#354: 20th Century Games

#354: 20th Century Games

Author: Pickaxe April 1, 2025 Duration: 1:19:42
People have favourably described our physical appearances as "borderline tolerable" and "just short of hideous", and that was just our mothers. In light of this, we put ourselves forward as candidates for all manner of game show. Mark is quite fond of Rice-a-Roni and thus would be more than happy to just have a consolation prize, and Walker just wants to spin something as hard as he can. Better reinforce your props. 01:43 AYURIS: Archeos Society (Paolo Mori, Space Cowboys, 2023) Games Played Last Week: 03:16 -Ethnos (Paolo Mori, CMON, 2017) 08:20 -Wizards of the Grimoire: Shifting Sands (Cole Banning & Joe Banning, Grimoire Games, 2025) 12:14 -Jenga Maker (Uncredited, Hasbro, 2022) 16:20 -Click A Tree (Uwe Rosenberg, Skellig Games, 2025) 18:15 -Street Masters: Tide of the Dragon (Scott McFall, Adam Sadler, Brady Sadler, and Mitch Schroeder, Blacklist Games, 2022) 22:15 -Crafting the Cosmos (David Gordon & TAM, Office Dog, 2025) 23:48 -Scape Goat (Jon Perry, Indie Boards & Cards, 2020) 28:41 -Shuffle and Swing (Robert Hovakimyan, Bitewing Games, 2025) 32:31 -Bebop (Robert Hovakimyan, Bitewing Games, 2025) 39:53 -El Grande (Wolfgang Kramer & Richard Ulrich, Hans im Glück, 1995) 44:03 -Crokinole (Uncredited, Mayday, 2025) News (and why it doesn't matter): 47:19 Phantom Division returning and editorial challenges 47:55 Early Registration for SVWAGCon for patrons! www.patreon.com/svwag 48:20 G.I. Joe Heroscape--will Transformers follow? 52:53 CMYK game show: Perfect Line hosted by Deborah Norville 54:26 Ark Nova spin-off Sanctuary 54:54 StarCraft miniatures and board games incoming 55:14 Alley Cat games sticking to crowdfunding, skipping retail 55:37 Topic: 20th Century Games Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted by Mike Walker and Mark Bigney, So Very Wrong About Games digs into the world of hobby gaming with a blend of sharp critique and genuine enthusiasm. Each episode feels like pulling up a chair at a table where two knowledgeable friends are deep in conversation, dissecting everything from the latest releases to timeless classics. They believe that a bad game deserves a thorough examination just as much as a great one, applying that same level of detailed analysis to reviews, industry news, and broader gaming topics. This isn't about following trends or generating hype; it's about thoughtful discussion that respects both the listener's time and the context in which games are made and played. The dynamic between Walker and Bigney captures a fundamental truth about the hobby-that taking games seriously and having fun with them are not mutually exclusive. You'll find their approach both refreshing and deeply engaging, whether they're championing an overlooked gem or meticulously explaining why a popular title didn't work for them. Tune in to this Pickaxe-produced podcast for honest, substantive talk that treats the medium with the depth it often deserves, but rarely receives in casual conversation.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

So Very Wrong About Games
Podcast Episodes
Luthier [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:28:55
"'Frederick Chopin was a Polish composer in the Romantic style who wrote primarily for the piano.' I guess this is sort of interesting, as most facts are. But history has shown us that *facts are not what most humans bel…
Rulebooks [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:48
As ever, we do not acknowledge one of the most pernicious false dichotomies in the rulebook space; whether rules should be strictly permissive (you can only do what the rules say you can) or strictly restrictive (you can…
Samurai [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:37
"Wiarton Willie is the name given to a Canadian groundhog who lives in the community of Wiarton in Bruce County, Ontario. Every February 2, on Groundhog Day, Willie takes part in the local Wiarton Willie Festival. His ro…
Tile-Laying Games [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22:55
Rest assured that every topic we address here at SVWAG will be utterly comprehensive and final, unless and until we decide to address it again. Thus, when we discuss tile-laying games, we perforce will cover all of them,…
Ayar: Children of the Sun [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:19
"A quipu usually consists of cotton or camelid fiber cords, and contains categorized information based on dimensions like color, order and number. The Inca, in particular, used knots tied in a decimal positional system t…
Why Is This Game So Long? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:29
We are staunchly body positive here at SVWAG, but we do prefer our bears fat. "Let me have about me bears that are fat," said Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, or he would have, had he known about the glory that is Fat Bear W…
Star Wars: Battle of Hoth [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:44
We tempt fate and refer to a number of third rails in the hobby community. For one, we acknowledge a loss in Regicide Legacy, which reliably summons the chattering mobs. Further, we mention both Star Trek and Star Wars,…
Nostalgia [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:17
"Well, that was your mother And that was your father Before you was born dude When life was great You are the burden of my generation I sure do love you But let’s get that straight" -Paul Simon, "That Was Your Mother" 01…
Light Speed: Arena [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:29
On this day of Labour, we offer our solidarity to you. We also offer our labour, because we don't take many days off. No union for us in the opinion mines! I'd complain to my manager, but since that's me, I guess I'd be…
Trick-Taking Games Redux [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:56
I've always chafed at the conventional wisdom that young goats are good at trick-taking games. Or, at least, ones where you are not incentivized to go null. Do they hold their cards in their cloven hooves? Do their dead…