One of the things we like to do here at the Malted Meeple is give some extra attention to our favorite board game publishers and designers. In our monthly Publisher’s Spotlight we provide a bit of a background on the publisher, discuss a few of their games, and may even announce a visit to The Meeple by some of the publisher’s representatives!
This month we shine our Publisher’s Spotlight on a company with one of our favorite taglines ever – ‘cause games are a lot more fun when you can stab a friend in the back.
We are of course referring to Smirk & Dagger Games! And this month we’ve got the inside scoop from the Chief Instigator himself, Curt Covert!
Smirk & Dagger Games officially launched thirteen years ago on Halloween. The company was born from Curt’s love of the hobby, and a desire to add his personal touch to games he already enjoyed. He began by creating fan-made content for some of his favorite games. Then someone asked him, “Why don’t you make your own games and sell them?”
Curt immediately discovered how hard it was to create a game from the ground up. His first prototypes were, in his own words: horrible. Curt quickly realized that what his games were missing was player interaction. If you’ve followed our blog you’ll know that player interaction is our hot button as well, so it’s no surprise that we love Curt’s games.
Curt also knew that while player interaction is key, to help his company stand out he’d need something more. Since he personally loves “take that” games, he decided to build Smirk & Dagger on the idea that people enjoy “putting the screws to” their friends, and the bitter taste of betrayal. He aims to “deliver that moment where you smile, just before doing something terrible to another player.” Each game that Smirk & Dagger has designed stays true to this mission statement.
Smirk & Dagger has developed a loyal fan base that relishes in games of betrayal and subterfuge. We count ourselves in this club, and feature several of Smirk & Dagger’s best known games in our library here at The Malted Meeple, including: Nevermore and Dread Curse.
We are especially excited to announce that we will soon have an exclusive preview copy of Curt’s newest game Dead Last available for the enjoyment of our guests! In Dead Last, you are attempting to conspire with others to kill another player. Any means of communication is allowed, as long as you don’t tip off the target. If they catch wind of your betrayal, you may find yourself in the crosshairs instead!
So what are you waiting for?! If you love a backstabbing good time, then bring your friends, grab a cold one, and let the betrayal commence!
Karington Hess is a lifelong gamer whose passions for hospitality and all things game-related led him to Ravenwood Castle, where he served as an Innkeeper before joining The Malted Meeple. When not pouring beers, crafting milkshakes, or teaching boardgames, Karington can be found behind the DM’s screen, weaving intricate stories for his fellow gamers.