Indie Boards & Cards, along with Action Phase Games, is releasing the second edition of Daniel Solis’ Kodama in November of this year.

I’m a huge fan of the game and am glad to see it getting another printing even if I’m not a fan of the new box layout.

Kodama will be priced at $19.99 and is perfect as a holiday gift, or if you missed out on the original printing.

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Indie Boards & Cards is merging with Action Phase Games to create “a single games publishing behemoth.” Most of the company’s products will carry the Indie Boards & Cards name, though the Heroes Wanted line and certain other products will continue under the Action Phase brand. Distribution will remain managed by PSI.

Funnybone Toys has signed on with Lion Rampant for distribution in Canada. Previously, the company was handling Canadian sales directly. Funnybone says the move is the first step of a global expansion.

Ninja Division Publishing (Super Dungeon Explore) and Seven Seas Entertainment have formed a joint venture, Shinobi 7, that “will focus on producing tabletop games that are based on hit anime, manga, and pop culture brands.” The new company’s first title will be Space Dandy Galactic Deck-Building Game.

Superstore chain, Hastings, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy while owing PSI, Ultra PRO, and ACD Distribution each hundred of thousands of dollars.

Spin Master is opening an office in Australia and will take over the distribution of its own products currently distributed by Funtastic. The company is also expanding its operations in Mexico and Central and Eastern Europe and recently purchased children’s app makers Toca Boca and Sago Mini.

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Kodama: The Tree Spirits from Action Phase Games is a reimplementation of designer Daniel Solis’ Kigi, with a bit of added sophistication. Scoring points in the game involves growing tree branches with contiguous caterpillars, flowers, mushrooms, or other features. But rather than its strategy or mechanics, Kodama’s major draw has to be its overall aesthetic. Laying down branch cards is really about cultivating a beautiful and tranquil home for the spirits.

The first of its kind in our Crowdfunding Highlights series, Chess Boxing Global is an equity crowdfunding project that seeks to build an international sports league for Chessboxing. A total of 10 percent equity is being offered for approximately €390,000 (not open to residents of the United States).

The team at The Mad Adventurers Society wants to help you run a better game. The one who calls himself The Angry GM really just wants you to know you’re doing it wrong. For the privilege of reading their blog and listening to their podcasts they also expect you really should donate to their Patreon campaign.

Current Kickstarter projects Fathoms and Rivals are both tactical miniatures games set in underwater worlds. Fathoms has more of a modern military feel, Rivals more a mythical or fantastical one. Fathoms’ monster miniatures are frightening; Rivals’ are delightful. Fathoms has mechanics for flooding of submerged structures. Rivals has “aether” for purchasing troops and fueling special powers.

Prospectus from Mr. B Games pairs market economics with magical potion-making. “A mage has to know when to cash in his troll sweat for some owl spit.” It also has this neat crystal ball device for determining market movements in all of the various components.

For all the talk of “platonic ideal,” “syntactical combinations,” and “Aristotelian categories,” Band or Album is just a social game that assumes any and every phrase works as either the name of a band or the title of an album, but never both. Back the project to receive a set of rules with some guitar pic-shaped coins, and argue to your heart’s content.

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