2023 is drawing to a close!
It’s always fun looking back on the games that have released in any given year, so we’ve done just that. Read on for our thoughts on some of the amazing games that released in the past 12 months!
Dorfromantik
We’re starting off strong with Dorfromantik, the 2023 Spiel des Jahres winner from our friends at Pegasus Spiele!
This game is well deserving of the top accolade in the industry. As a legacy-style tile-laying game, it has mechanics that evolve over several games- offering an approachable start for many players.
Players take turns placing hexagonal tiles to create a harmonious landscape, earning points for matching terrain features and completing objectives. Simple rules and intuitive design make it easy to learn and teach, with strategic depth and replayability that keeps players coming back for more as they unlock new tiles.
We also love that Pegasus were able to produce such an engaging game from a video game license that itself was heavily inspired by tile-laying board games. There’s a real sense of the two gaming mediums combining to offer something new here.
If you’re a tabletop game publisher interested in investigating development of an IP driven product, check out our licensing service to see how we could help you!
Forest Shuffle
This card game from Lookout Games has been consistently on the Board Game Geek hotness list since launching at SPIEL Essen this year and for good reason!
Each turn offers interesting choices, both in where you place your animals on your tree cards to maximise points, but players also have to be mindful of what their opponents are playing. To play cards into your tableau, you must discard some of the cards from your hand into a public selection of cards, meaning the cards you don’t choose to play become available for your opponents. Players will have to choose carefully, especially in two player games!
The game is also part of Lookout Games’s Greenline which focuses on eco-friendly production. Following our work on Earthborne Rangers from Earthborne Games, we love to see environmentally-conscious manufacturing decisions being made across the board games industry.
To learn more about our manufacturing services, check out this service page.
Earth
A tremendously successful crowdfunding campaign from Inside Up Games, Earth is another title released this year that had a focus on eco-friendly production.
We particularly liked this game for its winning combination of strong art on the cards and stellar mechanics, inspired by many modern board games. This all comes together to minimise the downtime for each player, as they enjoy a slightly less powerful version of an action another player chooses, so you’re always doing something, even when it isn’t your turn!
As far as crowdfunding Kickstarter campaigns go, the combination of great art and strong mechanics are a powerful draw for people’s attention and go a long way to convince them to support the project. All that considered, it’s no wonder that Inside Up Games saw such success with Earth!
If you’re looking for help with crowdfunding your next tabletop game project, then look no further than our crowdfunding service page and get in touch!
Sky Team
Here's another hot game released at SPIEL Essen that we just had to talk about!
Published by Scorpion Masque, this two-player co-op game sees players taking on the roles of a pilot and co-pilot attempting to land planes at various airports around the world.
As you would expect, there are plenty of ways to lose and a tough-to-meet win condition that requires some strategic planning and clever dice placement. The twist is that once the dice are rolled, you’re not allowed to talk to your fellow player- so you need to plan well between rounds.
Sky Team is a great way to scratch the international travel itch until Convention season rolls around again. Our team attends all sorts of events so get in touch today if you’d like to find out where we’ll be jetting off to next!
1%
If you’re looking for something a little lighter that you can play with family around the holiday season as the year draws to a close, we 100% recommend 1% from our partners at Iconiq Studios!
The game is played with two decks of cards and two 10-sided dice. To win, all you have to do is roll a zero with both dice. Sounds easy, right? The chance is 1%!
If you can outlast your opponents, you’ll be rewarded with a choice: Do you roll the dice and try to win? Or do you sacrifice this turn to increase your chances next time? If there is a next time, that is! Take too long and another player could snatch victory away from you.
What games have you enjoyed this year? We’d love to hear about them in the comments!