Sky Team (board game)

Lore & Background

Luc Rémond originally developed Sky Team during the COVID-19 lockdowns as a single-player game. After the lockdowns lifted, game testing led to the addition of two-player communication aspects. The game was published by the Québécois publisher Le Scorpion Masqué, who involved flight commander Robert Piché in the development of one of the game's scenarios. Sky Team debuted in 2023 and was featured at gaming conventions such as Essen Spiel, Gen Con, and Pax Unplugged.

In Sky Team, players work together as a pilot and co-pilot to navigate a commercial airliner through various landing scenarios. Each player rolls dice at the start of each round hidden from the other player. The game requires silent coordination to allocate the dice to slots representing components of a plane, simulating the management of an aircraft's axis, speed, flaps, landing gear, and communication with the control tower. The objective is to adjust these components over multiple rounds so that the plane lands safely. The game ends in failure if the plane stalls, overshoots, or collides with other planes from mismanagement of these components.

Reader's Guide

Sky Team garnered significant attention and praise during its showcase at Gen Con 2023, as reported by Polygon. The game was highlighted for its originality, engaging mechanics, and successful integration of a real-world flight experience into the board game format. Charlie Theel, writing for Polygon, described the game as a 'wonderful modern board game that balances amusement with simulation' and stated that it was 'one of 2023’s best board games, one that is singular and unlike anything else in the hobby'. Sky Team was the winner of Dicebreaker's 2023 Tabletop Award for Best Board Game for its 'thrillingly unique theme that combines with tight, captivating gameplay for one of the most original cooperative board games in years.' The game was later featured in Dicebreaker's list of the 'Best Board Games 2024', curated by Alex Meehan. It also won Board Game Quest's 2023 Best Cooperative Game award and the 2024 Spiel des Jahres. Its significance lies in its innovative silent coordination mechanic and its successful translation of a complex real-world task into an accessible board game experience.

Did You Know?

• Sky Team was originally developed as a single-player game during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
• Flight commander Robert Piché was involved in the development of one of the game's scenarios.
• The game won the 2024 Spiel des Jahres.
• Sky Team was featured at gaming conventions including Essen Spiel, Gen Con, and Pax Unplugged.