Tabletop Talks Week 2

This week on Tabletop Talks, we will be bringing you four up-and-coming board games to inspire your next winter hobby!

It’s no secret that the global pandemic has made it hard to do...anything. Especially during this cold season, many of us have been looking for new interests to explore and passions to discover. Don’t worry, the TTS Blog has your back! So we will be showcasing some fantastic games that will help inspire your next hobby!

1. Distilled

Pique your interest in the world of mixology with Distilled - a spirited strategy game

Paverson Games’ Distilled is not a drinking game, it’s a game of drinking. In this thematic strategy card game, players have just inherited an abandoned distillery from a distant relative, and are now tasked with bringing your family’s business back to its former glory! Distilled takes the standard strategy game and combines it with a spirited blend of resource management, push-your-luck, and tableau-building elements and mechanics. Described as an inventive combination of Wingspan,  Quacks of Quedlinburg, and Brew Crafters, Distilled’s rewarding gameplay will keep you on the edge of your seat (or should we say, tasting stool).

Inspired by the legendary distilleries of Scotland, Distilled makes the spirit-crafting experience realistic, but also fun and accessible. This is a board game that is dedicated to the science and the business behind brewing spirits and was created to give players the unforgettable experience of guiding your unique liquor all the way from creation to sale. This incredible attention to detail is also reflected in Distilled’s wonderful art that will have you telling people about your latest vintage. Overall, Distilled is a full-bodied board game with notes of strategy and undertones of thematic gameplay, we recommend that it is paired with a nice glass of 12-year scotch. 

This year, Distilled moved its development to Tabletop Simulator and is now released and available to play! Be sure to also check out their website to get more info, receive news, and a free print and play of Distilled! Also keep an eye out for Distilled’s Kickstarter, launching this Summer! 

2.  Steam Up

Cooking inspiration awaits in Steam up - A Feast of Dim Sum

Steam Up is a game, a cultural experience, and a guaranteed way to get you reaching for the snacks at your next game night! This is a competitive 2-5 player light-medium weight collection and action management game. 

Step into the shoes of an excited customer during their first visit to the legendary Dim Sum restaurant, Steam Up. Holding the coveted Gold Ingot status and known around the world for its mouth-watering food, Steam Up is the perfect setting to challenge other players in a competitive feast. Using a turn-based action system, card mechanics, and the ability to buy your own dishes, players have one goal: devour as much Dim Sum as possible and leave the table with the most satisfied stomach!

The team at Hot Banana Games set out to make a game that allowed people to experience the unique culinary culture of Dim Sum, while also combining a love of food and tabletop gaming. They hope to use their unique game pieces and fun and competitive gameplay to draw people to a genuinely new experience. For players who are familiar with Dim Sum, Steam Up will trigger a nostalgic feeling for their favorite restaurant. For players who are new to this culture, this game will spark a curiosity to try Dim Sum on their next food adventure!

Steam up has used Tabletop Simulator to continue development during the pandemic and have released a playable mod, you can check it out now! Also, be sure to give their website a visit and keep an eye out for their Kickstarter launch in the Fall of 2021! 

3. Canvas

Get ready to reach for your old art supplies after playing Canvas - A Game of Creating and Competing Your Own Masterpiece

Board Games often let you create your own character. Sometimes they even let you create your own world. But Canvas lets you create your own masterpiece! In this game from Road To Infamy Games, you step into the role of an ambitious painter, competing in a challenging art festival. In order to create the most beautiful and win-worthy painting, players must collect transparent illustration cards and layer three of them on top of each other to create their own masterpiece. This basic mechanic is deepened by the need to express hidden scoring icons buried within each layer of their creation. Canvas combines these mechanics with a beautiful art style inspired by a number of movements and techniques, making for a beautiful, yet challenging spatial puzzle.  

Inspired by a desire to bring the transparent card mechanics of Mystic Vale and Gloom to the world of art, Canvas makes sure that the player is the master of their own design. The result is a one-of-kind, quick to learn but hard to master puzzle experience that will have you reaching for the nearest brush. While many board games make you want to throw your pieces across the room, Canvas will make you want to take them home and frame them!

The team at Road to Infamy Games have used Tabletop Simulator’s creation tools to craft a beautiful virtual experience of their game.

4. Pigskin Pantheon

Want inspiration for your next football season? Try Pigskin Pantheon - A Fight for Gridiron Supremacy

Whether you are suffering a little football withdrawal or simply looking for a fun and colorful new sports game, we cannot recommend Pigskin Pantheon enough! This upcoming release from Brian and Shane Miclon is a turn-based strategy board game set in the golden age of American Football. Pigskin Pantheon focuses on allowing players to experience a goofy and exciting cross-section of the sport’s greatest moments all from your own wooden gridiron (also known as a table). You are the coach of your very own team as you draft, build rosters, call plays, and even kick field goals until you are victorious.

The team behind Pigskin Pantheon wanted to create a sports tabletop gaming experience that is accessible, playable, and built around competition, not stats. They succeeded, and created a game that will have you ready to charge the field, or flip it!

This is the first game from the Miclon brothers and they have used Tabletop Simulator to playtest and hone their creation. Keep an eye out for their Kickstarter and launch later this year!