Zinequest Round Up

If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll probably know that I got my start in making RPGs - proper start anyway - by making DELVE for Zinequest.

If this is the first you’re hearing about it, let me explain!

What is Zinequest/Zinemonth?

Zinequest is Kickstarter’s zine specific festival where they encourage creators to put up their campaigns at the same time and serve as a sort of crowdfunding convention for potential backers to peruse and support.

When Kickstarter remembers to promote it, it can work great. I’ve had tremendous success out of it and would normally swear by it but I’m choosing to give it a miss this year and focus on making my projects at my own pace without the pressure a crowdfunder can bring.

Zinemonth is a more widespread event that formed after Zinequest’s organisers failed to communicate whether or not it would be running one year.

So if you see people talking about Zinequest, they (probably) mean the Kickstarter specific one while Zinemonth includes Indiegogo, Backerkit, and other crowdfunding websites but the general goal is the same:

Help indie designers make small, fun games.

So let’s have a look at some that have caught my eye!

Who doesn’t love this ol’ trope?

Small Folk in Big Coats by Sam Armstrong

From the Kickstarter page itself:

“In this game you and a few friends will take the role of a stack of uncooperative smallfolk wearing big, human-sized clothes. Most of you will control a single member of this stack, you’re called “players”. One person will narrate everything else, that’s the GM. If you’ve played any other RPG before, this is a lot like one of those. Just with a lot less stakes.

Crucially, you aren’t working together. Each of the little guys in the big stack has a very different goal that they want to get out of the scenario. You’ll take it in turns playing various roles within the stack, hoping to capitalise on your time in charge before you all descend into squabbling.

After you’ve all had enough time in the spotlight, or at least the rest of you a bored with that one guy who keeps on dragging it out, you scatter and flee the scene. Whoever did the best job meeting their objectives is the winner.”

Sam has a catalogue full of silly party game RPGs like this. I’ve actually got a copy of Hello Wizard I Have a Problem which is all about using magic to solve problems with hilarious consequences. Sadly, I’ve not managed to get it to the table yet but I love the concept regardless!

Punderworld by Twice Rolled Tales

Doesn’t look like a zine but then again, For Small Creatures Such As We was meant to be a zine at first too…

I’m a sucker for wordplay. I love a good turn of phrase and a game that is centred on making puns in order to change the world around you? That sounds like it could be great or grating.

From the Kickstarter page:

“Most stories start in the City of Wit, whose razor sharp towers reach ever skyward. It’s a place of erudite wordplay and boisterous ripostes. However, not all is as it seems, and fowl play may be afoot in the Citadel of Cleverness. Pride goeth before a fall, and even the mightiest can be revealed a chicken.

Far beneath the ivory towers lies the Punderworld, where the difference between “literally” and “figuratively” can be life or death. A place where your wildest dreams can come true, or your deepest nightmares – here, a rose by any other name definitely will not smell as sweet, and being a man of your word means more than anything.

These are places of whimsy and wonder for those who can use their wit to bend wordplay to their will and, or a place of pain and punishment for those who cannot.”

Toe Beans by Fistful of Crits

I’ve been friends with the creator for a while and have my very own Toe Beans mug so obviously I have to include it here.

This new and improved edition ditches 5E D&D - thankfully, that was my only complaint - and moves it over to the new Daggerheart system which appears to be much more flexible judging by the variety of settings that have been coming out for it recently.

From the Kickstarter page:

“Toe Beans is a soft, magical café setting for Daggerheart. Originally created as a D&D5e module, it has now been lovingly rebuilt from the ground up to work with the narrative-forward structure of Daggerheart. Inside, you’ll find enchanted elixirs, magical cats, light-hearted mystery, and a warm setting your players won’t want to leave.

Intended as a drop-in friendly space that you can plug into any campaign or run as a standalone one-shot. Whether your heroes are looking for a place to rest, explore character bonds, or accidentally adopt a fey-touched kitten… Toe Beans is ready to welcome them.”

Bowerbird by Joel Salda

I love games that focus on things other than the tried and tested dungeons and/or dragons. A game about the romance between a pair of bowerbirds is just so wonderfully unique that I really hope it reaches its goal!

From the Kickstarter:

“Bowerbird is a project about love and crafted in that spirit. The narrative is lovingly written in the style of famous nature documentarians. Even now, I find myself speaking out the words of this paragraph in an enunciated English accent. Each page is beautifully presented as an early 1900’s scrapbook journal from naturalist who would have been onsite. Will you add your own observational notes to the scrapbook already full of odd mementos and useful notecards? Best to start your own. After all, this is a journaling game.”

Whispers of War by Paper Joust

This reminds me so much of a play-by-post sci-fi 4X game that me and my friends played in the 2010s and if it can provide even half the fun of that then it’s a must buy for me.

From the Kickstarter page:

“In Whispers of War, you rule a fragile kingdom in a game of secrets and survival. Each turn you’ll issue hidden orders, forge or betray alliances, and construct engines of war and wealth. But the battlefield is never clear, when the dust settles only vague reports and scattered rumors reach the realm.

Behind every curtain lies a story of deals struck, blades drawn, and intentions concealed. Can your kingdom outlast the whispers?

A Strategy Game for Busy Friends Who Still Want to Stay Connected

Whispers of War was born from a simple problem: my friends and I love playing games together, but real life kept getting in the way. People moved to new cities, work schedules clashed, and long game nights became a rare luxury. I wanted something we could all enjoy without needing to clear hours out of our week. A game that kept us talking, plotting, laughing, and arguing even when life got busy.

So, I designed Whispers of War:
A low-commitment, high-chaos kingdom-building game you can play from anywhere at any time.
It’s quick to learn, takes only a few minutes each week to participate, and still delivers that delicious mix of strategy, betrayal, alliances, and unexpected carnage that makes game nights unforgettable.

This is a game built for people like me (and maybe like you) who want to stay connected with their friends, no matter how far apart life has pulled them. Play on your lunch break. Submit your orders before bed. Check in each week to see who thrived, who schemed, and who set the world on fire.”

That’s it for my round up this week.

Let me know what games you’re looking forward to in the comments below!