A stacking game trilogy representing the early stage of Dieter Stein’s career.
This is the premise behind Stacking Trilogy, which brings together three designs by Dieter Stein (Mixtour, Ordo): Abande, Attangle, and Accasta Pari. First published in 2026 by Kanare_Abstract in an English and Japanese edition, with graphic design handled by Kanare Kato himself.
Two players battle for control of the lush sanctuaries that sustain life in the desert. By playing and grouping animal cards with cunning, players can demonstrate their strength, unlock powers, and use palm tokens to modify values. Do you have what it takes to survive in the Desperate Oasis? I do not.
This is the premise of Desperate Oasis, designed by Dan Cassaro (Fruit Boss, Loners). First published in 2024 by Weast Coast in an English edition. The artwork is handled by Young Jerks and Brett Stenson, both responsible for the visual style of Loners.
Several years ago, a mysterious island named Starbeak was discovered. After explorers began visiting it regularly, the island enjoyed years of calm, sunny weather. Aside from its perpetually snow-capped highlands, most regions of Starbeak enjoyed clear skies and warm sunshine, leading many to believe that it possessed its own unique, mild climate. However, five years after the first expedition landed on Starbeak, a sudden blizzard struck the island. At first dismissed as a passing anomaly, as the cold lingered for months, people began to uncover the truth: Starbeak follows a peculiar weather cycle, alternating between mild years and harsh winter years. With the arrival of this prolonged winter, strange and wondrous phenomena began to emerge all across the island. A new species of creatures known as Spirits appeared, visible only during the winter. The ever-shifting climate drastically transformed the island’s terrain and ecosystem, turning exploration into an increasingly unpredictable and challenging endeavor.
This is the premise behind Winterfall, the first expansion for Wondrous Creatures, designed by Jaewoo Bang (Atlanteum), Gunho Kim (Wild: Serengeti), and Yeom Cheolwoong (Shallow Sea). First published in 2026 by Bad Comet in an English edition. Artwork is provided by Sophia Kang (Life of the Amazonia, Wild: Serengeti).
Three years have passed since the expedition returned from the west with the discovery of Feya’s Swamp, our new home. We have established our first settlements, and peace prevails among the four clans. The swamp, brimming with life and mana, offers us a promising future, and the ancient temples that encircle it beckon us to venture into the unknown in search of ancestral treasures. We live in a time of opportunity where each clan can forge its own destiny, striving to thrive as best it can. Each guide among the four clans is doing remarkable work fostering our growth in harmony with the others, and soon we will leave behind the dark times of our past. Even in times of peace, we want our clan to be the one that adapts best and prospers most effectively in our new home; after all, no one can strip us of our pride…
This is the premise behind Feya’s Swamp, designed by Helge Ostertag (Terra Mystica) and Anselm Ostertag (Wulong). First published in 2025 by Fractal Juegos in an English and Spanish edition, it is a reimagining of Kaivai. The illustrations are handled by Mihajlo Dimitrievski, responsible for the look of titles such as Claim and the West Kingdom trilogy.
In the mid-19th century, Japan finally realized how far behind the Western world it had fallen in economic, industrial, and technological terms. The Meiji Restoration marked the beginning of a rapid industrial revolution powered by zaibatsu—vast conglomerates of closely intertwined companies. In this economic strategy game, you will manage your own zaibatsu: constructing and modernizing factories, establishing the production and supply of goods, attracting investments, fulfilling contracts, developing mining and technology, laying railways, and recruiting foreign experts. All of this to catch up with Western nations and prove to the Emperor that your zaibatsu is the most valuable. Lead the industrial revolution and guide Japan toward prosperity!
This is the premise behind Nippon: Zaibatsu, designed by Nuno Bizarro Sentieiro and Paulo Soledade (Asian Tigers, Madeira). First published in 2026 by CrowD Games following a successful crowdfunding campaign, it is a reimplementation of Nippon, originally published in 2015 by What’s Your Game?. The artwork is illustrated by Maya Kurkhuli (Enigma: Beyond Code, City of the Great Machine).
Viracocha created Inti, the Sun God, and Mama Quilla, the Moon Goddess. They emerged from Lake Titicaca as one: husband and wife, sister and brother. But Inti looked upon Mama Quilla’s glow with jealousy and threw ash over her so she would not shine brighter than him. Together they fathered four sons and four daughters—the Ayar pairs—who would emerge from Tiwanaku, south of the great lake, alongside the ten minor clans of the first settlers. The Ayar would be tasked with finding fertile land at the center of the universe to found the Tawantinsuyu empire, while teaching the clans the necessary skills to build a civilization. As the four Ayar pairs traversed the lands northward, one by one they would meet their fate—trapped in a cave or turned to stone—until only one pair remained. The final Ayar pair would survive to receive the honor of bearing the golden staff and founding the Tawantinsuyu empire, standing at its head as the Sapa Inca and the Coya.
This is how we are presented with Ayar: Children of the Sun, a design by Mandela Fernandez-Grandon and Fabio Lopiano, responsible for Sankoré: The Pride of Mansa Musa. First published in 2025 by Osprey Games in an English edition. Illustrations are handled by Ian O’Toole (Lisboa, Railway Boom).