So Very Wrong About Games

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 Journey43:47 Flickering Stars: sci-fi dexterity by Matt Le

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 Peacemakers35:27 Quartermaster Genera

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, Conten

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 Jens

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

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 (Jus

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 UnknownGames 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 & H

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

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

There are certain portentous events that presage massive upheaval and transformative revolution, both good and ill--Mark regards travel as one of these cataclysmic convulsions (ill), but the same is true of the arrival of the man known as Doctor Stallone (good). Both have coincided in the world of SVWAG this week, a confluence more consequential than the great passage of Halley's comet that prompted the original quote of "Après moi, le déluge." There's just a lot, people.01:33 AYURIS: Flamecraft (Manny Vega, Cardboard Alchemy, 2022)Games Played Last Week:03:12 -Dune: Imperium--Uprising (Paul Dennen, Dire Wolf, 2023)06:17 -Anunnaki: Dawn of the Gods (Simone Luciani and Danilo Sabia, Cranio Creations, 2023)10:08 -Ra (Reiner Knizia, alea, 1999)13:19 -Skyrise (Gavan Brown, Sébastien Pauchon, and Adam Wyse, Roxley, 2024)16:37 -Medici (Reiner Knizia, AMIGO, 1995)22:13 -Stroganov (Andreas Steding, Game Brewer, 2021)26:53 -Blitzkrieg!: World War Two in 20 Minutes (Paolo Mori, PSC Games, 2019)29:05 -Ra

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

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 F

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, 202

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 expansion28:53 Indonesia reprint from Splotter with a new board29:51 Black Forest from Tido Lorenze,

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) ARTIST: Damien Mammoliti11:27 -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-Les

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 Egypt40:07 Vote for the Golden Geek and for the Deutsche Spiele Preis

We are storytellers here at SVWAG. This week, we tell the stories of mismatched plagues with dead llamas posing as European dudes, of quixotic strivings for yet more skirmish games, of famous philosophers who hustled cards. Of course, if you wish to hear different stories, the power is yours! You have but to submit your questions for the upcoming Omnibus Questions episode, and all your idle demands shall be satisfied!Games Played Last Week:02:33 -Scrap (Kenny Michael-Otton, Jolly Swagman Games, 2023)09:12 -Root: The Marauder Expansion (Nick Brachmann, Patrick Leder, Cole Wehrle, and Joshua Yearsley, Leder Games, 2022)14:29 -Cartographers: A Roll Player Game (Jordy Adan, Thunderworks Games, 2019)16:52 -Lacuna (Mark Gerrits, CMYK, 2023)19:21 -The Edge: Dawnfall (Michał Oracz, Krzysztof Piskorski, and Marcin Świerkot, Awaken Realms, 2018)News (and why it doesn't matter):27:26 dlp's Orléans 10th Anniversary Edition, Walker has grievances30:47 Star Control II sequel, Free Stars: Children of Infinity, on Ki

No topic is off-limits for the upcoming return of our Omnibus Questions, as we demonstrate in this episode by tackling such issues as pre-Reformation papal indulgences. And if you were to guess which host brought up that little historical nugget, you'd be wrong!Possible questions: who would win in a street fight, J.G. Fichte or Nietzsche? Do sheep poop? Who is the best member of Team Avatar? (Fichte, yes, and Appa, respectively) 02:17 AYURIS: It's a Wonderful World (Frédéric Guérard, La Boîte de Jeu, 2019) and It's a Wonderful Kingdom (Frédéric Guérard, La Boîte de Jeu, 2021)Games Played Last Week:06:23 -Orléans: The Plague (Reiner Stockhausen, dlp games, 2023)13:59 -Antiquity (Joroen Doumen & Joris Wiersinga, Splotter, 2004)20:30 -Just One (Ludovic Roudy & Bruno Sautter, Repos Production, 2018)22:51 -Green Team Wins (Nathan Thornton, 25th Century Games, 2022)23:47 -Quest (Don Eskridge, Indie Boards & Cards, 2021)28:38 -Sidereal Confluence (TauCeti Deichmann, Wizkids, 2017)32:53 -Fast

While we have little experience with Ed Sullivan's TV offerings, his legacy is a fascinating one. While he capitulated to pressure during the Red Scare, he did show remarkable courage in platforming African American performers despite opposition from his sponsors. Quite surprising is that the illness that eventually killed him was kept a secret from him by his family, a practise that was already frowned on in the United States by the seventies but is still widespread in many parts of the world. Games Played Last Week:01:36 -The Vale of Eternity (Eric Hong, Mandoo Games, 2023)04:28 -Voidfall (Nigel Buckle & Dávid Turczi, Mindclash Games, 2023)08:42 -Radlands (Daniel Piechnick, Roxley, 2021)10:11 -Mindbug Battlefruits (Christian Kudahl, Marvin Hegen, Skaff Elias, and Richard Garfield, Nerdlab Games, 2024)14:36 -ICECOOL Wizards (Brian Gomez, Brain Games, 2024)19:32 -Ratyl (Andy Gallagher, Busy Dad Games, 2023)25:46 -Agricola (Revised Edition) (Uwe Rosenberg, Lookout Games, 2016)29:42 -Almost Innocent (Ph

It is said that both politics and religion are not good conversational fodder among people you don't know well (and perhaps not even for people with whom you are close), but sadly those are among Mark's favourite topics. The sun having been devoured may cause the astronomers to be delighted, but Mark knows a portent when he sees one, and he is confident some kind of sacrifice to appease violent spirits is in order. Walker escalates things by invoking the divine right of kings, the intersection of religion and politics, but then again escalation is Walker's default instinct. Further proof of Fenrir's influence, no doubt!01:44 AYURIS: Space Station Phoenix (Gabriel J. Cohn, Rio Grande Games, 2022)Games Played Last Week:03:54 -Black Rose Wars: Rebirth (Andrea Colletti, Diego Fonseca, and Marco Montanaro, Ludus Magnus Studio, 2024)11:15 -G.I. JOE Deck-Building Game: Raise the Flagg Campaign Expansion (T.C. Petty III, Renegade Game Studios, 2023)12:34 -Hissy Fit (Levi Robertson and Chris Stone, Sto