Coming straight out of left field, it looks like the folks at Riot Games have been working on a super-secret project behind closed doors. It's a League of Legends board game, though it doesn't play anything like the beloved MOBA.
We reported recently that a ridiculous number of people are still playing League of Legends on a regular basis. That likely means there's quite a nice bit of cash flow for the developer, so it makes sense that they'd want to invest some of that moolah into fun side projects.
Enter Mechs vs. Minions, a board game that's based on the world of League of Legends, though only in setting and theme. What's extra crazy is the fact that this is the first we're hearing about the game, and it's actually getting set to launch as soon as Oct. 13.
Rather than get a hype train rolling nice and early, the developers decided to wait until about a month before launch and then, boom, surprise, here's a board game set in the world of League of Legends. The initial run is going to be 3,000 copies, so it sounds like Riot are banking on the game doing pretty-dang-well. It'll set you back $75, and it's only going to be available through Riot's own online store.
For folks who aren't too into the tabletop gaming world, $75 probably sounds like a lot of money. It's only a bit above average, actually, and quite a bit cheaper than most other games that feature so many components. Glancing through pictures, it looks like Mechs vs. Minions boasts a whole bunch of miniatures, an hourglass, player mats, decks of cards, modular board tiles, gems and a couple different types of dice. Games with that many fiddly bits tend to go for around $100.
As for what you can expect out of the game, anyone who has played Robo Rally should feel right at home. Mechs vs. Minions is a cooperative game where players must try to take out all of the little baddies crawling onto the board before getting overwhelmed. The trick here is that, like with Robo Rally, players must plug in their desired actions before triggering them one after another. In other words, you may play cards that have you turn left, move forward three spaces and attack a minion. The trick here is that event and other players may cause your actions to go wonky, wherein lies the goofy fun and frustration of cooperation. If something bumps you one space to the left, for instance, your pre-programmed moves may now have you attacking your teammate rather than an enemy.
It's nice to see so many games getting the board game treatment, especially since many of them seem to be turning out so well. Last year's BioShock Infinite was a surprise treat while the upcoming Bloodborne is getting some nice early buzz. Here's hoping Mechs vs. Minions does League of Legends proud.
