Tag: Kickstarter board games 2026

103 Featured
Is Hover: The Cutthroat Hummingbird Game Worth Adding to Your Collection?

Is Hover: The Cutthroat Hummingbird Game Worth Adding to Your Collection?

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Show Notes: Hover – A Brutal Game of Hummingbirds | Meeples & Wine Podcast

In this episode Michael and Suzy sit down with Hover: A Brutal Game of Hummingbirds, a fun hummingbird theme board game where you play as the aggressive little birds fighting over nectar (energy) while racing to build a nest and win a mate. We break down the rules for this area movement game that mixes take that elements, bluffing, and direct conflict in a light strategy package perfect for couples.

We paired the game with the Cherry Kirsche 2024 from Von Stiehl Winery in Algoma, Wisconsin. It is an old-world style cherry brandy dessert wine that works really well with rich chocolate or cheesecake.

The Hover board game comes from designer Victor Shiu and artist Shawna Shiu, published by Ibis Tea. It plays 2 to 4 players and features area movement, resource gathering, stealing from other nests, attacks resolved with hidden energy and beauty, and a big courting call finale to win the game. We talk about how the two player version changes, how the “take that” mechanics feel at the table, and whether it stays friendly enough for couples.

IbisTea Logo Transparent

Hover is launching on Kickstarter on May 19, 2026, so we mention that for anyone looking for new Kickstarter board games in 2026.

We walk through the complete rules summary including setup, movement, area actions in the field, garden, forest and feeder, building your nest with twigs and spider silk, adding lichen for protection, attacking other birds, and pulling off a successful courting call. We also share our fun scores, couch scores for relationship safety, thoughts on the learning curve for this hummingbird board game, and the optional rules like 15 second turns.

Contact Meeples & Wine

We’re Michael and Suzy, your hosts dishing out honest board game reviews for couples, blending wine (or in this case, beer) tastings with gameplay breakdowns. Got feedback? Hit us up at meeplesandwine@gmail.com, or connect on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn. And hey, leave a voicemail at (707) 572-5282 – we love hearing from you!

If you enjoy board game reviews for couples, especially area movement games or take that board games with a bit of bite, share this episode with a friend. Thanks for listening and we will see you next time on Meeples & Wine. Buh-bye!

101 Featured
Noxford and Clad & Cordon Cab Sauv

Noxford and Clad & Cordon Cab Sauv

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We’re Michael and Suzy, your hosts dishing out honest board game reviews for couples, blending wine (or in this case, beer) tastings with gameplay breakdowns. Got feedback? Hit us up at meeplesandwine@gmail.com, or connect on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn. And hey, leave a voicemail at (707) 572-5282 – we love hearing from you!

This time around, we’re tasting the Clad & Cordon Cab Sauv from Clad & Cordon Winery (check them out at https://www.cladandcordon.com/). It’s a bold Cabernet Sauvignon hailing from Creal Springs, IL, near Marion and the Shawnee area. Expect flavors like blackcurrant, black cherry, plum, and cassis, with maybe some green bell pepper or mint vibes, plus oak notes of vanilla, cedar, or tobacco. Illinois’ cooler climate gives it brighter acidity and less ripe fruit than your typical California Cab. Fun fact: We tried their Blueberry wine back in the Hive episode—peep that at https://www.meeplesandwine.fun/hive.

Now, onto the game: Noxford (2016), a sneaky little title you can scope out on BoardGameGeek at https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/206448/noxford. It’s all about leading a crime syndicate in a steampunk city that’s always building itself up. You place cards to control rich districts using area majority, hand management, and tile placement mechanics. Designed by Henri Kermarrec (known for stuff like Ekö and Penny Papers Adventures—his BGG page is https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/10777/henri-kermarrec), with art by Maud Chalmel (she did Take Time too, check https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameartist/83279/maud-chalmel). Published by Capsicum Games and Quick Simple Fun Games, it plays 2-4 people, rates a 6.1/10 on BGG with low complexity (1.77/5).

Setup’s straightforward: Each player gets 10 Syndicate cards (Master at rank 4, Lieutenants at 3, etc.), lay your Master face-up, shuffle and draw 3. Neutral deck has Rich Districts and Barracks. Start with two cards in the center, L-shaped. On your turn, either place a card adjacent to at least two others (corners aligned, no overhangs) or cover a lower-rank Syndicate with a higher one. Masters count double for control, and gear icons let you relocate cards. Game ends when the last Syndicate’s played—Barracks flip touching Syndicates, then score districts based on majority (1 VP per symbol +2 bonus for your fave). Ties? Nobody wins that district. Most VPs takes it, or most districts in a tie. It’s simple, spatial, and a bit cutthroat—perfect for a quick session!

No expansions for this one. Playing with two? We both gave it a fun score of 6/10—solid but not mind-blowing. On the relationship wrecker scale (couch score 1-5), Michael says 1 (chill), Suzy says 2 (a tad sneaky). Learning curve? Time sink 1—easy, just one or two games to get it, no need for endless YouTube tutorials.

Wrapping up with our Last Call, we spotlight cool Kickstarter games! This episode, it’s Botany: Floral Dragons at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/duxsomnium/botany-floral-dragons. Learn how to play via https://youtu.be/N0uncjp38Dc. Shoutout to artist Kin Wald for those awesome illustrations and linocuts—visit https://www.kintheartist.com/ and https://www.kintheartist.com/character-design.

Tiers include:

  • Botany Floral Dragons at $49: Standard Edition + Bountiful Blossoms Mini Expansion
  • Botany Floral Dragons & Expansions at $85: Standard + Fantastic Festival Exp + Furious Fungus Exp + Bountiful Blossoms Mini
  • Botany Floral Dragons Jewelry Box at $199: Jewelry Box Edition + Bountiful Blossoms Gilded Mini
  • Botany Floral Dragons Devotee at $329: Jewelry Box + Gilded Exps/Mini + Little Botany + Puzzles
  • Botany Floral Dragons Grand Expedition at $599: All the above + full original Botany ecosystem

If you dig the show, share it with a friend! Next up: Print & Play games. Catch you next time on Meeples and Wine—buh-bye!