City Square Studios 🎲🃏♟️
@citysquarestudios.bsky.social
duo creating new original tabletop games every month from New Zealand 🇳🇿
Our games use stuff you already own!
32+ original games on Patreon part of the 52 Pickup zine series https://www.patreon.com/CitySquareStudios
Our games use stuff you already own!
32+ original games on Patreon part of the 52 Pickup zine series https://www.patreon.com/CitySquareStudios
Pinned
Guinea Pig Baseball is out now!
A chaotic 2–4 player dice-and-paper game where every guinea pig bats at once. Outsmart the pitcher, sprint around the bases, and get six pigs back to the hutch to win.
Free download, link below! ⚾️🥕👇
patreon.com/posts/52-pickup-issue-144647797
#boardgame #indiegame
A chaotic 2–4 player dice-and-paper game where every guinea pig bats at once. Outsmart the pitcher, sprint around the bases, and get six pigs back to the hutch to win.
Free download, link below! ⚾️🥕👇
patreon.com/posts/52-pickup-issue-144647797
#boardgame #indiegame
Have your say on what standard components we use in our upcoming releases! From playing cards, dice, or something experimental, it is in your hands.
🔗 patreon.com/posts/poll-game-145173884
#tabletop #boardgames #ttrpg
🔗 patreon.com/posts/poll-game-145173884
#tabletop #boardgames #ttrpg
December 9, 2025 at 3:01 AM
Have your say on what standard components we use in our upcoming releases! From playing cards, dice, or something experimental, it is in your hands.
🔗 patreon.com/posts/poll-game-145173884
#tabletop #boardgames #ttrpg
🔗 patreon.com/posts/poll-game-145173884
#tabletop #boardgames #ttrpg
It's funny how playtesting sometimes goes.
A mechanism that I removed very early in testing, I've bought back now that everything else has been tightened up. It's made the game more interesting, but there's no way it could've achieved this within the original rules.
#gamedev #indiedev
A mechanism that I removed very early in testing, I've bought back now that everything else has been tightened up. It's made the game more interesting, but there's no way it could've achieved this within the original rules.
#gamedev #indiedev
December 8, 2025 at 10:01 AM
We often use ... unorthodox ... play testers here at City Square Studios for our tabletop games
#cats #guineapig #boardgames #tabletop
#cats #guineapig #boardgames #tabletop
December 7, 2025 at 9:53 AM
We often use ... unorthodox ... play testers here at City Square Studios for our tabletop games
#cats #guineapig #boardgames #tabletop
#cats #guineapig #boardgames #tabletop
Reposted by City Square Studios 🎲🃏♟️
What makes a good player?
- attendance
- attention
- absorbance
- adventurousness
- allyship
Attendance: communicate when you'll be there and when you won't. "I'm looking forward to the game!" helps your GMs morale and inspires other players. Be as easy to plan for as circumstance lets.
1/
#ttrpg
- attendance
- attention
- absorbance
- adventurousness
- allyship
Attendance: communicate when you'll be there and when you won't. "I'm looking forward to the game!" helps your GMs morale and inspires other players. Be as easy to plan for as circumstance lets.
1/
#ttrpg
December 7, 2025 at 9:02 AM
What makes a good player?
- attendance
- attention
- absorbance
- adventurousness
- allyship
Attendance: communicate when you'll be there and when you won't. "I'm looking forward to the game!" helps your GMs morale and inspires other players. Be as easy to plan for as circumstance lets.
1/
#ttrpg
- attendance
- attention
- absorbance
- adventurousness
- allyship
Attendance: communicate when you'll be there and when you won't. "I'm looking forward to the game!" helps your GMs morale and inspires other players. Be as easy to plan for as circumstance lets.
1/
#ttrpg
In this instalment of Designer Notes we take a deep dive into how to fix an issue with your game, with a real example from our latest release.
patreon.com/posts/designer-notes-145175446
#indiedev #gamedesign 🎲✂️ #gamedev
patreon.com/posts/designer-notes-145175446
#indiedev #gamedesign 🎲✂️ #gamedev
Designer Notes: Guinea Pig Baseball | City Square Studios
Get more from City Square Studios on Patreon
www.patreon.com
December 6, 2025 at 12:02 PM
In this instalment of Designer Notes we take a deep dive into how to fix an issue with your game, with a real example from our latest release.
patreon.com/posts/designer-notes-145175446
#indiedev #gamedesign 🎲✂️ #gamedev
patreon.com/posts/designer-notes-145175446
#indiedev #gamedesign 🎲✂️ #gamedev
I had a look back over the 12 month stats for the Patreon and we've grown more than 500 members this year which is pretty sweet.
Hey you should join as well if you want monthly tabletop games!
patreon.com/c/CitySquareStudios
#boardgames #ttrpg #cardgame #indiegame
Hey you should join as well if you want monthly tabletop games!
patreon.com/c/CitySquareStudios
#boardgames #ttrpg #cardgame #indiegame
City Square Studios | Patreon
creating new and original tabletop games every single month
www.patreon.com
December 5, 2025 at 9:36 AM
I had a look back over the 12 month stats for the Patreon and we've grown more than 500 members this year which is pretty sweet.
Hey you should join as well if you want monthly tabletop games!
patreon.com/c/CitySquareStudios
#boardgames #ttrpg #cardgame #indiegame
Hey you should join as well if you want monthly tabletop games!
patreon.com/c/CitySquareStudios
#boardgames #ttrpg #cardgame #indiegame
Reposted by City Square Studios 🎲🃏♟️
Guinea Pig Baseball is out now!
A chaotic 2–4 player dice-and-paper game where every guinea pig bats at once. Outsmart the pitcher, sprint around the bases, and get six pigs back to the hutch to win.
Free download, link below! ⚾️🥕👇
patreon.com/posts/52-pickup-issue-144647797
#boardgame #indiegame
A chaotic 2–4 player dice-and-paper game where every guinea pig bats at once. Outsmart the pitcher, sprint around the bases, and get six pigs back to the hutch to win.
Free download, link below! ⚾️🥕👇
patreon.com/posts/52-pickup-issue-144647797
#boardgame #indiegame
November 30, 2025 at 8:34 AM
Guinea Pig Baseball is out now!
A chaotic 2–4 player dice-and-paper game where every guinea pig bats at once. Outsmart the pitcher, sprint around the bases, and get six pigs back to the hutch to win.
Free download, link below! ⚾️🥕👇
patreon.com/posts/52-pickup-issue-144647797
#boardgame #indiegame
A chaotic 2–4 player dice-and-paper game where every guinea pig bats at once. Outsmart the pitcher, sprint around the bases, and get six pigs back to the hutch to win.
Free download, link below! ⚾️🥕👇
patreon.com/posts/52-pickup-issue-144647797
#boardgame #indiegame
I think one form of complexity is layered simplicity.
For example one simple rule is simple, 10 simple rules on top of each other is complex.
🎲✂️ #indiedev
For example one simple rule is simple, 10 simple rules on top of each other is complex.
🎲✂️ #indiedev
December 4, 2025 at 9:18 AM
I think one form of complexity is layered simplicity.
For example one simple rule is simple, 10 simple rules on top of each other is complex.
🎲✂️ #indiedev
For example one simple rule is simple, 10 simple rules on top of each other is complex.
🎲✂️ #indiedev
Me on the treadmill of releasing a new game every month for over 2 and a half years
a picture of an apple on top of a treadmill with the hashtag applecat_acat
Alt: a picture of an apple on top of a treadmill with the hashtag applecat_acat
media.tenor.com
December 3, 2025 at 10:07 AM
Me on the treadmill of releasing a new game every month for over 2 and a half years
Reposted by City Square Studios 🎲🃏♟️
Your reviews are so so important to indie games. 500 reviews may not seem like a lot, but to the vast majority of indies it's a ton.
Your reviews largely make or break discoverability for a game.
Your reviews largely make or break discoverability for a game.
Taking some time today to look through all the Steam games I like by small scrappy indies (especially ones who are my friends!) and making sure to leave a review for anyone who isn't already Overwhelmingly Positive (which requires 500+ reviews with 95%+ positive)
I recommend you do the same!
I recommend you do the same!
December 3, 2025 at 1:33 AM
Your reviews are so so important to indie games. 500 reviews may not seem like a lot, but to the vast majority of indies it's a ton.
Your reviews largely make or break discoverability for a game.
Your reviews largely make or break discoverability for a game.
A zine folding time lapse of issue 16 of 52 Pickup which contains 2 playing card games, Black Spot and Captain Seven's Doubloons.
patreon.com/posts/52-pickup-issue-108587697
#zine #cardgame #boardgame #tabletop
patreon.com/posts/52-pickup-issue-108587697
#zine #cardgame #boardgame #tabletop
December 2, 2025 at 9:28 AM
A zine folding time lapse of issue 16 of 52 Pickup which contains 2 playing card games, Black Spot and Captain Seven's Doubloons.
patreon.com/posts/52-pickup-issue-108587697
#zine #cardgame #boardgame #tabletop
patreon.com/posts/52-pickup-issue-108587697
#zine #cardgame #boardgame #tabletop
Even though we’ve just released a new game I’ve been spending a lot of time polishing the designer notes for it, and getting the new release development in full swing.
Frantic typing.
Frantic typing.
kermit the frog from the muppet show is typing on a typewriter .
Alt: kermit the frog from the muppet show is typing on a typewriter .
media.tenor.com
December 1, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Even though we’ve just released a new game I’ve been spending a lot of time polishing the designer notes for it, and getting the new release development in full swing.
Frantic typing.
Frantic typing.
Guinea Pig Baseball is out now!
A chaotic 2–4 player dice-and-paper game where every guinea pig bats at once. Outsmart the pitcher, sprint around the bases, and get six pigs back to the hutch to win.
Free download, link below! ⚾️🥕👇
patreon.com/posts/52-pickup-issue-144647797
#boardgame #indiegame
A chaotic 2–4 player dice-and-paper game where every guinea pig bats at once. Outsmart the pitcher, sprint around the bases, and get six pigs back to the hutch to win.
Free download, link below! ⚾️🥕👇
patreon.com/posts/52-pickup-issue-144647797
#boardgame #indiegame
November 30, 2025 at 8:34 AM
Guinea Pig Baseball is out now!
A chaotic 2–4 player dice-and-paper game where every guinea pig bats at once. Outsmart the pitcher, sprint around the bases, and get six pigs back to the hutch to win.
Free download, link below! ⚾️🥕👇
patreon.com/posts/52-pickup-issue-144647797
#boardgame #indiegame
A chaotic 2–4 player dice-and-paper game where every guinea pig bats at once. Outsmart the pitcher, sprint around the bases, and get six pigs back to the hutch to win.
Free download, link below! ⚾️🥕👇
patreon.com/posts/52-pickup-issue-144647797
#boardgame #indiegame
Reposted by City Square Studios 🎲🃏♟️
I have been saying I should do more self promo so check out TIDES
I made it for a game jam,but I feel like it turned out pretty good, it was an experiment in making my own version of the sorts of diceless TTRPGs I enjoy.Feel free to give me feedback in the comments!
fluffytheterrible6.itch.io/tides
I made it for a game jam,but I feel like it turned out pretty good, it was an experiment in making my own version of the sorts of diceless TTRPGs I enjoy.Feel free to give me feedback in the comments!
fluffytheterrible6.itch.io/tides
T I D E S by fluffytheterrible6
A Story About Dreaming And Drowning
fluffytheterrible6.itch.io
November 29, 2025 at 11:24 PM
I have been saying I should do more self promo so check out TIDES
I made it for a game jam,but I feel like it turned out pretty good, it was an experiment in making my own version of the sorts of diceless TTRPGs I enjoy.Feel free to give me feedback in the comments!
fluffytheterrible6.itch.io/tides
I made it for a game jam,but I feel like it turned out pretty good, it was an experiment in making my own version of the sorts of diceless TTRPGs I enjoy.Feel free to give me feedback in the comments!
fluffytheterrible6.itch.io/tides
Thinking of focusing my next designer notes on how I fixed a specific issue with the process, last few have been a bit meta
November 29, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Thinking of focusing my next designer notes on how I fixed a specific issue with the process, last few have been a bit meta
Still love how cozy Busy Busy Game Cafe looks on the table
patreon.com/posts/designer-notes-105219236
#boardgame #sologame
patreon.com/posts/designer-notes-105219236
#boardgame #sologame
November 28, 2025 at 10:16 AM
Still love how cozy Busy Busy Game Cafe looks on the table
patreon.com/posts/designer-notes-105219236
#boardgame #sologame
patreon.com/posts/designer-notes-105219236
#boardgame #sologame
Had the opportunity to go in the new library in Christchurch New Zealand the other day, and they have an ongoing design a board series, how cool!
🎲✂️
🎲✂️
November 27, 2025 at 8:27 AM
Had the opportunity to go in the new library in Christchurch New Zealand the other day, and they have an ongoing design a board series, how cool!
🎲✂️
🎲✂️
Some sneak peek info for our next very soon to be released tabletop game!
patreon.com/posts/sneak-peek-52-32-144177461
patreon.com/posts/sneak-peek-52-32-144177461
Sneak Peek: 52 Pickup Issue #32 | City Square Studios
Get more from City Square Studios on Patreon
www.patreon.com
November 26, 2025 at 9:27 AM
Some sneak peek info for our next very soon to be released tabletop game!
patreon.com/posts/sneak-peek-52-32-144177461
patreon.com/posts/sneak-peek-52-32-144177461
Reposted by City Square Studios 🎲🃏♟️
I started a Patreon for folks interested in generally supporting this indie publisher to get some of the stuff i make that doesn't necessarily get added into a book.
www.patreon.com/cw/DuckandCr...
www.patreon.com/cw/DuckandCr...
Duck and Crow Press | Patreon
Wizards and fighters and robots and shit. Let's roll.
www.patreon.com
November 25, 2025 at 8:08 PM
I started a Patreon for folks interested in generally supporting this indie publisher to get some of the stuff i make that doesn't necessarily get added into a book.
www.patreon.com/cw/DuckandCr...
www.patreon.com/cw/DuckandCr...
Tonight: some cocktails and game design.
Tomorrow night: something else and game design because cocktails are expensive
Tomorrow night: something else and game design because cocktails are expensive
November 25, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Tonight: some cocktails and game design.
Tomorrow night: something else and game design because cocktails are expensive
Tomorrow night: something else and game design because cocktails are expensive
November 24, 2025 at 8:45 AM
Does every game need to be 'fun'?
We discuss that and a bit of game history and philosophy in the designer notes for Frontline Grind.
🎲✂️ #ttrpgdesign #indiedev
We discuss that and a bit of game history and philosophy in the designer notes for Frontline Grind.
🎲✂️ #ttrpgdesign #indiedev
This month’s 52 Pickup release is Frontline Grind: a grimdark TTRPG of conscripts, villages, and a single weapon passed through the fallen.
Check out the designer notes for the game below.
#ttrpg #indiegames
patreon.com/posts/designer-notes-143080905
Check out the designer notes for the game below.
#ttrpg #indiegames
patreon.com/posts/designer-notes-143080905
November 23, 2025 at 9:21 AM
Does every game need to be 'fun'?
We discuss that and a bit of game history and philosophy in the designer notes for Frontline Grind.
🎲✂️ #ttrpgdesign #indiedev
We discuss that and a bit of game history and philosophy in the designer notes for Frontline Grind.
🎲✂️ #ttrpgdesign #indiedev
Reposted by City Square Studios 🎲🃏♟️
I am 1000% here for this
we should have Leave A Nice Review Friday. its where on fridays we leave nice reviews for works by indie creators on whatever platform having reviews on helps them the most
November 22, 2025 at 4:28 PM
I am 1000% here for this
Frontline Grind is only free for one more week!
A horror grim dark TTRPG where you play a village of conscripts in an endless struggle, use playing cards to make your skill checks.
patreon.com/posts/52-pickup-issue-142462243
#ttrpg #rpg #indiegame
A horror grim dark TTRPG where you play a village of conscripts in an endless struggle, use playing cards to make your skill checks.
patreon.com/posts/52-pickup-issue-142462243
#ttrpg #rpg #indiegame
November 22, 2025 at 10:07 AM
Frontline Grind is only free for one more week!
A horror grim dark TTRPG where you play a village of conscripts in an endless struggle, use playing cards to make your skill checks.
patreon.com/posts/52-pickup-issue-142462243
#ttrpg #rpg #indiegame
A horror grim dark TTRPG where you play a village of conscripts in an endless struggle, use playing cards to make your skill checks.
patreon.com/posts/52-pickup-issue-142462243
#ttrpg #rpg #indiegame
November 21, 2025 at 11:10 AM