So yesterday I published a list of games that I was excited to get from the SPIEL Fair. However, I am blessed to also have a fair number of games already here at The Gaming Castle. Here’s a list of the games that I’m hoping to get on the table soon as we continue our tour through the games from the 2021 releases. I’m down to once or twice a week right now, so the unplayed pile of games grows larger and larger each day.

Witchstone – This is a game designed by Knizia, which combines the token play of Simply ingenious with a bunch of mini games that make it feel like a Stefan Feld game. We have already played this one once keeping up our tradition of making the first game of each SPIEL be an R&R game. Sadly we could not eat Doner Pide with it as we always do.

Mystic Paths – time for a disclaimer. One of the designers of his game happens to be one of our own Opinionated Gamers. However, this fantasy themed game had a lot of positive vibes coming out of the Gathering of friends this summer, and I have been quite interested to try it. My copy literally arrived yesterday, and I hope to get it to the table soon. I have also been told that there is a Sausage Pizza hiding somewhere in the game, and that deserves mention as well.

Dandelions – okay, time for another disclaimer. James Nathan, who is another one of our Opinionated Gamers, is in part responsible for bringing these games to the American Market via boardgametables.com. This is a reprint of a Japanese game called Birth. Which is always been one of my favorites, and in fact one of my house modifications may have made it into this new version of the game. As a result I am super interested to see how it turns out. Check it out on KS now!

Whirling witchcraft – this new game from AEG have you casting spells and collecting ingredients trying to overwhelm your neighbor. You win the game by passing more ingredients to a neighbor than they can handle. Interestingly, you also pass your hand of cards from turn to turn, so you have to always be on your toes and adapt to the changing game situation.

Geisha’s Road – ok this may not be a SPIEL game exactly, but I think it is on demo there this week. This is a standalone follow-up to Hanamakoji, one of my favorite two player games of recent release. We should be reviewing this in advance of the KS launch later this month. This game has the familiar set of four actions that each player uses one per round but with an added layer of complexity with some board play.

Rocketeer – I’m admittedly not much of a movie person, so I was surprised to see that this ancient movie still has a cult following. I think my teenage crush on Jennifer Connelly died about thirty years ago. However there is apparently a market of gamers looking for a two player game based on the Sci fi movie of days gone by. Funko has proven time and time again they they have their fingers on the pulse of what mainstream American gamers want, so I look forward to trying this one out. Anyway, I liked the Rocketeer better than the Fast and Furious franchise, which also has a boardgame adaptation this fall.

Bequest – this new release from Wizkids uses one of my favorite mechanisms, “I split, you choose”. You collect cards by splitting up cards for one of your neighbors while choosing the split from your other side. Too bad I’m awful at splitting (my win rate at San Marco is abysmal)

Love Letter Princess Princess – this is yet another reskin of one of my favorite microgames. It’s amazing how much strategy can be derived from so little.

Super Skill Pinball Ramp It Up – this is the follow-up to the pinball simulation roll and write with four new boards to test your skills. I ain’t seen nothing like it… But I hope to soon… Not enough days to game in a month now with all the new releases

Escape Room In A Box: Time Drifters – this is the next set of games in this series from Mattel. The catch at the game actually comes in two different boxes, each with their own part of the puzzle, namely fixing half of a time machine in each box. From what I have read, you play each box independently, and if they are both solved, they unlock a third puzzle which can be played together, possibly over the internet. That sounds pretty cool.

Imperial Steam – we have actually played this game once already, but I do want to get it back on the table soon, so it still makes this list. Imperial steam is a very involved game from Capstone. The goal of the game is to make the most money by increasing your train capacity, delivering Goods, raising the share price of your company and possibly selling shares. It is quite complicated and my first plays have only scratched the surface of this one.

Kingdomino Origins – a follow up to the 2017 Spiel des Jahres winner. The base game here feels very similar to the original, however the game includes two other levels of complexity that can be added onto the base game, and this makes it more challenging for veteran gamers. I am interested to see how these new rules hopefully make the game a little bit more strategic while still retaining much of the Elegance of the original.

Until your next appointment,

The Gaming Doctor