Indie Game Studios

DULCE

A Sweet Tabletop Treat!

By JP Decosse, OffDutyNinja Editorial Manager

When you think of coffee, chocolate, and peanuts, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? A lovely first date? A quick snack from the corner store? The newest product from Stronghold Games might possibly be the perfect answer to satisfy both!

Dulce puts 1 to 4 players into the shoes of confectionery suppliers who are growing crops of cacao, peanut, coffee, and vanilla needed to produce the sweetest goodies around.

The game is designed by Julio E. Nazario, who has crafted hit games including Ctrl (Pandasaurus Games) and Holi: Festival of Colors (Floodgate Games). With Dulce, Nazario continues this string of quality creations with unique thematic settings. Tasty morsels of artwork come from the talented Justine Nortjé, who has also contributed to Terraforming Mars: Ares Expedition and Aeon’s End: Past & Future (both from Indie Boards & Cards).

PATISSERIE PUZZLE : HOW DOES IT WORK?

Not unlike the card-driven path carved out by Karuba, one player will be revealing cafe cards from their deck, and all other players must make use of the same card. Each cafe card requires players to make one of three critical choices - build the cafe, plant the card on your field board, or harvest the crops in one row or column.

The card-mimicking rounds not only allow for snappy gameplay, but also provide an opportunity for new players to be shepherded through the steps of play without laying out every single rule in advance. And as we approach the holiday season, accessible gaming products with a low barrier to entry hits … ahem … a “sweet spot” for Christmas shoppers.

Players make their choices simultaneously, resulting in a lightning-quick gaming experience typically lasting 30 minutes or less. The decisions populating that tight timeframe are meaningful and delicious, often leading to cascading payouts for the player with the best laid plans.

SOLITARY SWEETNESS

If carefully crafting caramel treats solo is more your speed, Dulce also delivers, with an experience that is identical to the multiplayer game. Will you be a Baking Beginner or a Macaron Master? Your final score in this mode will determine if you’re better off sticking with storebought cookie dough, or if somewhere inside your pastries rests the true meaning of life!

CAFE CURB APPEAL

Before winning players over with its quick, accessible and addictive gameplay, potential buyers will first need to be convinced to pull the game off your store shelf. With that very reason in mind, the box artwork of Dulce captures the spirit of a high-end Parisian bakery, with a simple design and a shade of pastel blue that is sure to peak the interest of the curious shopper.

Following in the footsteps of recent Stronghold Games successes such as Terraforming Mars: Ares Expedition and Path of Light and Shadow, Dulce stands out as visually and thematically distinct. The gameplay offers a delightfully replayable experience perfect for today’s busy lifestyle; one we hope will capture the imagination of players before and after the box is opened.

The only remaining question: How to resist munching on those peanut and vanilla-colored cubes!