While you’re waiting for those games you backed to arrive, maybe you’re looking for some other games to back? (I know, I really shouldn’t be encouraging you… sorry in advance.) As usual, most of the games in this roundup aren’t ones that I’ve actually played—they just looked interesting or fun to me! So, caveat emptor and all the usual disclaimers. Let’s take a look at some games currently up for funding!
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Hotshots from Fireside Games
Hotshots is a cooperative game about fighting wildfires; it’s a new edition of a game that Dave Banks reviewed back in 2017, with all-new artwork and some updated mechanics. If you enjoy family-friendly co-op games, this is an old favorite from the designer and publisher of Castle Panic, so it’s sure to keep you on your toes.
Leviathan Wilds: Shattered Peak from Moon Crab Games
Leviathan Wilds is another cooperative game, this one about climbing around on a giant beast—though instead of killing or fighting it, you’re actually trying to save it by destroying the crystals that are corrupting it. Each character and class has its own specialized cards to simulate the various climbing and jumping (and falling), and there’s a spiral-bound book of many beasts to climb. Shattered Peak is an expansion that adds more climbers, classes, and leviathans. I got to play an early prototype back before the original game launched, but didn’t get to review it for various reasons. I got to play the finished game recently and really enjoyed it.
Earthborne Trailblazer from Earthborne Games
Earthborne Trailblazer is a standalone game based on the first title from the publisher, Earthborne Rangers. Rangers is a big campaign-style game (I just started playing it with some friends recently), set in a world where humans live in better harmony with nature. While there are quests to complete, it is largely an open world to explore. Trailblazer is a single-session board game intended to be an easier entry point into that world, described as a “zoomed out” view instead of the up-close-and-personal perspective of Rangers. (And for backers of Earthborne Rangers, there’s also an expansion available for that game through this campaign.)
Die in the Dungeon from Roomiz Games
Okay, one more cooperative game! Die in the Dungeon is a board game version of a videogame that I’ve enjoyed. It’s a deck-building, dice-building rogue-like game where you have to place your dice into a little grid in order to attack the enemies and defend yourself. I hadn’t heard that there was a board game version and just stumbled upon it, but it looks delightful.
Game Changer: Home Edition from Dropout
“The only way to win is by learning, the only way to learn is by playing, and the only way to play is by beginning.” So says Sam Reich, host of the Dropout TV game show Game Changer, where every episode is a different game, challenging the contestants to figure out what’s going on as they play the game. It’s a favorite show of ours (though I’ll note: not always appropriate for younger audiences!), and now there’s a board game version!
Of course, making a game where the rules aren’t always the same isn’t so easy to do when you can’t pack Sam Reich in a box, so instead they made party game versions based on three popular episodes: Bingo, Name a Number, and Sam Says. Bingo is a team-based game where you try to get your teammates to say certain words, without using other words that your rivals have picked to trip you up. Name a Number is a bidding game where you have to bid on a task—but you don’t know what the actual task is until the bidding stops. And Sam Says is kind of a charades-style game, but with each new word you’ll get a new Sam Says rule that you have to follow. This campaign has a wide variety of tiers, from a $19 sampler of one of the three games to the $1,000 level that gets you an actual prop from the show.
EDG7 Every Day Gaming Bag from Modern Meeple
I’ve seen a bunch of videos of this bag from people I follow on social media—it’s got room for some small-box games plus little containers and sleeves for accessories and extras, and it looks pretty slick! But, alas, doesn’t look like I’m one of Modern Meeple’s favorite tabletop influencers so if I want one I’ll have to buy it myself. Or, you know, I did just have a birthday this month, in case you were looking for something to get me.
Syncanite Foundation: Crimson Protocol from Syncanite Games
Crimson Protocol is an expansion to Syncanite Foundation, a sprawling game where you play as the shadowy figures pulling the various levers of power. You and your rivals will precipitate various crises, and then attempt to take advantage of them to claim victory. I’ve actually gotten to play the base game but don’t have time to write up a full review before this campaign closes. This also includes an option to get the reprint of the base game in case you missed the initial campaign.
I’ve only played the base game once so far, but it’s a fascinating system. The game is a mix of area control, economic manipulation, and sneaky card plays. Each time one of the five crises is triggered, the game changes, putting new rules into play—but it’s also the only way to win, by achieving the specific conditions based on the crisis. Be warned: it’s not for the faint of heart and there are some design choices here and there that made me scratch my head, but it was also a blast to play once we figured it out and got to the backstabbing.
Kill the King from Analog Game Studios
Speaking of backstabbing, here’s a little card game about tracking down the king … and killing him. What has he done to deserve this? Well, I don’t actually know—maybe there’s a story in there somewhere. It’s a tiny game, with just 16 cards, but it plays up to 5. Kill the King was designed by a family of four and looks pretty cute!
The Lord of the Rings: Ascension from Stone Blade Entertainment
Okay, this one hasn’t launched yet, but you can go follow the campaign if you want to get notified when it does. The classic deck-building game Ascension gets a LOTR makeover! There aren’t a whole lot of details yet, though designer Justin Gary says that they’ve created all new mechanics specific to the theme, so this is definitely one I’ll be keeping my eye on!
