Spotlight July 2023 | Summer in the City
A few weeks ago, Lauren came into the store raving about the new Spider-man movie, Across the Spiderverse– "It really made me proud to be a New Yorker," she said. I haven't seen it yet (I know, I know. It's on my list!) but it did get us thinking about the way we spotlight summer here at the store. Normally, it's all about games you can travel with while you're on vacation, but this year, we wanted to highlight Summer in the City.
There's nothing quite like summer in New York. So, thank you, Spider-man.
Here's the round up of city-inspired games!
VOID 1680 AM
This is one of the most fun solo games I have ever played. You play as a late night radio host and using a deck of cards and a six-sided die, you will curate your playlist, interact with callers to your show and evolve their stories over as many broadcasts as you like. I really love the way this game replicates the pressure of being on the air (I assume– I've never been on the radio). You've got as long as your songs are playing to get the details of your caller and then get your next block of songs ready. You're encouraged to record your show, record yourself as a caller for someone else's show and even submit your show to be played on the author's own 1680 radio station! Speak into the VOID, you never know who's listening...
i'm sorry did you say street magic
This is a game about building a city. You'll take turns exploring the city, filling it with life and vivid detail, meeting its strange and wondrous inhabitants. No game master is required in this collaborative game. Everyone will "wander the city" and create new neighborhoods and landmarks together, expanding on each other's ideas. Want a summer in the city? Get to building one!
Skate Summer & Wildstyle
These two were no-brainers for summer in the city games. In Skate Summer, channel your inner Tony Hawk as you nail ~rad combos~ and show off your skills. You'll even collect S-K-A-T-E-R upgrades from each corner of the board. (Tony Hawk Pro Skater Soundtrack optional.)
In Wildstyle, the city is your canvas as you and your crew tag train stations, residential blocks, industrial wastelands and everything in between. Not everyone appreciates your artistic endeavors though, so watch out for your rivals and, of course, the (proverbial) man.
Super-Skill Pinball
Photo courtesy of Jackbar
This game does an excellent job of mimicking the joy of getting a high score playing pinball. Roll the dice to hit bumpers, drop targets and activate the multiball. You can play solo and try to beat your high score or go head to head against your friends. Once you get on the high score leader board, try out the stand-alone expansion, Ramp It Up!
Check out the rest of our Summer in the City collection here!