zenwood.games

01/03/2024

🎉Over the weekend, we had the privilege of introducing our board games to the vibrant Mumbai community at the inaugural Sunday Soul Santhe event! Amidst the lively atmosphere filled with music, delicious food, and a bustling flea market, we showcased our entire collection, including our popular title, GridL. It was fantastic to witness the enthusiasm and interest in indie games developed right here in India!

🏞Our presence at the event underscored a growing trend: an increasing awareness and interest in modern board games among the public. Feedback from attendees echoed this sentiment, with many noting their familiarity with titles like Catan and Splendor. However, a notable observation was the preference for games that are quick to play and easy to learn—a reflection, perhaps, of the busy lifestyles typical of Mumbai residents.

👨‍🔬While some enthusiasts expressed appreciation for more complex games, it's evident that widespread adoption may take time. Nonetheless, we remain committed to providing engaging gaming experiences that cater to the diverse preferences of our audience. Thanks to our volunteers Yash and Morphs for a great fun-filled weekend! Check out the snapshots capturing the lively interactions between our team and attendees!

22/01/2024

🚨COMING SOON! 🚨

New Game Alert: Kursi - Dive into the Heart of Indian Politics! 🇮🇳🃏

Get ready for a thrilling political adventure in Kursi, the latest card game sensation for 2-4 players. Assume the role of a political strategist navigating the complex landscape of Indian elections, where strategic decisions and cunning moves can make or break your party's chances of getting into power.

In Kursi, players strategically appoint electoral candidates, manage capital for impactful rallies, and spread influence to control key political assets. Balancing popularity and media control is essential, as is maintaining a delicate reputation to play game-changing cards at the right moment.

The ultimate objective is clear: win the most votes and secure the majority of seats. Engage in strategic battles with rival political masterminds, adapt to the ever-changing political scenario, and emerge as the victorious architect behind the winning party.

Get ready to make your move in Kursi - where every decision shapes the destiny of a nation! 🎲🏆

20/12/2023

🚀 Exciting Update: 'Fortify' is Now In Stock! 🚀

https://zenwoodgames.com/products/fortify-a-tactical-duel-wargame-pre-order

A heartfelt shoutout to our incredible patrons for the overwhelming pre-orders! 🙏 Today marks the arrival of freshly printed FORTIFY boxes, and we can't contain our excitement! ♥️ (Cheers to that!)

👉 Secure your copy of Fortify directly at zenwoodgames.com! (International friends, find it in our global store)

✈ We kick off Fortify domestic shipments tomorrow!
🌎 International orders will be bundled and shipped by the end of December.

⏰ 15 - 30 mins | 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 2 players | 🎲 Light Strategy

Introducing Fortify, the newest gem in our collection of compact yet intense games, tailor-made for 2 players. Dive into epic clashes within 15-30 minutes in this light strategy wargame designed to keep you on the edge of your seat. Set against a dynamic 4x5 grid featuring land, water, and shore terrain, Fortify delivers a battlefield where strategic wit prevails.

Command three distinct unit types: Tanks, Infantry, and Battleships. With each turn, enlist new units, deftly maneuver them into strategic positions, fortify your formation for added strength, and unleash fierce attacks on enemy units. Fortify goes beyond tactics; it's a game of strategy. Tanks move at lightning speed, Infantry enlists twice as fast, and Battleships fortify on the shores. These special abilities inject depth and excitement into every move.

To claim victory, fortify four strategic squares on the grid, creating moments of intense surprise and anticipation! For seasoned players, two additional units—The Chopper and the Artillery—are included, offering a plethora of strategic possibilities. With two map options and speedy 5-10 minute game sessions, can you outmaneuver your opponent and emerge triumphant in this thrilling war of wits? Welcome to Fortify.

🎉

23/11/2023

⏰NEW GAME LAUNCH: FORTIFY🔫

https://zenwoodgames.com/products/fortify-a-tactical-duel-wargame-pre-order

⚒As a ritual, we generally work on the secret development of a small-box game every year and try to launch it during one of the conventions. This year, it is Zenwood's fourth game: Fortify!

💭"Codenamed Project 45, the development of this game began earlier this year while I was on a break to Lansdowne on a solo trip - a sleepy hill station in India. The idea was to experiment with different formats of Tic Tac Toe, and whether restricting players to very tightly occupied grids, with 3-4 types of pieces with unique abilites made sense.." - the designer recollects. Fast forward to November with playtests, feedback and weaved his magic - the game was brought the game to life with his vivid, dynamic art styles!

👉The Game of Fortify is played between 2 players, over 3 rounds or ‘Volleys’. In each Volley, players take turns to Enlist, Move, Fortify or Attack using their player pieces, or ‘units’ on a 4x5 Map grid of different terrain types: Land, Water and Shore. A Volley ends if any one player is able to achieve a pattern - a 4 square fortification with their units; that player wins that Volley. Then players play the next volley and so on. The game ends as soon as a single player wins 2 Volleys, and that player is the winner!

21/11/2023

🌟 Just wrapped up an epic weekend at Comic-Con Bengaluru! 🚀 Despite the World Cup Finals stealing the spotlight, we had a blast connecting with fans of all ages – kids, parents, adults, and the gen-Zs! 🎉

Exciting news – our latest launch, FORTIFY, was a big hit with our patrons! 🎲 New faces also grabbed our bestseller, GRIDL, for their fun-filled evenings. 👾 PARIKRAMA sparked intense gaming vibes and instantly won over fans with its killer artwork.

But the showstopper? 👀 All eyes were glued to the TYCOON: India 1981 spread, delivering an immersive experience like no other! 🎮 We even bagged a couple of pre-orders for the same!

Grateful to for this amazing nerdfest! Special thanks to our volunteers/friends/patrons for life without whom this wouldn't have been possible! Glad to have the company of .gives.milk .encore informally being part of the team and stopping by and helping us with our 'conventional' stuff.

🤓Nerds Rule!💗

🕹️

23/10/2023

♥ Dearest Patrons,

We've been hard at work, tackling many exciting projects and upcoming events, and now, we're thrilled to share a Tycoon Kickstarter update!

A couple of weeks have passed since we concluded the first phase of our Tycoon: India 1981 Kickstarter project, and the response has been overwhelming. We raised an incredible $33,253 from 565 backers spanning 30+ countries. Your unwavering support warms our hearts and affirms that we're on the right track. Rest assured, we're doubling down on our commitment to deliver the best quality possible.

For those who missed out on the initial campaign, mark your calendars for November 1, 2023! Pledge Manager access and Late Pledge officially open via Backerkit. This is your chance to make new pledges, upgrade existing ones, and explore additional Zenwood Games: Parikrama, GridL, and a surprise small box game. Stay tuned for further details!

https://www.backerkit.com/call_to_action/4dff0581-cf35-43f4-aca3-307e2df718e6/landing

The Coinage Casino Coins have been a tremendous hit, and we're diligently working on their design. Get ready for a deluxe gaming experience! Here are some radiant images of a sample we made in India to help us nail the size and weight of these chips.

As for Tycoon: India 1981, we're currently in the sampling phase, with production set to kick off by year-end. We're partnering with LongPack Games, known for their top-tier work on titles like Everdell and Dune: Imperium. We're dedicated to delivering the exceptional quality you all deserve, with professional fulfillment through Gamesquest and VFI.

Exciting times lie ahead, and we can't wait to share more with you. Thank you for being an integral part of our journey!

Warm regards,
Zenwood Team

26/09/2023

Dear Patrons,

We are finally at the last stage of our campaign - the final 48 hours! All the love and support from passionate gamers and well-wishers across the world have made it possible for us to reach close to 280% of our funding! We can't be grateful enough for this!

Here are some snippets from our journey so far:

- The Deluxe Edition at $75 is the clear fan favorite, with 225 backers (almost 50%) choosing this amazing pledge level.

- We've unlocked 5 incredible stretch goals for everyone to enjoy!

- A big shoutout to the 456 backers who've joined our journey so far! You rock!

- Our global support is off the charts! The top 5 countries backing Tycoon are the United States (168 backers), Germany (53 backers), India (46 backers), the United Kingdom (39 backers), and Japan (19 backers).

If we hit $30k and $35k, we'll unlock 2 exclusive Kickstarter Stretch goals - a personal Industrial Asset Value tracker, and a Solo Player Campaign Book!

So, ready to grab your personal copy? :)

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sidhantzen/tycoon-india-1981-the-board-game/rewards

01/09/2023

🔥 NEW VIDEO 🔥

One of the best games from 2023 comes from India! 🇮🇳 Tycoon: India 1981 (zenwood.games) is 💎THE hidden gem for 2023. See how to play, my review & my personal thoughts on the impact of this upcoming

🚂 All aboard!
https://youtu.be/n_wvbG1VUtw

01/09/2023

Industrialists take part in Nation Building in a post-colonial India. Will you emerge as the next Tycoon of the country?

01/09/2023

📽 https://youtu.be/9wxtwgMXFyc
Inu, jestli jste měli minulé týdne problém s nedostatkem kampaní, tak dnes se to zlomilo...podobně jako počasí ☀️ -> 🌧

V rámci doporučení tu máme:

🔹Tycoon: India 1981 od zenwood.games, strategicko ekomonická hra s aukcí a velkou hráčskou interakcí.

🔸Worms: The Board Game od Mantic Games, nostalgická řežba 🐛 červíků v deskoherní podobě.

🔹Harvest - A Farming Game od Keymaster Games, moc hezky zpracovaná hra o pěstování plodin.

29/08/2023

My preview of this economic game set in India in 1981. https://youtu.be/YE1x9oD_BMQ zenwood.games

29/08/2023

👑The wait is finally over! 👑

➡Tycoon: India 1981 is now live on Kickstarter! Head over to the campaign page and choose between Standard and Deluxe Editions of Tycoon: India 1981❤

Pre-orders here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sidhantzen/tycoon-india-1981-the-board-game

🙏🏻Thank you for your patience!

⌚Let's go!!!

#1981

28/08/2023

⌛24 HOURS TO GO!⌛
====================

Tycoon: India 1981 goes live on Tuesday at:
🕙10:00 AM EST
🕑02:00 PM GMT
🕢07:30 PM IST

====================
💜🧡There are a lot of updates on our BGG page, so if you don't want to miss some activity do check it out at https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/372571/tycoon-india-1981 💜🧡

Stay tuned for more updates :)

Pre-order Link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sidhantzen/tycoon-india-1981-the-board-game

#1981

28/08/2023

Ready for an EPIC economic game?! 🇮🇳 Tycoon: India 1981 (from zenwood.games) is launching on soon!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sidhantzen/tycoon-india-1981-the-board-game

26/08/2023

👑ALMOST THERE👑

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sidhantzen/tycoon-india-1981-the-board-game

24/08/2023

⁉ Unsure about what Kickstarter is, and how you can use it to back/pre-order Tycoon: India 1981? It is really as simple as A-B-C!

🦮Here is a handy step-by-step guide on how to back Tycoon: India 1981 on Kickstarter on 29th August!

💚 Click on the Project link from our bio OR visit Kickstarter and search for "Tycoon India 1981."

🅿Click on the project to dive into the details.

🎁On the right side, you'll see various pledge tiers. Choose the one that excites you - between Standard or Deluxe edition.

👆🏻Hit "Back this project" to begin the process.

💻Log in to your Kickstarter account or sign up if you're new.

💳Select your preferred payment method. Remember, you won't be charged unless the project hits its funding goal.

💲Double-check your pledge amount and rewards. When you're ready, confirm your pledge.

👨‍👩‍👦‍👦Want to amplify the excitement? Share the project with your friends and family :)

🌐Once the project is funded, get ready for updates from the creators about the project's progress.

🚚You'll receive a survey on an email link to enter your address details and other add-ons.

⌚After you complete this, all you have to do is wait till we manufacture the game, pack it in a box & ship it to you at your doorstep!

💖Your support can make a difference. So, let's get behind "Tycoon India 1981" and make this journey unforgettable. Happy backing! 🚀🌟

24/08/2023

𝗧𝘆𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗻: 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝟭𝟵𝟴𝟭 (zenwood.games)

Tycoon: India 1981 is a fascinating game. It looks at the Indian post-war industrial revolution that took place from the 1960s to 1990s through the lens of corporations vying for ascendancy. It blends historical information, explained through the rulebook and many of the cards, with gameplay that reflects the challenges of the period in an engaging way.

Although this might at first glance look like an Indian version of Power Grid (2F-Spiele/Rio Grande Games) with its auctions and board control mechanics, there are far more differences than similarities. The victory condition is a notable example: rather than just trying to get rich and famous, the supreme Tycoon must get either rich or famous and then have the most 'Favor' with the government. Specifically, players gain Influence throughout the game, which looks a lot like victory points but isn't. They will also increase their asset value by building industries and acquiring shares in other companies (curiously, money and shares in one's own company are not counted). If the player with the most Influence also has the highest asset value, they win; otherwise they compare their Favor score with the player who had the highest asset value and the highest on that metric is the winner. Favor is earned through certain actions, plus some end-game scoring (including private objectives).

The game plays over seven rounds, featuring auctions of bonus cards and industries followed by action selection. The auctions are very tough: with only one policy card and two industries available each time, players will miss out a lot, especially in a four-player game, and the compensation for this feels fairly meagre. Still, there are a variety of paths to try, not all of which require large numbers of industries.

In the action phase, each player will have the chance to take two different actions (or three if they are the Tycoon for the round) out of six possible. Even with extra action tokens available, there will not be enough time in the game to use each action very much, which is a shame as they are all very interesting.

Although there is a lot going on in Sidhant Chand's design, the player aids and excellent board illustrations from Trisha Bose and Chandrasekhar Pudyal make the rules clear and intuitive in almost all cases. Nevertheless, with so many moving parts, it is easy to miss a trigger or a discount here and there, especially when playing with the 'AI' (automa), which is required for solo or two-player games. This is controlled by a deck of cards that can be customised to adjust the difficulty. However, the AI has infinite resources and therefore does not play like a human player no matter how the deck is configured. This can be frustrating as the AI can accrue unattainably high scores, but if, in the two-player game, players ignore the AI then they will still have a fascinating contest between themselves.

There is much to enjoy in Tycoon: India 1981 - The Board Game, and plenty of replayability from the variety of cards providing objectives, and the very fact that the game can be won in different ways. Do you try to focus on Influence or asset value from the start while abandoning the other, all the while trying to accumulate Favor, or try a more balanced approach? In any case, try to ensure you have 3-4 human players and at least three hours for best results!

Publishers zenwood.games are due to launch Tycoon: India 1981 - The Board Game on Kickstarter on 29 August. We'll add a link to the campaign when it goes live.

(Review by Matt Young)

20/08/2023

🥇Dear Tycoon Fans,

👂🏻We've been listening closely to your feedback, and we're thrilled to announce a major update that you've been asking for! Tycoon: India 1981 will now be available in not just one, but two languages – English and German! 🌍🇩🇪

📘📕To make this international journey more convenient for you, each Tycoon: India 1981 game box will now include two rulebooks – one in English and the other in German. Whether you're a seasoned player or a newcomer to the world of Tycoon, you'll have all the guidance you need to dive into the game in your preferred language.

🗺This update reflects our commitment to creating a truly inclusive gaming experience for our diverse community of players. We want every Tycoon enthusiast, no matter where you are or what language you speak, to enjoy the same level of excitement and strategic fun. And this is our first step in that direction :)

🙏🏻Thank you for your unwavering support and enthusiasm for Tycoon: India 1981. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we're thrilled to bring this enhancement to life based on your requests.

🎶Stay tuned for more updates and announcements as we continue this journey together.

19/08/2023

Woohoo! First Full Review of Tycoon is out!

18/08/2023

⌛The wait is coming close to an end! Tycoon: India 1981 - The Board Game - a Grand Economic Strategy Game for 1-4 players, will go live on Kickstarter.com on 29th August 2023!

💖Do not miss this chance of grabbing this epic game at a discounted pre-order price of just $49! (retail price $67) and get the game in your hands before everyone else in the world! This is the best chance to be part of the Tycoon Revolution!

🥇Following this week, we will reveal exciting updates daily that will sweeten our launch even more. Stay tuned!

👉🏻If you're not following the campaign page already, this is the time to sign-up on our Tycoon pre-launch page and stay updated when it goes live.

🔗https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sidhantzen/tycoon-india-1981-the-board-game

#1981

16/06/2023

Shut up and take my money! 💵
Tycoon: India 1981 - The Board Game - Premium money tokens as part of the game..

24/05/2023

💭What if you could go back to the 80s in a post-colonial India, and were to take charge of a multi-million company rising from the ashes of the License Raj!

Yes, all of this (and more) is possible through our upcoming grand strategy board game: Tycoon: India 1981! 🌟

In the game of Tycoon: India 1981, players represent big industrial houses of India that are trying to dominate the six key industrial sectors — minerals, fuel, agro, power, transport, and finance — by obtaining the rights from the government and building factories on a map of India. Although the goal is to be rich, they must try to influence national policies to their benefit, as well as gain political favor to break ties, all while balancing wealth and fame in a series of rounds that will ultimately decide one winner! - the Tycoon!

Tycoon has been passivley in work for over a decade, but has seen major development since early 2022, where the theme of "India 1981" was sealed for it's first edition, one of the few 'future' games finalised at the time of inception of Zenwood Games. The idea was to create a first.. one-of-a-kind medium-heavy complex strategy board game, with tons of moving parts, decision space, and dramatic outcomes. The dream was to represent India in the world, through a board game that actually takes a lot of the history and style, churns it into an interesting playable format and invites everyone across the world to be a part of this.

🌎Tycoon: India 1981 is set to launch on Kickstarter around August 2023! My humble request: if you've liked what you read this far, chances are that you might end up trying and liking the game :)

We are a small indie-publisher, and therefore need all your help in spreading the word about this project! Do share it with your geek circles, board game friends, or strategy game enthusiasts ☺

👉🏻For now, very simple steps: stay tuned by following us on our Kickstarter Pre-launch Page;

1. Visit https://lnkd.in/dncFSrn6
2. Login with a free account on Kickstarter
3. Click on "Notify me on Launch"

That's all for now! Thank you so much :)

Industrialists take part in Nation Building in a post-colonial India. Will you emerge as the next Tycoon of the country?

29/03/2023

⚙Get in your Tycoon Avatar as your race across Fame, Wealth and Opportunity in this 1-4 player Grand Strategy Board Game, Tycoon: India 1981 ⚙

Sign up here to stay tuned for exciting updates of this project: https://zenwoodgames.com/pages/contact

💛Coming to Kickstarter 2023💛
💚Tentatively July-August 💚

29/03/2023

Tycoon: India 1981 is finally on TableTop Simulator! Had a blast playtesting the maiden TTS module with Chennai BG @~Jon Galt @~Arun and Anshu. 💜

Apart from feedback suggestions, we discussed a lot about potential strategies and play-styles, visual elements etc.

10/03/2023

Lovely! Tycoon: India 1981 got featured ion Polish Board Gaming news channel Board News ❤ 🤍❤🤍

‼ ZAPOWIEDŹ ‼

Wydawnictwo zenwood.games szykuje kampanie której celem będzie wydanie gry "Tycoon: India 1981"

Celem graczy, którzy reprezentują wielkie przedsiębiorstwa przemysłowe Indii, będzie próba dominacji w sześciu kluczowych sektorach przemysłu - minerały, paliwa, rolnictwo, energia, transport i finanse. Nie zabraknie także elementów polityki, więc zapowiada się ciekawy tytuł.

Gra przeznaczona jest dla 2-4 graczy od 14 roku życia.

~Razor


///Zenwood Games - Tycoon: India 1981 ///

31/01/2023

The latest addition to our collection is Gridl by zenwood.games

Gridl is a fun and fast deduction game, packed into a small portable box that you can take anywhere with you. We have really enjoyed playing this game with different groups.

Want to know more about the gameplay? We will share a detailed review soon, so stay tuned!!

02/01/2023

👉🏻This is a Zenwood FREEBIE: A 1-Card Game called Royal Thief!🎁
https://zenwoodgames.com/products/royal-thief-a-free-2-player-mini-game

(Yes, we fit an entire mini-game on a single card!)

⏬Download free and receive the files to Print and Play the game Royal Thief. All instructions are included in the game package itself.

👑The Royal King and Queen are enjoying their peaceful rule over the Kingdom... only to find out that a renowned sly Royal Thief is on the loose, whose eyes are set on the Royal Treasury. Worried, the King has appointed the faithful Guard to catch this Royal Thief!

🧸Play as King, Queen, Thief or Guard and outwit your opponent!

💎This is a game similar to Rock Paper Scissors in theory, but with assymetric characters!

- Instead of 3 items (Rock, Paper and Scissor), there are 4 Characters - King, Queen, Guard and Thief.
- Instead of all items behaving the exact same way, here all 4 characters have different roles, objectives and characteristics!

🎓Objective of the game is to be the first player to reach 10 points!