Here is the board game (and board game-related!) news that caught our attention for the week ending October 16, 2020.
Gaming News
- The Op is doing a “Ghoulish Games Giveaway” this month. In exchange for giving them your email, they’ll be picking a few lucky folks to receive copies of games and puzzles. There are three separate opportunities: signing up now gets you in the running for a Scooby-Doo-themed package. Signing up between the 17th and the 23rd gives you the opportunity to win Batman-themed puzzles and dice, and from the 24th to the 30th, you can win It and Friday the 13th puzzles and games.
- The Op also has a run-down of their Halloween and horror-themed products if you don’t want to wait and take your chances with the giveaway.
- Throughout the pandemic, Fantasy Flight has been a leader in coming up with creative ways to help us keep playing games while we practice social distancing. Now, they have released a “Play and Share Campaign,” encouraging players to share their experiences while playing FFG games on social media using the hashtag #FFGPlayAndShare. The company will unlock special promos as more people share with the hashtag.
- Board Game Quest is giving away copies of The Liberation of Rietburg.
- The next title from the creators of Exploding Kittens will involve shooting balls out of a cat’s mouth. According to a Twitter post, Cat and Mouth is a “fiercely competitive, magnet-powered, highly addicting, Pinball-ish game.” It’s available now.
- The Steam Tabletop Fest will begin on October 21 at 10 am Pacific time. The free event will feature discussions from the developers of Terraforming Mars, Gloomhaven, and others.
- According to TheGamer, WizKids has delayed the release of the massive Clash of Cultures: Monumental Edition until the spring of next year.
- A 1st edition copy of the Pokemon card “Charizard” has been sold at auction to rapper Logic for $183,812.
- Speaking of rappers who are also gamers, RZA and GZA of Wu-Tang Clan faced off against chess grandmaster Maurice Ashley in a charity event last weekend.
- Q Workshop has a dice-based advent calendar to help count down the days until Christmas. The $44 calendar features a die a day, with a special metal die behind the final door.
- One of the few remaining cons on the 2020 calendar, PAX Unplugged, has been canceled with no digital replacement. Instead, the announcement simply says that the “next PAX Unplugged will take place in 2021.”
- Catan‘s 25th-Anniversary Edition is due out next month. Unlike the $300 tenth anniversary 3D edition, this is mostly just the original game and expansions. According to Catanshop.com, the 25th-anniversary edition will include the “3–4 player board game, plus 5–6 Player Extension, Helpers of CATAN Scenario, special iridescent anniversary wood pieces, and dice.” It also includes resource trays and card sleeves. The game will retail for $80. The second-edition German release of Catan is our featured image this week.
GeekDad and GeekMom Reviews
- Will James gave an update on Hero Quest.
- Jonathan Liu reviewed GeekDad Approved The Search for Planet X and Pocket Paragons.
- Michael Knight reviewed Alien Puppies.
- I reviewed the GeekDad Approved Princess Bride Adventure Book Game.
What We’re Playing
Finally, here’s what the GeekDads played this week:
- Jonathan Liu played Atheneum: Mystic Library, Clank! Adventuring Party, The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine, and P’achakuna.
- Michael Pistiolas played Marvel Champions, Unmatched, Set a Watch, Adventure Games: The Dungeon, and Gloomhaven.
- Z. played Dungeons & Dragons.
