Every year at Gen Con, I make a point to track down a few hidden gems—games from designers I’ve never heard of, publishers I’ve never bought from, or centered around themes I once told myself I’d never enjoy. It’s my favorite way to break out of the board game echo chamber and stumble onto something fresh and surprising. While the big releases dominate the headlines, the best part of the convention floor is often tucked away in the corners: small booths, debut designers, and quiet titles with big potential.
This year, I’ve got my eye on three games that fit that bill perfectly—Spooktacular, Habemus Papam, and CDSK Travel. They’re wildly different in style, theme, and mechanics, but they all have that spark of curiosity that makes them worth tracking down. Here’s a quick look at why I’m excited for each:
Spooktacular
📍 Publisher: Level 99 Games
🎬 Designer: D. Brad Talton Jr.
👻 Theme: Haunted movie theater where monsters come to life
Spooktacular throws you into a haunted movie theater where the creatures from classic horror films start crawling out of the screen to terrorize the audience. Designed by D. Brad Talton Jr. and published by Level 99 Games, this one looks like a spooky, family-weight romp packed with personality. With over 20 different monsters to play as, it promises a ton of variety and replayability. It reminds me a bit of the Horrified series in tone and weight—lightly creepy, not too scary, and perfect for mixed groups or family game nights. I’m already looking forward to pulling this one out every October as part of my Halloween rotation.
Habemus Papam
📍 Publisher: Salt & Pepper Games
🎩 Designer: Francisco Gradaille
🕊️ Theme: Election of a new pope in Renaissance Rome
This one immediately caught my attention—Habemus Papam puts players in the roles of powerful factions within the Catholic Church during a tense papal conclave. With the election of a new pope in real life earlier this year, the theme feels surprisingly timely and even more intriguing. Designed by Francisco Gradaille and published by Salt & Pepper Games (a publisher I’ve heard of but haven’t played much from yet), the game focuses on negotiation, secret objectives, and political maneuvering. Players will scheme, bluff, and cut deals as they try to guide the conclave in their favor. It sounds like the kind of tight, dramatic game that thrives with the right group—and one I’ll be keeping a close eye on at the con.
CDSK Travel
📍 Publisher: Rudolph
🌍 Theme: Portable trivia game with strategic twists
CDSK Travel is a no-brainer pick for me. The original CDSK is hands-down my favorite trivia game—smart, fast, and endlessly replayable—so grabbing the travel edition from Rudolph was an easy decision. This version is built for on-the-go play, which makes it perfect for road trips, vacations, or just tossing in a bag for impromptu game nights. I’m hoping it includes some new questions or category cards, since we’ve absolutely worn through the original at my house. It’s one of those quiet staples that doesn’t get talked about enough, and I’d love to see both versions get more love online. If you enjoy trivia with just enough strategy to keep things interesting, this one is well worth hunting down.
I love taking chances on games like these—and even if they don’t become permanent staples in my collection, they almost always lead to fun stories and surprise hits with my game group. If you’re heading to Gen Con this year and want to break out of your comfort zone, keep an eye out for games like these. You never know which little box might be your next big favorite.
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