The board game (and board game-related!) news that caught our attention for the week ending May 18, 2018.
- The nominees for the Spiel des Jahres were announced this past Monday and, if you’ve seen the list of nominees, you may have thought “Seriously?” Well, Tom Felber, Chair of the Spiel des Jahres, may have heard you because he’s put out an explanation of why they chose what they chose. Sabine Koppelberg, Jury Coordinator, also gave her opinion. I think the SdJ usually gets it right (or close enough, there are a lot of games out there), so I think they are entitled to their opinion. I just wish they had a category for meatier, more strategic games. I have played almost all of them this year though. How about you?
- The Origins Game Fair also announced their list of nominees for best games. There’s some overlap here and it’s a great selection of titles, something for everyone. The winner will be selected on June 16, during Origins.
- USAopoly has an adult-themed party game coming out soon. Privacy is about the things we talk about behind closed doors, secrets that you wouldn’t announce to the world, but will share with everyone once cardboard is introduced!
- This week’s image is from Dokmus.
- WizKids has a new trick-taking, spy-themed card game on the way. In the game, Spy Tricks, you’ll evaluate your cards, as well as deduce what other players have, while trying to guess the secret documents. Coming in July for just $19.98.
- Anchors Aweigh is a new game from Z-Man. Unlike a lot of Z-Man’s offerings of late, this one is a bit more lightweight, for players 7 and up. It’s a set collection game where players will trade, discover, and defeat pirates to earn treasure.
- Everyone’s favorite train game, Ticket to Ride, is getting a Target-exclusive stand-alone game. This one is smaller than normal and designed to play faster. Ticket to Ride: New York challenges players to use subways, taxis, and buses to move people across the Big Apple. The game will play in 10-15 minutes and is available at Target, beginning in July, for just $20.
- The Explorers of the North Sea gets an expansion next week. Rocks of Ruin will add ways to salvage shipwrecks, raid fortresses, and more. Look for a review next week.
- Previously Kickstarted, IDW’s Masque of the Red Death hits shelves next week. Based on the Edgar Allen Poe story, you’ll have to curry favor with the prince, lest death visit your door.
- A game that has absolutely nothing to do with a certain, popular Netflix series (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) InBetween comes out next week. The two-player game pits players in a tug-of-war between the real life, where humans live without fear, and Upsideville, where a creature looks to devour the flesh sacks. It’s an asymmetrical game, which will take some time to really learn, but promises to be a pretty great two-player.
- I’m at Geekway this weekend. Find me and play a game with me!
At GeekDad, we write a lot about tabletop games. Here’s what we’ve written about this past week:
- Jim Kelly wrote about Last Days — Zombie Apocalypse, a skirmish wargame. It’s more of a preview because, while Jim has read the rulebook, the game doesn’t release for another month. He’s excited about it though!
- Jonathan Liu played a newly-clad classic, Laser Chess, and saved Metroville in The Incredibles: Save the Day.
- And Simon Yule showed us through his 54th outing with the Curse of Strahd.
Finally, here’s what some of the GeekDad Crew has been playing this week:
- Rob Huddleston: Buy the Rights, Survivor, Phase 10
- Jonathan Liu: Magic Maze: Maximum Security, The Incredibles: Save the Day, Space Base, Fantastic Factories, Ancestree, Between Two Cities, Groves, Growl, Mystic Vale: Conclave, Shaky Manor
- Sara Blackburn: Indigo, Oh My Goods!, Ninja Camp
- Robin Brooks: Warhammer Underworld: Shadespire, Heroes and Treasure
- Mike Perna: Rising Sun, Ashes: Rise of the Phoenixborn, Alien Artifacts
- Michael Harrison: Magic: The Gathering, Roll Through the Ages: The Bronze Age, Scythe
- Dave Banks: Remnants, Senshi, Bunny Kingdom
