A little worker placement, a lot of resource management, and some area control all in a competitive real-time game.

Ten months ago Kate says "make a game that'll fit in this!"

A tin that's less than half the size of Mint Tin Pirates & Mint Tin Aliens!

Well here it is: Mint Tin Mini Apocalypse and a short 20 Day Kickstarter.

Kickstarter Staff Pick! Thank you backers!

This guy is awesome! - Jason Hancock & Jason Washburn

Tons of laughter and a bit of contention. This is another great Mint Tin Game! - Amy Pitt

BGG's cinderbike made a microbadge for MTMA. It's awesome!

This game is fast and furious addictive fun!!! - MTMA Tournaments at STGCON

You feel a lot of anxiety in a good way. - Spaghetti Meeples

Increase your odds of survival by backing this project. - Chaz Marler, PairofDice Paradise

David’s design practices are really interesting and thought provoking - TabletopTorch

Expect total chaos. - Creaking Shelves

Some madman was challenged to create a game that would fit in an Altoids Small tin. - Purple Pawn

Freakin' amazing! A ton of replayability. - NVS Gameplays

I find myself thinking about what I might do next time. - BGG Admin Roger

Frantic, dice chucking awesome! - BoardGameDuel

Plays as well as some big games. - Bored? Games!

Ingenious. More than meets the eye. - Christopher Richter

You will have fun with this tiny game. - Kurt Aumueller

Simple, fast, chaotic, very fun. Great satisfaction! - LilloJEUX

This project is to fund a really tiny apocalypse. A microgame that can be played almost anywhere - waiting for lunch, hanging out in the kitchen with friends, or even in a tent (or a doomsday bunker).

Fast-to-learn, easy-to-play, and frantically fun!

The funding's for the game components - not labor, post office trips, or coffee - just the meeples, dice, and tins I need to build the games and get them into your hands.

This game is from maker to player and all of the components come from US vendors.

Backing this project has a tiny positive impact on real people in these places.

It’s a nice day in Meepleton. You and your friends are enjoying the day without a care in the world when suddenly . . .

BOOM! Transformers blow, cars crash, people fall to the ground. Phew, you’re wobbly but okay.

RAWR! Nearby a giant, nefarious monster wreaks havoc! Be forewarned: this is no B-movie monster. It has its own intelligence, specifically level 2 AI (artificial intelligence) as defined by Tom Jolly.

Hurry! Get your team to the school's forgotten fallout shelter.

Once two or more of your team members make it inside the shelter, send out a reconnaissance pair to grab supplies. One box is plenty and it doesn't matter who grabs it. But the monster spots you once you do - you gotta be fast!

The shelter holds a max of 7 and it takes 4 from the same team to pull the door closed.

Do what you must to survive - If you're standing outside, knock down an opponent and make them scramble to their feet again. If you're in the shelter, shove them out and make room for your team.

Once the fallout shelter is closed, it sucks to be outside!

But wait! It might not be over if you spot a manhole cover. Grab it and knock the monster down or use it to pry open the fallout shelter. If you grab the cover before you secure the box of supplies, the nefarious monster notices you. Don't waste time and be careful!

This is a simultaneous, competitive, and frantic 2 player game all packed into a tiny tin. So ridiculously small that it makes other microgames look monstrously huge!

Luck is no longer chance - it’s your predominant resource. Maximize it with your best split-second decisions. Relentless decisions until the very end.

Events outside your control require high situational awareness and demand an overall strategy supported by instinctual tactical actions.

A single wrong action can determine your survival. A few wrong decisions by both of you can mean the end of humanity.

Here are the basic game components:

hand-pressed game tin (the fallout shelter or FoS)

five 12mm d6 Chessex dice (in 3 colors)

ten 12mm mini meeples (2 colors)

a standard 16mm meeple (the nefarious monster)

two 8mm cubes (your survival supplies)

instructions on waterproof REVLAR paper

a mini game poster (sleeved but doesn't fit in tin)

PLUS a solid brass manhole cover token

Manhole Expansion token & instructions not shown

They may be tiny, but these components have the power to make or break you. Here’s more background:

The game tin

As the fallout shelter (FoS), the game tin is a component itself. Made of steel, it fits the rugged doomsday apocalyptic theme. In keeping with the maker to player philosophy, I emboss the tins myself; I designed a pair of embossing plates and had them 3D printed in stainless steel then use an arbor press (29 second video).

The result: A super tiny game box tough enough for doomsday preppers and unique enough for avid gamers.

The dice

You might think you’re in charge, but no matter how much strategy you have, luck always plays a part in your survival. Chaos and unpredictability oppose you at every turn. This is, after all, the apocalypse!

When you use dice head-to-head like this, it's no longer just luck - there are 1,876 books on Craps - a 2 dice game! Dice are often a random event mechanic in games, here they're your resources.

The manhole cover

At the last minute, a manhole cover was added as an expansion - the Manhole Expansion!

Ready for more high-pressure strategy? With the Manhole Expansion, the monster's after you the moment you claim the manhole cover.

Why would anyone do that? To pressure their opponent!

The little solid brass manhole cover is a minted coin – not cast - so rest easy, it will survive many apocalypses.

The instructions

The game tin isn't the only rugged thing. Game instructions are printed on REVLAR paper - a waterproof and tear-resistant paper used for geocaching and maps. Since everything's dumped out for each game, the instructions have to be tougher than that non-apocalyptic glossy paper.

PairOfDice Paradise - Mint Tin Mini Apocalypse Overview

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NVS Gameplays - Kickstarter Preview! - Mini apocalypse, Major fun?

. . freakin' amazing! You're totally engaged. Like an actual mini apocalypse happening on the table.

. . . pulled off so awesome and so simply . . .

Your strategy has to change based on what the other player's doing. A ton of replayability and a ton of fun. - NVS Gameplays

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[Roger's Reviews] Mint Tin Mini Apocalypse: The Magnificent Seven Minutes

I find myself thinking about what I might do next time.

You get engrossed in the race to the shelter, especially if you dial up the monster.

When I want a short game, a small footprint, and fun, this is a game I'll be reaching into my pocket for.- leroy43

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The Cardboard Dungeon: Mint Tin Mini Apocalypse Review

I like the game a lot. - The Cardboard Dungeon

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Bored? Games! First Impressions: Mint Tin Mini Apocalypse

The feeling of constant hope is invigorating. And a mix of disappointment and rage. You work so hard and your opponent knocks your hard work down.

An emotional roller coaster. To get this across in such a small game is really a large feat. It plays as well as some big games.

I think everyone should have a copy and fall in love with this game. - Bored? Games!

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Board Game Duel - Mint Tin Mini Apocalypse Review

Frantic, dice chucking awesome!

To make the game even more exciting, there's a soundtrack. The soundtrack provides an awesome ambiance.

The Manhole Expansion adds strategy and depth. - Board Game Duel

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Boardgaming For The Win - The Apocalypse has come to Meepleton

David creates ingenious worlds. More to this game than meets the eye.

Super affordable, easy to learn and play, and very portable as it will fit right into your pocket. I recommend backing Mint Tin Mini Apocalypse. - Christopher Richter

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Bad Moon Rising: An MFGCast review of Mint Tin Mini Apocalypse

Some companies have a knack for light games and that’s subQuark Games with Mint Tin Min Apocalypse.

You will have fun with this tiny game. You can also make up your own fun rules to spice it up! - Kurt Aumueller

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LilloJEUX - Notre critique du jeu Mint Tin Mini Apocalypse (French)

"It's really crazy! I got carried away by the theme!

The metal game box makes all the difference - we move our pieces into it, throw out opponents, and then you close it with great satisfaction!

Simple, fast, chaotic, very fun - brings out a nice competition.

The extension adds even more chaos that I love.

I recommend it highly! - LilloJEUX

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ClubFantasci - Mint Tin Mini Apocalypse Kickstarter Review

You feel like you’re barely hanging on, as it should in an apocalypse.

A short, tense game that tests your hand-eye coordination and rapid decision making skills.

A good fit for families since you can slow the game down by switching to single rolls at a time. This makes for a good exercise in counting, prioritizing and lite decision making, great skills to learn in a fun way.

If you love micro games, this is one to certainly back! - Maurice Fitzgerald

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Crowdfunding Highlights

A worker-placement, resource-management, area-control dice game.

A crazy little game about the apocalypse that you can play during the apocalypse: the rules are on a waterproof, tear-resistant paper!

Grab your copy! - Thomas Deeny

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Creaking Shelves Mint Tin Mini Apocalypse

Expect total chaos and maybe even tales of noble sacrifice, as players can feed their meeples to slow the monster, and gain respect points even if they don’t get into the shelter. - Creaking Shelves

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Mint Tin Mini Apocalypse – Episode #49 Startup Gamers Podcast

I flippin' love this game! The quality is superb. - Matt Ballert

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Spaghetti & Meeples Looks at Mint Tin Mini Apocalypse

You feel a lot of anxiety in a good way.

And it's great! A lot of fun packed into it. - Spaghetti Meeples

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Sweet Kicks with Bricks 64: Mint Tin Mini Apocalypse

A podcast interview of me talking Barry Rick's ear off!

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Homemaker Hobbies - Mint Tin Mini Apocalypse

Do you enjoy worker placement games? How about area control? Trying to survive the impending doom of the apocalypse?

This game is a lot of fun! It's fast paced with no down time at all. It plays quickly and can be played anywhere.

It's also a great way to help teach kids math. You need to be able to add quickly but is easy enough that children can play. Whenever this game is played, there is tons of laughter and a bit of contention. This is another great Mint Tin Game! - Amy Pitt

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Click for Instagram link in tweet

Here's a 5 minute run through of the basic game with annotations. This is standard play without the Manhole Expansion. Fine tune the game with three different play modes and/or dial down the monster to make it attack faster.

This game may seem to be luck based, but it's all about using that luck as your resources. Almost every action needs a roll of 7s but it's what you do with those 7s that matters - both for your survival and the survival of the human race!

Click for full-size

Kickstarter exclusive PnP

This reward has the PDF instructions ready to score, cut, and fold. It has the manhole cover art, the game mat (its actual size is 8.5 by 11 inches, so you'll need to shrink it for most printers), and the journal.

And the art for the mini game poster and the epic downloadable MP3 soundtrack.

Add your own tin, meeples, cubes, and dice, and let the apocalypse begin!

This reward will be available Sunday August 23rd with an update for backers only.

Mint Tin Mini Apocalypse (MTMA & ME)

Manhole Expansion token & instructions not shown

Everything you need to unleash the apocalypse onto the world! (Well, to play the game with a friend.)

The basic game with meeples, monster, cubes, dice, instructions, and the tin (FoS). It comes with a sleeved mini game poster and the downloadable MP3 soundtrack. Plus the Manhole Expansion manhole cover and its instructions.

Our friend Nick Shaw has created solo, three-player (someone is the monster), and four-player variants. And we will have French, German, and Portuguese translations on subQuark.com.

Mint Tin Mini Apocalypse Deluxe (MTMA DELUXE & ME2)

Manhole Expansion token, instructions, & Mini Journal not shown

The basic game with meeples, monster, cubes, dice, instructions, and the tin (FoS). It comes with a sleeved mini game poster and the downloadable MP3 soundtrack. Plus the Manhole Expansion manhole cover and its instructions.

And this reward comes with the added deluxe components of a mini game mat, mini journal, and an extra manhole cover.

These can enhance and extend the tiny pandemonium of Mint Tin Mini Apocalypse. The mini game mat provides a dice rolling surface, similar to full-sized mats, which helps keep excited rolls close at hand.

The game mat is themed with an isometric view of Meepleton. Extend the chaos with your own scenarios, such as "get Alice out of prison" or "Cordelia was in the Burrito place, we gotta save her!"

The game mat rolls up and is easy to carry. It doesn't fit in the tin, though, which is so tiny it fits into a Levis' watch pocket! (Finally, something for that kooky pocket!)

The mini journal is a 4.75-inch square booklet that lets you record game scores to earn bragging rights and claim virtual victory badges. Kind of like box-topping on the go.

Prove your mettle and pwn your opponents with documented proof of your awesome apocalyptic survival skills!

Speaking of mettle - or metal - the extra manhole cover is for your own variants. Maybe one's an entrance and the other's an exit, or each team has their own. On the back is the subQuark hand - maybe that's a radiation hot zone or a locked area - you decide and make the game your own.

The only thing we gave the artist, Ing, were the game instructions. No other guidance.

Ing captured the 10 players, high school setting (Meepleton High - Home of the Cavaliers - a reference to the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse?), fallout shelter, and terror perfectly.

Your Mini Game Poster comes in an Ultra Pro Deck Protector Sleeve to help it survive the apocalypse!

Art by Ing

Ross Bugden, film composer, is incredibly talented and generous. He lent us his phenomenal soundtracks for this game.

We edited in apocalyptic sounds and cues. The first two tracks start with pleasant Meepleton ambiance to give you 30 seconds to setup before the mini apocalypse ensues. The third is a quick start for pros and preppers.

Track One RUN on YouTube (city sidewalk)

on YouTube (city sidewalk) Track Two UNSTOPPABLE (town carnival)

(town carnival) Track Three CHAOS RAPTURE (quick start)

These tracks are also available with added repeats as extended play (EP) versions plus an instrumental track without the sound effects for a more relaxed and less intense experience. You get 7 tracks as MP3 downloads.

I love Kickstarter. Regular people can share their dreams with all of us.

Keeping this close to home is key for this maker to player project. Like the map shows, we source in the US with dice from Indiana, game pieces from Florida, plastic bags from Ohio, tins from New Jersey, instruction paper from New Hampshire, labels from Rhode Island, and minted coins from Ohio.

It comes together in Portsmouth, New Hampshire - on a dining room table. But none of this happens without you.

Nope. That's because this game is complete.

The Manhole Expansion would have been a great stretch goal. But the added play and strategy it adds makes it obvious to include.

Minted in Ohio by a private mint founded in 1835

Will these games be in stores?

There are no plans for normal distribution because of the mark-ups:

designer -> manufacturer -> distributor -> store -> you

As maker to player games we skip that to keep the game affordable:

maker -> you

Will this be available online?

This Kickstarter's only for fulfilling rewards - getting this game into your hands.

A second printing may be available later for $16 or $17 for the basic game and $24 or $25 for the deluxe version.

For our last Kickstarter, we donated games to troops, a veterinary fund, and children's' hospitals. This was possible through generous pledges.

Thank you for looking at this project and sharing the word. =)

We use USPS Priority Mail in the US.

For international shipping, we use USPS First-Class Package International Service.

Here's what we declare for customs:

MTMA - $6

MTMA Deluxe - $12

MTMA DELUXE TWO PACK - $24

MTMA SIX PACK - $36

MTMA TWELVE PACK - $72

COLLECTOR'S EDITION - $200

Label on the back of the game

Mint Tin Mini Apocalypse will be registered with the US Copyright Office.

A copy of the game will be housed at the US Library of Congress. That's kind of cool.

Maybe if the President gets ushered to a top secret bunker, he or she will ask for Mint Tin Mini Apocalypse as a way to pass the time.

We'll send the MTMA Deluxe version because the President of the United States deserves that added luxury.

The first Kickstarter was a blast and both games have ratings on BoardGameGeek around an 8 each.

I know many of you have a Kickstarter budget (I do too), so I really appreciate your support.

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