On the Pitch

Soccer is a huge draw, pulling in the biggest crowds at the Rio Olympic Games in 2016, as host country Brazil finally won Gold for the first time in the men’s event. Flick-and-move veteran Subbuteo is an obvious favorite for this category, and its host of accessories even extends to Pegasus’s enormous athletics track. This large, 21-piece monstrosity that fits around the pitch was created for decorative purposes, but it’s also not beyond the imagination of the average sporting gamer to gather up a few Subbuteo players to hold their own track meet after the soccer medals have been decided.

Rugby Sevens is a relatively new addition to the games, and it’s also served with a tabletop version via Subbuteo, albeit in vintage sets that can be picked up online. But Zero Point Games is aiming to bring things up to date, launching its Kickstarter for Rugby Sevens: The Game. Jerib Robertson of New Zealand-based Zero Point Games explains: “It’s played with cards representing players that can be placed and moved across five slots in front of you. Player cards get recycled into a random deck for re-draw later, so you need to work with what you have in front of you at any given time. Each team has mirrored slots, and players are tackles or supporting rucks depending on where players are positioned. It’s like a game of Tic-Tac-Toe or Cups but pumped up!”