The die is cast: New products for kidults

By Peter Neugebauer

It is no longer unusual for adults to be interested in board games, or even to admit to it. Game nights take place regularly. Game events are attended all over the country. A large number of analog games are sought after by consumers and offered by publishers. They are gladly tried out anew in order to explore other strategies. The variety of mechanisms is wide-ranging and the themes as diverse as life itself. Kidults enjoy new challenges.

Clever family games

Forest ecosystem. Beech, oak and fir trees are planted in “Mischwald” by Lookout Spiele. This is the basis for fauna and flora. Mushrooms and ferns thrive on the trunks of the trees and even toads feel at home. Birds flutter in the treetops, butterflies and squirrels climb through the branches. Deer, lynx and martens seek shelter in the shade of the tree trunks. Everyone builds their own mixed forest by laying out cards. These should match each other. As a hunter, the wolf needs prey. Everyone constructs their own ecosystem, which scores more points the more coordinated the card display is. The variety of forest dwellers does not make it any easier.

Climate change. The challenges posed by environmental pollution must be mastered. In “e*Mission” by Schmidt, players tackle the mammoth task cooperatively. As representatives of a major power, everyone uses their influence to reduce global CO2 emissions. Excess emissions raise temperatures and increase the likelihood of global crises. If the world powers do not take countermeasures through their actions, the tipping point will be reached at which there will be no turning back. A clever map system and tables with ominous consequences make it clear what needs to be done. Together it is possible. 

Speculation on the stock market. “Black Friday” from 2F-Spiele simulates events on the stock market. Following the laws of the market, everyone invests in different companies. If demand is low because there are already a lot of shares of one color in circulation, prices fall and vice versa for high interest in a particular company. By buying, everyone speculates on rising prices, which only occur with a time lag. Gold is a safe bank. Unfortunately, prices are constantly rising. Early investment pays off, but ties up liquidity. The ups and downs on the stock market are realistically depicted and generate excitement. Everyone influences market events in their own way, hopefully successfully.

Smart games for connoisseurs

Feudal Japan. In the province of Himeji, the mighty castle of the “White Heron” towers over the city. The happenings at the court are retraced in Kosmos “The White Castle”. There are three places of important interest: The training grounds, the gardens and the interior of the fortress itself. The retainers should be present everywhere and forge their intrigues in order to ultimately achieve the highest prestige before the provincial prince. An unusual dice deployment mechanism, which allows stacking, is just as important as the fact that each player only has nine moves to choose from. These generate increasingly longer chain moves. Every action needs to be considered.

In 33 AD, a man is crucified in Jerusalem who changed the world like no other. "Ierusalem - Anno Domini” by Strohmann Games is set in the turbulence of this time. The charismatic preacher Jesus of Nazareth gathered disciples around him. This is the plot of the game. Everyone embodies a community that wants to be close to him, especially at his last supper. A scramble for good seats begins. Parables, the laws of the Sanhedrin and much more are discussed in side scenes. Everything is moderated by cards. Those who are clever and lucky collect sets. The game is not proselytizing, but rather entertaining and challenging.

Rough north. Vikings were never squeamish. “Northgard” from Board Game Box demonstrates this dramatically. The first task is to discover new lands. Plundering these lands brings resources. This is how expansion succeeds. Soon powerful rivals are confronting each other. The battle is fierce, and claiming new territories is the declared goal. In a realistic game of conquest, seven asymmetrical clans compete and constantly create new constellations. Wild creatures make life difficult for everyone. It's a tough fight for survival until finally one individual will rule the distant Northgard. Epic, challenging and slightly bizarre.

City of silver. Precious metal is mined in Bohemia in the 14th century. “Kutná Hora” by Czech Games Edition, distributed by HeidelBär, is the setting. The town is flourishing. Everyone tries to get their share. In the interplay of supply and demand, you have to watch the market wisely. Influence on the guilds or public buildings gives you advantages. Ultimately, everything revolves around mining the silvery stone. An interesting market mechanism oscillates between a growing city population and rising prices. This is new. The use of cards with a dual function needs to be learned. Great fun both visually and mechanically.

Tricky expert games

Dystopian scenario. “Revive” by Pegasus takes place 5000 years after the destruction of humanity. A new civilization emerges on an icy planet. Deep beneath the surface lie secrets of the past. These must be recovered. Followers are recruited as a unique tribe with unique abilities. Individually equipped, the new colonization begins. Everyone builds their own engine in the tried and tested manner. New options are gradually added and existing ones are expanded. Everything is interlinked and allows development to progress elegantly. The variance of the individual game elements means that every game is different. That has its appeal.

The golden temple. In India, in “Amritsar”, by Ludonova, distributor Asmodee, there is a magnificent place of worship. After being destroyed, this sanctuary is rebuilt. As patrons, everyone donates to the maharajah according to their means. Progress is made through the use of workers and elephants. The mechanism used is the mancala idea, which is unusual for complex games. Workers are taken and distributed individually. They trigger actions on the target space. The ponderous movement of the pachyderms requires good timing so that they remain in the right place at the right time. There is a lot to think about in this beautifully designed game.

Mafia battle in Sicily. “La Famiglia - The Great Mafia War” by Feuerland leaves no one in the dark. It's about power that is enforced extremely harshly. A gangster war is never squeamish. Ambushes are laid, opponents are wiped off the slate, personal interests are asserted. The two-on-two gameplay is unusual. There are always four players in the action. These string-pullers have six different mafia families at their disposal. Fighters and orders are set up in the planning phase. This is followed by the battle. The mechanism is simple and effective. Quite realistically, psychological duels are the order of the day. They often end in bloodshed.

About the author

Peter Neugebauer is still a "big kid" through and through. In early childhood, his parents introduced him to board games. And games were obligatory and always welcome at Christmas and on his birthday. He didn’t stop playing, not even during his years of study or working life. Early on, he reviewed new products, initially in trade journals, then also in daily newspapers and, for almost 40 years, in industry magazines. He can’t live without playing.