Around the Table Q3 2023

Q3 2023

View From The Field

Using Games As a Therapeutic Tool in the Treatment of Mental Health Disorders in Children? p.16

We Actually DID Playtest This! Profile of UnPub in Game Development p.50

A Closer Look at Free League’s New Fantasy RPG DRAGONBANE

by Tomas Härenstam, Lead Designer, Free League Publishing

“This most certainly makes me not even want to look back at D&D 5e! It is exactly what I want a fantasy system to be, and is great for both one shots and long campaigns.” –DTRPG Review

Free League Publishing’s new fantasy RPG Dragonbane was officially released at this year’s Gen Con, and the massive core boxed set is now available to order for retailers and distributors anywhere.

In the previous issue of Around the Table, we discussed the origins of Dragonbane and its four decades of history as the dominant tabletop RPG in Scandinavia. Today, we’ll take a closer look at this game and what sets it apart.

Dragonbane is a fantasy tabletop roleplaying game full of magic, mystery and adventure, and comes with all of the fantastical creatures that you’d expect plus a few more. What makes this game stand out is how it approaches this fantasy legacy, designed from the ground up for fast and furious play, with very little prep time and adventures that are a breeze to run.

The game uses a skill-based D20 system that is very easy for new players to

learn. Each skill is rated from 1 to 18, and the player needs to roll equal to or lower than the skill level to succeed. That’s right, in this game you want to roll low. Rolling a natural 1 is called “rolling a dragon,” and triggers powerful special effects.

The core Dragonbane game has 10 professions, including the classic fighter, mage, hunter and thief, but also the more unorthodox artisan, merchant, mariner and scholar. The profession will impact a player character’s starting skills and give it a starting heroic ability, but after the game starts the player is free to further develop their character in any way they choose, unbound by any class restrictions.

Character advancement is also skillbased, increasing the character’s skill levels and giving them new heroic abilities. That’s right – there are no levels in Dragonbane. The more gradual advancement gives the player more control over their character’s development, but also means that even an experienced character is never completely safe from harm – not even from the lowliest goblin.

Any self-respecting fantasy RPG needs

a robust combat system, and Dragonbane is no different. Combat is fast, tactical and deadly. At every turn, the player will need to make the crucial choice of whether to attack or defend, and any mistake can have dire consequences. The deadliness of the combat system ensures that fights never drag out, but even knocked-out combatants can get back on their feet quickly and join the action again.

Beyond combat, the Dragonbane core game has solid rules for travel, magic and monsters – and an Adventures book with no less than 11 adventures tied together in the epic campaign Secret of the Dragon Emperor. The base game is packaged in a massive boxed set, including custom dice, maps, playing cards, cardboard standees and pre-generated characters – everything a group needs to play for hundreds of hours is included in the core set, with an MSRP of just $49.99.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

OFFICERS

PRESIDENT

Eric Price

Mejia Board Game Factory Director – Production/Manufacturers

VICE-PRESIDENT

Grace Collings

Snowbright Studio Director – Creator

TREASURER

Nicole Brady

SAHM Reviews Director – Media & Events

SECRETARY

Monica Rasso

Meeples at Sea Director – Media & Events

DIRECTORS

Lee Allentuck

The Last Gameboard Director – Publisher

Rhonda Becker

The Gamers Den Director – Retailer

John Coviello

Little Shop of Magic Director – Retail

Matt Fantastic Forever Stoked Creative Director – Creative

Aldo Ghiozzi

KublaCon Director – Wholesale

Radek Gronus

FABRYKA KART

Director – Production/Manufacturer

Beau Heath

Arcane Tinman Director – Wholesale

Jason Matthews

Fort Circle Games

Director – Publisher

Will Niebling

Emeritus Director

GAMA STAFF

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR john.stacy@gama.org

chris.materni@gama.org

Cree

MEETING/EVENTS DIRECTOR cree.luzskia@gama.org

Gregoire Boisbelaud COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR greg.boisbelaud@gama.org

TECHNOLOGY AND CREATIVE MANAGER adam.ziegler@gama.org

cynthia.tuck@gama.org

Bryan

MEMBER SERVICES COORDINATOR bryan.borgman@gama.org

Julie

EXHIBITOR MANAGER julie.yeager@gama.org

Paul

EVENTS MANAGER paul.mcgraw@gama.org

Mike

MARKETING/ COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER mike.boseak@gama.org

Becky

EDUCATION/ COMMITTEE COORDINATOR becky.mangan@gama.org

THE GAME MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION

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Around the Table © 2023

The Game Manufacturers Association

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Chris Materni DEPUTY DIRECTOR

McGraw

Cynthia Tuck EVENTS COORDINATOR

Boseak

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Mangan

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John Stacy

matter of survival…

You’ll need your animal instincts to gather enough food to survive the night. Get caught foraging all by your lonesome, and you’ll be what’s next on the menu!

Stay focused, keep alert, and outsmart your opponents in this fast-paced game of survival of the fittest!

Dear friends,

Welcome to the Summer 2023 issue of Around the Table. Summer is upon us and many of us are crazy busy with convention season. The GAMA team just wrapped up a successful Origins Game Fair. We are proud to announce that attendance was up 38 percent from last year with 16,082 total attendees. Though we have not fully returned to our prepandemic peak attendance of 20,642, we are well on our way to returning to those numbers in the near future.

One highlight of this year’s show was the return of the Origins Awards. In addition to the sixteen awards, the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design inducted four new Hall of Fame members (Jeff Easley, Mark Rosewater and Martin Wallace) and two new games (1829 and Cyberpunk RPG). We have listed the winner for each category a little later in this issue.

In addition, we have two guest articles this quarter. First Heather O’Neill, with Unpub shares a bit about the role playtesting contributes to game designers. Next Registered Behavior Technician and Graduate Student Marie Charlie Lassaigne shares some insights into using board games as a therapeutic tool in the treatment of mental health disorders in children.

We hope you find these articles useful. As the magazine of the tabletop games industry, we want the publication to be interesting and have actionable information for you. As such, we welcome submissions for articles for the magazine. If you have an idea for a story or something you would like to share, please send an email to us at media@gama.org.

Regards, John Stacy, Executive Director

Volunteer Opportunities

One of the best ways to be engaged with the association and our industry is to volunteer for a committee or workgroup. GAMA is currently looking for members to serve on the following committees:

• Academy, Origins Awards and Hall of Fame Review and Restructure Committee – Charged with exploring ways to increase the relevancy and representation of the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design including the Origins Awards nominations, review and award ceremony and the Hall of Fame.

• Advocacy Committee – Helps direct association government relations, advocacy and lobbying efforts to support the hobby games industry. Potential issues the committee is tasked with include tariffs, customs/exportation, product labeling laws, intellectual property rights, counterfeit product sales, etc.

• Market Expansion Committee – Researches the most effective and efficient marketing and outreach methods to (A) promote the play of tabletop games and (B) increase the number of people who regularly play games.

• Diversity Committee – Investigates how best to reach out to underrepresented communities within the game industry and to create pathways of success within the organization.

• Education Advisory Committee – Work with GAMA staff to identify educational topics and opportunities to create a robust training program to assistretail stores, distributors, manufacturers and designers in effectively operating in the hobby games industry.

For more information on these committees or to volunteer, please email john.stacy@gama.org

Everything Is Connected, Moor or Less

by Anton Torres, Marketing Manager, Pegasus North America

Boardgame themes range from the mundane to the fantastical. Whether your imagination is sparked by ancient history, agriculture or fighting otherworldly invaders, you’ll find dozens – if not hundreds – of games that resonate with your personal interests. Moorland brings attention to the world that surrounds us, the very planet we call home.

In Moorland (by Steffen Bogen, designer of Spiel des Jahres 2014 winner Camel Up) two to four players carefully tend to a natural habitat whose importance still receives too little attention: the fragile ecosystem of threatened peatlands and the uniquely adapted plants and animals that rely on its existence.

To succeed, you must supply your moor with water and ensure an intact network of life by cleverly linking waterways and distributing plants to keep your own moor thriving. Create a diverse habitat for various animal species and compete to build the best ecosystem.

At the start of the game, a random moor structure is generated at the center of the table, comprised of four cards. This arrangement is a template, the initial layout of each player’s moor. Although all players begin with an identical plan displaying 12 empty ground sections, the moors will slowly fill with plant life, living creatures and meandering waterways until each is a unique reflection of that player’s choices.

Moorland is played over 12 rounds. On their turn a player will perform three

quick actions, in order: take a moor card from the display, optionally introduce new plants to vacant spaces in their moor, and possibly play one or more previously claimed moor cards to their moor. This last action triggers one of the most interesting mechanics of the game: drifting.

Highlighting how ecosystems are interconnected, the placement of a new section of moor will cause some of the native plant life to travel along waterways to other areas of the moor. There’s tremendous incentive to develop your moor to take best advantage of drifting and propagate new plant growth in undeveloped areas.

Moorland has no direct conflict, yet draws players into a fierce competition for scarce, but vital resources. It builds

a connected web of player actions and consequences, starting with the set of moor cards revealed at the start of each round.

After the 12th round has been played, the winner is the player who scores the most points across multiple categories. Categories include the abundance of plant life that has taken root, the biodiversity of animal species and the length of their longest continuous waterway.

As in life, simple choices lead to complex outcomes. Moorland is filled with layers of small mechanics that expand into a delightful experience. With its pile of colorful, wooden plant markers that represent cotton grass, rushes, peat moss and heather, Moorland is a reminder that we should always care for the wonderful world that sustains us.

Boost Sales with AwardWinning Titles

by Anne-Marie De Witt, CEO, Fireside Games

Whenmatching games with new customers (especially families), many retailers confidently recommend Castle Panic. Beyond retailer suggestions, customers new to board games often rely on awards in their decision-making. With that in mind, we’ve been actively pursuing awards for Castle Panic this year, capitalizing on the new release of the second edition.

Castle Panic Second Edition, priced at just $34.95, has a brand-new, vibrant look. This cooperative tower-defense game challenges players to slay all 49 monsters while keeping at least one of the six castle towers standing. Players love the tense, adventurous feel of the game.

Leading toy entities have all recognized the exceptional quality of Castle Panic Second Edition this year.

NAPPA carefully judges and deems products “best in its class” by expert judges, parent and child testers, and product reviewers. They declared Castle Panic Second Edition a fantastic family game, perfect for game nights.

Mom’s Choice Awards, known for establishing excellence in family-friendly products, praises Castle Panic Second Edition for its co-op element and its ability to bring families closer together.

The Hot Diggity Awards test and play just about every toy and game that enters the market. When describing Castle Panic Second Edition, judges said, “This board game has all the essentials of a winner.”

To top it off, Creative Child Magazine has bestowed the

prestigious 2023 Game of the Year Award in the Cooperative Family Board Game category upon Castle Panic Second Edition. The thorough reviews they provide by moms and education professionals gives customers the confidence to buy Castle Panic Second Edition as “mom tested and kid approved.”

On the board games side of the industry, GAMA has acknowledged Fireside Games by including Castle Panic Second Edition as a finalist for the 2023 Origins Awards.

Castle Panic isn’t the only game that’s winning awards. My First Castle Panic, priced at $24.95, for ages 4 and up, is an easy seller. It requires no reading and offers an exciting introduction to the world of Castle Panic and board gaming. Players must work together to catch the monsters racing towards the castle by matching colors and shapes.

Most recently My First Castle Panic received the PAL Award from Play On Words, who recognize exceptional toys and games. Judges wrote that My First Castle Panic “is the perfect family game for preschoolers (and up!) as they practice turn-taking, strategic teamwork and conversation.”

Previous awards for My First Castle Panic include Mom’s Choice Awards, Hot Diggity Awards, the Tilllywig Award for Best Children’s Products and The Dice Tower Seal of Excellence. It was also nominated for both the As D’Or Award for Best Children’s Game and the Origins Award.

If you are looking for games to suggest to customers new to the world of board gaming, you can’t go wrong with Fireside Games. Our award-winning titles, such as Castle Panic Second Edition and My First Castle Panic, offer engaging gameplay, promote teamwork and provide hours of fun for players of all ages.

Contact your distribution representative or email us at sales@firesidegames.com to stock these exceptional games and cater to the needs of your new customers.

Punchkins Collectible Plush with a Dash of Sass and Endless Gift Potential

by Dante Trasatti, VP of Sales, Punchkin

Plush deserves better

For millions of years, humans have sought comfort in the softness of plush products. From the moment we hugged the first wooly mammoths to the sweet snuggle of the modern teddy bear, our species simply desires to embrace something soft. It’s time to recognize the greatness of human progress and ask ourselves, “Is my plush keeping up with the times?” Is it truly enough that my collection of plush is just “cute and cuddly?” What if I told you there was a brand of plush that exists in the 21st century that isn’t only cute and cuddly but also designed to be smart, sassy and highly relatable to the complexities of modern 21st century humans?

Enter Punchkins

Sure, Punchkins are soft and cuddly as you’d expect from a quality collectible plush gift, but there’s much more to them. Packed into these pint-sized plush pick-me-ups are design details that make

them even more lovable. We know “the devil is in the details,” and we love a little well-meaning mischief and detail work. We use varied fabrics like the grainy and rough material simulating potato skin on our baked potato plush. Then there are the finer design touches like the small winder on the back of our surly plush alarm clock. We’re also looking for great jokes, clever puns and highly relatable expressions that fit the current trends and have real mass appeal.

It’s not just business, it’s personal

Punchkins creates quality plush products everyone connects to personally. With more than 50 unique styles, there’s more than one relatable mascot for you or someone you know. Are you or someone you know going through a little rough patch in their life? We got you covered with a plush Dumpster Fire that’s always ready to sympathize. What about dad jokes? We got ‘em. Our little huggable plush cooler will be the envy of the office.

There’s even an entire menu of plush foods that we know you won’t resist. With their dangly legs and weighted base, Punchkins are perfect to display on any flat surface and are the perfect accent piece. Of course, it’s hard to resist only displaying one. You’ll want to build a collection. After all, you can probably relate to more than a few of our designs. Don’t let anyone stop you; at $14.99 MSRP, these sassy stuffies are an affordable collectible. It’s okay, don’t worry, we know – it’s not a “problem,” it’s a collection.

So, when it’s time to review your collection of plush and what you’re offering in your stores. Ask yourself again, what has my plush done for me lately? Is it providing the necessary emotional support modern humans require? Is it really speaking to the current life and times our species? It might be big, squishy, and marshmallowy, but it’s not a Punchkin. We’re stuffed with personality. YOUR personality.

MODULAR ROLEPLAYING TERRAIN

What if board games could be used as a therapeutic tool

By Marie Charlie Lassaigne, RBT

Children’s mental health is a growing concern in the United States and was even a topic addressed by the President in the latest State of the Union Address. In the past five years, diagnoses of depression and anxiety have both increased by nearly 30 percent in children aged 6-12 years old. Nearly 20 percent of children are diagnosed with some type of behavioral (autism spectrum disorders) or developmental disorder between the ages of 2 to 8 years old. As children age, that number continues to increase (CDC).

Without proper treatment, mental, behavioral and developmental disorders impact almost every aspect of an individual and their family’s life. Access to treatment, socio economic status, cultural factors and family structure/stability interact to determine whether or not a child will have good outcomes. Not to mention the treatment and management of mental health disorders more often than not will require a lot of time and financial resources in the long-term. Children will have additional doctors’ appointments, they might be prescribed medication and/ or therapy, and need accommodation at school/home. Such a diagnosis at a young age can be discouraging for the individual and their family and it takes a toll on their lives overall (HHS).

As it turns out, studies have shown that playing board games can increase positive outcomes for quite some time now. In 2019, Noda et al. found more than 70 studies investigating the effects of playing tabletop games on children diagnosed with mental health disorders. Nearly half of the wealth of research found that children

and adolescents playing board games had improved educational knowledge, cognitive functioning, physical activity and experienced less symptoms. In fact, as more research highlights the effectiveness of playing board games to manage mental illness, a market has opened for it and more and more tabletop games address this. Games such as “I Never Forget a Face” or “Feelings in a Flash” help children with autism spectrum disorder learn about emotions and body parts in an interactive manner.

What does it look like in clinical practice?

It’s no secret that traditional treatment for mental health disorders is by no means a walk in the park. For children especially, they may not fully grasp why they are taking medication, how they work and the implications of not following treatment. While certain aspects of common treatments of mental health disorders can’t be substituted for alternatives, they can complement their management. The research on alternative treatments and their effectiveness is beginning to show promise, however. Play therapy, occupational therapy, and light therapy are all examples of less invasive treatments and they all demonstrate the same or better levels of effectiveness (Noda et al.).

In my time working as a registered behavior technician, board games were a crucial part of the therapy and were more often than not present during sessions. Applied Behavior Therapy relies on the principle that problematic behaviors can be reduced and replaced with adaptive ones.

In most cases, we were aiming to increase their ability to attend to a given task. Board games were a perfect way to achieve that because of the interactive and fun aspect of them. With children as young as 3 years old, I would implement games for increments of 10 to 15 minutes at a time. For example, with a child that had poor fine motor skills and difficulty attending to activities, I would play a version of the game “Operation.” Not only was it a great way to engage the learner, it also helped me build rapport with them. We had fun together and it allowed many opportunities for me to praise the learner. In this case, by simply playing a board game for a small portion of the session, I was able to build a strong foundation for a therapeutic relationship, empower the learner and improve motor and attention skills.

How can it be implemented in the family environment?

After a mental health diagnosis, a child might be isolated from the rest of the family due to the shame and guilt that it carries. In addition, parents may feel like their efforts are inadequate and become discouraged. Lastly, siblings may feel neglected and get less attention than before a diagnosis. As a result, the family dynamics are often heavily and negatively impacted by such a diagnosis.

As mentioned previously, playing board games can be very helpful in increasing children’s interpersonal relationships. One of the advantages of tabletop games is their versatility. First, it’s crucial to find a board game that addresses the areas that the child can improve on. It is also recommended

looking for a game that the child will be engaged in. This is a good opportunity for the family to appeal to the child’s interests and involve themselves in them. Taking time during the week or the month to have the family come together around the table to play games together can be extremely beneficial to the family environment. It enables the child to gain a sense of normalcy and independence. It’s also a great way to include the siblings in the management of their sibling’s mental health.

For children operating at a toddler age level, “Animal Upon Animal Junior” from HABA is a fun way to improve children’s fine motor skills, teach farm animals and cooperative play. Children have to roll a dice to find out which wooden animals they will be stacking on top of each other. Parents and siblings can enhance the educational and therapeutic effects of playing this game by asking the child to describe what they are doing and encourage cooperation between child and sibling or child and parent(s). The game also takes a short 10 minutes to be played, which makes it very accessible to children who struggle with sitting and attending to activities.

Another good example of helpful games for children who are diagnosed with ADHD is “Inspector Mouse” from HABA. “Inspector Mouse ‘’ can be played by children with a developmental age of 5 years old. It promotes knowledge acquisition by requiring its players to pay close attention to the appearance of the characters in the game. This game can be played cooperatively just as well as competitively. This offers children the opportunity to be taught different skills as they improve and

evolve with the game.

For older children or higher functioning individuals, “Bananya” from Japanime is interactive and full of educational opportunities. To play, individuals require basic reading skills since each card has a power. Players need to collect 10 cards to win and say “Nya” when they do. This is a good option for children who are beginning to read, count and speak. It is recommended for children who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and need to improve the aforementioned skills. The game also takes about 15 to 20 minutes for one game, so it is appropriate for individuals who have difficulty attending to tasks.

To implement family game night, we recommend planning ahead and reminding the children multiple times before the day comes. Parents should try their best to include them in the decisions regarding game night with choices (“Would you rather this game or this game?”, “Would you rather this snack or this one?”, “Should we play before or after dinner?”). When game night comes, they must remember to take things easy and slowly.

While game night can serve as a therapeutic device for the whole family, it’s important not to frame it as such in the mind of the children because they may already be experiencing mental exhaustion from other aspects of their treatment. If parents notice the children getting discouraged or their attention dropping at any point, use a timer (“Let’s do 5 more minutes”, “Let’s take a 5-minute break”). They should use lots of positive verbal and nonverbal statements throughout the

game. And lastly, using reinforcement during or after game night can be helpful in associating the experience with positive outcomes (“If we play for 20 minutes, then you get…”).

Conclusion:

Evidently, children and adolescents’ brains are much more malleable during their development and the use of alternative methods to treat/manage mental health can go a long way. In the long term, playing board games frequently can make meaningful and lasting neurological changes in children’s brains. Board games have been shown to reduce symptoms in mental, behavioral and developmental disorders in children, increase their cognitive skills, positive interactions with friends and family, motivation, attention, fine and gross motor skills and much more. Board games range from a variety of themes, levels of difficulty and teachable skills. They are the perfect therapeutic tool that deserve a place on your table!

About the Author

Marie Charlie Lassaigne is a graduate student in child development at California State University Los Angeles. She is a registered behavior technician, former staff writer for Santa Barbara City College “The Channels”, and former content writer for IELLO Board Games. She aspires to become a child therapist with a focus in alternative treatments for children’s mental healthcare. She also enjoys baking and hiking in the California wilderness.

in the treatment of mental health disorders in children?

The Magnet Baron Is Perfect for Tabletop Gamers

by

Magnets, how do they work?

Thankfully, I’m not answering that question today, otherwise you wouldn’t actually want to read this article. If you want to know, contact me at constantine@themagnetbaron.com.

A better question is how can The Magnet Baron help your shop? The answer is with custom super magnetic solutions for the tabletop miniature gaming community that are uniquely designed to solve a customer’s problem.

Miniatures hobbyists need a whole lot more after they buy a model. You carry glue, paint and brushes already. We offer customized magnetic solutions to make your store become a true onestop shop. Whether they need a basing magnetic solution from our line of Flush-Fit Basing Magnets, customized magnetizing tools for option swaps on wargaming miniatures or reliable posable magnetic flight stands, The Magnet Baron has a huge selection of custom magnetic solutions. Take a look at themagnetbaron. com.

We at Magnet Baron carry the highest grade N52 Neodymium Super Magnets. Grade N52 magnets are 1.5 times stronger than N35 magnets. From our custom model magnetization kits to our posable

in the tips – one facing north, one facing south. Place a magnet on the tip of the Magnicator and glue the magnet in place. Magnicators are designed to keep your fingers away from super glue; with their super glue-resistant tips, you won’t have to worry about gluing them to the magnet you are working with.

The Magnetization Starter Bundle is the best place to start for the budding magnetizing enthusiast. The pack comes with a variety of sizes, appropriate drills, drill handle, Magnicators and super glue for gamers to get an all-inone magnetization bundle for their first projects.

And if you need help knowing where to start, we are more than happy to hop on a call or provide recommendations via email. Just give us a shout at constantine@ themagnetbaron.com or 626-657-8462 and The Baron himself will get you squared away.

When you’re ready to place an order, we accept all major credit cards and don’t charge a fee for using them, so you don’t

All magnetic products are 45 percent off MSRP. If you have high volumes of a specific magnet or custom magnet you need, we are more than happy to accommodate and work to find a perfect solution for you.

Come sign up for your wholesale account at magnetbaronwholesale.com today!

After 10 years in the magnet business, Constantine at The Magnet Baron has launched Vox Link, The Ultimate Tabletop Gaming Community App, which is designed to connect all of the tabletop wargaming community together. Check out what’s been called “The greatest technological advancement in the tabletop gaming industry in a decade” at voxlink.app.

Good-bye for now!

Constantine Greanias, Owner and The Baron, Magnet Baron LLC

The Ultimate tabletop gaming community app!

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The Sorcerer’s Potion Light from ENHANCE Gaming provides the ultimate gameplay enhancement for TTRPG. Mystify players with swirls of smoky light in green or purple. Select your elixir and ENHANCE your game. tabletop. enhancegaming.com

Holiday Hijinks from Grand Gamers is a holiday-themed mystery escape room game series. Each game presents a mysterious circumstance that requires wit and clever detective skills to solve.

Email Marc at marc@grandgamersguild.com

Tenfold Dungeon Sci-Fi Range from Battlefront/GF9 is a modular roleplaying terrain offers a straight-from-the-box solution to level up your RPG sessions. Adventures take you to the Starship Vengeance, Cyberpunk City, Smuggler’s Den and Daedalus Station.

gf9games.com/tenfold

In Here, Kitty, Kitty! from Fireside Games, compete to collect cats from the neighborhood and get them onto your property for points. Move cats or use clever cards, all’s fair in love and cat collecting!

firesidegames.com/product/ here-kitty-kitty

Squadron Strike from Ad Astra shares a Sequence of Play with X-Wing, while playing in 3D with vector movement. With at-the-table support with a smartphone app, your space combat players can elevate their game.

adastragames.com/products/ squadron-strike

Metallic Dragon Shield Matte Dual sleeves from Arcane Tinmen are forged in the fiercest blazes and shine with blazoning gold and silver. Standard and Japanese sizes will be available when Truth and Justice hit the market in September.

dragonshield.com/dual

Annapurna is a tactical game about climbing the world’s most dangerous mountain. The second edition is out now and offers four games in one box. annapurnaboardgame.com/about-1

Dragonbane from Free League Publishing is a fantasy tabletop roleplaying game. It provides laughs at the table, while still offering brutal challenges for adventurers.

dragonbane-rpg.com

Vampire The Masquerade: Rivals Expandable Card Game

The Hunters & The Hunted from Renegade Game Studios is a new Core Set where Hunters and vampires can appear in the same game!

renegadegamestudios.com/ vampire-the-masquerade-rivalsexpandable-card-game-thehunters-the-hunted/

Descend into the depths of darkness with Horror RPG from DMDave. In this haunting journey, you will face your deepest fears and confront twisted nightmares that will shake you to your core.

Deck Favorites Cast in Metal

by Marie Canter, Professor at the Arcania School of Dragonology

ince 2021, the Dragon Shield Matte Dual line of protective card sleeves have been among the most popular sleeves on the market for trading card games like Magic: The Gathering, Flesh and Blood, Digimon, Yu-GiOh! and One Piece. Along with their well-renowned strength and durability, the Matte Dual sleeves feature a black interior and a matte, textured back – a powerful combination that made them an instant favorite among tournament players and hobby enthusiasts alike! This fall, our line of Matte Dual sleeves takes a leap of cosmic dimensions with the launch of the Truth and Justice sleeves. Each previous Matte Dual launch focused on adding a new dimensionality of color to the line. The first five colors were lighter pastels, chosen to demonstrate the total opaqueness of the sleeve. Even with bright colors like white and yellow, Dual sleeves prevent card back graphics from bleeding through. This launch is forged from the finest gold and silver, adding two fanfavorite metallics to the line. Truth and Justice will be released in Japanese-size and standard-size on September 22, 2023, and will be available wherever card gaming accessories are sold. The sleeve boxes feature incredible

artwork by Magic: The Gathering artist Dominik Mayer and proudly introduces the newest dragon discovery in the worlds of Arcania and Raacnia — home to the story and characters of Dragon Shield — the Anima Draconi. The Anima Draconi are a primordial collective of dragons charged with safeguarding the integrity of all borders between realms.

The gold sleeves feature Anima Infinita, the Endless Truth, as it twists and winds its way across the vast space between realms. A single purpose burns in its mind: preserve the integrity of the realms and prevent them from mixing. Endless Truth is the guardian and judge of all trespassers who violate this purpose. And when it casts its judgement on them, its silver counterpart, Justice, carries out the punishment.

The silver sleeves are for Justice, Anima Gladius. This fearsome bladed executioner obeys the commands of the Endless Truth. Made entirely of razorsharp blades, it appears in the break of the storm above the condemned trespassers, swiftly administering a deadly hailstorm of instantaneous death.

TCG fans of the Matte Dual range will recognize the incredible quality of the sleeves: from their matte back to the wide range of available colors, the newest additions keep the tradition of state-ofthe-art sleeves. The black interior ensures your deck stands out when facing up, while its fully opaque back masks all details of what lies inside. The Matte Dual sleeves feature a colorful, textured back that makes shuffling a truly satisfying experience.

Visit your local game store this September to check out the new metallic arrivals!

The Seven Reasons a Small Game Changed the Course of Our Company

by Glenn Flaherty, Marketing Manager, Grand Gamers Guild

Overthe last two years, Grand Gamers Guild has released a line of ultrasmall escape room games that seem to have tapped into qualities that have made them a resounding hit. Hopefully, the insights we gained from their success can help you as well.

That line is called Holiday Hijinks. So far, it has seven iterations, with the newest being The Turkey Trial. It brings players on a wild ride through the shenanigans and mystery of what happens on an unforgettable Thanksgiving Day. More hijinks are in the pipeline and even a “to be announced” special idea coming in the future!

But what elements make these games successful for us and our retailers, especially with so much other competition out there? It’s always hard to completely pin down the reasons, but its strong qualities have thankfully helped us establish an evergreen.

The Price. The game’s MSRP is $9.99. That is 20 percent lower than our nearest competitor and sits right at that “impulse buy” position. I cannot count the number of people at conventions who buy these games at first sight simply because the price is right! Retailers give us

the same feedback: they are bought even if the customer doesn’t know much – if anything – about them. Easy Display. Each game is packaged in a super slim box with a very small footprint. We often see them hanging on racks by a store door or in a PoP display (we provide free of charge) sitting right beside the register. Always in sight, and on the mind of potential buyers.

They Are a Hoot! The subject is always humor. This is our most vital asset. From the title, and right through the box art and whimsical storytelling, the game is approachable, family-friendly and super inviting. This sets it apart from many others in the genre. That is key! Frustration-Free. We provide an app-based hint system that removes frustration. Our designer is a longtime puzzle guy and has played most of the games on the market. One of the design goals was to avoid getting stuck and that thought: “How in the world was I supposed to figure that out?!” That won’t happen with Holiday Hijinks. Always New. Each title has new riddles and puzzles to solve. You will not encounter a puzzle that has been

re-themed and re-packed. This has kept our games vibrant and invigorating for every player, including the ones who have already bought each previous iteration.

Collectible. One thing we discovered is how this series has become a collectible. This is the case for people who simply enjoy our style of game and for those who are compelled to complete their collection. Holiday Hijinks has a strong repeat buying business. We see that from our website data.

Timely. With seven titles and counting, Holiday Hijinks is relevant year-round and makes a perfect upsell or downsell for every customer. Buying a birthday gift? How about you add a copy of The Birthday Burglary? Christmas shopping? The Kringle Caper is the perfect stocking stuffer for gamers and non-gamers.

The world of escape room board games continues to grow, and the Holiday Hijinks line has a firm place in it.

All of the Holiday Hijinks titles are available through distribution, or by contacting Marc at Grand Gamers Guild directly at marc@grandgamersguild.com or 616-916-1179.

Calling all Renegades!

by Sophia Gambill, Sales Assistant, Renegade Game Studios

AtRenegade Games Studios, we strive to help retailers, their businesses and their customers thrive. If you carry Renegade Game products in your store, then there’s nothing stopping you from signing up for free to become an official Renegade Retailer. We have a ton of resources available to you at the quick click of a button. Our webpage resources are designed to increase your sales and enhance your customers’ love of Renegade Games.

Exclusive Games and Free Promos

By becoming a Renegade Retailer, you have the option of ordering directly from Renegade Games. This provides access to exclusive board games and promotional items not available from your distributor. You can find Renegade Exclusive games such as Artisans of Splendant Vale and My Father’s Work; exclusive promo products for your customers’ favorite games, that can be used as sales incentives and prizes for those weekly board game events and much more! You can sign up using the link on our website’s resources page at retailers. renegadegamestudios.com/retailers/.

Renegade Organized Play

We are always updating and enhancing our organized play options! Vampire: The Masquerade Rivals Expandable Game has been a staple in organized play, which we are proud to continue to bring to stores! Our Organized Play kits and Clan Clash kits are perfect to start running games in your store. More information can be found at vampirecardgame.com.

We have also expanded our team managing Organized Play. You can look forward to many new and enhanced experiences for in-store, casual and competitive tournaments in the coming year.

Play Renegade

Play Renegade, launched in April 2023, provides free adventures and stories to approved game masters. New adventures and stories are released every six months for all of our TTRPG titles:

• Werewolf: The Apocalypse RPG

• Vampire: The Masquerade RPG

• Hunter: The Reckoning RPG

• My Little Pony RPG

• G.I. JOE RPG

• Power Rangers RPG

• Transformers RPG

This program is designed to bring together groups of role-players to run public events. Your friendly local game store is the perfect place for your customers to enjoy some role-playing games, creating a fun and lively atmosphere in your store.

New “One Stop Spot” for Product Info

Our aim is to make product information and assets as accessible as possible. That is why we have created a new full product list! This list can be found on our website’s resources page and allows easy access to product info, release dates, order due dates, sell sheets and assets. This is the go-to place for product updates, providing you the most up to date information on all our games. Check it out at retailers. renegadegamestudios.com/retailers/. Weekly Updates with the Retailer Newsletter and Facebook Group Connecting with you and keeping you updated is a top priority. Sign up to receive our weekly Retailer Newsletter to be reminded of products coming soon, order due dates, and new releases. Our Retailer Facebook page is also a place to let us know anything we can do to help you, your customers and your business! You can find us at facebook.com/groups/RGSRetailers/.

• Confront the forces of destruction, avarice, and greed ravaging the earth-mother.

• Includes an introductory story to guide new Werewolf players and veteran World of Darkness enthusiasts through their first game.

• Build your legend, vie for renown, and fight to take back what has been lost.

• Join one of eleven tribes, each unique and rich with narrative depth.

Dogfight! from Floodgate is the third game in the 20-minute series. Rule the skies as a fighter pilot in a World War I biplane. Includes 10 unique pilots and multiple missions.

sales@ floodgategames.com

Pathfinder Elemental Stones from PAIZO lets players take on the role of an elemental sovereign, shaping the very nature of reality in this fast-moving game of token placement and pattern matching. Contact your distributor to order.

paizo.com/products/ btq02eh8?PathfinderElemental-Stones

Fossilis from KTBG is a tactile game of dinosaur discovery! Players are paleontologists exploring the unique 3D board, digging through terrain and uncovering bones for big points! Made for two to five players.

kidstablebg.com

Potato Man from Minds Vision is a trick-taking game for two to five players. Use your cards wisely to win the most valuable tricks and leverage the power of the legendary hero.

minds-vision.com

All new plush from Punchkins plush are the perfect collectible to show off your personality. With over 50 unique and relatable styles, Punchkins are easy to collect and share with your friends and family.

Hexaquest – The Strategic Trivia Game from Tumbling Heads is an easy game to learn with endless ways of customizing it! Risky choices can reap big rewards and potentially win the game. Contact martin@tumblingheads.com

More New Products on pages 22, 23 and 37

MSRP $14.99

From Sagrada to Legacy

by Ian Birdsall, Marketing Manager, Floodgate Games

“IloveSagrada. I love legacy games! How about we have something that takes two great tastes that are absolutely phenomenal together!” – Richard Ham, Rahdo Runs Through

Sagrada Artisans builds upon the successful Sagrada blueprint to offer something completely unique while staying true to what makes the original so well-loved. But, how did one of the industry’s best-selling spatial puzzle games become Floodgate Games’ most ambitious endeavor? To answer that, first a bit of history!

Hop into the way-back machine with us! When Sagrada was first conceptualised, Adrian Adamescu (codesigner) was studying the five-color theorem while at university. This math theorem basically states that you can color in any map so that no two colors touch by only using five colors. Adamescu was fascinated with how this could be implemented into a game design. Working together with Daryl Andrews (co-designer), the duo eventually settled

on a grid and colorful dice. After a fateful trip to Barcelona, the theme of constructing stained glass windows just made sense; thus, Sagrada was born!

Since its 2017 release, we’ve expanded upon the core gameplay in Sagrada to include new objectives, challenges and, of course, more dice! The aptly named 5 & 6 Player Expansion adds the necessary components to add more players to the base game as well as the very popular Private Drafting Pool rules. The subsequent three Great Facades expansions, each named after one of the facades of La Sagrada Familia cathedral, added their own flair to the game! Each expansion of Passion, Life and Glory added something new to the Sagrada formula. But when we were thinking what was next for Sagrada we knew we would have to go BIG!

Sagrada Artisans introduces coloring the spaces in your window instead of placing dice on your board. The fivecolor theorem that first inspired the Sagrada’s creation would now come full circle to players coloring in their window patterns! Unshackled from restrictions of a grid of dice, this opens a whole world of possibilities with the shape of the windows, adjacency of spaces, manipulating dice values and more! Players will be permanently modifying their windows with their drafting and coloring, as well as modifying other aspects of the game! These actions will carry forward through the campaign.

In Sagrada Artisans,

family of stained-glass artisans over several generations, with each member contributing their work to the ultimate construction of the Sagrada Familia cathedral. No longer constrained by the size, shape or numerical values of the dice, players will explore bold new window patterns for players to challenge themselves with throughout the campaign. For players new to Sagrada (or those who haven’t played in a while), we’ve made sure that the onboarding and introduction of the core system, and new rules, are smooth from start to finish. We’re (of course) huge fans of Sagrada, and at Floodgate love legacy games. In combining these two passions, we poured everything we could into building a beloved game to craft an even more engaging and rich experience in Sagrada Artisans for gamers to enjoy for generations.

Sagrada Artisans is available for retail distribution beginning in August 2023. We would be honored to find our games on your store shelves; email us to learn more about how sales@floodgategames. com.

Coming to your shelves August 2023!

Sagrada Artisans is a massive stand-alone legacy game based on the bestselling Sagrada - A Game of Dice Drafting and Window Crafting.

Players will take on the role of a family of stained glass artisans working to construct the Sagrada

Familia cathedral unlocking new tools, special abilities, and more as the story unfolds.

SAGRADA: ARTISANS

MSRP $74.95 USD

SKU: FGG-SAR • UPC: 850030923103

Box Dimensions: 11.61 × 11.61 × 4.53 in

Case Quantity: 4 Weight: 5.0 lbs

Players

2-4 45-60 Minutes

Ages 13+

With Peachstate Hobby Distribution, the adventure starts when you roll the dice. Your breath catches as they drop onto the dark, satin-lined dice tray. They bounce off the sides of the Dice Companion before falling into place.

Vs. System 2PCG: All Elite Wrestling (AEW) from Upper Deck invites players to the to bring their skill and power to the ring! The set features iconic wrestlers including MJE, Chris Jericho, Kris Statlander and more! upperdeckstore.com/vs-system-2pcgaew.html

Heroes of Fairy Tail from Japanime Games is the official game based on the world-famous anime and created by The team Kaedama Over the course of three rounds, you must recruit heroes by drafting cards.

SKU JPG147

Shadows of Brimstone Adventures from Flying Frog Productions is a fully cooperative dungeon crawler that lets players lead an expedition into a mysterious region overrun by creatures of myth and legend.

Contact Ethan Lowe at ethan@flyingfrog.net

Pasión de las Pasiones Core Book from Magpie Games involves passion, drama, secrets, delights and heated conflict. You and your friends can play out the stories of the greatest telenovela ever to air!

Contact Christopher Samson at christopher@magpiegames.com magpiegames.com/pages/pasion

More New Products on pages 22, 23 and 30

Magic and Culinary Delights for Players Around the Table

by Mikael Yang

In a world filled with digital distractions, board games have made a resounding comeback, rekindling our love for face-toface interactions and imaginative play. Among the countless titles that grace our tabletops, Japanime Games has carved a niche with their enchanting creations. In this article, we delve into the realms of Heroes of Fairy Tail and Sushi Boat, two captivating board games that transport players to realms brimming with adventure and culinary delights.

For fans of the Fairy Tail manga and anime, the board game adaptation, Heroes of Fairy Tail is a dream come true. This cooperative game invites players to join forces and step into the shoes of their favorite characters from the Fairy Tail guild. From Natsu Dragneel’s fiery magic to Lucy Heartfilia’s celestial spirits, each character possesses unique abilities and powers, mirroring their traits in the original series.

The game’s rich narrative and engaging mechanics transport players to the fantastical world of Fairy Tail where they embark on epic quests, confront fearsome villains and protect the kingdom of Fiore. With stunning artwork, Heroes of Fairy Tail immerses players in the same vibrant universe they’ve come to love through the manga and anime.

From the magical guilds of Fairy Tail, we transition to a delicious culinary adventure with Sushi Boat. This delightful game combines the art of sushimaking with a race against time. As aspiring sushi chefs, players compete to create the most tantalizing sushi combinations within a bustling Japanese restaurant.

In Sushi Boat, players are challenged to gather ingredients, assemble sushi rolls and satisfy

the demanding tastes of their discerning customers. The game’s ingenious conveyor belt mechanism adds an element of urgency, as players must make swift decisions to grab the freshest ingredients before their opponents. With high-quality components (a wooden board game!), charming artwork and a dash of luck, Sushi Boat serves up a delightful and mouthwatering gaming experience.

The allure of these Japanime games lies in their ability to bridge the gap between popular anime series and the immersive world of board gaming. Heroes of Fairy Tail enables fans to step into the shoes of their beloved characters, forging alliances and battling formidable foes, all while preserving the essence of the original story. Sushi Boat, on the other hand, blends the vibrant colors and aesthetics of anime with the exciting challenge of creating sushi masterpieces.

These games not only cater to fans of the manga and anime but also provide a gateway for newcomers to explore these captivating worlds. By embracing the themes, characters and visual styles of the source material, Heroes of Fairy Tail and Sushi Boat bring a fresh and engaging experience to the tabletop. Players of all ages are able to find something for them within Japanime Games huge catalog of anime board games.

In a world where entertainment often feels isolated and solitary, board games have the power to unite people around the table. Japanime Games has masterfully crafted Heroes of Fairy Tail and Sushi Boat, two captivating board games that transport players into the realms of magic and culinary delights.

Shadows of Brimstone

Enemies on the Horizon

by Ethan

This year the critically-acclaimed  Shadows of Brimstone game series adds some exciting new genres to the mix with two Brimstone Adventures Core Sets – Gates of Valhalla and Valley of the Serpent Kings! With an Age of Exploration theme, these sets let players add Vikings and Spanish Explorers respectively, to their fast-paced, cooperative dungeon-crawl games of Shadows of Brimstone.

In Gates of Valhalla, each player creates a Viking character, such as a Jarl, Raider, Berserker or Huscarl. Forming a party of heroes, the players explore a dynamically-generated Norseland, overcoming dangerous encounters and fighting savage mythical creatures, while collecting gear and artifacts to help them on their adventures.

In Valley of the Serpent Kings, each player creates a character, taking on the role of a classic Spanish conquistador archetype, such as El Capitan, Explorer, Duelist or Soldier. They enter the dark halls of an abandoned Spanish fort that has fallen into shadow and set out to explore the alien Swamps of Jargono in the Valley of the Serpent Kings,

facing deadly encounters and sinister Serpentmen.

One of the great strengths of Shadows of Brimstone is that all of the Core Sets are fully compatible with all of the other Shadows of Brimstone Expansions and Enemy Packs. A key feature that gives great depth to the game is the wide variety of Enemy Threats that players can encounter across the worlds of Brimstone. This fall, monthly releases will bring Enemy Packs with new tricks and tactics to challenge adventurous hero parties.

The Feathered Serpents Enemy Pack will bring the Serpents of Kotak, descending from the heavens to hiss and strike at those who would dare intrude on the jungle temples dedicated to their ancient master. These venomous airborne enemies have the ability to avoid killing blows thanks to the death wards Kotak has granted them. Even after a fight has ended, their poisonous bites will linger and continue to harm heroes.

The Setaris Kitewings are a ruthless alien civilization, bent on conquest and devastation. A reptilian species with large leathery wings, they often act in small bands of space pirates known as Ravager Enclaves. The Setaris Ravagers Enemy

Pack lets players pit their rudimentary weapons against the Setaris laser rifles and hit-and-run tactics of these invaders.

Highly anticipated by veteran players, the Thunderforged Titan XXL Deluxe Enemy Pack will bring a towering challenge to any group that provokes this massive opponent. Bursting through the ancient gates of the Underworld, the towering titan emerges from the cold depths of Niflheim to show chaos and devastation upon the worlds of men. Heroes can undertake the mission, “Twilight of the Gods,” to stop the Ragnarok that this hammer wielding behemoth seeks to bring. If they hope to succeed, they will have to contend with the titan’s Thunderforged Armor that will repel their blows and a new deck of Titanic Devastation cards that the Thunderforged Titan can use to unleash sweeping special attacks on all its foes!

The modular design and full compatibility of expansions in the Shadows of Brimstone game series allows players to create their own epic campaigns and include the genres and enemies that they are most excited to encounter.

Lowe, Distributor and Retail Relations Manager, Flying Frog Productions

A Renewal of Epic Adventure

by Aaron Shanks, Director of Marketing,

Attentionhobby retailers! Get ready for a new opportunity to stimulate tabletop roleplaying game sales with the Pathfinder Second Edition Remaster Project. Paizo is releasing four new hardcover rulebooks to reinvigorate Pathfinder and provide an unparalleled gaming experience, featuring deep character customization, balanced play and GM support. The remastered books offer a consolidated and enhanced experience, while keeping the core rules system unchanged.

The four essential Pathfinder books are Player Core, GM Core, Monster Core and Player Core 2. They make the game even easier to learn and more enjoyable to play. The first two books will be available in November, and the others will follow in 2024.

The new rulebooks are fully compatible with existing Pathfinder Second Edition products, so customers’ previous investments remain relevant. The transition to the Open RPG Creative (ORC) license brings minor modifications, ensuring full compatibility and opening new creative possibilities.

Retailers can offer a diverse selection of Pathfinder Second Edition Remaster books, including Special Editions and – three months after the hardcover release – softcover Pocket Editions. Most importantly, Wayne Reynolds’ stunning cover art will be available in hobby retailer exclusive sketch cover editions, featuring brand-new types of official Pathfinder dragons.

The Pathfinder Society Organized Play will integrate the new rules without disrupting ongoing campaigns. Retailers should plan to participate in our Retail Incentive Program, which is

editorial team

designed to help players support those game stores and venues which host our games, often for free, while earning in-game benefits. Over the past year we’ve heard some recommendations to improve it, and we’re delighted to share the new version of the program. You can download PDFs of the rules for Pathfinder Society and Starfinder Society now on the Retail Incentive Program page at paizo. com/organizedplay/policies or email us at organizedplay@paizo.com.

Paizo’s holiday releases include Starfinder Enhanced – an invaluable game resource covering all aspects of the Starfinder rules – and Pathfinder Elemental Stones in which you take on the role of an elemental sovereign, shaping the very nature of reality in this fast-moving board game!

Looking ahead, Paizo’s regular schedule of Pathfinder releases includes exciting projects like the Pathfinder Howl of the Wild rulebook, the Lost Omens Tian Xia World Guide and Character Guide, monthly Adventure Path installments, and more surprises—some of which will have been announced by this time this article

Your passion for tabletop roleplaying games and dedication to providing the best gaming experience are invaluable in making the Pathfinder Second Edition Remaster Project a success. Prepare to embark on this thrilling journey with Paizo and offer your customers a fresh take on the world of tabletop gaming.

Register your store at paizo.com/paizo/retailers to stay up-todate with the newest products, offers and upcoming events tailored for retailers.

Paizo; and Paizo’s

ORDER THESE UPCOMING RELEASES FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON TODAY!

PZO12002, PZO12002-SK, PZO12002-SE $59.99, SE - $79.99

PZO7122

Tabletop Candle Company Offers Unique, Quality Experiences

by Chloe Lowe, Owner, Tabletop Candle Company

Our products sell themselves, so the best thing you can do is keep the display well-stocked because they will fly off the shelf!

One of the main reasons our candles perform exceptionally well in stores is the uniqueness of our product. Every detail is carefully considered and serves a purpose, from the tags to the wax seals that accompany them – everything is intentional.

We take pride in quick turnaround times and delivering a quality product as a small business. This allows us to work closely with the stores we partner with. When you work with us, you will always be dealing directly with me, from a simple conversation to placing an order. Building strong business relationships with the stores we work with is crucial, and I am committed to ensuring you are well taken care of.

I started crafting these wax dice candles during lockdown. Before I knew it, all my friends wanted one, and then their friends wanted one too. As demand grew, I expanded with more class candles and launched my online business. Eventually we opened up wholesaling to stores. We are very excited to collaborate with you and your store!

Potato Man is Here and is Bringing Reinforcements!

by Otavio Lessa, Co-Founder, Mind’s Vision

Potato Man, the cult trick-taking card game from German creators Günter Burkhardt and Wolfgang A. Lehmann, has returned to the North American market! Not only that, but it now features enhanced visuals made by Guilherme Cavalcante for Geeks N’ Orcs, the Brazilian studio responsible for the international rights of the title.

This remastered version marks the debut title of Mind’s Vision, our new U.S.-based independent publisher of tabletop games and graphic novels. We were excited about starting our operations with a fantastic and market-proven product with more than 1,100 ratings on boardgamegeek.com.

My wife and I are the co-founders and have more than three decades of experience in publishing, marketing, localization and customer support. Along with a team of collaborators and creators from three continents, we got people with experience working with major brands like Blizzard, Amazon, Krafton, NetEase, Image Comics, IDW and Wizards of the Coast. We are starting with our hearts close to home as we bring many award-winning authors from Brazil, our country of origin,

to the English-speaking markets and the rest of the world.

Besides all the experience, we know that the tabletop business is a newer environment for us, so we decided to try our first RPG via crowdfunding. The title, The Legacy of Cthulhu, from a new studio called 101 Games, was a resounding success. With its campaign funded in its first hour, it reassured us that we are on the right track. Set in a post-apocalyptic world dominated by Cthulhu and other creatures from H.P. Lovecraft’s lore, The Legacy of Cthulhu is an RPG/Board game hybrid planned to begin shipping in November, along with spin-off titles based on classic horror tropes.

On the subject of 2023 releases, we have slated Huradrim, a party card game where players must trade cards to get the right combination for the perfect brew

to honor the new King of dwarves. There’s also Anachronic(les), a love letter to action movies from the 1980s and 1990s, available as a storytelling card game and a traditional RPG. Finally, we have BarbeCubes, a cooperative family board game where players must work together to cook the orders without letting the food burn.

We won’t stop there. From a collection of RPG adventures and player aids, high-quality board game inserts and awardwinning titles, our slate for 2024 alreadlooks packed. Please join our mailing list on minds-vision. com to be the first to know about our announcements.

As we grow and learn as a new business, we are focusing on developing relationships with distributors, event organizers and retailers. Feel free to contact us for information, request demo copies, or for sales at contact@minds-vision.com.

Industry Trends Report by Boogie Board: Fall Edition

by Monica Whitehurst, Senior Director of Marketing & Communications, Boogie Board

Independent tabletop game retailers have much to be excited about as we move into fall. A variety of seasonal and industry trends bring the opportunity to reach new gaming fans and strengthen relationships with loyal customers.

In an industry that’s always evolving, Boogie Board, the leader in reusable LCD writing and drawing solutions, remains a constant as the go-to life pad for those serious about gaming and scorekeeping.

The Boogie Board brand is proud its Jot Writing Tablets are trusted by independent game store owners. The brand is beloved by game players since its reusable products help keep score in a paperless way (no mess and more sustainable), have an extended product life and are easy to disinfect and clean.

Chris Cahill, a game store owner at Mana Crypt Gaming Center in Pittsfield, MA, recognized the multitude of applications that Boogie Board tablets can accommodate. “As a Magic player, I had been using Boogie Board tablets for years to track my life totals. When I saw that I could carry my own branded ones, I jumped at the opportunity. Since bringing them in, my TCG players have picked them up, but I also found a market in my wargaming community to track victory points, command points and other information!”

Seasonal Trends for Fall

Back to Campus: businesses based in college towns, locally-owned gaming hotspots will soon receive an influx of new students – many already passionate about tabletop gaming. These pre-existing fans are sure to introduce new friends to those games and gaming essentials –like Boogie Board reusable writing tablets – they love most.

Craving Community: As many states prepare for a dip in temperatures, independent tabletop game stores can continue to serve as a gathering space for locals with gaming events and meet-ups to help drive foot traffic and sales while fostering a sense of community.

Planning Gift Purchases Early: Holiday shopping continues to be on the minds of customers a little bit earlier every year. Boogie Board Jot reusable writing tablets can be customized with store or team names as a standalone gift item for shoppers or as an item to stock up on for the whole team. This product is trusted by gaming fans who prefer a clean and

where grown-ups are already game aficionados may find themselves with new gaming fans under their roof. Luckily, the Boogie Board Jot comes in a variety of sizes, so no one needs to share! Tweens may prefer a Boogie Board Jot Pocket – a scaled-down size that’s perfect for slightly smaller hands and to slip into backpacks for gaming on the go.

Younger fans will love keeping score with the same reusable writing tablet essential as grownups. When they’re not gaming, the Jot Pocket can double as a creative drawing surface for those working to perfect sketches of their most beloved collectible characters.

We Actually DID Playtest This!

by Heather O’Neill, Managing Director, Unpub

esigners sometimes spend hundreds of hours playtesting their games before they are ever signed with a publisher. Then, once signed, there is typically much playtesting during development.

So, you designed a game, now what? A lot. It’s not all fun and games, unfortunately, when it comes to tabletop

Playtesting can be one the biggest areas of focus for a designer. Not only the time physically playtesting, but finding people, especially new people, to try their game. Sure, friends and family are great resources, but can you really ask your sister to spend yet another Sunday afternoon

The best way to get many different eyes on an unsigned game is to join and attend playtesting events in the tabletop industry. That’s where groups like Unpub and Protospiel come in. For this article I will speak only to Unpub as that is the organization I am involved with, however I encourage you to check out Protospiel as well.

In Summer of 2020, I joined the Unpub board as the Managing Director. Unpub provides playtesting events, pitching events, and designer education through panels and

“I’ve been coming to Unpub since the early days of working on Wingspan. The organizers put a lot of effort into making it an event that not only provides a space for playtesting but also for networking and education. It’s always my favorite event of the year.”

– Elizabeth Hargrave

Not only does Unpub provide the space and framework to allow for playtesting unsigned games, but it also provides networking opportunities and education for designers.

One of the best resources as a designer is other designers. This is especially true for those new to the industry, as the more experience designers have answers to questions, resources and some of the most valuable feedback about game designs.

“Unpub is the most welcoming convention for aspiring designers I’ve ever been to. Especially laudable is their outreach toward a diverse group of potential local players, which serves as a healthy funnel into our beloved hobby.” – Eric Lang

Having just hosted our annual in person playtesting show, I can confidently say there are many great games out there waiting to be signed and in stores!

How can I get involved in Unpub as a publisher?

Many publishers are already involved with Unpub, but if you are not yet, we encourage you to reach out. Publishers can host educational panels at our online or in person conventions to meet new designer and give them much needed information about the industry.

I personally run events called Speed Pitching (think speed dating but for games) about five times a year. We bring in about a dozen publishers to see games curated from the design community. Over the years publishers like 25th Century, Crafty Games, Hasbro, KOSMOS, Pandasaurus, Ravensburger, Smirk & Dagger and WizKids have attended.

How can I get involved in Unpub as a retailer?

If you’re a retailer and you feature local designers or game design nights, thank you! You are giving designers in your area the space they need to thrive.

If you’re looking to start something in your friendly local game store, please reach out to us. Retailers are also always welcome to attend our playtesting events to get a sneak peek of what may be coming out down the road!

About Unpub www.unpub.net

CONTACT: info@unpub.net

The Unpublished Games Network or Unpub is a network of game designers, publishers, players, & artists working towards the creation of new and unique tabletop games. The organization was founded in 2010 by John Moller with the hope to create a stronger community of colleagues and friends in game design while promoting the creative projects of our members and encouraging the improvement of their games through play-testing.

About Heather O’Neill

She’s the managing director of Unpub, Co-owner of 9th Level Games www.9thlevel. com, freelance game designer and freelance marketer in the tabletop gaming industry.

Insuring Toy and Game Manufacturers for a Half Century

by Bob Witkin, Toy Industry and Juvenile Products Specialist, York Jersey Underwriters

Located in Tinton Falls, NJ, York Jersey

Underwriters was founded in 1926. Since then, we have pioneered insuring a variety of businesses in the toy industry. We are licensed in all 50 states and represent many leading insurers as an independent agency. We are a successful insurance program manager for specific industries and are pleased to offer our Liability Insurance Program for the toy, game, hobby and juvenile products industries.

Program highlights include:

• A ++ rated insurer with $20 billion in assets

• Exceeds all leading retailers’ insurance requirements

• Variable rates based on sales projections

• Foreign and domestic liability coverage

• Blanket additional insured vendors

• Employee benefits liability

• All certificates and claims are handled in house

• Quick quotation turnaround

• Product Recall Expense – $250,000

• Umbrella up to $50 million

• Ocean cargo

• Property

• Workers sompensation

• Intellectual property

• Bond

• Commercial auto

• Cyber

To learn more, visit toy-insurance.com, call 800-392-6958 to connect with Jason Welch (ext. 318, jawelch@york-jersey.com) or Robert Witkin (ext. 331, bobwitkin@york-jersey.com).

Life is unpredictable...are you PROTECTED?

Over 90 years protecting people and businesses from the unexpected.

Program Highlights

• A++ rated insurer, $20 Billion in assets.

• Exceeds WalMart and other leading retailers insurance requirements.

• Variable rates based on sales projections.

• Foreign & Domestic liability coverage.

• Blanket additional insured vendors.

York-Jersey Underwriters

has been in business since 1926 and has 40 years experience with the Toy Industry. We are licensed in all 50 states and represent many leading insurers as an independent agency. We are successful insurance program managers for speci c industries and are pleased to o er our Liability Insurance Program for the Toy, Hobby & Juvenile Industries.

Jason Welch x318 jawelch@york-jersey.com

Robert Witkin x331 bobwitkin@york-jersey.com

185 Newman Springs Road Tinton Falls, NJ 07724

(800) 392-6958

www.toy-insurance.com

Available to meet you at the show!

• Employee bene ts liability.

• All certi cates and claims handled in house.

• Quick quotation turnaround.

• Product recall expense at no cost from $50,000 to $250,000.

Additional Coverage

• Umbrella up to $50,000,000.

• Ocean Cargo & Property.

• Workers Compensation.

• Commercial Auto.

• Intellectual properties (copyrights, trademarks & patents).

• Cyber, D&O, E&O and EPLI

• US Customs Bond Insurance.

Serving All Your Insurance Needs Since 1926

We’re Going on an Adventure, Dice Companion!

Following the heroic feats that led to the launch of our very first wave of roleplaying accessories, we are proud to announce that we have once again braved the wild unknown and battled our demon dragons to create the Dice Companion. (Faithful readers of Around the Table may recall a somewhat harrowing tale from fall last year. Although we may have gotten slightly carried away with the origin story, we stand by our enthusiasm for the game!)

Having brushed off the dust and grime from our journey to discovery, we are now ready to release into the world the latest addition to our RPG series. The Dice Companion joins the Dragon Shield RPG family: the Game Master Companion, Player’s Companion and the Spell Codex.

For tabletop role-players everywhere, we present the Dice Companion. While its size seems … quaint, we are sure its cover and content are bound to impress. Allow us to dive into its thorough design, where

respect and love for the game were the driving forces!

Encased in tough dragon skin and adorned by gold embellishments, the Dice Companion comes in two colors: iron grey and blood red. For owners of our other RPG products, you can extend your existing collection in the color that suits your game best. Reveal the interior by opening the strong magnetic closure on the side. The Dice Companion unfolds to display a black, silky soft, satin-lined interior. A divider bar snaps into place using strong magnets, allowing you to customize the size of your dice tray and make it fit your favorite dice sets.

When adventure calls, simply adjust the divider bar to adapt to your required dice tray space. If you have plenty of surface area, you can even remove the divider bar entirely. This creates a great space for a long side roll. If the tabletop surface is more limited, you can fold the lid underneath the dice tray and snap the divider bar in place to create a dice tray

area encased by four walls. No matter how your dice are cast, we hope you’ll spare a minute to appreciate the sound as they bounce off the Dice Companion’s sides before revealing your character’s fate.

Once your adventures are done, use the Dice Companion tray area to store your accessories. Use the divider bar to create separate storage spaces for different accessories, or simply as a fourth wall to enclose the entire tray. There is plenty of room for your dice, pens, miniatures and other small accessories. The magnetic closure and sturdy material of the Dice Companion ensure safe and contained transport of your items.

From the travel-weary but proud team at Dragon Shield, we hope you’ll find the Dice Companion a trusted accessory for your adventures. Expand your RPG collection – or start from scratch –when the newest addition to the RPG accessories family lands on September 22, 2023.

Diced Veggies: Cooking Up Something Yummy

by Sean Jacquemain, Communications Director, KTBG

Somethingsmells good! With a handful of recipes, the freshest ingredients and your trusty cleaver, you’re whipping up a delicious meal. Can you out-grill, -bake and -sauté the competition to produce the most appetizing fare? If you’re able to cook your dishes carefully, you can add some hype to the presentation for some juicy extra points! Before you know it, this sixcourse meal will be plated and enjoyed; the only question left will be “Who’s picking up the check?”

Diced Veggies is the first game from 11-year-old designers, cousins Rowan and Jory Cappel. With help from their uncle and dad, Josh Cappel, a seasoned designer himself, the three worked on the game after school and at family events.

“The kids grew up watching us make games,” Josh noted. “They’ve been helping us playtest games their whole lives, watching how we refine and develop to make a game better and better. It feels like it was just a matter of time before they

wanted to try designing for themselves.”

In Diced Veggies, you use the patented KTBG cleaver to chop Carrot, Onion, Pepper, Mushroom and Tomato dice from the shared chopping block and assign them to recipes you’re working on. Each turn, you can collect a maximum value of 10 pips on the vegetable dice, so choose where to chop carefully. You start the game with two recipes in hand and you can add more as you complete them.

During the game, you work on a variety of scrumptious dishes from around the world like jambalaya, paella and shakshuka. When you’ve added all the ingredients required to complete a recipe, you can also play Hype cards to add extra value to the dish. Hype cards, like “World’s Greatest,” “Beautifully Plated” and “Drool Worthy” usually require some specific dice combination or force you to discard extra ingredients to add them to a completed recipe.

“We had so much fun researching

and choosing the various recipes for Diced Veggies,” Josh said. “And Claire Lin did an amazing job with the art. She brought each dish to life!”

Your Chef token is another helpful tool at your disposal. You can use it to change the vegetable type or value of a die, very helpful when completing recipes. When one ingredient has been completely exhausted from the chopping block, the used dice are reset, a new block is formed, and anyone who spent their Chef token gets it back.

The game continues until one chef has completed their sixth recipe. Each other player gets one more turn and then everyone gets a final chance to cook if they have the necessary ingredients. The chef with the most points for their completed recipes and Hype cards wins!

Diced Veggies is a fun, tactile game for two to four chefs, ages 6 and up, that plays in 30 minutes. It is available for retail sale now.

Congratulations!

Origins Awards Winners & Hall of Fame Inductees

We at GAMA would like to take a moment to congratulate the winners for this years Origins Awards and the 2023 Inductees into the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design Hall of Fame. The Origins Awards’ mission is to recognize annual achievement within the tabletop game industry. These games, publishers, and creators are exceptional, but also only represent a small portion of the incredible work our industry demonstrates each year. Congratulations to all our recipients and we look forward to seeing what the industry has to offer next year!

Origins Awards Winners

Retailer Game of the Year Boop (Smirk & Laughter Games)

Origins Fan Favorite Flamecraft (Lucky Duck Games)

Board Game - Social/Light Strategy

Creature Comforts (Kids Table Board Gaming)

Board Game - Strategy

Planet Unknown (Adam’s Apple Games)

Board Game - Thematic

Dead Reckoning (Alderac Entertainment Group (AEG)

Card Game

Scout (OINK Games)

Children’s Game

HONK! (Sinister Fish Games)

Collectible Game

Magic the Gathering Universes Beyond Warhammer

40K Commanders Deck (Wizards of the Coast)

Miniatures Game

Lion Rampant: Second Edition (Osprey Games)

RPG Core

Coyote & Crow (Coyote & Crow)

RPG Supplement

Agents of Dune (Modiphius)

Accessory

Deluxe Board Game Train Sets (Little Plastic Train Co.)

2D Art & Illustration

Cowboys with Big Hearts (Bully Pulpit Games)

3D Art

Fallout: Wasteland Warfare - Super Mutants: Swan (Modiphius Entertainment)

Graphic Design

Pathfinder Savage Worlds Boxed Set (Pinnacle Entertainment Group)

Reviews

Mind MGMT Review (Board Game Quest)

Hall of Fame Inductees

Jeff Easley

Mark Rosewater

Martin Wallace

1829

Cyperpunk RPG

Mathias Wigge (Rising Star)

GAMA Retail Store & Game Convention Locators

Oneof the purposes of GAMA is to build the tabletop game community and we are pleased to roll out two new tools to help gamers connect with each other.

The first is the GAMA Retailer Store Locator, currently highlighting 485 brick-and-mortar stores around the world. Local game stores are the hub of gamers in a community, and we want to help promote them. Our intent is to keep this map as accurate as possible, updating regularly to add new Voting Member Retailers as they join GAMA.

If you don’t see your store on the map, please email bryan.borgman@gama.org

You can find the Retail Locator at gama.org/page/FLGSlocator

Secondly, gaming conventions are a great way to find awesome new games, connect with other gamers, and learn more about the world of tabletop gaming. Good things happen when gamers get together!

Fortunately, there are hundreds of gaming events, large and small, happening all over the world. To help people locate game conventions, we have also created the Tabletop Gaming Convention Locator.

This map is also available on our website at gama.org/page/ConventionLocator

Winter Wishlist 2023

We know retailers are always on the lookout for what will be hot sellers in the all-important holiday shopping season. That’s why we provide the Winter Wishlist in the fall each year. This guide is a list of hot products and evergreen holiday favorites designed to help retailers plan their holiday displays and orders. GAMA Publisher members will have the opportunity to submit up to six products for the Winter

Wishlist’s two categories – Hot for the Holidays & Winter and Holiday Themed Games. The products on the list must have been either released after April 30, 2023, and guaranteed for delivery before November 30, 2023, or evergreen winter/holiday themed products. The Wishlist will be available on GAMA’s website by September 15. We will announce it in the weekly member newsletter when the list is released.

GAMA @ ESSEN SPIEL October 6-8, 2023

Publishers will be showing off new releases, sharing sneak peeks of future titles, and offering information on retailerspecific programs and news. Participating retailers are encouraged to open a dialogue with publishers and form lasting professional connections.

The 2023 ESSENtial Retailer Summit will be held on Friday, October 6 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. (GMT+2) in Room M+N of the Congress Center South.

The ESSENtial Retailer Summit is returning to Essen Spiel for 2023.

After a two-year hiatus, GAMA is pleased to offer this program once again for publishers and retailers to grow their businesses by forming new relationships across the globe.

Schedule and registration information will be available on GAMA website and on social media. In addition to the retailer summit, GAMA will also have a booth in Hall 4 and will be hosting an evening reception on Saturday, October 7. Last year’s reception was attended by more than 170 people. We are excited about our international outreach and look forward to connecting with industry members this fall in Germany.

GAMA Team Spotlight

Cree comes to us from Houston’s Comicpalooza, the largest pop culture convention in Texas. Prior to that he was an events manager for an FLGS, and a retail store manager outside the tabletop game space. He will oversee the event team’s management of GAMA EXPO, Origins Game Fair, Origins Game Day and the Tabletop Game Experience programs.

Becky is a meeting planner and education professional with broad experience in association management and delivering high quality educational programs. She is hard at work with the Education Committee mapping out GAMA EXPO 2024’s educational panels and presentations as well as monthly webinars and the Origins Trade Day program.

Mike has extensive experience providing digital marketing and communication strategies for a Michigan marketing firm with clients such as Ford Motor Company before launching his own marketing company focused on game publishers. He is a huge hockey fan and for a time was a correspondent for ESPN Fantasy Hockey with a column focused on the Detroit Red Wings and the Buffalo Sabres. We are pleased to have his expertise in growing GAMA and Origins communication outreach and messaging.

Cree Luzskia

Events Director

Becky Mangan

Education & Committee Coordinator

Mike Boseak

Marketing & Communications Manager

How Steve Jackson Games Saved Groo: The Game from Obscurity

by Katie Duffy, Marketing Manager, Steve Jackson Games

Comic book fans have delighted in the adventures of Sergio Aragonés’ Groo the Wanderer for more than 40 years. In 1997, the bumbling barbarian broke new ground by entering the realm of gaming.

Groo: The Game centers on gathering resources and building towns before other players – or Groo himself – reduces them to rubble. But while this classic game was a hit upon release, it was out of print for nearly 20 years before Steve Jackson Games brought it back to life. The story of its return is one of cultural preservation and the importance of rescuing tabletop games from the march of time.

Bringing Groo Back to the Table

Steve Jackson fell in love with Groo: The Game for many reasons, including its city building mechanics, characters and irreverent tone. In an interview with Comicbook.com, Jackson cited the game as an indirect influence for titles such as Munchkin. As such, it was only natural that he would want to save the game from

disappearing. It was not his first foray into retro titles. During the pandemic, Steve Jackson Games began the process of reprinting Wiz-War, a game originally created by Tom Jolly.

Still, the process would not be as simple as calling up Groo’s creator, Sergio Aragonés. Instead, two separate contracts would be needed. One contract would cover the rights to the game system and mechanics, while the other dealt with rights pertaining to Groo’s character, backstory and that of the supporting cast of characters. Fortunately, Steve Jackson Games was able to obtain the rights necessary to bring Groo: The Game back to gaming tables. This new edition features 115 cards and seven dice, as well as new illustrations from Aragonés himself. Not every game is so lucky. When a company goes out of business, becomes a subsidiary or is broken up, there is a greater chance that the rights to its games and assets will be tangled up in legal disputes or otherwise lost. Beyond the mere

entertainment factor, the loss of games also means a loss of unique rules, mechanics and other assets that could have inspired the game designers of today and tomorrow. In his Comicbook.com interview, Jackson noted that he has failed to secure rights to games in the past. It is part of the reason why he is working to republish some of his old favorites today.

Keeping Games Alive for Future Generations

As the market for tabletop games continues to grow, companies should look to the past as well as the future. Steve Jackson Games continues to celebrate beloved titles while looking ahead to the future of the hobby with Groo: The Game, Wiz-War and other games. By reprinting games and preserving their unique qualities, the company will keep gaming history alive and inspire consumers to discover new and exciting ways to gather together at the table.

Vs. System 2PCG

All Elite Wrestling Enters the Collectible Card Game Arena!

by Jade Sigmund, Marketing Coordinator of Entertainment Products

Are you ready to take the fight from the wrestling mat to the playmat? Brace yourself, wrestling fans and collectible card game fans, because the ground-breaking Vs. System 2PCG: All Elite Wrestling is about to revolutionize the way you experience the heartpounding action of the ring! In an unprecedented fusion of professional wrestling and strategic gameplay, Vs. System 2PCG: AEW brings the electrifying world of wrestling to the longstanding Vs. System 2PCG for the very first time. Get ready to step into the ring and unleash your inner champion!

Vs. System 2PCG: AEW marks the glorious return of wrestling-themed collectible card games to the market after more than a decade-long absence. Wrestling fans and gamers alike have been eagerly awaiting this epic collision, and it’s finally here to satisfy your insatiable appetite for adrenaline-pumping battles!

Picture this: You’ll have the opportunity to embody your favorite AEW icons, grapple with your opponents and experience the action from the screen directly to the table. With 12 new main characters and 28 new supporting

characters to choose from, you can take on the role of legends such enigmatic Sting or the unpredictable Darby Allin. Will you claim victory with the charismatic mastermind Chris Jericho, the unparalleled force of Kris Statlander and battle-tested Jon Moxley on team Babyface? Or will you be unstoppable with the fearless and the relentless Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D. and the dominant powerhouse Jade Cargill on team Heel? It’s a chance to become the ultimate wrestling strategist and conquer the ring with your unparalleled tactics!

In the world of Vs. System 2PCG: AEW, prepare for a thrill ride of back-and-forth action. Just like in the ring, the gameplay will keep you on the edge of your seat as you experience the unpredictable ebb and flow of a professional wrestling match. Deal a devastating blow to your opponent, only to find yourself momentarily staggered by a surprise countermove. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions that will have you cheering, shouting and throwing your cards down in excitement!

Vs. System 2PCG: AEW is not merely a card game; it’s an immersive experience that captures the essence of professional wrestling. Every deck you build represents your personal entourage of wrestling stars, and it’s up to you to assemble the perfect lineup to dominate the ring. Strategize, anticipate your opponents’ moves and outmaneuver them at every turn. Your collection of cards becomes a testament to your dedication, skill and passion for the world of wrestling. Get ready to slam your opponents around the mat, execute awe-inspiring melee combat and revel in the glory of victory. In Vs. System 2PCG: AEW you can customize your new team or enhance your existing Vs. System 2PCG decks. Grab your cards, step into the ring and let the mayhem begin! Fans from all walks of life, come together to celebrate the power and excitement of the ring at this year’s Gen Con. It’s time to unleash your inner superstar and claim your rightful place in wrestling history. Take home the belt, and your own copy of Vs. System 2PCG: AEW at upperdeckstore.com!

Try To build a Town wiThouT having iT sTomped To rubble by g roo The b arbarian !

and wanderer, never in one place for long . . . because he’s such a klutz the people run him out!

In this fast, fun game, each player tries to build a town and keep it intact against the twin threats of rival armies and Groo’s “helpful” visits. Roll dice to gain resources, spend them on buildings or troops . . . but anything you can’t use is passed along to your rivals!