(or here’s a list of what launched yesterday that might deserve a closer look)

Project: Adorable Monsters (Limited Edition)

Designer: Joshua Mason (Outfoxed!)

Artist: Joshua Mason (Outfoxed!)

Publisher: Quirky Co. (Outfoxed!)

Genre/Mechanisms: card game, set collection, tableau building, take that

Player Count: 2-4

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: light

Risk: medium-high

Summary: “Your goal is to be the first player to create a full squad of 7 monsters on the table before you. With each turn, you play a new card, that has a special power. The super fun part? Some of those powers allow you to sabotage the progress of your opponents.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $30

All-In (w/shipping): $30, same as above

Campaign Ends: 9/30

Game Ships: Oct. 2022

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 131% with 44 days to go.

Project: Bako: Dig ‘n Write

Designer: Alexz Martínez (Kaikoro)

Artist: Ely Moonlign

Publisher: Rawr Games (Kaikoro)

Genre/Mechanisms: dice, dice rolling, end game bonuses, prehistoric, paper-and-pencil, print & play, solo / solitaire game, take that

Player Count: 1-99

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: light

Risk: HIGH

Summary: “The ruins of an unknown civilization have been discovered and archaeologists from all over the world begin their work to unearth all the treasures and stories that the island of Bako has hidden. In this roll and write game, you will take the role of the prestigious archaeologists Kai and Koro. During each round, ruled by the result of the dice, all players at the same time will draw fences all over their enclosure to try to complete the figures that the cards determine and thus unearth the different fossils, treasures and ruins that are hidden. The bigger the discoveries, the more points you earn, but the greater the risk because the other archaeologists can ruin your strategy by placing a hole. After 15 rounds, the player who has achieved the most points for his discoveries wins the game.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $6, print and play only

All-In (w/shipping): $6, same as above

Campaign Ends: 9/6

Game Ships: Sep. 2022

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 512% with 19 days to go.

Project: Diamond Dig

Designers: Alan R. Moon (Airlines Europe, Ticket to Ride, Ticket to Ride: Europe, Ticket to Ride: Märklin, Ticket to Ride: Nordic Countries, Bobby West (Aftershock: San Francisco and Venice)

Artists: not credited

Publisher: Mr. B Games (Days of Ire: Budapest 1956, Perudo, Posthuman)

Genre/Mechanisms: action / dexterity, exploration, push your luck

Player Count: 2-4

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: light

Risk: medium-high

Summary: “Players take on the role of miners exploring caves for riches in this press your luck game. Each player has their own bag of chips to draw from. Each round the Start Player asks who is continuing to dig and explore the caves, and who is out (taking what they have found and going back to camp). Press your luck and draw several chips from your bag, or play it steady and safe. Each Mining bag has several types of chips (2 of each) and 4 fools gold. Draw a match of any chip and you BUST losing everything you gathered that turn. After, players may dig on the map for even more riches – but run the risk of finding fools gold yet again. The player with the most spoils at the end of the game wins.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $54

All-In (w/shipping): $74

Campaign Ends: 9/20

Game Ships: Aug. 2023

Funding Status: Currently at 84% with 34 days to go.

Project: Ivion Season 2: Winter’s Bite

Designers: Aislyn Hall (Ivion: The Herocrafting Card Game, Ivion: The Hound and the Hare), Aaron Shaw (Ivion: The Herocrafting Card Game, Ivion: The Hound and the Hare)

Artist: Mike Højgaard (Fog of Love)

Publisher: Luminary Games (Ivion: The Herocrafting Card Game, Ivion: The Hound and the Hare)

Genre/Mechanisms: action points, card game, deck construction, expansion, fantasy, fighting, grid movement, hand management, interrupts, miniatures, take that

Player Count: 2-4

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: medium-light

Risk: HIGH

Summary: “Ivion combines the intensity of a fighting game with the strategy of deck-building card games. Your deck IS your character, and you build it from a variety of classes and specializations. Each character type has numerous cards from which to choose, along with wildly different play-styles. Mix and match them to create your own, unique character. Upon the field of battle, crush your opponent with various strikes, stabs, slashes, spells, and other mayhem at your disposal. Be careful, though, as they have numerous ways to block, dodge, parry, fizzle, and disrupt your assault. Only one can be the victor, and the battle will be bloody.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $54

All-In (w/shipping): $223

Campaign Ends: 9/9

Game Ships: Sep. 2023

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 351% with 22 days to go.

Project: Trailblazers

Designer: Ryan Courtney (Bear Raid, Curious Cargo, Pipeline)

Artists: Seth Lucas

Publisher: Bitewing Games

Genre/Mechanisms: adventure, animals, card game, closed drafting, end game bonuses, layering, network and route building, push your luck, set collection, solo / solitaire game, tile placement, track movement

Player Count: 1-8

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: light

Risk: HIGH

Summary: “Players compete to earn the most points by building biking, hiking, and kayaking loops from their campsites of the matching trail type. Each round, players are dealt eight trail cards where they’ll draft two cards, arrange those cards in their personal area, and pass their hand to the next player three times. Cards must either be placed adjacent to or overlapping other cards. While players can push their luck by aiming to construct long and elaborate trails, only closed loops that start and end at a matching campsite will score points. Players also compete to fulfill ‘First To’ and ‘End Game’ goal cards. After four rounds, the game ends and the player with the most points from closed loops and goal cards wins. The standard edition of Trailblazers features a second deck of trail & player cards so you can play with up to 8 players. The box also contains two expansions (the Animals expansion and Adventurers expansion) that add another challenging layer of strategy and objectives to the experience. Finally, there are three unique solo modes that utilize the goal cards, Animals expansion, or Adventurers expansion.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $43

All-In (w/shipping): $92

Campaign Ends: 9/15

Game Ships: May 2023

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 436% with 29 days to go.