Welcome back solo board gamers! These are campaigns that caught my eye–not an exhaustive list, mind you, but rather a curated blend of titles that feel like they could make a real impact in the solo board gaming space. Each week I will also call out my “Pick of the Week”–the one solo board game that truly stole the show for me. These are the projects that might just be worth your backing. So, let’s dive in!
Fable Fury
#
Designer:
Artist:
Publisher: Fable Fury Studios
Mechanic: Area Movement | Chaining | Cooperative Game | Dice Rolling | Modular Board | Storytelling with Choices | Push-Your-Luck | Set Collection | Storytelling
Fable Fury is described as a cooperative roguelike board game where you explore unknown lands as unlikely heroes, and fight unlikely enemies. It’s a dungeon crawler that doesn’t seem to take itself to seriously with a silly fantasy theme that reminds me of Munchkin–with zero chance of table flipping since this is cooperative and not competitive. I like the fun, comic-lic art style and I think this could be a good option for a solo dungeon crawler even if looks to be fairly light on the roguelike elements. Even though the game’s tagline is, “Endless Misadventure Awaits!”, I am a bit concerned about the replayability as the base game only comes with three bosses.
Current Status: Funded!
Pledge Amount: $59+
Check it out on Kickstarter!
Tikal Legend - 25th Anniversary
#
Designer: Michael Kiesling, Wolfgang Kramer
Artist: Yvan "Gawain" Villeneuve
Publisher: Super Meeple
Mechanic: Action Points | Area Majority or Influence | Area Movement | Layering | Map Addition | Modular Board | Drafting | Set Collection | Tile Placement | Worker Placement
Tikal Legend is a deluxe version of
Tikal, a well-loved and proven game. The game is marketed as “NOT just a reimplementation of
Tikal, but a NEW game based on Tikal”.
Tikal is historically a 2-4 player game, but this version of the game unlocks a new solo mode. Not JUST a solo mode, but one developed by Dávid Turczi a solo mode designer with an superb track record. On the other hand, the game’s massive game board caught my attention and I’d be worried about fitting it on the table. I’m also mostly interested in the solo mode and reimplementation changes more than the delux-ification.
Current Status: Funded!
Pledge Amount: $97+
Check it out on Kickstarter!
Puzzle Dungeon: Pets!
#
Designer: Brian Garber
Artist: Brian Garber
Publisher:
Mechanic: Hand Management | Modular Board | Set Collection
Puzzle Dungeon: Pets! is an expansion for the solo-only card game,
Puzzle Dungeon. Admittedly, I’ve only just discovered this game with this campaign, but after watch a playthrough, I’m very interested. The card play and tableau manipulation mechanics look solid and there’s a wide amount of variability which is good for a solo game. The expansion looks to add some more meat and choices to the game which seems like a welcome addition. I like seeing games with pixel art and I’m excited that there is a lot of unique art in this game.
Current Status: Funded!
Pledge Amount: $25+
Check it out on Kickstarter!
Clandestine
#
Designer: Jason Brooks
Artist: Joan Belda, James Churchill, Meredith Dillman, Diego Sanchez
Publisher: Brookspun Games
Mechanic: Mancala | Modular Board | Multi-Use Cards | Rondel | Set Collection
Clandestine is a strategic board game where players lead secret societies vying for influence and control over a city. As the leader, you develop your society by taking covert actions, managing resources, and ascending to higher levels of power. Gameplay centers around two rondels and a mancala-inspired movement mechanic, where the number of pawns on an action space boosts its strength and I’m super interested in these. The team is also off the beaten path, but intriguing. The playable societies are asymmetric so I think there’s good replayability and the solo mode seems well-developed offering six difficulty levels.
Current Status: Funded!
Pledge Amount: $89+
Check it out on Kickstarter!
Pick of the Week: Tend
#
Designer: Max Anderson, Zac Dixon, Austin Harrison, Toby Sarnelle
Artist:
Publisher: IV Studio
Mechanic: Chaining | Paper-and-Pencil | Flip-and-Write
Tend is a flip & write game by IV Studio where you play an interstellar pioneer on a mission to build a new home in another planet. You’ll be tending crops and animals, exploring mines and woods, and fishing. It’s essentially interstaller Stardew Valley. This looks like what I wanted Stardew Valley: The Board Game to be. Yes, it’s cozy, but when I play the video game I’m trying to min and max everything like I’m playing a good Euro. That gets me excited. This has way more production than what I would typically need for a flip & write, but I can overlook it and just enjoy the luxury if the gameplay has everything I’m looking. While I may play this one mostly solo, I could see myself enjoy it with others too. I’m hesitant about the longevity of a companion app for competing against other solo players, but I think that the game designer high scores in the rule book will keep me satisfied.
Current Status: Funded!
Pledge Amount: $69+
Check it out on Kickstarter!
