Paperback

About this board game

Paperback is an innovative and engaging fusion of a word game and deck-building board game. Filled with strategy and fun, it draws players into a setting where they are budding authors trying to finish their paperback novels.

Set in the golden age of paperback fiction, players aim to write a bestseller. The player who is most able to master language and combine words into a compelling storyline will emerge victorious. This unique blend of words and strategy makes Paperback a standout in the world of board games.

Core Mechanics:

1. Deck Building: Similar to other deck-building games, players start with a basic deck. This deck is built upon and improved through the acquisition of better cards from a common pool, representing the vocabulary your author has access to. The better your deck, the better your words and scores.
2. Word Creation: Each turn, players draw five cards from their deck and attempt to create the best word they can. Each card has a letter or a combination of letters. The more complex the word, the higher the score.
3. Acquiring New Cards: Once a word is formed, the players score based on their word complexity. This score can be used to acquire more powerful cards, which offer more complex letter combinations, wild cards, or other benefits.
4. Novel Completion: The end game is triggered when two stacks of ‘novel’ cards are depleted. These novel cards are high-value cards that also serve the purpose of a countdown. The player with the highest score wins.

What sets Paperback apart from other board games is its ingenious blending of word game mechanics with the strategic depth of deck-building games. Not only does the game require a solid vocabulary and the ability to craft words from a given set of letters, but it also requires strategic planning and deck management. The charming retro artwork and the thematic integration further enhance the overall gaming experience.