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

Project: Alpujarras + Fisheries of Gloucester

Designer: Steve Finn (Biblios, Floriferous, Herbaceous)

Artists: Ossi Hiekkala (Eclipse, Flamme Rouge, Nations), Julián Tunni (Lunes, Nanga Parbat, Tonari)

Publisher: Mr. Finn’s Games (Biblios, Herbaceous, Sunset Over Water)

Genre/Mechanisms: farming, medieval (Alpujarras); 2 player only games, nautical (Fisheries of Gloucester)

Player Count: 2-4 (Alpujarras), 2 (Fisheries of Gloucester)

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: medium-light

Risk: medium-low

Summary: “Alpujarras is a turn-based game in which players move their mules around an action track outside the game board. The player who is furthest behind takes the turn and moves their mule to an action space to perform an action. Actions include: placing a farmer, moving a farmer, expanding an irrigation channel. By performing these different actions, you can grow fruit, which are delivered to the towns, where they are sold for dinars.

The two-player game Fisheries of Gloucester lasts six days, or rounds. On each day, players have a designated number of hours to spend to perform various actions, such as charting the course, sailing your boats, and catching fish. Each player has a fleet of three boats that can be advanced by first charting a course (laying down an ocean tile, which have various polynomial shapes). With courses set, players can move their boats along the course, racing against other boats to find the prime fishing spots. Players earn points by catching different varieties of fish and by finishing the game on one of the islands in the ocean.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $31, Fisheries of Gloucester only

All-In (w/shipping): $80

Campaign Ends: 3/27

Game Ships: November 2023

Funding Status: Currently at 68% with 18 days to go.

Project: Fatal Knockout

Designers: Niall Crabtree, Daniel Haynes

Artist: May Thornborrow

Publisher: Crab Studios

Genre/Mechanisms: 2 player fighting games, action queue, card game, card play chaining, conflict resolution, fighting, grid movement, hand management, player elimination, turn order: stat based, video game theme

Player Count: 2

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: medium-light

Risk: HIGH

Summary: “Fatal Knockout aims to embody digital fighting games like Smash Bros, Street Fighter and more, and the card play reflects move sets which you would see in the genre. Fatal Knockout comes with six fighters with completely unique decks. Player’s play cards which allow them to move, change orientation, and attack on the board. On top of that, each fighter has one-of-a-kind abilities that are triggered by playing cards. On a player’s turn, they draw to their hand up to three cards. The leader of the round places one card face down, the second player follows. At this point the leader can choose to play another card, or reveal. This continues until either the leader reveals all cards or players run out of cards. Throughout the game, players will be dealing damage to each other with fighter specific cards.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $10

All-In (w/shipping): $80

Campaign Ends: 3/28

Game Ships: March 2024

Funding Status: Currently at 48% with 19 days to go.

Project: Food Coma Game

Designers: Arlen Panchoo, Cameron Wong

Artists: Arlen Panchoo, Cameron Wong

Publisher: Arlen Panchoo, Cameron Wong

Genre/Mechanisms: card game, hand management, humor, player elimination, push your luck, set collection, take that

Player Count: 1-4

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: light

Risk: HIGH

Summary: “Players take turns drawing ingredient cards from the three stores to stack their hands. Ingredients are combined to make meals, which players feed to other players to increase their calorie counts. Each chef has their own unique abilities and there are special cards in each deck, making each draw a tactical decision. And a rubber band mechanism makes players more powerful the closer they get to being knocked out. All of Food Coma’s images are hand drawn and each of the 35 ingredients each have a clever name and witty tagline.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $35

All-In (w/shipping): $57

Campaign Ends: 4/16

Game Ships: May 2024

Funding Status: Currently at 16% with 38 days to go.

Project: From The Moon

Designers: Johannes Goupy (Orichalcum, Queenz: To Bee or Not to Bee, Rauha) Gilles Lasfargues

Artist: Miguel Coimbra (7 Wonders, 7 Wonders Duel, BattleLore, Cyclades, Small World)

Publisher: Le Boite et Jou (It’s a Wonderful Kingdom, It’s a Wonderful World, Outlive)

Genre/Mechanisms: science fiction, space exploration

Player Count: 1-4

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: medium-heavy

Risk: medium-low

Summary: “Players are representatives of factions trying to complete space missions departing from our Moon in order to help Humankind survive elsewhere in the Galaxy. Indeed, the fate of the Earth is sealed and time is running out. The plan is to launch three survival missions before all life on Earth ends. To do that, each faction will contribute by building parts of the ships and build their own Lunar base to store the necessary resources.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $76

All-In (w/shipping): $76, same as above

Campaign Ends: 3/23

Game Ships: February 2024

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 160% with 14 days to go.

Project: Interceptor Ace, Vol. 2: Last Days of the Luftwaffe 1944-45

Designer: Fernando Sola Ramos

Artist: Fernando Sola Ramos

Publisher: Compass Games (Crusade and Revolution: The Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939; Enemy Action: Ardennes; The Russian Campaign)

Genre/Mechanisms: aviation / flight, dice rolling, solo / solitaire game, war game, world war II

Player Count: 1

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: medium-light

Risk: medium-low

Summary: “A solitaire, tactical level game which places you in command of a German day fighter during the last days of World War II. This is the sequel to the popular, action-packed Interceptor Ace 1943-44, designed by Gregory M. Smith, and picks up the action where Interceptor Ace 1943-44 left off. Each turn consists of several days, during which a combat mission will be flown from one of many bases in Europe, attempting to intercept incoming American Bombers and defend from their escorts. There is a strong narrative around the pilot, as you look to increase your prestige, earn skills, and rise in rank through promotion and receive awards. Not only is it a standalone game, but fans of Interceptor Ace 1943-44 will enjoy having the capability to easily combine both games to span all the career of a German pilot from 1943 until 1945. While the objective of the game is to conduct numerous sorties in the role of a German interceptor pilot and rack up kills, players will find it extremely challenging to survive the entire war, and will experience the brutal nature of the air war over Germany in 1944-45. Pilots may use the experience gained to improve their odds of success by purchasing skills. As their prestige increases, they may request a transfer to other fighter bases in an attempt to get “closer to the action, request a newer type of fighter or even become an elite jet fighter pilot. Awards and ace status help to narrate the player’s eventual goal – to become one of the Top Guns of the Luftwaffe and survive the war. The system is packed with rich technical detail but without the complexity to capture the key historical facets of the day bombing campaign over Germany. There are 38 aircraft models available to pilot.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $80

All-In (w/shipping): $105

Campaign Ends: 3/19

Game Ships: June 2023

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 342% with 10 days to go.

Project: The Quest Kids: Giant Adventure

Designer: Dustin McMillian (The Quest Kids, The Quest Kids: Matching Adventure)

Artist: Apolline Etienne (Living Forest, Muse, Wreck Raiders)

Publisher: Treasure Falls Games (The Quest Kids, The Quest Kids: Matching Adventure)

Genre/Mechanisms: adventure, children’s game, fantasy, set collection

Player Count: 2-4

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: light

Risk: medium-high

Summary: “A life-sized fantasy game experience for kids ages 5+. Using 36 giant cardboard tiles players will create a dungeon in their own home and act as the game pieces as they search for treasure, silly bad guys and stars. Giant Adventure features the same award-winning mechanics as The Quest Kids board game, but in a new one-of-a-kind immersive experience.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $93

All-In (w/shipping): $93, same as above

Campaign Ends: 3/23

Game Ships: September 2023

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 108% with 14 days to go.

Project: River Wild & Ancient Realm

Designer: Steven Aramini (Agropolis, Circle the Wagons, Sprawlopolis)

Artist: Milan Zivkovic (It Was This Big, ROVE: Results-Oriented Versatile Explorer, Wildtails: A Pirate Legacy)

Publisher: Button Shy (Circle the Wagons, Sprawlopolis, Tussie Mussie)

Genre/Mechanisms: card game, solo / solitaire game, solitaire only game (River Wild); card game, civilization, layering, partially overlapping cards, solo / solitaire game, solitaire only game, territory building (Ancient Realm)

Player Count: 1

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: light

Risk: low

Summary: “In River Wild, you must carve out the most harmonious land possible, plotting the river’s course to create protected valleys for local wildlife to thrive. A protected valley is defined as a valley completely surrounded by river or mountains with no card gaps. Each turn, select one of the three river cards on display and add it to your land to extend your river. All cards must be played below the source card so that your river extends “downstream” (toward you). When choosing a card, you may look at and play either side of a card. Refill the display, then choose again, continuing play until all cards have been added to your land or until you are unable to play any more cards. Unprotected valleys don’t score, and protected valleys score based on the wildlife (dragons, jackalopes, toads, and unicorns) and scoring goals contained within it. Make matches to score as many points as possible.

At its heart, Ancient Realm is a civilization-building-themed puzzle game in which you try to maximize your points by deciding which blocks to keep and which to build over, while carefully managing your resources. Balance endgame scoring goal needs with immediate tactical needs to create a mighty civilization replete with wonders of the world. Each turn, you have four available cards to place. Some of them will be districts, the basic building blocks of civilization, while others will be wonders, powerful but costly constructions. Wonder cards feature one block and a wonder; wonders are worth a large number of points and offer potent effects, but require significant resources to construct and cannot be covered by further cards. On a turn, you pick one of these cards and place it in your realm. Cards can be placed next to, overlapping, or entirely covering one or more cards in your realm. When a block (or multiple blocks) is covered by a new card, those blocks can be activated to gain their effect. Mines fill your coffers with valuable gold; with gold, you can activate production sites and citizens. Citizens come in two types and might affect other cards, such as the value of certain wonders. On the back of each district card is an event that impacts the growth of your civilization, and the event on the top of the district deck is active for the round. At the end of the game, score your wonders and mines as well as any remaining gold and resources to determine how your civilization stacks up.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $5, print & play only, both games

All-In (w/shipping): $55

Campaign Ends: 3/18

Game Ships: June 2023

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 1,959% with 9 days to go.

Project: Sentinels of the Multiverse: Disparation Expansion (on Backerkit)

Designers: Christopher Badell (Sentinels of the Multiverse, Sentinels of the Multiverse: Definitive Edition, Sentinel Tactics: The Flame of Freedom), Adam Rebottaro (Sentinels of the Multiverse, Sentinels of the Multiverse: Definitive Edition)

Artist: Adam Rebottaro (Sentinels of the Multiverse, Sentinels of the Multiverse: Definitive Edition, Spirit Island)

Publisher: Greater Than Games (Sentinels of the Multiverse, Spirit Island, Tak)

Genre/Mechanisms: card game, comic book / strip, cooperative game, fighting, hand management, solo / solitaire game, superheroes, variable player powers

Player Count: 1-5

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: medium-heavy

Risk: medium-low

Summary: “Sentinels of the Multiverse: Disparation is the latest expansion to the Definitive Edition of the hit cooperative comic book card game Sentinels of the Multiverse. Powerful heroes stand together against villains from disparate realities, each a threat to the worlds our heroes hold dear — and even to reality itself. The heroic evolution of a villainous AI, Omnitron-X has traveled through time to prevent its former self from destroying all humans. Her cold and calculating side driving her to fight injustice and villainy, Parse is able to see the puzzle pieces of reality, and predict where they may fall. Hunting bounties through time, Chrono-Ranger knows just how dangerous his prey can be, and what the ramifications of failing might mean. K.N.Y.F.E. is always ready for a fight, but with the level of threats arrayed against the Multiverse, could she have bitten off more than she can chew? And a psychic warrior from a war-torn future has found her way to our reality, where The Visionary hopes to save this realities version of herself, before it’s too late. These heroes and more join the fight to save the Multiverse, but desperate times call for disparate measures, including teaming up with unexpected allies. Besides adding these capable heroes to the roster, Sentinels of the Multiverse: Disparation also includes nine dangerous villains, five ever-changing environments, and more variants, events, critical events, and new options for different ways for you to play your heroes to their principles.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $60

All-In (w/shipping): $166

Campaign Ends: 4/6

Game Ships: July 2024

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 641% with 28 days to go.

Project: Soiled

Designer: John Englert

Artist: Ivan Giavarini

Publisher: Eat Dirt Games

Genre/Mechanisms: action points, card game, farming, move through deck, turn order: progressive

Player Count: 2-4

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: light

Risk: HIGH

Summary: “In Soiled you go through an entire year attempting to grow vegetables for points. Seeds are gotten from a shared deck which is shuffled and 5 cards are dealt to each player. After a first player is chosen, they can perform 3 actions to plant, water, and harvest plants into your garden basket. Each card has a plant power that can help your garden grow, or attack your opponent to harm theirs. Play passes to the left. after everyone has had a turn, the round is over. All players will grow all of the plants they can with a growth token. 1st player then passes left. Use strategy and combos to your advantage to push your garden to its best and win the game.”

Base Pledge: $25 + shipping (with no shipping estimates provided)

All-In: $100 + shipping (with no shipping estimates provided)

Campaign Ends: 4/6

Game Ships: January 2024

Funding Status: Currently at 17% with 28 days to go.

Project: Ynaros Fallin’

Designer: Luca Sanfilippo, Ugo Tomasello

Artist: Swan Keller

Publisher: Peekwik Games

Genre/Mechanisms: action / event, adventure, area majority / influence, area movement, card play conflict resolution, fantasy, fighting, grid movement, hand management, hexagon grid, hidden movement, layering, miniatures, once-per-game abilities, solo / solitaire game, sudden death ending, tile placement

Player Count: 1-4

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: medium-heavy

Risk: HIGH

Summary: “Navigate through wild Lands and harness their power to increase your magical might. Meet the other Shaman and prove your mastery. Do you have what it takes to become the wisest Shaman the Land has ever seen? Ynaros Fallin’ is an innovative strategic board game that provides its players with an exciting combination of area control, worker placement, hidden movement ability, tile placement, and a brand new game mechanic we’ve dubbed “clash-involver.” Combining elements of both Euro and American-style gameplay, it requires advanced strategic thinking and tough decision-making, yet it never ceases to bring you the thrill of a good duel!”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $53

All-In (w/shipping): $86

Campaign Ends: 3/31

Game Ships: February 2024

Funding Status: Currently at 52% with 22 days to go.