May 2026

We Made a Secret Game to Give You for Free, But Forgot to Tell You About It…Until Now!

Nothing says 'nostalgia' like a forgotten relic. In this case, it’s a time capsule game lovingly designed as a gift for our Delightful Dispatch newsletter subscribers. The twist? We hid it so well that we forgot to share it with you.

Imagine this: Your town’s centennial celebration is only one week away when the mayor asks you to find the community’s priceless time capsule. The problem? There’s only one reward, and a rival bounty hunter has been hired for the same job!

The first player to uncover the lost time capsule wins — earning the big reward, and the respect of the mayor and the entire town.

Well, friends, dust off your digital shovels; it's time to dig into Capsule , the game made specifically for you (and that we accidentally kept to ourselves).

Quick Game Details About Capsule

Capsule is a 2-player, print-to-play card game that is playable in 15–20 minutes and suitable for ages 8 and over.
During the course of the game, use your deductive skills and cunning to dig strategically and use tools creatively to locate the city’s lost time capsule before your rival bounty hunter.
In order to play, all you need to do is download, print, and cut out all cards and player sheets, and ensure both players have a pen or marker.
Capsule locations and discoveries change every session, making the game competitive and exciting enough for frequent rematches.

Where Did the Idea for Capsule Come From?

Well, the game’s creator, Talon Durant , loves digging holes…yes, really!

He actually loves digging holes so much that he once spent weeks digging a hole on his grandpa's farm until it was over six feet deep, using just a shovel. You could say that it was a form of soil-searching.

Once Talon returned home after such a long time away, the first thing he wanted to do was dig another hole. Someone suggested that he should try to dig a hole large enough for a tire to stand up in — but after several hours of digging, he had made it only a few inches.

It turns out that Talon lived on compact gravel, and no amount of manual pickaxing was going to make a difference. Thinking on that moment years later, he was struck with a rock-solid idea.

To satisfy his love for the dig, Talon was inspired to create Capsule.

What Happens When You Unearth a Creative Cache

Let me take you back, all the way back, to March of 2025. Ok, it’s not really that long ago, but it certainly feels that way sometimes.

During a ground-breaking burst of inspiration, which no creator ever wants to waste, Talon created 12 games simultaneously.

Not all of them landed, some flopped, some turned out really promising, and through a lot of persistence, one turned into WHATEVER (but that's a story for another day).

Beyond that, Talon was left with a really solid prototype for Capsule, which he decided to get serious about this year by completing the game as a print-and-play entry into the Sodalite Games catalog .

A Personal Gift to Newsletter Subscribers

Talon wanted to share Capsule with his newsletter subscribers as a thank you for being interested in his publishing journey (and maybe now his digging journey, too).

And while he decided to make it free for subscribers, he wanted to make sure the game was as fun and exciting as any other game in the catalog, even if printed at home, the local library, or wherever.

Talon worked with artist Hannah Toth to develop the vintage adventure art style of the game, making each printout retail quality.

The result? A treasure-hunting game that’s as visually compelling as it is un-earthly fun!

Capsule, a print and play game of deduction and deck manipulation

Next, we’ll dig up the truth about what went into the creation of Capsule.

What is a Print-and-Play Game?

A print-and-play (PnP) game is a board or card game that is distributed digitally (usually as a PDF) rather than sold in a physical box. You download the files, print them at home or a local print shop, and cut them out yourself.

What Are The Benefits of Capsule’s Print-and-Play Format?

So, why would we opt to make Capsule a print-and-play game versus a pre-assembled retail game?

Affordability: Avoiding the cost of professional printing and packaging, this format makes it possible to offer the game for more reasonable prices, or entirely free for newsletter subscribers.
Quick Access: Some nights, you just want to play a new game, right now. Capsule’s format means you don't have to wait for shipping; you can start crafting and playing the game minutes after your purchase.

What Do You Need to Play Capsule?

The great thing about Capsule is that even with the print-and-play format, you don’t need a lot of materials to get started.

Printer: You can print in color if available, or you can print in black & white and make decorating the cards and player sheets another fun part of the gameplay process.
Paper or Cardstock: Any normal printer paper works great, but to give the game a sturdier feel, you can print on heavy cardstock.
Scissors or a Paper Trimmer: For cutting out cards and player sheets.
Pens, Markers, or Pencils: Each player needs a writing implement to track their money and discoveries along the way. Pencil, pen, marker, crayon, whatever you have works.
Laminator or Card Sleeves (Optional): For longevity, consider using card sleeves, or laminating cards, player sheets, and the rules booklet to keep them safe play after play. At-home laminators are relatively affordable, ranging from $18-50 depending on your desired features.

How Do You Play Capsule?

Archaeologists, geologists, historians, treasure hunters, and dig enthusiasts — you’ve been hired! Now it’s time to race your opponent to uncover the lost time capsule and receive the mayor’s reward first.

1. Download, Print & Cut

Download, print, and cut out all cards and player sheets, and ensure both players have a pen or marker.

Tips for Printing & Cutting

When you download Capsule, it comes with easy-to-follow instructions for printing and cutting:

Printable Rules Booklet: Print on both sides, flip on the short side. Fold in half evenly to create a booklet.
Player Sheets: Print and cut along the dotted line. Optionally laminate for re-usability.
Location, Market & Tool Cards: Print on both sides, flip on the long side. Cut out the individual cards, and place in card sleeves or laminate (optional).

2. Tools of the Digging Trade

Capsule doesn’t just equip bounty hunters with a standard shovel, though that is always available for you to use during the game.

Using your daily in-game stipend, shop for tools (Shovel, Metal Detector, Probe, Compactor, Pickaxe, Sonar, or Tiller) to aid you in your search for the time capsule.

3. Start Digging!

On your turn, dig up (draw) Location and Discovery cards from the dig pile as directed by each tool card, carefully narrowing down the location of the capsule.

4. Share Information & Sell Discoveries

Earn rewards by sharing information with your rival (optional) or selling discoveries for money to spend on your next turn.

5. Memories Unlocked

The winner is the first player to correctly identify the location of the time capsule before the big event, or if the capsule isn’t found in 7 days (cue sad mayor), the player with the most money remaining claims the victory.

The Capsule Experience is Soil Good!

When playing Capsule, some of our favorite experiences have been observing how different play styles change the entire vibe of the game.

During one session, you can play with a highly competitive approach, where you search aggressively and stay very secretive in an attempt to locate the time capsule first at all costs.

The aftermath? Well, sometimes it pays off handsomely, and the reward is all yours, and other times you dig yourself into a hole (literally), and your opponent's more tactical approach wins the day.

Alternatively, you can also play more altruistically, where your soft heart for the city’s big event prompts you to share information along the way, and while you may not win personally, your rival’s victory results in the “greater good” resolution for the town’s main event.

Capsule Gameplay Personalization

One other thing that we love about Capsule is the opportunity to get creative with the town, the mayor, and the time capsule itself.

To increase immersion, consider making small creative adjustments including:

Creating unique bounty hunter personas to portray during the game.
Changing the name of the town to your own city, neighborhood, or household.
Assigning the role of the mayor to someone else in your family, a friend, or a fictional character.
Loading up a physical “time capsule” with different artifacts, treats, or rewards that you can reveal at the end of the game.

This level of personalization can create a lot of laughs at the table, and add extra fun and excitement to the gameplay loop.

If you have fun ideas, home rules, or experiences with Capsule, Contact Us , we’d love to hear about them!

Breaking Ground: Your Next Print-and-Play Obsession Awaits

Shovel your worries away with Capsule, a riveting, print-and-play game of deduction and digging, that is easily downloadable and perfect for 2 players.

You can instantly break new ground for tonight’s date night, kids that are bored of their existing games, or times when you really just need to dig a hole.