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

Project: Alynthia

Designers: Travis Jones, Andrew C. White

Artist: Andrew C. White

Publisher: Xplody Games

Genre/Mechanisms: action points, area majority / influence, area movement, cooperative game, dice rolling, fantasy, medieval, territory-building, variable player powers

Player Count: 1-5

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: medium-heavy

Risk: HIGH

Summary: “In Alynthia’s cooperative mode, a horde of Dragons has just destroyed the cities of Alynthia and built deadly Nests atop their ruins. You are among the survivors who have united to free Alynthia from the Dragons, so you take your turns simultaneously. You must band together to retake the land by defeating all Nests before the end of round 5. Don’t wait too long – starting in round 2, if you don’t defeat at least 1 Nest per round, Alynthia will fall. In the competitive mode, it has been years since Alynthia was first decimated by the Dragons. They still roam the land, but they are fewer in number and much less deadly. The time has come to turn your attention to other matters. You are competing against your fellow guild leaders to become the new leader of Alynthia, so you take your turns individually. To win, have the most Renown by the end of round 5, securing the support of the people. Whether you like working together, fighting your friends, or playing alone, Alynthia lets you play the way you want while seamlessly transitioning between modes. The diverse set of abilities and guilds plus a semi-modular board also ensures that each game will be different. Build outposts, slay dragons, and conquer the land as you seek to win the hearts of the people and lead them on the path to victory.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $81

All-In (w/shipping): $81, same as above

Campaign Ends: 3/2

Game Ships: February 2024

Funding Status: Currently at 42% with 27 days to go.

Project: Andromeda’s Edge

Designers: Luke Laurie (Dwellings of Eldervale, The Manhattan Project: Energy Empire, Whistle Mountain), Maximus Laurie

Artist: Sergio Chaves (Dwellings of Eldervale, Rise of Tribes, Sanssouci)

Publisher: Cardboard Alchemy (Flamecraft, Mission Catastrophe)

Genre/Mechanisms: area majority / influence, dice rolling, hand management, science fiction, worker placement

Player Count: 1-5

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: medium-heavy

Risk: medium-low

Summary: “Lead a desperate faction seeking to build a new civilization on Andromeda’s Edge. You begin with only a space station, a few ships, and a handful of resources. By carefully placing your ships, you will gather resources, claim moons, acquire modules to add to your station, populate planets and build developments on them. You will battle opponents and compete with others to ascend the progress tracks: Science, Industry, Commerce, Civilization and Supremacy. On your turn, you either launch a starship or return your ships to your station. Launching sends one of your starships to a region of Andromeda, either collecting resources from planetary systems or taking actions at Alliance Bases. If the region is occupied by your opponents or fearsome raiders, face off in a dice battle, with Supremacy on the line but where strategic manipulation can turn a loss into a reward. Returning to your station allows you to activate your engine, using the modules you’ve acquired to generate energy, gain resources and carry out actions. Throughout the game you will build up your unique faction, building developments (Observatories, Factories, Spaceports, Cities and Obelisks) and gaining station modules which move you up the progress tracks. Advancement on the tracks is rewarded both during mid-game events and at the conclusion, and is the key to victory.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $91

All-In (w/shipping): $217

Campaign Ends: 2/23

Game Ships: June 2024

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 1,108% with 20 days to go.

Project: The Doomsday Project: Episode 2, The Battle for the Balkans

Designer: Adam Starkweather (The Devil’s Cauldron: The Battles for Arnhem and Nijmegen; A Victory Denies: Crisis at Smolensk, July – September ,1941; Warriors of God: The Wars of England & France, 1135-1453)

Artist: Nadir Elfarra (Aliens; Charlemagne, Master of Europe; Combat!)

Publisher: Compass Games (Crusade and Revolution: The Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939; Enemy Action: Ardennes; The Russian Campaign)

Genre/Mechanisms: Balkans, expansion, impulse movement, modern warfare, Operational Scale System, wargame

Player Count: 1-4

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: heavy

Risk: medium-low

Summary: “A subseries of the Operational Scale System featuring wars that never happened. There will be games on the Persian Gulf, the Balkans, the far north, the Far East, the strategic naval war, and of course, a game of total nuclear war. Episode Two, The Battle for the Balkans game, as you will see in all additional games in The Doomsday Project, will add another facet to the mechanics of the system. Sophisticated political rules will make their appearance. Players will have to contend with heads of state and their positives and negatives in play. Rules to retrofit these rules into the Germany game will be provided as well.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $95

All-In (w/shipping): $115

Campaign Ends: 2/12

Game Ships: March 2023

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 346% with 9 days to go.

Project: Of Mines and Men – Enhanced Edition

Designer: Mauro Indini

Artist: Mauro Indini

Publisher: Mauro Indini

Genre/Mechanisms: adventure, mining, print & play, roll / spin and move, storytelling

Player Count: 1-3

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: light

Risk: medium-high

Summary: “Explore the mines, find treasures and discover the secret that lies beneath the surface. Choose your favorite miner, gather resources, craft objects and get out of the mines in time… but beware! Dynamite is extremely dangerous and unstable.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $6

All-In (w/shipping): $56

Campaign Ends: 3/2

Game Ships: March 2023

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 337% with 27 days to go.

Project: The Search for Lost Species

Designers: Matthew O’Malley (Between Two Castles of Mad King Ludwig, Between Two Cities, The Search for Planet X), Ben Rosset (Beer Crafters, Between Two Castles of Mad King Ludwig, Between Two Cities, The Search for Planet X)

Artist: Anh Le Art (My Father’s Work)

Publisher: Renegade Game Studios (Clank!: A Deck-Building Adventure, Clank!: Legacy – Acquisitions Incorporated, Clank! In! Space!: A Deck Building Adventure, Trajan, The Search for Planet X)

Genre/Mechanisms: action points, deduction, digital hybrid, puzzle

Player Count: 1-4

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: medium-light

Risk: medium-low

Summary: “Thousands of plants and animals have been discovered but haven’t been seen for decades and could be on the brink of extinction. In order to save these species, we must first find them again. The Search for Lost Species is a game about this real-world search. You are scientists on an expedition to find one of those Lost Species. While there are Lost Species all around the world, this game focuses on several Lost Species in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. The organization Re:wild has compiled a list of Lost Species around the world. They engage in expeditions with numerous partners to find these Lost Species, and encourage others to conduct their own expeditions to rediscover these amazing Lost Species. In this deduction game, you’ll work to locate these lost species and put them back on the map.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $55

All-In (w/shipping): $114, also includes The Search for Planet X and Upgrade Pack

Campaign Ends: 3/2

Game Ships: May 2023

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 834% with 27 days to go.

Project: Sharks!

Designer: Kristen Mott (Dinosaur Exhibit)

Artists: not credited

Publisher: The Dietz Foundation (1979: Revolution in Iran)

Genre/Mechanisms: action / event, animals, children’s game, educational, environmental, exploration, modular board, nautical, pieces as map

Player Count: 2-4

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: light

Risk: medium-high

Summary: “Sharks are struggling for survival, trying to eat a varied diet of sea creatures while avoiding ocean pollution and outmaneuvering a boat and rival sharks. Points are scored based on the fish consumed and the game ends when a shark’s tummy is full. The game is playable by ages 8-and-up, playable in adult gaming groups, mixed adult-child groups, or by children independently.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $50

All-In (w/shipping): $85

Campaign Ends: 3/2

Game Ships: December 2023

Funding Status: Currently at 35% with 27 days to go.

Project: Viva La Dungeon: Level 1

Designer: Kevin Omans

Artist: Greedmaw

Publisher: Zontco LLC

Genre/Mechanisms: dice rolling, dungeon crawler, fantasy, hidden movement

Player Count: 2-4

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: light

Risk: HIGH

Summary: “A battle-royal dungeon-crawling game of hidden movement, treasure-looting and player versus player combat for up to 4 players. Players move around the Dungeon, finding equipment, and finding each other to pick-pocket or fight while the Gelatinous Cubes slowly make the map smaller and smaller. Based off the live Twitch game show, Viva La Dungeon brings the chaotic fun of the livestream to your family’s game table.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $54

All-In (w/shipping): $164

Campaign Ends: 2/28

Game Ships: Jan. 2024

Funding Status: Currently at 24% with 25 days to go.