BGG | The Hotness
Root
Find adventure in a marvelous asymmetric game. Root provides limitless replay value as you and your friends explore the unique factions all wanting to rule a fantastic forest kingdom. Play as the:Marquise de Cat: Dominate the woods, extracting its riches and policing its inhabitants.Woodland Alliance: Gather supporters and coordinate revolts against the ruling regime.Eyrie Dynasties: Regain control of the woods while keeping your squabbling court at bay.Vagabond: Seek fame and fortune as you forge alliances and rivalries with the other players. Each faction has its own play style and paths to victory, providing an immersive game experience you will want to play again and again.
$60.00$48.00
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SETI: Search For Extraterrestrial Intelligence
In SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, a eurogame for 1-4 players, you lead a scientific institution tasked with searching for traces of life beyond planet Earth. The game draws inspiration from current or emerging technologies and efforts in space exploration. Players will explore nearby planets and their moons by launching probes from Earth while taking advantage of ever-shifting planetary positions. Decide whether to land on their surface to collect valuable samples, or stay in orbit for a broader survey. Additionally, by directing your telescopes to gaze into distant star systems, you may detect traces of alien signals or undiscovered exoplanets, and collect promising data to examine and study back home. Back on Earth, you can invest in upgrading your equipment so you can analyze incoming data more efficiently, boost your telescope signal capacity, or increase your supply of resources—all to expand the scope of your search that could lead to a discovery of extraterrestrial life forms. You will also make use of over 200 cards to aid your efforts or focus your research in a particular direction for additional bonuses and rewards. Each card has unique effects and illustrations and depicts real-life technologies, projects, and discoveries (like the ISS, Large Hadron Collider, Perseverance rover, Voyager probe, and many more). Finding traces of extraterrestrial life is only a matter of time—utilize the resources you have at your disposal strategically and you may well end up being the one to make the biggest scientific contribution towards advancing our understanding of alien life within our galaxy.
$79.99
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Spirit Island
Powerful Spirits have existed on this isolated island for time immemorial. They are both part of the natural world and - at the same time - something beyond nature. Native Islanders, known as the Dahan, have learned how to co-exist with the spirits, but with a healthy dose of fear and reverence. However, now, the island has been "discovered" by invaders from a far-off land. These would-be colonists are taking over the land and upsetting the natural balance, destroying the presence of Spirits as they go. As Spirits, you must grow in power and work together to drive the invaders from your island... before it’s too late!
$64.99$57.26
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Wondrous Creatures
Wondrous Creatures is a strategic board game that combines an innovative worker placement mechanism with a tableau-building mechanism. The mechanics of placing workers across two hexagonal map spaces while interacting with adjacent icons to obtain resources or to activate various special effects adds a unique puzzle-like fun to the worker placement experience Wondrous Creatures provides. Collect over 100 wondrous Creature Cards and combine the unique abilities of each creature to build your very own powerful tableau!
$72.00$55.00
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Ark Nova
In Ark Nova, you will plan and design a modern, scientifically managed zoo. With the ultimate goal of owning the most successful zoological establishment, you will build enclosures, accommodate animals, and support conservation projects all over the world. Specialists and unique buildings will help you in achieving this goal. Each player has a set of five action cards to manage their gameplay, and the power of an action is determined by the slot the card currently occupies. The cards in question are: CARDS: Allows you to gain new zoo cards (animals, sponsors, and conservation project cards). BUILD: Allows you to build standard or special enclosures, kiosks, and pavilions. ANIMALS: Allows you to accommodate animals in your zoo. ASSOCIATION: Allows your association workers to carry out different tasks. SPONSORS: Allows you to play a sponsor card in your zoo or to raise money. 255 cards featuring animals, specialists, special enclosures, and conservation projects, each with a special ability, are at the heart of Ark Nova. Use them to increase the appeal and scientific reputation of your zoo and collect conservation points.
$79.99$63.99
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The Quest for El Dorado
In The Quest for El Dorado, players take the roles of expedition leaders who have embarked on a search for the legendary land of gold in the dense jungles of South America. Each player assembles and equips their own team, hiring various helpers from the scout to the scientist to the aborigine. All of them have one goal in mind: Reaching the golden border first and winning all of the riches for themselves. Whoever chooses the best tactics will be rewarded!
$39.99$29.97
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Feya's Swamp
In Feya's Swamp, you take on the role of a clan of swamp dwellers aiming to become the most prosperous in the area. To succeed, you need to adapt to your surroundings by finding the best fishing and settlement spots, as well as choosing the right trading partners. You can also venture into nearby abandoned temples where powerful deities lie in wait to be awakened. The game takes place over four rounds, with each round consisting of three phases: the income phase, the turn phase, and the maintenance phase. During the turn phase, you use unique characters to position your clan's workers in order to take various actions that help you gain victory points and gain advantages over the other players. You take actions by moving your boats across the swamp, and these actions include fishing, trading with other clans, exploring abandoned temples in Feya, and building new settlements that will enhance your clan's abilities. Some actions don't require moving through the swamp, such as improving your navigation, which increases your boat speed; hosting festivals where each clan contributes fish to earn victory points; or building new cult spaces that bring prestige to the small islands that form in the swamp. The main objective is to become the clan that contributes the most to the development of Feya, and to achieve this, you will also need to meet the variable goals specific to each game session. LEAD YOUR CLAN TO PROSPERITY: Guide a clan of swamp dwellers as you adapt to shifting conditions, optimize resources, and compete to become the most influential force in Feya. NAVIGATE THE SWAMP FOR STRATEGIC ACTIONS: Move boats through the wetlands to fish, trade with rival clans, explore abandoned temples, and build settlements that expand your abilities. PLACE UNIQUE CHARACTERS FOR TACTICAL PLAY: Position specialized workers during the turn phase to unlock powerful actions, gain advantages, and earn victory points across four evolving rounds. AWAKEN DEITIES AND DEVELOP CULTURE: Venture into ancient temples, improve navigation, host festivals, and construct cult spaces that bring prestige to your islands without always traveling the swamp. REPLAY WITH VARIABLE GOALS EVERY GAME: Pursue session-specific objectives alongside long-term development, ensuring each game of Feya’s Swamp offers new strategies and challenges. Contents: 1 swamp board 4 Double sided Clan boards 1 Round board 4 Turn order pieces 12 Objective pieces 21 Worker pieces 12 Boat pieces 4 Sailing pieces 80 Settlement tiles 1 Island totem 1 Blocking piece 8 Neutral Worker pieces 4 Score markers 4 VP tiles 5 Special Salamander Clan tiles 40 Manage gems 10 Spirit tiles 52 Gold pieces 80 Fish pieces 20 Temple tiles 20 Round Bonus tiles 10 Guide cards 8 Race cards 6 Score cards 6 Fish cards 4 Reference cards
$49.99$39.99
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The Old King's Crown (Pre-Order)
This item is a pre-order item with an expected release date of Q4 2026 Orders containing a pre-order items WILL NOT SHIP until the final pre-order item is able to be shipped. Dates and product details are subject to change as new information from the manufacturer is updated. Listen up, I'm absolutely fizzing about this one. The Old King's Crown is a phenomenal board game that absolutely deserves your attention. This is the type of rare box that is able to induce that kind of bounding enthusiasm the excitement that gets you day dreaming about when you're able to get it to the table, that promise that shivers through you as each rule rattles with possibility. And not just the rules, but the presentation too!" - Shut Up and Sit Down The Old King’s Crown is a game of card-driven conquest, where you play as heirs to a vacant throne, vying for control of an ancient, overgrown kingdom. Wield unique abilities and leverage your followers’ traits to best outwit your opponents across a map that stretches from the teetering heights of the castle to the dappled light of the necropolis. As leader of your faction you will be staking claims with Heralds openly as well as positioning your forces in secret, hoping to claim the locations that fit your designs. However, keep an eye on your rivals, as they too have agents and agendas, poised to undo your best laid plans. Royalty, rebels or ruses. What crown will you wear? In The Old King's Crown, players move their Herald to locations, hoping to claim them. Then simultaneously players play cards from their hand, facedown to regions of the board. These are then revealed and resolved. Winning these clashes will result in different rewards that further their position and grant them the game's primary goal, influence. The player with the most influence by the end of a set number of rounds will be declared the winner. What We're Saying We're big fans of Root's asymmetry, Inis' art styling, and the bluffing mechanics of Dune; Old King's Crown somehow combines all three into a package that is fairly accessible given just how big it is. That doesn't mean the gameplay is easy or by any means simple, but it does mean it's intuitive and won't send people used to more medium weight games running for the door when you bring this box out. We're really excited for Old King's Crown and we're expecting to see this on the Hotness list more and more as the initial Kickstarter run is supported by a mass-market printing hitting in Spring. This game will be hitting your table often, and if the secondary market is any indicator it's going to be highly sought after for years to come.
$81.00
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Wondrous Creatures: Winterfall Expansion (Pre-Order)
This item is a pre-order item with an expected release date of Q3 2026 Orders containing a pre-order items WILL NOT SHIP until the final pre-order item is able to be shipped. Dates and product details are subject to change as new information from the manufacturer is updated. Adapt to the ever-changing & challenging winter!A sudden deep winter transforms Starbeak Island, challenging players to adapt as the map continuously shifts, infusing a fresh strategic layer into the worker placement of Wondrous Creatures. Beyond the changing landscape, new dynamic gameplay elements provoke heightened player interaction and richer tactics. The addition of diverse new creatures—including the all-new Spirit species—unique Captains, and challenging Achievement Cards ensures depth and excitement in every game.Features★ Massive content boost★ Dynamic Changing Map★ New Species: The Spirits★ Heightened Player Interaction
$45.00$38.25
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Lightning Train
Steer your railway company through a land of strategic opportunity in Lightning Train, a new bag-building train game from the creators of Clank!™ and Dune: Imperium. Build your bag to improve your company's resources, then place your chips to open stations and train lines across eight regions of North America. There's a fortune to be made by delivering goods to the cities that need them...but will you work together, or look to cut out the competition? Which stations do you need to secure a route to victory? How can the powerful lightning trains accelerate you past your rivals? All aboard the Lightning Train! STEER YOUR RAILWAY COMPANY: Master the land of strategic opportunity in a new bag-building train game where you open stations and lines across eight regions of North America. OVER 400 COMPONENTS: Features a double-sided board, 31 wooden station markers, 4 company bags, 4 player boards, 82 cards, over 400 punch tokens, and 15 large production cards. ACCELERATE PAST YOUR RIVALS: Deliver goods to the cities that need them and use powerful lightning trains to secure your route to victory in a race for fortune and prestige. IDEAL FOR STEAM-POWERED GAME NIGHTS: Perfect for weekend hobby sessions, winter gaming marathons, or summer tabletop projects where players desire to cut out the competition and build a fortune. FOR TRAIN ENTHUSIASTS AND TACTICIANS: A must-have for fans of Clank! and Dune: Imperium; suitable for home game rooms, local gaming clubs, or retail play spaces for the ultimate rail adventure. Contents: Double-sided game board, 31 wooden station markers, 4 wooden score markers, 4 company bags, 4 player boards, 4 Go Public boards, 4 Industrialize boards, 82 cards, 15 large production cards, over 400 punch tokens, 1 die, 4 builder tokens, rulebook
$55.00
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World Order
The year is 2010, and the global balance of power is shifting… As the once-dominant United States sees its influence drop, other major powers are poised to redefine the global landscape. China emerges as a rising force, while Russia plays an intricate chess game with Washington. At the same time, the European Union seeks to assert its place on the world stage. Be one of four global superpowers. Utilize your unique abilities and strategic mindset to expand your influence and achieve global Hegemony. Immersive Simulation: Navigate real-world international relations by managing alliances, diplomacy, and military threats.Dynamic Strategies: Blend Diplomatic, Economic, and Military tactics. Form alliances, trade, and build military bases to expand influence.Dominance Decks: Play as a global superpower with unique strengths and weaknesses, using area control and deck-building for adaptable strategies. World Order was brought to life through the support of over 13,000 backers, raising more than €2,000,000 on Kickstarter and Gamefound, a testament to the enthusiasm for deep, strategic, and meaningful gameplay. Are you ready to conquer the new world order? Your destiny awaits. Ages 14+2-4 players120-180 minute play time
$84.99$72.25
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The Glorious Guilds of Buttonville
The village of Buttonville is undoubtedly the most glorious village of all time aside from one small problem: There's no one there! In The Glorious Guilds of Buttonville, you slip into the role of a guild master and recruit new residents — quirky inventors, cunning traders, and fearless guards — to transform the sleepy little town into a place full of life and laurel wreaths. Each round, you take two cards, whether directly from the market or blindly from the deck. Once you've gathered enough like-minded people, you lay down a set: three gossiping bards grant a song of power sounds, while four nimble blacksmiths provide a discount boost for additional recruits. Your sets provide instant effects, enhance each other, and ultimately yield victory points. Timing, a knack for probability, and a touch of luck with the cards are the key to your triumph. What's special about these cards? The synergies grow like ivy: the larger a set, the stronger its effect. Should you spontaneously play three identical cards or eagerly wait for the fourth? Add to that the modular market system, which sets up each game differently. Thanks to 25 different villagers, no game will be the same. Grab the guild flag now, recruit your troops, and secure the glory Buttonville deserves!
$34.99$29.74
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Revenant (Pre-Order)
This item is a pre-order item with an expected release date of Q4 2026 Orders containing a pre-order items WILL NOT SHIP until the final pre-order item is able to be shipped. Dates and product details are subject to change as new information from the manufacturer is updated. Revenant is a standalone, competitive worker placement game of shifting allegiances, set in the Voidfall universe. Players take on the role of rival admirals coordinating the defense of a fleeing starfleet, and competing to earn influence with the factions that stand to survive the journey. Across four rounds, players assign crew to ships throughout the fleet, from which they will fight corrupted ships, explore planets in search of resources, upgrade their ship and crew, deploy new vessels, and more. Each ship is affiliated with one of the Great Houses, and each time you assign crew there, you gain influence with that House. The journey won’t be an easy one. The Voidborn’s corrupted forces will continuously attack the fleet, dealing damage to various ships at the end of every round. You can take your part in protecting the fleet by destroying enemy ships, repairing friendly vessels or maneuvering them to safe areas, or ultimately activating the Revenant’s hyperdrive to jump to a safer sector. Regardless of your efforts, there will be casualties - you have to make sure that the Houses you have influence in are protected above others. Revenant spices up the resource management and engine-building of a mid-weight euro with dynamic tactical challenges, constant player interaction, and shifting allegiances.
$65.00$52.00
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Harmonies
In Harmonies, you will create beautiful landscapes by placing colored tiles. These tiles will create territories for animals and will bring them in to settle in your tiny world! Tactically combine your landscapes and animals to earn the most victory points and win the game. Harmonies captivates with its innovative mechanics: 3D landscape creation, tile placement, and pattern development. Each decision impacts the ecosystem you create, offering a deep and satisfying gaming experience. The game includes a solo mode and an "expert" mode, adding the spirits of nature to the game's animal cards. STRATEGIC YET POETIC GAMEPLAY: Engage in a unique gaming experience where you create your own dreamlike world, combining landscapes and animals to earn victory points. EASY TO LEARN WITH DEEP TACTICAL PLAY: Harmonies offers straightforward rules that open the door to profound tactical decisions, making each game a new challenge. INCLUDES SOLO VERSION: Whether you're looking to enjoy a thoughtful solo game or engage in competitive play with friends, Harmonies caters to all your gaming needs. STUNNING ART DIRECTION: Benefit from Libellud's signature artistry, with 42 beautifully illustrated cards that bring your oneiric landscapes to life. PREMIUM COMPONENTS: Immerse yourself in a tactile gaming experience with 120 wooden tokens and high-quality cards, ensuring durability and a visually appealing setup.
$39.99$31.99
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Brass Birmingham
Brass: Birmingham is an economic strategy game sequel to Martin Wallace' 2007 masterpiece, Brass. Birmingham tells the story of competing entrepreneurs in Birmingham during the industrial revolution, between the years of 1770-1870. As in its predecessor, you must develop, build, and establish your industries and network, in an effort to exploit low or high market demands. Each round, players take turns according to the turn order track, receiving two actions to perform any of the following actions (found in the original game): 1) Build - Pay required resources and place an industry tile.2) Network - Add a rail / canal link, expanding your network.3) Develop - Increase the VP value of an industry.4) Sell - Sell your cotton, manufactured goods and pottery.5) Loan - Take a £30 loan and reduce your income. Brass: Birmingham also features a new sixth action: 6) Scout - Discard three cards and take a wild location and wild industry card. (This action replaces Double Action Build in original Brass.) The game is played over two halves: the canal era (years 1770-1830) and the rail era (years 1830-1870). To win the game, score the most VPs. VPs are counted at the end of each half for the canals, rails and established (flipped) industry tiles. Birmingham features dynamic scoring canals/rails. Instead of each flipped industry tile giving a static 1 VP to all connected canals and rails, many industries give 0 or even 2 VPs. This provides players with the opportunity to score much higher value canals in the first era, and creates interesting strategy with industry placement. Iron, coal, and cotton are three industries which appear in both the original Brass as well as in Brass: Birmingham. New "Sell" system Brewing has become a fundamental part of the culture in Birmingham. You must now sell your product through traders located around the edges of the board. Each of these traders is looking for a specific type of good each game. To sell cotton, pottery, or manufactured goods to these traders, you must also "grease the wheels of industry" by consuming beer. For example, a level 1 cotton mill requires one beer to flip. As an incentive to sell early, the first player to sell to a trader receives free beer. Birmingham features three all-new industry types: Brewery - Produces precious beer barrels required to sell goods. Manufactured goods - Function like cotton, but features eight levels. Each level of manufactured goods provides unique rewards, rather than just escalating in VPs, making it a more versatile (yet potentially more difficult) path vs cotton. Pottery - These behemoths of Birmingham offer huge VPs, but at a huge cost and need to plan. Increased Coal and Iron Market size - The price of coal and iron can now go up to £8 per cube, and it's not uncommon. Brass: Birmingham is a sequel to Brass. It offers a very different story arc and experience from its predecessor.
$79.99$67.99
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Arcs
Arcs is a sharp sci-fi strategy game for 2-4 players, set in a dark yet silly universe. Ready yourself for dramatic twists and turns as you launch into this galactic struggle. Seize the initiative: Take actions with multi-use cards. Copy the leader, pivot to new tactics, or take the initiative for next round. Timing is everything. Declare ambitions: In each game, you define the objectives that everyone competes over to win. Crush your foes: Amass your navy for battle, plan your strategy with three kinds of dice, then roll them all at once to resolve the battle in a flash. Each game contains: 100 wooden ships and agents; 18 custom engraved dice; 1 beautiful six-panel board; Tons of cards with over 60 pieces of unique art.
$60.00$48.00
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Endeavor: Deep Sea
Plunge into the modern era, where our planet's vast interconnected ocean scape is one of the last frontiers to discover and explore. Experience a deep new ever-changing adventure in this followup to the smash hit Endeavor: Age of Sail!In Endeavor: Deep Sea, you head an independent research institute with the goal of developing sustainable projects and preserving the fragile balance of marine life. Throughout the game, you’ll recruit field experts and use their abilities to explore new locations, research dive sites, publish critical ecological papers, and launch conservation efforts.Expand your expertise, develop your team, and learn as much as possible about the sea. The action your institute takes now, could mean a healthy ocean and a sustainable future for the planet.Endeavor: Deep Sea is designed by Jarratt Gray and Carl de Visser, the same creative team behind the smash hit Endeavor: Age of Sail. This edition is set in a new era of nautical discovery, but uses streamlined rules which will be familiar to fans of the original game.
$59.00
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Shards Of Creation (Pre-Order)
This item is a pre-order item with an expected release date of 06/24/2026 Orders containing a pre-order items WILL NOT SHIP until the final pre-order item is able to be shipped. Dates and product details are subject to change as new information from the manufacturer is updated. Harness the primal forces of Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere! This innovative trick-taking game is designed for players of all skill levels.Every Shard is an aspect of divinity: Autonomy, Cultivation, Devotion, Dominion, Honor, Odium, Preservation, and Ruin. Each is an entirely unique suit, with different values and abilities.Will you win by focusing on one Shard’s influence, or by forging a coalition of Shards? Shuffle up a different combination each time you play, making every game a new experience!FEATURES★ Featuring illustrations by Medusa Dollmaker!☆ Shards of Creation will contain the first canonical depictions of Devotion and Dominion.CONTENTS• 128 Shard cards• 8 trump cards• 8 reference cards• 4 scoring cards• 1 score pad
$24.99
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Rebirth: Second Edition
Following a series of calamities that left civilization in shambles, societies around the world are being rebuilt anew in harmony with nature. Scotland lies in ruins and the ancient clans have taken it upon themselves to restore the land. As clan leaders you will compete for strategic control of the land by rebuilding its prestigious castles.Rebirth is a new, tile-laying game from Reiner Knizia. The game revitalizes this classic genre by combining Knizia’s elegant mechanics with Mighty Boards’ evocative world building. The result is a eurogame with smooth gameplay, set in a lush and hopeful future.Each turn, players draw a tile from their supply and place it strategically on the board. These tiles represent your clan’s contribution to rebuilding the land. Rebirth rewards strategic foresight and clever tactical play, with tougher decisions emerging over the course of the game.A tile-laying game from Reiner Knizia, set in a lush and hopeful future.Components:• 1 Board• 32 Mission Cards• 144 Tiles (4 colours)• 56 Castle Tokens (4 colours)• 32 Cathedral Tokens (4 colours)• 4 Scoring Counters (4 colours)
$42.00$35.70
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Nippon: Zaibatsu (Pre-Order)
This item is a pre-order item with an expected release date of 2026 Orders containing a pre-order items WILL NOT SHIP until the final pre-order item is able to be shipped. Dates and product details are subject to change as new information from the manufacturer is updated. Nippon: Zaibatsu is a new edition of Nippon, a fast-paced, area-majority economic game. Players control "zaibatsu": massive conglomerates of interconnected companies driving Japan's economy in the Industrial Revolution era. During the game, players invest in new industries, build factories and railroads, and produce goods to saturate local markets and fulfill contracts — all to grow their influence and power and to become rulers of the new modernized country. Players are free to choose their playstyle and winning strategy: They choose what they score victory points for, control the game's pace with income turns, and race each other to get the most beneficial factories, markets, and bonuses. All the core mechanisms of the original Nippon are present, but the components, art, and design are upgraded, and many gameplay features are reworked to get the game in line with modern trends. Nippon: Zaibatsu features new resource types, ships are heavily revised with new Iwakura mission rules, factories are much more variable, consolidation turns provide players with new rewards, and much more. Also, the game now has an automa-driven solo mode.
$75.00$63.75
