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

Project: Adventure Tactics: Adventures in Alchemy

Designer: Nicholas Yu (Adventure Tactics: Domianne’s Tower, Eternal Dynasty, Hero Brigade)

Artist: Jacob Croft (Adventure Tactics: Domianne’s Tower)

Publisher: Letiman Games (Adventure Tactics: Domianne’s Tower, Matryoshka, Squire for Hire)

Genre/Mechanisms: adventures, campaign/battle card driven, cooperative game, dice rolling, expansion, fantasy, fighting, grid movement, miniatures, role playing

Player Count: 1-5

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: medium-heavy

Risk: medium-high

Summary: “This expansion also introduces a brand new mini-campaign that leads you through a new path to the gates of the Tower. This campaign will see you through the first five levels of your heroic journey and, when completed, you can continue your adventure by diving directly into Act II of Domianne’s Tower. With the addition of new enemies, new Elite Classes, a new type of Initiative, and non-player controlled Allies, your journey to the Tower will never be the same. This game requires Adventure Tactics: Domianne’s Tower to play.

Adventure Tactics: Domianne’s Tower is an encounter-based, campaign-driven, cooperative tactical combat game. Begin your journey as one of 5 Basic Classes and battle your way through a branching campaign where you choose your own path in an attempt to overthrow the evil Queen Domianne. With each encounter, you will level up and unlock over 15 Elite Classes, adding new actions, equipment, and abilities.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $45

All-In (w/shipping): $270

Campaign Ends: 6/24

Game Ships: June 2022

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 216% with 18 days to go.

Project: The Binding of Isaac: Four Souls Requiem

Designer: Edmund McMillen (The Binding of Isaac: Four Souls, Tapeworm)

Artists: Richelle Chamberlin, Krystal Fleming (The Binding of Isaac: Four Souls, Tapeworm), Seonyeon Min, Alejandro Soltero, Vivian Voss

Publisher: Maestro Media (The Binding of Isaac: Four Souls, Tapeworm)

Genre/Mechanisms: card drafting, card game, dice rolling, expansion, fighting, hand management, semi-cooperative game, take that, variable player powers

Player Count: 1-4

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: medium-heavy

Risk: medium-high

Summary: “A huge expansion of the original Binding of Isaac: Four Souls game. Fight new monsters, collect new items, play as new characters. The expansion also adds new Solo and Multiplayer game modes and a brand new ROOM deck. The Room deck shakes up game play by adding global effects to all players that modify existing mechanics and even add new ones.

The official Binding of Isaac multiplayer card game is about sacrifice, betrayal and hoarding. Players take turns playing loot cards and using items to kill monsters that yield more items, loot, and sometimes souls. The first player to end their turn with 4 souls is the winner. Cooperation, barter, and betrayal is encouraged.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $48

All-In (w/shipping): $824. includes vanity rewards

Campaign Ends: 7/1

Game Ships: June 2022

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 4116% with 25 days to go.

Project: Fall of the Mountain King

Designer: Adam E. Daulton (K’uh Nah, Ninja Camp)

Artists: Fahed Alrajil, Xavier Cuenca

Publisher: Burnt Island Games (Endeavor: Age of Sail, In the Hall of the Mountain King)

Genre/Mechanisms: action points, area majority/influence, drafting

Player Count: 1-5

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: medium-heavy

Risk: medium-low

Summary: “Fall of the Mountain King is a standalone prequel to In the Hall of The Mountain King, set during the catastrophic war that drove the trolls from their mountain kingdom generations ago. Build your ancestry to drive your actions in the caverns, win the loyalty of the clan Champions, and strive to be trolldom’s greatest defender against the gnomish onslaught.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $92

All-In (w/shipping): $175, also include the KS Edition of In the Hall of the Mountain King

Campaign Ends: 6/24

Game Ships: May 2022

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 361% with 18 days to go.

Project: Hexano

Designer: Chris Hand

Artist: Chris Hand

Publisher: chrisHANDmande

Genre/Mechanisms: connections, educational, hand management, hexagon grid, highest-lowest scoring, matching, puzzle, score-and-reset game, solo/solitaire game, speed matching, territory-building, tile placement

Player Count: 1-5

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: light

Risk: HIGH

Summary: “Using hexagonal tiles, race against your opponents to score points and be the first to finish their pattern. Tessellation and pattern recognition are key aspects of the game making it not just an easy game to learn, but also a fun way to educate children.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $38

All-In (w/shipping): $52

Campaign Ends: 7/1

Game Ships: Sep. 2021

Funding Status: Currently at 45% with 24 days to go.

Project: The Keeyp: Roguelite Board Game

Designers: Bradley Kelley, Mark William Roberts

Artists: Bradley Kelley, Mark William Roberts

Publisher: SaySaku

Genre/Mechanisms: dice rolling, fantasy, fighting, party game, player elimination, take that, tile placement

Player Count: 2-6

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: light

Risk: HIGH

Summary: “The Keeyp is a Rogue-lite-inspired board game where you build out the dungeon as you play, making each game feel fresh and exciting. Explore the dungeon each turn, gather unique items, and engage in combat with other players. The first player to get the Key and escape through the Gate wins (or the last player standing if nobody has escaped). Can you find the Key and make it to the Gate first?”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $40

All-In (w/shipping): $60, includes vanity rewards

Campaign Ends: 6/19

Game Ships: Jan. 2022

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 213% with 13 days to go.

Project: My Singing Monsters

Designers: Jay Cormier (Akrotiri, Belfort, In the Hall of the Mountain King, Junk Art), Sen-Foong Lim (Akrotiri, Belfort, Junk Art)

Artists: not credited

Publisher: Big Blue Bubble

Genre/Mechanisms: card game, modular board, track movement, video game theme, worker placement

Player Count: 2-5

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: medium-light

Risk: HIGH

Summary: “My Singing Monsters: The Board Game, is a strategic worker placement set in the world of My Singing Monsters that is designed to grow with players’ skills. Players can start simple and add new components and rules over time. The expandable gameplay experience allows players to start easy and build up to a full-on strategy game. The evolving gameplay makes the game ideal for all players, from casual gamers and families to the more strategic and experienced board gamer.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $49

All-In (w/shipping): $78

Campaign Ends: 6/22

Game Ships: Dec. 2021

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 208% with 15 days to go.

Project: Pisces

Designer: Dante Lauretta (Constellations, Xtronaut: The Game of Solar System Exploration)

Artist: Travis Hanson (Goblin’s Breakfast, Santa’s Bag, Wizardz Bluff)

Publisher: Xtronaut Enterprises (Constellations, Xtronaut: The Game of Solar System Exploration)

Genre/Mechanisms: animals, auction/bidding, auction: turn order until pass, betting and bluffing, dice, dice rolling, end game bonuses, modular board, nautical, passed action token, random production, sports, variable set-up, victory points as a resource

Player Count: 2-6

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: medium-light

Risk: HIGH

Summary: “The Pisces game is all about fishing, fish, and conservation. The goal is to obtain the maximum points by being the most successful at catching fish and receiving credit for implementing conservation measures to maintain a healthy population. Each fish follows a uniquely structured life cycle that models their real-world dynamics and susceptibility to over-fishing, including snapper, tuna, sardines, sharks, mahi mahi, and crabs. Players select which fishing zone and species will present the best fishing opportunities each round. The availability of sea life to catch changes throughout the game, as the fish go through various life cycle stages and are harvested by the players. If they are abundant, they are easy to catch. But if they are over-fished, it gets harder, just like in real life. Strategize to protect your stock from over-fishing while collecting the boats and gear to tip the odds of a big catch.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $45

All-In (w/shipping): $90, includes copy donated to Boys and Girls Club

Campaign Ends: 7/1

Game Ships: Dec. 2021

Funding Status: Currently at 32% with 24 days to go.

Project: Rune & Write

Designer: Joaquin Gonzalez (Runaljod: The sound of the runes)

Artist: Roderigo Flores (Runaljod: The sound of the runes)

Publisher: Tempo Games (Runaljod: The sound of the runes)

Genre/Mechanisms: dice, dice rolling, paper-and-pencil, solo/solitaire game

Player Count: 1-5

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: light

Risk: HIGH

Summary: “Rune & Write is a game with a roll and write mechanic, symbol combination, and rune casting based on the universe of Runaljod: The sound of the runes. Rune & Write is played over 8 rounds in which all players can take turns simultaneously. Each player will try to be as efficient as possible with the runes they have available and their possible combinations.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $46

All-In (w/shipping): $56

Campaign Ends: 6/15

Game Ships: Nov. 2021

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 175% with 8 days to go.

Project: Stellar Empire: Skirmish

Designer: Andrew Sears

Artists: not credited

Publisher: Andak

Genre/Mechanisms: 2 players, betting and bluffing, bluffing, card game, card play conflict resolution, fighting, science fiction, simultaneous action selection

Player Count: 2

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: medium-light

Risk: HIGH

Summary: “A 15 minute 2 player strategic card game, requiring critical thinking and clever bluffing. You take the role of a fleet admiral, and your goal is to capture as many planets along your stellar border as you can with the expedition fleet at your disposal. Some planets along the border are more ideal than others, but even a barren rock can be mined for resources. You will lead either the Royal Expedition Force of the Wami Kingdom, or the 3rd Fleet of the Neupert Prefecture. Each turn, the opposing fleets engage over one of the contested planets, and players select a vessel to engage. As the more powerful ship prevails, the system will join the victors stellar empire. If the ships fight to a draw, as they skulk away to lick their wounds, the following battles become more important, as the victor of the next battle will be able to lay claim to each system where combat was unresolved. Once both players have exhausted their entire fleet, cooler heads will prevail and an armistice will be signed. While both stellar empires may have made territorial claims, only the empire with the more worthwhile conquest can justify the skirmish and be called the victor.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $10

All-In (w/shipping): $60

Campaign Ends: 7/1

Game Ships: Nov. 2021

Funding Status: Currently at 24% with 24 days to go.

Project: Torus

Designer: Dr. Bronn

Artists: not credited

Publisher: Analog Game Studios (Gnomes at Midnight, King of Indecision, Latte Throwdown)

Genre/Mechanisms: 2 players, abstract strategy, pattern building

Player Count: 1-2

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: medium-light

Risk: medium-high

Summary: “Born out of need by a Russian professor who developed a teaching tool to instruct his students on mathematical applications in cellular biology, CTOR (or Cellular Torus) eventually became a national favorite game, supported by international championships. Like chess, Torus involves sparring against an opponent through well thought-out strategies that outwit the effect of opposite forces. Unlike chess, the objective is to prevail and conquer the majority of the Torus grid in a 3D environment. In solo mode, hone your emotional decision-making skills on the whetstone of your analytical power and sharpen your intuition.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $34

All-In (w/shipping): $175, includes vanity rewards

Campaign Ends: 6/29

Game Ships: Nov. 2021

Funding Status: Currently at 44% with 23 days to go.