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I'm continuously pleasantly surprised when I think about how many different games work great multiplayer but can also be played solo. Here are four upcoming expansions for games that fit this mold, and in case you missed them on Kickstarter, they are available for pre-order with retailers or directly from their publishers.
• Jagged Earth is the latest expansion for the ever-popular, complex, co-operative game Spirit Island from designer R. Eric Reuss and publishers Greater Than Games (English edition) and Pegasus Spiele (German edition).
In Spirit Island, players represent different spirits with unique elemental powers who work together to defend their island home from colonizing invaders. Not only is Spirit Island: Jagged Earth adding more variety and new challenges to Spirit Island, but it also includes components for two additional players (up to six). Given how challenging this game can be, (when the time comes) I'll happily welcome the additional brain power from two more players.
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Here are the highlights from the Spirit Island: Jagged Earth expansion:
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New scenarios
10 new Spirits
2 new adversaries
2 new island boards
30+ new event cards
New Fear and Blight cards
50+ new major and minor power cards
Optional aspects (innate powers) for the four core game spirits
Badland tokens, a new way to fight invaders!
More plastic, wooden, and cardboard tokens for play with up to six players
New play options: combining adversaries, playing with an Archipelago (split island), and more.
Although some of the spirits, adversaries, and cards use tokens and rules introduced in the Branch & Claw expansion, all needed components and rules are included in Jagged Earth, making everything playable with just the base game and this. I'm planning to play a couple of solo games of Spirit Island while quarantining to get prepped for this expansion. Wish me luck!10 new Spirits
2 new adversaries
2 new island boards
30+ new event cards
New Fear and Blight cards
50+ new major and minor power cards
Optional aspects (innate powers) for the four core game spirits
Badland tokens, a new way to fight invaders!
More plastic, wooden, and cardboard tokens for play with up to six players
New play options: combining adversaries, playing with an Archipelago (split island), and more.
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In Gùgōng, 1-5 players assume the role of powerful Chinese families trying to gain influence and power by traveling around China exchanging gifts with Officials. A main feature of Gùgōng is its unique card exchange worker-placement system in which the gift cards you offer/place at a location have to be of higher value than the one you receive, which forces players to make strategic choices regarding which actions you want to take each turn. The Pànjūn expansion adds four new modules that can be combined in different ways for plenty of variety and replayability:
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(1) The Summer Palace: Players travel to the Summer Palace of the Emperor, where they can obtain extra servants, jade, and even the services of the mysterious court ladies. Players have to score majorities in order to obtain these bonuses, but can also manipulate the results by exchanging specific gifts with the officials as word has it the Emperor is collecting a very particular type of gift.
(2) The Peasants Revolt: During the Ming Dynasty, peasant revolts were common. Although the Ming Dynasty itself came to power through a peasant revolt, this did not mean that the rulers had any more empathy for the peasants than the previous rulers. Players can gain a lot of support from the peasants in this expansion, but if pushed too far, players will have to work together to avoid their wrath.
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(3) The Palace Stairs: Moving your envoy towards the Emperor will not be without consequences with this expansion module. Players can choose a longer or shorter path leading towards the Palace of Heavenly Purity: the shorter path requires some achievements, while the long path earns players rewards at first, but as they get close to the Palace, they have to pay certain taxes or risk seeing their envoy be forced back.
(4) Extra Decrees and Gift Cards: Spice up your game with new decrees, and acquire special kinds of gift cards such as the lamp and jade knives that will add even more variety to your game of Gùgōng!
• (2) The Peasants Revolt: During the Ming Dynasty, peasant revolts were common. Although the Ming Dynasty itself came to power through a peasant revolt, this did not mean that the rulers had any more empathy for the peasants than the previous rulers. Players can gain a lot of support from the peasants in this expansion, but if pushed too far, players will have to work together to avoid their wrath.
(3) The Palace Stairs: Moving your envoy towards the Emperor will not be without consequences with this expansion module. Players can choose a longer or shorter path leading towards the Palace of Heavenly Purity: the shorter path requires some achievements, while the long path earns players rewards at first, but as they get close to the Palace, they have to pay certain taxes or risk seeing their envoy be forced back.
(4) Extra Decrees and Gift Cards: Spice up your game with new decrees, and acquire special kinds of gift cards such as the lamp and jade knives that will add even more variety to your game of Gùgōng!
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In Too Many Bones, 1-4 players team up on an adventure to find and defeat savage tyrants who have invaded your land. Part of its main appeal comes from the 100+ unique skill dice you use to build your characters as you battle your way to the tyrant's lair. TMB already has a ton of content with plenty of replay value, yet the Splice & Dice expansion adds a new element of creativity with fresh challenges to keep players on their toes.
Here's an overview of what you can expect from this crafty release:
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Prepare for work in the lab!
Too Many Bones: Splice & Dice allows players to create their own tyrants using baddies from their Too Many Bones base games and add-ons! Build a tyrant alongside your standard TMB games, or work for Nobulous outside of a TMB game and port your creation in later.
In addition to this tyrant creation system, Splice & Dice brings new tyrants, encounters, and new dual baddie-type baddies into play, forcing players to invent new strategies and builds for their favorite characters.
Too Many Bones: Splice & Dice can also be played with the standalone sequel/expansion Too Many Bones: Undertow.Too Many Bones: Splice & Dice allows players to create their own tyrants using baddies from their Too Many Bones base games and add-ons! Build a tyrant alongside your standard TMB games, or work for Nobulous outside of a TMB game and port your creation in later.
In addition to this tyrant creation system, Splice & Dice brings new tyrants, encounters, and new dual baddie-type baddies into play, forcing players to invent new strategies and builds for their favorite characters.
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If you're not familiar with The Pursuit of Happiness, it's best described as The Game of Life...the euro game, with 1-4 players developing a character from birth through life-establishing relationships, taking on projects and jobs, and buying items, all while trying to maintain a low stress level and optimize happiness. If The Pursuit of Happiness weren't already amusing enough, the Experiences expansion will surely bring your character's happiness level to a whole new level. Here's a summary of the experiences you can expect from this expansion:
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Who says life is short? Life is as big as you want it to be! Every day we get to dream of the stuff we would like to do, places we would like to visit, things we would like to experience.
From the crazy carnival of Rio, to a romantic dinner under the Eiffel tower, to a tour on Liberty island in New York, all you need to do is dream and desire, and if you are determined, those experiences will eventually become a reality.
Are you ready to begin your journey? Pack your bags and let's go!
This expansion introduces the concept of dreams, a new mechanism that allows players to store cards of any type on their "dream" board in order to make them a reality later in the game. The expansion also includes a new board to place the new experience cards and features new actions. Within the Experiences deck, players will find a wide variety of trips and events around the world.
Players also get to have kids, meet new partners, and order services, bringing their games to the next level.
From the crazy carnival of Rio, to a romantic dinner under the Eiffel tower, to a tour on Liberty island in New York, all you need to do is dream and desire, and if you are determined, those experiences will eventually become a reality.
Are you ready to begin your journey? Pack your bags and let's go!
This expansion introduces the concept of dreams, a new mechanism that allows players to store cards of any type on their "dream" board in order to make them a reality later in the game. The expansion also includes a new board to place the new experience cards and features new actions. Within the Experiences deck, players will find a wide variety of trips and events around the world.
Players also get to have kids, meet new partners, and order services, bringing their games to the next level.
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