It's New Game Friday! David Wiley (Cardboard Clash) is here to tell us about the new games.
Here’s what is new this week:
- City of Muziris
- Gate
- Stunt Kites
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Valeria Card Kingdoms: Crimson Seas
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Valeria Card Kingdoms: Flames & Frost
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Valeria Card Kingdoms: Shadowvale
This week's new games are all available at https://www.pnparcade.com/collections/new-games
Gate
Gate is a solitaire tower-defense game in which you take on the role of the leader of a small medieval town under siege from a swarm of vile creatures from the local forest. You have to manage the health of your town’s gate, the tower, and the local farm. In addition, this attack is causing fear levels to rise. If you cannot keep your gate standing or if the fear of the townspeople gets too high, you lose the game. If, however, you can hold off the swarm of enemies long enough, you will be victorious!
An extremely small and simple game (designed to fit in a mint tin) that is huge in tension and excitement. This game follows a really easy flow through the game where you reveal a new threat, draw cards, play cards, and then take damage from remaining enemies. Yet within this simple framework is a wealth of decision-making for the players and the constant pressure from multiple ways to lose the game. If you like Iron Helm or Desolate, you won’t go wrong with trying out the designer’s new title. And if you like a solo experience where you try to outlast hordes of enemies, this game will resonate with you as a player.
The City of Muziris
Players are brokers working for foreign traders, who come from around the world to the port of Muziris, for pepper. Try to gain the most points and the best quality pepper, before your ships leave the port.
Players in The City of Miziris roll dice and use the number rolled to gain resources, which are then spent to make purchases of making sales to ships. An interesting blend of roll-and-write with resource conversion into things that earn points - the game is for 1-10 players and teases you with the best-possible score to earn in the solo game. Can you rise up to the challenge and become the best negotiator of the city of Muziris? This will be an easy game to print and get to the table, something that I always appreciate in a new game.
Valeria Card Kingdoms: Shadowvale
Darkness looms upon the Kingdom of Valeria. Werewolves, vampires, and other shadowy creatures reach out in the night to tear apart your people. But never fear, new Citizens have joined the fray - some specializing in taking out these dark creatures! Only you and your fellow Dukes and Duchesses can push back the hordes of fiery and frozen monsters and save the Kingdom of Valeria! But only one of you can become ruler…
Expansions that add more stuff are always welcome additions to the game, and this is no exception. More monsters, more citizens, minimal new wrinkles to the gameplay mechanics of the game. There are ways to kill off cards from the game, and a new Warden monster that is in play above the bosses. Beyond that, this should integrate easily into your Valeria game experience.
Valeria Card Kingdoms: Flames & Frost
A new terror has arisen from the peaks of the Ostendaar Mountains - the vile Demon of Loth. It’s evil presence in the Kingdom of Valeria has awoken new, more powerful monsters from the icey North and hot deserts of the East. Fortunately, brave new citizens and warriors from far away lands have come to aid you in your battle. Only you and your fellow Dukes and Duchess’ can push back the hordes of fiery and frozen monsters and save the Kingdom of Valeria! But only one of you can become ruler…
Like the previous expansion, this one integrates seamlessly apart from a little setup alteration and a few new symbols to find on the cards - and they are pretty intuitive. In addition to the ones from the above expansion, you have icons for being unable to take certain things, and effects that target you the player and one that targets just your opponents. More of a good thing is always welcome, and this expansion looks like an excellent addition.
Valeria Card Kingdoms: Crimson Seas
The borders of Valeria expand to the Ocean of Nae where monsters and islands await. The rich country of Araby offers rare goods to import. Nae Aerie, a secretive island of magicians, have reached out to offer their powerful tomes. Exekratys, the cursed island, has awoken after centuries of slumber and threatens to take Valeria’s resources. Amarynth has broken its treaty and has kidnapped several of Valeria’s nobles. To prove you are the rightful new King or Queen of Valeria, you must hire citizens who are at home on the high seas, collect maps, and sail to the islands in hopes of bringing peace once more to the Kingdom of Valeria.
If you like expansions that do change the game, this is the one to grab as it integrates an island, the use of a coxswain mechanic, and more. There’s new resources, new icons, and the standard fare of new monsters and citizens to integrate into your gameplay. While the game will still feel like the Valeria you know and love, this will make it also feel like a fresh, new experience hitting your table.
Stunt Kites
It is a breezy beautiful day, so grab your kite and show off your skills. You and your opponent will be flying dual-line stunt kites, pulling off spectacular tricks in a timed routine. Maintain control of the two strings and use the wind to maneuver your kite. Put on the best show by chaining together tricks and you’ll win the judges over.
Raise your hand if you already have too many games about flying kites? Anyone? This one is a really unique theme, with only a handful of cards, and it has an interesting and clever integration of worker placement. This game is for two players, and requires some interesting thinking in how to use your “worker” of each hand in order to manipulate the positioning of your kite, to prepare for tricks, and more. There’s so much great stuff here that you’ll be surprised as to how much game is crammed into just a few components.
Check out all of the new games here: https://www.pnparcade.com/collections/new-games
Game of the Week: Valeria Card Kingdoms
The land of Valeria is under siege by hordes of monsters. You and your fellow Dukes must recruit citizens and buy domains to build up your kingdoms and slay the foul creatures that lurk in the surrounding lands.
Valeria: Card Kingdoms is a tableau-building game for 1-5 players and will feel familiar to deck-building fans. The cards you buy can work for you on your turn and on all the other player turns, as well. On your turn, roll two dice and activate citizen cards with the result of each individual die and the sum of both dice. Other players will simultaneously activate their citizen cards based on the roll. Next, take two actions from the following: slay a monster, recruit a citizen, buy a domain, or take 1 of any resource. The player with the most victory points at the end wins the game.
Like games with dice rolls to generate resources (like Catan)? This one is an interesting game where you buy citizens that correspond to certain numbers and, when that is rolled on any player’s turn you’ll get some sort of benefit. There’s several options for each of the numbers, meaning you can vary the market from game-to-game in order to keep things fresh. This game is simple in mechanics and a lot of fun, with delightful artwork that is sure to make your printer feel proud at what it is producing onto the page for you. This game is a real solid one for 1-5 players, although you’ll want to be prepared to provide a good number of tokens if memory serves properly!
Check out Game of the Week here: https://www.pnparcade.com/collections/game-of-the-week
See you next week with more information on our newest print and play games!