Kickstarter

Top 8 Kickstarter-funded games

8. Superhot

This game is one of the first games people think of when they hear the term “Virtual Reality.” That’s because many VR lounges let you try this game as their sample. It is one of the most immersive VR games ever created, and it’s hard to believe it came from an independent Kickstarter. The game only moves forward when you physically do, allowing you to plan your moves ahead in real time.

One of many successful Kickstarter board games, Splendor sets itself apart by being one of the few strategic 2-4 player board games (while many are limited to two or three). The rules adapt themselves based on the number of players. The goal of the game is to buy developments with gems you receive each turn. Each development lets you build stronger ones until you’ve received 15 points. This game is fast and full of different tactics and strategies to employ. Board game fanatics will love to add this game to their collection.

This game has also been adapted to a digital version, so mobile gamers have an opportunity to play it as well!

A card game that rivals Cards Against Humanity in humor and replayability. The idea of this game is to avoid drawing an exploding kitten card. All other cards are dedicated to helping you avoid this, either by allowing you to skip a draw turn or pass the draw to someone else. The game can be played quickly and repeatedly as an amusing party game. It is also famous for being one of the most-backed crowdfunding games of all time.

Just like Splendor, Exploding Kittens has also been adapted into a mobile game. This can be a great alternative to the game, since it prevents you from losing or damaging any cards.

Essentially an MMORPG version of Hearthstone, Hex is perfect for fans of competitive card games. This game allows you to develop your player and deck like a standard RPG, while exploring the gameplay and strategy of a trading card game. While it may not be the most popular Kickstarter success, it is still one of the most interesting and unique games you could ever possibly find.

You also might recognize this game from our list of top 7 digital card games.

4. Undertale

Everyone has heard of Undertale, but few realize that it originated as a Kickstarter game. This game follows a deep and dark story of a young child traveling through an underworld of monsters and mayhem. Many of the backers were able to name their own unique monsters in the game, as a tribute to their support, such as the Glyde monster. Remarkably, this game was made almost entirely by one person, making it one of the few games to become this successful without a large team working on it.

Baldur’s Gate fans have probably heard of this franchise, as it is often considered a spiritual successor to the series. While the characters and story are memorable, the gameplay is what truly captures most players. It allows you to play Dungeons & Dragons with a pre-built story, and in-depth mechanics. It’ll take a while before you fully understand how to control the characters, but the customization of classes and skills can help with this when you’re first getting started. As Dungeons & Dragons is the model for this game, the sidequests and content are practically endless. This means you have plenty of time to get accustomed to the unique gameplay.

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2. Shovel Knight

Along with Undertale, Shovel Knight is widely considered one of the best indie games of all time. The franchise has become one of the most recognizable in gamer communities, and even within pop culture in general. That said, if you haven’t played this game, you’re missing out on one of the best platformers out there. The gameplay is similar to Mega Man, but with a unique treasure reward system. The art is also iconic, and you can find Shovel Knight merchandise in a wide variety of stores.

1. Darkest Dungeon

One of the most unique games to come out of Kickstarter, Darkest Dungeon is an experience like you’ve never had before. The game forces you to maintain both the physical strength of a dungeon exploring party, as well as the psychological strength of your team. As the party travels deeper into the dungeon, they will become too afraid to function properly and develop quirks that affect their abilities and parameters. Any fan of roguelikes will enjoy this gothic interpretation of the genre.

If you’re looking to create your own crowdfunded game, you should check out our article on the best crowdfunding sites to help you decide which is the best for you.

Whether you’re trying to start your own business, or you’re trying to pay off a major medical expense, crowdfunding can be an incredible source of income when you’re in desperate need of a large sum. Many people crowdfund instead of getting a loan, since you don’t have to pay the money back. You do still need to hold up your end of the bargain, and that’s the main catch of most crowdfunding sites. Here are the differences between some of the most popular crowdfunding sites out there, to help you decide which one is right for you.

Best crowdfunding sites for every need

When you think about search engines, you think about Google. And when you think about crowdfunding, Kickstarter probably comes to mind first. As the most recognizable name in the industry, Kickstarter is also the strictest in terms of what they will allow you to crowdfund for. Their rules clearly define that you must be creating a shareable product, and have a prototype to display before creating a Kickstarter page. They also have a list of items that you aren’t allowed to create Kickstarters for, so be sure to check this out before trying to make a Kickstarter page.

While their rules are somewhat strict, the site offers excellent advice and guidelines on how to make your project successful. You’ll definitely want to check out their advice on backer rewards, since you’ll need some to get your Kickstarter up and running. Their YouTube channel is also a great source of insight when trying to decide important information to put on your crowdfunding project.

Kickstarter takes 5% from successful projects, and unsuccessful projects are forced to return the money they raised to the backers. You also must be a permanent U.S. resident to make a Kickstarter, unlike most other crowdfunding sites.

Indiegogo

Indiegogo is very similar to Kickstarter, except it allows for more customization and flexibility. Like Kickstarter, Indiegogo has a focus on creative projects, typically independent small businesses. They even allow you to sell some of your products on their site directly if your campaign is successful. Unlike Kickstarter, you are able to apply to get your funding even if you’re unsuccessful in achieving your goal. However, the drawback here is that Indiegogo will take 9% of the proceeds of unuccessful efforts, instead of their typical 4% for successful campaigns.

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Additionally, most of the things that are mandatory for Kickstarter, are optional for Indiegogo. This includes perks and product prototypes. This means that if you don’t feel you can accommodate perks, or are in the beginning stages of your business/product, you can still get support.

Gofundme

Gofundme is unique among the three major sites, as it focuses more on personal causes and donations, rather than the professional and creative causes that Kickstarter and Indiegogo are for. This means that Gofundme is automatically going to be one of your best choices for anything personal, such as major unexpected medical expenses, or even simply a celebration for a loved one that your friends and family can donate to.

Unlike Kickstarter, Gofundme takes 5% out of each donation. This means that every donation has a chunk taken out, rather than taken out of the actual total. While this allows you to keep track of how much you’ve raised more efficiently, it can be a bit disheartening to see these donations lose that amount right away. You also can have money transferred from PayPal or WePay, which will each take their own small cut of the profit as well.

Since Gofundme is more about charity-raising, they also allow their creators to keep all the proceeds regardless of whether the total is matched or not by the deadline. This is really important, since many Gofundmes are created out of need rather than want.

Smaller sites

While these may be the most popular crowdfunding sources, there are some less popular sites that may be just as useful. However, there are a few extra drawbacks to using the less popular sites. For starters, they are less trusted than the popular ones. If you’re asking someone to donate to a “Gofundme” or a “Kickstarter,” even if they don’t want to donate, they at least feel comfortable with the name. The site is familiar to them, so they trust it. While sites like Quirky and Mightycause may be trustworthy, not everyone is going to know that right away.

Additionally, these sites are typically more niche than the ones above. This means, while one may be perfect for starting your new candle business, not all of them will be able to help with that specific endeavor. This is a big contrast to the other sites, which all allow a high level of flexibility in what you can do with them.

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There are two major reasons to use smaller sites, however. If you have a niche idea that you’re looking for members of that niche community to support, then using a site dedicated to that community is probably going to get you farther than using the major crowdfunders. For example, if your project relates to sports, something that may be unlikely to gain traction among friends and family who aren’t interested in that subject, then you may want to use Sportfunder.

The other reason to use a smaller site is if you’re looking for angel investors. These are early investors willing to give large sums in exchange for company equity. The popular television show “Shark Tank” is an example of these. For these types of investors, you may want to look into crowdfunding sites that are dedicated to them, such as AngelList. Unlike Gofundme, Indiegogo, and Kickstarter, which primarily allow you to advertise through social media, angel investment sites will have investors looking you up as well. You will probably want to look into these types of investment if you’re trying to start a company and lack wealthy friends or family.

Conclusion

The best way to decide which crowdfunding site you want to go with is by focusing on their main benefit: Gofundme is ideal for personal investments; Kickstarter is great if you need help with your crowdfunding ideas, and fit their guidelines, Indiegogo works for people who want flexibility in creating their crowdfunding experience, and smaller crowdfunders are the way to go if you have a niche product, or are looking for angel investors. Be sure to choose carefully, and good luck with your crowdfunding experience!

Tag: Kickstarter

Top 8 Kickstarter-funded games

Top 8 Kickstarter-funded games

8. Superhot

7. Splendor

6. Exploding Kittens

5. Hex: Shards of Fate

4. Undertale

3. Pillars of Eternity

2. Shovel Knight

1. Darkest Dungeon

Which is the best crowdfunding site?

Best crowdfunding sites for every need

Kickstarter

Indiegogo

Gofundme

Smaller sites

Conclusion