We’re so thrilled to announce that CASTLE PANIC 2ND EDITION has been chosen as the winner of the Best Gift in the Games & Puzzles category for Pop Insider’s 2023 Holiday Gift Guide!
This fifth annual holiday gift guide is Pop Insider’s biggest one yet, and it’s filled with all sorts of fun stuff. We couldn’t be happier to get picked to part of this collection, and we’re excited to hear from new players that get to experience Castle Panic for the first time!
We’re ecstatic to share the news that The Spruce recently added Castle Panic to their list of Best Games! Not only did Castle Panic rank in The 11 Best Cooperative Games but it also was the Top Pick for Best for Families!
The Spruce is a prestigious lifestyle website that helps 385 million annual readers find the best products for their homes, from gardening, home improvement, and cleaning products to décor, furniture, and gifts. If you can find it in your home, The Spruce has a review to guide your decision making.
They research, test, and review independently, following a rigorous editorial process. So, readers can depend on an unbiased recommendation from them. Adding to their credibility is their impressive social media presence: 561K Instagram followers, 742K on TikTok, 868K on Pinterest, and 1.3M on Facebook. The Spruce doesn’t sleep on getting the word out about the amazing products they recommend. Check the main page out as well as the article that lists Castle Panic, and start sprucing up your home!
We’re beyond thrilled to be part of Gen Con 2023. As the Castle Panic Deluxe Collection takes center stage, we invite you to join us at booth 2434 and at our large events. Get ready for exclusive editions, amazing discounts, engaging events, and plenty of gaming fun. Let’s dive into the thrilling plans we have in store for you!
Castle Panic Deluxe Collection and More: Prepare for a gaming feast as we present the Castle Panic Deluxe Collection at our booth. This extraordinary collection includes the highly sought-after deluxe versions of the Castle Panic base game, all four expansions (The Wizard’s Tower, The Dark Titan, Engines of War, and Crowns and Quests), a playmat, plus all of the promos ever made for the game. Immerse yourself in the ultimate Castle Panic adventure with the monster minis on rotatable bases, wood tokens, plastic castle pieces, and more.
Deluxe Bundle Offer: Looking for deluxe versions of just the most popular expansions? Our Castle Panic Deluxe Bundle is designed to deliver just what you want. During Gen Con, we’re offering the Castle Panic Deluxe Bundle at a special discounted price. This incredible package includes Castle Panic Deluxe, The Wizard’s Tower Deluxe, Crowns and Quests Deluxe, and an epic playmat. Normally valued at $310, you can snag this exclusive bundle for only $250 (while supplies last). Don’t miss out on this extraordinary opportunity to elevate your Castle Panic gameplay!
Small Games Bundle: Looking for travel-sized gaming adventures? Our Small Games Bundle is here to deliver! Priced at only $75 (a $110 value), this bundle features Here, Kitty, Kitty!, Bears!, Dastardly Dirigibles, and Stringamajig. As a special treat, we’ve included free promos to enhance your gaming experience even further.
Promos Galore: We believe in sharing the love of gaming, which is why we’re thrilled to offer a free promo with every game purchase at Gen Con (while supplies last). These game-enhancing goodies are our way of saying thank you for being part of the Fireside Games family.
Exciting Events: Step into Castle Panic Adventures: Get ready to embark on thrilling Castle Panic adventures with our exclusive Gen Con events:
We can’t wait to see you at Gen Con 2023. Visit us at booth 2434 to immerse yourself in the Castle Panic universe. Discover the Castle Panic Deluxe Collection, take advantage of the Castle Panic Deluxe Bundle and the Small Games Bundle, and collect free promos with your purchases. Don’t miss our thrilling events centered around The Wizard’s Tower and Crowns and Quests expansions. Let’s make Gen Con an unforgettable gaming extravaganza together. See you there!
We are so thrilled to announce that My First Castle Panic has won the PAL Award (Play on Words.com). The PAL Award was established to recognize “exceptional toys, games and books/media that, through their design, content, quality, and character, promote play that advances language” and is led by Erika Cardomone, MS, CCC-SLP. Erika’s training as a speech-language pathologist and her 15 years of working and playing with children has prepared her to analyze and offer keen insights on how products can support learning and communication.
When Ms. Cardomone saw My First Castle Panic, she recognized the ongoing developmental focus on the game. Her review specifies the way My First Castle Panic helps children sequence information, use temporal words (such as first, next, then, and last), tell stories, and develop language generally. She also notes how the cooperative nature of the game encourages conversation and strategic planning. You can read her full review here.
It’s an honor to be included in such a stellar group of products and to be acknowledged for the language support inherent in My First Castle Panic. We feel seen!
Justin recently sat down (virtually) with Richard for a fun chat on the We’re Not Wizards podcast.
They discussed the thermodynamics of tea, what kind of kid Justin was growing up, selling games in today’s market, and “squeaky bum” moments. It really is all that and a bag of chips, or “crisps” rather.
You can listen to the podcast on the player above, or visit We’re Not Wizards to hear all the shenanigans for yourself.
Engines of War 2e is available now in your favorite stores! We’re so excited to announce that today is the day you can pick up the second edition of Engines of War, the expansion to Castle Panic that adds a simple economic system to the game experience. With a brand-new look for this expansion, players are introduced to the Engineer to build new weapons and defenses. Monsters are always lurking nearby, and this Monster army attacks with new ranks and powerful Siege Engines! Good thing players can order up a barricade or a catapult.
The new Resource deck and Engineer build options provide new interesting choices. Should you set a Spring Trap for that Troll coming into the Red Swordsman area? Or shoot the Ballista at the Breathtaker in the Blue Archer space?
The new Monster abilities and threats also require broader strategy decisions. Should you take out the Shaman, who heals all Monsters in the same color for 1 point of health every turn? Or focus on whittling down the Battering Ram, which takes no damage from Castle structures, before it gets to the Castle ring? Every new Monster affects the conditions of battle differently.
The new Keep, Catapult, and Ballista tokens enhance the 3D look of the game. It’s fun to actually place the defensive weapons on the board as the Monsters approach.
The Second Edition includes not only all new art but also heavier card stock and a few rules updates.
Of course, Engines of War is also available in the Castle Panic Big Box, which is the all-in-one collection! This huge box includes Castle Panic base game and four expansions—Engines of War, The Wizard’s Tower, Crowns and Quests, and The Dark Titan—plus 13 promo items in the new art style of second edition.
Engines of War Second Edition is a great way for fans to deepen and extend their Castle Panic experience. Pick a copy up in stores today!
Castle Panic® has earned the prestigious Mom’s Choice Award®. Having been rigorously evaluated by a panel of MCA evaluators, Castle Panic is deemed to be among the best products for families.
The MCA evaluation process uses a propriety methodology in which entries are scored on a number of elements including production quality, design, educational value, entertainment value, originality, appeal, and cost.
“We are thrilled to earn the Mom’s Choice Awards Honoring Excellence Seal of Approval,” says Anne-Marie De Witt, co-founder of Fireside Games. “We know all the great things the MCA does to connect consumers, educators, and caregivers with the best products and services available for families.”
To be considered for an award, each entrant submits five (5) identical samples for testing. Entries are matched to evaluators in the MCA database. Evaluators are bound by a strict code of ethics not only to ensure objectivity, but also to ensure that the evaluation is free from manufacturer influence. The five evaluations are submitted to the MCA Executive Committee for final review and approval.
“Our aim to introduce families and educators to best-in-class products and services,” explains Dawn Matheson, Executive Director of the Mom’s Choice Awards. “We have a passion to help families grow emotionally, physically and spiritually. Parents and educators know that products and services bearing our seal of approval are high-quality and also a great value. The MCA evaluation program is designed to incorporate the expertise of scientists, physicians and other specialists; but we also engage parents, children, educators, and caregivers because they are experts in knowing what is best for their families.”
With the evaluation now complete, the testing samples of Castle Panic will be donated to schools, libraries, hospitals and nonprofit organizations.
The Mom’s Choice Awards® (MCA) evaluates products and services created for children, families and educators. The program is globally recognized for establishing the benchmark of excellence in family-friendly media, products and services. The organization is based in the United States and has reviewed thousands of entries from more than 55 countries.
Around the world, parents, educators, retailers and members of the media look for the MCA mother-and-child Honoring Excellence seal of approval when selecting quality products and services for children and families.
Learn more about the Mom’s Choice Awards by visiting their website: www.MomsChoiceAwards.com.
Today’s the day! After years of work, we are super excited to launch Castle Panic Second Edition. With all new art, heavier card stock, and a custom die, this version looks better than ever.
In addition, we are launching the newest expansion, Crowns and Quests. This expansion adds 12 playable characters with unique powers and 18 Quests that completely change how the game ends. you can search the forest for magic scrolls, assemble magic portals to teleport the Castle to safety, and more. The combination of character powers and variety of quests means you’ll have almost endless adventures in Crowns and Quests. Fans of the first edition of Castle Panic will be happy to know that none of the components of Crowns and Quests are combined with any other components, so this expansion is completely compatible with the game they have at home.
For the fan who wants it all, we are also launching the Castle Panic Big Box Second Edition. This all-in-one box contains second editions of all the Castle Panic games (Castle Panic, The Wizard’s Tower, The Dark Titan, Engines of War) and Crowns and Quests. The Big Box also comes with 6 promo towers and 7 promo cards to round out the complete collection.
Insider tip: The Wizard’s Tower, The Dark Titan, and Engines of War won’t be released on their own until January, February, and March, so the Castle Panic Big Box is a great way to get them to your table right now.
More details on any of the games can be found in this post.
Thank all of you for your support and enthusiasm over the years. We can’t wait for you to try Crowns and Quests and enjoy these beautiful new editions. Good luck defending Castle Bravehold!
We love a good cup of coffee while playing a game here at the Fireside Games office, and we’re betting you might too. We recently had the fine people at Brez Coffee Company reach out and send us some samples of their flavored coffees with very fanciful names.
We brewed up a few cups of fun flavors like “Minty Explosion”, “I Cast Fireball”, “Dark Knight Mocha,” and Justin’s favorite, “Dragons Breath” (a cinnamon dulce blend).
After chatting with them and learning how they are making coffee by gamers, for gamers, we came up with a fun cross-promotion that we’re running together.
They have lots of tasty game-themed flavors to choose from, including a “Fireside S’mores” roast made especially for us! It’s got a chocolate and marshmallow flavor that will go great with playing games on a cool fall evening.
If you’re not into flavored coffees, you can pick up some of their “Critical Dark” for a simple, good dark roast.
We hope you enjoy this offer as we move into the cooler fall weather and get ready for lots of gaming indoors with a hot cup of coffee!
In cooperation with RPG Travel, we are thrilled to announce the Castle Panic Boardgaming Tour of Scotland to launch the second edition of Castle Panic. Join us October 9-16, 2022 to sightsee and play board games in castles and other venues throughout Scotland. One stop that we are particularly excited about is Duarte Castle, home of Clan MacLean, from which Justin descended. Games will include the Castle Panic Deluxe Collection and a giant version of the second edition of Castle Panic. The full itinerary may be viewed below.
To join the tour, you can sign up by clicking here or below. If 30 travelers sign up, the price per person will be reduced by $350. We hope you can make it. It’s going to be so fun!
Day 1 (October 10, Monday) – The group will arrive mid-morning into Edinburgh airport. Meet your guide and proceed into central Edinburgh. On arrival, there will be a guided panoramic tour of this amazing city featuring Old and New Towns and the Royal Mile. Later this afternoon, there will be a ‘City of the Dead’ walking tour of Edinburgh Old Town followed by a visit to the famous Edinburgh Castle (guided tour on the outside). Enjoy a group dinner at the hotel restaurant. |
Day 2 (October 11, Tuesday) – Enjoy a morning gaming session at The Caves, a truly unique venue that makes up the substructure of the 18th century South Bridge. There was once so much Scottish whiskey stored here that it became known as ‘Whisky Row.’ Non-gamers will experience a visit to a traditional farm, tasting local cheeses, pastries and participate in a hands-on lunch experience. Afterwards, enjoy afternoon tea time at a local and intimate restaurant. Later in the evening, attend the ‘Taste of Scotland’ dinner show at the Prestonfield Stables. Experience a night of Scottish music, dancing and entertainment.
Day 3 (October 12, Wednesday) – After breakfast at the hotel, enjoy free time for sightseeing and shopping in the city this morning. The group will meet around late morning and drive to Stirling for some free time and lunch in the town of Stirling. Next head to the Wallace Monument to take a self guided walking tour, followed by a private tour of Stirling Castle, one of Scotland’s grandest castles. You will also learn about Wallace Monument which stands facing Stirling and is the location of the Stirling Bridge. Afterwards, enjoy dinner, gaming and drinks in the castle. Gaming will begin again after dinner.
Day 4 (October 13, Thursday) – Depart for a full day excursion to the scenic region of the Highlands. This is the largest region of Scotland of nearly 10,000 square miles which includes the UK’s highest mountains and the beautiful Loch Ness. In this region, you will visit Blair Castle (self-guided tour), known to be the home to 19 generations of Stewarts and Murrays of Atholl. Also experience a whisky distillery for a tour and tasting. There will be a gaming session in Blair Castle as well.
Day 5 (October 14, Friday) – After breakfast, depart the hotel and travel to the Isle of Mull today. This isle of over 338 square miles with the highest peak at 3,169 feet. Take the ferry from Oban to Craignure. On arrival, travel to Duart Castle for a guided tour followed by lunch at a nearby restaurant. Duart Castle is a 14th-century keep that sits atop a rock face at the end of a peninsula. It’s also the home of Clan MacLean, which is Justin’s ancestral clan. In the afternoon, enjoy a gaming session in Duart Castle! Return by ferry to Oban and check in to your hotel.
Day 6 (October 15, Saturday) – Depart hotel this morning and drive south via Loch Lomond and then to Glasgow. Loch Lomond is a beautiful freshwater loch surrounded by beautiful hills and is part of The Trossachs National Park. Enjoy some free time in Glasgow, known for its Victorian architecture and vibrant art scene, for independent sightseeing or shopping before continuing to the airport hotel for your last evening in Scotland and gaming session. Farewell group dinner this evening.
| Day 7 (October 16, Sunday) – Spend the morning at your leisure before heading to the airport for your return flight back to the U.S., arriving on the same day. |
| “This itinerary is subject to change without prior approval. Please note that if a last-minute cancellation occurs, a replacement visit of equal value will be arranged. Price per person based on double occupancy (based on minimum 20 travelers), $3,550 *Single room supplement – $675 Payment Schedule: June 15, 2022 – $500 Non-Refundable Deposit Due August 15, 2022 – $ Remaining Balance Due *3% transaction fee for all credit cards Included: Ready to play gaming venues (15+ hours) minis, games, accessories, table experiences, prize drawings, and giveaways, accommodations, bus transportation, guide tours/technical visits, entrance fees that are included are noted in the above itinerary, meals as indicated on itinerary (water, coffee or tea): B= Breakfast L= Lunch D= Dinner Not Included: international airfare, gratuities for guide/driver, soft drinks or alcoholic beverages with meals, meals not shown on itinerary, Covid testing requirements for entry and exiting the United Kingdom, cost of valid U.S. passport or other documents necessary for travel to the United Kingdom, alcoholic beverages, travel insurance coverage (highly recommended), airline seat upgrades, excess baggage fees, souvenirs, leisure activities on free days, hotel charges for incidentals (including telephone calls, pay per view movies, mini bars, and snack trays, personal laundry, room service, and hotel penalties for smoking in hotel rooms). www.RPGTravel.com This itinerary remains the property of RPGTravel and is subject to change without notice. Its unauthorized use, in whole or in part, is an infringement of copyright laws. |
Fireside Games is honored to announce that My First Castle Panic has earned the prestigious Mom’s Choice Award®. Having been rigorously evaluated by a panel of MCA evaluators, My First Castle Panic is deemed to be among the best products for families.
The Mom’s Choice Awards® has named My First Castle Panic as among the best in family-friendly media, products and services. The MCA evaluation process uses a propriety methodology in which entries are scored on a number of elements including production quality, design, educational value, entertainment value, originality, appeal, and cost.
To be considered for an award, each entrant submits five (5) identical samples for testing. Entries are matched to evaluators in the MCA database. Evaluators are bound by a strict code of ethics not only to ensure objectivity, but also to ensure that the evaluation is free from manufacturer influence. The five evaluations are submitted to the MCA Executive Committee for final review and approval.
“Our aim to introduce families and educators to best-in-class products and services,” explains Dawn Matheson, Executive Director of the Mom’s Choice Awards. “We have a passion to help families grow emotionally, physically and spiritually. Parents and educators know that products and services bearing our seal of approval are high-quality and also a great value. The MCA evaluation program is designed to incorporate the expertise of scientists, physicians and other specialists; but we also engage parents, children, educators, and caregivers because they are experts in knowing what is best for their families.”
With the evaluation now complete, the testing samples of My First Castle Panic will be donated to schools, libraries, hospitals and nonprofit organizations.
About the Mom’s Choice Awards® The Mom’s Choice Awards® (MCA) evaluates products and services created for children, families and educators. The program is globally recognized for establishing the benchmark of excellence in family-friendly media, products and services. The organization is based in the United States and has reviewed thousands of entries from more than 55 countries.
Around the world, parents, educators, retailers and members of the media look for the MCA mother-and-child Honoring Excellence seal of approval when selecting quality products and services for children and families.
Learn more about the Mom’s Choice Awards by visiting their website: www.MomsChoiceAwards.com.
Heads up gamers, the Castle Panic Deluxe Collection pledge manager is closing on January 15th! There are just a few days left to place your late pledge or complete your pledge for the Castle Panic Deluxe Collection that was launched on Kickstarter.
This amazing deluxe version is available in a variety of options including Castle Panic Deluxe and The Wizard’s Tower Deluxe on their own, as well as both a Wood Collection and the Deluxe Collection to suit fans of any appetite.
Both collections contain all the components for deluxe versions of Castle Panic and ALL the expansions, including the not-yet-released Crowns and Quests.
The Deluxe Collection includes over 180 plastic minis for all the Monsters as well as wooden tokens, while the Wood Collection skips the plastic Monsters in favor of just keeping the wooden tokens.
These deluxe versions will only be offered in extremely limited quantities after the pledge manager closes, and time is running out to add this exciting collectible edition to your game shelf!
You can access the pledge manager at CrowdOx by clicking HERE. Don’t miss out!
After quite a bit of fine-tuning, we are excited to announce the Castle Panic Deluxe Collection pledge manager is live! We have teamed up with the kind people over at Crowd Ox to send you a simple survey in order to collect the info we need to fulfill your rewards. Invitations were sent this morning at 10:30am Eastern time.
The invitation was directly to the email address linked to your Kickstarter account. Be sure to check your spam folder in case it was captured there!
You do not need to make a login and password in order to access your survey as you will receive an email with a unique link. If you want to go back to review your info, simply click on the link in your email again.
It is important to submit the completed survey as quickly as possible in order for us to commence fulfillment.
Crowd Ox gives you the opportunity to verify your reward, and verify and validate your shipping address. On top of all that, you can also upgrade your pledge level or add additional items and add-ons to your existing pledge!
If you run into any survey related issues, you can reach out directly to the Crowd Ox team right from the bottom of the form (see image below). They are very friendly and quick to respond!
You can go back into your survey at any time to update your address.
If you missed out on the Kickstarter, there’s still time to get in on the fanciest version of Castle Panic we will ever create! Just hop on over to the Castle Panic Deluxe Collection pledge manager at: https://app.crowdox.com/projects/fsd/castle-panic-deluxe-collection to get started. You can choose a pledge level, input your address, and even include extra copies or add-ons in your order.
Thanks again!
Now you can defend the castle with all new art, wooden tokens, Monster minis with rotatable bases for tracking damage, plastic Castle and game pieces for the base game and all of the expansions, and a brand new expansion with a royal court and quests.
The campaign offers a variety of configurations to suit every fan. Have the Big Box and are looking for minis to add? You’ll want the Castle Panic Deluxe: Plastics Only pledge level and the Deluxe Expansions Plastics Only add-on. Looking for all the upgrades but not into minis? You’ll want the Castle Panic: Wood Edition pledge level. Want it all? Pick the Castle Panic Deluxe Collection.
This Kickstarter features the premiere of the brand new expansion Crowns and Quests in deluxe format. Become a member of the royal family or inner circle. Choose from a variety of playable Characters with unique game-changing powers. Survive the attack while attempting to complete Quests such as retrieving magical items, destroying a cursed temple, teleporting the entire castle to safety, and more.
This game will NOT be sold through distribution. It will be available on our website at an increased price. Don’t miss out! Back this project today!
The official new date for the Kickstarter launch of the Castle Panic Deluxe Collection has been decided: May 11!
We’re excited to offer all new art, wooden tokens, Monster minis with rotatable bases for tracking damage, and plastic walls and towers for the base game and all of the expansions. They will be available in a variety of configurations to suit every fan. In addition, we’ll be rolling out a brand new expansion that will include a royal court and missions! Sign up now to follow the campaign.
Looking for something a little spooky? Make this Halloween frightfully fun with 25% off horror titles from Fireside Games. In Dead Panic, you’ll search your cabin for items and weapons to hold off the zombies and sprint to the van to escape. Take too many bites, though, and you’ll join the undead against your fellow teammates.
Or vie to become The Village Crone by sending out familiars to gather resources for spells you’ll cast on unsuspecting villagers and complete your Witch’s Schemes. Either way, you’ll have a hauntingly good time!
