That’s a mouthful to say, but I love writing these up, what games get announced on the Dice Tower Summer Spectacular. They used to do this at GenCon, but lately, and I think because it’s easier to schedule it’s been the Summer Spectacular. These are going to be games that are coming sometime. One announced two years ago isn’t out yet. Others have a quick turnaround. There might be something that comes out sooner, maybe GenCon. I really don’t know, so let’s get into the Announcements.

Dice Tower Summer Spectacular Publisher Mega Announcements!

Motor City Gameworks

Three Sisters Essential Edition

Solo mode, campaign mode, and more added to Three Sisters. So it’s going to be still the same game, just added modules. A game that I need to try still, I believe that the group worked on Fleet: The Dice Game as well which I enjoy a lot. So this one is on my radar and gives me a great reason to make sure that I get my game played of Three Sisters to see if I’ll want to get this Essential Edition. Oh yeah, new sheets, new bits, new cards, a lot of different new things. Coming to Kickstarter around spring of 2025.

Allplay

They spent a good amount of talking about the games that they have coming out. Lure, Rivervalley Glassworks, and more that they’ve been talking about.

Things and Rings

It’s a party game where you’re trying to get rid of things into a Venn diagram in the right way. But only one person is going to know what way. This sounds like an interesting idea for a party game and is coming to retail soon. To me, this mean I hope I get to demo it at Gen Con and maybe pick it up there because in theory, it sounds like an interesting idea for a game.

Fairy

Allplay is bringing out a smaller line of games, even smaller than the Lure, Big Top and that size of box. Fairy is going to be a party game where you try and predict the next card coming up with hand gestures. To me, this doesn’t sound that fun, but it probably will be a good game for a lot of people and good goofy time when it is played.

Panda Panda

You’re trying to create a perfect hand of cards. At the start of the round if you have that hand that you need you say Panda Panda. Not much information on how you are building up or curating your hand, but it sounds like an interesting filler.

Rainbow

Another hand management game, this one sounds like a lot of fun to me. You’re playing out cards in sets and runs to get cards from the middle of the table. Those cards you get are going to be your scoring cards. But the twist is that the cards you play out, those are now going to be the next batch of scoring cards. I like this a lot as it gives me the feel of Scout and Mind Up! Two games that I’m having a lot of fun with.

Prey

Trick taking game alert, for me this one sounds interesting and again, I’ll reference Scout. In this one your hand goes two ways. You play out six tricks with the predator and then with prey. And you play out a hand of twelve cards, so it’s going to be knowing which direction to lean into. Do you want to spend your better cards as prey or predator to win tricks? And to win, you need to win an assigned number of tricks, so this sounds like an interesting puzzle.

Plus Partner Publishers

Allplay is helping out with a lot of companies for shipping and stuff like that. So they are talking about all of them as well. Definitely checkout their site as well because I think it sounds great.

Godot Games

Foxpaw

This game sounds like it has a lot going on. Prisoners dilemma and resource management and more. This definitely has a look and feel of something like Kiki’s, My Little Witch Academia, and Harry Potter. So you’re going to be trying to be the highest or best graded student from the sounds of it. And the artwork on the game looks great, as well. There are a lot of different locations on the board to take actions which should make for an interesting puzzle of a game. It seems like there is some take that in the game, which I’m never convinced about. It’ll be on Gamefound in January 2025.

Iello

King of Tokyo Duel

It’s a two player version. I like this idea a lot and it’s coming in Essen in October. This is a great thing in my opinion even if it isn’t a game that I’ll pick up. King of Tokyo out of the box is a multiplayer game, I’d probably say it’s at four minimum. So to get a two player version of the game, that sounds like a good plan. It’ll make it more accessible to more people who might not have that larger group. And the simplicity of King of Tokyo is a great selling point as well. This looks like more of a tug-o-war which is interesting.

Blue Orange

Next Station Paris

Another game in the next station game. This is a game that I really need to play as I think I have one of them in my collection. So expect me to try and get it to the table soon. Next Station Paris is going to continue in that line with obviously a new map of Paris and it’ll be available at Gen Con.

Link City

This is a cooperative city building game. You’re trying to expand the city but it’s about guessing where buildings should go and trying to figure out the plan of the person in charge. This sounds like an interesting party game or activity, but one that you might not want to take too seriously. Also it sounds like a solid option for people who don’t like traditional party games but want to come across better filler games. The game seems very loosey goosy, which I’m not sold about.

Shadow House Masquerade

This is a card bluffing who done it game. This again feels like it’s pretty light in terms of a game. This feels like a social deduction game and possible deduction as well. I need to know how much of it is deduction because I like deduction. But if it’s social deduction I’m not interested in that. So it’s one that I’ll look into. All of these Blue Orange games should be at Gen Con.

Odd Bird

Allplay did the video for them. A lot of it is about the games that are already out from Odd Bird. Feudum and Fled were the two games mentioned which I haven’t played either. So I can’t really comment on either of them. But good for Odd Bird getting the word out about their games and where to buy them at.

Wulfhorn

Rise of the Wastelands

This is going to be a 4x game that is currently on Kickstarter. The aesthetic of the game is amazing looking. You’re going to be exploring, exploiting, exterminating and whatever the last X is. This game definitely looks interesting to me but one that I’d love to get to try a demo of. It’s supposed to be a shorter 4x game, but how much shorter does that mean. And will it play only well at four or can it go down to two or not? I have a lot of questions but the game looks intriguing.

Till 5 Am

Qu’arz

This is a capture the flag game which sounds interesting. I like the pictures and again that aesthetic. It’s going to be competitive but I expect it’s going to be a very in your face game. That is what I expect from a capture the flag style game, which to me is going to be fun in some situations but not all of them. And that should tell you that I’m intrigued and interested in trying the game.

But I would 100% need to try the game before I’d buy it. I do see a lot of words on cards though, so I wouldn’t expect this to be a very light game. It’s going to be on Gamefound at the end of October.

Vesuvius Media

Jurassic Feud

This is going to be another game like Catapult Feud where you are trying to shoot things at the opponents pieces and knock them down. But now with dinosaurs. I have a ton of Catapult Feud and soon I’ll be ready to play it with my kid. But even as an adult it’s a fun game to play, so I’m curious to know if Jurassic Feud is going to add much more to the game. I hope not because the simplicity of this game is part of what makes it great. This is going to be on Kickstarter July 23^rd. This looks like it could be mixed pretty easily into Catapult Feud which I’m there for.

Benki Games

Pizzachef: The Next Generation

One that is already out. I don’t know about the game at all. So it is going to be one that I want to know about. And there is going to be a new version of the game, Pizza Chef: The Next Generation. I really don’t know what type of game it is, but I like the artwork on it.  And there is going to be an expansion for it as well. Pizza Chef: The Mean Chef. To me I’m worried that it’s going to be a take that game. Or at least the expansion might be. I’m not sure how I didn’t know about this one. But it sounds like a lot of fun potentially and one that I could like if there isn’t too much take that. And as they showed the game and there is definitely take that, but maybe not too much. This is coming to Kickstarter, the new version, August 5^th.

Phase Shift Games

Aetherspire

3D strategy games with a purpose. That’s the new thing that they are doing. They’ve done games like Dungeon Drop before. And they’ve done some abstract games before. But Aetherspire is going to be a 3D game where that 3D matters. It’s coming to crowdfunding, I believe Kickstarter in the fall of 2024. This is going to be a cooperative tower defense game where, obviously, it’s 3D and that is going to matter. But it’s not just tower defense you are going to be building it up as well. This looks like it could be fun, I hope it’s not just a gimmick, but even if it is, it’s a good looking gimmick even in prototype form.

CGE

Snatch It!

CGE is distributing it in English. This is going to be a game all about being frogs and gobbling up all sorts of tasty bugs. But you got to go fast before  others get them or steal them from you. This looks like a very light family style of game that will look perfect on a shelf at Target. Or it might be one that you give to the family who might not play board games but they have a kid who loves bugs and frogs just to introduce to them what non-Hasbro games are. I don’t think that this is going to be one for me, that said, I wouldn’t say no to trying it. First copies will be available at Gen Con.

Codenames App

Yup, there is going to be an app for it. If you love Codenames this is going to be a new way to play the game. I don’t love the game, so it’s not going to be for me. Unless it changes the game some way it’s probably not for me. It’s already out  for Czech players to test it out. And there is some single player content as well. There are some other new things as well which does make it slightly more interesting. It’s launching September 5^th. It’s just a one time purchase on it.

Fireside

Zoomies

This game has you being a dog walker. This looks like a pretty light game, which is how a lot of Fireside’s games have been. But not so simple that it’s just a kids game. I should say that the game seems simple more than light because you’re doing tile laying kind of like a Kingdomino but from your hand to optimize your point scoring. So this one looks interesting to me and it’s going to be at Gen Con. But it’ll be released this fall beyond Gen Con.

Rock Manor

Stardriven Gateway

I’ve already written about this one in the Feast. I’m going to be demoing at Gen Con as well so I’m super excited to try this one out.

Reprint Campaign for Seas of Havoc and First Mates Expansion

This is going to have another campaign coming up. So if you missed out on this one the first time, definitely check it out. This is another one that I own that I need to play. I in fact won  a copy of it through Board Game Revolution over on Facebook when it was on Kickstarter and it was the big Kickstarter version. So I really should get it to the table.

Disco Heist Laundry

You’re scheming kingpins and you need steal and launder your money. It is still in development at this point. But it has tableau building, area control and a 1980’s look. This one is also going to be able to be demoed at Gen Con. Though, it’s not one that I’ve signed up to demo.

Merchants of Magik Expansions

These are crowdfunded already. But with shipping happening now, they are going to be available to pick-up at Gen Con which is exciting. Another one of those roll and write games that I own and now I really need to get played.

Matagot

Kemet Rise of the Gods

This is an expansion to Kemet Blood and Sand. Kemet is not a game that I’ve played but I know it’s well liked. There are some interesting things about this game which I’m sure that I’d enjoy. But I’m not 100% sure it’s a game that I’ll get played that often. It’s coming to Gamefound on July 2^nd.

Kyoto no Neko

This is going to be a lighter game. And yes, it’s adorable for those wondering. It’s going to be taking on the role of small kittens roaming through the city of Kyoto. If you needed to sell me on the theme, say no more, that’s done the trick. You’re trying to be the first one to complete objectives of things that cats do. So the whole thing is going to be very cute and I’m hoping accessible to play.

With a theme like that, I don’t want much in terms of rules overhead. And the artwork is really cute on this game, and the kittens are adorable. It’s going to be an Essen Spiele release, and I’ll be seeking it out when I can.

Incredible Dream Studios

Callous’ Lab

This is going to be a game that debuts at Gen Con and is going to be available in retail in the later part of August. Though unless I’m mistaken, this is one that I already have that I bought through their site. So it is possible that it’ll be getting a wider release. And it’s part of the Kinfire Delve line. I probably don’t have that one but another two.

And to go along with that, a playmat for Kinfire Delve as well. The playmat looks great.

Broadway Games

Lifeboats

I’m pretty sure that this is a reprint of a game where you’re on lifeboats. Of course, not all can survive, so you need to try and keep your people on the boats. Because if they’re voted out they’ll drop into the water. This is going to be a pretty quick playing mean game. I don’t think it’s for my group, but if it’s for your group and you want to invite me over, I’d be cool with that. But I might be wrong and it might be fun if people don’t take it seriously. Possibly pre-order and pick-up at Gen Con, but I’m not sure.

This Bed is Mine

You are doing basically area control to see who can cover up as much of the bed as they can. This is going to be an abstract game, but not one that really is that interesting. I think a lot of people will like and enjoy it, but I tend not to like these very abstract games. Possibly pre-order and pick-up at Gen Con I’m not sure.

Floodgate

Hedge Mage

You’re a hedge mage building a hedge maze. This seems interesting, but not one that I’m going to be backing. It’s on Kickstarter right now. Probably one I’ll try and demo at Gen Con.

Landmarks

You’re trying to get your team to go to the right places, avoid traps and hopefully find, well, landmarks. This one looks interesting to me as well. The game play is simple but giving one word clues, I’ll be curious to see how it works as you try and help your teammates know where to navigate. This is going to be a Gen Con release, and Floodgate always has a lot of copies and fun around new releases like this one. It can cooperative or team versus team. And it’s a fast game as well, they are saying about 20 minutes.

Board and Dice

Minos

Board and Dice is knowing for doing a lot of big euro games. I am not the biggest euro game fan, so probably not for me. The aesthetic of the game is amazing. And it’s dice drafting  in it as well. There looks like there is a lot going on in it. Honestly, this is going to be one that I’m curious about the more they are talking about it. Can you build up the best society leading into bronze age. Plus , that dice drafting looks interesting. It’s going to be a Essen Spiel 2024 game.

Living Forest Duel

Nothing more on that one just know that it’s coming. If you’re a fan of Living Forest but maybe don’t think it works the best at two, that might be changing with this one.

IV Studio

Brink

It’s a worker placement set in the Moonrakers universe. There is a lot of stuff going on in the game. And it’s coming to Kickstarter in July on the 2^nd. I’m intrigued by it because IV Studios makes beautiful games, but I have yet to find a game from them that I really love. I know that isn’t a popular opinion on Mythic Mischief but that one wasn’t for me. Aesthetically, though IV Studio does make their games look so tempting. But I think that it’s going to be an easy pass for me on Kickstarter because, like most worker placement or euro games, I want to play them before I’d consider buying it.

Final Thoughts

This is a ton of things for sure announced on the Dice Tower Summer Spectacular. I am curious on a lot of them. Minos oddly enough is one of the ones that is towards the top for me. Some of that is because not too many of these announcements are those epic adventure sprawling games that I generally go towards. Of course, that said, there is Prey as well which to me looks like my type of jam. So I’m hoping that I’ll be able to demo a lot of these or spend more time finding out more about them because this certainly was very mega in terms of the size of the announcements.

Which is the one that stands out to you from the Dice Tower Summer Spectacular? Will you be trying to seek out any of them to demo or buy at Gen Con, or maybe be seeking out if you go to Essen Spiel, which I’d love to some year.

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