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

Project: 1860: Railways on the Isle of Wight

Designer: Mike Hutton (1862: Railway Mania in the Eastern Counties)

Artist: Mike Hutton (1862: Railway Mania in the Eastern Counties, 1861: The Railways of the Russian Empire)

Publisher: All-Aboard Games (18Chesapeake, 1817, 1849: The Game of Sicilian Railways)

Genre/Mechanisms: 18xx, auction/bidding, economic, network and route building, stock holding, tile placement, trains, transportation

Player Count: 2-4

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: heavy

Risk: medium-high

Summary: “A game tracing the development of railways on the Isle of Wight, 1860 is part of the 18xx series of economic railway games, based on Francis Tresham’s original concepts. The game is notable for the small size of the board compared to many 18xx games, and its innovative game end. The climax of play sees the beginnings of railway nationalization in the United Kingdom, with the weakest companies being eliminated from private operation earlier than those which are the healthiest.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $89

All-In (w/shipping): $89

Campaign Ends: 2/9

Game Ships: Sep. 2021

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 397% with 12 days to go.

Project: Button Shy Wallet Games – Reprint Campaign 2021

Designers: John Baluci (Antimony), Chip Beauvais (Chroma Cubes, Smoke and Mirrors, Universal Rule), Correy Damey (Seasons of Rice), Robin Gibson (Arcane Bakery Clash), Daniel Newman (Ahead in the Clouds, Dead Man’s Cabal, Rolled West), Nat Levan (Nantucket, New Bedford, Supertall), Jon Simantov (Liberation), Aaron Andrew Wilson (Sovereign Skies, Why I Otter)

Artists: Lee Angerstein (Why I Otter), Sara Beauvais (Liberation, Smoke and Mirrors, SpaceShipped), Marty Cobb (Antimony, Skulls of Sedlec, Supertall), Correy Damey (Seasons of Rice), Jerome Damey (Seasons of Rice), Bryan Fischer (Ahead in the Clouds, Circle the Wagons, Tammany Hall), Robin Gibson (Arcane Bakery Clash; Mine, All Mine!; Roll Estate), Fabrice Weiss (Colors of Paris, Smoke and Mirrors, U.S. Telegraph)

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

Genre/Mechanisms: 2 players, card game, network and route building, science fiction, set collection (Ahead in the Clouds); 2 players, card game, hand management, science fiction, set collection (Antimony); 2 players, card game, hand management, memory (Arcane Bakery Clash); card game, deduction, exploration, hand management, science fiction, space exploration, take that, territory building, variable player powers (Liberation); 2 players, card drafting, card game, farming, tile placement, variable player powers (Seasons of Rice); betting and bluffing, bluffing, card game, trick-taking (Smoke and Mirrors); card game, city building, hand management, set collection, take that, tile placement (Supertall); animals, card game, rock-paper-scissors, trick-taking (Why I Otter)

Player Count: 2 (Ahead in the Clouds, Antimony, Arcane Bakery Clash, Liberation, Seasons of Rice, Why I Otter); 2-3 (Supertall); 2-5 (Smoke and Mirrors)

Solo Mode: no (Ahead in the Clouds, Antimony, Arcane Bakery Clash, Liberation, Seasons of Rice, Smoke and Mirrors, Supertall, Why I Otter)

Complexity: light (Ahead in the Clouds, Antimony, Arcane Bakery Clash, Seasons of Rice, Smoke and Mirrors, Supertall, Why I Otter); medium-light (Liberation)

Risk: medium-low

Summary: “Button Shy’s second reprint campaign for some of the long lost Button Shy titles. All games chosen by the backers. Starting with 3 fan favorites and as stretch goals are hit, we will add more games to the print run. With each stretch goal, we will invite you to help vote for the next game that we add. With each new game, we will add a new reward level allowing backers to get all of the games at these Kickstarter discounted prices.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $14, 1 game

All-In (w/shipping): $78, includes all eight games currently listed (there may be more games added, and higher pledge level bundles, as the campaign continues)

Campaign Ends: 2/25

Game Ships: Dec. 2021

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 2078% with 9 days to go.

Project: Cryptid Cafe

Designer: Chip Cole

Artist: Chip Cole

Publisher: Squatchy Games

Genre/Mechanisms: area majority/influence, contracts, events, fantasy, mythology, once-per-game abilities, take that, worker placement

Player Count: 2-4

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: light

Risk: HIGH

Summary: “You are a lead server at the Cryptid Cafe, a Sasquatch-owned restaurant packed with legendary creatures from all over the world. Gather food. Fill orders. Earn the most tips and be crowned, dare we say, the most ‘legendary’ server.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $41

All-In (w/shipping): $51

Campaign Ends: 2/25

Game Ships: Dec. 2021

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 101% with 28 days to go.

Project: Radlands

Designer: Daniel Piechnick

Artists: Damien Mammoliti (Brass: Birmingham, Brass: Lancashire, Edge of Darkness), Manny Tremblay (Dice Throne: Season One, Dice Throne: Season Two – Battle Chest, Dice Throne: Season Two – Gunslinger v. Samurai)

Publisher: Roxley Games (Brass: Birmingham, Brass: Lancashire, Dice Throne: Season One, Dice Throne: Season Two – Battle Chest, Santorini, Steampunk Rally, Super Motherload)

Genre/Mechanisms: 2 players, action points, hand management, post-apocalyptic

Player Count: 2

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: medium-light

Risk: medium-low

Summary: “A competitive, dueling card game about identifying fiercely powerful card synergies. Act as the leader of your post apocalyptic group of survivors in a tooth-and-nail fight to protect your three camps from a vicious rival tribe. If all of them are destroyed, you lose the game.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $47

All-In (w/shipping): $67

Campaign Ends: 2/12

Game Ships: Sep. 2021

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 730% with 15 days to go.

Project: Reload

Designers: François Rouzé (Room 25), Jean-Marc Tribet

Artists: Chris Byer (Heroes Wanted, Ninja Camp, Omen: A Reign of War), Jacqui Davis (Colosseum, Euphoria: Build a Better Dystopia, Ex Libris, Viticulture, Viticulture: Essential Edition, Stockpile)

Publisher: Kolossal Games (Omen: A Reign of War, Terrors of London, Western Legends)

Genre/Mechanisms: action/event, adventure, die icon resolution, fighting, map reduction, movies/tv/radio theme, rock-paper-scissors, science fiction, team-based game

Player Count: 3-6

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: medium-heavy

Risk: medium-high

Summary: “In the near future, the mega-corporations of the military-industrial complex have invested trillions developing cybernetically enhanced clone soldiers for off-world exploration. Seeking to build robust teams for future missions, and more importantly, to land lucrative government contracts, they have created special training islands. On these islands, they are able to simulate all of the deadly conditions their soldiers may face on remote planets. Thus was born ‘RELOAD,’ the biggest TV show on the planet, with the most charismatic and capable subjects competing in front of millions of avid viewers to win fame for themselves and fortunes for their creators. In Reload, you get to engage in this battle-royale experience thanks to an innovative action dice system that offers fast-paced play and the freedom to explore the island while fighting for fame.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $39

All-In (w/shipping): $71

Campaign Ends: 2/17

Game Ships: Dec. 2021

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 157% with 21 days to go.

Project: Zodiac War – An Astrology and Tarot Themed Board Game

Designer: Paul Starr

Artists: Katerina Poliakova (Ivion)

Publisher: Paul Starr

Genre/Mechanisms: abstract strategy, action/event, card drafting, card game, fantasy, mythology, take that, variable player powers, victory points as a resource

Player Count: 2-4

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: medium-light

Risk: HIGH

Summary: “Zodiac War is a rotating board game based on astrological themes, personalities of the signs, aligning planets and elements, and the powers of tarot cards.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $60

All-In (w/shipping): $115, includes vanity rewards

Campaign Ends: 2/20

Game Ships: Nov. 2021

Funding Status: Currently at 65% with 23 days to go.