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

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

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

"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

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

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.

02:25 AYURIS: Wilmot's Warehouse (Ricky Haggett, Richard Hogg, and David King, CMYK, 2024)

Games Played Last Week:

07:06 -Railway Boom (Hisashi Hayashi & Simone Luciani, Arclight Games, 2025)

14:48 -Pickomino (Reiner Knizia, Zoch Verlag, 2005)

19:25 -Keltis: Neue Wege, Neue Ziele (Reiner Knizia, KOSMOS, 2009)

23:04 -King of Tokyo (Richard Garfield, IELLO, 2011)

29:22 -Jekyll & Hyde vs Scotland Yard (Gaëtan Beaujannot, Olivier Cipière, and Geonil, Mandoo Games, 2023)

33:30 -Irish Gauge (Amabel Holland, Capstone Games, 2019)

35:42 -Railroad Tycoon/Railways of the World (Glenn Drover & Martin Wallace, Eagle-Gryphon Games, 2005)

43:06 -Portobello Market (Thomas Odenhaven, Schmidt Spiele, 2007)

46:00 -Medina (Second Edition) (Stefan Dorra, Stronghold Games, 2014)

News (and why it doesn't matter):

49:09 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

52:21 Stonemaier's Scythe/Expeditions mashup: Duel of Meloch

54:06 Kabuto Sumo Dice! Alex Culter Michael Mihaelsick (Tidal Banner, Flotilla)

55:21 Topic: Teaching vs. Discovery (what to teach and what to let players find out)

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

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 acronym was robbed from Greatest of All Time (GOAT, not goat, obviously) Star Control 2 by the usurper StarCraft 2.

Games Played Last Week:

01:07 -The Old King's Crown (Pablo Clark, Eerie Idol Games, 2025)

08:05 -Keltis (Reiner Knizia, KOSMOS, 2008)

11:43 -Das letzte Paradies (Reiner Knizia, KOSMOS, 1993)

16:01 -Keep the Heroes Out (Luís Brüeh, Brueh Games, 2022)

20:56 -All In: Predictions (Phil Walker-Harding, Next Move Games, 2026)

23:52 -Finspan: Sharks and Reefs (Michael O'Connell, Stonemaier Games, 2026)

27:16 -Genshin Tarot (MingYang Lu, Brother Ming Games, 2022)

33:43 -Recall (Helge Meissner, Kristian Amundsen Østby, Kjetil Svendsen, and Anna Wermlund, Alion – by Dr Ø, 2025)

36:21 -Railway Boom (Hisashi Hayashi & Simone Luciani, Arclight Games, 2025)

News (and why it doesn't matter):

41:29 Come join us in Kingston, Ontario July 24th-26th for SVWAG Con!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/svwag-con-ii-electric-boogaloo-tickets-1986634285627

42:21 Icebreaker events to meet new people at SVWAG Con!

https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/379864/svwagcon-2-icebreaker-signup

43:06 Star Trek Lower Decks: Chaos Protocol. Escape room in a box!

43:38 Witches of Willowspur by Devious Weasel and Jenna Felli. Murray's origins!

44:50 Feature Game: Goa (Rüdiger Dorn, Quined Games, 2026)

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

SVWAG CON II Electric Boogaloo

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/svwag-con-ii-electric-boogaloo-tickets-1986634285627

www.sowronggames.com

www.twitch.tv/soverywrongaboutgames

www.youtube.com/c/SoVeryWrongAboutGames

https://twitter.com/sowronggames

www.facebook.com/sowronggames

www.patreon.com/svwag/

We are now a transnational podcast, bearing the official approval of both United States Customs and Immigration Services and the King of Canada. While it is commonly held that New Jersey is a lawless wasteland ruled over by full service gas station attendants and Wawa franchise holders, the writ of the American Federal Government does in theory hold sway. As for the King, while Walker's embarrassing incident at high tea that one time in '12 didn't go over well, he hasn't been expelled from the Commonwealth yet.

1:11 AYURIS: Captain Flip (Remo Conzadori and Paolo Mori, PlayPunk, 2024)

Games Played Last Week:

04:14 -Corrosion (Stefan Bauer, Capstone Games, 2021)

08:07 -Hunt for Blackbeard (Volko Ruhnke, Fort Circle Games, 2026)

16:26 -Shards of Infinity: Saga Collection (Gary Arant & Justin Gary, Stone Blade Entertainment, 2025)

19:51 -Azure (Trevor Benjamin & Brett J. Gilbert, Bitewing Games, 2026)

23:05 -Nokosu Dice (Yusuke Matsumoto, Engames, 2016)

28:31 -Tag Team (Gricha German & Corentin Lebrat, Scorpion Masqué, 2025)

34:44 -Tidal Blades 2: Rise of the Unfolders (Tim Eisner and Ben Eisner, Druid City Games, 2024)

36:50 -Schotten Totten (Reiner Knizia, IELLO, 1999)

39:23 -Tidal Blades: Banner Festival (J.B. Howell and Michael Mihealsick, Druid City Games, 2022)

News (and why it doesn't matter):

48:10 Come join us in Kingston, Ontario July 24th-26th!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/svwag-con-ii-electric-boogaloo-tickets-1986634285627

48:45 Icebreaker events to meet new people at SVWAG Con!

https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/379864/svwagcon-2-icebreaker-signup

50:37 Please support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/svwag

51:46 Concordia Special Edition fills us with sadness

54:54 Harmonies expansion! Crescendo

55:15 X-Com Miniatures Game from Modiphius

55:42 New edition of St. Petersburg

56:16 Topic: The Successful Campaign Experience

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

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

SVWAG CON II Electric Boogaloo

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/svwag-con-ii-electric-boogaloo-tickets-1986634285627

www.sowronggames.com

www.twitch.tv/soverywrongaboutgames

www.youtube.com/c/SoVeryWrongAboutGames

https://twitter.com/sowronggames

www.facebook.com/sowronggames

www.patreon.com/svwag/

00:00 INTRO

01:39 Salton Sea (David Bernal Devir 2024)

09:25 Stellar Ventures (Pontus Nilsson TableTapas Games 2026)

14:54 Paku Paku (Antoine Bauza Ravensburger AG 2017)

17:12 Small World (Philippe Keyaerts Days of Wonder 2009)

21:22 Speakeasy (Vital Lacerda Eagle-Gryphon Games 2025)

25:45 SCOUT (Kei Kajino Oink Games 2019)

27:00 Dark Pact (Thomas Lehmann Trick or Treat Studios 2026)

30:44 Lifeboat (Jeff Siadek Gorilla Games 2002)

37:04 NEWS

42:25 Main Review Feya's Swamp (Helge Ostertag, Anselm Ostertag Fractal Juegos 2025)

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

https://www.youtube.com/@BoardGamingRamblings

SVWAG CON II Electric Boogaloo

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/svwag-con-ii-electric-boogaloo-tickets-1986634285627

www.sowronggames.com

www.twitch.tv/soverywrongaboutgames

www.youtube.com/c/SoVeryWrongAboutGames

https://twitter.com/sowronggames

www.facebook.com/sowronggames

www.patreon.com/svwag/

00:00 INTRO

00:50 Secret Societies (S J Macdonald Garphill Games 2026)

03:29 Traintopia (Przemek Wojtkowiak Board&Dice 2020)

05:50 Lands of Evershade (Ernest Kiedrowicz, Krzysztof Piskorski Awaken Realms 2026)

09:03 Tribes of the Wind (Joachim Thôme La Boîte de Jeu 2022)

11:15 Moon Colony Bloodbath (Donald X. Vaccarino Rio Grande Games 2025)

13:51 Nicht die Bohne! (Horst-Rainer Rösner AMIGO 1999)

15:48 Trismegistus (Federico Pierlorenzi, Daniele Tascini Board&Dice 2026)

19:29 Shackleton Base: A Journey to the Moon (Fabio Lopiano, Nestore Mangone Sorry We Are French 2024)

22:37 NEWS

30:19 Main Review Baghdad: The City of Peace (Fabio Lopiano, Nestore Mangone Alley Cat Games 2025)

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