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

Project: Haphazard: Azulea Awakens

Designer: Josh McBride (Of Knights and Ninjas)

Artist: Josh McBride (Of Knights and Ninjas)

Publisher: Blue Fox Games (Of Knights and Ninjas)

Genre/Mechanisms: adventure, maze, medieval, multiple maps, narrative choice / paragraph, print & play, scenario / mission / campaign game, stat check resolution, storytelling

Player Count: 1-3

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: light

Risk: medium-high

Summary: “An addicting, grid-based dungeon crawler, complete with dramatized story (optional) to make your adventures come alive. Take on the role of a woodland creature and embark on a quest to find the Stone of Azulea before the mountain erupts destroying everything and everyone you’ve ever known. Create– fill in your labyrinth for your rival to solve. Add some monsters and locks and gold based on the map’s legend. Explore– move, collect gold, fight lurkers, pick locks, and find the exit. Upgrade– record your renown, buy boosts, heal up, and prepare for the next level. Each time you begin a level, you will listen to a dramatized story. When you fight certain monsters or encounter certain locks, the player sheet will instruct you to listen to another entry in the story. Navigate labyrinths, fight ferocious lurkers, discover shiny treasures, upgrade your character, and make a name for yourself… if you ever make it out.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $4, print & play only

All-In (w/shipping): $38, includes voiceover and Of Knights and Ninjas game

Campaign Ends: 2/28

Game Ships: August 2023

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 247% with 13 days to go.

Project: Horror Show – The Board Game

Designer: Sebastian Srebro

Artist: Jacek Zabawa

Publisher: Bored Games

Genre/Mechanisms: action / event, contracts, critical hits and failures, deck construction, dice, dice rolling, end game bonuses, events, fighting, hand management, horror, humor, maze, miniatures, modular board, movement points, murder / mystery, negotiation, re-rolling and locking, science fiction, secret unit deployment, square grid, turn order: claim action, variable set-up

Player Count: 2-4

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: medium-light

Risk: HIGH

Summary: “The player puts on the role of a producer on a new reality TV show. They have their own team of competitors who they train, equip, advertise and so on. But they also have somebody else up their sleeve. The Hunters – psychopathic murderers, empty of any feeling or emotion, human monsters. But they are monsters who are bigger stars than any other celebrity. The aim of the player is of course quite obvious – make the most money and gain the most fame and prestige. The fight to stay on screen and be loved by the crowds is neither easy nor simple. And it’s not a fair fight by any means. Intrigues, betrayals, temporary alliances and broken deals. The producers will do anything to reach their goal. The game is divided into 12 rounds. In each of them, players draw 4 cards and, by playing it alternately, make their moves according to the initiative and the actions assigned to them. They can also use Intrigue Cards – which makes the game more difficult for other players. At the start of each new game round, an Event card is drawn that describes ‘what’s new’ happened in the program and what circumstances need to be resolved – but this is also possible during the round (players can also initiate their own events themselves). Characters moving on the board can fight each other. Fighting is done by using and influencing a pool of dice (re-rolls, changes to results due to character and / or weapon abilities, etc.). Players earn points for eliminating characters and completing contracts. They can also earn special bonuses for special achievements (most participant eliminations, top performer, last survivor, etc.).”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $106

All-In (w/shipping): $177

Campaign Ends: 2/28

Game Ships: February 2024

Funding Status: Currently at 75% with 12 days to go.

Project: The Wilderness

Designers: Rafael Arnaud, Julio Arnaud, Luiz Henrique Barroso

Artists: Henrique Mueller, Caio Peral

Publisher: Board Game Adventures

Genre/Mechanisms: action points, adventure, animals, cooperative game, dice rolling, fantasy, grid movement, line of sight, miniatures, modular board, scenario / mission / campaign game, sudden death ending, variable player powers

Player Count: 1-6

Solo Mode: yes

Complexity: medium-heavy

Risk: HIGH

Summary: “A solo or cooperative adventure experience set in a dystopic world where nature has reclaimed the cities. The Survivors will have to fight a horde of wolves and a giant Beast to create a safe heaven amid this chaos. With mechanics such as limiting the number and places you could draw resources, discarding weapons to upgrade new ones, limiting the number of actors per zone, and different skill paths for every character, The Wilderness Boardgame aims to challenge your communication and resource management skills. The Wilderness Boardgame is a hybrid between the Boss Battler and Dungeon Crawler genres.”

Base Pledge (w/shipping): $143

All-In (w/shipping): $328

Campaign Ends: 3/3

Game Ships: December 2023

Funding Status: Currently at 50% with 15 days to go.

Project: Zu Tiles: Fruits Basket

Designer: Joshua Bakken (Zu Tiles: Hime Starter Set 1)

Artists: 53C (Zu Tiles: Hime Starter Set 1)

Publisher: Japanime Games

Genre/Mechanisms: abstract strategy, animals, astrology, deck building, humor, pattern building, puzzle, tile placement

Player Count: 2-4

Solo Mode: no

Complexity: light

Risk: medium-low

Summary: “A strategic tile placement game based loosely on the creatures of the Chinese Zodiac. Players choose a creature (or creatures) to build customized decks around in order to out think and out play their opponent(s). Players earn points by creating patterns of compatible squares using creatures or by battling and capturing opposing creatures. A Collectible Card Game meets dominoes…but with anime-inspired art and tile interactions.”

Base Pledge: $40 + shipping (with no shipping estimates provided)

All-In: $175 + shipping (with no shipping estimates provided)

Campaign Ends: 3/2

Game Ships: December 2023

Funding Status: Funded; currently at 170% with 15 days to go.