We here at SVWAG take pains to differentiate between two conflated ideas. We say "approachable" for rulesets that are easily learned and internalized, reserving the similar-sounding term "accessible" to refer to games that are usable for people with disabilities.

Relatedly, MICHAEL WALKER IS BACK.

02:43 AYURIS: Oak (Wim Goossens, Game Brewer, 2022)

Games Played Last Week:

04:25 -Friday (Friedemann Friese, 2F-Spiele, 2011)

07:12 -Fast Sloths (Friedemann Friese, 2F-SPiele, 2019)

10:56 -Ghost Blitz Mini (Jacques Zeimet, Zoch Verlag, 2010)

12:11 -For Sale (Stefan Dorra, Uberplay, 1997)

13:52 -Primal: The Awakening (Tommaso Mondadori and Alberto Parisi, Reggie Games, 2024)

18:19 -Corporate America (Teale Fristoe, Nothing Sacred Games, 2013)

23:10 -Guards of Atlantis II (Artyom Nichipurov, Wolff Designa, 2022)

25:57 -Arcs (Cole Wehrle, Leder Games, 2024)

33:00 -Slay the Spire: The Board Game (Gary Dworetsky, Anthony Giovannetti, and Casey Yano, Contention Games, 2024)

35:33 -Combat Commander: Europe (Chad Jensen, GMT, 2006)

40:08 -Marshmallow Test (Reiner Knizia, Gamewright, 2020)

42:06 -Wilmot's Warehouse (Ricky Haggett, Richard Hogg, and David King, CMYK, 2024)

News (and why it doesn't matter):

46:31 Until Proven Guilty: cooperative storytelling

46:55 More Root factions: bats and frogs

47:35 Planet of the Apes cooperative miniatures game

48:24 Barrage legendary box

48:38 Great Western Trail El Paso

48:55 Liège of Games is Walker's source of news: https://www.youtube.com/c/Li%C3%A8geofGames/videos

49:13 Unmatched Adventures: TMNT and cross-license games

51:07 Topic: Michael Walker Revolutionizes Physical Therapy

Our guest host this week is the estimable Mark Besada of the Golden Geek Award-winning podcast, Board Game Barrage! Known as the Green Tank because he is more swole than the Hulk (rumours persist that Lou Ferrigno learned all he knew about bodybuilding from Mark), he nonetheless exudes generosity and hospitality.

Unless you throw down in Ghost Blitz, that is. Then it's Go Time.

Games Played Last Week:

02:31 -Skytear Horde: Monoliths (Giacomo Neri and Riccardo Neri, Skytear Games, 2024)

07:39 -Lords of Scotland (Richard James, Z-Man Games, 2010)

11:27 -Slay the Spire: The Board Game (Gary Dworetsky, Anthony Giovannetti, and Casey Yano, Contention Games, 2024) [EDIT: The "Ironclad" character was erroneously referred to as the Ironborn. We apologize for the error and look forward to your many, many correction emails]

17:11 -Distilled (Dave Beck, Paverson Games, 2023)

21:51 -RelicBlade: Adventure Battle Game (Sean Sutter, Metal King Studio, 2015)

30:23 -Sky Team (Luc Rémond, Le Scorpion Masqué, 2023)

34:05 -Ghost Blitz Mini (Jacques Zeimet, Zoch Verlag, 2010)

39:55 -Arcs (Cole Wehrle, Leder Games, 2024)

News (and why it doesn't matter):

46:00 Atlantis Exodus has an "apotheosis track"

47:18 Please support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/svwag

47:36 Feature Game: Captain Flip (Remo Conzadori and Paolo Mori, PlayPunk, 2024) and the Spiel des Jahres

1:18:14 SVWAG Presents Masterpiece Theatre: Ripley

Our next guest host during Michael Walker's recovery is Efka Bladukas, half of No Pun Included! Efka is an internationally-renowned board game critic and dog enthusiast, known for his detestation of whimsy and tireless tolerance of Mark's yammerings. He once split a mountain in twain with his bare hands while simultaneously inventing cold fusion, but he's so humble he'll probably deny it--which is proof positive that it's all true.

Games Played Last Week:

01:37 -Captain Flip (Remo Conzadori and Paolo Mori, PlayPunk, 2024)

08:30 -In the Footsteps of Darwin (Grégory Grard and Matthieu Verdier, Sorry We Are French, 2023)

13:31 -It’s a Wonderful World: Corruption & Ascension (Frédéric Guérard, La Boîte de Jeu, 2020)

17:34 -Cascadero (Reiner Knizia, Bitewing Games, 2024)

22:03 -Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Scrawlers--Heroes of Waterdeep (Vangelis Bagiartakis and Konstantinos Karagiannis, WizKids, 2023)

27:27 -Power Vacuum (Kaleb Wentzel-Fisher, Keen Bean Studio, 2024)

39:03 -Leviathan Wilds (Justin Kemppainen, Moon Crab Games, 2024)

43:32 -Primal: The Awakening (Tommaso Mondadori and Alberto Parisi, Reggie Games, 2024)

53:38 -Dune: Imperium (Paul Dennen, Dire Wolf, 2020)

News (and why it doesn't matter):

57:55 Walker continues to recover and is doing well

58:32 Leviathan Wilds expansion and reprint soon on Gamefound; uncertainty as to possible fixes

59:22 Flickering Stars by Matt Leacock and Josh Cappel; another sci-fi flicking boardgame

1:00:34 Feature Game: Slay the Spire: The Board Game (Gary Dworetsky, Anthony Giovannetti, and Casey Yano, Contention Games, 2024)