Wyrmspan’s Designer Is Officially Unveiling a New Cozy Board Game at Essen
Designer Connie Vogelmann, known for her nature-inspired board game successes including Apiary (2023) and Wyrmspan (2024), is unveiling her latest creation, Tideward, at the Essen Game Fair in Germany on October 22. The cozy board game continues Vogelmann’s tradition of drawing inspiration from the natural world, this time focusing on sea turtles.
Tideward accommodates two to four players who work cooperatively to guide newly hatched sea turtles from the beach to the safety of underwater algal mats, protecting them from predators along the way. On each turn, players can perform up to three actions: hatching eggs, gathering food to sustain the turtles’ journey, or moving the hatchlings toward their destination. The game’s scoring system rewards strategic placement of turtles across different algal mats, each offering unique point values based on turtle arrangement. Players also employ secret quest cards to pursue individual objectives, adding layers of strategy and personal goals to the gameplay.
The announcement marks another addition to Vogelmann’s growing portfolio of accessible, nature-themed games that emphasize thoughtful design and thematic coherence. Tideward will be available for hands-on demonstrations at Essen, one of Europe’s largest board game conventions, giving players their first opportunity to experience the new title.