iOS, Android, Steam •
Thanks to Gen Con, we already knew Asmodee Digital had a ridiculous amount of new games slated for later this year and 2018. This week is Essen, however, and it seems they still have some tricks up their sleeve. Yesterday they released a teaser trailer for Scythe that failed to show any gameplay but did manage to remind us it’s coming. They also mentioned some new Catan vehicles which we’ll talk about when they get closer to launch. Today, however, we learned that apart from all the new releases coming down the pike, they still had at least two they were holding back. That would be Arcane Wonders‘ abstract Onitama and Steve Jackson‘s ubiquitous Munchkin.
I managed to play Onitama a while back and, while I generally don’t appreciate abstacts, I found this one to be fairly spectacular. The game takes place on a small 5×5 grid with each player controlling four pawns and one Master. The goal is simple: capture your opponent’s Master or get your Master to the other side of the board. The trick is that pieces can only be moved according to cards you have in your hand, and when you play a card you place it face up next to the board so it becomes available for your opponent to then use. This forces you to always be thinking not just of how you can manipulate your pieces, but are you handing your opponent the axe with which they’ll chop off your head? It’s great fun, and games are very short, which will make it perfect for online play which, this being Asmodee, we can assume with be real time.
The other game is Munchkin which, if you haven’t played, is a ha-ha funny card game that pokes fun of RPGs and can last way longer than it should. I really shouldn’t criticize too much, I’ve only played the game once, but I definitely haven’t felt the need to give it a second go. That said, it’s one of those games that, literally, millions of people play and love, so maybe it’s just me. We don’t have a lot of information at this point other than it’s coming to digital (both mobile and Steam are hinted at in the press release) and it won’t be here until 2018.
Essen runs all the way through the weekend, so we’ll let you know on Monday if there are any other big digital announcements from Asmodee or other publishers during the convention. Until then, take a look at that Scythe trailer, just don’t go looking for anything substantial.
Asmodee keeps wanting to take my money.
Why is that?
I couldn’t care less about Munchkin, but just to show my desperation at this point, if it has asynchronous multiplayer, I will buy it day one.
DO IT, ASMODEE! DO IT!!!
I’d love to see that.
Still no word on the impact/goal of the Asmodee/Playdek alliance?
No. Nobody is talking. All Strangiato is doing is beating me at TtA.
Munchkin? The worst sort of card game in existence? I full on cringe when someone brings it to the table, to the point where I would rather just get up and do the dishes.
It is almost as if someone got the worst mechanics possible and threw them in a game. Randomness? Check! King making? Check! Every card in play all the time, with insta-equip? Check! Magic the gathering level interrupts? Check!
Digital order… how the fuck do you even digitise it? Give everyone an opportunity to react to every action?
Go fuck yourself munchkin.
I’ve never played munchkin, but I fully embrace the level of vitriol evident in this post!
I’d sooner stick white-hot knitting needles into my eyes than ever play Munchkin in person. However … a very tentative “however” … I will likely give it a shot with the device handling all of the modifiers and rulings.
I’m skeptical this can even be digitized the right way, though. The game is legendary for its never-ending rules issues.
I’m beginning to to think, based solely on this thread, that @Baelnor and @TheDukester are the same person. Or not. Either way, color me entertained.
And never playing munchkin either, btw…
I once played a three hour game of Munchkin. That was enough to put me off it for life.
I have a hollowed-out tooth containing a cyanide capsule for such an occasion.