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Nippon: Zaibatsu

Nippon: Zaibatsu

Author: Pickaxe June 9, 2026 Duration: 1:12:35
So Very Wrong About Games
LeisureHobbies
Rest assured, Mark was subjected to the appropriate onboarding procedures and workplace safety trainings incumbent with his new (old?) role. The HR gibbons are ever-vigilant, and wouldn't dream of letting him skip the mandatory 56 week course. Well, that's the longest one, anyway--the ape sensitivity course is a mere 45 weeks long, despite the gibbons' insistence that it ought to be the most exhaustive. Games Played Last Week: 02:14 -Crusaders: Thy Will Be Done--Divine Influence (Seth Jaffee, Tasty Minstrel Games, 2022) 08:37 -Regicide Legacy (Paul Abrahams, Luke Badger, and Andy Richdale, Badgers from Mars, 2025) 12:41 -Jekyll vs. Hyde (Geonil, Mandoo Games, 2021) 16:07 -Cry Baby (Frédéric Vuagnat, BLAM !, 2026) 19:46 -Creature Comforts (Roberta Taylor, Kids Table BG, 2022) 23:11 -Trio (Kaya Miyano, Cocktail Games, 2021) 26:15 -Orloj: The Prague Astronomical Clock (Abraham Sanchez Hermida, Paloma J. Pascual Perro, Loko Games 2025) 31:24 -Battlefields of the Napoleonic Wars (Paolo Mori & Alessandro Zucchini, Ingenioso Hidalgo, 2025) 35:54 -The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers--Trick-Taking Game (Bryan Bornmueller, Office Dog, 2026) 36:36 -Meeples and Monsters (Ole Steiness, Alderac Entertainment Group, 2022) 38:04 -Small World (Philippe Keyaerts, Days of Wonder, 2009) News (and why it doesn't matter): 40:02 SVWAGCon II: Electric Boogaloo (Trans Rights Are Stull Human Rights) Icebreakers! Balloons! Social lubricants! Tickets available on Eventbrite! 43:14 Battlefields of the Napoleonic Wars second printing: some improved components 44:14 Bluey Catan 45:21 Another Medici spin-off from Knizia: Medici Traders 45:53 Feature Game: Nippon: Zaibatsu (Nuno Bizarro Sentieiro & Paulo Soledade, CrowD Games, 2026) 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: 50

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

Duration: 1:18:59
The SVWAG Canon (https://www.sowronggames.com/svwag-canon) is an elite list of games that Walker and Mark both very much enjoy. Walker is nervous around recommendations, per se, and the imitations on an ideal game librar…
Robo Rally Dice [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:16
It's hard to go wrong with cats. Even most people who don't like cats are wise enough to keep relatively quiet about it, lest they suffer the consequences. What consequences? Oh, I don't know, maybe the fury of needle-ar…
Games that Build Cred [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22:35
[EDIT] In this episode, Mark falsely attributes the co-authorship of Ayar to Nestore Mangone, when in fact it was designed by Mandela Fernandez-Grandon and Fabio Lopiano. We regret the error. Have you heard of the Walker…
Notebook Nations [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:13
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 c…
Mid-Year Tag Questions [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:03
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 an…
SVWAGCon Beckons [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:43
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 co…
Falling in Love with Your Collection [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:34
"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…
Recall [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:13
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 r…
Teaching vs. Discovery [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:28:54
It is Inadvertent Surprise Railway Week (ISRW, pronounced "is raw") here at SVWAG, and we take a look at some train games without directly addressing the raging controversy of what, exactly, constitutes a train game. 02:…
Goa [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:59
Acronyms and initialisms are a tricky thing. In SVWAG circles, one must be careful to use proper punctuation, lest GOA imply 2022's Game of the Year (GotY, not Gotye) Guards of Atlantis. Mark remains enraged that the SC2…

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