RDTN Episode 315: Star Wars Unlimited, Stonespine Architects, Tanuki and More

Episode 315 ranges across familiar favorites and new table discoveries, with the biggest question hanging over the discussion: can Star Wars Unlimited become the trading card game the hosts want to return to week after week? Marty has been to an event in Minnesota and brings back his experience. The hosts have already placed orders, so this isn’t just a passing look. They’re interested in whether the game can spark the kind of regular lunchtime play they once found in Android: Netrunner.

Looking for a game that sticks

The Netrunner comparison gives the Star Wars Unlimited conversation its personal stakes. The hosts have tried plenty of trading card games over the years, but Netrunner occupies a particular place in the show’s history: their enthusiasm for it helped get the podcast started. The question now is whether a new game can inspire that same urge to gather, play, and keep talking about what happened afterward.

Marty’s Minnesota event visit gives the episode a player’s-eye view to work from, while the hosts’ pending orders give them a reason to keep exploring the game in future discussions. The source doesn’t spell out the event’s format, the games played, or a verdict on the system, so the appealing part here is the open question itself. Rather than declaring a new favorite after one outing, the hosts are setting up an ongoing look at whether Star Wars Unlimited earns a regular place on their table.

Stonespine Architects gets a closer look

Stonespine Architects comes with a different kind of anticipation. The speaker says that Roll Player took time to grow on them, and that growing appreciation helped build interest in Thunderworks Games and its new release. That history makes the review discussion more than a quick check of whether a promising title met expectations: it’s also a chance to see how interest in a publisher can shape the games someone chooses to try.

The episode’s agenda places Stonespine Architects after the Star Wars Unlimited recap, at 48 minutes and 54 seconds. The introduction poses the central question—did the game live up to expectations?—but leaves the answer for the conversation itself. There are no details here about its rules, player count, play time, or components, so listeners who want those specifics will need the full discussion. What the source does make clear is that the hosts came to the game with interest already in place, and were ready to talk through their experience.

Tanuki is the surprise of the episode

The warmest early reaction belongs to Tanuki. The hosts describe it as an unexpected delight and say it may become their go-to filler game for a while. That’s a useful recommendation for players looking for something that can fit between longer sessions: the game caught their attention despite not making the strongest first impression from its cover.

That reaction is modest but telling. A filler game has to earn its spot through repeat appeal; a pleasant first play matters most when it makes the group want to bring the box back out. The hosts don’t provide rules details or describe what drove the surprise, so there’s no basis here to assign Tanuki a particular style of play. Their takeaway is simpler: it exceeded their expectations and may have staying power at their table.

Total Domination and the rest of the table

Total Domination also gets a full discussion. The hosts are keen to explore what it offers, while promising to mention minor quibbles alongside their impressions. That combination sets up a more measured look than a simple recommendation: they’re interested in the game’s depth, but they expect the conversation to include both what worked and what gave them pause. The source doesn’t identify those concerns, explain the rules, or offer a final verdict.

The episode also ranges through a correction about El Grande, a segment titled “I’m Not in Love is a Love Song,” and a rule-teaching public service announcement. Its broader roundup includes Altered TCG, Game Toppers, 7 Wonders Architects: Medals, and a discussion of Portal Games. The agenda suggests a broad hobby chat, moving from rules and tabletop accessories to new games and card-game news.

For listeners choosing where to start, the timestamps provide a useful guide: the Altered TCG segment begins at 18:20, 7 Wonders Architects: Medals at 26:40, the Star Wars Unlimited recap at 31:41, Stonespine Architects at 48:54, Total Domination at 56:34, and Tanuki at 1:11:23. The episode closes with a mix of open questions and early favorites. Star Wars Unlimited has the potential to revive a weekly play habit, Tanuki has surprised the group, and Stonespine Architects and Total Domination give them more to weigh in future table talk.