Card games are (relatively) inexpensive to produce and lane-battlers are a popular mechanic so it’s no surprise that I came across several new versions. PlayPunk’s Zenith combines a tug-of-war style lane-battle with card-costs and a technology tree. Synapses Games has the next in their popular AI-dueling Compile line: Main 2. Here players mix and match together three “protocols” to form their deck at the start of the game. Synapses was also showing off a new printing of Yokohama Duel. Fairly involved for a two-player game but perhaps a notch or so reduced in complexity from its parent. Finally, Matagot was showing off its Essen title, The Peak Team. A cooperative jaunt around a mountainous animal preserve where players cooperate by secretly giving each other their cards at the start of the round.

PlayPunk

Zenith

Zenith is a two (or two teams of two) player game of card placement tug-of-war along five different planetary tracks. Players take turns placing influence (cards) onto the various planets (lanes), moving that planet’s token closer to their side. If a player manages to shift the token all the way off the track, they claim it and a new token takes its place.

Playing a card to a track not only moves the marker, but often causes other things to happen. You might get to move an additional token, gain some monies, or a card might even give some bonus to your opponent. Cards have a cost, so money-management also comes into the game.

The cards are multi-use and, in addition to moving tracks or using the card action, a card can be played to progress up one of three different technology tracks. (They are all double-sided and randomly chosen so there are six possible technologies…)

There are three win conditions. A player will win if they ever get 3 discs of the same planet, 4 discs from completely different planets, or five discs in total.

Matagot

The Peak Team

The Peak Team has one to five players cooperating to complete tasks revolving around protecting species in their animal reserve from potential threats. This is done by players “gifting” their cards to others (on their right and left) at the start of the round in the hope that each player will get what they need to accomplish their tasks for the round. Players must distribute all of their cards and cannot discuss with other players during this part of the game. Cards either feature transportation types (used to move around) or the ability to “observe” a type of animal.

The game board is a big mountain divided into regions and each player is represented as a token that moves around using the different modes of transportation. Players each have their own mission to accomplish – you can’t share directly – and can only have a maximum of two missions completed at a time. While running about and trying to solve missions, players must also check on the animals – done by playing an animal card when adjacent to the appropriate animal.

A feature of the game is its use of modules to progressively introduce more complexity and a higher difficulty. Adding in a new module typically does both. There are asymmetric powers available. The Weather deck affects player movement, such as limiting the number of move cards one can play. The group mission module introduces group missions that might require all the players to be on specific locations all at the same time. Blocked Paths brings in…. blocked paths that require spending tokens to traverse.

The game is scheduled to be released at Essen 2025.

Synapses

Compile: Main 2

Originally a Greater Than Games title, the Compile line of games is now handled by Synapses Games. Compile: Main 2 is the next title in the Compile line of competitive 2 player lane-battling card game action. Each player’s deck is trying to complete its AI programming and delete their opponent AI out of existence.

Players start with three protocols, each having a set of six cards. These are mixed together and comprise a deck. Players put out their cards in lanes – cards can only be played in matching lanes, unless they are played face-down, but that removes their ability and gives them a somewhat lame value of 2.

Every card has three parts. The top parts of cards are always active, because when additional cards are placed on top, they are splayed downward to keep the top exposed. The middle part is an instant effect when played, while the bottom is also ongoing but will usually get covered up at some point. Claiming a lane gives some nice bonuses, such as the ability to mess with other piles on the field. This can result in some chain reactions on both sides, ending up with a considerably different arrangement.

This new release, Compile: Main 2, can be played itself. It brings 12 new protocols to use either alone or mixed with your Main 1.

Yokohama Duel

Also taking prime real estate at the booth was the impressively large (for a 2 player only game) layout of Yokohama Duel. Although it was released some time ago, it was on show at the convention because it is a new printing of the game, following up the new printing of Yokohama a year or two ago. Like its big brother, Duel has players placing workers to do all sorts of things related to making/acquiring goods, selling them, constructing buildings, donating to the church, etc… all in the interest of those juicy victory points.

The game is laid out and players dealt some personal order cards to fulfill. Unlike some worker-placement games, Yokohama Duel has workers represented by double-sided power cards. These must usually be played in order so more powerful workers must usually be placed last. Save your powerful workers for the best options and your opponent may take that option first. You can also spend money to flip your worker cards to their other side. Of course, then you’re not spending that money on new buildings, etc… You also have to decide between improving your lower level cards or supercharging your highest level ones.

Gameplay revolves around placing workers to get your goods but there is plenty of upgrading and improving things to be had. The workers have already been mentioned, but there are technology cards to acquire, buildings to build (shops and trading houses), and so on.

If you’re familiar with the original Yokohama, there are many similarities, of course. Most differences arise from things that are streamlined from the original. There is no longer a spatial component – where things are located doesn’t matter much, and due to that (and a couple other things) the initial board setup is slightly less randomized.