New Kingdom: Gateway Edition!
Since I started designing New Kingdom in January of 2021 I had two separate groups in mind: my euro-game loving wife and gamer friends and my more casual game-loving family including my nieces, nephew, parents, and in-laws.
A new quick-play version for casual gamers that serves as a perfect warm up for game night.
Lindsey, my wife, and I think nothing of sitting down to a 2.5 hour game of Wingspan. To us, that constitutes a sweet end to a long day and a perfect activity for a night in. Likewise, when my friends and I get together for game night the titles are likely to involve rich, deep strategic slogs through hours and hours of gameplay.
Lindsey and I playing Small World…or rather, Lindsey humoring me and enduring Small World.
My father-in-law, however, would rather sit down for a quick game or two of Cribbage before dinner is served. Then, on the occasion the whole family is there, a few rounds of Uno are the perfect fit for the kids and the adults.
New Kingdom is a perfect fit for competitive euro-gamers who like to be engrossed in a strategic competition for hours on end waiting to see who will rise to the top as the victor. However, I always knew this market is a bit more niche, and while still my first love I have a desire to create games both of these groups of people will deeply enjoy.
Another Lindsey, my friend, not my wife, losing as badly as me but still having fun!
What if you just want a quick-play card game to bust out with your friends as a pass time or ice breaker? Or, what if you’d love to get into something heavy and deep but your game night is composed of 6 new parents hoping to squeeze as much game as you can into 30 minutes before you all have to go home for bed time? Or, what if you want to play something your 8-year old and 15-year old can enjoy equally as much? Finally, what if you want to introduce some of your friends to more in-depth board games but you need something to help lead them there?
It was as I approached the holidays this year and considered the amount of time I would be spending with this neglected group of people that I came up with the perfect solution to this problem: New Kingdom: Gateway Edition!
A new quick-play version for casual gamers that serves as a perfect warm up for game night.
In New Kingdom: Gateway Edition you play as a follower of the Son of Man awaiting his eminent return which could be any time! Literally, any draw and the Son of Man card could be revealed. As you await his return, much like in the expanded version of New Kingdom, you add Blessings and Disciples to your Life which grant a certain number of KP or ‘Kingdom Points’ and as long as someone has 7KP when The Son of Man arrives that player is the first to enter the New Kingdom. If no one has 7KP, the race is on!
New Kingdom: Gateway Edition employs many of the same tactics and mechanics as New Kingdom including avoiding random Temptations and Sins by confessing or asking your capable and powerful Disciples for help. While it bears certain similarities and offers a great entry point to the expanded edition, Gateway Edition is highly accessible, rules light, and quick to play (averaging, so far, about 16-20 minutes per game). It is my hope that Gateway Edition will be a nice entry point for prospective gamers and it will serve families well.
My buddy Sean absolutely whomped his sister and I in 3 quick games after our family gift exchange.
There is an additional benefit to beginning the development on Gateway Edition now. It will help pave the way for New Kingdom. As a first time publisher I anticipate facing many challenges and learning a lot as I start to produce, print and ship my games. New Kingdom: Gateway Edition is a perfect first project with a low MSRP (price) and minimal components (just 64 cards and 45 tokens).
Not to mention, Gateway Edition will help establish New Kingdom Gaming as a company that delivers on its promise to provide thought-provoking and fun games for Disciples and Skeptics alike with a game that appeals to a broad audience. The goal is that New Kingdom Gaming will eventually provide titles that appeal to many different groups of people interested in exploring the world of games with a Christian-theme.
If you are interested in trying out New Kingdom let me know! I am eager to play it with as many people as possible this year. Please note that if you are as excited about New Kingdom (the original) as I am there is nothing to fear! Development is continuing on New Kingdom as planned with this wonderful little addition and front-runner blazing its trail. If you want in on the discussion follow us on Facebook, or even better, join our Facebook group!
