MINDBUG at Essen SPIEL

• Accessibility of a simple card game but strategic depth of a complex trading card game
• Unique Mindbug mechanic allows for unparalleled elegance and balancing
• Design team includes industry veteran and creator of Magic: The Gathering, Richard Garfield
• Limited edition available at Essen Spiel 2021. Kickstarter campaign to follow soon

Alzenau/Germany, 13/09/2021 – Publisher Nerdlab Games proudly announces its dueling card game Mindbug which will be presented to the public as a limited edition at Essen Spiel (booth number: 6G113), 14. – 17. October 2021 in Essen, Germany. This limited edition is called “First Contact” and was co-designed by Christian Kudahl, Marvin Hegen and industry veterans Richard Garfield and Skaff Elias.

Mindbug is a dueling card game in which you will summon weird hybrid creatures like Snail Hydras, Compost Dragons, or the mighty Kangasaurus Rex and send them to battle against your opponent.

Marvin Hegen, co-designer of and publisher for Mindbug said: “Mindbug combines the accessibility of a simple card game with the strategic depth of a Trading Card Game in a way that I have never seen before. It is super easy to get into for new players but challenges even hardcore gamers. Our main goal was to remove everything we disliked about Trading Card Games like pay to win, randomness and complexity while keeping everything we loved like strategic depth, challenging choices and crazy card combos. The result is a unique card battler that feels like a TCG in a box.“

Core of the game is its unique Mindbug mechanic. Richard Garfield, member of the design team said: “I was intrigued when I first experienced how cards were balanced in Mindbug… each player can, twice each game, simply take a card an opponent plays. When I played I was happy to see the entire game was as elegant as that starting premise, and to be invited to help with the development!”

Mindbug does not require deck construction nor is there a ramp-up phase for gathering resources. Players use and draw from a single deck which also means there is no unfair advantage. So, the size of a player’s card collection does not matter. Furthermore, there are no weak cards. Every single card counts and can lead to victory if played in a smart way.

Nerdlab Games plans on launching a Kickstarter campaign to follow up the limited release in Essen . The goal is to prepare international distribution, release multiplayer game modes and to create new and exciting cards together with the community. Updates on Mindbug will be published via the Mindbug newsletter. You can register here to stay up to date:

You suddenly experience a strange tingling in the back of your head. A voice echoes through your mind: “You are now under my control, earthling! I command you to go and visit the Essen Spiel and check out the Mindbug card game” The voice fades and is gone. Can it be? Was it… the Mindbug? You don’t know. You only know that you have a strong urge to check out the Mindbug card game at Essen Spiel.