Tabletop Talks Week 7

Spring is in the air tabletoppers! This week’s inspiration will take us outside! As the skies get sunnier and the days get warmer, we here at Tabletop Simulator Blog thought we would celebrate the end of a very long Winter with a couple of great outdoor board games. From games that love the antics of squirrels and appreciate the beauty of flowers, to exciting racing games that are sure to get you ready for this May’s Kentucky Derby, TTS Blog has you covered for your next outdoor activity, or simple day in the park.

As a quick side note: We definitely recommend playing these outdoors!

1. Nutty Squirrels of the Oakwood Forest

A game of strategy, press your luck, and power-ups...best of all, it involves squirrels!

Nothing says “the outdoors!” quite like birds chirping, cicadas humming, and, of course, squirrels! And now, Tin Robot games has turned everyone’s favorite acorn collectors into a press-your-luck, resource collecting, get-ready-for-winter board game! In Nutty Squirrels of the Oakwood Forest, players take on the role of a squirrel as they try to prepare and stockpile for the upcoming Winter. Each squirrel will build the board as they collect, compete, and steal for the biggest acorn stockpile while also using power-ups to outplay your opponents or simply unleash an owl on them. Nutty Squirrels is fast, strategic, and instantly fun, and we can guarantee you will return to the Oakwood Forest time and time again.

The team at Tin Robot games was inspired to make this game by, believe it or not, Squirrels and watching them horde acorns while also stealing the stashes of others. From that moment, the key mechanics and themes of Nutty Squirrels were born. They then paired his idea with unique board-building mechanics, fun game-piece interactions, and absolutely adorable art design! Even if you aren’t a lover of these little acorn collectors, we can guarantee that this game will have you heading to your local park for a little squirrel watching!

Tin Robot games has used TTS to conduct fast and efficient playtesting and now has a fully scripted mod here! Their Kickstarter is also currently live, so be sure to get in on the funding!

2. Floriferous

An elegant game of picking, pairing, and arranging flowers

Sometimes board games are best to be looked at, with beautiful teeming and construction design. Sometimes board games are best to be played, with deep strategy and satisfying competition. Floriferous from game designer Eduardo Baraf is both! In this collection-based board game for 1-4 players, you are given one simple goal: collect flowers. From there you must pair your prized pickings with strategic card choices to ensure the most victory points. Though the player with the most victory points is crowned the winner, we like to think that the real victor can be determined by the gorgeous flower combinations. And with its fast-to-learn mechanics, Floriferous is a board game that will get you hooked immediately and have you hunting for flowers for days to come!

Floriferous was based around a simple but ingenious collection mechanic. This was paired with deeper layers of strategy, absolutely breathtaking art, and collection-driven scoring to create beautiful & compelling choices every turn. With this wonderful experience waiting for you, we recommend pouring a cup of tea, relaxing, and enjoying this elegant and unforgettable tabletop experience!

The team behind Floriferous used Tabletop Simulator for playtesting and marketing and have created a beautifully constructed mod!

3. Long Shot: The Dice Game

Will you play it safe, or risk it big on a long shot?

If you're looking for a little inspiration to get outdoors or better yet, get onto the track, then look no further than Long Shot: the Dice Game from Perplext. In this combination strategy and press-your-luck game, players must get ready to buy, manage, and bet on some horses. They then must use a combination of wagering mechanics as well as dice rolls to come away with the biggest win! With chance and the skill of your opponents in play, you must be ready to adapt, re-strategize, and push your horse to make sure you don’t get left in the dust. Long Shot takes the unique premise of a horse race and infuses it with the excitement of an actual day at the races! With high stakes and cutthroat competition, we guarantee you will forget that you aren’t watching the Kentucky Derby!

The team at Perplext succeeded in crafting a set of mechanics and an inventive theme to create the ultimate light strategy party game. Whether you are trying to prove your ultimate strategic superiority over your friends or are looking for an exciting opener to your next game night, we Long Shot will be your next tabletop obsession! And with all that said, there is only one question left...will you play it safe, or risk it big on a long shot?

Despite the complications from covid, the team behind Long Shot has pushed forward with their release and are currently running a Kickstarter! Off to the races!

4. Hivernation

It’s workers vs drones in this game of hive dominance

As much as being outside at this time of year is about the blooming flowers and greening leaves, we here at TTS Blog would be upset if we didn’t at least give a board game credit to those little guys that make that happen...Bees! If you want to join in the appreciation for our favorite pollinators by playing Hivernation from Ramstar Games. In this area control, tile-laying strategy game, each player takes turns attacking their opponent, laying basic tiles, or using the effects of specialty tiles to disrupt their opponent's occupation of Queen Zizi's hive until one player achieves victory. Hivernation combines it’s unique theme with these basic mechanics to seamlessly blend simple, addicting gameplay with deep strategy, all within a beautiful hand-crafted world!

Hivernation was undoubtedly inspired by a love of bees and their unique behaviors. But it was also inspired by an appreciation for the strategy-rich potential of hex tile mechanics and a love of classic territorial control games such as Othello. But Hivernation does more, it takes these inspirations and grows the team into a deep, replayable, and lovably bee-themed tabletop experience. It’s time for you to take control of the hive!

The team at Ramstar Games had to use Tabletop Simulator as a substitute for in-person playtesting and have been able to create a beautiful mod of their game! They are launching their Kickstarter on April 13th!

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