades: Banner Festival (J.B. Howell and Michael Mihealsick, Druid City Games, 2022)
News (and why it doesn't matter):
48:10 Come join us in Kingston, Ontario July 24th-26th!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/svwag-con-ii-electric-boogaloo-tickets-1986634285627
48:45 Icebreaker events to meet new people at SVWAG Con!
https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/379864/svwagcon-2-icebreaker-signup
50:37 Please support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/svwag
51:46 Concordia Special Edition fills us with sadness
54:54 Harmonies expansion! Crescendo
55:15 X-Com Miniatures Game from Modiphius
55:42 New edition of St. Petersburg
56:16 Topic: The Successful Campaign Experience
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1 hr 13 min
Nippon: Zaibatsu
Show notes
Rest assured, Mark was subjected to the appropriate onboarding procedures and workplace safety trainings incumbent with his new (old?) role. The HR gibbons are ever-vigilant, and wouldn't dream of letting him skip the mandatory 56 week course. Well, that's the longest one, anyway--the ape sensitivity course is a mere 45 weeks long, despite the gibbons' insistence that it ought to be the most exhaustive.
Games Played Last Week:
02:14 -Crusaders: Thy Will Be Done--Divine Influence (Seth Jaffee, Tasty Minstrel Games, 2022)
08:37 -Regicide Legacy (Paul Abrahams, Luke Badger, and Andy Richdale, Badgers from Mars, 2025)
12:41 -Jekyll vs. Hyde (Geonil, Mandoo Games, 2021)
16:07 -Cry Baby (Frédéric Vuagnat, BLAM !, 2026)
19:46 -Creature Comforts (Roberta Taylor, Kids Table BG, 2022)
23:11 -Trio (Kaya Miyano, Cocktail Games, 2021)
26:15 -Orloj: The Prague Astronomical Clock (Abraham Sanchez Hermida, Paloma J. Pascual Perro, Loko Games 2025)
31:24 -Battlefields of the Napoleonic Wars (Paolo Mori & Alessandro Zucchini, Ingenioso Hidalgo, 2025)
35:54 -The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers--Trick-Taking Game (Bryan Bornmueller, Office Dog, 2026)
36:36 -Meeples and Monsters (Ole Steiness, Alderac Entertainment Group, 2022)
38:04 -Small World (Philippe Keyaerts, Days of Wonder, 2009)
News (and why it doesn't matter):
40:02 SVWAGCon II: Electric Boogaloo (Trans Rights Are Stull Human Rights) Icebreakers! Balloons! Social lubricants! Tickets available on Eventbrite!
43:14 Battlefields of the Napoleonic Wars second printing: some improved components
44:14 Bluey Catan
45:21 Another Medici spin-off from Knizia: Medici Traders
45:53 Feature Game: Nippon: Zaibatsu (Nuno Bizarro Sentieiro & Paulo Soledade, CrowD Games, 2026)
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