I used to have so many dreams.
I don’t bother these days, because they can’t come true. I can’t become a rabbit breeder in the beautiful village of Burrowbrook. The likelihood of me creating a real life Rumblebot and facing it off against another one grows slimmer by the day. The chance of catching up with Cthulhu for a meet and greet and nab myself a signed photo seems non-existent.
None of these dreams can ever come to fruition.
Or can they? Yes they can, thanks to the wonderful hobby of board gaming!
Raising Rabbits
You’re moving to Burrowbrook. They love rabbits there. In order to become one of them, you have to breed cute little rabbits. That’s it, that’s all you’ve got to do. You’re going to have a great time. Woah, woah, you’re packing already! Chill out, I didn’t mean it, it was for the purpose of an introduction. Hey, don’t turn against me like that, I didn’t think you’d take it so seriously.
Raising Rabbits is an engaging, card-driven board game designed by Aaron Rebelo and published by Rebel Raptor for 2-5 players. Unlike many games relying heavily on chance, Raising Rabbits offers a medium-weight experience where strategic decisions reign supreme. Featuring a diverse array of over 40 rabbit breeds and a dynamic market of valuable items, players immerse themselves in the competitive world of rabbit ownership.
In Raising Rabbits, each player is going to play the part of a passionate rabbit enthusiast (hey, aren’t we all?), eager to excel in the competitive rabbit community. (It’s a thing. Vicious too. You’ll get knocks on the door in the middle of the night. And hide all of your large pans.) As you navigate through the game’s rounds, representing the fleeting summer months, your goal is to accumulate as much money, ribbons, and bunnies as possible before the season draws to a close. To achieve success, you’ll need to leverage your rabbits and their unique characteristics.
You’ll be looking to fulfill personal goals to swiftly earn valuable points, gather rabbit droppings and capitalize on their value as fertilizer for quick cash (come on, pop ’em in your pocket), showcase your finest rabbits in shows to demonstrate your superior rabbit, and breed rabbits strategically, collecting bunny tokens for lucrative long-term gains. You’re interested, I can tell. Hop over to the crowdfunding page to learn more.
Mega Empires: The East, and Mega Empires: The West
There’s all-sorts of sizes of board game out there. There’s stuff that can take ten minutes, stuff that takes a few hours, stuff that eats up your weekend, and games like Sea of Thieves: Voyage of Legends where you cannot predict whether or not you’ll be putting the game back in its box tonight. This, palettes and pals, is a pair of games that are bloody big on their own, and downright ginormous together – and yes, they can be blended together. Even as I said that, I heard my tables tremble. I’ve got a dining table upon which I tried to play SETI (didn’t work out), and a foldable table we use to sell fabulous brass animals at weekend markets, and even that had difficulty hosting Scythe for two players: anyone extra would have had to sit on the floor. So, let’s see how big we can go!
Mega Empires: The East is a stand-alone game in the Mega Empires line, a new intricate board game designed for 3 to 9 players, immersing participants in the rise and development of ancient civilizations over a span of 8000 years, set in a different part of the world. Players will guide their civilizations from the Middle East to India, focusing on territorial expansion, cultural and technological advancement, trade, diplomacy, and overcoming various calamities. The main goal is to gain the most victory points by trading commodities and developing advancements strategically, showcasing each civilization’s prosperity and influence.
Mega Empires: The West, meanwhile, is a grand-strategy board game designed for 5 to 9 players, capturing the essence of ancient civilizations’ development over 8000 years of history. As a player, you lead your civilization from the Atlantic Ocean to the Middle East, focusing on expanding your dominions, cultivating culture and technology, engaging in conflicts and trade, applying diplomacy, and facing various calamities.
Both games can be integrated, allowing for games with up to 18 players or smaller scenarios with just 3 or 4 players, including both basic and expert rules and components. This flexibility ensures that the game can cater to different group sizes and preferences, appealing to both casual and seasoned gamers.
If you fancy giving your purse and your table an anxiety attack, go and check these games out here.
Rumblebots
I’ve had all kinds of Rumblebots in my time, usually the result of reheating the previous night’s curry (joke copyright me, today: no stealing, suckers). This game is not about the Russian roulette of my flatulence. It is, in fact, about something almost as serious. There is no trace of humans anymore. Only plants, animals, and sentient machines continue to roam the Earth. They constantly seek energy and technological advances. The Bots were created for one unique purpose: FIGHT! (Please tell me that you heard that in Harry Hill’s voice.)
Rumblebots from DV Games is a deck management card game for 2-4 players. Assemble your group of fighting robots (Bots) and launch them into the arena. The last one left standing will be the winner!
Rumblebots is divided into six rounds, each consisting of two phases: Build and Battle. In the Build Phase, you assemble new Bots, adding them to your deck. Choose synergistic Bots, recycle obsolete units, level up to build ever more powerful machines, or push your luck with an aggressive, yet risky plan made by an army of simple automatons. In the Battle Phase, one team attacks and one team defends in a series of clashes. Bot decks fight each other in an almost “automatic” way. Whoever becomes Champion is challenged by the following team. The last Champion in the game wins the battle and gets powerful crystals to improve their Workshop and level up their Bots. It probably goes without saying, but the last team of Bots standing during the Showdown wins. Sound like your bag of nuts and bolts? Check it out here.
Rise of Myths: Cthulhu
Cthulhu, eh? The bugger’s everywhere these days, always looming over everything, threatening the end times, frightening the bejeebers out of all and sundry. He’ll wear himself out if he
doesn’t stop for a cuppa every now and then. Anyway, he’s at it again, riling up his mates, seeing who can snap the most sanities, and guess who’s in the firing line? You…
Rise of Myths: Cthulhu from Synergic Games is a cooperative roguelite deck-building game in which you will improve your deck after each attempt, as you face the Great Old Ones and their minions, while they try to destroy your body and sanity. (You know, those guys could really do with getting a hobby. Drop all this ‘destroy your sanity’ nonsense and join us for a bit of board gaming, you murderous old miseries.)
Once again, it’s up to you and your fellow players to become daring investigators, facing a threat that no-one in their right mind would consider dealing with. Because this is a roguelite, each playthrough will be different, with randomly generated encounters and locations to explore each time. The challenges are unique, the difficulty ramps up steadily, and some of your progress will be preserved between games (some obvious similarities to Arkham Horror LCG here, aside from the really obvious similarity (you know what I mean, the big green guy (no, not the Hulk you div))). Via the deckbuilding mechanic you’ll be able to enhance your character, in the hope of increasing your chances against future foes.
With a quick set up, you’ll be playing within five minutes. This is billed as true cooperative gameplay as well, where players can combine actions, perform joint attacks and take advantage of synergies in their strategies. You can set up your character from multiple available builds, adjusting to suit your play style. Your choice of character is important too, as each has their own unique gameplay mechanics, much like the Guardians you’ll find at the climax of each location. Struggling to deal with these big bads? That’s okay, there’s several difficulty settings if things are getting too tough.
The crowdfunding campaign should have launched by the time you read this, so head on over to this page and show Cthulhu and co. what you’re made of.
Shard Bugs TCG
There’s a fair few TCGs out there (that might be an understatement) under many different themes. It’s not often you get the chance to leap into one from the very start – I’ve just got into Lorcana, for example, and although I love it there’s a feeling I’ll be forever playing catch up. Here, then, is the introduction of a brand new game, and you can be part of it.
Shard Bugs TCG is a fantasy trading card game with a comic book aesthetic where players command intelligent bugs from three distinct alliances. These bugs are larger than life versions of themselves, and you can take part in 1v1 and multiplayer matches. Each alliance is devoted to one of three Cosmic Avatars: Sol, Luna, or Mars. These deities are embroiled in an eternal struggle for dominance, seeking servitude from their bug followers.
The first set is called ‘The Bug-inning’ and will contain 118 unique base set cards, plus bug tokens and secret treasures. Your deck – led by the Cosmic Avatar of your choice – will be built to 68 cards, and those Avatars are alligned to three alliances: solar, lunar and meteor, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Your deck will be comprised of bugs, items, action cards and support cards, allowing a breadth of tactical options. In addition to attacking, blocking and using their unique abilities, bug cards act as a resource for the game. They can also crate devotion when they are exhausted, and the first player to reach 20 devotion wins the game. (Think Lore if you’re a Lorcana fan.)
Shard Bugs offers strategic gameplay, diverse decks, and tons of surprises. Engage in epic bug warfare, harness the power of your chosen Cosmic Avatar, and lead your alliance to ultimate glory. If you’ve got room for one more TCG in your life (and to be honest, who hasn’t?) then head on over to the Kickstarter here and check it out.
Vizzles Series 12
These are very new to me, but as you’ve probably gathered from the ‘series 12′ part of the title, I’m a tad behind the times here. Sometimes that’s alright. It’s like discovering a great band that already has eight albums out, and you can lose a chunk of your life to catching up. Now, I wouldn’t call myself a jigsaw fan. The Other Half loves ’em, and we’ve got a surprising number of Christmas themed jigsaws stashed in a cupboard – none of which has ever been finished, as far as I recall, although we’ve often found a cat playing with a piece two months after the box has been put away. These have really caught my interest, however. Every now and then someone comes up with an idea that updates and freshens a classic, and this is one of those products.
They’re billed as a puzzle within a puzzle, where the end is just the beginning. Intriguing… The three puzzles in the latest series comprise Space Bar, Magic Mountain and Tanuki Town, a wide spread of themes that should suit all tastes. Each puzzle is 60×50 cm, so big enough to see what’s going on but not too large for your table. How does it work, then? I know, I’m fascinated myself. Inside the box will be a sealed envelope, which you only open when the jigsaw is completed – behave yourself, you’re being watched. Inside the envelope you’ll find riddles to solve, and the answers are located within the jigsaw’s artwork. There’s also easter eggs and secrets to find, so keep your eyes peeled. There’s also a challenge sheet giving you an opportunity to beat your own score.
This is a refreshing take on an old favourite, and I’m amazed I haven’t seen Vizzles before now. The Kickstarter for series 12 is already underway, so head on over for a look and see if this puzzle fits the bill for you.
Hopefully, that little list has brought all of your dreams back to life! It’s worked for me. I want a jigsaw, I want a new TCG, I want a rabbit. Or six. And I definitely fancy a Vizzle or two (oo-er). Get your head around that lot, and I’ll be back soon with more temptations…
About the author:
Steve is currently a freelance board game blogger, but often dreams of life as a pirate, or as a ghost herder in the Lake District, or as an evil estate agent who sells haunted houses for his own dark pleasure. Instead of figuring out how to do these jobs in real life like a normal lunatic, he tries to write about them instead, and releases the resultant books upon the unsuspecting world via famous digital bookstores. More books are bound to follow. Find this peculiar entity here.
