Last time we covered some of the most popular custom games in tabletop gaming. This time we pick up where we left off.
1. El Grande
Re-released in a shiny new version in 2023, El Grande is the seminal work that defined the region control genre. It’s a brutally popular custom game. Players are vying for the succession to the crumbling king of medieval Spain. You draft caballeros (knights) through clever card play, sprinkle your influence on the board and gain a majority in the region.
2. Frosthaven
People love playing tabletop roleplaying games like Dungeons & Dragons, but dungeon masters are hard to find. That’s just one reason why Gloomhaven became a rising star in the board game world when it was released in 2017. Another reason? Its easy-to-learn but hard-to-master deckbuilding mechanics. Its sequel, Frosthaven, improves on the formula while adding a ton of extra new content.
Gameplay
Frosthaven casts players in the role of hardy adventurers trying to bring a little civilization to a cold and dangerous frontier town. As players level up, they can retire from the game. Opening up new options for character creation that expand the storyline as well as the mechanical options in the game. You’ll explore many different branching quest lines and over 100 wonderful encounters in the game’s story-driven narrative campaign. This is a box of fun that weighs over 34 pounds. Packed by a real submarine engineer to save you shelf space. Absolutely full of spoilers and surprises.
3.Heat: Pedal to the Metal
Everything flows through your cards. Each player drives a sleek car from the golden age of Formula 1. You play a certain number of cards per turn, depending on your current gear setup. You then glide along a track a number of spaces equal to the sum of the values played. If you push too hard or too fast, your vehicle builds up a nominal amount of heat. This clogs up your deck and slows you down. A strategic puzzle results as you analyze the risks and rewards of burning up corners at high speed. Managing your deck is an enjoyable little puzzle. It’s streamlined and easy to understand. Combine this great system with excellent components and a ton of content. Including four race tracks and multiple expansion modules. We have one of the most popular custom games ever.
