Happy Sunday, Geekly Gang! We have another week of Geek News with plenty of new releases. Let’s begin with board games.
SkIIkS Slaloms Onto GameFound
Hop on the ski lifts, race down the slopes, and dive into an apres-ski with no limits. But beware of other skiers and their sneaky moves, as well as your own indulgences. Opponents may force you to fall or cause you to lose credits. I love the inclusion of fondue overload. I hate it when I do that before hitting the slopes.
SkIIkS features plenty of special cards. It plays quickly, and that’s a fantastic thing for a game with strong take-that elements. Two pledge levels exist: $35 for one copy or $60 for two copies. If you’re interested in SkIIkS, check out its GameFound page.
The Wandmaker’s Apprentice Crafts Its Way Onto GameFound
Craft your legacy or wield the shadows. The choice is yours in The Wandmaker’s Apprentice. The game takes place after a falling out between a master wandmaker and their apprentice. In this game for 1 or 2 players, players have the choice of assuming the role of The Wandmaker, crafting genuine wands from resources like wood, gems, dragonbone, and stardust, or The Apprentice, who perfects the art of persuasion to peddle dark magical objects, while avoiding the Magical Authorities.
The Wandmaker’s Apprentice takes about an hour to play. Its asymmetric gameplay sounds unique and exciting. It features quick turns and high player interaction. Judging by the tight board, players will have plenty of opportunities to foil their opponent’s plans. If you’re interested in The Wandmaker’s Apprentice, check out its GameFound page.
Kalypso Emerges on KickStarter
Kalypso combines tile-laying and survival gameplay in a cozy board game. The waters continue to rise, and you must band together to rescue survivors. Each round, players draft tiles and expand their settlement, manage resources, place structures, and guide survivors across platforms of rusted metal and driftwood.
I love Kalypso’s versatility. You can play solo, cooperatively, or competitively. What? Kalypso features gorgeous watercolor art. Watercolor? That’s a nice touch. You can catch fish by enclosing them in your structures. Nice. And I’m a sucker for any game that uses simultaneous action selection. Players simultaneously place their tiles, which should speed up game rounds.
But wait, it gets better. Kalypso’s tiles feature Holdfast Coating technology, which may be a game-changer. Holdfast tiles stick (like magnets) to the game board, so you won’t ruin a game by knocking into the table. That’s amazing. Kalypso offers two pledge amounts: $119 for the Deluxe Edition and $54 for the Standard Edition. If you’re interested in Kalypso, check out its KickStarter page.
Silent Hill f Travels to a New Fictional City
Silent Hill f shakes up its usual formula. The newest game in the long-running horror survival series takes place in the fictional village of Ebisugaoka, Japan, during the 1960s. But Silent Hill f takes more than a few new swings with its formula. The newest Silent Hill game features plenty of melee combat. And according to Silent Hill f’s creative team, the series had become too westernized. Silent Hill f is 100% Japanese horror. And just in time for Spooky Season.
Silent Hill f has received favorable reviews. It’s available on PlayStation5, Xbox Series S/X, and PC. There’s no word yet if Silent Hill f will get ported to the Nintendo Switch 2. Fingers crossed. I haven’t played a Silent Hill game in several years. Silent Hill f may be right up my alley. I’m sure Season wouldn’t mind delving into the Japanese culture Silent Hill f explores.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Turns Heads
In a year that saw Mario Kart World release, I was shocked to read some video game reviewers (like Game Informer) state, “Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is the most well-rounded kart racer of the year.” What? Could Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds give the latest Mario Kart a run for its money?
When I saw Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds plastered on the PlayStation Store, I dismissed it as a Mario Kart clone, but judging by the rave reviews this game has received, I may need to take notice. To be fair, plenty of video game reviewers haven’t cared for Mario Kart’s creative direction in the past two entries, so the high ratings make sense with Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds taking a classic approach to kart racing. I’m all for an old-school Mario Kart-style racer.
And take a look at some of the featured characters/intellectual properties above: Pac-Man, Mega Man, Spongebob Squarepants, Yakuza, Persona 5, Hatsune Miku, and Minecraft. Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds has a stellar cast of characters available at launch, with more potential characters to be added in the future. Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is available for PC, PlayStation4, PlayStation5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, Nintendo Switch, and Switch 2. I may need to drive some karts. Tee hee!
That’s all the Geek News we have for this past week. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. Today marks the third Geekly Casting post we’ve made with the new format, and the movie we’re casting today is the upcoming live-action Legend of Zelda movie. We almost have another two years before this movie releases in theaters, but that doesn’t mean we can’t speculate who should play each role. As usual, I’ll kick off this post with modern actors, and then Skye will step in with some historical actors for a dream casting. Feel free to share who you think should portray the characters in the upcoming live-action Legend of Zelda movie.
The Legend of Zelda doesn’t have as many recurring characters as other video game franchises, but we’ll need to set up a few ground rules before determining which roles to cast. Namely, which Legend of Zelda games will comprise the characters for the movie’s script?
Our resident movie geek, Skye, who has also happened to play most Legend of Zelda games, and I narrowed the games to Ocarina of Time and Breath of the Wild. Most moviegoers will know Breath of the Wild (along with Tears of the Kingdom, Breath of the Wild is the most recent Zelda video game duology), while Ocarina of Time is one of the first classic Zelda games that added a healthy dose of mythology. Both are stellar games. We couldn’t decide on one over the other, but the Legend of Zelda movie could pull from more than one video game. Let’s merge Ocarina of Time and Breath of the Wild.
Note: Kyra Kyle wrote their segment well before the official Legend of Zelda movie cast its Link and Zelda. They chose to keep their original actors in their roles instead of listing who got cast. Oh. What could’ve been?
Young Adult Link: Morgan Davies
Morgan Davies is a young actor with many high-profile roles in his short career. Danny from Evil Dead Rise and Koby from the Netflix live-action One Piece series top his resume. With his experience, Morgan Davies should have no problem pulling off a twenty-something Link. It doesn’t matter if the Legend of Zelda’s director chooses for Link to be a silent protagonist (like early-era Zelda games) or if Link will have a speaking role. Davies has the talent and the look for Link. He also pairs well (in age) with who I have planned for Princess Zelda.
I know. I know. Morgan Davies is one half of the Link/Zelda meme that’s going around, and I’m going with the other half, too. This pairing is too perfect.
Princess Zelda: Hunter Schafer
Yes! I went with Hunter Schafer as Princess Zelda. She looks just like her. I couldn’t believe those were her actual ears. I love it. Schafer also has a small but impressive experience. Tigris Snow in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes and Jules Vaughn in Euphoria top her resume. She’s an actress with the ability and the look to pull off the title character, Princess Zelda. I don’t care if Hunter Schafer as Princess Zelda is a meme at this point. Schafer, in this role, makes too much sense. Make this happen, Nintendo.
Ganon/Ganondorf: Sterling K. Brown
I cast Sterling K. Brown in a lot of different roles. That’s because the This Is Us actor is phenomenal, and I’d love to see him in just about anything. Sterling K. Brown will bring a layered approach to the role of Ganon or Ganondorf (depending on which Legend of Zelda story the movie chooses). My fear is that Ganon could be boiled down to a cardboard cutout villain. Sterling K. Brown wouldn’t let that happen. He’d give us a Ganon performance for the ages.
Young Link: Christian Convery
I’m including Christian Convery as Young Link because the main game mechanism in Ocarina of Time is that Link goes back to when he’s a child. We may need a Young Link. Christian Convery (star of the Netflix series Sweet Tooth) looks like a young Morgan Davies and could hold his own as an actor, but he could age out of the role. Young Link is definitely one of those roles you could cast an unknown.
Impa: Michelle Yeoh
The incomparable Michelle Yeoh would make a great Impa at any age. Impa is one of those characters whose age varies greatly from one Legend of Zelda game to the next. Everything, Everywhere, All at Once’s Yeoh has had plenty of experience portraying action roles (at various ages) and has the acting chops to pull off one of Princess Zelda’s loyal protectors. My only doubt in casting Yeoh as Impa is that it could be seen as typecasting. But I love Impa as a character, and Yeoh would be fantastic in this role.
Saria: Maisie Williams
Saria is one of the first sages Link meets during Ocarina of Time. She’s even the sage who presents Link with his very own fairy, Navi. More on Navi in a minute. Maisie Williams has plenty of history acting in a fantasy setting. See her work as Arya in Game of Thrones. Williams has a knack for playing characters who defy social norms. Saria is the only sage to stand up for Link when Mido spread rumors that Link was responsible for the Great Deku Tree’s death. Saria is added in sealing away Ganon during the Ocarina of Time’s finale.
Navi: Awkwafina
I’m doing this one for the LOLs. Many argue that Awkwafina gets cast as a voice actor far too often. In fact, she was in ten animated movies or television shows in two years. Some people claim that Awkwafina getting cast in yet another voice acting role would be so annoying. Enter Navi, one of the most annoying characters in video game history. Hey! Listen! Can you hear Awkwafina screaming, Hey, Listen over and over again? I can. It’s hilarious.
Skull Kid: Elliot Page
There’s a debate as to whether Skull Kid makes an appearance in Ocarina of Time or not. Even if you believe Skull Kid doesn’t appear in Ocarina of Time, you can always tease the antagonist of a future Zelda movie by giving Skull Kid (the main antagonist during the events of Majora’s Mask) a cameo. Over his long, illustrious career, we haven’t seen Elliot Page portray too many villains. Page could make for a great dark and twisted version of Link.
Riju: Lana Condor
Lana Condor made her acting debut as Jubilee in the X-Men film franchise, but she gained international stardom with the All the Boys series. Despite Riju being one of the youngest leaders in Breath of the Wild, she rules with kindness and wisdom beyond her years. Lana Condor has built a solid resume that shows her versatility. She’ll need to tap into all of that experience while playing Riju.
Mipha: Auli’i Cravalho
Mipha rules a tribe of half-human, half-dolphin species. Reserved and introverted, Mipha is fiercely loyal to her friends, especially Link. In fact, during events in Breath of the Wild, Mipha insists that she and Link schedule some one-on-one time after the final battle. Auli’i Cravalho got her big break as the voice actor behind Moana. She’s kept busy in Hollywood and Broadway as a triple-threat (acting, singing, and dancing). Cravlho could easily pull off the strong but kind Mipha.
Revali: Dan Levy
Humanoid bird Revali will be full CGI, so it doesn’t matter if the actor portraying him looks similar to the character. Revali’s temperament is more in play. The champion of the Rito tribe is arrogant and has a sardonic outward personality, especially when he’s around Link. Dan Levy could easily pull off such a character, and he gets extra points because Revali looks like he’s a fully transformed version of Moira Rose’s (Catherine O’Hara’s) role in The Crowening, which is a reference to Dan Levy’s television mother in Schitt’s Creek.
Prince Sidon: Lamorne Morris
Lamorne Morris may be too old to portray Prince Sidon, but this role will use heavy CGI. That means that it matters if Morris’s vibe matches Sidon. The prince of the Zora people is enthusiastic and sees the sunny side of situations. That reminds me of Morris’s character on New Girl. He brings energy to all of his roles and would make a fantastic Prince Sidon.
Urbosa: Laverne Cox
Champion of the Gerudo, Urbosa is an imposing figure. Tall, slender, and muscular, Urbosa’s frame doesn’t match her personality. She’s a gentle and kind leader who only uses her strength and combat prowess when needed. Orange is the New Blacks’ Laverne Cox would make a perfect Urbosa. Laverne Cox deserves to be in more franchises. Watching her act opposite Sterling K. Brown’s Ganon would be a joy.
That’s all I have for my Legend of Zelda casting. Let’s see what Skye has in store.
Skye’s Picks
The choices I made for this casting call were my trickiest yet. In the past, the roles I’ve cast have been well-developed with complex backstories and personalities. For The Legend of Zelda, the characters aren’t “people” so much as “archetypes.” Not that I dislike these characters, but being a symbol as opposed to a person makes it harder for me to find people to fill these roles. I’m happy with the choices I made, but wow. I spent way longer on this than any sane person should have. Either way, these are my choices.
Link: Josh Hutcherson
Link was the last role I filled. It took me a while to figure out who could be both young enough and old enough to pull off Link’s look while having enough acting experience for a non-speaking role. In the end, Josh Hutcherson felt like a good choice. He’s been acting since he was a child and at an age where he can pass as a young adult. That’s perfect for Link. Also, if the filmmakers decided to keep Link mute, Hutcherson has the expressions and body language to come across as strong and stoic.
Zelda: Hunter Schafer
Zelda was the easiest role for me to cast. I had heard talk online about the possibility of Hunter Schafer playing Zelda, and I was on board as soon as I saw her. Just look at her. That’s not an actress playing Zelda, that’s literally Zelda. Case closed. I knew that Kyra Kyle was going to choose her for this role as well, so I spent a while considering who else I thought could fit this role. In the end, I just couldn’t find anyone. Hunter Schafer is living proof of the existence of the Goddess Hylia.
Ganon/Ganondorf: Alan Rickman (Posthumously)
Ganon was an interesting role to cast. I’m unsure which version of Zelda the film will be based on, but Alan Rickman could’ve made a great Ganon in more ways than one. If they’re going for a ruthless monster, Alan Rickman could’ve done it. If they’re going for a sly, calculating Ganondorf, Alan Rickman would’ve been amazing. In more ways than one, Alan Rickman could’ve given us a layered and interesting villain with his interpretation of Ganon/Ganondorf. Unfortunately, we’ll never see it. Rest in peace.
Young Link: (Young) Haley Joel Osment
Haley Joel Osment was the go-to child actor back in the 90s. He had loads of experience as a young actor. Given that, I don’t think he ever did a non-speaking role, so the possibility of Haley Joel Osment as Young Link could’ve been attention-getting. To me, he exudes the energy of having a lot of potential, hidden wisdom, and a good heart, which is exactly what you want for Young Link. Can I live in the timeline where Haley Joel Osment plays Young Link?
Impa: Uma Thurman
Impa has been portrayed in a variety of different ways in the Zelda series. If the filmmakers decide to go the route of Ocarina of Time, Uma Thurman would be a great Impa. Given her experience in several movie roles over her prolific career, Thurman could easily pass as the attendant/protector/guide of Princess Zelda. With Thurman’s expertise as a character actress, I have no doubt she could pull off a wise, measured, and strong character like Impa.
Saria: Mara Wilson
Mara Wilson is yet another prolific 90s child actor. I’m not going to act like every role she had in her heyday was great, but Wilson brought a Saria-esque energy to each of them. Although I have more confidence that she could play Saria now than before. Since The Legend of Zelda’s story is constantly in flux, I’m sure the writers could find an excuse for Saria to be older than she originally appeared in Ocarina of Time. That’s what I like about Zelda. Just look at that side-by-side. Need I say more?
Navi: Tress MacNeille
Speaking of having fun with things, Navi was my favorite role to cast. After hearing Kyra Kyle’s choice for the role, I thought it made a lot of sense. I gave it some thought, and I feel like I found another comedically inclined actress. Putting Tress MacNeille’s experience aside, she has the comedic chops and vocals to add a much-needed sense of levity to the film. While Navi is known for her pesky nature, Tress MacNeille could be a great balance of funny, annoying, and lovable.
Skull Kid: (Young) Jim Carrey
On the surface, I think it’s unlikely for the filmmakers to go the Majora’s Mask route. It’s a bit too niche of a Zelda title and not emblematic of the whole series. However, a young Jim Carrey would make a great Skull Kid if they did. Since Skull Kid’s face is rarely shown, much of his personality would come through his physicality, and that screams young Jim Carrey to me. He could pull off a combination of funny, mischievous, creepy, and dramatic all in one role. Also, the fact he’d be wearing a mask would be a fun in-joke to his 1994 film, The Mask.
Riju: Naomi Scott
I don’t care for the 2019 Aladdin. Who does? However, Naomi Scott as Jasmine is a notable strength of the film. Scott showed dedication to her craft despite a lack of script support, and making her Riju in The Legend of Zelda movie could give her a real chance to shine. Riju, as the chieftain of the Gerudo Tribe, has a fearless disposition and commands authority. Since Riju recently became chieftain, Naomi Scott could convey that, despite her inexperience, Riju is trying her best.
Mipha: Tami Stronach
It’s been a minute since I’ve played Breath of the Wild and, by proxy, seen what Mipha looks like. After I saw images of her, I couldn’t get the thought of The Child-Like Empress from NeverEnding Story out of my head. So, I’m going with Tami Stronach as Mipha. As time has passed, Stronach has accepted more producing roles, but she does act here and there. Since she defined what royalty looked like for one generation, she could do the same for another as Mipha.
Revali: Jeremy Renner
There isn’t much explanation behind my choice of Jeremy Renner as Revali. Even in Breath of the Wild, Revali didn’t get much development or an identity. He was the ancient champion of the Rito (bird) tribe. He’d likely be created through make-up, CGI, or a combination of the two. Pretty much any actor who plays Revali would work. It’s funny for me to imagine Jeremy Renner getting typecast as a bow user. That’s the only reason I picked Renner. Tee-hee!
Prince Sidon: (Young) Ryan Gosling
When I imagine the character of Prince Sidon, he’s the goofball partner who enriches your adventure while having your back. That’s why I couldn’t help but imagine a younger Ryan Gosling in this role. Back in the day, Gosling had a way of portraying characters with likable personalities, charming relationships, and a comedic edge. Gosling still has those capabilities, but a younger version of him would be a better fit for this role. Sidon is also meant to be Mipha’s younger brother.
Urbosa: Padma Lakshmi
Unfortunately, Padma Lakshmi doesn’t have many mainstream roles today, but the Urbosa role has her written all over it. As the ancient champion of the Gerudo Tribe, Urbosa is a gallant, stalwart, and authoritative fighter. Urbosa has the strength, finesse, and know-how to bring her enemies to their knees, and that’s why I can’t help but imagine Padma Lakshmi as her. While Lakshmi’s age may put limits on what she’s physically capable of, her personality is perfect. It would also be great to see her in another mainstream film.
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here again. Those are our picks for the upcoming Legend of Zelda movie. Who would you cast in these roles? Heck, would add anyone else to this cast of characters? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Happy Sunday, Geekly Gang! We have another week of geek news. This week saw plenty of new releases for board games and video games, and we’ll get to them in a minute. But first, we have a little news from the MCU.
MCU Updates
First, Avengers: Doomsday completed filming this past week. Future reshoots could occur, but principal photography has been completed, and that’s great news, considering Avengers: Doomsday experienced a lot of issues while filming.
According to industry insider Alex Perez (via The Cosmic Circus), with a good track record for getting MCU rumors correct, we should receive a Wanda Maximoff (Scarlet Witch) variant in Avengers: Doomsday. Magneto will be established as the ruler of Genosha, and there should be a mutant royal family (of sorts), which will include Magneto, Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, and Polaris. This idea has been in the works since Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The main story the MCU would like to explore is Scarlet Witch and Magneto’s relationship as father and daughter.
There are a few potential issues with this news. How is the MCU going to be able to explore a dynamic like this in a movie with a massive cast? Will Sir Ian McKellen portray a Magneto who’s also Elizabeth Olsen’s father? The MCU must be casting younger actors for these upcoming X-Men roles. But everything we’ve heard over the past several months leans toward McKellen (Magneto) and Olsen (Scarlet Witch). We’ve seen images of Avengers: Doomsday filming at a castle. At the time, we thought the castle was meant to represent Castle Doomstadt (Dr. Doom’s castle). Combining the rumor of a mutant first family, the castle may be meant for Magneto and his family.
As evidenced in The Marvels’ closing scene (with established MCU characters and Kelsey Grammer’s Beast), the MCU has shown that it will mix and match characters from multiple timelines as if they’d known each other for decades, so a father and daughter reunion in Avengers: Doomsday isn’t out of the question. Even though I love the story, I doubt we’ll get a storyline as dense and layered as House of M. The MCU won’t have enough time to do that story justice. Avengers: Doomsday will be packed.
The Sheep Stalks KickStarter
The Sheep may be the funniest horror board game I’ve heard of yet. Sheep are the apex predators, and shepherds (each player chooses from one of six unique shepherds) must guide their flock during the day, while avoiding the Sheep, who transform into apex predators at night.
I love The Sheep’s premise. Using their equipment, traits, and curses players work together to stop the Sheep before they can reach the caravans. The Sheep sounds like a baaad aaaass game. It plays 2-4 players with 40 minute playtime for each player in the game. Pledges range from $35-$240, and there is an option to just purchase The Sheep’s adorable Eldritch Sheep Plushie with posable tentacles. Season may need one of those. If you’re interested in The Sheep, check out its KickStarter page.
Making Monsters Shambles onto KickStarter
Players take the role of mad scientists in Making Monsters. Featuring a unique push-your-luck bag-building mechanism, Making Monsters has player simultaneously draw (from the bag) and assemble monster parts. You try to complete powerful creatures. If you play things too safe, you’ll fall behind. If you try to build too fast, you’ll watch your monsters crumble.
Making Monsters is another goofy horror board game. This one is designed by board game veteran Jonathan Gilmour-Long (Dead of Winter, Dinosaur Island, and Wasteland Express Delivery Service). Unlike many other board games on crowdfunding sites, Making Monsters has a quick turnaround. The files are complete, and game production is underway, so backers can expect the game in about six months (typically, wait times are at least a year). If you’re interested in Making Monsters, check out its KickStarter page.
SandCastle Launches on GameFound
Build the most beautiful sandcastle by managing your time between construction, fishing, collecting seashells, and handling whims. Use your equipment strategically and defend yourself against the waves by reinforcing your walls. Whoever builds the most impressive SandCastle, wins.
I love the concept of this cozy game. SandCastle. Bro Games Edition is a relatively new company, but they feature several eco-friendly production practices and employ people with disabilities. SandCastle tries its best to cause minimal ecological impact and may show the way to a more ethical way to produce board games. If you’re interested in SandCastle, check out its GameFound page.
A-Mazing Game of Gears’N Guffaws Chugs onto GameFound
In A-Mazing Game of Gears’N Guffaws, players navigate a shifting clockwork maze, control hidden characters, and outwit your opponents. On your turn, move, reveal, and rotate your way through a city on the brink–but your true allegiance remains secret…for now. A-Mazing Game of Gears’N Guffaws features a solo mode, but you can also play semi-cooperatively or fully competitive with others. Players don’t know who belongs to which faction. Trust no one.
I love A-Mazing Game of Gears’N Guffaws options. I’m unsure how a game could support semi-cooperative and fully competitive game modes, but I’m here for it. The theme is fun. I like how you may choose to reveal characters and/or rotate tiles so they match your goals. A-Mazing Game of Gears’N Guffaws may have one of the longest names, and I’m hoping its replay value is just as long. If you’re interested in A-Mazing Game of Gears’N Guffaws, check out its GameFound page.
Pink Soup Game Cooks on GameFound
Steeped in Lithuanian heritage (and culinary arts), Pink Soup Game has players hunt for ingredients and cook up the strangest–and most iconic-Lithuanian recipes to become the ultimate Chef Champion. But beware, your opponents are waiting for the perfect moment to sneak a hot chili pepper into your pot, and ruin your dish.
There’s a lot to like about Pink Soup Game. While I don’t know exactly how the game is played (GameFound isn’t always as forthcoming with gameplay as KickStarter), Pink Soup Game features language-independent play, which is always a plus. I love the theme. Cooking themes are always a plus, and the fact that Pink Soup Game showcases Lithuanian cuisine (a culture I’m less familiar with) puts this game on my radar. I even love the idea that followers can pick which Lithuanian dessert enters the final game. If you’re interested in Pink Soup Game, check out its GameFound page.
Stranger Antiquities Releases
I’ve been on a shop management game kick lately, and Strange Antiquities scratches that itch. Strange Antiquities puts the player in the role of a store dealing in occult antiquities. Similar to Tiny Bookshop, Strange Antiquities has players explore a quaint town, but Strange Antiquities amps up the mystery to a thousand. Find and identify arcane artifacts and use your collection to aid the townsfolk with their unusual problems.
I love the puzzle Strange Antiquities presents. Strange Antiquities is the continuation of Strange Horticulture. If you love that puzzle, you’ll love Strange Antiquities. I haven’t yet dived into Strange Antiquities, but something tells me it’ll be a great ride. I’ve added it to my wishlist on Steam, and after I purchase the game, I’ll most likely write a review. Strange Antiquities is available on the Nintendo Switch and PC. If you’re interested in Strange Antiquities, check out its Steam store page.
Dying Light: The Beast Releases
After years of brutal experiments, you want revenge. Dying Light: The Beast features a unique blend of open world and survival horror as you hunt down the man who transformed you into half man, half beast. Dying Light: The Beast makes for a great spooky season video game, and the critics hold Dying Light in high regard.
Dying Light: The Beast continues the Dying Light series’ story. In fact, Dying Light: The Beast puts players in the role of Kyle Crane, who was the protagonist of the first Dying Light game. I have yet to play Dying Light: The Beast, but the premise sounds interesting–taking the Dying Light series to an open-world map. You had me at survival horror and open-world. The game supports a 4-player cooperative multiplayer mode. We’re unsure if Dying Light: The Beast is cross-platform yet. It’s available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Wander Stars Releases
In Wander Stars, unleash custom attacks by combining words in this Super! Anime! Turn-Based! RPG! Collect all 200 words, earn Pep Ups from honorable victories, and become a Kiai master. Befriend your rivals, uncover dark mysteries, and seek out the pieces of the Wanderstar map in a wild race across the universe.
Young martial artist Ringo searches for her brother, and Wolfe, a mysterious scoundrel running from his past, as they join forces in an unlikely partnership to collect the pieces of the fabled Wanderstar Map. Wander Stars follows a 10-episode anime-inspired adventure. Ringo and Wolfe must work together to find answers, make up for past mistakes, and travel across the universe in search of their goal. Wander Stars is available on Nintendo Switch and PC.
That’s all the Geek News we have for this week. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Happy Sunday, Geekly Gang! Today’s another good day for Geek News over the past week. We begin with some quotes from Marvel CEO Kevin Feige and the latest gossip from Marvel Studios and the MCU.
Two Captain Americas in the MCU
Marvel CEO Kevin Feige opted for a Marvel HQ sit-down instead of a massive Comic-Con Announcement this year. During this sit-down, Feige answered several reporters’ questions. One of his most notable responses was Eventually, we will have to recast Tony Stark and Steve Rogers. The way Feige phrased his response made it sound as if the recast of the MCU’s original Avengers would occur years into the future, but one industry insider (a relatively new one named James Mack WL) believes a Tony Stark and Steve Rogers recast could occur much sooner than we think. According to this source, they believe the MCU will commit to two Captain Americas (a new Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson) post Avengers: Secret Wars.
There’s a lot to unpack here. Feige has stated that he believes this year’s Captain America: Brave New World flopped because it didn’t feature Steve Rogers (or Chris Evans). This could sound like a knock against Anthony Mackie. Honestly, Mackie was by no means the main reason why Captain America: Brave New World underperformed. I don’t think Feige even meant to imply that. He may have been lamenting his letting Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans go prematurely from the MCU. Downey leaped at the opportunity to rejoin the MCU, and Chris Evans might not be too far behind.
But what does this mean for the Captain America character? The comics have had two simultaneous Captain Americas, and it worked. Having a second Cap shouldn’t detract from Mackie’s Sam Wilson. Heck, it could be interesting to see two heroes compete for the throne of best Cap. My guess is that Mackie and another actor could portray the Star Spangled Hero. The MCU could recast Steve Rogers while Mackie’s still in the Sam Wilson role, but it doesn’t make a lot of sense to have a different actor portray the character opposite Mackie’s Sam Wilson, because Mackie’s Sam has such a long history with Evans’s Steve. My guess is that Evans could return to the Steve Rogers role.
No matter who portrays Steve Rogers, we should be seeing the character return to the MCU. And sooner than we think.
Robo Rescue Lifts Off on KickStarter
Years after humans left a Martian Research Facility, four abandoned robots embark on an adventure to reunite with their human creators on Earth. Robo Rescue puts gamers in the roles of one of these robots. Program and move your robot pal, collect resources with board actions (in an ever-changing warehouse), convert resources to essential parts, and repair all rocket engines, so you can return home.
Robo Rescue uses a unique programmable movement mechanism. Its ever-changing board looks amazing and should facilitate multiple play-throughs. The pictures we see above are from Robo Rescue’s prototype. The final product should look even better. Pledges range from $56 to $99. If you’re interested in Robo Rescue, check out its KickStarter page.
Zairoo Launches on KickStarter
Tabletop roleplaying game Zairoo showcases a Pan-African Fantasy world. Five vibrant kingdoms rise from the ruins of a cataclysmic past. In this alternate 17th-18th century, where African and New Afrikan Myths come alive, players step into a land where science, spirituality, and the supernatural intertwine.
I learned about Zairoo several months ago and have been waiting for its release. The game looks amazing. The concept has me intrigued. Zairoo blends classic African and New Afrikan myths. It offers a fantasy world seldom and desperately needed to be explored. Pledges range from $20 to $300 (many of the larger pledges include charitable donations). If Zairoo interests you, check out its KickStarter page.
Gamusinos Skitters onto GameFound
In Gamusinos, players take on the role of unique animals, trying to find their way to a sanctuary. Players attempt to score the most points by playing experts for their animal, but you’ll also need to discover which hunter freed the animals to prevent them from taking the precious chamois.
Gamusinos features adorable art and hidden roles. Can you deduce which animal is which? If Gamusinos sounds interesting, check out its GameFound page.
Snorkeling Launches on GameFound
Featuring stunning art, Snorkeling pits gamers against each other in an underwater, fast-paced, card-shedding game. During a turn in Snorkeling, players can play as many cards as they want from their hand that are exactly one value (numerically) higher than the top card of the center pile and the same color as the top card in the center. Then, you may strike your rivals by placing a card exactly one value lower than the top card in their personal pile, forcing them closer to the dreaded surface.
A round ends when one player receives a 0 value “Beach” card in front of them. Everyone scores points based on the card on top of their pile. The first to reach 12 points wins the game. Snorkeling has a simple concept and should be easy for gamers new to the hobby. We don’t yet know much about Snorkeling’s price point–although I can’t see it being too much–but if you’re interested in Snorkeling, check out its GameFound page.
No More Dead: New York Shambles Onto GameFound
No More Dead: New York puts players in the driver’s seat to either lead the rebirth of civilization or watch its downfall. Blending area control, resource management, and tactical decision-making, No More Dead: New York has players traverse NYC’s iconic neighborhoods in their vans, strategically deploy their team to gather resources, or conquer and restore key locations by eliminating threats.
No More Dead: New York offers plenty of replay value. Each survivor has their own unique capabilities. Can you build the perfect team to survive the Zombie Apocalypse? If you’re interested in No More Dead: New York, check out its GameFound page.
Borderlands 4 Released
The next installment in Gearbox and 2K’s fan-favorite co-op looter shooter Borderlands launched this past week. Borderlands 4 is the largest and most important video game launch from this past week, so we’ll break down all we know about the crossplay capabilities, because let’s face it, you’re going to want to play a co-op looter shooter like Borderlands 4 with friends.
Borderlands 4 was released on PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S and will be released on the Nintendo Switch 2 early next month. Borderlands 4 will support crossplay, but this gets a little tricky. If you and your friend are on Xbox and PC, you can play together easily, provided you both have free Gearbox Shift accounts. Unfortunately, neither cross-save nor cross-progression will be available on day one. But there’s hope these will be added at a future date. In classic Sony PlayStation fashion, Borderlands 4 may not support crossplay on PlayStation 5 on day one, but like cross-save and cross-progression, players may gain this capability in the future.
The future looks bright. Borderlands 4 has received above-average reviews. We may have to open the Kairos Vault. See you soon.
Those are all the new releases we had for video games and board games from the previous week. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Happy Sunday, Geekly Gang! We don’t have much for geek news this week. Hopefully, we’ll have more headlines in the coming weeks. Instead of a bombshell or two, let’s get right into board game and video game new releases.
The Game Makers Returns to KickStarter
What board game fan hasn’t dreamt of making their own games? The Game Makers puts you in the shoes of a board game company, producing the most and best games you possibly can, and it returns to KickStarter this past week. Only this time, The Game Makers ditches the puns on popular board games and includes hundreds of real-world board games for you to create.
The Game Masters’ central action selection system is amazing. Players take snappy simultaneous turns by moving their forklifts along the four available options for production. This feature allows for games of less than 90 minutes, even when a game includes six players.
I’m also a big fan of dual-purpose cards. The Game Makers has these in spades. The Game Makers pledges range between $149-199, so it’s a little on the pricy side, but the game is well worth the cost. If you’re interested in running your own board game company, check out The Game Makers’ KickStarter page.
Endearment Commences on KickStarter
If you’re a huge Jane Austen and board game fan, Endearment is for you. Endearment allows gamers to become one of Austen’s beloved heroines and recreate many of her classic works in this swoonworthy game for one to four romantics.
Endearment is produced by Dux Somnium Games, which had other hits like Botany, La Fleur, and Artistry. Endearment continues the board game company’s flair for the dramatic. Dux Somnium Games has a reputation for high-quality components and easy-to-learn rules. While I don’t know the specifics for Endearment’s ruleset, I’ve ascertained it’s a scenario-based game (with scenarios based on Austen’s work), and that should add some replay ability for Endearment.
I’m intrigued by Endearment. The components look amazing, and Dux Somnium Games has a knack for capturing a theme. That’ll be much needed for Austen fans. Endearment pledges range from $49 to $329, with plenty of options in between those two price points. If you’re wanting to get your romantic gaming on, check out Endearment’s KickStarter page.
Terrorscape 2 Returns to GameFound
Terrorscape 2 channels Dead by Daylight in this team-based asymmetric horror game. Players take on the role of survivors or the killer in this epic game of cat and mouse.
Terrorscape 2 features a 3D mansion, high-quality miniatures, and variable setups for plenty of replays. Since Terrorscape 2 is launching on GameFound, we don’t know much about its pledge levels, but it will launch on September 9, 2025 and if you’re interested in Terrorscape 2, check out its GameFound page.
Lost Games Launches a Four-Game Package on GameFound
Lost Games joins the latest trend of board game companies offering their entire annual catalogue in a single campaign. Wishland has received rave reviews, and it makes up half of the four games on offer in Lost Games’ four-game GameFound package. That’s a great sign. Lost Games’ other three games have also received favorable reviews. I love the idea of a board game company releasing all of its games in a single campaign.
And Lost Games offers a lot of value with its three or four-game bundle. Dreamwood, Medieval Realms, and Wishland: The Card Game are available with a $39 pledge (that’s three games for about $13 apiece), while gamers can include the Wishland Big Box (with all the expansions) for a pledge of $120. Sure, $80 is a lot for one game, but this is a game with at least three expansions, and you still get the previous three games at the same price. If you’re interested in Lost Games’ three or four-game bundle, check out its GameFound page.
Hollow Knight: Silksong Releases
Hollow Knight fans rejoice. The long-awaited Hollow Knight: Silksong sequel released this past week. Hollow Knight: Silksong won Unity Awards’ “Most Anticipated Game” in 2021 and 2024. So, fans have been waiting for half a decade, and Hollow Knight: Silksong looks like it delivers.
Hollow Knight: Silksong’s protagonist Hornet leaps through the air with ease. Hornet offers more gameplay options than their predecessor. They can flip over huge enemies like a gymnast and pull off insane acrobatic feats, and Hornet will need all of their tricks to make it through Hollow Knight: Silksong’s punishing platforming levels. Fortunately, healing receives an overhaul in Hollow Knight: Silksong. Instead of a slow drip heal like the Knight, Hornet can instantly heal three health nodes and can do so on the move. But beware. Hornet has a silk meter, and healing three nodes of health immediately empties the bar.
Hollow Knight: Silksong is available on multiple platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. There are so many options. Hopefully, one of our writers will get enough hours in-game for an upcoming review.
Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots Releases
The long-running golf video game series Everybody’s Golf/Hot Shots received its first new release in almost ten years, combining the game’s original title (Everybody’s Golf) and North American (Hot Shots Golf) title, Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots. Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots features over 10 golf courses and 25 golfers who (like in former entries) can be unlocked as playable characters.
Honestly, I haven’t played Everybody’s Golf for more than a session or two since the original PlayStation Portable. The series offers a lot of varied and goofy play. From what I can remember, Everybody’s Golf has plenty of depth in play, too. Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots received some backlash for its use of AI-generated images. But according to a GameRant article, Bandai explained AI-generated images were limited to “leaf and tree textures” on the golf courses. Background tree textures can be tedious to recreate, and using AI-generated images to create tree textures is understandable. Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots is available for PC, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch. I wonder if Switch 2 will get a release date later. Fingers crossed.
That’s all we have for Geek News this week. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. For this week’s Whatcha, our Geekly writers will be sharing which games they’ve been playing over the past month. Let us know what games you’ve been playing, because we’re all part of the Geekly Gang. I’ll start by sharing the games I’ve been playing.
Kyra’s Games
Kyra’s Board Games
Phil Walker-Harding is known for Bärenpark, Gizmos, and Sushi Go!, and Super Mega Lucky Box is Walker-Harding’s twist on Bingo. Like many of Walker-Harding’s games, Super Mega Lucky Box is easy to learn but may take a few play-throughs to figure out the best strategy.
A deck of cards, containing two copies of numbers 1-9, is used to determine which box players may check off one of their multiple Bingo cards. (You begin the game with three.) As soon as you fill a column or row, you immediately claim the reward (if any), shown at the end of that column or row. Lightning bolts allow you to change the number on the card, so typically, you’re not stuck with a number you can’t use. Stars grant you victory points. Super Mega Lucky Box rewards players who can manage their resources (lightning bolts and rewards) and who know when to manipulate their Bingo cards and rewards to great effect.
A Mensa 2022 Select recipient, Super Mega Lucky Box encourages creative thinking. The game’s variability ensures no two games play the same.
Wazabi spelled with a “Z,” not an “S,” is–essentially–a dice version of Uno. Players begin the game with four dice, and they attempt to rid themselves of their dice. Each die has three possible results, give a die to another player, draw a card, and a W (more sides have W than the other two), which is the currency needed to play a card from your hand. During a turn, a player rolls the dice, follows the directions on the dice, and can play one card that they can afford. Cards cost 1, 2, or 3 W.
Wazabi can be fun, but it suffers from the same shortcomings as Uno, only you’re adding dice (another variation of luck) to the mix. Games of Wazabi can–and should–end in less than ten minutes, but typically, you’ll end up with a stalemate with players trading dice and cards back and forth for about twenty to thirty minutes. Still, I can see the appeal of Wazabi. It adds a little spice to Uno’s gameplay.
One of my game group members hates trick-taking games. He shall remain nameless. Anyway, this trick-taking game hater hasn’t shown up to meetings over the past month, so we’ve been playing a ton of trick-taking games: Little Devils, The Bottle Imp, Cat in the Box, and Squeeze.
I won’t go over all of these games, but I enjoyed each one. I like having a theme for game night. Quick. So-and-so isn’t here, let’s play games they hate playing. Each of these trick-taking games are nasty in their own way. The Bottle Imp requires the most replays to wrap your brain around what’s happening, although Cat in the Box isn’t too far off in that regard. Little Devils is the easiest to explain (we’ll have a review of that game in a couple of months), and it happens to be the meanest of the three non-traditional card games. But Squeeze (played with a traditional deck of cards) may be the most mean-spirited.
Players begin Squeeze with ten cards. The top card of the deck denotes which suit is trump for the round. The person to the dealer’s left makes their bid, and then everyone else makes a bid. When the bidding makes its way to the dealer, the dealer can only choose a number that doesn’t equal the total number of cards in hand.
For example, during the first round of a three-player game, if the first player says “3” and the second player says “4,” the dealer can say any number other than “3,” which would equal ten (3+4+3 = 10).
At least one person is guaranteed to miss their bid each round, hence the name Squeeze. “Zero” is a legal bid, so long as it wouldn’t equal the number of cards in play. Players earn ten points plus their bid if they achieve their bid, and get nothing for missing their bid. Play continues like this until a dealer deals only one card during a round. You don’t want to be the dealer during the final round. You may not have a choice of bid. Yikes!
My favorite thing about Squeeze is that you get less knowledge of what’s in players’ hands the longer you play. I may be the only one with trump for the round, but my trump cards are two and three. I’ve bid one and ended up getting a lot more tricks than one. Lol
Kyra’s Video Games
I won’t go into too much detail with Tiny Bookshop; this game will definitely make Season’s list, too. Geekly covered Tiny Bookshop during one of our Geekly News posts. In short, Tiny Bookshop is an excellent, cozy game and will probably receive a game review sometime in early 2026. I love making book suggestions for customers. Tiny Bookshop is one of the few video games that offer reading recommendations. What’s not to love?
I like auto battlers. My favorite is the now-defunct Fate Arena, so I’ve been looking for a worthy replacement. I’ve put in a handful of hours with Mirror Throne, and it’s most likely not going to be my Fate Arena replacement. Mirror Throne doesn’t appear to have balanced abilities for its characters. I could be wrong. But I did run the table with one or two overly strong units during the game’s campaign. Mirror Throne only offers two factions (technically, a third that’s a mix of the other two), so gameplay styles are limited. But Mirror Throne has room for improvement.
While I’d like a more robust campaign mode, Mirror Throne needs to fix its competitive (Arena) mode. I dislike how I don’t know who I’m in a lobby with, and that I have no idea what kind of teams they’re building. That’s something Fate Arena handled beautifully. I want to know my competition. Instead, I’m given randos who may be bots.
Fate Arena also had bots, but you’d get an idea of who the bots were, and they didn’t dominate lobbies. I also wonder about leavers. Fate Arena would backfill leavers with bots; leavers were the main reason for bots in Fate Arena. Mirror Throne may suffer from leavers who only purchase one unit and duck the game. I can easily roll them.
I’ve played Mirror Throne after its first major update, and I still don’t know what’s going on during Arena mode. Hope is the currency needed to stay in the game (you begin a game with 100), and sometimes when I lose, I’ll lose 5 or 10 Hope, but other times it’s a whopping 25. What determines the amount of lost Hope? Mirror Throne is needlessly opaque.
Mirror Throne also matches me against opponents I may never see again in the lobby. I’m unable to build up a rivalry with any opponent. Mirror Throne has just been released, but it needs to iron out a lot of kinks. Fingers crossed.
That’s all I have for games this past month. Let’s see what Season and Skye have been playing.
Season’s Games
season’s board games
It’s been a minute since I last included a board game on this list. I originally played Just One at a going-away party with a former coworker years ago, but it’s recently hit the table again. Just One is a simple game that has the active player draw a card (without looking at the underside) and select a number (1 through 5). Each number has a word next to it. The rest of the players use their whiteboard standees to write one word that describes the word from the list the active player chose. Players reveal the descriptive words they chose to each other (without the active player looking), and if any words match, the players with matching words have to erase their whiteboards. The active player gets one chance to guess the word they picked.
I don’t remember how many rounds are supposed to be played. Whenever I play, my group plays until we burn out on guessing words.
Travel-sized Scattergories makes a comeback. We’ve covered SiXeS before, so I won’t go into too much detail. The gist of SiXeS is writing thirty-six words over six rounds in six minutes. Each round has a different category (or categories for Lightning rounds that occur every third round), which players either try to match words with each other or be unique. In rounds one and four, players are trying to match every word. In rounds two and five, players are trying to have different words. In rounds three and six, players are trying to match in six different categories with one word per category (Lightning rounds). Each round is timed for a minute, and players read their lists aloud once the timer is up.
I love games that let me flex useless knowledge. I always have a good time whenever SiXeS hits the table.
season’s video games
I’ve gone with another tabletop game in video game form with this month’s Inscryption. Inscryption is a rogue-like deck-building game that combines role-playing with escape room elements. You can get up from the table and explore the room around you for clues. Some of the puzzles offer the player cards to help them progress through the game. Not much is explained about your character (player piece) in the game, other than animals randomly start following you as you trek through the woods.
Your starting deck has three cards and a squirrel deck (which players may use as sacrifices). You collect cards and build your deck as you progress across the map. Every time you fail, you must start over with the same starting deck and build your deck from the ground up. You’ll start to notice something peculiar about one of the cards in your starting deck. I won’t go into further detail.
Inscryption incorporates an ARG (Alternate Reality Game) through some of its Easter eggs. An ARG is a code, link, or something else within a piece of content that connects the consumer to go into the real world to discover more lore. In Inscryption, several binary codes are scattered throughout the game, connecting players to external sources and providing context on fictional entities within the game. It’s fun for those who like a bit of sleuthing.
That’s all I’ve for this week. What have you been playing, Skye?
Skye’s Games
I made an important realization this month. If I get into a game, I really get into it. Case in point: Horizon: Zero Dawn. I hadn’t played Horizon: Zero Dawn before, and I was looking for another RPG. After finishing Ghost of Tsushima months ago, Horizon: Zero Dawn has filled that void. My favorite aspect of Horizon is exploration. I always love running around to the farthest reaches of an open-world game’s map and stretching the limits of what I can do. You can’t tell me what to do, game! I do what I want!
I got the random urge to play Don’t Starve again. What sets Don’t Starve apart from most other survival games is its tendency to throw random things at you without warning. You suddenly come across a new biome you’ve never seen and get killed by a subterranean tentacle. You’re barely managing to scrape by when a pack of wild dogs comes out of nowhere and mauls you to death. I still don’t have an ideal strategy, but Don’t Starve is an enigma I’m willing to spend my time. I forgot how much I love Don’t Starve.
Kyra Kyle again. Those are all the games our writers have played this past month. Let us know which games you’ve played over the past month, Geekly Gang. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Happy Labor Day for those of you who celebrate and have the day off. For those of you who don’t celebrate Labor Day or have to work in an office environment, you can secretly play plenty of video games at work. Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. We will be a little naughty with today’s list in honor of Labor Day and share five great video games you can secretly play at work.
Never mind that the first board games I designed were solo-player games that fit inside school folders and could be played in the middle of class. I would never condone playing video games while at work. Wink, wink.
5: Desktop Tower Defense
We’re kicking this list off old school. The tower defense genre is crazy popular. One of the genre’s first breakout hits was the 2007 Flash game, Desktop Tower Defense. This browser game was my introduction to the tower defense video game genre. Even though I never played Desktop Tower Defense while at work (yeah, right), the game scores extra points for recreating the aesthetics of an office desktop. That’s the trick to games one can play while at work. They need to be easily concealed, like in a school folder.
Like the name implies, players must set up tower defenses to prevent enemies called “Creeps” from reaching portions of the playfield. Desktop Tower Defense further differentiates itself from competitors by using mazes as a game mechanism. Rather than players being at the mercy of the Creeps moving in a predetermined path, players created paths for the enemies to travel. So, while Desktop Tower Defense may have found an early audience by being easy to conceal at work, its unique maze mechanism made it more than just a “game you can play at work.” Desktop Tower Defense is a good game. It even earned a port for the Nintendo DS.
4: GeoGuessr
GeoGuessr uses Google Maps to make an interesting game. GeoGuessr is another browser game, which will be a trend because we’re trying not to get caught playing video games at work. When players load into GeoGuessr, they’ll receive a random street view. The player must use their surroundings to figure out where they are. It’s like Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?, only you’re Carmen Sandiego and you don’t know where you are.
Google is ubiquitous in workplaces, so it’s easy to load up a game of GeoGuessr without raising suspicions. The game can be played without time limits, which makes it a casual game, and players can play GeoGuessr in between other tasks. If you want to work, you can. GeoGuessr is also a great way to figure out where you want to take your next vacation or holiday. You’re being productive.
3: Arena XLSM
Arena XLSM may do a better job than Desktop Tower Defense at pretending to be work. In fact, Arena XLSM is a free RPG made in Microsoft Excel. It works in Excel’s 2007, 2010, and 2013 versions, but hasn’t yet been updated for later versions. Like all good RPGs, Arena XLSM is story-driven. The player has been captured after rebelling against an emperor. He’s imprisoned in the titular arena and must fight waves of enemies to survive. Arena XLSM features thousands of enemies and a story told through notes the player receives from their wife, leading to several possible endings.
I was tempted to put Arena XLSM higher on this list, but the game’s availability knocks it down a spot or two. If your company’s PC runs older versions of Windows and the Microsoft Office suite of products, you may be in luck.
2: Paperclips
Oh, ho ho! Paperclips is yet another video game masquerading as work. Except for one other game on this list (our top spot), Paperclips may be the best video game to disguise itself as work. Also known as Universal Paperclips, Paperclips is a clicker game that looks like a calculator program. Clicker games may not be my first choice, but they can have a lot of complexity. After clicking a button to create a paperclip, the player gains the ability to automate, and then they can focus on resource allocation. Resource allocation is what makes clicker games so addictive. Paperclips is a ton of fun and happens to look like something you may have on your computer screen while working. Those numbers aren’t going to click themselves.
1: Leadership
Leadership takes our top spot because it’s the sneakiest.If you couldn’t tell by now, I love it when video games one secretly plays at work are disguised. Leadership looks like a boring line graph, but look closely, and you’ll find a tiny spaceship between the lines. Leadership is a secret lunar lander clone from a group of Danish developers. Leadership must be fun because Danish people tend to be voted the happiest. Just saying. During Leadership, players must guide their spacecraft from point A to point B, and they have a set amount of fuel to reach their goal.
Like other games on this list, Leadership is a browser game, so it’s easy to conceal. But Leadership’s appeal runs deeper than its skin. It’s another fun game. There’s even a leaderboard. You can compete with fellow slackers, I mean, otherwise motivated people from around the world.
That’s our list. I would include more, but I had a lot of other “research” I needed to conduct. Pay no attention to the line graph on my computer. What video games do you like to “not play at work?” Let us know 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 several new releases for video games and board games, but before we get to those, the MCU made a somewhat major announcement: they’ve started work on their version of the X-Men. Okay. The MCU was going to begin work on the X-Men within the next year, so this may not be the biggest of headlines, but this could lead to future headlines.
The MCU Begins Work on X-Men
Thunderbolts* may not have done as well at the box office as the MCU had hoped, but it was a great recent entry for the MCU. The Thunderbolts*’s director, Jake Schreier, proved he could handle the quirky and dysfunctional family dynamics of the New Avengers. He even explored the team’s mutual trauma and had them bond. Marvel agrees with me. Early this year, Marvel Studios gave Jake Schreier the nod as the upcoming X-Men movie’s director, meaning Marvel’s mutants are in good hands. In a recent interview with Empire Magazine (via Deadline), X-Men director Jake Schreier confirmed he’s already working on X-Men.
Schreier doesn’t elaborate on his statement, so we don’t have much to glean from what he said. He literally said work on X-Men has begun. Okay. Looks like we may need to extrapolate. That’s right. Buckle up, because we’re flooring the gas pedal into MCU speculation territory.
Early this month, we mentioned an unnamed MCU movie scheduled between the two upcoming Avengers movies (Doomsday and Secret Wars). I stand by our reasons for the MCU films we thought could be released between Doomsday and Secret Wars: Deadpool 4, Black Panther 3, Blade, and Doctor Strange 3. Schreier mentioned X-Men would begin filming next year. Taking recent MCU production practices into advisement, this could add X-Men to the list of possible movies to fill the “unnamed MCU” film slot. But I’m reluctant to add X-Men.
The X-Men will need more build-up than a standard MCU film production. While I’m excited for an X-Men MCU film, my enthusiasm rises with the thought that X-Men will receive an additional year of filming, ensuring the film is the best it can be. X-Men will have too much going on for a quick year-and-a-half turnaround. That production schedule may work for Thunderbolts*, not X-Men. Asking the MCU to squeeze in an X-Men movie between Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars is a huge ask.
However, we should expect X-Men casting news to heat up in 2026. Until now, we’ve had mostly speculation. Geekly even did our own fan casting for the MCU’s X-Men. But that’s what most “X-Men Casting” has been to this point, fan casting. With Scheier’s announcement, X-Men will begin filming in 2026, and casting rumors will be more than speculation. I’ll be on the lookout for trusted industry insiders (like Daniel RPK, who has a great track record with MCU casting news) to report on potential X-Men cast members. In short, if we see someone consistently cast in a role for months by a trusted industry insider, there’s a great chance the actor has been cast for the role. This is the time for X-Men rumors to boil.
Stay tuned. 😉
Transecopia Emerges on GameFound
Transecopia adds hidden placement to the dice placement mechanism. Turns go quick with simultaneous play, and multiple win conditions keep the game fresh and exciting. I’m unsure of Transecopia’s theme, but I imagine it has to do with underwater exploration, based on the game’s artwork. Since I’m unsure exactly what you’re doing, I’ll be focusing on the gameplay, which looks fantastic. Transecopia has a relatively simple concept. Players simultaneously roll dice so everyone can see. Then, everyone places screens in front of their player boards and begins placing dice.
Player boards are resolved in areas, positioned top to bottom and left to right. Whoever has the highest value of dice located in each area, earns the resources from that area. Like I said, Transecopia has a simple concept, but you’ll need to outthink your opponents. Armed with the knowledge of what everyone rolled during the round, you can take educated guesses to where you think your opponents will place their dice. The big reveal is a blast and bound to yield audible responses.
Harness the unique strengths and skills of your people in the robust kingdom builder, The Gilded Realms. Armed with their own factions, players compete to defend and fortify the crucial region, The Pristine Mountains. The Gilded Realms offers a lot of customization to each game. Faction upgrades come in handy as you try to build the best empire.
The Gilded Realms offers a ton in its box. This second printing, offered on GameFound, features a new expansion for an extra wrinkle. The Gilded Realms has received great reviews. It offers an intriguing hybrid of simultaneous and turn-based gameplay. Again, The Gilded Realms is on GameFound, so we have little information on how much a pledge will cost. My guess would be in the triple figures, over a $100. You’d be getting a lot of game at that price. If you’re interested in The Gilded Realms, check out its GameFound page.
Airport Empire Lands on KickStarter
Who hasn’t wanted to run their own airport? Airport Empire puts you in charge of a small airstrip and tasks you with building it into an airport empire. Events occur to keep you on your toes. You can buy upgrades to expand your tiny airstrip to an airport. The airport pieces look great. But watch out. You must meet your needs to upkeep your growing business.
You score points in three categories: customer satisfaction, profits, and efficiencies. I love Airport Empire’s example of “an air traffic control tower is great to improve efficiency, but does little to improve your bottom line, where as maintenance hangars brings in revenue but go unnoticed by passengers.” I’m wondering if you don’t “need” these structures to run your airport. That’ll be fun. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins.
I like that Airport Empire keeps each version the same. Too many board game campaigns offer varied game experiences with deluxe versions of the same game. And Airport Empire offers plenty of pledge options, ranging from $49-95. That’s a good range for what appears to be a middle-weight game. If you’re interested in Airport Empire, you can check out its KickStarter page.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land – Star-Crossed World Expansion and Switch 2 Upgrade Released
Kirby and the Forgotten Land was–and still is–a great three-year-old platformer. Kirby gets his time for a Switch 2 upgrade, but this upgrade comes with an expansion, Star-Crossed World. The 12 new levels add some interesting twists to the fun formula. Hilarious Mouthful Mode transformations and the levels themselves make Star-Crossed World a worthy addition. I am a little worried by the Switch 2 upgrades. Switch 2 upgrades should be free if players already purchased the game for the Nintendo Switch, but this upgrade does come with an expansion. Upgrading Kirby and the Forgotten Land from Switch to Switch 2 does give you the Star-Crossed World expansion. This may be an adequate middle ground.
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.
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