The Most Anticipated Games of the Month: Treasures from Greece, Japan & France

A look at the top 4 unreleased games, based on the number of Board Game Geek members who’ve added it to their Wishlists, as of August 1^st.

NOTE: These games won’t necessarily release in August.

MACHI KORO—2^nd English ed. (KOSMOS)

IDW & Parndasaurus bring their J-Game to the first North American edition of this internationally-popular card game. July was promised, but it’s August now… Status is still listed as “At Printer”

HANSA TEUTONICA—3^rd ed. (Argentum Verlag)

Original publisher Argentum Verlag (Z-Man dropped this like a hot potato) is bringing out a 3^rd edition. I don’t get the buzz. Nobody in any of my game groups has ever pounded the table chanting “Hansa! Hansa!”

AMONG THE STARS (Stronghold Games)

The pride of Greece is finally coming to these shores. Pre-ordering began at the end of the June, with an expected delivery date sometime in August.

DEAD OF WINTER: A CROSSROADS GAME (Plaid Hat Games)

This co-op survival game from Plaid Hat is a translation of a French game from earlier in 2014. Comparisons have been made with Battlestar: Galactica which is probably why this game is so desirable.

Now, here are my Most Anticipated Games of the month…

PANDEMIC: THE CURE (Z-Man Games)

Pandemic with Dice. What’s not to love!

FIVE TRIBES (Days of Wonder)

Mancala—the original pick-up-and-deliver game—makes a rare appearance on the modern game table.

How do I know that designer Bruno Cathala had that ancient game in mind? The setting for this game is called the land of Naqala. Cathala – Naqala – Mancala. It’s not a coincidence….

GLOOM—2^nd edition (Atlas Games)

Here’s what Atlas Games has promised: “new art, rules fixes, timing icons, reminder cards.”

If by New Art, they mean “visible by candlelight” then I’m on board. The old art (and text) was difficult to see unless you were under a sun lamp. If by Reminder Cards they mean “Player Aids” I’ll cheer the news. The rule sheet could use some attention. If by Timing Icons they mean “a way to speed up the game” then I’ll change my rating to 10!

VOLLMONDNACHT WEREWÖLFE (Bezier Games)

This is One Night Ultimate Werewolf, in German.

Why do I want it? It’s in German, of course! Werewolf is a cousin to the game of hunting Nazis (or Mafioso, or Commies, or Boogey Men). How cool would it be to play the entire game in a very guttural wolf-like language? Besides, Werewolf is a German word…