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

Project: Animalchemists

Designer: Jon Cohn (Munchkin Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)

Artist: Anastas Ermolina

Publisher: CardLords (BattleGoats, The Pirate’s Flag, Take the Gold)

Genre/Mechanisms: hand management, pattern building, set collection

Player Count: 2-5

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: light

Risk: medium-high

Summary: A light, “strategic, multi-tiered market spell-crafting game.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $19

All-In (w/shipping): $85, also includes 4 other games

Campaign Ends: 9/20

Game Ships: Apr. 2020

Funding Status: Currently at 78%, with 30 days to go.

Project: Beast Masters Duel: Tree and Tide

Designers: Ben Martin (Beast Masters Duel: Sun and Stone), Chris Peach (Beast Masters Duel: Sun and Stone), Ben Pohl (Beast Masters Duel: Sun and Stone)

Artist: Elle Hansen (Beast Masters Duel: Sun and Stone)

Publisher: Kid Loves Tiger Games (Beast Masters Duel: Sun and Stone)

Genre/Mechanisms: 2 players, area control, card drafting, dice rolling, grid movement, hand management, modular board, variable player powers

Player Count: 2

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: medium-light

Risk: high

Summary: A two-player, “shuffle-building,” tactical head-to-head game with players taking on the roles of battling beast trainers.

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $34

All-In (w/shipping): $34, same as above

Campaign Ends: 9/13

Game Ships: June 2020

Funding Status: Currently at 61%, with 21 days to go.

Project: Cryptic Explorers

Designer: Maher Sagrillo

Artist: Maher Sagrillo

Publisher: Tempest Tome Games

Genre/Mechanisms: action point allowance system, dice rolling, grid movement, hand management, partnerships, player elimination

Player Count: 2-4

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: medium-heavy

Risk: high

Summary: An “asymmetrical squad tactics and survival horror board game set in a unique horror/sci-fi universe” and featuring black & white art, with one player taking on the role of the Goddess of Death in a battle of one vs. many.

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $74

All-In (w/shipping): $109

Campaign Ends: 9/13

Game Ships: Aug. 2020

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 100%, with 22 days to go.

Project: Dragon Hunters

Designers: Daniil Nesterenko, Daniil Nesterenko, Pavel Otryagii, Artyom Krivezhenko

Artist: Diana Halchynska

Publisher: SignumGame (Legends of Signum: Battle for Vallor)

Genre/Mechanisms: 2 players, area movement, cooperative play, deck building, dice rolling, hand management, hex-and-counter, miniatures, player elimination, point-to-point movement, variable player powers

Player Count: 1-4

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: medium-heavy

Risk: high

Summary: A “two player tabletop war-game” set in the Legends of Signum world, with variants for solo play or 4 players, featuring hand management, dice rolling, and miniatures.

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $150

All-In (w/shipping): $195

Campaign Ends: 9/12

Game Ships: Dec. 2019

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 625%, with 22 days to go.

Project: The Everyone Shares One Butt Game

Designer: Justin Ricafort

Artist: Justin Ricafort

Publisher: Justin Ricafort

Genre/Mechanisms: area control, area movement, hand management, modular board, player elimination, press your luck, route/network building, take that, tile placement trading, voting

Player Count: 2-4

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: light

Risk: high

Summary: A unique hand management and tile placement game almost in the vein of The Human Centipede… but much cuter.

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $35

All-In (w/shipping): $65

Campaign Ends: 9/25

Game Ships: Feb. 2020

Funding Status: Currently at 9%, with 34 days to go.

Project: Queen Bee

Designers: Mike Bruner, Larissa Bruner

Artists: Duy Phan, Sarah Keele (Deadwood 1878, Salem 1692, Tortuga 1667)

Publisher: Elixir Games

Genre/Mechanisms: area control, dice rolling, fighting, hand management, miniatures, modular board, partnerships

Player Count: 2-6

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: medium-light

Risk: high

Summary: Winner of the 2019 BGG Two Player PnP Game Design Contest, Mike & Larissa Bruner have expanded their design to include up to 4 players, and the physical production now features miniatures.

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $39

All-In (w/shipping): $69

Campaign Ends: 9/19

Game Ships: July 2020

Funding Status: Currently at 52%, with 29 days to go.

Project: Wolves of Mercia

Designer: John Eckerd-Leo

Artist: Katrina Turk

Publisher: Brybelly (Dice Wars: Heroes of Polyhedra, Solitaire Frenzy)

Genre/Mechanisms: deduction, hand management, hidden traitor, variable phase order, variable player powers

Player Count: 5-16

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: light

Risk: medium-high

Summary: A “small footprint” social deduction game with no player elimination, featuring a full deck of tarot-sized cards and a story-rich, 35-page instruction manual.

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $15

All-In (w/shipping): $15, same as above

Campaign Ends: 9/4

Game Ships: Oct. 2019

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 182%, with 13 days to go.