“What’s this? You just posted about an 8-bit inspired game a few minutes ago!”

You’re right. I did. I’m an Editor here at Purple Pawn, so I’m allowed to do pretty much whatever I want.

Anyway.

Pixel Glory is an 8-bit inspired, fast-paced, deck building game where the players are wizards purchasing their spells, then heading down to the dungeons to do some damage. Everyone works together to kill the monsters, but only the wizard who deals the last blow gets the credit and fame for the kill.

The overall design here looks really great, and the gameplay is fun and light. Zafty also has two expansions for the game: one dealing with pets, and a newly (pay what you want) Kickstarted one for achievements.

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There’s a lot of 8-bit inspired board and cards games out there right now, and Super Hazard Quest knows that. What they’re hoping to do is provide you with a play experience that actually feels like and old 8-bit video games. Players will explore explore randomly generated dungeons where they’ll have to complete the right actions to move through the rooms and reach checkpoints. Can’t do it? Back to the start with you. Of course there’ll be enemies along the way. Bosses to. Oh, and the other players.

The SHQ team currently has a Kickstarter campaign going with 15 days left. The game is already funded, so now they’re working on stretch goals. A $25 pledge will get you a copy of the game, while higher levels will get you expansions, and even a prototype of the game right now.

I briefly had a change to see the game at PAX, and got a bit better look at CT FIG. I’ll be interested to really give the game a good sit down and play to see what it’s like with a group. I’m a sucker for the style. Let’s hope I’m a sucker for the gameplay, too.

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It’s been a long while since we’ve heard anything on the Deckbound front, but at PAX this year they were showing off their latest games using their Bitcoin Blockchain generated cards. Both Deckbound Heroes and Deckbound Quest were on display, both in beta form. I was actually informed that Deckbound Heroes will be going through an overhaul with a new engine soon.

We’ve heard a bit about Heroes before. It’s a CCG strategy game with ranked competitive play tournaments and events. They’ve now stated it’ll be out on both Desktop and Mobile, as will their single player dungeon-crawl, Deckbound Quest. Both games use a player’s Deckbound card collection, and cards can be leveled and augmented in both.

I actually got a chance to sit down with Deckbound Heroes for a bit, and it’s definitely still a rough game, with more of a mobile game feel than a desktop one. The controls were still a bit clunky, the graphics unpolished, and the card system a bit confusing. I saw a bit of Heroes, as well, but didn’t get to play. Heroes is definitely the much better looking game of the pair, though to be fair it’s been in development longer.

There wasn’t much to be said about the actual technology behind the cards and how that will work in-depth, and that’s what interests me the most. I’m not getting my hopes up too high, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed the Deckbound will deliver something more than just a gimmick.

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I could have included Brass Empire in my Pax East 2016 coverage, but while I saw the game there, I actually got a chance to sit down and play the game with its designer at CT FIG.

Brass Empire is a deck-building game that bears some resemblance to Star Realms, yet takes the idea of starships and outputs a bit further using buildings, employees, and machines. While you’re building up your deck you’re also contracting buildings to give you more resources and power, and deploying units to attack your opponent and defend yourself. All of this is wrapped in the Steampunk work of Cobalt.

I’m a big fan of deck-builders, and Brass Empire definitely fits into my top 3 favorite deck-builders of all time. The theme is awesome, the gameplay is tight and tense, and the ability to play a solo variant against a boss card is excellent in a pinch when you don’t have another player.

Brass Empire is currently up for pre-order and is scheduled to be shipped in June, first to Kickstarter backers and then to pre-order customers. I’m eagerly awaiting mine so I can give it a shot with my 10-year-old.

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Marketing as a Magic Lamp Game System, the Larklamp by Lumo Amuzo is a cool little contraption that looks like a lantern. When it’s lit up, and a game’s template are placed into its four sides, the Larklamp casts the game board on the table. Currently up in Kickstarter, Larklamp will come with one game, Snyxtrap, at launch.

It’s a novel idea, but it goes a bit further than that. While Snyxtrap is a light, family friendly game, it has some cool mechanics using the Larklamp. The board can be changed by moving the panels up and down giving the game a bit more depth than it may seem at first glance.

I was really impressed with what I saw.

The Kickstarter campaign is already funded, and you can make sure you get your Larklamp for a $49 pledge. This will also include a 5-year membership to the Lumo Amuzo Society, and annual almanac including new games for the Larklamp, in-depth stories on Lumo Amuzo art and design development, reports from expeditions into the Shadowy (don’t ask me what that means), and more. The Almanac will be delivered once a year on the Autumnal Equinox.

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Easily one of my favorite tables in the Indie Tabletop Megabooth this year, and not just because they gave me a MoonPie, Moonquake Escape had me hooked as soon as I saw it.

In the game, players are trying to use last last rocket on a prison planet about to be destroyed. This is done by choosing face down cards in front of other players in hopes of discovering them. You also have to deal with the constant changing of the board as the moonquake rumbles through the planet.

Part bluffing, part luck, part risk tasking, all with a clever board assembled for a good time. Everything here looks amazing. Jeff Johnston has done a tremendous job, and this is a game I’m really looking forward to getting my hands on. Currently it’s in production, and will be released by Breaking Games in the near future. When it’s out, my kids and are are going to have a serious, planetary throw down.

I should mention that PAX East wasn’t the only time I got a chance to see Moonquake Escape. The crew was also at CT FIG, picking up the award for Best 1st Impression.

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Every year I go to PAX East I make sure to stop by the Geek Chic booth to torture myself. Their tables are absolutely gorgeous, and way out of my price range. That is, until now. Their latest table, The Drop Ship, is a pre-made budget table in their line of wondrous gaming tables. While still a good amount of money ($1600 + $200 shipping), the Drop Ship falls in line with a lot of dining room tables I’ve seen.

The tables features include:

• Choice of Hardwood (Cherry, Maple, or Walnut)
• Game Vault System
• Lightweight Vault Lid (dual sided)
• Geek Chic Roll-Out Game Layer
• 29 ½” leg height
• Rail System
• 4 Locking Cupholders (with new solid brass slide-lock mechanism!)
• Suction cup to lift the vault lid and clear acrylic layer

There may just be a Geek Chic table in my future after all!

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Atlas Games was showing off Three Cheers for Master throughout the day at their booth. In the game, you’re trying to build up the largest stack of minions without them killing each other and causing the tower to fall. As foreminion, you’ll be able to keep things in line…kind of. The art in this one is really cool, and the hectic tower collapses are hilarious.

Also new at the booth was Fast & Fhtagn (don’t ask me how to pronounce that), a sequel to Cthulhu 500. It’s a card game of Cthulhu mythos racing with all sorts of sanity destroying obstacles.

I actually have copies of both of these in my review queue, so keep an eye out for those in the upcoming weeks.

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Catalyst always has a table full of amazing looking books, miniatures, and games. This year there were several new products they were showing off. Three Shadowrun 5th Edition sourcebooks, and three tabletop games. Dragons, Deckers, Vikings, and more.

Shadowrun: Hard Targets

Hard Targets is a book about death. It’s got wetworks, gear, and tactical info. It also contains adventure hooks for an in-depth look at the city of Havana in the Caribbean League, a political and criminal hotspot that lends itself to all sorts of wetwork jobs.

Shadowrun: Data Trails

Decker’s delight in this sourcebook. Technomancer’s too. This book is all about the Matrix and the flow of information. There’s even a section in here for non-Matrix users, and how their actions can effect the digital world.

Shadowrun: Rigger 6.0

Vehicles. Jets, boats, and hot rods. This book is jam packed with everything a Rigger could desire, including detailed rules on vehicular combat.

Wrath of Dragons

Forget resource management. Wrath of Dragons is a resource destruction game. Players each control a dragon that constantly pillages and destroys various regions every century. The game features resource destruction, card drafting, and dragon leveling. I had a chance to play this one, and it was a ton of fun. I’ll have a more detailed review in the near future, but for now you can check out the rules here.

Vikings

Based off the hit show on The History Channel, Vikings is a game of pillaging and plundering with all your favorite heroes from the show. Gather your resources in the Winter for your Summer raids.

Jarl

Another game in the Vikings universe, Jarl is a tile laying, strategy game where the goal is to capture your opponent’s Jarl. Pieces move as indicated on their tile, and every time you move a tile it’s flipped, revealing a different move set.

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I love Wormwood Gaming, and I especially love my Purpleheart Dice Tower and tray from the company. Excited to see what was new this time around, I headed to their booth. Along with some amazing looking wood, they had new deck boxes, and a leather gaming mat (my favorite item at the booth!)

The new deck boxes are both beautiful and functional. Each one also has a secret compartment to store a bluetooth tracker, so you’ll always know where you favorite deck is. Below is a selection of boxes in different types of wood.

The leather mats I saw were absolutely amazing. They’re larger than your standard gaming mat, and have the Wyrmwood logo embossed on them. They’re made from premium stone-oiled Water Buffalo leather, and can be engraved for an extra fee. My picture below really doesn’t do it any justice.

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