Millennium Blades is a winning hand for people who want to play collectible card games in a more compact package. Developed by David B. Talton Jr. and his company Level 99 Games, it’s a CCG simulation board game that captures the feel of collecting cards, deck building, and playing in card game tournaments. TechRaptor gave it a 9.5, and it was the Cardboard Republic Immersionist Laurel Winner in 2016.
It's now on Kickstarter for a final expansion, Millennium Blades: Collusion, which will include team mode, 6 new characters, over 400 additional cards, and other features.
The goal for this expansion is to raise $75,000 within 25 days.
Team mode will provide new strategies for 3-6 players, something made possible by a board from the Collusion expansion that can fit everyone. According to a Level 99 Games blog post, team mode can be played in either 2v2, 3v3, or 2v2v2 matches, encouraging cooperation and fusing decks to win.
Characters joining the roster include distinct individuals, like a ghost pirate free to play after his thousand-year ban is finally lifted, and a sentient card printing press that gathers market research directly from the tournament scene.
Artist Fábio Fontes returns for Millennium Blades: Collusion with illustrations for 20 new card sets—promo, master, premium, and expansion—tailored for both experienced and new players. (Fontes creates all the art for Level 99 Games’ CCG simulator.)
The expansion will also update gameplay. For instance, during the game’s deck building phase, converting money into victory points will be replaced by quest-giving NPCs. A full rulebook with the new gameplay updates will be added to the Kickstarter soon.
The box for the Millennium Blades: Collusion expansion can also be used to store an entire card collection, and it will come with other organizational tools, like trays for tokens.
Stretch goals will come with every delivery of the Collusion expansion. They include 6 new venues at $90,000, upgraded components at $105,000, and a new card set for deck enhancement during tournament play at $120,000.
These stretch goals seem to be part of an evolving list, as indicated by a "to be continued" tagline at the bottom.
The Collusion expansion will not be made available through retail later, the only ways players will be able to get their hands on it is through the Kickstarter campaign or the Level 99 Games store.
New crossover sets—characters from other games mixing it up with the Millennium Blades roster—are part of the new Level 99 Games Kickstarter. The cards will include mash-ups with other companies like SlugFest Games and Studio Woe. (Pooky from SlugFest Games’ The Red Dragon Inn featured in a previous crossover with Level 99 Games’ EXCEED Fighting System.)
Although these crossover sets will be available after the fundraising campaign ends, they will be part of the rewards for pledge tiers that cost $60 and more.
Level 99 Games have tried to simplify their pledge tiers, dividing them into categories for veteran players, new players, and creators—people who can help decide what new content will be added to the game.
For $20, veteran players can get all the new crossover sets; and for $60, they'll get the crossover sets along with the Collusion expansion (and again for pledges starting at $60, any fulfilled stretch goals will be included).
For the same pledge of $60, new players can get the base game of Millennium Blades with the new crossover sets. They will have to pledge $100 to get all of that with the Collusion expansion. If they want previous expansions like Set Rotation and extra goodies like an art book for the game, they will have to pledge $220.
The creator level starts at $250 and goes up to $1500, and awards for this pledge tier include having your likeness turned into an NPC card, or developing a new 12-card set based on a theme you pick.
Possible campaign risks include different shipping costs as Kickstarter rewards are delivered to people around the world. Other risks may include possible delays in art, production, and delivery. Stretch goals that might become available and fulfilling various reward tiers could also delay the project’s timeline.
But should any of that happen, Level 99 Games says that they will keep people informed with project updates.
Level 99 Games even promises that if people are not happy with their Collusion expansion within the first 30 days after successful delivery, they will offer a full refund without asking for the product back. Level 99 Games just asks them to donate the game to somewhere local, like a school or library.
Accountability like that fits Level 99 Games, an experienced card and board game publisher. They have delivered over 18 Kickstarter-backed games, like BattleCON, Argent: the Consortium, Pixel Tactics, and the original base game of Millennium Blades.
With the track history of Level 99 Games, the Kickstarter for their Collusion expansion seems like a good fit for long-time fans of Millennium Blades who want more of the CCG board game, and a good starting point for any new players that show interest.