So Very Wrong About Games

Notebook Nations

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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mid-Year Tag Questions

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

SVWAGCon Beckons

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Falling in Love with Your Collection

"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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Recall

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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices