Though I will always have time for cozy board games that revel in the majesty of nature, a promising Kickstarter campaign is offering a brutal alternative. Hover puts you in the role of gorgeous hummingbirds and, rather than having you bask in the bounty of the natural world, the game has you duel in cutthroat power battles in pursuit of sweet, sweet nectar.
With just under two weeks left on its Kickstarter campaign, Hover seems intent on combining the colorful, dreamy aesthetic of the likes of stunning engine-building game Wingspan with a ruthless duelling system for two to four players.
The title is centred around bluffing and maneuvering, where fighting, flirting, and nest-building become cutthroat political activities. What’s more, the title promises asymmetrical gameplay in the form of species-specific strategies. Different species of hummingbird have different strengths, offering bonuses reminiscent of the different leader archetypes available in the Machiavellian sci-fi board game epic Arcs.
What’s more, developer Victor Shiu is keen to emphasize that Hover’s mechanics are strongly rooted in real-life Hummingbird behaviours. This sort of consistent attention to detail is a big part of what elevates the very best board games above their peers (looking at you, Wingspan).
Three tiers are available for backers. At the Base Tier, you’ll pay $39 (£29) for a copy of the base game as well as the Endangered Hummingbirds Promo Pack. For $69 (£52), you’ll get the Expansion Tier. This includes the contents of the base tier plus the Desert and Migration Dual Expansion. The Dual Expansion adds more complex bird types as well as some light engine building, offering you power at a cost.
Lastly, for $89 (£67) you can grab the Collector’s Set. This includes everything in the Expansion Tier as well as a Deluxe Upgrade Kit, featuring wooden components and wooden life-sized hummingbird eggs.
While I’ve not played Hover for myself, the combination of cutthroat mechanics and cozy aesthetics has piqued my interest. Here’s hoping that the product delivers on its enticing promises.
Looking for other Hummingbirds? Swoop on over to the Wargamer Discord.
Source: Wargamer
