Episode 24

Tabletop Gaming News

Asmodee launches new Brain Games and Two-Player Games ranges to fend off lockdown boredom

Asmodee has detailed the launch of two new key ranges for the year as the UK board gaming giant looks to reinforce its belief that ‘there’s a perfect game for every occasion’, particularly over the UK’s extended lockdown period.

As part of an update to its existing collections, Asmodee has unveiled new lines in its Brain Games and Two-Player Games collection. Each key range highlights a handful of market-leading titles for different audiences, and is each will be bolstered with strong marketing support from Asmodee.

The first of the new collections, Brain Games, features products that are ‘perfect for creative and enquiring minds.’

Each title engages different parts of the mind and all are designed to suit younger players while also offering fun and excitement for adults. Ideal for keeping young minds engaged while stuck at home, the range includes the likes of creative storytelling game Rory’s Story Cubes and the brain-teasing memory challenge of the BrainBox series.

Meanwhile, the Two-Player Games range is billed as ‘perfect for when three’s a crowd and great ways for couples to unwind after a long day of video meetings or after kids have gone to bed.’

The range comprises titles such as the hit word game Bananagrams Duel and Patchwork.

Brain Games and Two-Player Games stand alongside Asmodee’s existing key ranges, each of which has had its contents updated for the new year. Quick-Play Games spotlights games which are as fast to learn as they are to play, while Modern Classics highlights major products that have driven the 21st-century renaissance in board gaming and continue to lead in sales.

“The Family Games range focuses on titles which are perfect for getting players of all ages around the table together for shared fun, while the Party Games range features casual and hilarious games suitable for larger groups,” said Asmodee.

New Dobble Titles

Dobble, Asmodee's flagship game of speedy observation, will introduce four hotly anticipated licensed editions in 2021, with new titles teaming up with the hugely popular Paw Patrol, Pixar, Marvel and Minions brands.

The game of spotting the single matching image between two cards has grown into a national phenomenon in recent years, becoming the UK’s best-selling game of 2018 and 2019 per NPD data. It has already experienced great success with licensed editions based on properties such as The Gruffalo, L.O.L. Surprise and Harry Potter, the latter of which in particular flew off shelves in 2019.

Beginning with Dobble Pixar, these four new games will be released across 2021, offering fresh new opportunities for fans of each property to find their perfect way to enjoy the fast-playing fun of Dobble.

“Dobble is a game whose format lends itself very well to great licensing crossovers, which we’ve already seen with the phenomenal success of the likes of Harry Potter Dobble,” says Anil Boodhoo, Asmodee UK’s National Channel Director.

“We’re excited to be partnering with four iconic brands on an ambitious release schedule as we continue to take Dobble from strength to strength.”

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Stargrave available for Preorder

From the Osprey website: In a galaxy torn apart by the Last War, vast pirate fleets roam from system to system, robbing, extorting, and enslaving. Amidst this chaos, thousands of independent operators - smugglers, relic hunters, freedom fighters, and mercenaries - roam the dead stars in small ships, scratching out a living any way they can.

In Stargrave, players take on the role of one of these independent operators, choosing from a range of backgrounds each with their own strengths, weaknesses, and associated powers. Next, players must hire a crew for their ship, recruiting a lieutenant with a unique skill-set and a handful of soldiers, mechanics, hackers, and other specialists. Some captains may even recruit strange alien lifeforms with abilities no humanoid could ever possess.

Once the players' crews are assembled, they are ready to dive into a campaign. Over a series of games, their crews will have the chance to carry out a variety of missions - recovering lost technology, stealing data, freeing slaves, and fighting back against the pirate fleets. In time, as the crews gain experience, they will become more powerful and hire more talented specialists. The more they grow, however, the more likely it is that a pirate fleet will take note of their activities and come after them!

Stargrave is availble to preorder now ready for release in April

https://ospreypublishing.com/stargrave