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It's time for our crowdfunding picks for October 2013! This month we're seeing some new themes (junk collection in space and lying pandas) while also keeping with some of the common themes we've seen in the past (monsters, pirates, and ninjas). There are several press-your-luck style games currently seeking funding. We're also starting to see a trend of digital game studios crossing over into tabletop game publishing, and I believe this will continue as casual tabletop games continue to gain popularity.

All of humanity is in danger! Four deadly diseases are wreaking havoc on mankind and you and your team of disease-fighting experts must cure them before they spread too much and become uncontrollable. Pandemic, by Z-Man games, is a very popular cooperative game that was first released in 2008, but a new edition in 2013 includes all-new artwork and components. But is this game an ideal choice for casual gamers?

Ah, football — the hard-hitting, adrenaline-pumping, injury-inducing American sport. Some of the biggest rivalries have been fought out on the football field. But what if the game were instead a board game played out on your table? Would the competition be just as fierce? CSE Games, the publisher of Hand-Off The Card Football Board Game, certainly thinks so, and we recently were given the opportunity to try it out.

If you're into playing card games, then you'd better watch out: witches and magicians are about to infiltrate your deck. HeartSwitch, by U.S. Games Systems, is a twist on the classic game of Hearts that adds additional bonuses and penalties, as well as some new strategies, to spice up the game.

The publisher of one of our recommended casual games, Square Shooters, is running a compelling contest this month that is worth a look. The That's How I Roll^® contest challenges independent game designers to come up with interesting new game variations, in several different categories, that use the original Square Shooters dice.

By popular demand, we are now offering digital (PDF) subscriptions of Casual Game Insider magazine as an alternative to the print version. Each individual issue is now also available for purchase directly from us in PDF format. In addition, all of our current and future print subscribers will receive a PDF of each new magazine issue at no extra charge, with no action required on their behalf.

Kalua is a casual game for 3 to 5 players, ages 8 and up. On the tropical island of Kalua, different religions compete to become the one and only religion.

Casual games are still blossoming like a rose on Kickstarter. It's great to see so many great projects, yet it's becoming more and more difficult to narrow them down to our top picks. When we first started putting together this list, we had to dig long and hard just to find a few good casual games to include — now there are so many that we couldn't possibly include them all.

Our picks for September 2013 include games about monsters, cavemen, art museums, mobsters, royalty, fancy parties, and more.

Party games and casual gamers are usually a great fit for each other. We at Casual Game Revolution love a good party game when the occasion calls for it. We recently had the opportunity to evaluate Ticked Off by R&R Games, which has some similarities to games like Scattergories and Outburst while also adding in some unique game play elements.

Saddle up and get ready to head to the tracks! HomeStretch by R&R Games brings the excitement of horse racing right to your table. Whether or not you are into horse racing or you are a skilled gambler, there is fun to be had cheering on your miniature horses to the finish line.