Tag: button shy games

Geekly News: April 26, 2026; Starfield Update for PS5 Pro

Published on by KyraLeave a comment

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.

Geekly News: November 2, 2025, New Releases

Published on by KyraLeave a comment

Happy Sunday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here, and I’m in the middle of some major edits and rewrites with my work in progress–more on that in the coming weeks–so I won’t have as much time to cover Geek News topics like previous months. But we still have some new board game and video game releases to discuss. I’ll try to be brief. Let’s begin with board game new releases.

Punch Bowl Splashes onto KickStarter

Punch Bowl looks amazing. It’s won multiple awards, featuring giant fruits that players must turn into giant punch. All the fruit in Punch Bowl is made of gorgeous acrylic. Throw in some ice cubes and seltzer acrylic game pieces, and you have a party. Players can learn this area management game in less than seven minutes, but Punch Bowl offers plenty of replayability. Just look at these punch glasses.

You’ll be filling your glass like a champ in no time with Punch Bowl. Every player begins with the same hand of cards. You must choose which card you’ll play and which to discard each round. You can gather fruit, but make sure you don’t keep it too long, or else your fruit will rot. I love that twist. Fruit Punch pledges range from $35 to $98. If you’re interested in Punch Bowl, check out its KickStarter page.

Dicey Devices Hatches Its Masterplan on KickStarter

I’ve seen Dicey Devices at numerous Protospiels and even featured a time or two on the Break My Game Discord server, and I’m glad this awesome game is seeing production on KickStarter. Publisher Oragami Whale is new to the tabletop game space, but they’re looking to make a splash, and Dicey Devices certainly does that. Players take on the role of mad scientists.

Activate your laboratory, collect devices, deploy robots, and upgrade your death ray to defeat your mad scientist rivals in Dicey Devices. There’s only room for one ultimate scientist in this engine builder with set collection. If you’re interested in Dicey Devices, check out its KickStarter page.

Bug Fight Takes on KickStarter

Bug Fight reminds me a lot of the classic Battle Line or Schotten Totten. I love these games, so this is a great thing. Players battle for multiple lanes of cards in a tense tug-of-war. The player who controls the most lanes at the end of the game, wins.

Build your team of powerful bugs in Bug Fight. And I just noticed the inclusion of Area Cards. That gives me strong Smash Up vibes, and I’m here for it. These Area Cards may spice up gameplay, causing plenty of potential upsets. Bug Fight looks like a fun, colorful 2-player only game. If you’re interested in Bug Fight, check out its KickStarter page.

Button Shy Games Reprints Some of Their Out Of Print Games on GameFound

Button Shy Games has a simple premise for its line of games: restrict designers to 18 cards. And the results are amazing. Some of board games’ greatest designers have produced games for Button Shy Games, and each game fits inside a wallet. I have a copy of Tussie Mussie and Skulls of Sedlec, but these are Button Shy Games that can be found in print. Button Shy’s upcoming GameFound campaign will feature plenty of out-of-print games. Yes!

Even better, backers will vote on which games they’d like to see get a reprint. I found a handful in the picture above I wouldn’t mind adding to my collection. Stew is fantastic, and Sprawlopolis has been on my radar for years. Few details exist for this campaign. We’ll know more after Button Shy’s Campaign goes live in a few days. If you’re interested in Button Shy’s Reprint Campaign, check out its page on GameFound.

Terra Mystica Returns on GameFound

Terra Mystica has been a member of BoardGameGeek’s Top 50 games ever since it was first released thirteen years ago (2012), and it’s the latest game to receive the GameFound glow-up. I’m liking this trend. Take a game many players love and give it a definitive version. Agricola’s release earlier this year looked amazing. I’m expecting similar things with Terra Mystica, even though we’ve seen few images of what we should find in the box. What’s in the box?!

Terra Mystica has plenty of expansions, and if its updated version follows Agricola’s footsteps (fingers crossed), we should see a new expansion or two. Steamforged Games has a great track record of giving good old games a fresh coat of paint. If you’re interested in Terra Mystica, check out its GameFound page.

Movers & Shakers Launches on GameFound

You know how I was interested in Sprawlopolis earlier? Publisher Quined Games co-published Sprawlopolis with Button Shy Games, and Movers & Shakers is their latest production. Since Movers & Shakers is a new game, we have plenty of pictures.

Movers & Shakers features plenty of gorgeous set pieces and crunchy strategic play. We’re talking Splotter Game (like Food Chain Magnate) levels of strategy in Movers & Shakers, and I would expect nothing less than a train game, wanting to make a mark.

We know little about Movers & Shakers’ gameplay, but the cards appear to be dual-purpose. Always a plus. I love the idea of contracts in a game of pick up and deliver. And spending resources to move is always appreciated. I may not know much–yet–about Movers & Shakers, but the game piques my interest. If it does the same for you, check out Movers & Shakers’ GameFound page.

The Outer Worlds 2 Releases

I enjoyed my time with Obsidian’s The Outer Worlds. It did a great job fusing elements from Shadowrun (companies took over governments with corporatocracies) and various other sci-fi universes by terraforming distant planets into their own images. Add in a dash of Fallout (some of Obsidian’s founders co-created the Fallout series), and you get a tasty diversion in The Outer Worlds.

I can’t wait to get my hands on The Outer Worlds 2. While the original may not have shaken role-playing games to their core, it was a fantastic, single-player experience. And I love it when modern video game companies commit to single-player experiences. Too many video game companies have gone all-in on video games as a service or live-service games. The Outer Worlds 2 has received good to great reviews. I would expect nothing less from an Outer Worlds’ follow-up. The Outer Worlds 2 is available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.

ARC Raiders Releases

Speaking of live-service games, The Finals developer Embark Studios released its follow-up, ARC Raiders, this past week. While The Finals is a free-to-play title, ARC Raiders is a $40 multiplayer experience. Set in a distant future Earth, where mysterious and deadly “ARC” robots have taken over the surface, ARC Raiders puts gamers in the role of rescuers going topside to collect resources, sell, and ultimately save as many survivors as they can.

Embark Studios jump from looter shooter (in The Finals) to ARC Raiders’ extraction shooter is a logical one. With battle royales losing their luster, first-person shooter gamers have been looking for a worthy replacement. Extraction shooters seem to be a good alternative, but there has yet to be one title to capture the community’s imagination. Time will tell if ARC Raiders will become the definitive extraction shooter. It’s available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.

Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake Releases

SquareEnix has had back-to-back stellar remakes these past couple of months. Last month’s Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles and this past week’s Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake prove that SquareEnix has some of the greatest back catalogues in video game history. These titles also show that SquareEnix can go back to basics and deliver a wonderful role-playing experience.

Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake manages to give the older games a facelift while maintaining the originals’ charm. SquareEnix even manages to throw in some added content to pad the games’ short runtime, and Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake completes the original Dragon Quest Trilogy. Last year’s Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is available on modern game systems. It’s great seeing these titles available for new gamers. Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake is available on PC, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.

That’s all the Geek News we have for this week. I’ll be busy with writing and editing on my work in progress, so we may have mostly new releases over the next few weeks. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Whatcha Playing, Geekly? June 2025

Published on by KyraLeave a comment

Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. We have a new month and a new Wednesday, so it’s time for Whatcha Playing. The Geekly writers and I will share the games (video games and tabletop games) we’ve been playing over the past month. Feel free to share which games you’ve been playing, because we’re all part of the Geekly Gang.

Kyra’s Games

As always, I won’t include any of the gacha games I typically play. If I ever stop playing Wuthering Waves or Honkai: Star Rail, I’ll let you know. I also don’t include prototypes of tabletop games I’m developing, like Rustbucket Riots, Whirligig Pets, No Jack, Weeds, or Spill the Beans. Of course, I played those. With that disclaimer out of the way, let’s get to the games.

Board Games

I finally got Sky Team to the table, and it’s excellent. This two-player only game features a fast back-and-forth between one player as the pilot and the other as the co-pilot while they attempt to land a plane. Technically, players aren’t supposed to speak during rounds, but I allow minimal communication. Sky Team is a cooperative game, after all. Players simultaneously roll dice and then place them in their designated spaces, blue for the pilot and orange for the co-pilot. Both roles have specific duties.

Naturally, I chose Skye to be part of my first play of Sky Team. You can’t have a Sky Team without Skye. We played the tutorial and narrowly lost. Skye immediately wanted to play again, and we were able to land the plane on our second try. Sky Team includes numerous scenarios, and I can’t wait to try more.

I’ve played many Button Shy Games over the last month, and the above three games are standout titles. Elizabeth Hargrave’s Tussie Mussie has a great push pull of which flower do I want to show my opponent and which to keep secret. Your opponent will choose between the two flowers: known and unknown. Jason Glover’s Stew takes a similar concept of having partial knowledge of what’s in the Stew because you know which cards you’ve played and not the ones your opponents played. If you think there are enough points in the stew, you call stew and count up points; players gain points if they guess correctly, but their opponents gain points if they guess incorrectly. And Ted Heidersdorf’s Super Slopes is a crazy game of branching slaloms down snow-capped mountains.

I’m hooked on Button Shy Games. This company packs a lot of game into a small package, a wallet to be exact. I mentioned Button Shy Games in our Stocking Stuffer Games list in December. These games are great options for that, but for $12 apiece, Button Shy Games are good any month of the year. I love their portability. I can pack twenty to thirty of these in less space than one standard board game.

Technically, I haven’t played much Cretaceous Rails over the last month; I demoed the game for countless gaming groups. Dinosaurs and trains together at last! Really? I’m surprised the combination of dinosaurs and trains hasn’t happened before Cretaceous Rails. Anyway, I’ve played plenty of this game in the past. It’s over-the-top in its production value. Who doesn’t love four different train miniatures? Seriously, the train minis aren’t just different colors, they’re different train models.

Cretaceous Rails features dinosaur miniatures. Simply put, it has table presence. You’ll hear this game roar from across the room.

Video Games

I know. I know. Ticket to Ride is another board game, but I played the version ported to the PlayStation 4, so it counts as a video game. I always loved the simplicity of Ticket to Ride. Collect enough train cards of a single color, match them to routes (between two cities), and connect cities on the ticket cards you have in your hand in a continuous route. Ticket to Ride modernized Rummy for the modern board game community. The PlayStation 4 version of Ticket to Ride is a great port of the game.

While I prefer the physical version of Ticket to Ride to a digital one, the production value is great. The base game includes the classic United States map and the Europe map. I’ve played Ticket to Ride: Europe a few times before last month, but picking up this copy (on the cheap) has led to more plays on the Europe map. I like the USA map more, but that’s because I don’t know if I quite understand how stations work. Whoops!

Akatsuki: Lord of the Dawn has a silly name. Akatsuki means dawn in Japanese, so the game’s title is Dawn: Lord of the Dawn. Tee hee! Anyway, Akatsuki: Lord of the Dawn is an army RPG. The story didn’t hold my interest. The game mechanisms were interesting–especially Akatsuki: Lord of the Dawn’s method of combining building an army and a country–but the game overstays its welcome by one island. By the time I finished the penultimate island, I had done all the game had to offer. The final island is four times the size of the previous island, and my final hour or two of gameplay was mindlessly autobattling a hundred or so territory tiles.

On a personal note, I saw a screenshot similar to the one above and thought Akatsuki: Lord of the Dawn used a card-driven combat system and got excited. The bottom left-hand corner looks like it could be a hand of cards, but no, it’s a head’s up display made to look like a hand of cards. Oh, well. Akatsuki: Lord of the Dawn was on sale for super cheap, I picked it up, and aside from the final island, I enjoyed my time with this indie game. Akatsuki: Lord of the Dawn took about twenty hours to finish.

That’s what I played this past month. Let’s check in with Season and Skye.

Skye’s Games

I have good news and bad news. The bad news is that I haven’t played many new video games this month to report to y’all. I got super addicted to Ghost of Tsushima and ended up playing non-stop. At least I have a platinum PlayStation trophy to show for it. The good news is that I spent this past weekend at Protospiel Twin Cities.

I typically don’t play board games unless I’m with my friends or family. Honestly, it doesn’t happen as often as it should. Last weekend, I had a unique opportunity to drive up to Minneapolis with our very own Kyra Kyle and play a host of different prototype board games. Behind these games were several different and talented designers.

Protospiel was an amazing experience. Kyra Kyle has been developing games of their own (which they’ve mentioned before), and I got to play them. I love playing Rustbucket Riots and Whirligig Pets. I even got to demo these games more than once. Co-op dice placement and programming adorable robot dogs and kittens. What’s not to love?

But I also had the pleasure of playtesting countless others. Most of these games have working titles or may not be ready to advertise, so most will be unnamed. Among the board game standouts were a simple and effective airline management game, a goofy cooking show contest game, an international travel game, and Spielcraft’s upcoming Primacy (a resource management/conquest game set in a dystopian future).

One of my favorite prototype games centered on becoming the “Master of the Seasons.” I liked its straightforward gameplay, fast-paced turn system, unique artistic design, and emphasis on strategy/point cultivation. If I ever see that game in stores, you bet I’ll be picking it up.

Season’s Games

board games

Woo-hoo! I was able to get some board game time under my belt. Elizabeth Hargrave’s Finspan got review-bombed before it even hit the shelves. I enjoyed Wyrmspan and have 3D printed resources I bought from someone in my hometown. I decided I’d collect everything in the Span series. Finspan is more streamlined than Wyrmspan and features an open hand mechanic. Players dive into the water, gather resources, and complete objectives. There are a finite number of turns each round (or week), so the game doesn’t drag.

One of my favorite things about Finspan is the attention to detail. The designers tried to be as scientifically accurate as possible to the real-world fish featured in the game. There are some artistic liberties, but you can find all of the fish in Finspan in our oceans today.

Video games

My Pokémon addiction returned when I spotted Pokémon Shining Pearl at my local GameStop. I don’t always keep up with the latest Pokémon games, but I’ll play a new one (well, new to me) every few years. Pokémon Shining Pearl is similar to previous games in the Pokémon franchise, but it features a location called the Grand Underground. After players complete the main game and unlock the National Pokédex, they may access a wider variety of Pokémon. There are way more legendary Pokémon to catch in Pokémon Shining Pearl than I’m used to in previous games, so that’s been a blast.

Kyra Kyle again. That does it for this month’s Whatcha Playing. What games have you been playing? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Top 5 Stocking Stuffer Board Game Companies

Top 5 Stocking Stuffer Board Game Companies

Published on by Kyra2 Comments

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. We’re in the middle of the Christmas season. There aren’t that many days until the holiday, so I decided to go with another purchasing guide: stocking stuffer board games. But I don’t want to just do individual games. No, no. Let’s discuss board game companies known for producing good games that can fit inside a stocking.

We’ll have to set some ground rules.

1) The packing must be small enough to fit in at least 50% of stockings.

2) The games must be good. While smaller packaging can lead to compromises, who wants to play a bad game?

3) Extra points for companies that produce various games. It’s easy to find a formula and produce multiple versions of the same game, but I’m handing out brownie points to any company capable of stretching their creative muscles.

With all that out of the way, let’s get to the games, or the board game companies.

5: The Game Crafter (Mint Tin Games)

On the Game Crafter, aspiring game designers can buy board game components for their prototypes. But it also functions as a store for indie board game designers to sell their games. The Game Crafter is a great place to support smaller game companies and indie board game designers directly. We’ll be covering their Mint Tin Games line. These games fit inside a mint tin. Perfect for a stocking.

Price: Varies between $20-$35. Board game designers set their own prices, so mint tin games vary wildly.

Quality: It’s a mixed bag. That’s why Mint Tin Games are fifth on this list. But there is a silver lining. The Game Crafter gives their stamp of approval to any game they view as worth your time.

Variety: Tons! Mint Tin Games are the Wild, Wild West of board games. Think of it as the board game equivalent of the indie video games on Steam. You’ll find games here that you can’t find anywhere else.

Size: 4-inch by 2 1/2-inch mint tins. You can fit these tins into any stocking. I’m surprised by the amount of games you can find that fit inside this packing.

Titles: Again, I’d look at anything that gets the Game Crafter seal, but here are some standouts. I’ve found a ton of excellent solo games. Doom Machine is fantastic. Mint Knight is a fan favorite and a sandbox RPG. What? Astro Asterid’s Quick Shuttle Repair is a fast-paced resource management game. And Deck 52: Space Wrecked is a fun dungeon crawl.

Store Link: (https://www.thegamecrafter.com/games?query=mint&hitsPerPage=18) The Game Crafter (Mint Tin Games).

4: Pack O Game

We had a game series in a mint tin. Pack O Game fits inside a box of chewing gum. How do make a game fit in that tight of a space?

Price: $7 each. By far the cheapest set of games on this list. You can’t beat $7 for a game.

You can also buy a bundle for $50, but that includes 8 games and a pod that can hold all the games from a set, and there are three sets. Even though the pod can hold all the games in a set, it’s still small enough to fit into any stocking.

Quality: Most of the games in this line are good. There can be some duds, but for $7, you can buy a few. And the stellar titles can be fantastic.

Variety: These games use cards shaped like sticks of chewing gum. Despite that, there are plenty of game mechanisms represented in this line.

Size: Don’t worry about it. These are tiny games. These game boxes measure around 5-inch by 1-inch. Crazy small!

Titles: I haven’t played much from the second and third sets, but I played plenty of the first one. Shh must be the best of the bunch; it’s a cooperative word game. Hue and Fly are also good, but I have a soft spot for TKO.

Store Link: Pack O Game by Perplext.

3: All Play Games (Small Box Line)

For the most part, All Play has two sizes of games. We’ll be discussing the smaller (square-shaped) games with this listing. But the larger boxed games are worth perusing as well.

Price: Under $20. Great value for the amount of game inside these small boxes. It’s also a great price for a stocking stuffer.

Quality: While not all the games of this line suit my tastes, the games in All Play’s small box line are baseline good. If something sounds interesting, it’s well worth the price tag.

Variety: All Play has some of the best gameplay variety on this list. You’ll find plenty of themes and gameplay mechanisms that are sure to meet your board game enthusiasts’ preferences.

Size: This is what makes All Play’s small box games third place. This line dominates all the other criteria, but size could be an issue. The small boxes measure 5-inch by 5-inch. That could fit in at least 50% of stockings. Maybe? If you have extra-large stockings, no problem. And who cares if the box protrudes from the stocking’s top?

Titles: I mentioned Chomp in our “Getting Starting with Tile-Laying Games” (you can check out that write-up here); Chomp is an excellent game. Sequoia is another great title. Ghosts of Christmas may be a good thematic game for the season. And I’ve heard great things about Mountain Goats.

Store Link: (https://www.allplay.com/board-games/) All Play Games. Look for the square-shaped game boxes.

2: Button Shy Games

Board game rockstar Elizabeth Hargrave (Wingspan) got her start with Button Shy Games’s Wallet Game line. To date, she has more than one game in the Wallet Game line. As the name suggests, these games fit inside a wallet, so they will definitely fit inside a stocking.

Price: $12 each. Another cheap option with some great games on offer.

Quality: Like All Play’s small box line, most games in Button Shy Games’s Wallet Game line are good. But there are some standouts.

Variety: Most, if not all, of the games in this line use 18-card decks. Each game does something different with its 18-cards but it can get repetitive if you pick up too many at once.

Size: The size of a slim wallet, roughly 5-inches by 3-inches. You won’t have an issue fitting any of these games into your stockings.

Titles: Hargrave’s first published game Tussie Mussie is not in stock before Christmas 2024, but you can pre-order the next printing set for an April 2025 release. But she does have another great game named Picky Pixie.  Mysticana uses a nice twist on rock-paper-scissors, and it has plenty of expansion should you enjoy the core gameplay. Sprawlopolis is a great city-building game. It’s sold out, but its stand-alone sequel Agropolis is available.

Store Link: Button Shy Games Wallet Games line

1: Oink Games

Oink Games have a lot of quirky little games in their line. They have plenty of games that come from East Asia.  More than a few of those will get a mention in the Titles section.

Price: Most are $23, but there are a few that can be a little higher or lower in price.

Quality: Another company that has baseline good games with some standouts.

Variety: Except for All Play’s small box line, Oink Games may have the most variety of any game company (or line) on this list.

Size: The boxes are about 3.5 inches by 2.5 inches. Bigger than most other lines on this list except All Play’s.

Titles: I covered Deep Sea Adventure some time ago with our “Getting Started with Pickup and Delivery Games” writeup (here’s a link); it’s a great title. Scout earned the 2022 Spiel Des Jahres; I may have to check out that one. A Fake Artist Goes to New York is a ton of fun; everyone draws a picture together, but one person (the fake artist) doesn’t know what the group is drawing.

Store Link: Oink Games

That concludes our list. There are a lot of games worth trying. There may even be some that I may have to purchase…as a gift. A gift that’s TOTALLY for someone else.

Did we get the list right? Let us know which companies you would add in the comments. And wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.