Is the 13th of January too late to wish you a Happy New Year?

As with most Januarys, this one is slowly plodding along. It's cold and dark here in Scotland, and as the three of us on team Toad navigate random freelance work, ghost tours, making smoothies, and generally being a bit here, there, and everywhere, we've taken to writing our never-ending RPG (more on that shortly), looking for events, and generally muddling away, mostly in a busy Starbucks that for whatever reason plays party tunes as if we're headed for a night out. Needs must. But our slightly improvised working set-up must be okay for us, as we have enough news to give you a wee update on all things Terror Toad.

The past couple of years we've been to UKGE, Tabletop Scotland, Tabletop Gaming Live (what happened to you? we miss you!), and a few Glasgow Alternative Markets. All of which have been delightful. We never regret selling in person, and we've always had good results. Our biggest challenge has always been online sales, but while we navigate the madness of SEO and Google Merchants Centre, we continue to find and conquer the live events. That's where the fun is anyway. So this year, we will be back at UKGE, Tabletop Scotland, and of course we'll be looking to go see the Glasgow Goths again, but new for 2025 - we're heading to Airecon!

A couple of years ago, while visiting Static Games in Glasgow, a fellow game designer told us that Airecon is the convention where people want to play, so I guess we're going to find out! Do come and say hi if you're going too! Another new addition this year is our first event with our friends at Dungeons and Flagons. We'll be at their MCR Geek Fayre on the 1st of February, so a flying visit to Manchester is in order! Sometimes we feel quite removed from the busier board game/tabletop gaming scenes, as our time is split between small towns in Scotland, so it feels great to take the opportunity to go on adventures when time allows.

Alongside filling up our calendar, we've been working away at an RPG project. We've been handing out little one-page tasters for what feels like far too long, so it's time to get this mammoth task done already. We are adapting the Cypher System by Monte Cook Games to create a spooky and strange seaside town. The text is finally on its way to being complete, so shortly we'll be looking for proof-readers to make sure our efforts have been worthwhile.

Speaking of proof-readers, we're going to be on a fresh hunt for play-testers soon too! Last year we made a prototype of a strategy game, created a print and play, sent it out, and... well, we didn't exactly get the amount of feedback we wanted. Admittedly, its a big file to print, so we were perhaps optimistic. Our last test print and play was for Imposter Pigeon, a much, much, smaller game. So, back to the drawing board. We still really love our new project, and we have now got a quote from our manufacturer, we just need some good folk to tell us if it's worth making it pretty and getting it ordered! I think we're going to delve into Discord channels and experiment with some online play, but none of us have done that before so I have no idea what that will look like. We can only try!

I think that's all I have to ramble about for now, but I'd like to end by giving a couple shout-outs to Luke from The Travelling Tabletop, and Adam from Die Rolling. Both these guys gave GRIM INC and Imposter Pigeon some love right before Christmas, and your content was so appreciated!

Check out Luke's Instagram here -> https://www.instagram.com/thetravellingtabletop/

Watch the Die Rolling guys play GRIM INC here -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpW_Bm4fPwY&t=1316s

Team Toad x

The Domination of Indie Board Game Designers

December 2024

At Terror Toad, we blend strategy and mischief to hone our craft of engaging and innovative board games. As independent creators, we get to redefine the norms of traditional board gaming and showcase our creativity and storytelling. We dedicate our success to our incredible community of indie board game designers at the forefront of the most innovative board games today. Here’s why we’re dominating the scene.

As indie board designers, we get to embrace risk-taking and experimentation with our creative board games. We are gamers ourselves and it is our passion and love for gaming that drives us. We have the privilege of developing games with captivating stories, novel mechanics, and offering players experiences they won't find anywhere else. We get to create genuinely exciting games for audiences like us.

Support from our Incredible Indie Board Game Community

A strong sense of community amongst us board game designers is one of the key factors driving our collective success of indie board games. At major conventions like UK Games Expo (UKGE), Airecon, and Tabletop Scotland, indie board game designers come together to share ideas, offer feedback, and support each other’s projects. This collaborative spirit fosters a unique environment where creativity can thrive. Many of these indie games are self-funded or rely on crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter. Kickstarter helps massively for game development not only in terms of funds, but also builds a dedicated community of backers who believe in our projects. The goodwill and support from these communities are crucial for the success of indie games.

Shout Out to Our Must-Play Indie Board Games

The indie board game scene has produced numerous standout titles that have gained widespread acclaim. Here are some of the best indie board games you should check out:

Fire Tower: An abstract strategic game where players manipulate a raging forest fire, and burn down rival fire towers before they get to you. Great for competitive folk and has lovely components.

Don't Go In There: A spooky game that involves playing as a meddling child in a haunted house. Check out the rooms and collect items to escape. Shout out to the fun box that transforms into a dice tower!

Secret Hitler: A social deduction game that challenges players to identify and stop the secret fascists among them. Good party staple and generally a good time calling everyone else a fascist.

Death By Coconuts: A UKGE 2024 exclusive, a very pretty trivia game where players place bets on what has killed the most people. A relaxed game to get you talking and debating.

Damnation, The Gothic Game: A dark, atmospheric game where players enter Dracula's castle and battle it out for survival against your rivals. You get to channel your inner villain in this very thematic game.

Cosmoctopus: A fun and whimsical game where players earn tentacles to prove your devotion to the cutest cephalopod in the cosmos. Good for fans of longer gameplay and has a great solo mode too.

Campy Creatures: A card game where players are mad scientists capturing mortals with their band of campy creatures. Clever concept - bit of bluffing and a good fun time!

Hideous Abominations: A game of monster creation where players build their most insane creature! Great fun and brilliant artwork. Really good shout for family game time.

These games exemplify the creativity and passion that indie designers bring to the table. Each game offers a unique experience, highlighting the diverse range of ideas flourishing within the indie community.

Conclusion

The domination of indie board game designers is a testament to the power of creativity and

community. As more players seek out innovative and engaging games, the indie board game scene will continue to thrive. The support and collaboration among indie designers ensure that this vibrant and dynamic sector of the board game industry will keep pushing boundaries and delighting gamers worldwide.

Order now! Imposter Pigeon: A Cheeky Addition to our Board Game Collection

March 2024

Exciting news! This summer, we at Terror Toad are thrilled to announce the launch of our latest creation: "Imposter Pigeon." Born out of a moment of jest but evolving into a serious endeavour, Imposter Pigeon promises to deliver laughter and sneaky fun to your game nights.

The genesis of Imposter Pigeon traces back to a whimsical moment when team Toad member Mark, blurted out the name during a brainstorming session. What began as a joke about a pigeon-themed twist on the classic card game "Scabby Queen" soon evolved into a full-fledged concept for a small but highly emusing board game! (yes, expect many bird puns from us going forward).

While Imposter Pigeon shares its roots with "Scabby Queen," it has transformed into a cheeky social deduction game. In the game, 3-6 players must use their skills to identify the imposter among them. A sneaky wee pigeon is trying to bluff its way into the flock - but where is it hiding? And who put it there? For the rest of you flockers: spot the imposter and run them from the roost before things get hawkward! Yes, I told you there would be puns.

During the design process, we went back and forth, making sure there were enough subtle opportunities for strategic thinking, and we finally settled on our quick-rounds and special abilities. During play-testing, we printed out game out deliberately small (to save ink -we were only testing), but when we saw the mini-sized game, we became so attached to it’s cute size, that we opted for the game to stay small, portable, and adorable -if we do say so ourselves.

So it won’t be long now! Gather your flock and prepare for avian antics as you

attempt to outwit your bird-brained buddies. Imposter Pigeon is the perfect addition

to any game night, offering a light-hearted version of “The Traitors” and impostors

theme popularised by games like “Among Us”. Whether you're a seasoned strategist

or new to the world of board games, Imposter Pigeon promises fun and excitement

for players of all levels.

Looking for gift ideas or party games to play with friends? Imposter Pigeon ticks all the boxes. Its compact size makes it an ideal choice for board game storage and indoor activities. Bring it out at gatherings, parties, or family game nights for a guaranteed good time. Plus, its quick setup and easy-to-learn rules ensure that you spend less time reading instructions and more time enjoying the game.

At Terror Toad, we take pride in crafting engaging and innovative board games, and with its blend of strategy and mischief, it's no wonder why Imposter Pigeon is poised to become one of our best board games of 2024, and our best board game for families.