Spooky survival roguelike meets the world of tabletop gaming with Don’t Starve: The Board Game

Abigail Shannon
·2 min read
Don't Starve The Board Game promotional image showing the box mock-up of the game.
Don't Starve The Board Game promotional image showing the box mock-up of the game.

Glass Cannon Unplugged have just launched their Kickstarter campaign funding Don’t Starve: The Board Game.  

We've seen plenty of the best board games come out in the past few years but Kickstarter-funded tabletop adaptations of video games are really having a moment right now. It was just last month that Glass Cannon Unplugged announced they were working on Dying Light: The Board Game, adding that to their expansive portfolio of board games like This War of Mine: The Board Game and Apex Legends: The Board Game (which we were very fond of when we previewed it).

Gameplay wise, Don't Starve: The Board Game promises to be chock-full of "mechanics highlighting player choice, dynamic combat, and open-world exploration in night and day conditions". From the looks of the game’s box art and promotional materials, it also keeps that charming Tim Burton-esque art style that players have come to know and love. Turns out that expansions and add-ons are already on the cards too.

A screengrab from Dont Starve showing the main character Wilson
A screengrab from Dont Starve showing the main character Wilson

While Don’t Starve: The Board Game will be able to be played with up to four players, it also will have a solo mode for those who prefer to kick it against the elements alone. You shouldn’t have too much of an issue finding co-survivors though. The healthy 60-90 min gameplay time suggests a moderate level of complexity that doesn’t threaten to scare off all but the nerdiest of board game nerds.

So, rather than strong-arming your Steam friends into each buying a copy of Don’t Starve, you'll soon be able to invite them ‘round to your place to enjoy the survival goodness in board game form. Isn’t there something mighty special about cooperating in real life without technology? How ‘back to nature’ of you – very appropriate for a game that’s all about fending off the horrors of the natural world.

While there will be more news and updates shared via the Don’t Starve: The Board Game Kickstarter page, don't expect to get your hands on the full game until at least Q3 of 2024.

While you're waiting for the release date, why not try out another one of the best board games? Or, if you're tired of losing meeples, give one of the best card games a try instead.