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

Project: 1888 North China

Designer: Leonhard “Lonny” Orgler (18CZ, Poseidon, Russian Railroads)

Artist: Leonhard “Lonny” Orgler (1837: Rail Building in the Austrio-Hungarian Empire, 18CZ)

Publisher: Lonny Games (1824: Austrio-Hungarian Railway Second Edition, 18CZ, 18Lilliput)

Genre/Mechanisms: 18xx, auction/bidding, economic, investment, market, network and route building, ownership, tile placement, trains, transportation, victory points as a resource

Player Count: 2-6

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: heavy

Risk: medium-high

Summary: “An 18xx game set in China in the Beijing area. It features no special rules apart from the various private companies (which depict Chinese landmarks) and is a branch of the 1830-style games. The maps are double-sided, one side with the classic 18xx layout and the other featuring a more fancy artwork. Two to six players represent investors in railroad companies, spending their initial capital to buy wholly owned private companies and shares in public companies. The public companies are each controlled by the largest shareholder (its president). Public companies build track and run trains in order to earn revenues. These revenues can be paid out as dividends to shareholders or retained to fund further track and rolling stock. 1888-N is the first part in a Chinese trilogy (1888-E and 1888-S are the other two) can be combined with one or both other games for a larger map and more companies.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $88

All-In (w/shipping): $88, same as above

Campaign Ends: 4/24

Game Ships: Dec. 2022

Funding Status: Currently at 77% with 18 days to go.

Project: Bonnie and Clyde, Love and Death

Designer: Alexandre Weiss (Which Side?)

Artists: Jeremy Laplatine (Which Side?), Vianney Carvalho (Aklasi, The Dark Village)

Publisher: Yeast Games (Which Side?)

Genre/Mechanisms: 2 player only games, card game, mystery / crime, relative movement, simulation, solo / solitaire game, travel

Player Count: 1-2

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: light

Risk: HIGH

Summary: “First and foremost a solo game that can also be played as a duo, where the goal is to find the romantic end that the couple dreamed of. Along this road trip, you will have to choose the right actions to survive, stick up banks or stores, but also keep an eye on the gas tank and the state of your vehicle, and, of course, outrun the cops, who will only get better and better at tracking you down. At the beginning of the game, you choose from four levels of difficulty and set out on the first country road. Each turn represents a day divided into three phases: Morning, Afternoon, and Night. During the game, you have to manage your resource and situation gauges. Some of them can lead to your death, such as not having any food or ammunition during a shootout; others can lead to defeat, such as having a love gauge at zero, which would lead to the separation of the couple. It is therefore important to fulfill the victory conditions before triggering any defeat condition. In easy mode, the goal is to finish your run with a shoutout in a farmhouse, with two bank loot and your love gauge raised to the maximum before the police — or someone — kill Bonnie or Clyde.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $42

All-In (w/shipping): $69

Campaign Ends: 4/24

Game Ships: Oct. 2022

Funding Status: Currently at 35% with 19 days to go.

Project: Killers

Designer: Jeff Ignatowski

Artist: Jeff Ignatowski

Publisher: Jeff Ignatowski

Genre/Mechanisms: abstract strategy, card game, collectible components, murder / mystery

Player Count: 2-6

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: light

Risk: HIGH

Summary: “Deal out your stable of 5 infamous killers to each player. On your turn, you will draw a victim card, decide which killer will abduct the victim, roll a die to determine if the abduction is successful, and then roll for the kill. During this time you will be able to use special weapon cards or scenario cards to effect gameplay. At the end of all players turns, the police arrive to investigate any evidence left, by a dice roll, or apprehend any killers with 3 or more found evidence tokens. The game is won when one player reaches 10 kills or is the last killer standing.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $43

All-In (w/shipping): $113

Campaign Ends: 5/1

Game Ships: June 2022

Funding Status: Currently at 72% with 26 days to go.

Project: Reel ‘Em In

Designer: John Heffernan

Artists: not credited

Publisher: Island of Bees

Genre/Mechanisms: animals, card game, move through deck, print & play, push your luck, real-time

Player Count: 3-5

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: light

Risk: HIGH

Summary: “One player takes on the role of a fisherman, and two or more players take on the role of fish. Fish players compete to get the most points, while the fisherman tries to catch one of the fish to steal their points. While fish gain points by snatching up food cards, the fisherman steals points from the fish. Fish Players take turns selecting Fruit cards, which give them points. Hidden among the food cards is a hook placed by the Fisherman, and when a fish picks it up the Fish and Fisher compete. Each shouts their Powerphrase, and the first to finish their word wins. This results in either the Fisherman stealing all of the fish’s points, or the fish swimming away. The fisherman benefits more when the fish has lots of points, so must place their hook down strategically. The game ends when there are no more fruit cards left in the deck. The player with the most points wins.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $26

All-In (w/shipping): $34

Campaign Ends: 4/16

Game Ships: June 2022

Funding Status: Currently at 26% with 11 days to go.