New Game Round-up: Collect Minerals, Trade in Cryptocurrencies, and Win a Place in the Zodiac

There are still a lot of mysterious things that we have to learn, especially when it comes to rocks and minerals. An exciting journey to unravel natural pieces of art hidden deeply under the world's surface awaits! Are you ready for it?

In Minerals, players move around the board that they've created during set-up while gathering different types of titled minerals. Depending on their pick, they receive for those a specified number of victory points along with the same amount of movement points. The set-collection aspect of the game allows them to gather even more points. Sometimes they use their valuable minerals to activate action cards to make even more strategic movements. The game board is being depleted all the time, which means that players should plan their moves since this will limit their choices every turn while bringing them closer to the end of the game. Their goal is to gather the minerals of the highest values and gain as many points as possible!

Cryptocurrency is a 2-4 player game that puts players in a competitive race to make the most amount of money from trading and mining cryptocurrencies. Players can choose to make the following actions during their turn using their computing power:

1) Hire experts that enhance your ability in mining, speculation, or rumor-mongering
2) Trade existing coins in the market
3) Mine for new coins through a press-your-luck minigame

After exhausting your experts, all players may lay down their rumor cards, which will influence the prices in a positive or negative manner. However, half of the information is hidden from players and this information determines which cryptocurrencies will be declared a scam and lose all of their value. All players then tally their total wealth by adding their cash and the value of their cryptocurrencies. The player with the most value wins.

Legend has it that a long time ago, mankind was ignorant to the extent of not knowing how to count or tell the years apart. The ever-benevolent Jade Emperor wanted to help mankind out. From there, the idea of a twelve-year cycle and the naming of each year in the cycle after an animal was borne.

But how should the Jade Emperor choose twelve animals from among so many animals in the living world, while remaining impartial? To resolve this equitably, the Jade Emperor decided to hold a race involving all animals on his birthday. The first twelve animals to cross the river and reach the Heavenly Palace will have a year named after them, in the order of how they finished the race. The race became known as The Great Race and the twelve-year cycle was named the Chinese Zodiac.

Race for the Chinese Zodiac is a board game that recreates The Great Race. Pick your favourite animal and race with other animals. Earn karma and gather energy during the race. Put these to good use and take desired actions to race ahead of other animals. But beware, for the other animals are plotting to do the same. Outwit them and earn extra movements at their expense. Get outfoxed and lose valuable movement to them instead. The first animal to complete the race earns the coveted right of having the first year of the Chinese Zodiac named after it!