So Very Wrong About Games

"Let us go then, you and I,When the board is spread out against the tableLike a beast euthanized inside a stable;Let us go, through certain half-deserted tracks,The muttering attacksDuring restless nights of one-play bad gamesAnd sepia box lids with familiar names:Rules that follow like a tedious argumentOf soporific intentTo lead you to an overwhelming question ...Oh, do not ask, “What to play?”Let us go and have our say.In the room the gamers come and stayTalking of Asmodee."-The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock Games Played Last Week:00:55 -Keep the Heroes Out (Luís Brüeh, Brueh Games, 2022)06:49 -Air, Land, & Sea: Spies, Lies, & Supplies (Jon Perry, Arcane Wonders, 2022)11:46 -Skymines (Viktor Kobilke and Alexander Pfister, Deep Print Games, 2022)15:00 -Calimala (Fabio Lopiano, ADC Blackfire Entertainment GmbH, 2017)18:46 -Resist! (Trevor Benjamin, Roger Tankersley, and David Thompson, Salt & Pepper Games, 2022)21:25 -Tindaya (Lolo González, Red Mojo, 2022)26:04 -Oathsworn: Into the Deepwood (Jamie Jolly, Shadowborne Games, 2022)News (and why it doesn't matter):31:36 Teotihuacan: Deluxe Version in 202332:23 Mosaic: Wars & Disasters Expansion on KS: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/954412004/mosaic-wars-and-disasters-expansion33:28 From The Red Cathedral to The White Castle35:15 Non-US patrons! Send us a Patreon message for a chance to get a copy of Target-exclsuive Horizons of Spirit Island36:36 Slay the Spire on KS: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/contentiongames/slay-the-spire-the-board-game41:36 Dragonlance: Warriors of Krynn by Stephen Baker and ROb Daviau43:16 Feature Game: Flamecraft (Manny Vega, Cardboard Alchemy, 2022)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Replete with a robust menagerie in this episode, we perhaps begin to see why anthropomorphic animals seem to feature in every other game lately. We have Dalmations (plus a cow named Doog trying to impersonate a Dalmation), horsies, goats, weasels and wombats (seldom do we see such an august alliteration!), meeses (not to be confused with mooses), and some needed stinkin' badgers. Not a great petting zoo, sure--of limited utility in a game of Ark Nova--but an impressive collection nonetheless.Games Played Last Week:02:05 -Spots (Alex Hague, Jon Perry, and Justin Vickers, CMYK, 2022)02:20 -Long Shot: The Dice Game (Chris Handy, Perplext, 2022)03:37 -Mountain Goats (Stefan Risthaus, BoardGameTables.com, 2020)06:10 -Mysterium Park (Oleksandr Nevskiy and Oleg Sidorenko, Libellud, 2020)09:08 -Oathsworn: Into the Deepwood (Jamie Jolly, Shadowborne Games, 2022)15:50 -Weasel-Tech (Ivan Sorensen, Nordic Weasel Games, 2021)21:22 -Hand-to-Hand Wombat (Matthew Inman, Elan Lee, & Cory O'Brien, Exploding Kittens, 2022)25:02 -Root: The Marauder Expansion (Nick Brachmann, Patrick Leder, Cole Wehrle, and Joshua Yearsley, Leder Games, 2022)28:45 -Capital Lux 2: Generations (Eilif Svensson & Kristian Amundsen Østby, Aporta Games, 2020)29:22 -I.S.S. Vanguard (Andrzej Betkiewicz, Krzysztof Piskorski, Paweł Samborski, and Marcin Świerkot, Awaken Realms, 2022)36:08 -Cult of the Deep (Sam Stockton, B.A. Games, 2022)39:58 -Strike (Dieter Nüßle, Ravensburger, 2012)News (and why it doesn't matter):42:40 Aegean Sea by Carl Chudyk on BackerKit43:18 All sorts of Patreon-exclusive content and free games! www.patreon.com/svwag44:27 Canadian patrons! Sent a message through Patreon to possibly win a copy of Horizons of Spirit Island: Tell us your Spirit Name!46:08 Feature Game: Dead Reckoning (John D. Clair, Alderac Entertainment Group, 2022)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We apologize for the all-caps implied yelling, but really, given this volume we had to have a corresponding... uh, volume. The puns are also somewhat fishy--but those you can feel free to skip, jack. The nautical theme doesn't end with fishing, as the recent Crash Octopus (when compared with older titles that are comparatively crusty) shone. More specifically given that it's about an octopus and we want to minimize the yelling, it's a safe, low pod. Wait, no, that's the wrong family. If you wanna shop in latin... you mall, usque?I'll see myself out. 1:04 AYURIS: Trick Shot (Nikita Krylov & Artyom Nichipurov, Wolff Designa, 2021)Games Played Last Week:03:27 -Lords of Hellas: Dark Ages Expansion (Adam Kwapiński, Awaken Realms, 2019)09:43 -Hallertau (Uwe Rosenberg, Lookout Games, 2020)12:27 -Keep the Heroes Out (Luís Brüeh, Brueh Games, 2022)17:37 -Nusfjord (Uwe Rosenberg, Lookout Games, 2017)21:49 -Santa Maria (Eilif Svensson and Kristian Amundsen Østby, Aporta Games, 2017)25:47 -Spots (Alex Hague, Jon Perry, and Justin Vickers, CMYK, 2022)29:37 -Long Shot: The Dice Game (Chris Handy, Perplext, 2022)33:37 -Oathsworn: Into the Deepwood (Jamie Jolly, Shadowborne Games, 2022)41:00 -Return to Dark Tower (Tim Burrell-Saward, Isaac Childres, Noah Cohen, Rob Daviau, Justin D. Jacobson, & Brian Neff, Restoration Games, 2022)43:52 -Car Wars (Sixth Edition) (Samuel Mitschke & Rany Scheunemann, Steve Jackson Games, 2021)49:39 -Twilight Inscription (James Kniffen, FFG, 2022)51:47 -Space Cadets: Dice Duel (Geoff Engelstein and Sydney Engelstein, Stronghold, 2013)53:56 -Scooby-Doo! The Board Game (Guilherme Goulart and Fred Perret, CMON, 2022)57:32 -Guards of Atlantis II (Artyom Nichipurov, Wolff Designa, 2022)1:02:50 -Chronicles of Avel (Przemek Wojtkowiak, Rebel Studio, 2021)1:04:23 -Crash Octopus (Naotaka Shimamoto, itten, 2021)News (and why it doesn't matter):1:06:29 Funbrick Series by itten: two Reiner Knizia dexterity games!1:07:19 Queen's Dilemma, and the consumer's dilemma1:09:09 Spirit Island: Nature Incarnate on BackerKit. Strangely information-free campaign. 1:12:32 HeroScape campaign floundering.1:14:08 Another G.I. JOE expansion: Cold Snap1:14:37 Both Sadler brothers out of professional game design1:15:26 A reason why we don't do previews1:16:23 October 27th is Arkhipov DayAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Live at SHUX 2022, we are joined with extra-special guest Quinns from Shut Up and Sit Down! He was clearly thrilled to be with us, as evinced by the following exchange:Mark: "We're professionals, Quinns."Quinns: "Citation needed."02:26 AYURIS: Hallertau (Uwe Rosenberg, Lookout Games, 2020)Games Played Last Week:05:11 -The Siege of Runedar (Reiner Knizia, Ludonova, 2021)09:00 -Marrakesh (Stefan Feld, Queen Games, 2022)14:18 -Endless Winter: Paleoamericans (Stan Kordonskiy, Fantasia Games, 2022)20:24 -Sidereal Confluence 10m22s (TauCeti Deichmann, Wizkids, 2017)25:49 -Regicide (Paul Abrahams, Luke Badger, & Andy Richdale, Badgers from Mars, 2020)26:10 -Caverna: The Cave Farmers (Uwe Rosenberg, Lookout Games, 2013)28:31 -Master Word (Gérald Cattiaux, Le Scorpion Masqué, 2020)News (and why it doesn't matter):32:42 Terraforming Mars: Dice Game32:57 Reprint of Yellow & Yangtze: Huang by PHALANX35:07 Temple of Horrors: Dungeon crawling with shuffleboard combat36:55 October 27th is Akhipov Day38:11 Topic: Games that Make You Be MeanAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We apologize for the poor quality of Mark's half of the audio this week. We offer two possible explanations. One is that Walker, motivated as he is by spite and malice, engaged in an elaborate act of sabotage so as to undermine Mark in public. The other is that Mark (the editor, mind you) messed up the audio settings. I agree that the latter is too improbable, too conspiratorial, to take seriously--but we include it for the sake of comprehensiveness. Games Played Last Week:01:32 -Twilight Inscription (James Kniffen, FFG, 2022)05:15 -Heaven & Ale (Michael Kiesling & Andreas Schmidt, eggertspiele, 2017)07:59 -Blood Rage (Eric Lang, CMON, 2015)09:07 -Fun Facts (Kasper Lapp, Repos Production, 2022)12:17 -Albedo: Space Pirates! (Kai Herbertz, Herbertz Entertainment UG, 2018)13:44 -51st State: Master Set (Ignacy Trzewiczek, Portal, 2016)14:31 -Renegade (Richard Wilkins, Victory Point Games, 2018)17:31 -Flamecraft (Manny Vega, Cardboard Alchemy, 2022)19:42 -Massive Darkness 2: Heavenfall (Alex Olteanu & Marco Portugal, CMON, 2021)22:12 -Oneironauts (Oleksandr Nevskiy, IGAMES, 2022)26:12 -Now Boarding (Tim Fowers, Fowers Games, 2018)29:25 -Return to Dark Tower (Tim Burrell-Saward, Isaac Childres, Noah Cohen, Rob Daviau, Justin D. Jacobson, & Brian Neff, Restoration Games, 2022)News (and why it doesn't matter):33:40 Cthulhu: Death May Die Season 3 coming to KS35:41 Persona 5 co-op card game by Atlus and Pandasaurus in October '2336:12 Spiel in Essen! For example, Cyclades 237:03 SHUX '22 is a wrap! Thank you, everyone! Live show with Quinns incoming37:39 Roundtable discussion with BGB released on Patreon, note about review copies38:39 Video review of Space Station Phoenix: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibG5qf1Rwm039:14 Daybreak by Matt Leacock on Backerkit40:18 Arkhipov Day! In recognition of Vasily Arkhipiv saving the entire world on October 27, 1962, we celebrate Arkhipov Day on October 27th.40:49 Feature Game: Heroscape (Stephen Baker, Rob Daviau, & Craig Van Ness, Hasbro, 2004)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

001You approach a door. Test perception. If you fail, go to paragraph 105. If you succeed, go to paragraph 166.105You fail to notice a sharp thing, so you step on it and take 1 wound. Go to paragraph 166.166On the other side of the door are things you must kill for reasons. Dig out tiles 2B, 4A, 6A, 8B and 12B and get ready for some paperwork.02:23 AYURIS: Tungaru (Louis Malz & Stefan Malz, Alley Cat Games, 2020)Games Played Last Week:03:48 -Blood Rage (Eric Lang, CMON, 2015)06:29 -Wormholes (Peter McPherson, Alderac Entertainment Group, 2022)09:16 -Envelopes of Cash (Andy Schwarz, Envelopes of Cash LLC, 2022)13:52 -Fateforge: Chronicles of Kaan (Gordon Calleja, Mighty Boards, 2023)18:44 -Albedo: Yggdrasil (Kai Herbertz, Herbertz Entertainment UG, 2019)22:47 -Anachrony: Fractures of Time (Richard Amann, Viktor Peter, Dávid Turczi, & Mindclash Games, 2020)27:58 -Trudvang Legends (Jordy Adan, Fel Barros, Guilherme Goulart, Eric M. Lang, Marco Maggi, Francesco Nepitello, Umberto Pignatelli, & Fabio Tola, 2022)34:13 -Long Shot: The Dice Game (Chris Handy, Perplext, 2022)37:10 -Hanabi (Antoine Bauza, ABACUSSPIELE, 2010)40:42 -G.I. Joe Deck-Building Game: Shadow of the Serpent Expansion (Matt Hyra, Renegade Game Studios, 2022)42:45 -The Mirroring of Mary King (Jim Felli, Devious Weasel Games, 2022)News (and why it doesn't matter):44:45 SHUX! September 30-October 2. SVWAG on stage for two live shows on October 1.46:25 We stream games on Twitch and rebroadcast those session on Youtube! Most recently, Anachrony.47:09 Space Dwarfs aka "Squats" from Games Workshop: https://www.warhammer-community.com/2022/09/13/welcome-to-the-big-leagues-who-are-the-five-biggest-leagues-of-votann/47:50 Fuse: Countdown expandalone48:21 Topic: What a Campaign NeedsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Even the steadfastly Imperial Americans are familiar with metric measurements of distance, volume, and temperature; but alas, the metric French Republican calendar has fallen by the wayside. Consisting of 12 months of exactly 30 days each (3 10-day weeks) with 5 (or 6, for leap years) interstitial days called "complementary days." I mean, you couldn't call them holidays what with your trying to purge religious influence on your calendar! In a fun twist, each of the 360 normal days, instead of Saint's Days, was meant to commemorate the "treasures of the rural economy." Like horseradish day (Frimaire 12), or rabbit day (Nivôse 15). Even more exotic was metric time, and don't get me started on that.Games Played Last Week:01:31 -Tobago: Volcano (Bruce Allen, Zoch Verlag, 2020)03:50 -Ascension Tactics: Miniatures Deckbuilding Game (Justin Gary & Ryan Sutherland, Stone Blade Entertainment, 2021)06:18 -Uprising: Curse of the Last Emperor (Cornelius Cremin, Pawel Mazur, & Dirk Sommer, Nemesis.Games, 2021)08:50 -Resist! (Trevor Benjamin, Roger Tankersley, & David Thompson, Salt & Pepper Games, 2022) 14:07 -The Adventures of Robin Hood (Michael Menzel, KOSMOS, 2021)15:44 -Regicide (Paul Abrahams, Luke Badger, & Andy Richdale, Badgers from Mars, 2020)16:38 -51st State: Master Set (Ignacy Trzewiczek, Portal, 2016)18:16 -Swords around the Throne (Renaud Verlaque, My Kind of Games, 2022)23:23 -Wormholes (Peter McPherson, Alderac Entertainment Group, 2022)27:04 -Blitz Bowl: Season 2 (James M. Hewitt, Games Workshop Ltd., 2020)News (and why it doesn't matter):33:07 SHUX! September 30-October 2. SVWAG on stage for two live shows on October 1.33:22 Unboxed: Board Game Experience and Design by Gordon Calleja and MIT Press releases October 4.34:13 Pandemic everything! Star Wars: The Clone Wars--A Pandemic System Game34:35 Mac Gerdts' Crossing Oceans35:43 International Gamers Awards winners announced: Carnegie, Ark Nova, and Cascadia.[EDIT: In the broadcast we mistakenly refer to the International Gamers Awards as the International Gaming Awards. We apologize for the error.]36:14 Disney trading card game: Disney Lorcana37:47 Feature Game: Capital Lux 2: Generations (Eilif Svensson & Kristian Amundsen Østby, Aporta Games, 2020)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We encourage elaborate deception in this week's episode. Go on designers, up your game. While we can't accept anything from you in terms of gifts or donations, you can totally fool us. Stack yourselves three deep in a trenchcoat! Pretend to be long-lost, estranged, and newly-dead relatives! Don silly hats and fake moustaches! Games Played Last Week:01:00 -Monumental (Matthew Dunstan, Funforge, 2020)06:37 -Spirit Island: Jagged Earth (R. Eric Reuss, Greater Than Games, 2020)08:52 -Ragusa (Fabio Lopiano, Braincrack Games, 2019)12:52 -Dead Reckoning (John D. Clair, Alderac Entertainment Group, 2022)18:04 -Castles of Mad King Ludwig: Collector's Edition (Ted Alspach, Bézier Games, 2022)22:04 -Space Weirdos: A Skirmish Heartbreaker (Casey Garske, Garske Games, 2021)27:29 -Oathsworn: Into the Deepwood (Jamie Jolly, Shadowborne Games, 2022)34:38 -Battlecrest: Fellwoods Base Game (Dustin Dobson & Milan Zivkovic, Button Shy, 2022)News (and why it doesn't matter):37:53 We have a Patreon. Please keep mum about it, designers! www.patreon.com/svwag39:11 Fun Facts by Repos Production39:40 David Thompson and BeyondSolitaire working on a game about the Night Witches40:31 Almost Innocent on KS: co-op deduction40:52 Come Together and hold a music festival41:44 Feature Game: Mosaic: A Story of Civilization (Glenn Drover, Forbidden Games, 2022)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fatal Fury 3's subtitle was Road to the Final Victory, ironic given that there were then four more Fatal Fury titles (the first's subtitle was The King of Fighters, which is its own huge delightful kettle of fish). While Fatal Fury Special (the actual third Fatal Fury title, which made 3 the fourth, please do keep up) was worthy in its own right, 3 is clearly where the Fatal Fury series hit its stride. This is to say nothing of the introductions of Ryuji Yamazaki and Blue Mary!It's either this or Kant, folks. 01:25 AYURIS: Dogs of War (Paolo Mori, CMON, 2014)Games Played Last Week:03:12 -Cosmic Frog (Jim Felli, Devious Weasel Games, 2020)06:20 -Flotilla (J.B. Howell & Michael Mihealsick, WizKids, 2019)07:55 -Massive Darkness 2: Hellscape (Alex Olteanu & Marco Portugal, CMON, 2022)09:29 -Dead and Breakfast (Rodrigo Rego, Braincrack Games, 2018)12:12 -So, You've Been Eaten (Scott Almes, LudiCreations, 2022)16:13 -Fateforge: Chronicles of Kaan (Gordon Calleja, Mighty Boards, 2023)20:27 -Ice Floes & Foes (Kees Meis & Dennis Merkx, Keep Exploring Games, 2021)23:35 -Sentinels of the Multiverse (Christopher Badell, Paul Bender, & Adam Rebottaro, Greater Than Games, 2011)27:52 -Santorini (Gord!, Roxley, 2016)News (and why it doesn't matter):29:02 Chip Theory Games gifting board game media types with swords30:09 Vital Lacerda and Ian O'Toole: Inventions: Evolution of Ideas30:40 HeroScape will be distributed by Hasbro's crowdfunding platform, HasLab31:34 Astra from Mindclash games: straight to retail32:18 Topic: Efficiency EurosAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Not every game needs to be four huge boxes full of other boxes and plastic. Some can be delightfully simple games... with boxes that are too big due to crowdfunding. Other games could be underappreciated Reiner Knizia classics brought to a new underappreciating audience! Via, I guess, the medium of crowdfunding. Hm. I suppose I don't have a point, except that we, like pearls before swine or a Knizia before a gamer, are ungrateful contradictory ingrates.Games Played Last Week:01:58 -Meadow (Klemens Kalicki, Rebel Studio, 2021)07:26 -Chronicles of Avel (Przemek Wojtkowiak, Rebel Studio, 2021)10:42 -Massive Darkness 2: Hellscape (Alex Olteanu & Marco Portugal, CMON, 2022)13:36 -Noli (Jack Caesar & Alessio Cavatore, River Horse Ltd., 2022)18:40 -Barrage: The Leeghwater Project (Tommaso Battista & Simone Luciani, Cranio Creations, 2019)22:30 -Stephenson's Rocket (Reiner Knizia, Pegasus Spiele, 1999)25:19 -The Mirroring of Mary King (Jim Felli, Devious Weasel Games, 2022)29:05 -Oathsworn: Into the Deepwood (Jamie Jolly, Shadowborne Games, 2022)36:23 -Siege of Mantua (Amabel Holland, Hollandspiele, 2022)News (and why it doesn't matter):41:01 Friedemann Friese's Findorff41:46 SLightly more HeroScape news on Hasbro Pulse43:50 Revive by Aporta Games44:40 Feature Game: 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)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices