I've read several different accounts of the battle of Sekigahara, and I swear there's no mention of Kevin Bacon or anyone bleaching their hair. How am I to know if Pony Boy stayed golden?

Games Played Last Week:

01:42 -MicroMacro: Kids--Crazy City Park (Johannes Sich, Edition Spielwiese, 2025)

04:20 -Good Puppers (Chris Cieslik, Asmadi Games, 2021)

07:38 -23 Knives (Tyler J. Brown, Play to Z, 2025)

15:13 -TEAM3 GREEN (Alex Cutler & Matt Fantastic, Brain Games, 2019)

20:04 -Marabunta (Reiner Knizia, Space Cowboys, 2023)

21:28 -Ra (Reiner Knizia, alea, 1999)

23:13 -Ra: The Dice Game (Reiner Knizia, Rio Grande Games, 2009)

26:16 -Moving Company (Guo Jiahui & Wu Ying, Whales Entertainment, 2025)

31:42 -Santorini: Riddle of the Sphinx (James Van Niekerk & Paul Saxberg, Roxley, 2025)

37:30 -The Crew: Family Adventure (Thomas Sing, KOSMOS, 2024)

42:07 -Hot Streak (Jon Perry, CMYK, 2025)

43:42 -Flip 7 (Eric Olsen, The Op Games, 2024)

News (and why it doesn't matter):

45:09 Open registration for SVWAG Con (July 25th-July 27th) on Eventbrite! https://tinyurl.com/25s6p5jd

46:35 Tabletop Tycoon acquires the rights to Eric Lang CMON designs: Blood Rage, Rising Sun, Ankh, Arcadia/Starcadia Quest

48:48 Follow-up to SEAL Team Flix: Phantom Division on Kickstarter! (Pete Ruth, Mark Thomas)

50:52 Sniper Elite: Operation Kraken on Gamefound

52:02 Feature Game: Rumble Nation (Yogi Shinichi, Hobby Japan, 2017)

Walker and Mark almost come to blows over Flip 7 this week. Their disagreements over the merits of the product (Game? Experience? Way of Life? Sub "Roll a 6, Win a Cookie" distraction?) have long simmered, but the fundamental schism can no longer be ignored or papered over. They finally have it out.

02:27 AYURIS: Knarr (Thomas Dupont, Bombyx, 2023)

Games Played Last Week:

03:36 -Autobahn (Fabio Lopiano and Nestore Mangone, Alley Cat Games, 2022)

06:39 -Scythe (Jamey Stegmaier, Stonemaier Games, 2016)

09:47 -Fairy Tale (Satoshi Nakamura, What's Your Game?, 2008)

15:00 -Moon (Haakon Gaarder, Sinister Fish Games, 2023)

18:17 -Spots (Alex Hague, Jon Perry, and Justin Vickers, CMYK, 2022)

21:13 -ito (326, Arclight Games, 2019)

28:06 -Deep Rock Galactic (Ole Steiness, MOOD Publishing, 2022)

31:45 -Flip 7 (Eric Olsen, The Op Games, 2024)

News (and why it doesn't matter):

35:50 Recall from Alion by Dr. Ø; pseudo-sequel to Revive?

38:07 Open registration for SVWAG Con (July 25th-July 27th) on Eventbrite! https://tinyurl.com/25s6p5jd

38:40 Topic: What Makes Longer Games Worth It?

"Observers brought attention to [Gritty's] appearance, which could be construed as frightening, while The Guardian described him as an "acid trip of a mascot." Response to Gritty's introduction was immediate and sharply mixed, with many fans on social media expressing bewilderment and some fright at his appearance. Public perception of Gritty became increasingly positive as Gritty's antics, which subverted the cuddly, family-friendly appearance and demeanor of other NHL mascots, gained more attention on social media."

-Wikipedia

Games Played Last Week:

00:56 -Can't Stop (Sid Sackson, Playte Games, 2023)

04:01 -Tigris & Euphrates (Reiner Knizia, Hans im Gluck, 1997)

13:09 -Hansa Teutonica: East Expansion (Andreas Steding, Argentum Verlag, 2010)

19:06 -Pandemic: Fall of Rome (Matt Leacock & Paolo Mori, Z-Man, 2018)

22:03 -SpellBook (Phil Walker-Harding, Space Cowboys, 2023)

24:40 -Skara Brae (Shem Phillips, Garphill Games, 2025)

29:52 -Sausage Sizzle (Inka and Marcus Brand, 25th Century Games, 2012)

32:07 -Unstoppable (John D. Clair, Renegade Game Studios, 2025)

38:41 -Toy Battle (Paolo Mori & Alessandro Zucchini, Repos Production, 2025)

40:38 -Leviathan Wilds (Justin Kemppainen, Moon Crab Games, 2024)

43:48 -Men at Work (Rita Modl, Pretzel Games, 2019)

News (and why it doesn't matter):

49:10 Lunar Rush expansion: Innovation

49:30 Open registration for SVWAG Con (July 25th-July27th) on Eventbrite! https://tinyurl.com/25s6p5jd

49:58 Lord of the Rings: Fate of the Fellowship

51:18 Please support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/svwag

53:32 Feature Game: Hot Streak (Jon Perry, CMYK, 2025)

[EDIT] We neglected to disclose that this was a review copy provided by the publisher. We apologize for the omission.

"gibber--intransitive verb

:to speak rapidly, inarticulately, and often foolishly"

-Merriam-Webster

"gibberer--noun

:the hosts of SVWAG"

Games Played Last Week:

01:17 -Sausage Sizzle (Inka and Marcus Brand, 25th Century Games, 2012)

05:22 -Landmarks (Rodrigo Rego & Danilo Valente, Floodgate Games, 2024)

09:11 -Skara Brae (Shem Phillips, Garphill Games, 2025)

14:20 -Moving Company (Guo Jiahui & Wu Ying, Whales Entertainment, 2025)

16:49 -First Rat (Gabriele Ausiello & Virginio Gigli, Pegasus Spiele, 2022)

20:47 -Barbecubes (Brett J. Gilbert & Rob Sparks, Alley Cat Games, 2025)

24:35 -Unstoppable (John D. Clair, Renegade Game Studios, 2025)

29:48 -Battle of Mekaverse (Reiner Knizia, Kids Logic, 2024)

34:25 -Dorfromantik: The Board Game (Michael Palm and Lukas Zach, Pegasus Spiele, 2022)

37:41 -Toy Battle (Paolo Mori & Alessandro Zucchini, Repos Production, 2025)

40:04 -Dungeon Twister: The Card Game (Christophe Boelinger, Asmodee, 2013)

46:34 -Rumble Nation (Yogi Shinichi, Hobby Japan, 2017)

News (and why it doesn't matter):

50:10 SETI expansion: Space Agencies

50:46 Flamecraft digital

51:28 POGs are coming back? Slam Throne

52:02 Open registration for SVWAG Con (July 25th-July27th) on Eventbrite! https://tinyurl.com/25s6p5jd

53:53 Feature Game: Gibberers: The Word Game of Language Invention and Civilization Development (Keisei, Hobby Japan, 2024)

Chaka Khan, let me rock you

Let me rock you, Chaka Khan

Let me rock you, that's all I wanna do

Chaka Khan, let me rock you

Let me rock you, Chaka Khan

Let me rock you, 'cause I feel for you

-Chaka Khan, "I Feel for You"

01:26 AYURIS: Barcelona (Dani Garcia, Board&Dice, 2023)

Games Played Last Week:

03:10 -Snap Ships Tactics: Swarm Box (Josh Derksen, Snap Ships, 2025)

10:13 -Battle of Mekaverse (Reiner Knizia, Kids Logic, 2024)

15:34 -Everdell Farshore (James A. Wilson & Clarissa A. Wilson, Starling Games, 2023)

20:19 -Trading Titans (Reiner Knizia, Kids Logic, 2024)

25:03 -TAH WARS: Dice Tower Game (Luca Vince Caltabiano, BOARD TO DEATH, 2025)

31:06 -Things in Rings (Peter C. Hayward, Allplay, 2024)

News (and why it doesn't matter):

35:06 Lifeboat by Jeff Siadek reprint on Kickstarter

37:15 Underwater Cities: Data Era expansion

38:18 Open registration for SVWAG Con (July 25th-July27th) on Eventbrite! https://tinyurl.com/25s6p5jd

39:55 Topic: Tricky Edge Cases

While we pride ourselves in playing more games in a week than many play in a month, when we take a week away from the SVWAG studio we often face a truly herculean backlog of games to discuss. This two-week period is no exception. Rest assured, we would never leave our dear listeners in the lurch, so we will keep you updated so you need not miss a thing.

01:00 AYURIS: Race to the Raft (Frank West, The City of Games, 2023)

Games Played Last Week:

03:40 -Knarr (Thomas Dupont, Bombyx, 2023)

06:42 -Quin (Brian Rooney and Taeleen Woodard, Arch & Gravity Publishing, 2024)

11:41 -Slay the Spire: The Board Game (Gary Dworetsky, Anthony Giovannetti, and Casey Yano, Contention Games, 2024)

14:47 -Gùgōng: Pànjūn (Andreas Steding, Game Brewer, 2020)

22:00 -Skull (Hervé Marly, Asmodee, 2011)

24:09 -Space Gits (Mike Hutchinson, Planet Smasher Games, 2025)

30:06 -Bad Company (Kenneth Minde, Kristian Amundsen Østby, and Eilif Svensson, Aporta Games, 2021)

34:44 -Rebirth (Reiner Knizia, Mighty Boards, 2024)

36:48 -Tír na nÓg (Isaac Shalev & Jason Slingerland, Grand Gamers Guild, 2024)

38:51 -Let's Go! To Japan (Josh Wood, AEG, 2024)

41:52 -Keyflower (Sebastien Bleasdale & Richard Breese, R&D Games, 2012)

42:54 -Altay: Dawn of Civilization (Paolo Mori & Ole Steiness, Ares Games, 2024)

47:09 -Abandon All Artichokes (Emma Larkins, Gamewright, 2020)

49:58 -Quacks (Wolfgang Warsch, Schmidt Spiele, 2018)

52:02 -23 Knives (Tyler J. Brown, Play to Z, 2025)

59:15 -Ghost Blitz: Spooky Doo (Jacques Zeimet, Zoch Verlag, 2016)

News (and why it doesn't matter):

1:03:26 Catacombs Alpha, new entry point in the Catacombs series, on crowdfunding

1:04:13 Tariff highlights: Stegmaier lawsuit, CMON, Greater Than Games

1:07:15 Open registration for SVWAG Con (July 25th-July27th) on Eventbrite! https://tinyurl.com/25s6p5jd

1:07:47 Commands & Colors news: new Memoir '44, Battle of Hoth

1:09:08 SVWAG interview with James of One Man Clapping episode #26

Tiebreakers are arguably a kind of endgame scoring. I respect the fact that they are invariably necessary (I mean, if for no other reason than if they're omitted some smartass like me will complain). That said, clearly if the scoreboard goes to 200+ I don't imagine we'll be hauling out the second tiebreaker condition all that much. Frequently the endgame conversion of resources to points already serves as a tiebreaker anyway.

01:48 AYURIS: Nidavellir (Serge Laget, GRRRE Games, 2020)

Games Played Last Week:

04:57 -FlickFleet (Jackson Pope & Paul Willcox, Eurydice Games, 2018)

11:55 -Slay the Spire: The Board Game (Gary Dworetsky, Anthony Giovannetti, and Casey Yano, Contention Games, 2024)

14:21 -Altay: Dawn of Civilization (Paolo Mori & Ole Steiness, Ares Games, 2024)

17:19 -Wizards of the Grimoire: Shifting Sands (Cole Banning & Joe Banning, Grimoire Games, 2025)

21:23 -Risk 2210 A.D.: Frontline (Mike Gills, Renegade Game Studios, 2025)

32:57 -Calimala (Fabio Lopiano, Alley Cat Games, 2024)

37:20 -Ransom Notes: House Party Edition (Josh Roberts, Evan and Josh's Very Special Games Company, 2023)

40:16 -Leviathan Wilds (Justin Kemppainen, Moon Crab Games, 2024)

42:57 -Regicide (Paul Abrahams, Luke Badger, & Andy Richdale, Badgers from Mars, 2020)

News (and why it doesn't matter):

45:15 New Meltwater by Capstone Games

46:19 Open registration for SVWAG Con (July 25th-July27th) on Eventbrite! https://tinyurl.com/25s6p5jd

47:24 Topic: Endgame Scoring

When is a thing like another thing? Is Albedo like Core Worlds? Is Cat Blues like Rummy? Is Through the Desert like Go? Is a nudge as good as a wink to blind bat? Are all Roll & Writes inferior to Roll a 6, Win a Cookie? Is Christophe Boelinger France's Vlaada Chvátil? Probably, because it's all just like Mage Knight in the end.

Games Played Last Week:

04:46 -Street Masters: Tide of the Dragon (Scott McFall, Adam Sadler, Brady Sadler, and Mitch Schroeder, Blacklist Games, 2022)

09:45 -Castles of Mad King Ludwig: Collector's Edition (Ted Alspach, Bézier Games, 2022)

13:55 -Cat Blues: The Big Gig (Reiner Knizia, Bitewing Games, 2024)

22:14 -Moon Colony Bloodbath (Donald X. Vaccarino, Rio Grande Games, 2025)

28:03 -Albedo: Space Pirates! (Kai Herbertz, Herbertz Entertainment UG, 2018)

35:43 -Malediction (Leo Cunha, Nicole Lobo, and Daniel Pettersen de Lucena, Loot Studios, 2025)

39:46 -Hey, That's My Fish! (Günter Cornett & Alvydas Jakeliunas, Bambus Spieleverlag, 2003)

40:55 -Parks: Roll & Hike (Henry Audubon & Mattox Shuler, Keymaster Games, 2024)

News (and why it doesn't matter):

44:04 Tariffs impacting the hobby

45:12 Please support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/svwag

46:23 Zombie Princess, a riff on Spades, by Bézier and Ted Alspach

47:05 Feature Game: Rise & Fall (Christophe Boelinger, Ludically, 2024)