The debutant designer Carl Robinson and award-winning studio Wonderbow Games have raised more than $1.5 million (€1.42m) on Kickstarter for KELP, a 2-player board game, that pits two opponents against each other in a game of octopus and shark. The game was backed by 20,813 people.
Skulk Amongst Rocks or Dive After the Octopus in This Asymmetrical Game
This is just like a game of cat and mouse but an Octopus and a Shark as the playable characters in this under-the-sea-themed game of particular iconographic beautify. KELP has been designed as a bluffing card game that uses dice and pivots the gameplay around the behavioral traits of living creatures as observed in nature.
The Octopus is cunning and adaptable, and able to sneak around and also use different objects from its environment to trap its opponents. Incredibly intelligent, the Octopus can camouflage and attack from ambush, whereas the Shark is a prehistoric alpha predator that has its killer instincts honed to deadly perfection.
The shark uses dice bag builder and tactical gameplay, whereas the Octopus will be more of a deck builder, manipulate the board, and rely on strategic gameplay. The game is inspired by the Netflix documentary “My Octopus Teacher,” which has highlighted the intelligence of the Octopi and promoted awareness of the complex lives and Octopi intelligence.
Fantastic Art to Go Nicely with an Original Design Concept
The game is marked by approachable rules, fit for age 10+ and deeply asymmetric gameplay, which makes it a fantastic title to try. It’s also beautifully illustrated, which is the work of Weberson Santiago, otherwise known for his work on exceptional games such as La Famiglia: The Great Mafia War, The Bloody Inn, Coup, and The Great Split among dozens of other titles.
A game of KELP plays in 40-60 minutes, and it’s marked by approachable rules that will guarantee immersive and authentic gameplay. The Kickstarter funding milestone is doubly impressive when you consider the fact that originally, KELP was only looking for $11,000 in funding.
Bluff, manipulation, and highly tactical and strategic gameplay make this one of the most exciting board gaming gems to look forward to in 2024. The game might just make our best 2-player board games list next year.