It’s one thing to love games, but there’s a whole other world of games that many of you may not know about…analog games. Last weekend, I got to cover one of the biggest board/card game conventions on the west coast: Orccon.

Orccon is under the umbrella of Strategicon, which is actually a series of three smaller conventions that happen every year on Memorial Day (Gamex), Labor Day (Gateway), and this past Presidents’ Day (Orccon) weekend in a hotel near LAX. While the sub names are different, they are pretty much the same thing; a lot of gamers gathered together for a long weekend of analog gaming fun. But in the midst of all this, I did get to see some up and coming games you might want to keep your eyes on:

Conquest at Kismet:

Conquest at Kismet is an upcoming game from Victory Point Games. It’s a simple card game, but has the potential of a Magic: The Gathering. In it, you’re a mothership trying to destroy the enemy mothership. The hook of this game lies in the unique combat system unlike any other card game I’ve played before in my life. The “time” mechanic also give the feel like you’re controlling these big ships with incredible abilities that can change the game.

Hero Forge:

This 3d printing company offers more than just pretty miniatures, they offer custom made miniatures. In a convention where miniature games are big, this company did well to represent here.

Overlords of Infamy:

This game is still in development, but this is one fun game. Developed by Obscure Games, you control a villain who’s objective is to oppress your other villain counterparts while keeping the hero at bay. With a lot of obscure pop culture references, this game doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that’s the biggest appeal of this game.

The game rooms were filled with scores of people playing detailed miniatures to established board games, to prototype games that need testing.

The collectible card game room was filled with games and didn’t let up anytime during the weekend. One game I played was Imaginary Friends from Axenic Games. It’s a deck building game centered around mental illnesses and the fun behind having imaginary friends.

Sovereign Chess:

Sovereign Chess is an interesting take on the traditional chess mechanic. What if there were places on the board where, if you landed on it, could control more pieces? That is the premise of this game. It’s got a lot of strategy and it really gives a new spin on chess.

Apotheca:

Apotheca is a simple game where you’re trying to match potions a-la Bejeweled, but puts it in a forum that makes you think it’s a completely different game. It’s a very fun, short, and highly strategic game that scratches that gaming itch without having to commit to a huge block of time.

The Dealers Room had games, games, and more games. Plus a few characters as well 😛

Overall., if you’re in the market for analog games, this is definitely the place to go. With games discounts everywhere and lots of space to taste test them, this is a no brainer. If you want more information on Strategicon, check the link here.