The Big Squeeze - Freshly Squeezed Apocalypse

A Refreshing Sip in the Wasteland

They say every global crisis is, above all else, a time of new opportunities. And if civilization has completely collapsed into ruin, that is hardly a reason to give up. On the contrary - it might be the perfect moment to launch a small business of your own. The new board game The Big Squeeze from Wiggles 3D delivers a completely absurd take on the survival genre for 1-4 players. Forget tedious scavenging for canned food and building rusty barricades. Your greatest weapon against the challenges of the broken world is the sound of clinking ice cubes, freshly squeezed lemons, and the charming smile of a vendor standing behind a branded lemonade stand. The game fully embraces chaotic optimism during the collapse of civilization.
Players already have multiple ways to join this unusual adventure. The crowdfunding campaign is currently live on BackerKit, while the most important part is that the digital table is already open on Tabletopia, where anyone can try to build their lemonade empire directly on the ruins of the old world.



The Most Optimistic End of the World

At the core of The Big Squeeze lies an elegant mechanic built around preparing for the inevitable. Before the apocalypse arrives, you are simply a small business owner in the town of Rinddale, traveling between locations in search of ice, sugar, and radiation-surviving lemons. Using these ingredients, players create drinks from recipe cards drawn during the game. Every new lemonade recipe is not only prepared for sale but also instantly grants unique abilities to your character.
However, the real tactical depth comes from deciding how to manage your profits. Once you earn those precious bills, you face an important choice: invest them into upgrading your player board to gather resources more efficiently in the future, or hide them away inside a secure stash. This decision becomes critical when the shared money supply on the table finally runs out - because that is the exact moment the Apocalypse begins.
The board physically flips over, revealing burned-out wastelands, while all unprotected resources and goods are mercilessly destroyed. In this harsh new reality, survivors must rely entirely on the supplies hidden in their stash. By spending them to complete special contracts known as Bounties, players earn Fame points, which ultimately determine the new ruler of the ruined world.

Time to Make Lemonade!

The true strategic depth of The Big Squeeze fully emerges once resources begin running dry and competition becomes ruthless. The lemonade business is brutal: whenever the shared supply of ice, sugar, or lemons runs out, the rules allow players to steal the missing goods from whichever opponent has stockpiled the most. Even worse, the victim must personally decide whether to surrender supplies from their storefront or from their protected stash.

Not only does the world evolve - your characters evolve as well. During the post-apocalyptic phase, they effectively “grow up.” By investing money into player board upgrades, players unlock powerful advanced abilities designed to help complete contracts more efficiently.

For those who prefer building an empire alone, the game also features a surprisingly dynamic solo mode. In it, players control four workers at once while competing against an automated Rival opponent. The objective is to become the first player to reach 9 Fame points. The artificial enemy constantly pressures you by analyzing your worker locations and forcing you to discard ingredients, recipes, or even hard-earned upgrades. Three separate difficulty levels allow players to scale the challenge by altering the starting Fame balance before the apocalypse begins.

Your Move, Wasteland Entrepreneurs!

The Big Squeez feels like a refreshing glass of lemonade in the middle of a crowded world full of serious board game drama. Wiggles 3D has created an incredibly dynamic game that thrives on contrast. Players begin with peaceful street-side business management, but with every turn the tension rises higher, forcing everyone to fight for resources and prepare their stash for the inevitable Apocalypse. It is a game where optimism and a cold drink become your greatest weapons against approaching chaos.
Who may be ready to lead a lemonade empire even during the apocalypse:

• Fans of unusual and absurd themes that mix humor with apocalyptic survival
• Players who enjoy games where strategies must constantly adapt during the match
• Groups looking for fast-paced games with medium complexity and constant tactical adjustments
• Players who enjoy accessible eurogames
• Solo players

If this project sounds interesting to you, now is probably the best possible time to help bring it onto your shelves. The crowdfunding campaign is currently active on BackerKit, and supporting the campaignr emains the best way to help independent developers while also receiving the game among the very first players.

Additionally, reaching 1,500 backers will unlock another brand-new character for every copy of the game. The 1,000 backer milestone has already been surpassed, adding the character Tori Lane to the project.

If this satirical approach appeals to you, this is the perfect chance to become part of the project. And to make the decision even easier, the online version of the game is already available for everyone on Tabletopia. Launch the game, invite your friends, and discover for yourself just how profitable your business can become while the rest of the world collapses into chaos.