Thematic

Thematic Games contain a strong theme which drives the overall game experience, creating a dramatic story ("narrative") similar to a book or action movie. Some well-known examples are Battlestar Galactica, Twilight Imperium and War of the Ring.

This type of game often features player to player direct conflict (with the chance of elimination), dice rolling, and plastic miniatures.

A Thematic Game is usually created around its main dramatic theme, which its rules and mechanics aim to depict. Themes typically involve fighting or good-versus-evil conflicts with heroes and villains. Science fiction and fantasy themes are common.

This is contrasted with Strategy Games, also known as "Eurogames." Eurogames are usually built around an elegant set of mechanics, with a more general theme (e.g. Power Grid or Agricola). Themes tend to invoke more everyday events such as trading and building.

Thematic Games are sometimes called Experience Games or "Ameritrash" games (meaning "American-style boardgames"). The latter name can be controversial, but is generally embraced by long-time lovers of the genre and is not considered derogatory.

Thematic Games Ranking

Reference on BGG

Last Stand – Entry #8634

As Presented in January 2025

Designer(s) | Matthew Scorza

Last Stand Episode 2. White text on Black background.

Last Stand is a cooperative boss battler, in which players will work together to pilot their mechs, fight off the invaders, and try keeping damage to their city to a minimum.

Game Length

45 min

Player Count

2 - 4

Intended Audience

Casual:
This game expects players to focus more on social interaction than strategy and/or takes under 45 minutes to play in full, including the rules teach.

Medium:
This game involves some strategy and takes 45-90 minutes to play, with no more than 15-20 minutes of that time spent on the rules teach.

Heavy:
This game focuses on strategy and takes 90 minutes or more to play, with 20 minutes or more of that time spent on the rules teach.

Development Status

New:
This is more of an idea to workshop than a game.

Middling:
You have playtested the prototype before, but you expect it to still have bugs.

Nearing Completion:
You know the game works but are trying minor adjustments.

Final Testing:
This will feel pretty close to playing a published game, but you’re still taking feedback.

Publication Path

Self Publishing
The game creator(s) will handle marketing, sales, distribution, and all other logistics of bringing the game to market.

Looking for a Publisher
The game creator(s) are looking for someone to partner with them to handle some or all of the process of bringing the game to market.

Under Contract with a Publisher
The game creator(s) have found a company or individual who will partner with them to handle some or all of the process of bringing the game to market. The publisher and designer might be the same person, but, beyond the self publishing option, a game that is “with a publisher” will publish under a brand that publishes for a variety of designers.

No Plans to Publish
The game creator(s) will not make this game available for sale to the public. The fun of creating and playing the game is all the reward they need.

Publication Method

Crowdfunding
The publisher will produce the game after a large group of people have paid in advance. Crowdfunding platforms include Kickstarter, Crowd Sales through The Game Crafter, Gamefound, Indiegogo, etc.

Retail Distribution
The publisher will distribute the game to retailers such as friendly local games stores (FLGS), Target, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Cool Stuff Inc., etc.

Print on Demand
Also known as POD. The manufacturer can print one copy at a time so that the seller doesn’t need to carry inventory. Popular POD services include The Game Crafter, Drive Thru Cards/RPG, and Board Games Maker.

Another Publishing Method
Other methods may include handmade games, print and play or monthly subscription games, creating a seller account on an online marketplace like Amazon or Etsy, and/or selling from your own website — or anything else the publisher can dream up!

Crowdfunding Status

Planning Stage
The campaign is not yet open for backer pledges. Interested players may be able to follow the project on social media and/or via email updates.

Late Stage
The campaign is either open for backer pledges or has recently finished funding. The publisher is making final tweaks to the product before sending final files to the manufacturer.

Rework Stage
A crowdfunding campaign launched in the past did not meet its funding goal or was cancelled before the campaign ended. The publisher plans to launch a new campaign using lessons learned from past campaign(s).

None
There is no plan for a crowdfunding campaign at this time.

Thematic

As Presented in January 2025

Designer(s) | Matthew Scorza

Game Length

Player Count

Audience

Dev. Status

Playtest Platform(s)