Howdy, folks! Sorry for the delay, but you know how Gencon can be. Let’s take a look at what this weeks’ roundup of Kickstarter projects has to offer!

Nautilus Industries

by Michael Friesen

Unfortunately, I managed to miss this one during the convention, but the buzz is pretty hot and I’m always a sucker for economic games! In this one, you must balance your cash reserves with the price of the stock you hold, as selling off various goods will lower the price of that resource on the market, while raising the value of the corresponding trading company.

In Nautilus Industries, players will take on the role of a business owner who seeks their fortune at the bottom of the sea. Word has spread of the riches that can be gathered from the depths, and the race to mine these rare earth elements has begun!

Neptun

by Queen Games

Lets have a round of applause for Queen Games, everyone; they’ve just put out their 23’rd Kickstarter project, this time for Neptun (and no, I’m not missing a letter there), by designer Dirk Henn. A pick-up and deliver game for 3-5 players, this one seems pretty light, and according to the box, shouldn’t take you more than an hour to finish. During your turn, you’ll be picking up various contracts to fulfill, plotting out your route, and upgrading your ship with an eye towards more cargo room or an increased range of operation. There’s one catch regarding all of those contracts you just picked up, though; they have to be completed in the same order that they were obtained, so lets hope you were paying attention to the sea routes!

I’ve said it before, I’m saying it now, and I’ll likely repeat myself hoarse in the future: I detest ‘early-bird’ pledge levels when they provide a significant difference in the price. In this case, it’s $45 / 55, nearly a 20% discount. There are currently 500 ‘early’ pledge levels filled, but only 3 entries at the standard level at the time of writing. To me, that says a good bit.

Take the role of a Roman merchant, delivering goods to cities and temples. Earn the most favor from the temples and win the game!

Asking for Trobils

by Christian Strain

Coming back for a second shot at the prize, we have Asking for Trobils by Christian Strain. Previously sporting a dynamic and yet not-entirely-beloved color scheme of stark orange and white, the designer took to his backers for feedback at the close of the previous campaign (I was rooting hard for the purple and green option, myself), and came up with the current dark-blue / orange theme that I feel sets off a good contrast without the eye-strain of the original.

Asking for Trobils is a worker-placement game for 2-7 players, in which you, an expert Trobil hunter, are attempting to trap and eradicate as many Trobils as possible from the O-renj star system that they’re currently infesting. When placing workers (ships) in this game, you may bump your own ship or the ship of another player out of an occupied space to take that action, but the key difference here is that while an opposing ship is returned to the owner, usable on the next turn, your own ship is lost and must be rebuilt afterwards. This keeps options open, while removing the dual advantage that bumping your own piece tends to give. This is especially keen as upgrades are available to customize your fleet of ships, making them more efficient and allowing the owner to take bonuses from certain spaces.

What is a Trobil?

tro – bil (noun)
A creature of unknown origin with an insatiable appetite. Known for excessive drooling, annoying slurping sounds, and the destruction of many worlds. They come in many shapes and sizes, but only one color.

Amya – Volume One

by Savannah Houston-McIntyre

I do occasionally interrupt this Spotlight with some non-gaming items that I find interesting, and Amya is one of them! While available online for free: www.amyachronicles.com, this project is for a book heavy with stunning artwork and a satisfying story, covering chapters one through four of the web comic and including a while slew of additional extras.

Check it out!

Amya tells the story of Faye, a mute spell-touched who lives a sheltered life as the youngest daughter to a great lord. She is burdened with dark dreams of an apocalypse, and it isn’t long until her tranquil life changes when a fateful encounter with a young man sends her on a spiraling journey of self-discovery.

Tanto Cuore: Oktoberfest Edition

by Japanime Games

I’m just going to leave this one here…

Tanto Cuore: Oktoberfest edition is a new twist on a favorite game. We’re taking you to Germany! In the Oktoberfest edition you will…

• Employ Bar Maids
• Start a Beer Stand
• Collect Beer Cards for extra victory points!