‘The Binding of Isaac’ card game adaptation meets Kickstarter success

“The Binding of Isaac” was one of the gems coming out of the long list of indie titles in video game history. First released in 2011, the rogue-like top-down shooter has since been played by millions because of its multi-platform availability. With its huge fan base, the game’s creator, Edmund McMillen, has decided to create more out of the game, and it seems like a wise move.

Launched as a campaign on Kickstarter earlier this month, “The Binding of Isaac: Four Souls” is a tabletop card game based on the beloved indie title. The first campaign has met success and reached its goal merely 90 minutes after launching.

There are still a few days left before the campaign closes. However, according to Polygon, the campaign has already surpassed its goal of $50,000 and reached more than $1.40 million as of this writing. Behind the project are over 20,000 backers who want to see the card game become a reality.

The card game is played by two to four players and is semi-cooperative in a sense that participants can help each other out, but they can also use cards against others playing on the table. In the Kickstarter video for the campaign, McMillen says that the main goal is to work together as a team early in the game. Once players have become powerful enough, they can beat bosses on their own. The first player to earn four souls wins.

McMillen had the idea to create the board game when his wife suggested to do so, reports PC Games. Having no prior knowledge of creating board games, McMillen first scoffed at the idea, but he was very well interested in it.

Edmund McMillen (left) is the creator of indie game “The Binding of Isaac.” (Photo by Fuad Kamal via Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 3.0)

When he was sick one weekend, McMillen decided to take a shot at designing the card game. He went through a few prototypes, and after recovering, he and his wife decided to bring some of the cards to life. In only a week, McMillen had a “rough prototype that was playable.”

Backers can pledge for as low as $5, and they can also receive rewards. For example, those funding $75 can receive “The Trap Door” package, which comes with a copy of the card game in a special gold trim box. Inside the box are four character cards, four starting items for the character cards, more cards, as well as a six-sided and an eight-sided dice, a playing mat and a free t-shirt.

Interested fans can also avail the lavish “Haunted” package, which is the combination of “The Trap Door” set and other bundles, by funding $1,666 or higher. Additionally, fans will be gifted four exclusive figurines based on “The Binding of Isaac” and a special custom-made headstone.

The critical success of “The Binding of Isaac” in the gaming industry was a great stepping stone for creator McMillen’s new venture. “The Binding of Isaac: Four Souls” is without a doubt one of the most successful card games to launch on Kickstarter, and it will be exciting to see how it will fare when the game starts shipping this November.

(Featured image by BagoGames via Flickr. CC BY 2.0)