Gambonanza News

[p]Aloha! 🍍[/p][p][/p][p]We wanted to give you a pleasant surprise right before the weekend, and here it is! No need to wait until the Steam Next Fest starts:[/p][p][/p][p]The free demo version of Gambonanza is available for everyone to play. Starting... now![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Play the demo[/h2][p][/p][p]Our glorious demo for Gambonanza will be playable all throughout Steam Next Fest! We want to offer as many of you as possible a sample of what’s to come! 🍳[/p][p][/p][p]The demo allows you to play with 5 bosses, 1 difficulty mode, and 120 Gambits. If you previously joined one of the limited Steam playtests (very cool), you can expect 20 more Gambits, 1 more boss (Tàl the Cursed), and way fewer bugs than before! (but still many)[/p][p][/p][p]For context, the full version will offer you EVEN MORE bosses, Gambits, CRAZY difficulty modes, secrets, and EPIC challenges! All previously unseen in neither demo nor playtest.[/p][p][/p][h2]Win the full version of Gambonanza[/h2][p][/p][p]To make things a bit more interesting, we have a special challenge for you:[/p][p][/p][p]Beat one run in the demo and unlock your own special code in-game! This code can then be used to enter a raffle for a chance to win one of the 100 Steam keys for the full version of Gambonanza! 🤑[/p][p][/p][p]How it works:[/p]

• [p]Beat the demo to get your personal code[/p]
• [p]Join the Gambonanza Discord[/p]
• [p]Submit your code and your email in the Google Form linked on Discord[/p]
• [p]The deadline to join is until the end of Steam Next Fest on March 2[/p]

[p][/p][p]The winners will be announced on Discord and receive their Steam keys via email.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Pre-register on mobile[/h2][p][/p][p]You remember when we announced that Gambonanza is coming to mobile devices as well? Some good news on that front![/p][p][/p][p]You can pre-register or pre-order the game RIGHT NOW on both major mobile platforms![/p][p][/p][p]So what are you waiting for? Go to our very special website for Gambonanza and click one of the banners! 🍎🤖[/p][p][/p][h2]Feedback, please[/h2][p][/p][p]As always, your thoughts on the demo are most welcome! The positive ones, negative ones, wild ideas, issue reports - all of them![/p][p][/p][p]We are waiting for them in the Steam discussions forum for Gambonanza and on our Discord community.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Once you sampled the demo don’t forget to 👉️ add the game to your Steam wishlist! 👈️[/p][p][/p][p]Hope to meet you on Discord! https://discord.gg/H3FbvFN2sE[/p][p] [/p][p]Et voilà! 💁[/p][p]- Blukulélé, Stray Fawn, Sidekick, and ATEO[/p][p][/p]

[p]Aloha everyone! [/p][p][/p][p]First of all, I just want to say a huge thank you for all the feedback you’ve been sharing on Gambonanza.[/p][p]It’s honestly amazing, and it helps a lot more than you might think. You’re really opening my eyes on many things, so I wanted to give you some context on what I’ve learned thanks to you 👀[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][h3]1️⃣ “Considered as” isn’t clear enough[/h3][p][/p][p]Several Gambits like Pope, Anarchist, or Mini-Rook currently say things like: “Your PAWNS are now considered as ROOKS.”[/p][p]The original intention was to let Pawns trigger Rook Gambits, opening new combo chains and gameplay possibilities.[/p][p][/p][p]However, through your feedback, it became clear that this wording can easily be interpreted as movement changes (Pawns moving like Rooks, or Rooks moving like Pawns), which is… totally understandable. That one’s on me 😅[/p][p][/p][p]So I’m reworking this:[/p][p]👉 “CONSIDERED AS” will now be a proper keyword, 👉 with a dedicated popup explaining exactly how it works in-game.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][h3]2️⃣ About difficulty & “overpowered” combos[/h3][p][/p][p]Some of you pointed out that certain combos feel extremely strong and could make the game too easy (I’m looking at you Thunder’s Gambit + Brave Knight’s Gambit).[/p][p]That said, this is actually very close to the core vision of Gambonanza.[/p][p][/p][p]I want the game to be a playground for wild combos, goofy synergies, and experimentation, where breaking the game is part of the fun if you manage to pull it off.[/p][p]At the same time, I’ve also seen players struggle and not manage to win a run at all, and Gambonanza is for them too![/p][p][/p][p]For a bit more context:[/p][p]👉 In the playtest, you were playing on PAWN difficulty, the easiest one.[/p][p][/p][p]In the full game:[/p]

• [p]Beating PAWN unlocks ROOK mode (higher prices, WAIT costs more, less room in the Stock, etc.)[/p]
• [p]Then KNIGHT, where the opponent plays first, Queens are removed from the shop, tiles can only be used once per run, and more…[/p]
• [p]All the way up to KING mode, which is meant to be the big spicy challenge (for reference: I haven’t beaten it myself yet 😬).[/p]

[p][/p][p]Not everyone is looking for hardcore difficulty though, and I really want to leave space for players who just enjoy experimenting and going full combo-wizard.[/p][p]So the core of the game will stay roughly the same, with a few adjustments here and there (yes, Queen Ant’s Gambit, I’m looking at you 👀).[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][h3]3️⃣ Bugs & overall experience feedback[/h3][p][/p][p]I’m currently reading all your bug reports, especially ones reported on our Discord in #bugs, and feedback in #feedback, and also carefully going through the Google Form you took the time to fill in, thank you so much for that 💛[/p][p][/p][p]I’m moving a bit slowly, but please know that I read everything![/p][p]Your reports are super relevant and are directly helping me make the game better.[/p][p][/p][p]Sorry again for the number of bugs in the playtest, I’m squashing them one by one thanks to you, so really… thank you for being part of this ❤️[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Once again, thank you all so much for taking the time to play the playtest, report bugs, share your thoughts, and discuss your experiences.[/p][p]Seeing you engage with the game like this is honestly incredibly motivating 💛[/p][p][/p][p]I really hope you’re as excited as I am about what’s coming next for Gambonanza.[/p][p]Your feedback is actively shaping the game, and having you along for the ride makes this whole adventure even better![/p][p][/p][p]Thanks again for being here, for caring, and for helping me make Gambonanza a better (and weirder) game![/p][p][/p][p]- Blukulélé[/p][p][/p]

It is inevitable that when a game like Balatro rocks up, is really good, and makes a gazillion dollars, that there will be the odd imitator here and there. Sincerity, flattery, yada, yada, yada, point is, it's all fine as long as you at least put enough of a twist in there to make it more of an "influenced by" over a "wholesale ripoff" kind of thing. I think Gambonanza, a roguelike deckbuilding chess game, fits into the former quite nicely.

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[p]Aloha, dear fans! 💙[/p][p][/p][p]This is the day so many of you were waiting for! A new public playtest is now open for you to enter![/p][p][/p][p]But wait! There is more! Read all about the fresh, exciting gambonews below! 👇️[/p][p][/p][h2]New Playtest[/h2][p][/p][p]To participate, you simply need to go to the Steam page for Gambonanza and click "Join the Playtest". After that, "Gambonanza Playtest" should be available in your Steam library![/p][p][/p][p]You will be able to freely enjoy, test, poke around, and share your thoughts on this updated version of the fun-sized playtest build of Gambonanza until February 2nd, 5:00 PM CEST (which is 11:00 AM EST or 8:00 AM PST).[/p][p][/p][p]And we really hope that you will talk about what you liked about the game in the Steam discussion forum section 📝, or even join us on Discord.[/p][p][/p][p]A detailed feedback form will be waiting for the players in-game, but if you want to review it already, you can access it right here.[/p][p][/p][h2]Steam Next Fest[/h2][p][/p][p]Any insights that you share will be tremendously helpful in the next step, which is... A free demo taking part in the Steam Next Fest in late February! ❄️[/p][p][/p][p]That's right, very soon, at the end of the next month, we will take Gambonanza to even a broader audience on Steam thanks to the Next Fest, a recurring celebration of upcoming games and their demo versions.[/p][p][/p][p]It seems like the opportunities to experience the game are multiplying as we speak, because...[/p][p][/p][h2]Mobile Version[/h2][p][/p][p]We are very happy to announce that along with the PC version, we will be simultaneously introducing Gambonanza to mobile devices as well! 📱[/p][p][/p][p]Our mobile platform expert put it like this: "Gambonanza is a Steam game screaming for a mobile port; its core loop hooks players instantly with the perfect balance of speed and depth".[/p][p][/p][h2]Partnerships[/h2][p][/p][p]Bringing the game to new platforms would not be possible without our new friends who join the "team Gambonanza" for this very purpose:[/p][p][/p]

• [p]Sidekick Publishing now enters the co-publishing partnership with Stray Fawn, a cooperation proven before when the two worked together to publish Terrascape in 2024. ❤️[/p]
• [p]ATEO will handle the mobile ports with technical prowess that was already validated by their work on Dungeon Clawler with Stray Fawn. 💜[/p]

[p][/p][p]News so exciting that they could make you scream![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Freshly strengthened and empowered, we encourage you once again to 👉️ try Gambonanza playtest on Steam (and add the game to your wishlist)! 👈️[/p][p][/p][p]And see you on our Discord: https://discord.gg/H3FbvFN2sE [/p][p][/p][p]Enjoy! 🕹️[/p][p]- Blukulélé and Stray Fawn Publishing[/p]

[p]Aloha! 🌼[/p][p][/p][p]How are you doing, fellow gambonanzers? The season is cold and increasingly dark here in the Northern Hemisphere and so our message will be short and direct today![/p][p][/p][p]We are currently working on adding multiple localizations 💬 to the game and we need testers for every language from the following list:[/p][p][/p]

• [p]Brazilian Portuguese[/p]
• [p]English[/p]
• [p]French[/p]
• [p]German[/p]
• [p]Japanese[/p]
• [p]Korean[/p]
• [p]Polish[/p]
• [p]Russian[/p]
• [p]Simplified Chinese[/p]
• [p]Spanish[/p]
• [p]Turkish[/p]

[p][/p][p]If you would like to help us out please use the button below to learn more and apply! 👇️[/p][p][/p][p]Submission form[/p][p][/p][p](click here above this line 👆️)[/p][p][/p][p]If you don't have any experience with testing or translations, don't worry! Everyone has a chance to be included![/p][p][/p][p]The participants that get in will be rewarded 🎁 with:[/p]

1. [p]a Steam key for the full version of the game,[/p]
2. [p]a special role in the Gambonanza Discord community,[/p]
3. [p]and a mention in the game's credits section.[/p]

[p][/p][p]So what are you waiting for? Eternal glory awaits![/p][p][/p][p]Btw, we are also conjuring a new boss fitting for the late autumn or early winter season. What do you think? 💜[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Make sure to follow us here on Steam and 👉️ add Gambonanza to your Steam wishlist! 👈️[/p][p][/p][p]We are also eager to see you on our Discord: https://discord.gg/H3FbvFN2sE [/p][p][/p][p]Warm hugs! 🫂[/p][p]- Blukulélé and Stray Fawn Publishing[/p]