The dumpster fire that was 2020 delayed publication of a lot of games! I have about 20 games in the queue that I am really looking forward to being delivered in 2021. Here’s my Top 10 cooperative games that should be delivering in 2021! All of them are Kickstarters and most of them are pretty late … but arguably that’s just the 2020 effect (or is that just the Kickstarter effect?). Each game includes a Kickstarter link, the original promised delivery date, and a summary of the game (from the Description section of BoardGameGeek).

(Dis)Honorable Mention: Onimaru

Kickstarter link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/penguinandpanda/onimaru-0
Promised Delivery: Sept. 2019
Summary: Onimaru (Japanese for “demon circle”) is a fully cooperative game where you and your allies take up arms to defend a village against otherworldly invaders. You will win the game if you are able to destroy the three villainous Oni. However, if you fail to do so within the predetermined number of days (rounds), the Gate will remain open forever, and all of Japan will succumb to the shadow!

This might be the first Kickstarter I have backed where I might not get anything.  The game originally promised delivery in Sept. 2019, and at the time of this writing (February 2021), there is still nothing and it doesn’t look promising.  We’ll see: I hope this game still delivers in 2021, but I really doubt it.  The art looked so cool, and the theme was interesting for a cooperative game.

10. Raid Boss

Kickstarter link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/skeletonhand/raid-boss-a-dangerous-cooperative-battle-for-1-4-h-0
Promised Delivery: Feb. 2020
Summary: Raid Boss: Incarnate is a 4-player cooperative boss battle designed to feel like an MMORPG dungeon encounter with all of the teamwork, strategy, and collaboration, but none of the endless grinding! You control a Hero with a mechanically distinct and heavily themed set of abilities. Each Hero has an Assist that can be used at ANY time — including other players’ turns! Gather your team to face off against stalwart, quirky, and skill-testing Bosses that come equipped with their own special deck of cards.

Raid Boss is a cooperative game that comes from a very small publisher. I love the art and these guys seem to have a lot of passion for their game. So, even though this is about a year late (they promised delivery in Feb. 2020), it looks like the arrival of my game is imminent! Once we get this, you can be pretty sure we’ll do a review of it!

9. Burgle Brothers 2

Kickstarter link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fowers/burgle-bros-2-the-casino-capers
Promised Delivery: May 2020
Summary: Welcome back to the escapades of the Burgle Bros. This time the team is trying to take down a string of casinos – during the day! They will have to dress-up (or dress-down) to go unnoticed in the crowds at the Casinos. Security here is even tighter – Bouncers chase down any suspicious commotions.

The original Burgle Brothers was quite a hit in my game groups. The newest one promises more of the same but in a Casino heist (a la Oceans 11). The game originally was supposed to deliver in May 2020, but it should be shipping any day now. Look for a review soon!

8. Deck of Wonders

Kickstarter link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dennisfuria/deck-of-wonders
Promised Delivery: Nov. 2021
Summary: Deck of Wonders is a solo-first expandable card game with legacy elements. It captures the feel of games like Hearthstone and MTG, but in a solo/co-op format. The object of the game is to defeat the various Villains that challenge you for the Deck of Wonders by turning their own spells and minions against them, while enlisting the support of magical creatures and powers of your own.

This is strictly speaking a solo game, but I just loved the art and the idea of a solo legacy game was very intriguing! This plans to deliver in Nov. 2021 … let’s hope it does!

7. The Shivers

Kickstarter link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1666522852/the-shivers
Promised Delivery: July 2021
Summary: The Shivers is a truly one-of-a-kind tabletop experience that features the magic of hand-crafted pop-ups, combined with just the right amount of spooky puzzle-solving mystery and role playing.

How can you go wrong with a game with the tagline: “Solve escape room adventures in a spooky house built with pop-up sets!”  The idea of an escape room with pop-up components sounds so neat! And a mystery to boot!   This plans to deliver in July 2021 and I am really looking forward to this one!

6. Incoming Transmission

Kickstarter link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/magicmeeplegames/incoming-transmission-16-bit-deduction-family-boar
Promised Delivery: May 2019
Summary: In this co-operative futuristic board game for two or more, one player takes the role of Mission Control, and the others take control of a Cadet stranded on a heavily-damaged space station set to self-destruct. You will need to use wits and cunning to interpret the instructions as they will not be delivered in order! Figure your way through the objectives before time runs out!

I have been waiting for this game for quite some time: it promised delivery in May 2019. They have been staying in touch with the backers, so I think this game will still deliver pretty soon. It sounds like an interesting co-op, moving your little cadet around the 5×5 modular board.

5. Sleeping Gods

Kickstarter link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/953146955/sleeping-gods
Promised Delivery: May 2020
Summary: In Sleeping Gods, you and up to 3 friends become Captain Sofi Odessa and her crew, lost in a strange world in 1929 on your steamship, the Manticore. You must work together to survive, exploring exotic islands, meeting new characters, and seeking out the totems of the gods so that you can return home.

By the time you read this, Sleeping Gods will likely be at my house! It’s a beautiful game by Ryan Laukat (who did Near and Far and Above and Below). This cooperative game is billed as “Voyages of the steamship “Manticore” and her crew on the Wandering Sea“. It’s a storybook and exploration game with the wonderful art of Ryan Laukat.

4. The Isofarian Guard

Kickstarter link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/skykingdomgames/the-isofarian-guard
Promised Delivery: Dec. 2020
Summary: In The Isofarian Guard, you will travel throughout the cities and wildernesses of Isofar on a beautifully illustrated world map, fight off enemies using a unique and highly customizable battle system, and use your wits to talk your way out of sticky situations. As you forge important alliances, opportunities will arise for you to craft stronger gear, gain new powers, and step into the destiny you were called to.

This game is running a little late: it promised delivery in Dec. 2020. I’ll be honest that the art really enticed me into backing it, but the promise of voice-acting and an exploration game and the gorgeous art drew me in. The game is billed as: The Isofarian Guard is a Solo/Co-Op narrative driven adventure board game for 1-2 players. I am really looking forward to seeing how this one works and looks!

3. Townsfolk Tussle

Kickstarter link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/townsfolktussle/townsfolk-tussle
Promised Delivery: Sept. 2021
Summary: Townsfolk Tussle is a co-op boss battler for 2-5 players. In each game, your goal is to take down four unique Ruffians, each one tougher than the last! You’ll build up your townsfolk with gear, explore Eureka Springs, and concoct unique strategies to take down even more unique hoodlums.

This cooperative game just looks so quirky, I had to back it! The art is very unique among most board games and kind of looks like the animation style of Steamboat Willy (the cartoon from the 1920s that introduced Mickey Mouse). The game promised delivery in Sept. 2021, so let’s hope we can see this before the end of the year!

2. Freedom Five: A Sentinels Comic Board Game

Kickstarter link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/arcanewonders/freedom-five-a-sentinels-comics-board-game
Promised Delivery: Nov. 2021
Summary: Freedom Five: A Sentinel Comics Board Game is a co-operative strategy game in which 1- 5 heroes race to protect their home city and its inhabitants from an onslaught of villainy from Baron Blade and his criminal cohorts. Each player must master their character’s unique abilities to manage multiple crises throughout the city of Megalopolis. Assemble your friends to face standalone challenges, or mix it up and adventure through a series of campaign comics in which you will gain rewards ⁠— and new threats ⁠— each session.

This is a re-implementation of Defenders of the Realm, which is in itself a re-implementation of Pandemic! The Superhero theme and component quality have me very excited! I’ve always really liked Defenders of the Realm and Pandemic, so I hope this new version is the next evolution of those mechanics. There’s not too many pictures of the game yet, but I am very excited for this!

1. Hour of Need

Kickstarter link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/blacklistgames/hour-of-need
Promised Delivery: Nov. 2020
Summary: Hour of Need is a cooperative game of comic book action for 1–4 players (or up to 6 players with available expansions). Designed by Adam and Brady Sadler, Hour of Need is the latest installment in their line of Modular Deck System (MDS) games. Set in an original world inspired by modern comic books, Hour of Need puts players in the roles of diverse heroes attempting to thwart dangerous villains from carrying out nefarious deeds!

I really enjoyed the Sadler Brothers design of Warhammer Quest: The Adventure Card Game, and I am excited to see this Super Hero game. It shows promise and may well enter my Top 10 Cooperative Superhero Board and Card Games the next time I update the list!