Kart Races onto Kickstarter

Leder Games, the publisher behind Root, Arcs and Fort, has launched a Kickstarter campaign for Kart, a colourful tabletop racing game about children hurtling downhill in vehicles assembled from junk, spare parts and whatever else they could find in the neighbourhood dumpster.

Designed by Patrick Leder for two to four players, Kart combines tactical racing with vehicle customisation. Each player controls one of the young racers, steering their homemade kart through backyards filled with mud, puddles, ramps, garden obstacles, and other hazards.

Speed is both useful and dangerous. Karts accelerate as the race continues, but the faster you travel, the less control you have available to steer and activate abilities. Players can add upgrades to the four sections of their kart, creating useful combinations, but collisions and reckless driving can cause those parts to break away.

Simply crossing the finishing line first might not guarantee victory. Racers can also impress the watching crowd by taking risks, performing spectacular moves, and pushing their increasingly battered kart beyond its sensible limits. Crowd support can improve a players final position, although it cannot rescue someone who finishes too far behind the leaders.

The game uses modular 5×5 neighbourhood tiles, with 25 different yards currently included. These can be combined to produce different courses, forcing players to navigate changing terrain rather than following a single predetermined racing line.

The campaign has already passed its $50,000 funding goal, attracting more than 1,100 backers and over $75,000 at the time of writing. Kart is live on Kickstarter until Tuesday 6th October 2026, with fulfiment currently estimated for May 2027.