Stak Bots is a sneakily strategic, battling robots card game from DogEared Games that launched at the UK Games Expo 2013.

It is both simple and strategic, but most importantly it is a lot of fun.

Play-board-games.com awarded it 5 out of 6 with full marks for player interaction. You can read their full review and others here.

Modify the game to play how you want it to. It can be tailored to either casual play, in-depth strategy and deck-building, or anywhere in between and is suitable for older kids through to adults.

We recently ran a successful campaign on Kickstarter for the Yellow Expansion pack! Another 60 cards featuring 16 new Bots are now ready to be enjoyed! You can order it in the shop, or read a review for it here.

You can watch a short video about the game here:

Players/Teams: 1-4
(New 1 Player Solo/Solitaire Drone Mode video – opens in a new youtube window/tab)

Age: 8 to adult
(Check out the new ‘Quickfire Mode‘ suitable for young players – opens in a new youtube window/tab)

Playtime: Adjustable from minutes up to an hour
(2 players with a simple game mode: 2-5mins through to 4 players with multiple Staks: 20-45mins. You can have more players than this and the game will be longer)

Features:

– Vertical Stak gameplay: each player has a pile (or several piles!) of face-down cards which they try to defend. Cards can be played on top, moved around within the Stak by other cards, turned to face-up or face-down etc.

– Flexible turn system: this allows you to carry out a number of different actions in any order and numerous times creating a multitude of possibilites from any one turn. You won’t be left with nothing to do on your go, or waiting turn after turn to draw a good card. It also allows you to react to changes in play caused by unexpected entry effects.

– Unpredictably strategic entry effect system: when you uncover new cards within a Stak or play them from your hand, some cards have instant effects such as dealing damage, moving cards around, picking up cards etc. These effects can then trigger other effects to create chaotic chains!

– Always involved in the game: Your entry effects can trigger when it isn’t your turn so you can influence what’s happening on other people’s goes. You can also choose to play reactively so that you can play cards from your hand to defend yourself against attacks.

– Adjustable complexity and game playing time: A number of  game modes allow you to adjust the game to suit you, so as you become more adept you can make it more challenging. These range from the simplistic rapid play of Blitz Mode through to the brain-melting tactical schemery of Multi-Stak play with several toggles enabled; the more Staks each player has, the more complicated things get and the more critical each decision becomes!

– Customise the game: Using a number of ‘Toggles’ you can change basic game mechanics; these can be very simple or a bit silly. Feel free to create your own!

– A multitude of Bot combinations: Each Bot is unique and has its own effect on the game. Each of these Bots can also have a different power level, changing how they are used in the game. Depending on what game mode you are playing and what Toggles you are using, different Bots will become more or less effective. There are 16 individual Bots in the first set. There will be many more Bots in future expansions, which can just be shuffled in with the original set.

– Everything you need in one box: No starter decks, booster packs, unknown cards etc. There are enough cards in the box for up to 6 players to have one shallow Stak each, or a few players to play with multiple Staks.  If you want to play with more Staks on the table or deeper Staks then simply purchase a second box of Stak Bots and mix it in. This will also allow you to experiment more with the balance of cards in a deck; what happens if you play just with purple and red cards?

– Shared deck or balanced decks: Everyone can play from the same draw pile for a quick game, or you can divide the cards up equally by rank, allowing for a more balanced game. You can also use the rank point system to customise your own Stak deck.

You can order a copy now using the link at the top on the right or by visiting our shop, where you can get discounted bulk packs of Stak Bots.

We hope you enjoy the game!

Please let us know how you get on by using the contact page or Facebook or Twitter!

The History of Stak Bots

Stak Bots was created by Tom Norfolk as a means of entertainment to pass the down time while touring and performing with a travelling circus. It took several years of evolution and the game experienced a number of vastly different forms and mechanics before it settled as it is now. It has had countless hours of playtesting and refinement based on feedback from many extremely patient and helpful friends! We hope you enjoy it as much as we have.

The Yellow Expansion

There were so many requests for more Bot cards that a Kickstarter project was launched to get them out of the factory sooner.

The expansion and all its lovely new shiny Bots and game variations would not have been possible without all of the awesome people below pledging their support and their monies; many people went out of their way to help make this happen and it really is appreciated.

A massive thank you to all of the following!:

The ever-patient and supportive family, Sarah “Stakhappy” Hattee, Lightwood Games, The Legendary Daniel Gertig, Ed Churchman, Danny van der Kraan, Mbuzu Kyoto the Clown, Tony Butcher, Geraint Evans, Cris, Nick Gave This A Good Kicking, Matt Trindall, Carol Hattee, Keith Hattee, Jeannine Chang, Stephen W Farquhar, Ulf Göransson, Andy, Jerome Franklin-Ryan, Thanatos, Peter “Wizball” Wilson, Mat Harvey, Sam MASH!, Sara Amanda and Wendy Hoffman, Dr. Mike Reddy, Richard Stubbs, Mike Barnes, Paul D Cardandpixel, Mick Sullivan, Windrant, Mike Kemler, Paul Mansfield, Lee M, James Cruise, Jake the board gaming robot from the future, Owen Jenkins, GazH, Chris Bowler, Angus Looney, Cristiano Cozzolino, Teppo Pennanen, The Anderson Family, Chris Teunissen, Malc Arnold, Kevin Myles, Stuart McIntosh, Chris Wilkes, David King, João Messias, Gemma Read, Tracey Willis, Pete Loveridge, BLASTOR!, neko_cam, RunamuqATL, Rutger “BorisjeNL”, Barry Nixon, Huzzer, Jamie C., Stuart D, Michael Woodcock, Christopher Seaton, Torec & Sylvia, Mike Youtz, Sarah Wingate, Holly R. Keas, Nikki Farris, Chris Drew, Teo Edwards, Jeroen Doumen, Charles Pearson, Michel Hermans, Matthew Cowles, Pitikul, Sergio Rodriguez Yanes, Steve Lord, Louie Carratt, Jonathon, A family of voles who taught me the meaning of love, Steven Sartain, Peter Rönnmo, Scrowe, Rob van der Post, Michael Morris, tkok, Sue Elliott, Isabella Crudo, Brian Robson, B. Dexter, Mike Phillips, Abble Games, Chris Ziar, Ed Pratt and Those who wished to remain Anon.

The Red Set

Since the release of the Yellow expansion, a lot of time was put into creating a new set that would both function on its own, but also integrate well with the original two sets. In June 2016 we launched the Kickstarter campaign to get the Red Set into print and thankfully we funded!

This was only possible due to backing from the following amazing people (it was lovely to see so many returning faces, both people from the previous campaign and also people that we’d met in person gaming!):

Once again the brilliant support of the Family and Friends, Richard Lambert, Geraint Evans, Andrew “World Champion” Brooke-Taylor, Andy N, Steven weller, Kris Gould, Snorky Snatchell, Mick Sullivan, Nate Johnson, Simon Worger, Pieter Wens, James Cruise, agentOrange, Michael Körbis, Ozzy Beck, Chris Newman, Phil Campbell, Martin Lampitt, Scribes, Purple Stuart, Galo Paz, Patrick Heron, Jake the boardgaming robot from the future, Dirk Haun, Luke Almond, Mark Hutton, Steve Sartain, Patrick Leonard, Ramesh Berkhout, Alan Brookland, Dr. Mike Reddy, Mikolaj Laczynski, Ed Churchman, Chris Bowler, Daniel, Brian Robson, Nick Treacher, Risto Malmstedt, Chris Wilkes, The Farquhars, Simply BoardGames, Barry Nixon, Ulf Göransson, Oubliette, Jeroen Doumen, Tony Butcher, João Messias, Blake, P J Harvey, Boris the spider, jeodesic.jmc@gmail.com, Danny, Priya Fields, Ron Quek, James Dean, acclimative, Sally Webb, E Sincoff, Gary Cambell-Smith (KD Games), Russ Carleton, Andy Thul, Bazz, YESSSSS!!! “Fleming P.”, Ronald van Rheenen, Alice Rees, René Walter, nick murphy cunningham, Mick Haigh, simonhpw@googlemail.com, The Hope Family (AGCD), Chris Harding, Dj Dano, Darren Green, cris, Paul Boos, Daniel Bates, dave.barnett@jollygood.org.uk, Daryl McLaurine, Ph.D., Red Dice Games, George Sharp, Andrew Chapman, Aaron Schilling, Chris & Daisy Swaffer, Tom Lines, Florian Schlicht, Rutger ter Maten, Ted Govostis, Graham Harrison, DKRaptor, Rhianne Stevens, Sue Elliott, Odyssey Vekshin, Simon Crowe, Paul Mansfield, Roger Guest, Owen & Ewan, Henry Jasper, Mike Nudd, Jonathan Harden, Theo Clarke, phyphor, Jonathan Richardson, Thomas Needham, Lucy Lambert, Mike Bliss, Christos Karanikas, Farrago, bobtron2000, Matt Adlard, Cameron Taylor, Elizabeth Brancazio, Paula Owen, Timothy Lloyd, James LaRue, Paul Gillibrand, Ian White, lumpfishy, John Iding, Kev Brown, Steven White, Northumbria Games, Adelaide Andrews, Stephen Hegarty, Elliott Weights, Jack Sturgess, Joseph W Horton, BoBo, Aaroni Bashoni, Michelle VanSetten, Andrew Torrens, Mikebox, The Lawrance Gals, Abba Games, Lewis Johnson, Billy Walmsley, Binh Au, Lauri Perttula, Anxious Bot, Elana Underwood, Jack Gulick, Simon Proctor, Selwyn Ward, Mark, Newt Newport, James Brown, Fred Joly, Herman Duyker, Tijn ‘Subcultures’ Rams, Martijn Poels, Emma Sheridan, Joshua Riordan, Zelda, Louis Magee, Kyle Blaine Castle, sorum4@hotmail.com, Sebastien Haezebrouck, Joshua Wong (wwW.MY), Steph Wyeth, Tony Hoffmann, IanBr71, Madbeard Games, Russell Dines, David Parr, Marc Shotter, Peter “Wizball” Wilson, Michael Cortez, Ian Ballard, Jerry Elsmore, Jeff Lewis – Genetic Gear Games, Braeden Jones, Jimmy Ward, Mark Platte, magnettoa@aol.com, Lok Fai Cheung, Dave Hansson, Maero Effendi, Steve Lord, Sean Jackson, Scott Middleton, Dave Ballard, Donald gardner, Barry Monkey, BK Dexter, Thanos Kotsiopoulos, Dr Wesley Sughrue, Nick Farris, Matt Trindall and Those who wished to remain Anon.