board games for the 21st century
However, as some readers will be aware, things didn’t quite turn out the way I’d hoped.
Regrettably, just as production reached completion, in March 2015, 5th Street Games was forced to declare bankruptcy.
As I understand it, some complex negotiation ensured the majority of Kickstarter backers received their ‘Smash Monster’ games, albeit at increased shipping cost. Sincere commiserations to all concerned.
Personally, although contracted to receive several copies, I’ve never seen the finished games (except in YouTube videos). My only consolation is that the rights to the game now revert back to me.
COLLABORATION
Back in 2013 I sold the rights for ‘Smash Monster Rampage!’ to a small, independent board game publisher, based in Salt Lake City, called ‘5TH STREET GAMES’.
The company was managed by Phil Kilcrease and together we further developed the game to include many more monsters.
Eventually, Phil decided that ‘Smash Monster Rampage!’ would be the basic game and ‘SMR Mega Monster Box’ would be an expansion game containing all the additional monsters and several other game enhancements.
Phil ran an extremely successful Kickstarter campaign, raising just over $52,000(!).
I was thrilled - my little old game was going to be manufactured, put in a box and sold.
‘Smash Monster Rampage!’ and the ‘Mega Monster Box’.
Click this link to read Mike Swindall’s interview with The Inquisitive Meeple (via BoardGameGeek) about the development of ‘Smash’ and working with Phil Kilcrease, conducted eight months before 5th Street Games declared bankruptcy.
The outcome of my relationship with 5th Street Games was deeply disappointing but throughout our collaboration Phil Kilcrease was always fair, decent and honest. Despite some sceptical comments online, I’m certain that he would never knowingly mislead anyone.