The Board Game Book 2019 Your essential guide to the best new games The Board Game Book 2019 Kickstarter Preview ELLO, and thanks for taking a look at this preview of The HBoard Game Book 2019. In recent years the tabletop gaming hobby has grown at an astounding rate, and it isn’t hard to see why. A global commu- nity of talented designers is creating new, innovative gameplay experiences. Brilliant artists are imbuing games with the kind of visual flair found in high-end graphic novels and animated films. And in an age when so much of our entertainment is solitary and screen-based, analogue games offer fans a sociable alternative to smartphones and consoles. As games authors and journalists, we’re thrilled with the way gaming has grown from a niche pastime into a genuine cultural force. We’ve marvelled at the quality and variety of games hitting store shelves every year. And we’ve been delighted by the intel- ligent, inclusive, welcoming community that’s grown around the hobby. This book is a celebration of an incredible year in tabletop gaming. At its heart is a guide to more than 100 of the year’s best games, with clear, concise and insightful criticism of releases from across the spectrum of the hobby. We cover everything from quick, simple family games to brain-burning strategy titles, digging into what makes them tick, the ideas and influences they explore, and the atmosphere and social interactions they foster around the table. We also have behind-the-scenes interviews with game designers, from industry titans to up-and-coming talents. Getting a creator’s perspective on their work can be absolutely fascinating; think of every great interview you’ve read with your favourite bands or authors. We want to recognise game designers’ work in the same way, and to give readers a new insight into the creative processes behind their favourite games. Finally, we have beautiful studio photography of all of the games featured in the book. A game’s visual appeal can be one of its strongest points, and we’ve aimed to capture the character and personality of the year’s most exciting releases. We think it’s a pretty compelling combination, and we hope The Board Game Book will appeal to gamers of all kinds. We’d love to publish a new edition every year, and to continue to delve into the fun, challenge and creativity at the heart of our incredible hobby. Writing, editing, designing, printing and distributing a book isn’t easy. It takes time, skill, hard work and money. In bringing this project to Kickstarter, we’re hoping that the gaming community will be as enthusiastic about it as we are. Your support is vital to making this idea a reality, and we’re beyond grateful for your help. Owen, Matt, Teri and Richard Please note: this preview contains work-in-progress material. Some pages include placeholder text. This will not appear in the Artwork: Sakura/Osprey Games/Kevin Hong finished product. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet con- sectetur adipiscing elit mi nostra, lectus nullam sagittis odio neque feugiat consequat condimentum litora, fringillaNequam, testrum- que vollaborrum idebitentis mo dolupientia vendellecte nonse- quam, acculluptur, verumqu iani- menecus, ut et reic te commos dolupis volorepudi nim nusam, omnis rest, volecab oresequam reius mintus, officae eturi blant reptatisi doloribusda veligendem quatiuntem quis ventus dolorei Get into Gaming uscius as volori officiust quo ipsapitatus ipsandanda dolorpo ribusciliae sae nonsequid mi, con repratia seditae cus. With thousands of new releases hitting shop shelves every year, getting into board games Atibeat quidunt rempos cus 4 quidundandic tet alit verum, quia- can be a daunting prospect. Luckily, there are some tried-and-tested games which com- turEcuptio. Qui ipsunt, vollaccatis exere net et undae doluptatem bine simple rules and rewarding gameplay, making them perfect for anyone dipping their ditatis nectur sum aut quis se no- bit exeria nis susda qui resequia toe into the hobby for the first time. If you’re new to the tabletop world and don’t know is nis et labores sediciam where to start, these ‘gateway games’ could be just what you’re looking for. Ticket to Ride 2004 2 - 5 players, 30 - 60 minutes, ages 8+ Designer: Alan R. Moon £38.99 / $49.99 ITH its charming artwork and cute map to mark your progress, earning points ingly desperate as the game goes on. What Wplastic trains, you’d be forgiven for for connecting pairs of cities shown on secret starts out as a wide open continent quickly thinking Ticket to Ride was a gentle game objective cards. becomes a cramped battlefield with players of steam-powered railway adventure. But What makes things interesting, though, is scrabbling to secure the links they need to beneath its amiable exterior, it’s a ruthlessly that once you’ve claimed a stretch of track, seize victory. competitive beast. You and your opponents it’s off-limits to your opponents. You’ll be If you enjoy the original game, you might play travellers criss-crossing North Ameri- able to mercilessly block their paths, and it also want to try the follow-up, Ticket to ca by rail. You’ll lay coloured trains on the means that the fight over routes gets increas- Ride: Europe, which comes with a new map Machi Koro 2012 2 - 4 players, 25 - 30 minutes, ages 10+ Designer: Masao Suganuma £24.99 / $29.99 GAME of small-town mayors with big On your turn you’ll roll dice, with differ- industry and entertainment, or you could A aspirations, Machi Koro challenges you ent buildings providing rewards depending specialise in one area, dominating the market and your friends to grow your tiny villag- on the result. You might focus on small, de- in retail or factories. es into thriving cities. Starting with only a pendable businesses like cafés and conveni- It’s a quick, slick and intuitive approach wheat field and a bakery, you’ll aim to put ence stores, or costlier but potentially more to city-building, and you won’t need to con- your town on the map, raking in cash, pur- lucrative ones, such as skyscrapers and stadi- cern yourself with tax rates, zoning codes or chasing new buildings and constructing a set ums. You could aim for variety, with a wide trifling annoyances like elections. Instead of prestigious landmarks. assortment of buildings covering commerce, you’ll be able to focus on customising your Artwork: Rising Sun/ CMON/Adrian Smith Dixit Splendor Pandemic 2008 2014 2008 3 - 6 players, 25 – 30 minutes, 2 – 4 players, 20 – 30 6 2 - 4 players, 45 – 60 7 ages 8+ minutes, ages 10+ minutes, ages 8+ Designer: Jean-Louis Roubira Designer: Marc André Designer: Matt Leacock £29.99 / $34.99 £26.99 / $39.99 £36.99 / $39.99 GAME of subtlety and imagination, A Dixit revolves around beautifully NE of the most influential titles in develop vaccines before civilisation collaps- illustrated cards, all showing strange, HIS game of renaissance jewel mer- jewels, or using them to pay for upgrades to Omodern gaming, Pandemic revolves es. dreamlike scenes: a boy holding a candle Tchants sees players battling for wealth your growing business empire. You’ll grow around a group of medics fighting to save It’s not going to be easy. You’ll face unpre- inside a giant lightbulb; a towering cas- and prestige. You’ll invest in mines, secure steadily richer and more powerful, with the humanity from deadly diseases. And where dictable outbreaks that can suddenly turn a tle lifted into the air by a huge balloon; shipping routes, open glitzy showrooms and action becoming increasingly frantic as play- most games pit players against one another manageable situation into a terrifying crisis. a ship’s anchor lying abandoned in the attract Europe’s wealthiest nobles to marvel ers race for points to claim victory. as adversaries, this cooperative release puts But you’ll also have an assortment of special middle of a bone-dry desert. at your collection of diamonds, emeralds and To stand a chance of winning, you’ll need The everyone on the same side, working together abilities - a different one for each player - to On your turn, you’ll choose a card from rubies. to keep a close eye on your opponents, dis- to research cures and fight infections. help you react to the unfolding global dis- your hand, placing it face-down on the If that sounds like a tall order, don’t wor- rupting their plans while advancing your Each round of the game sees disease strains aster. table and vaguely describing it to the rest ry. Splendor is a brilliantly simple game that own. It takes some sharp analytical thinking, Resistance spread around the world, jumping from city With its expertly engineered atmosphere of of the group. Your opponents then look takes minutes to learn, but still manages to and Splendor squeezes every possible drop to city across a web of transport links. Your mounting tension, Pandemic has remained at the cards in their hands and choose the offer interesting decisions at every turn. As of tactical challenge out of its elegant, mini- 2009 intrepid team will fly to far-flung locations to one of the most popular games in the hobby one they think most closely matches your you play you’ll choose between acquiring malist set of rules. 5 – 10 players, 30 – 40 minutes, treat the sick, capture research samples and ever since its release. clue. You’ll shuffle the chosen cards to- gether, then reveal them to your fellow ages 10+ players, who’ll try to decide which was Designer: Don Eskridge the original card you played.