Already a hit, roguelike city builder 9 Kings adds a new playable character

The marriage between card games and roguelikes is definitely having a moment right now. It's no wonder, given the variety of ways in which that meeting of genres can take shape; there's Slay the Spire, Balatro, and even my all-time favourite Inscryption. Newcomer 9 Kings also certainly has the format down pat, having proved extremely popular on Steam since its early access launch a few months back. If you're yet to pick it up, there really is no better time as a new update has just arrived.

9 Kings has all the signs of becoming one of the best roguelikes currently available; since its launch into early access in May, it's racked up a 92% positive rating from Steam users, with reviews sitting at 'very positive'. And now the game is set to become even better with this latest update.

It's time to welcome a new monarch to 9 Kings as the eighth king arrives in-game as part of Update 13. The King of the Nomads and his army of fierce reptilian warriors bring bring fresh dynamics to the city-building game, along with quality of life improvements and RNG for players.

The aim of 9 Kings is to expand your territory, grow your kingdom, and emerge triumphant against other Kings. You pick the monarch of your choice at the start of the game, and begin with cards from their starting deck in your hand. Cards then need to be placed on a blank grid; these can be buildings to grow your reach, units to fight against enemies, or even items that could help you turn the tide in combat.

Hailing from the snowy north, this new king brings a whole extra starting hand of cards to the game, with a specialty in troop-led decks with few buildings. He also introduces a dynamic where you'll be rewarded for shuffling buildings around the board to stay mobile and adapt.

It's a handy new mechanic, given that the goal of 9 Kings is to expand your kingdom over time, which requires you to sometimes strategize on the fly to ensure the prosperity, longevity and victory of your kingdom against other kings.

With the arrival of this eighth king, there's only one monarch remaining to be revealed. So if you're planning on hopping back into the game after a break, there's no better time!

9 Kings is available in early access on Steam for $19.99 / £17.99. Here's a handy link to the Steam page.

If you're looking to hone your strategy skills before jumping into 9 Kings, you can read our best strategy games guide. Or here are some of the best card games available right now.

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