Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! Today, our writers share what they’ve been playing over the past month. Feel free to share what you’ve been playing. because we’re all part of the Geekly Gang. I’ll start things off by sharing what I’ve been playing over the past month.
Kyra’s Board Games
We played the Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game during the May Aftershock event. It went well, well enough for me to consider writing a simple module (for beginners). Hopefully, the module will be tested and ready by Comic-Con Nebraska in mid-August. I like there’s another purpose for my Marvel United minis. I’ve totally used them during this four-hour event. Four hours? Phew! The simple module I’m planning for Comic-Con Nebraska should last only two hours. If you’re in the neighborhood, stop by.
We’ve covered Flamecraft a handful of times in the past (here’s our review of the original Flamecraft). Flamecraft Duals is a completely different game, and somehow, it manages to capture the original’s charm and vibe. For the most part, the dragon abilities follow the original game’s abilities. Toast dragons allow players to play another dragon; potion dragons swap dragons. Where it makes sense for a dragon to have a similar power, Flamecraft Duals gives the dragon that power. I love how Flamecraft Duals’s quick setup and look. Whether you own the standard or deluxe version of the game, it looks amazing on the table. And I love tokens.
Flamecraft will always be one of my go-to starter games, but Flamecraft Duals is easier to get to the table, it doesn’t take as long to play, and the game plays more like an abstract puzzle than the sometimes cutthroat original. I’ve found myself playing a lot more Flamecraft Duals. I have no regrets.
I’ve played a ton of solo Vantage. This board game may look ostentatious for a solo experience, but believe me, I prefer playing Vantage with fewer players. Vantage’s solo version plays no differently from the multiplayer version. This allows me to keep the rules fresh in my head for whenever I play the game with others. Speaking of playing Vantage with others, this board game reminded me of how much fun role-playing games can be. Players begin the game at various locations. They work together to accomplish a goal (mission). While I’ve heard the phrase “RPG in a box” to describe multiple board games in the past, Vantage may have come the closest.
During our multiplayer plays of Vantage, I served as the narrator, meaning I kept the box in order (something one player will need to do even if they decide to play), and I read all the storybook entries. Yes! Vantage has multiple storybooks for each action one can take at a Location card. Vantage can be fun. But I will advise that a smaller player counter is best. Turns can last three to five minutes. That’s not too long for a three-to-four player game, but if Vantage sees a max player count of six, players could wait a good twenty minutes or more for their turns. Every gamer at the table must be engaged in the story, and it doesn’t hurt if the players at the table love playing tabletop RPGs.
Kyra’s Video Games
I mentioned playing Balatroduring October 2025’s Whatcha Playing. I’ve played the game on and off for the past several months, and just finished a run this past month. Woo hoo! Better late than never. Balatro is an excellent roguelite card battler. It takes a while to find the right combination of deck, joker, and chip abilities to finish a run. That or I’m just bad at the game. Balatro may have too many variables for winning to be a frequent occurrence. That makes finally winning a Balatro run all the more satisfying. I may not log onto the game for a while. Gotta soak in the winning vibes.
Honestly, I haven’t played too many video games this past month. I’ve been keeping up with my dailies in Honkai: Starrail and Apex Legends, but outside of that, I’ve been playing predominantly board games. Perhaps Skye has some cool video games they’ve been playing.
Skye’s Board Game
In Planet, players create a planet of their own that meets certain biome criteria to earn points, claim species, and ultimately win. While it’s a simple concept, it works especially well when paired with its tactile “game board,” which is a dodecahedron you place biome tiles. The biggest joy of Planet for me was the interactive game pieces, but I’ll admit that they weren’t perfect. Sometimes the tiles could slip off the planet’s faces if nudged incorrectly, which could be frustrating at times, but I suppose that is expected when creating a game like this. Overall, I’d say Planet was a calm and enjoyable experience.
On Tour is another simplistic concept with straightforward mechanics made into a fun yet devastating experience. How it works is that you’re a band going on tour either in the United States or Europe (in the base game). You write numbers on your board by rolling two d10’s to create a route, which you follow by counting from the smallest numbered location to the highest numbered location you can. In the end, you’ll hopefully end up with a long continuous route that gets you a lot of points, but it never works out for me. I’mma be real, I suck at On Tour. At this point, part of the fun for me is finding out new ways I’m going to screw myself over with my terrible sense of foresight.
Similar to Planet, Cascadia is a game that focuses on building ecosystems for the sake of earning points. The main difference is that Cascadia places a larger emphasis on biodiversity. While you can still earn points in Cascadia by manipulating your biomes well, you primarily earn points by picking the best animals to place on which biome tiles. Not to mention, each animal in Cascadia earns you points in its own unique way. When I played Cascadia last, I merely played the base game, but there are several expansions and alternative play methods which can really spice up the experience for seasoned players.
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here again. That’s all our writers have for what they’ve been playing over the past month. Let us know what you’ve been playing in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Happy Sunday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another week of Geek News. We have a few new releases for board games and video games. We’ll get to them soon, but first, let’s discuss this week’s developing news. Dungeons & Dragons abandons its old model for a subscription model. Books may be a thing of the past. That may sound like some Fahrenheit 451-level postapocalyptic nonsense, but Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks has all but said the core D&D books will be nothing but a collector’s item. Most–if not all–future Dungeons & Dragons updates and content will only be available through D&D Beyond and a subscription. Buckle up, tabletop role-playing game players, because we may have entered an era where gamers won’t own anything. They’ll rent it through subscriptions. Because we all love subscriptions, especially CEOs like Chris Cocks.
Dungeons & Dragons Is Now a Subscription Service
That headline goes a little hard, but only a little. As of late April 2026 (last month), Wizards of the Coast Developers (primarily for Magic: Arena) formed a union with demands that must have been met by the beginning of this month, May 1, 2026. The union asked for 1) recognition by management, 2) no further layoffs (like what happened to D&D Sigil), 3) protection against AI-generated products, and 4) fair wages and remote work opportunities. Evidently, Hasbro was forcing its Magic: Arena employees to sleep at their desks; no home for you.
The deadline has passed without management agreeing to anything, so the employees (only for Magic: Arena) have signed a secret ballot through the Communications Workers of America Union (CWA) to unionize. Wizards of the Coast insists it’s progressive, but rejects a workers’ union. Does this make them evil? Not necessarily. They want to make money. Dungeons & Dragons employees are watching this situation carefully because they may be next. Heck, this already happened to them with D&D Sigil. And D&D employees are next. With Sigil gone, Hasbro/Wizards of the Coast (WotC) has pivoted to making D&D Beyond its cash cow. WotC had intended D&D Sigil to be THE way gamers interacted with the game. With enough buy-in from consumers with D&D Beyond, it became an easier sell with customers.
As I said in the opening, Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks expects Dungeons & Dragons core books to be a thing of the past or, at best, coffee table books for collectors. Like the cancelled D&D Sigil, Cocks wants players to play Dungeons & Dragons exclusively on D&D Beyond through a subscription model, which means you don’t own any of the content. You’re renting the content. While the app/website is free to use with limitations, paying $2.99/month for a Hero Tier subscription expands the number of characters you can build and provides early access to digital versions of the books. The $5.99/month Master Tier also “allows” the subscriber to add homebrew content to the system and share their books with players. Paid users will now get access to a Subscriber Content Library that expands every week.
These D&D weekly drops have already begun. These D&D “drops” are only available on D&D Beyond. Let me take a moment and mention the term “drop.” Drop is a live-service video game term. Hasbro/WotC aren’t trying to hide their inspiration. From what I’ve read of this early content, the D&D Beyond drops sound like they could’ve been generated using AI, which brings us back to the proposed Magic: Arena union. This union may need to be extended to all WotC employees. If D&D Beyond expects to have weekly “drops,” larger first-of-the-month “drops,” and themed content every couple of months like the upcoming Ravenloft “drops,” D&D Beyond employees could be overworked (which could also explain less-than-inspired “drops” so far on the platform) or you’ll need to use AI-generated tools.
Coincidentally, there’s a chat option with D&D Beyond that will alter future D&D “drops.” Sounds like it could be a chatbot. I don’t know. I could just be ranting. At this point, I am just ranting. Typically, subscription services better serve companies, not the consumers. Subscriptions breed obligations; I need to use my subscription, or else I’m wasting it. Sometimes, consumers forget when they have subscriptions. That’s why Rocket Money exists. It flags subscriptions you’re not using. And the advent of TTRPG subscriptions will mean fewer TTRPG players will try other games. Again, subscribers will feel the need to play the games they are subscribed to. Fewer TTRPG players will venture beyond D&D to games like Dungeon Crawl Classics or Pathfinder or Draw Steel or even World of Darkness.
TTRPGs with a subscription model are on the rise. The new TTRPG based on the popular Dungeon Crawler Carl series–this will make the DCC acronym confusing because Dungeon Crawl Classics already exists–offers a Season Pass. What? If D&D is successful with its subscription model, other TTRPGs will follow. Again, I don’t blame these companies for doing this. The subscription model works for monthly income. So many players are subscribed; multiply that number by their subscription cost, and you receive a steady income.
But I like owning content. If players cancel their D&D Beyond subscription, they lose everything in their account. All of those characters you could save on the cloud are gone. And unions are a good thing. Perhaps if the D&D Beyond team had more time, benefits, and money, they could’ve come up with better content than what the site has available so far. To be fair, they could be waiting to drop meatier content (that will only be available on D&D Beyond) during next month’s Ravenloft release. There must be a medium where all parties win. The companies, employees, and gamers alike.
Earthborne Trailblazer Launches on KickStarter
Earthborne Trailblazer is an open-world, co-operative board game set in the wilderness of the far future. You and up to 4 friends take on the role of Rangers who have long acted as the sworn protectors of a small mountain valley nestled high in the Rocky Mountains. Now, you are striking out beyond the bounds of your Valley, seeking out new trails and new peoples and bringing the aid of the Rangers far out into the world.
Earthborne Trailblazer looks amazing. That makes sense because publisher Earthborne Games specializes in breathtaking board games. I also like how the company is committed to environmental sustainability. Getting back to Earthborne Trailblazer, each turn begins with an event card. These cards can represent the weather, progress the narrative, or cause crises. Each player then takes a turn, where they 1) Prepare, 2) Explore, and 3) Travel. Pretty standard actions for a cooperative game set in a fantasy-like world. I like how the event cards can evolve the world around you and/or progress the story. Pledges range from $80 to $270. If you’re interested in Earthborne Trailblazer, check out its KickStarter page.
The Last Meow: Kraken’s Vengeance Launches on KickStarter
The final showdown is upon us…The Last Meow. The Kraken has risen once more for vengeance, but this time, the cannons are loaded, and the crew is ready. The Last Meow is a three-lane, round-based strategy game where two players clash in an epic test of power, wits, and survival. Each round, both players draw from their own decks and secretly place three cards onto the board before revealing everything at once and resolving the chaos lane by lane. Can you obliterate your opponent’s nine health before they do the same to you?
I like The Last Meow’s look. The game’s concept sounds interesting. I wonder if this is a take on the Schotten Totten or Battleline three-lane combat system. Those games are well-received. Cards range from defense, action, power, and healing. We don’t have much information on how long The Last Meow will take to play, but two-player games don’t tend to take that long, and the game looks adorable. Pledges range from $45 to $139. If you’re interested in The Last Meow, check out its KickStarter page.
Cryptkins: On the Loose! Launches on KickStarter
Can you corral the chaotic creatures slipping into our world? In Cryptkins: On the Loose!–the first board game set in the world of Cryptkins–each player takes on the role of an everyday kid, each bringing their own unique ability to the team. Will you figure out how to handle each Cryptkin’s unpredictable twist before they wreak havoc?
Cryptkins: On the Loose! sounds like a hoot. Players will research the cryptkins, seeing how each one will behave. They may act unpredictably at first, but over time, you can learn their patterns so you can better capture them. On a turn, players may take two of any of these actions: move, use movement card ability, play an action card, trade cards (with another player, use your character ability, or capture.
I’ve looked a few times and wasn’t able to see if Cryptkins: On the Loose! is a competitive or cooperative game. It’s clearly aimed at kids and families. Most of the page is dedicated to how adorable each Cryptkin is and how you can collect each cryptkin vinyl figure, which serve as game pieces for Cryptkins: On the Loose! I also saw plush figures for sale as well as additional vinyl figures to purchase. Extra bits (not used for playing a game) have become a trend for board game KickStarter campaigns. I’m tempted to pick up the Hippocamp and the Jackalope. Pledges range from $40 to $195. If you’re interested in Cryptkins: On the Loose!, check out its KickStarter page.
Menu del dia Launches on GameFound
Menú del Día is a solo or two-player cooperative game where you must survive the rush of the service and help your restaurant progress day after day. The game features a short campaign where new scenarios and game modes are gradually unlocked. In each round, both problems and customers appear in equal measure, increasing the challenge. During your turn, you can serve customers, collect payments, solve issues, load the dishwasher, make coffee, and retrieve ingredients—all in order to complete the objective of each scenario.
Thank you for the description, Caravan Games. We didn’t have as many board game publishers provide descriptions this week. Anyway, I like Menu del dia’s menu. I’m a sucker for food-themed games. While I don’t know how the game plays exactly, it looks as if it has an easy-to-learn ruleset, adds enough variety to keep gameplay fresh, and may have a descent amount of strategy. With card games like this, what players draw during their turns will affect gameplay. The artwork looks great, and I can’t wait to check out the game after it launches. If you’re interested in Menu del dia, check out its GameFound page.
Dribble ‘n’ Dice Launches on GameFound
Dribble’n’Dice is a tactical football board game for two players. Each coach controls a team of eleven players and tries to outplay the opponent through positioning, timing and smart decisions. Players move across the pitch, pass, tackle and shoot, while dice and action cards create tension and risk. The game focuses on space control, tactical choices and momentum.
I grew up playing soccer–or football–and haven’t played in years. Dribble ‘n’ Dice has me interested in the sport again. I may find a rec league. Right. I was talking about Dribble ‘n’ Dice. The game looks cute. I get a strong Electronic Football (American Rules) meets 1st and Goal with the figurines and action card/dice system. I’m watching this campaign. Dribble ‘n’ Dice looks to merge tactical goodness with a game that can get people into the beautiful game. If you’re interested in Dribble ‘n’ Dice, check out its GameFound page.
Stonemachia Releases
Fight, Zefiro! Arm yourself with the power of chess and explore Medhelan, a land haunted by the Plague of Angels, in a dark action-adventure with soulslike elements. Will you be able to return to Heaven?
Make no mistake. Chess inspired Stonemachia. The image above (of a knight in Chess) is not just for show. Stonemachia combines the gameplay of a Souls-like video game with Chess pieces. The game features beautiful visuals. The idea sounds fun, but according to early reviews, the game has plenty of bugs and technical hiccups. From what I’ve heard, Stonemachia shows plenty of promise. It’ll be one of those games where, if it sounds interesting enough, it may be worth a play. Stonemachia’s world is one worth exploring. This isn’t a generic dark fantasy kingdom. You’ll visit twisted recreations of Italian cathedrals, plazas, bridges, and castles that feel at home in a nightmare.
Stonemachia is one of those titles I’m adding to my various wishlists and waiting for a sale. If you want to try the game for yourself, many platforms offer Stonemachia demos. The game looks amazing. Stonemachia is available on PC.
Yerba Buena Releases
Dive into a surreal 1970s gameworld and save San Francisco from a sinister threat. Play as Barb, and use the Oscillator to capture and reapply the physical traits of objects to solve mind-bending environmental platforming puzzles.
In layperson’s terms, Yerba Buena uses a copy-and-paste game mechanism. Simply copy the desired trait or movement vector of objects around you, and apply them elsewhere to solve mind-bending environmental puzzles. I haven’t been as excited for a quirky puzzle game like Yerba Buena since Katamari Damacy.
Player character Barb lives as an NPC in an abandoned game world. She yearns to become the main character she always wanted to be. I love Yerba Buena’s premise. While I was writing this post, I hadn’t yet tried the Yerba Buena demo. That’s right. We have another video game that offers a demo. I like this trend. Yerba Buena may not be for everyone, but it may scratch a very peculiar itch. And I love it when studios, like Focus Entertainment and Mad About Pandas, take a risk. Yerba Buena is available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S/X.
Mina the Hollower Releases
Take control of Mina, a renowned Hollower hurtled into a desperate mission to rescue a cursed island. Whip foes, burrow through the ground, and explore a pixel-perfect world in Mina the Hollower, a brand new game from the developers who brought you Shovel Knight!
Oh. That’s right. Yacht Club Games (Shovel Knight’s publisher) returns with Mina the Hollower. Even though Mina the Hollower is set in a different world, the game shares Shovel Knight’s sensibilities. Expect to find bizarre NPCs, exotic locales, and a soundtrack that’ll get stuck in your head for hours. Seriously, I clicked on Mina the Hollower’s Steam page, and I had to mute the video that played. No. Not again. But it was too late, I started humming the game’s main theme.
I have yet to play Mina the Hollower, and unlike other video games on this list, it doesn’t offer a free demo. But who are we kidding? If you enjoy Shovel Knight, you owe it to yourself to keep Mina the Hollower on your radar. Mina the Hollower is available on PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and Xbox Series S/X.
That’s all the geek news we have for you this week. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another Top 5 Tabletop Game List throughout the years. 2001 is the year in board games we’re covering today. While 2001 saw a lot of great games, I don’t see as many of them played as much today. And yet, 2001 in board games set industry standards and even introduced one of the most interesting game mechanisms. We’ll get to the games in a bit, but first, let’s review our list’s criteria.
1: Cultural relevance plays as much of a factor as overall quality. A game might make a list that doesn’t hold up to others of its type, but you must admit the game is everywhere.
2: Only one game from a franchise makes the list. This will become more of an issue the closer we get to games with expansions.
3: Longevity plays a role, too. A game doesn’t have to fly off the shelves today, but it had to have some widespread appeal for a decent time.
Honorable Mention: San Marco (2001)
Alan R. Moon almost makes one of these lists again—he won’t need to wait long for another entry—and while San Marco helped popularize area control and card drafting as game mechanisms, it’s since been overshadowed. San Marco won a handful of awards, but it just missed out on our list.
5: Zombies!!! (2001)
We begin 2001’s Top 5 Board List with Zombies!!!. This design by Todd Breitenstein still has its defenders today, but many Zombies!!! Fans have moved on to another game that will most likely make one of these lists: Zombiecide or Dead of Winter. You can’t deny Zombies!!!’s influence on the board game industry. It proved a miniature or standee-heavy game could make bank, solidified zombies as a board game theme (Zombies!!! was one of the first zombie games), and its use of tiles as terrain has been duplicated for decades.
Zombies!!! cornered the market for zombie board games for well over a decade. It shocked me that no other board game attempted to claim Zombies!!! throne until 2012.
4: Serengeti (2001)
Serengeti has the opposite problem of Zombies!!!. While Zombies!!! makes this list for its cultural relevance and lacks a standout game mechanism, Serengeti offers a fantastic twist for an auction and payout mechanism and often gets forgotten, in part, because it got rethemed as Don (a gangster game). Both games made the list, but just barely.
Players bid for African art (sensitivity may be the reason the game got rethemed) with the local currency “Hongo.” Players may not bid a number whose “ones” digit matches the number on any card they previously won. The payout mechanism is that players owning a card whose number matches the “one” digit gain a share of the bid. Serengeti has this nice push-pull of wanting to acquire lots, but it matters when you obtain the lot, because you stand to gain a kickback every time someone else gains a similar lot. It’s no wonder Serengeti won several awards as the best card game of 2001.
3: Evo (2001)
I struggled figuring out where I should place the next three games. You could invert the rankings of all three of the next three games, and I’d agree with you. Regardless, I had to put these games in some order, and we begin with Evo. You control the survival and evolution of dinosaur species named Dinos. Guide their migrations, perfect genes to develop and mutate your Dinos, and push out other creatures to become the “dominant species.”
Another board game would be released over a decade later, Dominant Species, which owes a lot to Evo. But Evo is more streamlined than Dominant Species. I’ve heard people talk about Evo, and that’s another vote for it to climb higher on this list. Evo was nominated for a lot of awards, won a couple, and is highly regarded. Why didn’t it land higher on this list?
2: Zendo (2001)
Zendo has the innovative game mechanism I mentioned at the beginning. Zendo is a game of inductive logic where one player, the Moderator, creates a secret rule (like a structure must consist of at least two pyramids) that the rest of the players figure out by building and studying configurations of the game pieces. The first player to correctly guess the hidden rule wins.
Zendo uses Looney Pyramids and was originally released as part of a group of games that could be played with Looney Pyramids in 2001. Zendo was later released as a standalone game in July 2003 and promptly won multiple awards, including the 2005 Mensa Select. Zendo makes its players think creatively. Its bizarre game components make it stand out.
1: TransAmerica (2001)
TransAmerica is yet another board game on this list to win multiple awards. TransAmerica was even nominated for the 2002 Spiel des Jahres (German game of the Year)—I still don’t yet know how the Spiel des Jahres committee determines when a game is eligible—and just barely missed. Like Zendo, TransAmerica earned the 2003 Mensa Select. But TransAmerica takes the top spot on this list because it combines accolades with cultural relevance. Train games were nothing new, but TransAmerica streamlined train board game mechanisms. Something we’ll see with a future number one game.
Each player has a set of five cities strung across the United States that need to be connected by rail. Players begin by placing their station on an intersection on the map, then take turns placing one or two rails each turn on the lines of the map. Initially, players can only be adjacent to their station or on a line that touches their station, but once one’s network connects with another player’s, one can place their rails anywhere along the combined network. I love how TransAmerica rewards players who know when to connect their networks with another player’s. Can you take advantage of others’ rails more than they can benefit from yours? TransAmerica boasts a short play time, perfect for players new to the hobby.
Did we get the list mostly correct? Let us know which games you’d add in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
We wish you a meaningful Memorial Day, Geekly Gang. Hey, hey, Kyra Kyle here. We’re recognizing the holiday today with five great, approachable war board games.
There are a lot of caveats in this post’s title. First, board games set in wartime tend to have steep learning curves. The Campaign for North Africa: The Desert War 1940-43 holds the Guinness World Record for the most complicated board game in history–and the longest rulebook. We’re going with “approachable,” meaning easy to learn. True wargamers may scoff at that. Second, we’re not calling this list a Top 5, because wargame enthusiasts tend not to stop at the game table with fighting wars. Don’t hurt us. And then I set numerous guidelines that made compiling this list difficult.
I didn’t want any games set in the same conflict. Check. I wanted to limit myself to one game per series, so I couldn’t name every Commands & Colors game on this list. Spoiler: A game from the Commands & Colors series will make this list. Although I may have fudged that last guideline just a bit with the fifth and fourth entries. I also wanted to include board games that should still be in print. And I may have fudged that one, too. Drat! Anyway, I hope you enjoy this list of five great approachable war board games.
5) 878 Vikings: Invasions of England (2017)
I love Academy Games’ use of asymmetric player powers in 878 Vikings: Invasions of England. The company has been a fave for my family ever since we played Freedom: The Underground Railroad, another must-play historical board game. In 878 Vikings: Invasions of England, players control the invading Vikings or the English nobles who are trying to withstand the invasion. Viking players either play as Norsemen Viking freeman or as the fearless Viking shock troops known as Berserkers. The English play as the Housecarl, the Kings’ household troops, or as the Thegns who were regional noble Leaders. The English players will also be able to call up the peasant levies, called the Fyrd, to defend their cities.
878 Vikings: Invasions of England is one of the newer games on this list, and it’s set the furthest in time. 878 is the year the game is set. It took me a few times before I stopped equating it to the 300 Spartans who defended the west from a massive Persian army. 878 Vikings: Invasions of England claims the fifth spot, in part, because it may be the most complex of the games on this list. Still, it’s a great play.
4) 1775: Rebellion (2013)
1775: Rebellion is another Academy Games title. I don’t believe it’s from the same series as 878 Vikings, but the two games have the same design team. Similar to 878 Vikings: Invasions of England, 1775: Rebellion features asymmetric play. In 1775: Rebellion, players take the roles of the American Continental Army and Patriots against the British Army and the Loyalists. Each side tries to control the colonies, provinces, and territories. They call on the aid of Native Americans, as well as the German Hessians and French Army to successfully birth a revolution or quell the rebellion.
My oldest daughter played 1775: Rebellion at Nuke-Con several years back, far closer to its original release, and won as the British Army. So, one can change history with this game. My daughter (a teenager at the time) gloated the entire convention. While not the lightest game on this list, 1775: Rebellion is a good jumping-off point if you’re trying to get into war board games.
3) Resist! (2022)
We go from one of the oldest games on this list to the newest game, Resist!. I love Salt & Pepper Games’ stable of titles. This is one of the up-and-coming board game publishers. Salt & Pepper Games produces fantastic small games. In fact, they can put a lot of game into a small package. Resist! is no different.
Resist! is a fast-playing, card-driven solitaire game in which you take on the role of the Spanish Maquis, fighting against the Francoist regime. Over a series of rounds, you undertake increasingly difficult missions, and completing missions earns you the points needed to win. Failing to defeat missions and enemies may cause you to lose. At the end of each round, you must choose whether to end the resistance or risk it and take on another mission. I don’t know too many board games set in the Spanish Civil War. Resist! is a great experience.
2) Caesar!: Seize Rome in 20 Minutes! (2021)
I recently played Rise of Augustus by Paolo Mori, and it was fun. Turns out, Paolo Mori has an entire line of fill-in-the-blank military conflict in 20 minutes. And it’s that subtitle “In 20 Minutes” that secured this game’s place on this list. Caesar!: Seize Rome in 20 Minutes! plays in–shock of shocks–20 minutes. That’s unheard of in most war board games, but somehow Mori pulls it off.
In Caesar!: Seize Rome in 20 Minutes!, players draw tokens from a bag to determine their starting forces and to replenish their losses. Players allocate their resources to each province, gaining tactical advantages and vying for control of the republic. And did I mention this game is lightning fast? I did. Well, what if I told you Mori has multiple games in this line? I did. If you like Caesar!: Seize Rome in 20 Minutes!, you should try Blitzkrieg!: World War Two in 20 Minutes!. Blitzkrieg! didn’t make the list because of our next entry also uses a World War Two theme.
1) Memoir ’44 (2004)
Memoir ’44 is the one entry from Richard Borg’s Commands & Colors series that made this list. Borg’s simple but elegant system of unique cards (to command your troops), miniatures (or wooden pieces) on variable maps, and dice for combat distills the war board game experience into digestible pieces. I could’ve included any of the Commands & Colors games for this entry. Borg offers plenty of options for whatever conflict you’d like to recreate. And that’s what you’re doing in Memoir ’44.
My favorite part of Memoir ’44 is the history behind each skirmish. Memoir ’44 is the oldest game on this list and may be difficult to acquire, but it’s the most interactive fun you’ll have learning about World War II. One of these years, I’ll need to run a recreation of the entire war at my local game store. Ah. It’s so good.
That’s our list for five great approachable war board games. Which game would you add to this list? Let us know in the comments. If you’ve gotten this far, you’re awesome. Everyone knows it. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Happy Sunday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another week of Geek News. We’ve been off for a couple of weeks, and the news stories have piled up. We also have a few new releases (board games and video games), but before we dive into them, let’s talk about our first news topic: Marvel Comics. That’s right. Marvel Comics makes our headline today with the announcement of their first new department head in almost thirty years. Let’s meet the new head of Marvel Comics.
Brad Winderbaum, David Abdo, and Dan Buckley (photo from Marvel Entertainment)
Marvel Comics has New Leadership
For the first time in a while, we have some major comic book news. After almost 30 years at Marvel, Dan Buckley, longtime head of Comics & Franchise) plans to depart the company. Buckley will remain at Marvel through mid-2027 to support the leadership transition. And who is Marvel Comics’ new lead? Brad Winderbaum. Yes. Already overseeing Marvel Television and Animation, Brad Winderbaum will add Comics & Franchise to his title. Joining Marvel from Disney, David Abdo will serve as General Manager, Comics & Franchise, and will report to Winderbaum. This change could be seismic.
I’m of two or three minds here. On one hand, Brad Winderbaum has done a fantastic job resurrecting Disney+’s Marvel television shows. Daredevil: Born Again, Wonderman, and The Punisher: The Last Kill occurred under his watch. These were very good to great. Winderbaum also kick-started the fun Marvel Animated Universe with titles like X-Men 97 and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. Winderbaum has a proven track record. Why couldn’t he similarly steward the comics as he did Marvel’s Disney+ shows? On paper, Winderbaum sounds like an excellent candidate for the job.
On the other hand, Winderbaum already has plenty of responsibilities at Marvel. Sure, David Abdo will function as the general manager for Comics & Franchise, but I still wonder if Winderbaum will get stretched too thin. And then there’s the reality that comic books are not television. How much does Winderbaum or Abdo know about the comic book industry? Abdo may have more hands-on responsibilities with the comics, but he’s moving over from Disney and may also have a limited knowledge base of the medium.
And my final question, will this mean that the Marvel comics will only serve the MCU? If so, is that a bad thing? Up to this point, Marvel Comics has done its own thing. If what they write makes it on the big or small screen, great. If not, the comics are the comics and the movies are the movies. No harm, no foul. Will this change mean that Marvel Comics will serve as a testing ground for stories the MCU plans to introduce later? Will Marvel Comics explore stories that differ from the MCU, ensuring more demographics are represented? Who knows? I do know that this is a seismic shift for Marvel Comics. Dan Buckley has been in charge of Marvel Comics since the late 1990s. This marks a new chapter for the House of Spidey.
PlayStation Plus Price Hike…Sort Of
Geekly has covered PlayStation a lot during the first half of this year. Honestly, I’m getting tired of it, but PlayStation has been doing a lot of crazy things in short order. First, they raised the price of the PS5. Second, the price for their upcoming PS6 leaked and could be well over $1000 for the pro version. Earlier this month, PlayStation instituted a one-time DRM check but didn’t clarify anything until after a week had passed and fans freaked. Yeah. Sony PlayStation has had a no-good, very bad five months. And it continues this week. Sony announced a price increase for its subscription service, PlayStation Plus.
Here we go again, again. Beginning now, PlayStation Plus prices for new customers will increase in select regions. Effectively, these price hikes will be about $1 per month, give or take, depending on the region where you live. PlayStation cited “Market Conditions” as the reason for this increase; that excuse is as vague as the no-response about the DRM check earlier this month. But we say it’s sort of a price hike because if your PlayStation Plus account was in good standing and active before this price increase, your price will remain the same. As you can imagine, PlayStation fans have reacted negatively to this news. Many point out that Microsoft cut the price of Xbox Game Pass, while others suggest that a paid subscription shouldn’t be required for online play.
Just a reminder, Grand Theft Auto VI, now a PlayStation-exclusive game, will launch by the end of this year. GTA VI should feature an online mode. Is it a coincidence that the PS5 and the PlayStation Plus subscription received a price hike less than a year before one of the most anticipated, PlayStation-exclusive games in recent memory? I’m not so sure. I also wouldn’t be surprised if the “Market Conditions” change six months or so after GTA VI is released. You know, after PlayStation makes as much money as possible off of GTA VI. That’d be criminal. Downright grand theft.
And speaking of PlayStation-exclusive games, Sony made another announcement that its first-party, predominantly solo player experiences will only be available on PS5. That means Horizon, God of War, The Last of Us, the Marvel video games series (including Spider-Man and the upcoming Wolverine), and potentially Grand Theft Auto VI will only be available on PS5. No PC for you. You know, just in case you needed another reason to spend an extra $100 on a new gaming system.
Let’s Go! To France Launches on KickStarter
You are travelers planning and experiencing your own dream vacations to France.
Explore Paris, soaking up art, history, and delicious food through its many tourist attractions and hidden gems. Using over 100 beautifully illustrated cards, you will discover activities and strategically place them to create your six day itinerary. While puzzling out your optimal activities, you will plan your trip to one of four marvelous regions of France. Will you bask in the sun along the French Riviera or explore the historic castles of the Loire valley?
Play competitively or solo, earning victory points by successfully balancing the two halves of your vacation, making the most out of your interests, and managing your time well. The most points wins, but everyone has the chance to create a memorable vacation.
Thank you, Alderac Entertainment Group, for the description. I’ve been meaning to play Let’s Go! To Japan. I had the first game in this series in my to be played list for years. I even had Let’s Go! To Japan on my Christmas list on two occasions, but for whatever reason, we haven’t gotten around to picking up a copy or playing it at a convention. As soon as a saw Let’s Go! To Japan, my family groaned that this would be another game in the series. I agreed. I also hoped that Let’s Go! To France would be the next game in the series. Yes!
I’ve heard the tableau building in Let’s Go! To France exceeds the original. I hope so. I love a good tableau builder. The theme interests me. I may even use these games to plan my upcoming trips to these countries. You never know. Let’s Go! To France offers several pledge levels, ranging from $50-$160. You’re sure to find a version that scratches your wanderlust. If you’re interested in Let’s Go! To France, check out its KickStarter page.
SHUG Launches on KickStarter
SHUG is set in a mad ol Engoland, where King Charles the Cursed is hellbent on monster-slaying carnage. As a puny peasant, your only chance to spark a revolution is to fulfill a bizarre legend: find the creature Shug, and bring it to the fabled Pub…
A mashup of party game and dungeon-crawler, SHUG is a unique blend of strategy and chaos. Win with clever tactics or by going full fool on ludicrous challenges.
Wander the free roam map. Befriend monsters like Selky with a sea shanty. Slay your friends with Sexy Armour, or killer salsa moves. In SHUG you’ll discover not only a whole world, but also strange sides of yourself.
Thank you, Wandering Games, for the description. Oh, my! I love SHUG’s art. I don’t even care if it’s a standard roll/spin and move game, which I don’t think it is; I would gladly add this game to my collection. It doesn’t take itself too seriously. I’m unsure how a game can be both a party game, a dungeon crawler, and a race, but I want to know how. SHUG does list Take That as one of its game mechanisms. I’m not too crazy about a Take That game that could take an hour and a half, but still, the theme, the art. I’m interested. SHUG’s pledge levels range between $50-$135. If you’re interested in SHUG, check out its KickStarter page.
Hover Launches on KickStarter
Play as hummingbirds thirsty for nectar… and a mate. The first bird to build a nest and perform a successful courting call wins the game.
Will you bully your way to the top? Bluff your way ahead? Or get clever and sneak in a victory?
But watch out! The chatter, competition, and annoying displays from other hummingbirds can easily distract your potential mate from paying attention as you expend precious energy to win their 1,260 bpm heart.
Based on real hummingbird behaviors, Hover is a strategic game featuring high-player interaction, tight action economy, asymmetric abilities, bidding/bluffing, and area control to create a highly immersive and intuitive game.
Be the hummingbird – beautiful and brutal.
Thank you, Ibis Tea, for the description. Hover looks amazing. The picture above is of a prototype, so the quality could be even better than what’s shown. Bird-themed games have dominated the board game market in recent years–here’s looking at you, Wingspan–but the titles that stand out are the ones that mimic bird behavior. Hover does just that with hummingbirds. I like how one reviewer (Tabletop Vibes) described it: Hover is like hummingbird Chess.
I can see that. While there doesn’t appear to be much happening on the board, looks are deceiving. Hover has depth to spare. Pledges range from $40-$90. If you’re interested in Hover, check out its KickStarter page.
Yoshi and the Mysterious Book Releases
I did a double-take when I found Yoshi and the Mysterious Book as one of this week’s new video game releases. I swore this game was supposed to be a Super Mario Galaxy Movie tie-in. That movie was released well over a month ago. Has it been that long? And I thought Nintendo would’ve released a full-fledged Mario title to support the Super Mario Galaxy Movie release. I digress. Yoshi and the Mysterious Book looks to be a return to form for the series. I haven’t played the game yet. I might pick up a Switch 2 before the price hike in September, and you’d best believe Yoshi and the Mysterious Book (along with Pokopia and the new Donkey Kong) will be some of the first games I purchase.
The premise involves Yoshi entering a sentient and mysterious encyclopedia’s (Mr. E’s) pages to search for and interact with various creatures. The gameplay reminds me of Super Mario Odyssey or even A Boy and His Blob. The description of “bitter, soapy, sudsy taste” makes me wonder if Yoshi can eat certain items to gain abilities. At any rate, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book reward exploring ability combos. It has received good to great reviews. And I love the game’s stop-motion animation graphics. Yoshi looks adorable. Squee! Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is available on the Nintendo Switch 2.
Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight Releases
Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is the fourth installment in the Lego Batman franchise. The fourth! This installment looks to incorporate more of the television shows and movies into its narrative. And I’m all for that. Batman trains with Ra’s al Ghul, much like he did in Batman Begins. Several skins mimic Batman movie costumes, like Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman, Danny DeVito’s Penguin, and Heath Ledger’s Joker. We don’t know if the game will follow any more of these movies’ plots or if they’re fun skins. The inclusion of Kite Man has me hoping we’ll see some Harley Quinn: The Animated Series representation. Hell, yeah!
Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight has received very good to great reviews. While the Lego Batman franchise is hit or miss for me, this title looks promising. Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S/X.
Hotel Architect Releases
Step into the shoes of a hotel owner as you design, build, and manage grand hotels around the world. Juggle demanding guests, frantic logistics, and plenty of unexpected surprises in Hotel Architect, the ultimate hotel construction and tycoon management game!
Thank you, Pathos Interactive, for the game description. Hotel Architect has received pretty good Steam reviews. I like the artistic choice to use weeble wooble looking characters. It almost feels like bath time. I had bath time toys that looked much like this game’s animation, and no kidding, I pretended that I was running a restaurant or store on more than one occasion. A hotel is a logical leap. It blends a lot of those aspects and more under one roof. I’ve been tempted to download some mobile games that do a lot of what Hotel Architect sets out to do, so I may give Hotel Architect a shot. Hotel Architect is available on PC.
That’s all the Geek news we have for you this week. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. The title of this post sounds sacrilegious. It can be difficult to believe someone who rates the Dorformantik Board Game above the video game that inspired it, to also rate some video games above their inspiring board/tabletop games. I love board games. But several video game adaptations work better than the original board games. There are various reasons why a board game or tabletop game may be better as a video game, and I’ll share why I prefer the digital version to the physical version of the game. I still play some of these board games in their original form, but all the games on this list make better video games than board games.
5) Ticket to Ride
We begin with a game I play digitally and physically, Ticket to Ride. Asmosdee Digital does an excellent job translating Ticket to Ride to various online platforms. Since I have an iPad and an Android smartphone, I’m certain I’ve purchased Ticket to Ride for at least three or four of its possible platforms. Each version makes it easy to see what other players (typically AI players for me) have done on previous turns and plan future turns. Ticket to Ride’s tutorial is quick and easy, which makes sense: the game is quick and easy to learn.
The reason why I play Ticket to Ride on digital more than my physical copies is my gaming group has moved passed this classic gateway game. I could litter this entire list with digital versions of some of my favorite, classic gateway games like Carcassonne and Ticket to Ride or even Smallworld (also from Asmodee Digital), but I like Ticket to Ride’s interface just a bit more and the extra maps add an extra layer of variability without needed to store dozens of bonus Ticket to Ride maps.
I like getting in a game or two of Ticket to Ride while I wait in line or I’m traveling. I highly recommend the digital Ticket to Ride.
4) Sentinels of the Multiverse
Sentinels of the Multiverse is another old favorite. Yes. Like Ticket to Ride, my gaming groups have moved past this board game to other games of its ilk, but there are more reasons why Sentinels of the Multiverse makes this list. The game takes a while to set up and take down (this reasoning will come up again), and Sentinels of the Multiverse has a lot of cards that trigger at various intervals and during different turns, which makes triggers easy to miss.
Sentinels of the Multiverse: The Video Game eliminates the need to remember triggers. The setup is nonexistent. Just load the game and go. While I may not own Sentinels of the Multiverse: The Video Game on as many platforms as Ticket to Ride, I’ve put in plenty of hours playing this digital version. I think the reason why I’m reluctant to purchase Sentinels of the Multiverse on other systems is that all content for the original Sentinels of the Multiverse is available in this video game. I don’t want to buy everything again.
Handlelabra does a great job converting the original Sentinels of the Multiverse into its digital version. Graphic effects match the original art, drawing me into the game. Sentinels of the Multiverse keeps the theme going with little touches like “Meanwhile…” whenever the game waits for input. Nice!
3) Neuroshima Hex
Neuroshima Hex is another game with plenty of triggers that are easy to miss, but unlike Sentinels of the Multiverse, the setup and take-down of this game are so laborious, I don’t dare play the physical copy. The only way I’ll play Neuroshima Hex’s physical form is if someone else agrees to handle the game’s logistics. And the timing aspect for Neuroshima Hex can get tedious. Sure, timing can be something one can easily miss, just like Sentinels‘ triggers, but Neuroshima Hex runs deeper than that. It hurts more in the physical game to overlook one of your opponent’s hexagonal pieces with a faster speed than yours and a devastating ability. In the digital copy, I snap my fingers and move on. In the physical game, I’m dejected.
Neuroshima Hex‘s strategic and tactical moves are fantastic, but there’s too much to remember in the physical copy. Neuroshima Hex’s digital copy provides reminders for gamers. Games don’t take nearly as long to play, so the time investment isn’t long. The same can’t be said of the physical version of Neuroshima Hex. I even like how the digital copy incorporates the game’s lore. While playing, it’s easy to overlook Neuroshima Hex’s post-apocalyptic world, and its colorful denizens.
Portal Games and Big Daddy’s Games did a great job translating Neuroshima Hex to a digital game. Similar to Ticket to Ride, I can see information easily and cleanly. Neuroshima Hex’s digital copy even has a free demo for you to try.
2) Gloomhaven
Gloomhaven’s digital copy makes it to this list for one reason: no setup. While other factors may have factored into other digital copies of board games making this list, Gloomhaven has an unbearable setup time. Fortunately, the Gloomhaven digital copy packs everything in the original’s massive box into its programming. You won’t need to save your character from one scenario of Gloomhaven to the next because this is a video game. The game does that for you. And Gloomhaven’s graphics are fantastic.
Like most other titles on this list, Gloomhaven has an easy-to-see and use interface. The physical game’s sometimes complicated rules are explained a little better in its digital version. I’m not saying that Gloomhaven’s rules are difficult to follow, but parts of the rules can be like Sentinels of the Multiverse and be easy to miss, and players won’t need to play out the artificial intelligence of the game’s enemies. Yes. A quarter to a third of Gloomhaven is acting out the game’s enemies. You won’t need to do that either in the digital version of Gloomhaven.
And did I mention Gloomhaven’s graphics? I did? Well, they look almost as good as Baldur’s Gate 3. Okay. Maybe that went too far, but Gloomhaven’s digital game looks amazing. You also won’t need to wait for your gaming group to meet up so you can continue your campaign. Gloomhaven: The Video Game offers the perfect alternative for this sprawling epic.
1) Onirim
Onirim will take the number one spot for some time to come. It would’ve taken this spot over a decade ago if we did a list like this. Onirim is the game I replace Solitaire with on all my smart devices. At its core, Onirim is a colorful, whimsical twist on classic Solitaire, but the physical game suffers for one reason: shuffling.
And I’m a compulsive shuffler. Seriously, I’m AuDHD (Autistic and an ADHDer) and shuffling cards is a stim for me, and I think there’s too much shuffling in the physical copy of Onirim. Some cards (Nightmares) discard cards from the deck, and if you draw more than one in a turn, you’ll need to shuffle them back into the deck. Other cards (keys) allow you to search the deck for a door, and if you find one, you’ll need to shuffle the deck again. And those are the base game cards. Onirim offers a couple of expansions with more cards that will force players to shuffle.
It may sound like I hate Onirim. Far from it. I love this game; it’s the only Solitaire game I’ll play on my smart devices. But Onirim has a ton of shuffling. You won’t feel that if you play Onirim’s digital copy. Trust me. Once you start playing Onirim, you won’t want to stop playing this dream of a Solitaire game.
That’s my list for now. What digital copies of board games do you like to play? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here, and today, our writers share what they’ve been playing over the past month. Feel free to share what you’ve been playing over the past month, because we’re all part of the Geekly Gang. I’ll get things started with what I’ve been playing over the past month.
Kyra’s Video Games
I’m a basketball fan, but NBA2K hasn’t had a decent release in several years. The last version I played of NBA2K had so many game-breaking bugs, I don’t know if I finished playing a single exhibition game. Enter, Hoop Land. I downloaded it on Steam (there was a recent sale), but it’s also available on mobile devices. Yay!
Don’t let Hoop Land’s 8-bit graphics fool you. Hoop Land is everything I wished NBA2K would be. Hoop Land gives players so much control of the game. A lot is going on with this title, and I love it. Manage your team to victory with adorable sprite hoopers. I haven’t had too much time for a full review, but I enjoy simulating games and jumping in to play the occasional match. Player development works the way you’d imagine, at least, so far, and Hoop Land offers plenty of options to customize your league. Do you see the player scouting report above? That gets very specific. I see some team rebuilds in my near future. I may even download the mobile version of Hoop Land, so I can play while I watch the NBA playoffs. Woo hoo!
While Feed the Scorchpot only offers a free demo (on Steam), that demo cooks up a lot of gaming hours. What is it with me downloading addictive video games this past month? Feed the Scorchpot takes graphics akin to Potion Craft–if you know me, you know I love Potion Craft’s graphics (here’s our review of Potion Craft)–and combines them with a roguelike Catan. What? The classic board game Catan could use an update. I wasn’t expecting one like Feed the Scorchpot. The developers market it as Balatro meets Catan, and that’s a good description.
As you can see in the image above, a lot is going on with Feed the Scorchpot. Don’t worry, the demo has a comprehensive tutorial that slowly introduces new game elements. It will all make sense. Players build a village Catan-style and roll dice each turn (season), collecting resources on farms adjacent to tiles whose numbers are rolled. Using those resources, players cook recipes to feed a dragon (the Scorchpot). Meet the required points (hunger), and the dragon allows you to live another year.
Players can purchase recipes (more options), upgrade their dice to specialty dice (all dice begin as vanilla six-sided dice), build more powerful structures on spaces, and even add numbers to tiles, so those tiles are more likely to produce resources. Feed the Scorchpot is one of those games that gets players saying, Just. One. More. Turn. Ah! So good. I can’t wait for Feed the Scorchpot’s full release.
Kyra’s Board Games
DC Breakout: Arkham Asylum is a simple roll-and-move game. Yes. They still make roll-and-move games. And for a roll-and-move game, DC Breakout: Arkham Asylum is a lot of fun. Players take the role of two Arkham inmates racing to break out of the asylum before anyone else. The game is played in two rounds, so you’ll actually have two chances to beat your opponents to the finish line.
DC Breakout: Arkham Asylum doesn’t take itself too seriously. Each game plays out different than all the rest, because the board changes, villain power combinations can break the game in odd ways (you will be placing two villains into the same standee to form your team of two rogues), and gadget cards add another layer of mayhem. After a few plays, we did notice some game-breaking combos. I won’t share them here; you should discover them on your own. But I don’t care that two specific villains teamed together may constitute an unfair advantage. DC Breakout: Arkham Asylum isn’t a long game. There are so many villains included in this game (40) that you may not come across that tandem of characters in numerous plays. And the premise is goofy. Perfect for kids and families.
Cat a Comb caught my eye in two ways. First, the game is shaped like a soda can. Yes, please. The container may be difficult to put on a shelf with the rest of my games, but I like an odd-shaped board game container. Second, the game is about cats. Yay! What you see pictured above is all that comes inside Cat a Comb (minus the extremely short rulebook). Cat a Comb is a great two-player strategy game. Perfect whenever you arrive to a board game night early with one other participant, and you’re waiting for the rest of your group to arrive. That happens a lot to me if you can’t tell. (Wink.)
I could include any number of other board games on this list, but I think I’ll close out this month’s list with the Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game. I always liked the TSR Marvel RPG from the 1980s, and the Multiverse Role-Playing Game looks as if it has legs (as in it’s still being published years after its initial release). Outside of the TSR Marvel RPG, Marvel role-playing games have a spotty track record. Most of them don’t last beyond one or two years. The Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game has already surpassed that threshold, so I’m giving it a shot. Just in time for Comic-Con season (I will be attending one or two of those) and Free RPG Day. You may catch me at a local game shop, running a Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game module.
First, I’ll run the Marvel Rivals Timestream Adventure. This one-shot is a great place to begin a Marvel Multiverse RPG campaign. The framework offers enough flexibility to branch out from the module. The adventure is written in a way to promote player agency and choice. I like that. Of course, I’ll add my own twists to the base adventure, because I’m going to do that, but Marvel Rivals Timestream Adventure offers a good introduction to the Marvel Multiverse RPG system and some of its characters. This module even includes Rank X characters, which are otherworldly beings who can’t be damaged. It’ll be fun showing characters of this power level in the Marvel Universe.
I have two complaints about the Marvel Rivals Timestream Adventure. One, the module assumes you have the Core Rulebook and access to the X-Men expansion. It includes power sets found in the X-Men expansion and doesn’t explain them. Two, the Game Modes included at the end of the module don’t offer any story hooks. Both of these gripes are small. You can look up some of the X-Men expansion rules online. It’s a pain, but doable. And you don’t really need story hooks, but it would’ve been nice. The Marvel Rivals Timestream Adventure takes about four hours to complete, so I may craft my own one-shot for Free RPG Day or one of the conventions, since most events of those types last about two hours. I’ll keep you posted if I create an adventure and may share the adventure on Geekly.
As for the Marvel Multiverse RPG’s core rules, they’re easy to learn and require few peripherals. You don’t even need official Marvel dice (like the one pictured above). I have a set of “Marvel Multiverse RPG” dice where I painted an “M” over the “1” on a standard red d6. Every player just needs three 3d6s, with one a different color, and you’re set to play. That’s it. The rules are simple but flexible to accommodate multiple powers, a good thing for an RPG that includes countless super-powered people. And several websites offer free Marvel Multiverse RPG resources. I like what I’ve read so far and should run the Marvel Rivals Timestream Adventure next week. I can’t wait.
That’s all I have for this month. Let’s check in with Season.
Season’s Video Games
Hi, Geekly Gang! Are you fans of remasters? I know I am. I’ve never finished the original Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles since it was difficult to do in single player. Players get to choose a character from one of four races. The biggest differences between these races (other than appearance) are the gear they can equip and their fighting style. You set out on a caravan in a miasma-filled world to collect drops of myyrh from myyrh trees in different monster-infested stages. Each level has a mini-boss with varying levels of difficulty in each stage. You have to collect three drops of myyrh each year in order to progress and unlock new stages.
I’m closing in on the final few stages of Final Fantasy: Crystal ChroniclesRemastered Edition, and I’m excited to see the ending after all these years. Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition offers online multiplayer. You can play with friends or join random lobbies. I’ve been playing with one of my friends, and we’ve been having a blast. The downside to multiplayer is that the game only progresses for the player who hosts the lobby. If you collect myyrh in one of the stages, the host is the only player who gets the myyrh. You have to dissolve the party and switch hosts so a different player can collect myyrh. You end up replaying the same stages multiple times, but you get to learn each stage map really well.
What have you been playing, Skye?
Skye’s Video Games
I received God of War as a Christmas gift last year and made a pledge to finish it before the end of the year. By now, y’all are probably familiar with my tendency to play each of my games at the hardest difficulty just ‘cause I can. So far, God of War has proven to be the most difficult gaming experience I’ve put myself through. Having a heavy emphasis on skill and timing-based combat, God of War demands quick learning and careful decision-making from its players. As a result, God of War is very unforgiving to noobs like me for poorly executing combos or being slow to dodge incoming attacks. The only reason I’ve been able to make any progress so far is that I tend to do every side quest before the main quest. Wish me luck, ‘cause I know I’m gonna need it.
Battle for Bikini Bottom’s Remaster was a game my sister acquired for free through her PlayStation Plus subscription, and I only recently noticed it in her library. Since I played the original on the GameCube, I felt the need to relive my childhood. It’s safe to say, Rehydrated didn’t disappoint. After all, SpongeBob SquarePants Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated strictly updated the graphics, so I was able to relive my favorite levels without worrying about content alterations. In case you’re curious, my favorite level is The Flying Dutchman’s Shipyard primarily because of the level’s design and music that constantly gets stuck in my head. Battle for Bikini Bottom is a fun romp of a game for any SpongeBob fan since it allows you to roam through some of SpongeBob’s most iconic locations and is loaded with references.
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here again. Those are all the games our writers played over the past month. What did you play this past month? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another week of Geek News. We missed the past couple of weeks; I’ve been busy getting my board games more polished. How have you been these past few weeks? I’ve been tired. Sheesh! My board games are better, but they can always be improved. Getting back to Geek News, we have a handful of new board games and video games this past week, and we’ll get to them soon enough, but let’s catch up on some headlines.
We’ll begin our headlines with PlayStation 6 news. We had quite a few, and we’ll discuss both major ones (backward compatibility and the number of PlayStation 6s we should expect to see), but we’ve been discussing console news for some time. Let’s talk about Bethesda. Ah, Bethesda, the answer to which AAA video game developer releases games with the most bugs.
Starfield Update 1.000.003 Fixes PS5 Bugs?
Bethesda released Starfield earlier this month. Has it really been less than a month? Yikes! Immediately, PlayStation fans unearthed numerous bugs and crashes. Typical Bethesda Softworks. One would think Bethesda would’ve had enough time between Starfield’s Xbox-exclusive release last year and its PlayStation 5 release this year to iron out any bugs, but that isn’t the case. Sony has always had a more difficult coding language, increasing the time needed to release a game on the console, and since Bethesda released Starfield on the Xbox Series S/X in a broken state, the company sank all of its time fixing the Xbox bugs and developing expansions for the new title that the company dedicated little, if any, time to making sure the same bugs didn’t plague the PlayStation 5 release.
Turns out Starfield found new bugs with the PlayStation 5. Reported crashes abound. Players couldn’t save their games. So, Bethesda released Starfield Update 1.000.003 to fix the reported crash issues, but there’s a catch. The patch only fixes issues on the PS5 Pro. If you have the base console, you’ll need to wait longer. As of writing this post, Bethesda has yet to release a patch that will fix the base console PlayStation 5. Maybe the fix drops within the next twenty-four hours, and this is an old news post. But PlayStation 5 owners will still experience plenty of bugs. Update 1.000.003 only fixes some of the bugs. It makes the game playable, but not enjoyable.
And even if Bethesda releases a patch for the baseline PlayStation 5, Starfield’s PS5 release marks the direction the company appears to have taken. Release a new game on Xbox. Give Xbox a year of exclusivity. Spend the entire year fixing the Xbox version of the game because they didn’t release the game in a playable state. Then, when PlayStation owners finally get their copy of the game a year later, repeat the process on the other system. This doesn’t look good for PlayStation owners for Elder Scrolls VI or Fallout 5. If this trend persists, PlayStation owners will have to wait one and a half to two years for the next game in those series. Exclusivity is one thing, but we’ll need to keep an eye on when Starfield becomes an enjoyable experience on PlayStation 5.
PlayStation 6 News
We’ll begin with the definitely good news if true for the PlayStation 6. According to Tom from Moore’s Law Is Dead (MLID), a leaked Sony document with the codename “Canis” states the new PlayStation 6 will support backward compatibility with PS4 and PS5 games. The rumored handheld variant, more on that in a bit, will also run PS6, PS5, and PS4 games. Sony has not confirmed these PS6 backward compatibility claims, and the leaked document is described as “years old,” meaning Sony’s plans may have changed.
If true, this is great news. But I can’t stress enough that this document is described as “years old.” A lot can change in a handful of months. Just ask Bethesda, star of our last segment. Regardless of whether the PlayStation 6 is compatible or not with PS4 and PS5 games, another document, also leaked by MLID, suggests we won’t need to wait long for the PlayStation 6. At one point, possibly “years ago,” Sony intended to release the PlayStation 6 next year (2027). I don’t know how I feel about the PS6 releasing next year. Late last year or early this year (I forget) Sony closed down the PlayStation 4’s online store. Typically, Sony does this to make way for a new console. So, the release date of 2027 makes sense based on Sony’s actions.
But the pandemic slowed down the manufacturing of the PS5, and developers have yet to dig deep with the current console’s features. The PS6 releasing next year seems too soon. It also doesn’t bode well that the PlayStation 5 is the first console to go up in price toward the end of its run. Sony may need to figure out the memory chip crisis. (Thank you, AI, for gobbling up the memory chips.) Personally, I could wait an additional year or two. But what do you think? Let us know in the comments. Would you be excited if the PS6 were released in 2027?
The PS6 release date wasn’t the only thing divulged in a series of leaked documents. Sony plans to move away from a single-console-at-a-time strategy and intends to release three unique versions of the PS6. And we get suggested prices for these systems. Keep in mind, this leaked document was “years old,” which could mean these prices were based on figures before the memory chip crisis. (Screw you, AI.) The flagship console PlayStation 6 could be as little as $999. Yikes! A PS6 Handheld could range between $499 and $699. And a budget-friendly, watered-down PS6 Series S or Lite could range in price between $349 and $549. There’s a lot to unpack.
I don’t have too many notes for the PS6 Handheld. $499-$699 is in line with high-end handhelds. I’d imagine a PS6 Handheld will be more powerful than the Nintendo Switch 2, which hovers just shy of that range. But again, the prices could increase. Speaking of increasing prices, leaker MLID believes the flagship PS6 could be as much as $1199 with rising prices. Double yikes! And then we get to the odd duck of the bunch, the PS6 Lite. We’ll go with Lite.
The Xbox Series S/X has proven the dangers of producing two consoles with the same name but differing capabilities. It’ll be difficult for a PS6 Handheld to work at the same level as a flagship PS6, but that’s to be expected. That’s forgivable. Two home consoles of differing capabilities cause frustration and confusion.
Do you release a title on the flagship PS6 and not for the PS6 Lite because the game requires too much computing power? That would leave PS6 Lite owners feeling like they don’t own a PS6, so what would be the point of owning a PS6 Lite? Do developers code toward the flagship PS6 and short shrift the PS6 Lite? Bethesda did just that in our other segment, favoring the PS5 Pro over the base PS5. Technically, both consoles received the game, but one gets a playable version of the game and the other doesn’t. Or do developers code for the lowest common denominator and favor the PS6 Lite? This would render an upgrade to the flagship PS6 meaningless. $999 (or $1199) is a lot to drop on a meaningless console upgrade. Each developer will make their own choices. The choices will differ. And the result is bedlam.
Again, this leak comes from a dated (years-old) document. Sony’s plans might have changed, but I’ll also remind readers that Sony shut down the PS4 store, meaning the company intends to release the PS6 sometime soon (with its store only servicing PS5 and PS6 owners). And again, I’ll advocate for Sony and Xbox waiting to release their new consoles until after the memory chip crisis resolves. The only reason Sony intends to release a flagship PS6 and a PS6 Lite is that memory chips are so expensive. $999 as the low-end for a new system could price out countless gamers. I don’t know if I’m ready to drop $1199 on a console. I may return to retro gaming. Yowza!
This is a developing story. We’ll keep you posted if Sony confirms or denies any of these leaks.
Reactor Rescue Launches on KickStarter
In Reactor Rescue, players take on the role of engineers whose spacecraft have malfunctioned while en route to fix a failing reactor in the city of Electra. Each player must repair their own vehicle by building real electronic circuits, before returning to the city. Only one engineer will complete their mission.
To make repairs, players must collect electronic component cards that represent real electronic parts such as a LED, buzzer, switch, motor, sensors etc. These parts are then used to build actual working circuits using modular, magnetic Labbox blocks.
There are three level of circuit cards, that represent specific circuit blueprints, that players need to complete by managing scarce resources.
Gameplay involves strategic card management, circuit-building, and a strategy to fix your vehicle first. Players can lock in components for future use, swap cards from the deck, and physically test whether their circuits function as required. The first player to complete all their vehicle’s circuit repairs wins the game.
Thank you for the description, HaPe International and Labbox (Reactor Rescue’s publishers). Reactor Rescue has massive toy factor. The game also looks great on the table, so phenomenal table presence. Reactor Rescue is one of those games passersby can’t help but pause and watch for a few rounds. While the game length (1-2 hours) gives me pause, the mechanisms and the game’s description above make me think individual turns won’t take too long.
Throw in some STEM elements, and Reactor Rescue is one of those educational games I wouldn’t have mind playing when I was young. That being said, Reactor Rescue skews toward the younger side with its demographics. Still, I would say no to a round or two of Reactor Rescue. It looks engaging. I could find enjoyment connecting the circuits to one another. In short, Reactor Rescue looks cool. Its pledge levels run a little on the high side, ranging from $75-$291, but I don’t know too many people, outside of educators, who would want the nearly three-hundred-dollar version of Reactor Rescue. You’ll find plenty at the $75 level. If you’re interested in Reactor Rescue, check out its KickStarter page.
Button Shy Micro Games: Spring 2026 Arrives on KickStarter
Button Shy releases their first collection (for 2026). That’s right. Button Shy Micro Games has released their Spring 2026 collection. A few reprints (Rove: Results-Oriented Versatile Explorer, Aqua Rove, and a secret reprint) join newcomers Astro Rove, The Rise of a Jarl, Everything Machine, and Shaper. We won’t discuss the reprints too much, they’re previous versions of one of the new games (Astro Rove), anyway, so let’s get to the new stuff. Bring on Astro Rove.
Astro ROVE is a solo spatial puzzler. The player must complete missions by using their movement cards to align ROVE’s modules in the proper pattern. As ROVE travels further, efficient use of movement points and module abilities becomes paramount to success. Thanks for the description, Button Shy.
I’ve never played ROVE, but the concept sounds great for a solo game. Clearly, the game has fans. Astro ROVE may be the twelfth or fifteenth entry in the series. I don’t count as well whenever I have to take off my shoes to count toes. This proves ROVE has plenty of fans, and I may have a new series to explore.
Build up your Viking civilization through resource management, balancing expansion with defense to protect your gains. Devote your efforts to long-term innovations or focus on accumulating wealth and increasing your population. Forge your own path through the Viking Age and leave your mark on the known world.
I’ll say thank you to Button Shy again for the description for The Rise of a Jarl, but that’ll be a blanket thank you. All future descriptions of Button Shy Games will be by the publisher. The Rise of a Jarl intrigues me. I don’t know of too many 4X solo games. It’s also an engine-building game with options. If multiple paths are equally valid for winning, sign me up. And the artwork for the games in this collection are what we’ve come to expect from Button Shy. Top notch.
Each turn, the team of engineers queries a row or column of the grid, and the Machine player provides a clue that fits all of the hidden attributes of the queried cards. As the Engineers guess, cards are revealed or removed from the grid. Final scoring is determined by the total number of turns required as well as incorrect guesses, so move quickly and accurately to earn the best score.
Oh, my! Everything Machine is one of those games I would like to play, but would stink at playing. Speed could make Everything Machine trickier than most games of this ilk. In the example above, “natural” and “bright” are the two clues on the back of the card, so in this example, the clue giver (the Machine) says, “sun,” because the sun is natural and bright. It fits both criteria. I don’t know how I feel about blurting out answers to beat opposing players, but I do like quick and easy word games.
Create unique images to communicate your secret clue in this cooperative picture-making game. Take turns channeling your inner artist to complete all the clues and win.
We go from a word-guessing game in Everything Machine to a picture clue-making game in Shaper. I like the concept of abstract art cards being used to create shapes. Shapers sounds like a more interactive Dixit. I’d definitely give this one a try.
And those are all the new games in Button Shy’s Spring 2026 collection. I do wonder when a wallet game (a game that fits inside a wallet) can still be considered a wallet game with a dozen or more expansions. I’m looking at you, ROVE. Still, I’m always interested in new Button Shy releases. The company has a great track record for fantastic games that take little table space. If only one game strikes your fancy, you may pledge $15. Or you could get all the games for $54. If you’re interested in Button Shy’s Spring 2026 collection, check out its KickStarter page.
Yotei Launches on KickStarter
Set in Niseko, a breathtaking region on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido, this board game brings the local scenery, people, and wildlife to life. We’ve paid special attention to environmental sustainability by using Hokkaido-sourced wood for the tokens, while the artwork—created by a talented Japanese illustrator—is based on real people, landscapes, and events from the community.
In this game, you’ll craft the most enchanting Hokkaido town. Your currency? Potatoes. Bid with them, unearth more when you run short, and welcome the delights of the north: savory ramen, melt-in-your-mouth wagyu, delicate sushi; wild trout, mighty Ezo-bears, curious red foxes; and iconic developments from snowy ski resorts to serene hot-spring villages. With evolving tactics each round, the game stays fresh and captivating from start to finish.
Play this game to experience an authentic slice of life in Hokkaido. Despite the adorable “kawaii” illustrations, it’s a highly strategic, heart-pounding contest that will leave you eager for “just one more round.”
Thank you, Kumagera Seisaku G.K., for the description. Yotei looks amazing. I love the bits. Those pawns (pictured above) look adorable. They play well with the 3D wooden pieces. I can’t believe Yotei fits so much game into a small box, or at least a smaller box. Games only last 30-60 minutes. The publisher using the phrase “just one more round” in its description rings true if games of Yotei don’t take too long. The theme screams life in Hokkaido. I know Season would want to get her hands on this title. I don’t blame her. With multiple paths to victory, Yotei is on my radar. If you’re interested in Yotei, check out its KickStarter page.
Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard from Vampire Survivors Releases
From the creators of Vampire Survivors comes a turbo-charged, turn-based roguelite deckbuilder. Deal world-ending combos, blitz through infested dungeons, and master the Turboturn to obliterate hordes of familiar foes with a chaotic hand of cards. Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard from Vampire Survivors is a way too long title for a video game. Let’s shorten it to Vampire Crawlers. Even though Vampire Crawlers is set in the same universe as Vampire Survivors, players don’t need to have played the previous game to play this one. Vampire Crawlers has also received overwhelming praise.
Vampire Crawlers channels its inner Slay the Spire, but it’s so much more than that. I’ve said it before, and I’m saying it again, roguelites are having a moment this past year to year and a half. Vampire Crawlers is just the latest in this trend. And with a suggested MSRP of around $10, Vampire Crawlers has an attractive price point. Why not give the latest, hot roguelite a shot? Vampire Crawlers is available on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X, and Nintendo Switch.
Tides of Tomorrow Releases
From the makers of Road 96 comes a groundbreaking narrative adventure. Your choices shape the story for other players. Follow in your friends’ footsteps, face the consequences of their actions, and choose the fate of this plasticpunk world. Thank you for the description, THQ Nordic. Tides of Tomorrow sounds groundbreaking. My actions will impact my friends. What? Tides of Tomorrow’s promotional video also suggests following in the footsteps of your favorite online creators. While that also sounds amazing, I can see parasocial relationships deepen with games like Tides of Tomorrow. Potential consequences aside, Tides of Tomorrow sounds amazing.
Tides of Tomorrow has received great reviews. It hasn’t received as many reviews as I would like in certifying the game as having amazing reviews, but still, the reviews I have seen have touted Tides of Tomorrow. The biggest issues I’ve seen (from critics and gamers alike) echo some of the ones I mentioned above. If you can affect the game for others, griefers can–and will–have a field day. Yowza! I didn’t even think about griefers. But Tides of Tomorrow does give players the option of who to follow. If you want the best game experience, choose wisely. So, I’m thinking I don’t follow Dr. Disrespect’s storyline. LOL Tides of Tomorrow is available on PC and PlayStation 5.
Kiln Releases
Grab your friends to assemble a team of colorful spirits, then sculpt ceramic battle armor on a pottery wheel. The size and shape of your pots determine their play-style and abilities—work together to douse the enemy’s kiln. From Double Fine Productions (the same publishers of PsychoNauts and Brutal Legend) comes Kiln. Don’t look now, but we have three new video game releases that have good to great reviews. And we have another game with innovative mechanisms. In Kiln, players construct their own armor and weapons on a massive pottery wheel and unleash them on the enemy team.
I love Kiln’s graphics. They’re equal parts whimsical, adorable, and impressive. I hope the gameplay matches the frenetic energy of the angry pot, picture above. Kiln knows what it is. It’s a party game and doesn’t try to be anything else. Something tells me that I won’t mind losing in a game like this. Kiln has the vibe of a game that doesn’t take itself seriously, so why should players take the outcome of the game too seriously? I can’t wait to sculpt ceramic battle armor. Rawr! Kiln is available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S/X.
And that’s all the Geek News we have for this week. Which games are you most interested in playing? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Marvel United: Fantastic Four – The Coming of Galactus was one of the main reasons I backed Marvel United Multiverse (the third wave of Marvel United), and it’s one of the better Marvel United expansions. It offers a ton of variable play options. With last summer’s Fantastic Four: First Steps featuring Galactus, I jumped the line of Marvel United reviews to cover this specific expansion from the third wave. I mean, it’s Galactus. He’s kind of a big deal.
We’ll get to Marvel’s planet-eater in a minute, but first, let’s take a look at Marvel United: Fantastic Four – The Coming of Galactus’s less cosmic details.
The Fiddly Bits
Designer: Andrea Chiarvesio and Eric M. Lang Publisher: CMON Global Limited and Spin Master Ltd. Date Released: 2024 Number of Players: 1-5 Age Range: 8 and up Setup Time: 5-10 minutes Play Time: 30-40 minutes
We already covered the Game Setup and Game Flow in our original Marvel United review (here’s a link to that review), so we’ll go over the basics in the following two sections. Let’s cover an abbreviated review of the game setup and rules.
Marvel United: Fantastic Four – The Coming of Galactus’s setup can change depending on which Villain(s) and Heroes you choose to play. Each game consists of six locations. Unlike most other expansions, Marvel United: Fantastic Four – The Coming of Galactus includes six locations, but they’re built specifically for battling Galactus. If you choose to fight Galactus’s heralds one on one or as a group, you may want to pick six locations from a different box. You may choose your locations or shuffle them and choose six at random. Each Location card has spaces at the top for civilians and thugs, and a rectangle with a block of text that will state “End of Turn” at the top of the box.
Place civilian/thug tokens on their matching spaces. Shuffle the Villain’s Threat deck and deal out each Threat face-up so that it covers the rectangle at the bottom of each location. You must clear this threat before gaining the “End of Turn” effect printed on a Location. Place health tokens where signified on threat cards and on the Villain dashboard. Place the three mission cards (Defeat Thugs, Rescue Civilians, and Clear Threats) face up under the villain dashboard where the text reads “Unlocked.”
Each player shuffles their hero decks and then draws three cards to form their hands. Shuffle the Villain’s Master Plan deck. Leave the Master Plan deck face down. This will be the villain’s draw pile.
Players place their miniatures on one of the six location cards, usually the centralmost location for each player (easy access). Then, they place the villain on the location card opposing the heroes.
If one player chooses to play as the villain, hand the Super Villain cards to them, and the Heroes gain access to Super Hero cards. These new card times can be played if the game state triggers their use (for example, “You play a Master Plan card” or “Any Hero has 4 or more cards in their hand at the end of the Hero turn.” Timing is key.
Special Galactus Setup Rules
Follow the rules on the back of Galactus’s hexagon-shaped dashboard to build the Stop Galactus Missions deck. “Convince Galactus to Spare Earth” will always be the bottom card. And then reveal the top Mission.
Shuffle the Master Plan deck and remove 6 random cards from the game.
Heroes start in the Location corresponding to the continent where they are playing.
Set aside the 2 New Herald Threat cards, placing the others as usual.
Place Galactus on the back of his dashboard in the middle of the 6 Locations, facing the Heroes’ starting Location.
Split the printed action tokens among the players in any fashion.
Heralds of Galactus Setup Rules
Place the 4 Heralds’ Villain (individual) Dashboards nearby the group’s dashboard, each with Health depending on the number of players.
Randomly place the 4 Herald tokens faceup, each in a different slot on the Herald Group Dashboard.
The Heroes start the game in any 2 opposite Locations (splitting as they wish). Then, randomly place 1 Herald in each other Location.
Create a Crisis token pool within reach of the players. The number of Crisis tokens will be dictated by how difficult the players want the game. Players will then split a total of 2 wild action tokens, however they see fit.
Game Flow
The villain(s) play first. Draw the top card of their master plan deck. The villain moves the number of spaces indicated. Resolve any BAM! Effects and these effects will be printed on a space within the villain’s dashboard. Then, place the civilian/thug tokens (if any) indicated at the bottom of the card. If a player has taken the role of the villain, they get a hand of cards and can choose which card they play. The heroes get their turn after all the villain’s effects are resolved.
Heroes pick which player goes first, and hero turns will continue around the table clockwise. At the beginning of each game, Heroes will get three turns before the villain receives another turn. During their turn, heroes play one card from their hand.
Resolve actions and the symbols printed at the bottom of the hero’s card in any order. The symbols at the bottom of a hero’s card will be shared with the next player, but any printed action will not be shared. Heroes will use these actions to complete missions. The game begins with three missions in play: Defeat Thugs, Rescue Civilians, and Clear Threats. Each mission card will have spaces for the tokens they require to complete. As soon as these spaces are filled, the card is discarded, and the mission is considered complete. Mission cards can be completed in any order.
After the heroes complete the first mission, the villain panics and will act (play a card) every two hero cards instead of every three hero cards. After the heroes complete the second mission, the villain becomes vulnerable to damage. The heroes can complete the third mission, but it isn’t necessary. If the heroes do complete the third mission, each hero immediately draws 1 card, increasing each player’s hand size by one.
Play continues back and forth until either the villain wins (by completing their unique master plan or anyone, heroes or villains, runs out of cards) or the heroes win by dealing enough damage to the villain after the villain becomes vulnerable to damage.
Review
Like its predecessor, Marvel United: Fantastic Four, Marvel United: Fantastic Four – The Coming of Galactus lives up to the hype. I seriously considered not backing any part of Marvel United Multiverse, but a few highlights from the stretch goals, a couple of other expansions, and, first and foremost, The Coming of Galactus, made Marvel United’s third wave fun and exciting.
Let’s begin with the big man himself. Galactus’s scale is intimidating and thematic. Despite multiple Sentinels in the X-Men (second wave of Marvel United), Galactus is by far the largest miniature for the game. He should be. At first, when I heard that Galactus would begin the game on the same space as the Heroes, and the Heroes begin the game on the continent where the gamers are playing, I rolled my eyes. That’s silly. But watching the big purple guy staring at my home continent when the game began made it more real. It’s weird. It was creepy, bizarre, thematic, and loads of fun.
Galactus never becomes Under Pressure, so Heroes don’t need to worry about speeding up Galactus’s clock, but Galactus cannot be damaged. You’re not defeating Galactus. You’re convincing him not to devour Earth. To do that, you need to complete nine—that’s nine—missions instead of the usual two, plus dealing damage to the main villain. This makes the lack of speeding up Galactus’s clock moot. You’ll need every card and round you can to tackle his hunger.
The Missions vary with each element Marvel United offers: Heroics, Movement, Damage, Rescuing Civilians, Defeating Thugs and Henchmen. You’ll need a well-balanced group of Heroes to consider taking on Galactus. Fortunately, the Fantastic Four fit that bill, and they’re the classic Galactus opponent.
I like how Marvel United: Fantastic Four – The Coming of Galactus includes a Silver Surfer Herald Threat Card, so you can use Silver Surfer as one of Galactus’s heralds. That’s awesome and a great touch. Galactus adds a heap of Civilians and Thugs to the board each one of his turns; he adds one or the other to each Location he’s not facing. This applies plenty of pressure. At first, I wondered why the Heroes were given six action tokens to split among themselves. Yeah, you’ll need every last one to defeat Galactus. The few Master Plan cards that don’t add copious tokens shake up the game by bringing back defeated threats of a certain type or adding brand new Heralds. Yay!
I could go on about Galactus for another 400 words or so. He alone makes The Coming of Galactus worth it as an expansion, but this expansion ups the ante of variable playstyles. You can battle the Heralds of Galactus without including the big man himself. What? Marvel United adds an extra dash of spice anytime it includes a villain team. The Heralds of Galactus are no different. The Herald tokens dictate which villain does what during the villain’s turn. The first spot is the Villain who acts as if they played the Master Plan card for the turn. The other three Heralds add tokens: a Thug, a Civilian, and a Crisis Token. Players lose if they gain too many Crisis tokens, so you’re already at a huge disadvantage.
I love how Marvel United’s game system allows for simple but elegant solutions to potential problems. It could be boring if the Heralds did the same things each turn, but the Herald tokens shift positions after each Villain turn, so each Herald will have a chance to perform the four actions.
I’ll be honest. I haven’t played nearly as many games of Heralds of Galactus as I have The Coming of Galactus—for obvious reasons—but don’t sleep on this game mode. The Heralds of Galactus team adds a heap of extra value to The Coming of Galactus expansion.
Before we get into the individual Heralds as solo villains, let’s take a quick look at the six unique Locations and the lone hero in The Coming of Galactus. I’ll start with the western hemisphere and work my way east. Each one of these continent Locations has a ridiculous “End of Turn” ability. I advise only playing with these Locations if you intend to take on Galactus, his Heralds as a team, or another crazy strong opponent. But the choice is yours. Ultimately, you do you. Just know these abilities are crazy strong.
We begin with North America, and this Location may have the tamest ability of the six. North America allows you to swap a card from your hand with one of your faceup cards in the Storyline. This is good, but other Locations and character abilities have done something similar in the past. South America allows you to discard a card, gain 1 Wild token, and Action tokens equal to the symbols of the card you discarded. Now we’re talking.
Europe allows you to draw a new hand. Simple but great. Africa’s ability to discard a card to the bottom of your deck to defeat 1 Thug and rescue 1 Civilian anywhere is one of the best ways to prevent overflow, a common issue. Asia adds multiple Thugs and/or Civilians to itself, but Asia can house a game-high six tokens. Yikes! Sometimes you need extra Tokens to accomplish goals. And Oceania may have the single most broken ability. You may KO your Hero to remove them from the game (discarding any Action tokens you have) and choose a different Hero. What? Oceania may be the only way you can keep a game with Galactus going. Oh, I’m almost out of cards. KO. New hero. Talk about an insane power.
Nova (Frankie Raye), one of Galactus’s Heralds, can also be played as a hero. She offers a bunch of move, a large amount of damage, and little Heroics. Her special abilities can be great in certain situations. “Nova Flame” deals one damage to Everything at her Location, while also discarding (not rescuing) Civilians. This is a good way to clear a Location. But her starting card “Pyrokinesis” begs to be played first. As long as “Pyrokinesis” is faceup in the Storyline, at the beginning of your turn, you may place 1 Crisis token in an adjacent Location to deal an extra damage there. If the villain(s) you’re facing don’t use Crisis tokens, no problem. If they do use Crisis tokens, you could be in trouble.
The Coming of Galactus features two new major shakeups to gameplay: Galactus and his Heralds as a team. But the Heralds can be played as solo villains, and there are some more interesting gameplay mechanisms to be found with each. Terrax takes an interesting approach to a progression track. His gameplay centers around causing numerous overflows, and he can even slow down by adding Movement tokens in between Locations. Air-Walker wins by adding Crisis tokens to Heroes. He can be annoying because each one of his Threats allows him to move away from Heroes, making extra Movement a necessity. And Nova wins by adding Crisis tokens to each Location. She does this in multiple ways; however, she may deal the most damage to Heroes by causing damage if a Hero lands in a Location with a Crisis token. Uh oh!
But Firelord is the most interesting of all the Heralds as villains. The Heroes are trying to rescue Firelord. Like Galactus, Firelord can’t receive damage. In specific cases, Firelord’s BAM ability can actually help the heroes, furthering the idea that Firelord doesn’t want to harm humanity. This is a nice touch. As you can see, The Coming of Galactus offers a bunch of replay value to Marvel United in a relatively small box. Honestly, the box is that big to accommodate the Galactus mini. That box’s size is a hundred percent the big purple guy.
Too Long; Didn’t Read
As of the writing of the review, Marvel United: Fantastic Four – The Coming of Galactus replaced Marvel United: Fantastic Four as the highest-rated Marvel United expansion on BoardGameGeek and for good reason. This expansion adds more game modes than any other single expansion of Marvel United. And Galactus is terrifying and hoot to play against.
jkgeekly.com 