It’s getting to that time of year, isn’t it? Everything starts to do themed lists and features. Autumn is rolling in, nature paints the tree leaves in seasonal colours, the air becomes fresh and crisp. Halloween approaches with its pumpkins and black cats (treat ‘em nice, they’re cute) and spooky stories. Not far behind it awaits the joy and lights of Christmas, where good cheer and party games are a must. So this should be a selection of games suitable for autumn, or Halloween, or Christmas, right? Stuff that. Another Board Hoard, another random selection of games stuffed into one article in the hope that something catches your eye.
Here’s hoping we have a good, strong start to our line-up today…
Star Wars: Super Teams
There is no room for exaggeration here: Star Wars changed the trajectory of my life. I was five years old when it first appeared on tv (no, you do not have permission to go and do the maths) and after that there was no way out. I was hooked. I lived and breathed that universe. I spent every waking minute imagining adventures on the Death Star and what it would be like to fly the Millennium Falcon (still do to be fair). And I’ll take any opportunity to let that imagination run loose. A board game, you say? I don’t mind if I do.
Star Wars: Super Teams is a light, fast-paced racing/strategy board game for 2-4 players, designed by Max Gerchambeau and published by Asmodee, and a playthrough should take around 20-30 minutes, perfect for the younger jedis in your fam. You’ll pick a team made up of two iconic ships from the franchise, such as X‑Wing & Millennium Falcon, or Star Destroyer & Death Star – which has a bit of a vibe of one of the later Mario Kart games. Then the race is on along a galactic track filled
with hazards, bonus spaces, black holes, asteroid fields, and daring shortcuts. Plenty of opportunity here for close calls and hopes dashed.
You get a hand of movement cards, each showing a colour and a number. These cards will move a ship whose colour matches the card. This, then, is the fun part and where much of the strategy will lie. You don’t have to move your own ship. You could mess with your opponent’s instead.
It’s at a good price, the mini figs look great, and it’s probably an ideal gift for the mad-keen Star Wars fanatic in your life (hint, hint). Hit the hyperdrive and head over to this page now.
Isle of Feathers: A Love Letter to Strange Birds
My cat Tonto loves birds. Unfortunately he loves them in a bad way. The kind of way that results in the discovery every once in a while of what can only be described as a crime scene on the rear decking. There’s airborne creatures in this game, however, that I think dear, sweet Tonto would hesitate to tackle, and that might actually turn him into the kind of crime scene that even hardened detectives would struggle with. Let’s check them out!
52 species. One small island. Build off your friends’ carefully laid plans and rule the roost in a fast-paced, bird-based spatial puzzle for 1-4 humans (Sorry Tonto, this one ain’t for cats.) Stack tiles and place tokens to build the perfect island habitat together, then jostle for position and outsmart each other to get your birds onto the table before the tiles run out. Mountains, beaches, and cliffs form organically as you play. Each time you play, watch a brand-new island rise up from the table. No two islands will ever be the same.
With such beautiful creatures as the Horned Screamer and the Diabolical Nightjar, learn a little more about the feathered friends that share our lands and skies. The creators promise these birds are 100% real – Tonto hopes desperately that they aren’t (Horned Screamer? My cat will stick to sparrows, thanks.) It’s got the looks, the high quality tokens, and the 3D Santorini vibe, and if my words aren’t enough, take a look at the pics and vids on the Isle Of Feathers Kickstarter.
Everbloom
I took one look at the box art for this one and wanted it immediately. Yes, I am well aware of the dangers of judging a book/board game/VHS in the rental shop by its cover – I’ve been stung at least as many times as you have, I’m sure. But. BUT. There’s a lion/flower/plant hybrid dominating the cover, and he is beautiful. Go on, take a look. Yeah, you get it now. Come on, then, me and you will see what else this mad, beautiful game is up to.
Everbloom is a unique blend of area control, resource management, and set collection for 1-4 players, taking place in a magical world of flora & fauna. Each player gets to lead one of six pollinating factions: Bats (I’ll have these, thanks), Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Lemurs, and Lizards to create an abundant habitat full of hybrid beings. Each round you’ll send pollinators from your faction into the wilderness to landmarks in the hopes of attract hybrid beings to your habitat, eventually pollinating their flora in exchange for nectar and points. Along the way, you’ll complete blooms and gather nectar cards to make sure your habitat flourishes. After the final round, you will gain points for the nectar you’ve collected in each biome as well as your progress on the bloom track, the faction with the most points wins.
This, then, is how we end up with Dandy-Lions (see what I did there?) and the Cacto-Rhino (that’s what I’m calling it anyway) and I can’t wait to find out who else. This is well worth a closer look, so pop along here and let the artwork wow you.
The Last Caravan
I’ve only played a couple of TTRPGs so far and I’m still a little scared of them, despite enjoying Arkham Horror and Breakfast at the Midnight Owl immensely. So it takes something a little special to draw me irresistably back into the fold. And here it is.
The Last Caravan is a cars and aliens tabletop roleplaying game for 2-6 players about a midwinter road trip in the wake of an alien invasion. You’ll explore landscapes transformed by xenoflora, search abandoned towns and crashed spaceships, discover the otherworldly technology called Harmonics, negotiate with newly- formed factions both human and alien, outrun hostile pursuers, and fight for the future of your world. Your story is about normal people finding heroism under extraordinary pressures. It’s about relationships tested by a crisis, and rediscovering what matters when the world is ending. Your people need you. Will you join the caravan?
It’s described as a rules-lite experience, featuring a 6 to 10 session campaign with horizontal progression and engaging faction dynamics.
The Kickstarter campaign is technically for expansions to the Core game, but that original book is also available to grab. So, what are the expansions? First up is Westward Bound, which from the description is worth investing in The Last Caravan on its own. It’s a standalone zine that turns the core systems into a one-shot, short campaign where you all play as dogs. Aye, I’ll have some of that. Even better, your canine character could be mutated. Then there’s the hardcover Lost Highway, in which you’ll play as a Singer – a gifted songshaper who uses music as a tool – or a Survivor, who was trained for war by the Singers, whom you’ve been ruled by for generations.
The campaign page even allows you to take a look at the first 50 pages of the Core Rulebook, which I’ve taken full advantage of. The presentation, layout and art are amazing, very thematic and evocative, and definitely do a great job of setting the vibe. Take a look here and love the artwork as much as I did.
Kinfire Council
I complain a lot about how things are run in this country. I think my moans are valid – after all, after all, those in government and every single political party are in it for the money and connections, not to make our lives better (don’t you think it’s funny how all of these well-to-do, powerful people have everybody believing that the country’s problems are caused by immigrants, benefit claimants and basically everyone at the bottom of the ladder?). Thing is, right, would I do any better if I was a council member? Would I have the courage of my convictions, or just figure out ways to dodge tax whilst demanding that my constituents pay?
Let’s find out!
Kinfire Council is a competitive game of strategy and politics for 2-6 players from Incredible Dream Studios. As a member of the Council, you’ve been charged with rebuilding the great city of Din’Lux and defending it from the dangers of the Starless Nights. This is a high-stakes game of power, politics, and hidden agendas. Kinfire Council combines strategy, negotiation, and worker placement into a fast-paced battle for influence. Can you build the city — and your legacy?
Take turns sending your workers to collect resources, upgrade buildings, and construct new Kinfire lighthouses in the surrounding area, while the Cult of Altan interferes with your plans and undermines your authority. You’ll vote on important city policies, arrest cultists, and dispatch your Seeker to thwart threats looming over the final bastion of civilization, the great city of Din’Lux. You could, of course, help the Cultists, if it suits your plans… (Go Cult!)
While you vie for power among yourselves, you also track the Cult’s progress. If they win the game, then the Cult Conspirator ends up being the victor. Will you be a benevolent leader, working together with your fellow Council members, or will your plans take a more sinister turn?
This type of game is definitely my jam, so much so that not only am I recommending it to, I’ve got it heading to my table as we speak/type/mind-meld. I also love everything about the Kinfire Delve series, from the art direction to the perfectly poised game mechanics and the high quality components, and Kinfire Council is another winner. Go here, and go now.
Biome Blitz
We’re meant to love all animals equally, aren’t we? That’s what we’re told that good people do. All creatures play their part in nature, it’s an ecosystem in balance if it wasn’t for us pesky humans, blah blah blah. Look, that’s some animals I could do without.
In fact, why don’t we use the animals we like to batter the ones we don’t? You with me? Well, you’re in luck!
Biome Blitz is a resource management and card battler game that’s easy to learn and compact enough to take on the go. In Biome Blitz, players assemble a team of real-world wildlife, strategically combining their unique traits to come out on top. Gather your team and compete to see who reigns supreme in the wild world of the animal kingdom. (I wonder if my cat Tonto could take on a Horned Screamer? (I don’t think either of these feature in Biome Blitz, just for clarification.))
Players forage for three main resources: prey, plants, and water. These allow you to discover animals, earn points, and compete against opponents. But don’t get too comfortable, your rivals can disrupt your plans with their own animals or by getting rid of the card you were saving for. Each player must take one main action on their turn. With only three main actions to choose from, rounds of Biome Blitz move quickly. Sounds like a bit of you? Go to this page and dig deeper.
That’ll do you for now, my fine people. If you’ve managed to resist all of those, then you have a stronger will than I. And me moaning about themed articles earlier? Well, perhaps those themes aren’t such a bad thing after all. Can we squeeze in some Halloween next time? Maybe…
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: www.instagram.com/positively.board
