Casual Game Crowdfunding: Pirate Maps and Battle Mechs

Bad Maps (Floodgate Games) – Over the course of two rounds, players lay out pieces of treasure maps which programs how their minion (or an opponent's) will move around the island as they search for treasure. Each round has some map cards played face up and others are facedown. Cards that are placed facedown still show the card type so you have a clue as to what it will be. After all map cards have been played, minions follow their instructions, colliding into each other, and falling into pits. Players score points based on whose minion is closest (or sometimes furthest) to the treasure spot on the map. At the end of the first round minions dig more pits on the space they ended on.

Tiny Epic Mechs (Gamelyn Games) – The next game in the Tiny Epic line, Tiny Epic Mechs puts each player in charge of a mech pilot as they compete in free for all combat over six rounds. Each round you start by playing movement cards to program how your mech will move around the arena. Players’ pre-programmed movement cards are activated one at a time and when players cross paths, combat occurs. During combat players exchange fire until one player either runs out of ammo or health. As you move around the arena you can also plant mines and turrets to help you control areas or collect resources or purchase weaponry. Players must power up their meeple in order to place it in its power armor, but there is only one mech suit which players must compete over.

Into The Black Forest (Green Couch Games) – In Into The Black Forest there are two to three rounds (depending on player count) with three encounters happening each round. During each encounter players take turns playing a card onto one of the four sides of the encounter card, with each side scoring in a different way. Along the bottom of the encounter card the card with the lowest number wins, while along the top the card with the highest number wins. On the left side, the player scores if their card's suit matches the suit of one of the cards played along the top. The win condition for the right side of the card changes for each encounter card and each player may play a card onto it facedown.

Dice Summoners (Decking Awesome Games) – Each player starts with three base cards and spells and builds their army from a pool of cards in the center of the table. Each player's turn has two phases. During the first phase, players earn dice based on the creature cards in their army and these dice are then rolled. During the combat phase, players match the symbols on their rolled dice with the different actions available on their cards. Your turn ends once you run out of dice to complete actions, though some dice can be carried over to your next round. The game ends once one player drops to zero health.

Summoner's Isle (Peculiarity) – Each round, players may spend energy to summon creatures onto the board. After players have done their summoning, players then take turns moving their summoned creatures. If you defeat an opponent's creature you can take an enemy's space and you also will earn more energy for defeating creatures. Finally, players recalculate their energy level and adjust player turn order so that players with less energy points are able to go first next round. The player with the most energy points at the end of nine rounds wins the game.

Zero Gravity (District Games) – In this 3D board game, the game is played inside a four sided tunnel-shaped space. Each side is magnetic which allows your characters to stick to them, clinging to walls and hanging from the ceiling. Players spend coins to summon new minions, jump to different surfaces or drop from the ceiling. You can earn points by defeating other players’ characters, capturing flags, or detonating the bomb. There are four different teams you can choose to play, each with its own aesthetic and unique abilities.

Highway to Hell (The Red Joker) – In this post-apocalyptic two player card game, players choose their character and modify their vehicle, before heading out to maintain law and order. Players are trying to build up a reputation by dealing with various obstacles during the game which test different abilities with the use of dice. Players also determine the speed at which they travel — the faster they go the more obstacle cards they have to draw. During your travels you can also encounter freelancers who will hitch a ride with you and help out during the game.