Galen's Games Mint Tin Series 2

May 2026 Update - Timeline Progress, Results of the Survey, Other news.
22 days ago – Tue, May 26, 2026 at 08:19:05 AM

May 2026 Update:

Timeline Progress:

Hello!  As promised, I will be updating you monthly with whatever news I have.  Let's start with progress since the close of the campaign.  You can check the Timeline on the campaign page for the estimates. I'm just going to focus on the May-June goals; which we are nearly half-way through. 

• Galen's Kickstarter Detox: COMPLETE.  It's genuinely a bit of a mental challenge to step off of the Kickstarter ride and re-adjust to "normal" life.  I definitely needed that time and am back in the swing of things.
• Promos Finalized and Tested: In progress still
• Finalize Art:  Mint Mechs playmat is done and it's awesome! 

The only outstanding art at this point is for the elevated maps for Mint Mechs: Challengers and the promo cards for  Mint Mechs, That's an Order!, and Hard Drive.  There is a list of graphic design stuff that still needs to be done as well.

Finalizing Rulebooks:. We're in the midst of final edits of the That's an Order! (Base and Expansion).  Hard Drive just needs a few small edits.  Kickabout still needs to be formatted professionally.  Mint Mechs needs some edits and a proofread before finalizing.  Mint Mechs: Challengers is in a final draft stage.  Hoping to still get these done by the end of June, but they may need more time.  

Finalizing Files for PnP, Translators, and Manufacturing:. Besides the rulebooks and promo cards, there's still a decent sized list here:  Lots of updates for Hard Drive Mods and Hacks (wording changes and icon adjustments).  Kickabout needs professional graphic design for the wording on the cards, cover, and reference cards.  Mint Mechs has some small edits and updates. Mint Mechs: Challengers still needs art for the elevated areas and some components finalized.  That's an Order! is basically done other than the promos.  Overall, this step is the one that is most likely to see delays.  It's not that far off, but almost all of this work is on Hwa's to-do list and I'm a bit of a bottleneck to the rulebooks as I work out the final edits.  Delays here will naturally delay PnP's and Translations (both of whom need the final files to work from).  It shouldn't effect manufacturing timelines.  I'll keep you updated!

Backerkit Pledge Manager: I'm about 95% done with the Pledge Manager in Backerkit.  Once it's ready to open, a "smoke test" will commence with a limited number of surveys going out to determine if there are any issues.  Once fully open, you'll be able to add to your pledge and update your address there.  It will also accept Late Pledges.  I don't foresee any issues with opening this up in June.  

Kickstarter Late Pledges Closed:  When Backerkit is ready, the Kickstarter Late Pledges will close.  I will still be taking Late Pledges in Backerkit.

That's it for the timeline.   

 Survey Results:

Thank you to the 334 of you who responded to my survey!  This was sent out to get feedback on how the Kickstarter was run and to get input on what you'd like to see next.  As some of you let me know, the use of Google Forms made it require a gmail account (I didn't know this when making it) and excluded some from participating as a result.  My apologies, and I will find an alternative in the future.  Here are some of the results from the Survey:

Themes and Game Styles:  this graph was too large to be readable here.  But the most popular themes and game types from the survey were:

• Sci-Fi Theme
• Dungeon Crawler Style / Theme
• Fantasy Theme
• Boss Battler Types
• More of the current bundle offerings were all almost equally popular

And thank you to everyone who asked to be added to the newsletter and mailing list!  I should be getting a newsletter out soon (on the to-do list).  Also, thank you for the incredible number of kind comments and compliments!   It means a lot.  I'm sorry I can't respond to them directly, but message received!

New Game in the Works:

I have several titles from other designers that have been in development for a long time that will be part of the next Kickstarter, and I will share more about them in the future.  But I did want to just quickly share a new one that I'm personally designing that I'm hoping will make it as a future offering.

I'm a huge Alien fan, and after my Kickstarter Detox I started working on a fresh new design that has taken over my brain space for the last few weeks.  This one is a co-operative, 1-4 players, Boss Battler that's inspired by Aliens (2nd film) and the whole squad combat versus a horde and queen idea.  

The core loop involves selecting actions on 2 of your Rondels that will allow you to use weapons and resources towards exploring the structure, defeating enemies, and manipulating Boss Dice towards completing a Boss Attack.  Your final Rondel allows you to assist the next player with resources or dice.  

There are 3 Boss dice that sit above the 3 "doors" (enemy card backs).  You are trying to get them to match the current challenge and lock them in in order to damage the Queen.  You can manipulate them by using hits to change them up or down.  And you can lock them in by defeating the enemy below them.  Once a die is locked in, that door is "open" and future enemies will come in face-up in that door.  Lock in all 3, damage the queen, and reset the dice and doors.  The queen moves a damage marker to the completed challenge, unlocking a new Queen attack and a new challenge for the dice.  Difficulty is currently determined by the number of rounds.

There's heavy asymmetry between the characters and a really fun, crunchy puzzle here.  It's early days, but I'm excited for this one!

That's it for now.  I'll be back with updates in June.  Thank you!

Galen

We did it! THANK YOU!
about 2 months ago – Thu, Apr 23, 2026 at 06:37:13 AM

1,353 Backers, $95,156, 1,189% Funded!

What an incredible finish to the campaign!  I know I repeat myself, but this has exceeded all my expectations!  From the bottom of my heart: THANK YOU!

Congratulations!

There are a number of people sharing in the success of this moment.  Please give a round of applause for:

• Evan Wilcock - Designer of Kickabout
• Leo Aquino - Artist for Kickabout
• Stefan Barkow - Designer of Hard Drive
• John de Campos - Artist for Hard Drive and Mint-Tin Monster Mash-Up: Arenas
• Ryan Sromek - Co-Designer of That's an Order!
• Jonathan Carnhel - Co-Designer and Artist of That's an Order!
• Galen McCown - Designer of Mint Mechs and Dice Clash: Arenas
• Hwa Siang - Artist for Mint Mechs and Dice Clash: Arenas
• Chris Backe - Designer of Mint-Tin Monster Mash-Up: Arenas

It's an amazing accomplishment and feeling to get your art out there into the world!  

What Happens Next?

There is a Timeline graphic on the campaign page that lays out the expected timeline of events.  Here's what you can expect:

• I'm going to unplug for a bit!  I need to shut the laptop and stop watching numbers for a while!
• About 2 weeks after the end of the campaign, I get the funds from Kickstarter.  If they have any issues charging your card on file, they will be trying to resolve that with you during this period of time.
• Sometime in the next couple of weeks I will send a survey to all backers.  The purpose of this survey is to get your feedback on the campaign and gauge what might be of interest to you in future campaigns.  I hope you'll take the time to provide me with the feedback.  I appreciate it greatly and it does influence future campaigns!
• Sometime in June I will open the Backerkit Pledge Manager.  You will get an invite from them (no need to have an account).  This will be your opportunity to update your pledge and address.  When we get closer to delivery, I will charge for shipping and any applicable taxes. 
• Every month, starting next month, you will get an update.  I'll share both good news and bad.  Sometimes I may need to share no news at all; but I will stay in communication.
• Other than that, I'll be getting to work on finalizing the remaining assets for the game so that the PnP creators, translators, and manufacturer can get to work.

Once again, thank you!  I hope to see some of you at conventions or online.  I'll be at GenCon, CuseCon, and Pax Unplugged this year.  Unfortunately, I was unable to get a table at RetroGameCon this year.

Taking a bow (for now)

Galen

Final Stretch Goal Unlocked! Last day of the Campaign!
about 2 months ago – Wed, Apr 22, 2026 at 01:23:32 PM

Over 1000% Funded, Over 1200 Backers, and All Stretch Goals Unlocked!

Congrats!  You did it again.  Mobile Garrison will be added as the final promo card for the Free Promo Pack for backers who backed during the KS at a physical reward tier.  

This is it.  This amazing journey ends tomorrow at 9:30 AM EST.  A final reminder to add anything you want before the prices go up in the Pledge Manager.  

And please share the campaign around one last time and help with the big finish!

Appreciate it!

Galen

Last Chance for KS Prices!
about 2 months ago – Wed, Apr 22, 2026 at 01:18:59 PM

This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.

4-Week Update: Final 2 Days! A closer look at Kickabout, Hard Drive, and Series 1 Expansions.
about 2 months ago – Tue, Apr 21, 2026 at 08:32:59 AM

Covered in this Update:

• Campaign Ending April 23rd at 9:30 EST and prices go up after.
• Timeline
• Final Stretch Goal Announcement
• A look at Mint Mechs Playmat
• Kickabout Closer Look
• Hard Drive Closer Look
• Dice Clash: Arenas Closer Look
• Mint-Tin Monster Mash-Up Closer Look
• Accessories
• Prototypes Still Available
• Roll & Pitch Video
• Nothing But Net

We are down to the final 48 hours of the campaign!  We've already raised over $77,000 and gained over 1100 Backers!  Lots to cover here, but let's finish strong and unlock that final Promo Card!  Sharing the campaign helps a ton!

Campaign Ends Thursday at 9:30 EST

A final reminder to check your pledges and add anything you want now.  You will be able to add stuff in the pledge manager but the prices will go up.  I've detailed the price differences in the FAQ section of the Kickstarter Page.  The best deals are reserved for backers during the campaign.  If you haven't backed yet, time is running out!

Timeline:

Here is my estimated timeline for the project.  I'm adding the graphic to the main page as well. There's a fairly large cushion of time for the manufacturing and there's the possibility of staying ahead of schedule and delivering early.  I take great pride in my reputation for good communication and transparency.  I will keep you updated!

Final Stretch Goal Selected: That's an Order!

With an overwhelming majority, I'm calling it early.  That's an Order! is getting another Tactics Card if we can make it to $80,000 before the campaign ends!  Get your vote in before the end of the day tomorrow for what it will be.  We've brought back the previous unpicked options and added 3 more!

• Mobile Garrison: Use during your move or double-time action to move your base along with one of your units at no additional movement point cost. The unit does not have to start its movement at your base, but must end its movement at your base. Advance your Base into Enemy Territory for a risky aggro strategy, or move it away from the opponent's advancing troops into a more defendable region.  Lots of possibilities here!
• Minefield: Use at the start of the round before placing cards. Choose any unoccupied terrain card in the battlefield. No units may enter it for this round. Interrupt the opponent's rhythm and re-establish your own with this one.  
• Improvisation: When revealing the At Ease Command during the Action Phase, exchange your next Command Card with any card in your Cool Down.  This is the Play-Action of the game!  See what your opponent is going to do and stage the perfect response!
• Coordinated Strike: Use during your Attack action; all engaged units may attack.  Just the threat of this action will force your opponent to re-think their strategy.  A double-move followed by an attack and this play could potentially clear the map!
• Go All Out: Use during your Bombard action; all units adjacent to attacking unit may be targeted by this attack. Maybe we should just call this one "Rambo"?  A single soldier can have a devastating effect with this.  The requirement of needing to use the TAO token to activate it, is a good balance.  

A look at the Mint Mechs side of the War Playmat:

Hwa still has a bit left to do on this, but I wanted to share its current state.  You'll be able to play a full 2-player game entirely on the mat.  Note that the War Playmat (with That's an Order! on the other side) is bigger than the other playmats in order to accomodate the games.  The map area in the middle has room for the additional map cards for 3 and 4 players, but they will need to stage their mechs off to the sides of the mat (unless you have 2!)

A Closer Look at the Action Bundle and Series 1 Expansions:

With this final update, I'd like to take the opportunity to take a deeper look at the Action Bundle and Series 1 Expansions, revealing a little about what I love about these games.  I already took a deeper look at Mint Mechs and That's an Order! in Update #7.  And Mint Mechs: Challengers in Update #9.

Kickabout

Of all the submissions that I looked at for publishing for this Series, Kickabout really stood out as most perfectly hitting that sweet spot of easy to learn, fast to play, FUN, and likely to hit the table a lot.  I was also looking for a pairing for Hard Drive, which - at the time - was Breakaway, and was more of a traditional racing game.  A sports-themed game was perfect.  Let me share a bit about what I think makes the game special.

The Secret Sauce

Yomi - "Knowing the mind of the opponent"

In my opinion, Kickabout is gamified Yomi at it's best.  I'm a huge fan of 2-player head-to-head games (in case you haven't noticed), and one of the features of a 2-player game that can really determine how much play it gets, and how fresh the experience remains, is the meta that develops between two players who play with each other a lot.  

I know you know that I know that you know that....

Card reveal in Kickabout is simultaneous.  If the Defender matches the Attacker's number, they've stolen the ball and taken over as the Attacker.  If it's not a match, the Attacker has completed a pass and continues on offense.  Reading your opponent to steal the ball or complete the pass both feel great, but there's more than just luck - and knowing your opponent  - at play in your decision of which card to play...

The art of the Goal:

There are 3 factors at play in setting up a shot attempt:

#1: Number of Passes: For each successful pass (card played without being matched), you gain 1 die to roll for your shot attempt when the Shoot Card is played.  More cards played = better odds of a goal AND better odds of getting the ball stolen as your options diminish.  How far will you push your luck?

#2: Playing the Shoot Card: At the point you play your Shoot Card, it's time to roll the dice!  If the Defender plays their Save Card at the same time, they get to defend with 3 dice.  If they play it too early, it stays out of hand until a change of possession and they only roll 1 die.  In all other cases, they roll 2 dice.  You may have the perfect shot lined up, but can you fake them into playing their save?  Or will they call your bluff and steal?

#3: The number of the Shooter: The number of the last card played before the Shoot Card is your Target Number, meaning that all dice at or below that number count as shots on goal.  If any shots on goal go unblocked: GOAL!  Higher number Attackers have better odds, but also are the more obvious play.  

As you can see, there's enough at play here that no single card play is 100% obvious nor 100% random / lucky.  Knowing your opponent on defense, and subverting their expectations on offense, are the keys to victory.  

Advanced Action Cards:

Evan's initial design truly felt complete, but we needed to add a couple of small things to make it fit in as a Galen's Game.  I'm a big fan of catch-up mechanics in head-to-head games, and I suggested that we add single-use cards to the game that would be earned when you had a goal scored on you.

Not only was it fun to play around in the design space that Evan had created, these add significantly to the Yomi of the game.  You know when your opponent has an Advanced Action, but you don't know which one it is!  You can play to the advantage of the card you have OR you can play to mislead your opponent into assuming the card you have.  Lots of fun to be had here, and the Promo Card you unlocked adds yet another fun wrinkle to the game and meta game.

Solo Mode:

I've gone on at length about the sauce of the game being the Yomi.  So how does one read the mind of an automa?  Designing a solo mode for this game (a requirement for a Galen's Game) was a tough challenge!  We went through a lot of attempts before arriving at the final version.  Ultimately, we leaned into the push-your-luck aspect of the game as the primary experience, and this delivers a quick and satisfying solo experience.  The additional Advanced Action Card unlocked as a Promo also means that there is an additional Automa Behavior Card added and I will use this to be able to increase the difficulty.  Check out the playthrough to see how this mode works.

Wide Appeal:

Football / soccer fans have loved this game! But one thing I've heard over and over from players who aren't football / soccer fans is that they LOVE this game despite the theme not resonating for them.  It's a rare game where the theme is so intricately tied to the mechanics, yet loving it is not necessary to really enjoy the game! I've been able to teach this to kids as young as 6 and adults over 70; always in just a couple of minutes.  This is an amazing game to be able to teach to non-gamers and to draw in the football / soccer fan in your life.

Designer Diary:

If you haven't had a chance yet, and would like some insight into the creation of this game, Evan has a great designer's diary on BGG to check out: https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3678713/designer-diary-kickabout

Hard Drive

I've known Stefan for a while, and we have been playtesting and helping each other's designs since well before I became a publisher.  When I started accepting submissions for Mint Tin Games, I approached Stefan about adapting a very clever design of his called Breakaway into a mint tin game.  Though the final game is VERY different from what we started with, it is better in every way.  This one has been a very big hit with the majority of previewers and playtesters and the key things that I hear make it stand out are: the clever and thematic gameplay; the variability, and the quick learn and play.

Retro-Futuristic Racing:

Theme: 

A lot of credit for the theme and look of the final game has to be given to artist, John de Campos. Just like he did with Mint-Tin Monster Mash-Up, John convinced us to go hard on the theme, and I am so glad we did!  From the neon retro-futuristic look and color palette, to the avatar "cars" that are both mouse cursors and racers, this looks like something that would take place in Tron.  Add to this Stefan's clever naming of the features, Mods, and Hacks in the game, and everything has an underlying thematic logic (and humor) to it that creates an immersive experience despite its small size.

Mechanics: 

It may surprise you to find out that the core movement mechanic was inspired by and adapted from a children's racing game called Monza.  Stefan saw the potential to adapt that basic idea, of rolling dice and applying the results one at a time to progress through the track, into something that would appeal to more mature gamers.  Roll your dice, use Charge, Mods and Hacks, and create the best line through the race course in front of you.  

Mapping out and executing a clever play is the highlight of Hard Drive.  There's a really satisfying amount of crunch here.  Not so much as to be AP-inducing, but enough to be able to come up with clever solutions.  Charge can be used to modify dice rolls or to Code Drift from the space you're on to a space of the same number.  Dice can be discarded to create Charge. Overclock spaces cycle your Overclock from its current on or off state, giving you an extra die at the start of the turn when it's on.  Routers push your avatar in the direction of the arrows. Logic Gates create obstacles to manuever around.  And Mods are 1-time use cards that can be used to your advantage or your opponent's disadvantage.  And then there are...

Hacks:

Each game, 2 random Hacks are drawn and placed below the course.  Dice of a value of 1 can be assigned to a Hack to activate it.  Hacks break the rules of the game.  They can turn a backwards facing Router into one that propels you forward; allow you to re-write the track in front of you by switching course cards; allow you to jump on top of a Logic Gate and traverse the upper levels; and much more!  

Variability:

Just how much game can you pack into a Mint Tin?  Within the limitations of the size and form factor, we've managed to create a system with an incredible amount of variability.  How?

Course Cards:

One thing I always try to take advantage of with Mint Tin games is the fact that cards have 2 sides.  If a card back is needed (like in Kickabout), then fine.  But if it's not, there's room for more content!  The 8 Course Cards are 2-sided and - other than the starting cards - are laid out randomly in terms of both side and order.  This combined with the way the course "evolves" as you play - by rows that have been moved through flipping over and going to the top of the track - leads to a huge number of possible courses.  Add the abilities of Hacks to alter the course, and the variability becomes - effectively - infinite.

Hacks:

There are 5 double-sided Hack Cards (6 with the Promo!), leading to a large number of possible Hack combos.  These abilities strongly influence the way the race plays out.

Dice:

And, of course, there are everyone's favorite randomizing component: dice!  Each turn is about rolling the dice and determining what you can do with everything at your disposal.  Combined with everything else mentioned, this means your tactical brain will be challenged in a new way pretty much every turn of every game!

Solo Mode:

Stefan let me take the reigns on the solo mode of this one and I'm really pleased with the results!  I'm going to say that this is definitely my favorite solo mode of this series and may even top Dice Clash as my favorite solo mode of all the Mint Tins!  What makes it fun?

Simple but Dynamic Automa:

The best Automas have minimal upkeep while still providing a dynamic challenge that feels like an opponent.  On the Automa's turn, you simply roll their dice, spend charge to increase the lowest die or increase the highest (based on difficulty chosen), and then move them a number of spaces equal to the "spread" (difference between highest and lowest die).  They choose their spaces based on a very simple and very logical decision tree.  That's it.  20-30 seconds, and you are back to your turn.

Variable challenge:

Variable difficulty is very important to a solo mode that you're going to play more than a handful of times.  Hard Drive has two ways it allows players to adjust the challenge level.  

First, you can choose the challenge level of the Automa.  This determines the amount of charge that they need before spending all of it in order to increase their spread after their roll by 1.  The higher the difficulty, the lower the Charge threshold.  You can adjust from 4 (Easy) to 1 (HAXR).

Secondly, you can add the Password Die.  Set it from 3-6 (higher number = higher challenge).  Each Course Card has 1 space on one of their sides where the number is highlighted in Green.  Whenever you land on one of these, you reduce the Password Die by 1.  Reduce it to zero before crossing the Finish Line, or it becomes a Firewall.  GAME OVER.  Adding squares you have to try to include in your race line is a really fun challenge. Challenge Level, HAXR with a Password Die of 6 is a true solo challenge!

Designer Diary:

This game went through an incredible transformation during development.  Stefan does a great job of taking you on that journey in his designer's diary for Hard Drive: https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/3673289/designer-diary-hard-drive

Dice Clash: Arenas

Dice Clash has been my best seller of the 1st Mint Tin Series and I was thrilled to have the excuse to dive back into this design space and create an expansion for it.  Interestingly, Chris Backe and I came up with the "Arenas" idea for our expansions completely independently.  I think what makes this a great expansion is that it both adds content and enhances the core gameplay.

The Secret Sauce:

When thinking about the design space to explore in the game, I actually started with the idea of addressing something that became apparent over many plays of the base game. Specifically, that 3's are - objectively - the worst dice to have in your pool, followed distantly by 4's. How could I give those unlucky numbers a chance to shine?  What if playing a 3 activated something to your advantage?  From this simple idea, the Arenas were born.  

The Arenas provide a side board that you can advance in by playing the Challenge Number of the Arena.  The first to the center grabs a special die to add to their pool (another design space to explore).  Not only that, if you manage to advance enough to push your opponent off the side board, you win!  

This adds a really fun wrinkle to the player's decision space.  Rather than just considering how to deplete their opponent's options until they can't respond, they have to also consider how their play advances or sets up advancement in the Arena.  The new dice can provide big advantages.  And the threat of losing in the Arena cannot be ignored!

New Characters:

This was also an opportunity to create new characters for the game.  You may recognize Jane VIII and Kuaket from Super Snipers making their Dice Clash debut!  I love seeing Hwa's reimagining of them artistically, while I had a lot of fun creating powers that explore some new design spaces.  Kuaket's Special die impacts all the spaces around it instead of having the typical immediate effect.  While Jane is able to deny the opponent's best Modifier while on Basic, and can create a space with a range of modifiers on top of her Special Die while on Adrenaline.  The new Automa is especially challenging, and adds to the fun of the great solo mode!

Mint-Tin Monster Mash-Up: Arenas

Despite its diminutive size, Mint-Tin Monster Mash-Up always turns heads at conventions or anywhere it is on a table. Everyone loves to take the pile of monster cards and start creating their own crazy Chimeras with unique "if-then" power combos!  The other aspect of the game that gets the most praise is the flashing of the hand signals during the Boost Phase.  When Chris pitched the expansion to me, he had the idea of extending the "combo" idea to the Arena itself as well as adding more Cryptid-themed monsters with new powers to play with.  As I did with the original, I added some Mad Scientists with powers that play around with previously unexplored play space.

The Secret Sauce:

More Monsters: More Monsters, more crazy combos, more absolutely amazing art by John de Campos!  This was a given.

Arenas: The Arenas bring some evolving tactical play options as well as new considerations when building your Monsters.  For veterans of the base game, you'll enjoy the way this spices up the gameplay and decision space!  Plus, more art from John!

New Doctors: Making new characters is always fun!  Dr. Evolve is able to switch out 1/2 of her Monster once each round!  This can really play into the Arenas and lets players do the most fun thing: make more monsters!   Dr. Time changes the calculus of the Boost Phase as he gains an advantage by matching the opponent!  On his Adrenaline side, if you can guess your opponent's move, you can then re-do yours to whatever you want (benefits of controlling time, I guess).  And Dr. Fission adds a more challenging Automa for the solo game.  

Accessories

I made a short video to show off the Accessories as a number of questions have come up about them:

Prototypes Still Available

I've reduced the price of the Prototype Copies to $200 (only 2 sets available).  If anyone is interested, this add-on will get you the whole set of Prototype Copies of the games (8 total tins) about a month after the KS closes.  Shipping included.  US only.   

Roll and Pitch

Evan, Stefan, Jonathan and I all joined Dan of Roll & Pitch to do quick pitches of the games! This is such a fun format.  The video goes live around 1pm EST, so if it is not working for you, it will be soon!

Nothing But Net

Lastly, I wanted to bring your attention to a very cool game that just launched on Kickstarter today: Nothing But Net.  This game, and its designer Hafiz Printer, are the reason I ended up connecting with Leo Aquino to do the art for Kickabout.  Leo's amazing style is on full display in this very cool basketball game.  Make sure to check out that amazing box / dice tower / basketball court!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hp1/nothing-but-net-2-player-head-to-head-basketball-card-game

And that concludes the last big update before the close of the campaign.  Don't forget to vote for the next promo card and share the campaign around to make sure we unlock it!

Thank you!

Galen