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• In the early 2000s, Eagle-Gryphon Games became well-known for its series of train games, including the Railways of the World series, for which it is still releasing expansion content. Now EGG is adding to its library of route-building titles with Continental Divide from designer Eddie Robbins. The game was previously published by Winsome Games as part of its limited-run Essen 2013 set. The latest projections from EGG are for production and fulfillment to be concluded by August 2016, making for an efficient game of pickup-and-deliver indeed. (KS link)
• And then there were eight. John du Bois' two-player microgame Avignon: A Clash of Popes is the newest "wallet game" from Button Shy, a publisher with a truly indie mentality and unorthodox distribution methods. The game — consisting of a mere 18 cards — drapes the stately robes of 14th-century Catholicism (ahh, the glory days before Martin Luther caused such a ruckus!) over a tug-o-war mechanical skeleton. I'm only disappointed that "for less than the cost of an indulgence" wasn't part of the marketing campaign. (KS link)
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• In comic books and cartoons, shadowy terrorist organizations often bear names derived from serpents (think Cobra from the G.I. Joe stories or Hydra from Marvel Comics). VENOM Assault from rookie publisher Spyglass Games and the design team of Jeff Arbough, Michael Knight, and Dave Ploense follows suit, with 1-5 players trying to thwart the villainous plans of VENOM. It's a co-op deckbuilding game with dice combat — certainly not a combination that's been attempted often. (KS link)
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• If you're not familiar with the national motto of Spain, you'd be forgiven for thinking that "Plus Ultra" is a brand of toilet paper, which is why the subtitle is helpful in Plus Ultra: The Court of the Emperor Charles V, a game from Meridiano 6 and designers Manuel D. Cruz Díaz and Antonio J. Dionisio. Like the nobles of old, players must balance uneasy political alliances in Europe with exploitation of the New World. (Spieleschmiede link)
• More games are beginning to explore three-dimensionality as an element of design space. The jagged shape of a city skyline with buildings jutting into the sky is prime territory for such an implementation, and CitiesUP from Spectacled Bear Games attempts to capitalize. The 3D mockup-style card graphics are highly reminiscent of the old-school look of SimCity 2000. Many Eurogamers will rejoice at the notable absence of plastic in this game as the publisher takes pride in using only wood and paper components. (KS link)
Editor’s note: Please don't post links to other Kickstarter projects in the comments section. Write to me via the email address in the header, and I'll consider them for inclusion in a future crowdfunding round-up. Thanks! —WEM
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