So Very Wrong About Games

"Robert! This here is velvet--not velveteen. A gentleman must learn the difference."-Gilbert Fontaine de la Tour D'Haute RiveGames 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 rep

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

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) 2003, 201317:44 -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-order42:28 Stranger Things Risk...?43:10 APE Games to reprint Whale Riders43:38 Kasper Lapp's Our Secret Socie

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 Year33:33 From Fortress America to 2045, Walker makes associations37:21 Second Zenobia Award winner: The Porters, by Lucas Cockburn, Neco Cockburn, and Alex Goss about unionization of black Canadian rail workers38:57 Topic: Sheep in Wolves' ClothingAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

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

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):45:3

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/@SoVeryWrongAboutGamesGames 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 -Froma

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 -Haller

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, 20

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

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,

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 Strug

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 lets 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 Tu

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 journey42:09 Joi

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

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,

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 (Christ

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 Sa

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

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 G