Crowdfunding Round-up: Guts of Glory, Mars Needs Mechanics, Battle of Red Cliffs & I'm the Salmon Boss

Like the board game, I'm the Boss!: The Card Game is still all about negotiation, with players trying to end up with more money in hand than anyone else.

The game plays in rounds, and each round consists of a separate money-making deal. Each round, players play cards in clockwise order in turns to give them the right to a "cut" of the current deal, the value of which depends on the cards played. When a player has passed twice, he can no longer influence that round. After everyone has passed twice, the round ends, and points are totalled to calculate the value of that deal. Players then earn money for each "cut" or piece of the action that they have, which represents their share of that deal. While playing cards, players can negotiate in order to encourage other players to make plays that are favorable to them.

After a fixed number of such deals (rounds), the game ends, and the player who has the most money wins.

The Battle of Red Cliffs is the new 1-9 player edition of Tien Zi Que, the popular Mahjong card game. Like Mahjong, each game plays over several rounds as players collect sets of cards. What makes TZQ/BRC unique is that when players collect sets, they save a card from each one to form a Master Set that is used for scoring at the end of the round (when one player has five score cards). Players want to make sure the cards they save will score well because if they don't score enough points to get to the next score level, they will fall back to the previous one.

Players can also "Peng" to form a set at the beginning of any player's turn, use Command cards to gain a unique advantage, and play in teams of two or three to add to the fun.

London, 1873 – The Royal Academy of Space Exploration has announced its intention to launch a mission to Mars by year's end. In its quest to claim, fully explore, and map the great red planet, the Academy is holding recruitment competitions for various positions on the crew. A position central to the crew's mission, the Astronautical Engineer must be resourceful and efficient in his construction of various mechanisms and ship maintenance.

In Mars Needs Mechanics, players represent engineers and tinkerers from all over the Empire who have come to compete for this prodigious opportunity. Starting the game with only 30 cogs (currency), players will utilize unique game mechanisms that emphasize timing to collect sets of components and build steampunk mechanisms aimed at earning even more cogs. At the end of the competition, the engineer with the most cogs will earn his place as Astronautical Engineer on the crew of the H.M.S. Victoria VII.

Guts of Glory is an eating contest set in the post-apocalyptic future, in which players race to win the approval of the roaring crowd by chewing and swallowing the most spectacular foods. Every turn, each player must eat a new item from the plate; if they can't fit it in their mouth, another one is spewed out—which another player can catch and swallow for even more glory, leading to chain reactions reminiscent of one's most traumatic pre-school lunch experiences. It is truly the sport of kings.

Every year, thousands of salmon are compelled to leave the ocean and return to the river of their birth. This perilous journey can span hundreds of miles and is fraught with danger. Strong rapids, waterfalls, hungry bears, and eagles all await the salmon on their quest to spawn. Only the most fit will complete the salmon run!

Salmon Run is a fast-paced racing game in which you'll maneuver your salmon upriver, avoiding obstacles and jumping over waterfalls. Behold the immense power of the river's currents! Avoid ferocious bears! Beware of stealthy eagles, waiting to snatch victory from your hand! Most of all, pace yourself to avoid debilitating fatigue. Salmon Run features:

• Deck-building: The path you choose upriver will determine which cards you may add to your swimming deck. Enhance your swimming ability by gaining powerful swim cards!
• Player Interaction: Acquire cards to unleash hungry bears and eagles on your opponent's salmon! Unlock the power of the river's raging rapids and strong currents!
• Fatigue: Overexertion leads to the build-up of fatigue which will slow you down!
• Modular boards: Experience a new river each game! The river's difficulty and length can be customized to your liking!