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

Project: Death Roads: All Stars

Designer: Jasiek Łuszczki

Artist: Mariusz Szulc (Włady Areny)

Publisher: The Knights of Unity

Genre/Mechanisms: action points, deck construction, events, fighting, hand management, miniatures, player elimination, racing, science fiction, turn order: stat based, variable player powers, video game theme

Player Count: 2-4

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: medium-heavy

Risk: HIGH

Summary: “Death Roads: All Stars is a fast-paced, car fighting game set in a fictional dystopian future where nearly half of the Moon was destroyed. It is a card game for 2-4 players where you choose a car, a driver and weapons. As an outlander, you fight for the right to live in an automated metropolis among other lucky or rich residents. Each player has to manage their car’s Condition and Handling, switch Gears and play cards. All this to win a deadly TV contest and destroy other drivers or be the first when the race ends. Be aware of the skid mechanic and random road events that can change the game!”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $89

All-In (w/shipping): $107

Campaign Ends: 7/28

Game Ships: Nov. 2022

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 464% with 11 days to go.

Project: Magistrar: Duel of the Mages

Designer: Robert Heller

Artist: Marco Armbruster (The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine, The Crew: Mission Deep Sea)

Publisher: SPIEL DAS! Verlag

Genre/Mechanisms: 2 players, fantasy, set collection, worker placement

Player Count: 2

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: medium-light

Risk: HIGH

Summary: “Once a year, the most powerful mages of the country come together to compete in a spectacular contest, the Magicus Pugna. Here everyone joins in who thinks highly of himself and his magic skills. In a huge arena you will fight as two of these mages against each other for fame and glory. Can you harness the magical energy of the arena for yourself and defeat your opponent with your spells? In this magical competition, you want to earn the title of the most respected mage. To do this, you must earn the highest number of victory points, or Honoris points. You receive Honoris when you win individual duels by tactically deploying your spell pawns and collecting as many energies of one type as possible. If you are the master of the light or the dark energy, you are sure to enthuse the masses.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $48

All-In (w/shipping): $125

Campaign Ends: 8/9

Game Ships: Oct. 2021

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

Project: On Mars: Alien Invasion

Designer: Vital Lacerda (CO2, CO2: Second Chance, Escape Plan, The Gallerist, Kanban: Driver’s Edition, Kanban EV, Lisboa, On Mars, Vinhos, Vinhos Deluxe Edition)

Artist: Ian O’Toole (Age of Steam, Black Angel, Clinic: Deluxe Edition, CO2: Second Chance, Escape Plan, The Gallerist, Irish Gauge, Kanban EV, Lisboa, Merv: The Heart of the Silk Road, Nemo’s War Second Edition, On Mars, Pipeline, Ra, Stockpile, Unmatched: Cobble and Fog, Vinhos Deluxe Edition)

Publisher: Eagle Games (Baseball Highlights: 2045, Brass: Lancashire, Can’t Stop, Carson City, Defenders of the Realm, Diamant, Empires: Age of Discovery, Escape Plan, Fleet, Fleet: The Dice Game, For Sale, Francis Drake, The Gallerist, High Society, Kanban EV, Lisboa, On Mars, Railways of the World, Rococo, Roll Through the Ages: The Bronze Age, Struggle of Empires, Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization, Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization, Tumblin-Dice, Vinhos Deluxe Edition)

Genre/Mechanisms: city building, cooperative game, economic, expansion, exploration, science fiction, territory building, video game theme, worker placement

Player Count: 1-5

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: heavy

Risk: low

Summary: “The much-anticipated Somewhat Cooperative Expansion to Vital Lacerda’s best-selling and highly-rated On Mars base game. Though this expansion was originally going to be named Surviving Mars, Eagle-Gryphon Games made the decision to change the name to On Mars: Alien Invasion to better reflect the theme and content of this expansion. The game narrative is contained in four chapters of a story written by Nathan Morse. Gameplay contains four new and different ways to expand upon and play the base game. You will play one versus many; completely cooperatively; and even solo if you wish, depending on the chapter. Included are four fresh and completely replayable ways to establish colonies On Mars. The short story is called Alien Invasion and contemplates the following Chapters and modes of play: Chapter 1 – Invasion – 1 vs All – 3 to 5 players; Chapter 2 – Outbreak – Co-Op – 2 to 4 players; Chapter 3 – Blackout – Co-Op – 2 to 4 players; and Chapter 4 – Monolith – Solo – 1 player.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $60

All-In (w/shipping): $194

Campaign Ends: 7/30

Game Ships: June 2022

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 316% with 14 days to go.