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

Project: Dr Finn’s 2022 Games

Designer: Steve Finn (Biblios, Herbaceous, Sunset Over Water)

Artists: Ossi Hiekkala (Alpujarras, Eclipse, Fisheries of Gloucester, Flamme Rouge, Honshū, Nations, Nations: The Dice Game), Akha Hulzebos (Biblios: Quill and Parchment, The Butterfly Garden Second Edition, Darwinning!, The Little Flower Shop Dice Game), Sebastián Koziner (Dice Hospital, The Feds, Heroes of Terrinoth, Skulk Hollow), Rocio Ogñenovich (The Feds, The Little Flower Shop, Mutant Crops, The Primary), Julián Tunni (Fisheries of Gloucester, Lunes, Nanga Parbat, Tonari)

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

Genre/Mechanisms: area majority/influence, farming, medieval, set collection, track movement (Alpujarras); area majority/influence, mafia (The Feds); 2 players, action points, race, set collection, tile placement (Fisheries of Gloucester); dice, dice rolling, set collection (The Little Flower Shop Dice Game)

Player Count: 2-4 (Alpujarras, The Feds); 2 (Fisheries of Gloucester); 1-4 (The Little Flower Shop Dice Game)

Solo Mode: no (Alpujarras, The Feds, Fisheries of Gloucester); yes (The Little Flower Shop Dice Game)

Complexity: 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.

In The Feds, players take turns placing field agents at locations holding both criminals and their contraband. Players may also earn and use special powers to perform various actions such as switching agents at different locations or placing ‘undercover agents.’ If you time it right, you’ll have the most agents at locations during busts, thereby arresting criminals and confiscating crates on your way to establishing your team as the best. The game is heavily inspired by Gunrunners, an earlier game by the same designer and publisher.

The two-player game Fisheries of Gloucester lasts six ‘days’ (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.

The Little Flower Shop Dice Game, a dice-based take on The Little Flower Shop, is played over six days (rounds). In each round, players simultaneously roll five dice — 3 flower dice, 1 vase die, and 1 initiative die — then take turns based on the initiative die’s result. On a turn, you must lock 1-2 dice, or pay money to lock more or none. Unlocked dice must be re-rolled on the next turn. When you lock all your dice, you can take an ‘arrangement tile’ that matches your dice roll and place it on a shelf (player board) in your shop. In addition to scoring points for the flowers themselves, you want to accomplish a task set out at the beginning of the game. Six tasks are included, with only one used each game.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $30, Dr. Finn’s Express Games only

All-In (w/shipping): $115, all 4 games, each with its own promo pack, plus Dr. Finn’s Express Games

Campaign Ends: 9/13

Game Ships: July 2022

Funding Status: Currently at 32% with 19 days to go.

Project: Murderopolis: A Delightfully Deadly Card Game

Designer: Joshua Mason (Outfoxed!)

Artist: Joshua Mason (Outfoxed!)

Publisher: Quirky Co. (Outfoxed!)

Genre/Mechanisms: card game, hand management, horror, mature/adult, murder/mystery, set collection

Player Count: 2-4

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: light

Risk: medium-high

Summary: “For each turn, players draw 1 card and try to match 4 cards: the Suspect, Weapon, and Evidence cards featured on any Location card. Witness cards are wild and may be used in place of any Weapon or Evidence card. When a player has all 4 cards to make a match, he or she is to set it down on the playing surface, and announce a murder case has been solved. An opponent may inspect the cards to verify the match. If a player is unable to solve a case, and has more than 8 cards, he or she must discard 1 card into an open field of cards. Another player may take any discard, rather than drawing from the deck. A turn ends when a player solves a case, discards, or can do neither. When the Death card is drawn, the player dies and is to add all cards held to the discard field. The first player to solve 3 cases, wins!”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $27

All-In (w/shipping): $27, same as above

Campaign Ends: 9/22

Game Ships: Oct. 2021

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 649% with 28 days to go.

Project: Sunrise Market: Pier 1, Boba Mahjong, and 1-2-3 Cheese!

Designer: Ta-Te Wu (Art Decko, Cat Rescue, Tien Zi Que)

Artists: Fuwa (Boba Mahjong), Kaiami (Cat Rescue, Cat Sudoku, Cleocatra, Pier 1), Shenanjegans (1-2-3 Cheese!),

Publisher: Sunrise Tornado Game Studio (Art Decko, Cat Rescue, Tien Zi Que)

Genre/Mechanisms: animals, card game, hand management, number, race (1-2-3 Cheese!); 2 players, animals, card game, hand management, number, set collection (Boba Mahjong); animals, card game, end game bonuses, grid movement, number, pattern building, puzzle, solo/solitaire game (Pier 1)

Player Count: 1-5 (1-2-3 Cheese!); 2 (Boba Mahjong); 1 (Pier 1)

Solo Mode: yes (1-2-3 Cheese!, Pier 1); no (Boba Mahjong)

Complexity: light

Risk: medium-high

Summary: “In 1-2-3 Cheese! the goal is to have as few cards as possible. During the round, play cards to other players’ stashes by either playing multiple cards of the same number or a run of three or more cards. The round ends when a player is out of cards. Players receive escape points based on the number of cards in their hand and stash. After three rounds, the player with the most points wins the game. In case of a tie, the tied players share the win.

Boba Mahjong is a 2-player mahjong variant card game using set collection and rummy mechanics. In the game, players create sets of three cards during their turn. After creating a set, the player keeps one of the cards as an ingredient card. When a player has five sets of ingredient cards, the round ends. Players will use the best six ingredients to make their boba drink and collect points based on the freshness, smoothness, complexity, and presentation of their drink. The game will continue for several rounds until a player has 30 or more points, and the player with the most points wins the game.

Pier 1 is a Cat Sudoku card game for one talented pier master. In the game, the player is building Pier 1 on a beautiful coast. The goal is to arrange market aisles with unique fish vendors to increase foot traffic. Yes, cats are the ecstatic fish vendors. The player will receive points during construction and more after the final inspection. Beware of cute rodents! They are negative points. When the game ends, the player will receive a star rating based on the points received. The more points you score the higher rating you will receive. Are you ready to be a 5-star Grand Pier Master?”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $22, one game

All-In (w/shipping): $48, all three games

Campaign Ends: 9/22

Game Ships: Jan 2022

Funding Status: Currently at 30% with 28 days to go.