Games on the radar - Spiel edition

Ok, so we all know the big heavy hitter games coming out at SPIEL and are super hyped for them. With those you usually know that there is no risk in buying them blindly. 😅 Which is why I want to put the focus on less known upcoming games. With these I am not sure how good they will be (and sometimes not 100% sure they will be available to purchase) - so while they are not necessarily on my “need to buy” list, they are definitely on my “need to check out” list. Let’s start! 🙃

⚙️ ArcheOlogic

This is a logical deduction game in which you want to be the first to find the location of buildings of an ancient city - which are different polyomino shapes hidden on a grid. To search, you use the Archeoscope (a cardboard wheel-gizmo) by putting in your questions and checking the answer to get closer to the solution. 🕵️ The game also uses a time mechanic, as actions cost time, and whoever is furthest back on the track gets to act.

⛏️ Imperial Miners

This sounds super fun (could be potentially renamed dopamine mine 😅). You build a card tableau in a pyramid shape, as you dig down. Later cards reactivate cards above them, producing combo chains. Cards belong to 6 different factions with different effects, so variety should be great. Each game you also play with 3 boards out of 6 to have different tracks to advance on.

🏛️ Path of Civilization

Anytime I see a new Civ game on the horizon, I can’t help but be hyped for it. 😁 This time it is a more abstract game, similar to Through the Ages - so no map and no units. It is all about cards and hand management with simultaneous play. The puzzle of the game seems super fun, as you start each round with 5 technology cards, and can play them in different ways. You also won’t be able to play one of them, so hard decisions keep having to be made.

🏔️ Nunatak

This is the one I know the least about, but it looks fun. There are cards you get/play as you collectively build a temple out of ice blocks, but only one player wins. It is supposed to be quite a tactical and 3-dimensional game, with Kane Klenko as the designer, who made several games we love.