Skeleton Code Machine Gift Guide
Gift ideas for those who love tabletop board games and roleplaying games, collected from this year's Skeleton Code Machine articles
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Welcome to the first Skeleton Code Machine Gift Guide!1
It uses common player types and the following design criteria:
Use games and items recently mentioned: All games in the guide were covered in at least one SCM article this year. Links are included in the descriptions.
Must be reasonably available: It’s hard to give a PDF as a gift and some crowdfunded games are hard to obtain. To be on the list, the game needs to be in print and/or reasonably available for purchase.
Board game links go to BGG rather than large online retailers. Please consider buying games at your friendly local game store (FLGS) if you can.2
🎁 For those who play to win
“Those who play to win, get the high score, master the game, and love the competition. Socializing, theme, and story are all secondary to this.”
Ankh: Gods of Egypt: One of my Top 5 games of all time, and possibly the best of Eric Lang’s trilogy. Gorgeous components, elegant action selection mechanism, and tough decisions at every turn. Supports 2 - 5 players, and best at both 2 and 4.
Undaunted 2200: Callisto: The wonderful deck-building wargame mechanisms of Undaunted, but space mechs instead of the Second World War. Beautiful art on the cards and board. A masterclass in negative optimization strategies.
Knarr: This is my go-to small box game. Fits in a backpack, easy to explain, plays quickly due to a built-in timer, and loved by everyone I’ve shown it to. On top of that, the art by Carrion Antoine elevates the game.
Arcs: If you love mean games and don’t mind kingmaking, this is the game for you. Designed by Cole Wehrle and brought to life by the amazing art of Kyle Ferrin. Is it a trick-taking game? Not really, but it has the feeling of one.
🎁 For those who want to explore
“Those who want to explore, discover, immerse themselves in fantasy.”
HOME: MECH x KAIJU: Pilot mechs and punch kaiju in the face. HOME is an interesting game that is really about the pilots and not detailed combat. I played it solo and had a nice time, but it also supports GM-less multiplayer games.
Trophy Dark: A TTRPG for those who enjoy telling the story of desperate characters destined for ruin. Has a great push your luck and a way to mitigate your luck… for a price.
The Skeletons: I played this solo and had a lot of fun with it, although it is probably best played as a group. It manages to create a compelling narrative without dice or resolution mechanisms.
Grasping Nettles: An indie TTRPG world-building game with board game sensibilities. Grasping Nettles uses an interesting rondel action selection mechanism at its core. I played solo — would be equally fun with a group.
Exclusion Zone Botanist Deluxe Bundle: Inspired by The Colour Out of Space by H.P. Lovecraft and Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer, Exclusion Zone Botanist is an ENNIE-nominated solo drawing hex-crawl game. The deluxe bundle includes a printed map, tokens, dice, and a custom notebook. Perfect for gifting.3
🎁 For those who want to socialize
“Those who want to socialize, talk to others, interact with humans, and the game is just a method to do that.”
Scout: A great game with tough choices, but the rules are simple and don’t demand deep concentration. Plays like a classic/traditional card game. The Target version does not include tokens, so try to find the original boxed version instead.
Inhuman Conditions: Get this for someone who can recite lines from the Voight-Kampff interrogation scene in Blade Runner. One player asks the other questions, trying to determine if they are a robot in this blend of board game and TTRPG.
Nemesis: A semi-cooperative game that creates a story during play. Not for those who want a perfectly balanced competitive game. Always memorable.
Avalon: Big Box: A reimplementation of The Resistance, this version has gorgeous art by Weberson Santiago and really nice components. Hidden roles and social deduction. Plays best at 7 - 8 players.
🎁 For those who love game design
I’d be remiss to skip the meta-category of those who love game design! These are the people who play games to see what makes them tick. They love novel ideas, exploring interesting mechanisms, and thinking differently about games.
TUMULUS: Just launched! TUMULUS is a quarterly compendium of analog gaming inspiration, tools, design theory, and playable content from the award-winning Skeleton Code Machine. No automatic auto-renewal means you can easily gift a year of TUMULUS and not have to worry about remembering to cancel it. The recipient will receive four issues! Learn more and subscribe!
Make Your Own One-Page Roleplaying Game: Written by the creator of the ENNIE nominated Exclusion Zone Botanist, this guide takes you through every step of the process from initial concept to publication. Practical advice and examples you can use from Skeleton Code Machine.
Leuchtturm 120G: I love this notebook, and it’s what I use for all game design notes. The paper is thick and has zero bleed-through. Get some stickers to go with it.
Building Blocks of Tabletop Game Design: One of the best reference books available for tabletop game designers, and one I highly recommend.
Which item from the list would you want to receive? Share your own gift recommendations in the comments!
— E.P. 💀
P.S. There are still some TUMULUS Founder subscriptions available, and the first issue ships in December. Don’t wait to subscribe!
Skeleton Code Machine is a production of Exeunt Press. All previous posts are in the Archive on the web. If you want to see what else is happening at Exeunt Press, check out the Exeunt Omnes newsletter.
I enjoy a well-crafted holiday gift guide. Last year’s The Soloist Gift Guide by Patrick Buechner is a perfect example. It’s brief, targeted to a specific category, and is clearly the product of a deep knowledge of the genre. Even if I have no intention of buying anything from it, it’s still a fun read and might introduce me to something new.
If you don’t have an FLGS near you, I’d recommend Miniature Market, Game Nerdz, and Boardlandia online. Not sponsored.
There is also a five (5) game Exeunt Press Solo Bundle available.
This is great - thanks!