Bugsnax Card Game Crushes Kickstarter Goal

While April 1 is full of tricks, this year Bugsnax developer Young Horses provided a treat instead with the launch of a Kickstarter for a card game based on the hit video game. The Kickstarter was funded within a few hours, meaning anyone who pledges now through the end of the campaign can look forward to the reward(s) that come with their chosen tier in the future. The physical game is expected to ship later this year, with plenty still available to pledge toward. 

Young Horses is an independent Chicago-based developer that “exists to create wildly unique games,” including Bugsnax and Octodad: Dadliest Catch. The studio describes their goal as “to create innovative, intelligent, charming, joyful entertainment that can be enjoyed by all ages,” which is certainly what they’ve done with the creation of Bugsnax as it adds a unique, fresh approach to creature collecting games. This fresh approach will only be furthered by the expansion of the franchise with the addition of a card game. 

At the time of writing this the Kickstarter has $32,615 pledged from 960 backers, more than doubling its initial goal. Backers still have 28 days to contribute toward the Bugsnax: The Card Game fundraising on a variety of available tiers. 

Bugs + Snacks = Bugsnax!

In Bugsnax, players explore a mysterious island, Snaktooth Island, and attempt to find and capture the insectoid food creatures after which the game is named. Based on the video game, Bugsnax: The Card Game is described by Young Horses as easy-to-play, wherein players will take on the role of their chosen Grumpus and be able to use unique ability cards along with traps to outwit the other players and overcome Bugsnax defenses. The first player to devour six points worth of Bugsnax is crowned the Snakmaster General. 

According to the game’s instruction manual featured on the Kickstarter page, Bugsnax: The Card Game is designed with the ideal group size of 2-4 players, though it does note that this can be expanded to 5 or 6 players with a couple of easy alterations to the game to ensure the group gets the most out of it. 

The game features two different modes depending on the experience players are after. Standard mode is described as a “casual burst of bug-catching fun” while the advanced mode is ideal for players after a longer and more strategic experience. Each copy of Bugsnax: The Card Game includes an instruction manual, 6 base decks, and 10 advanced decks, featuring 13 Grumpuses and 40 Bugsnax and providing the opportunity for different play styles and unique situations to address. 

The decks include:

Standard Decks 

• Standard Trap Deck (28 cards) 
• Standard Snax deck (22 cards) 
• Standard Grump Decks (4 decks, 32 cards total) 
  • Chandlo 
  • Snorpy
  • Filbo
  • Shelda

Advanced Decks 

• Advanced Snax Deck  (18 cards) 
• Advanced & Expert Grump Decks (9 decks, 76 cards total) 
  • Triffany
  • Wambus
  • Lizbert
  • Cromdo 
  • Eggabell 
  • Beffica
  • Floofty
  • Gramble
  • Wiggle

Additional Kickstarters for games and more can be found here, with additional news on Bugsnax here.