BGG | The Hotness
Terraforming Mars
In the 2400s, mankind begins to terraform the planet Mars. Giant corporations, sponsored by the World Government on Earth, initiate huge projects to raise the temperature, the oxygen level, and the ocean coverage until the environment is habitable. In Terraforming Mars, you play one of those corporations and work together in the terraforming process, but compete for getting victory points that are awarded not only for your contribution to the terraforming, but also for advancing human infrastructure throughout the solar system, and doing other commendable things. The players acquire unique project cards (from over two hundred different ones) by buying them to their hand. The projects (cards) can represent anything from introducing plant life or animals, hurling asteroids at the surface, building cities, to mining the moons of Jupiter and establishing greenhouse gas industries to heat up the atmosphere. The cards can give you immediate bonuses, as well as increasing your production of different resources. Many cards also have requirements and they become playable when the temperature, oxygen, or ocean coverage increases enough. Buying cards is costly, so there is a balance between buying cards (3 megacredits per card) and actually playing them (which can cost anything between 0 to 41 megacredits, depending on the project). Standard Projects are always available to complement your cards. Your basic income, as well as your basic score, is based on your Terraform Rating (starting at 20), which increases every time you raise one of the three global parameters. However, your income is complemented with your production, and you also get VPs from many other sources. Each player keeps track of their production and resources on their player boards, and the game uses six types of resources: MegaCredits, Steel, Titanium, Plants, Energy, and Heat. On the game board, you compete for the best places for your city tiles, ocean tiles, and greenery tiles. You also compete for different Milestones and Awards worth many VPs. Each round is called a generation (guess why) and consists of the following phases: 1) Player order shifts clockwise.2) Research phase: All players buy cards from four privately drawn.3) Action phase: Players take turns doing 1-2 actions from these options: Playing a card, claiming a Milestone, funding an Award, using a Standard project, converting plant into greenery tiles (and raising oxygen), converting heat into a temperature raise, and using the action of a card in play. The turn continues around the table (sometimes several laps) until all players have passed.4) Production phase: Players get resources according to their terraform rating and production parameters. When the three global parameters (temperature, oxygen, ocean) have all reached their goal, the terraforming is complete, and the game ends after that generation. Count your Terraform Rating and other VPs to determine the winning corporation!
$114.00$75.00
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.
$75.00
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.
$114.00$91.00
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
$71.00
World Order (Pre-Order)
This item is a pre-order item with an expected release date of 06/19/2026 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. 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
$121.00$103.00
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.
$107.00$91.00