Some roleplaying games ask you to slay gods, negotiate political intrigue, or explore the furthest reaches of space. Lorena Torres Loaiza’s new project has a humbler, stickier goal: escape a tin of legumes.
You’re a Wizard Stuck in a Can of Beans is currently live on Kickstarter as part of Zine Quest, and it is perhaps the most literally titled RPG of the year.
We have until February 28th to back the campaign.
The premise is delightfully brief because it doesn’t need to be complicated. You are a wizard. You are five seconds old. You are trapped in a can of expired Magic Beans™.
This is creator Lorena Torres Loaiza‘s first Kickstarter, and it’s memorable.
Mechanically, the game is a “pocket maze zine.” It is designed as a solo experience where you navigate 20 mazes to claim your “Wizardly Dignity.” Each maze offers two exits: one brings you closer to freedom, and the other results in “catastrophic failure.” It is designed to be played casually (perhaps while eating beans) without the need for complex character sheets or hours of prep.
This project highlights exactly why Zine Quest is such a vital part of the tabletop calendar.
Launched by Kickstarter to highlight “small-format RPG zine products,” Zine Quest runs every February. It encourages creators to strip back the bloat of massive hardcovers and focus on singular, often strange, ideas. It is an open call for creativity that allows niche concepts, like a micro-RPG about legume-based claustrophobia, to find an audience that big publishers would never risk targeting.
The campaign is offering simple, accessible tiers:
- Pledge CA$ 5 (approx. £3): A digital PDF copy of the zine.
- Pledge CA$ 10 (approx. £6): The physical printed zine, mailed to you.
- Pledge CA$ 1,000 (approx. £570): The “Wizard Insanity Tier,” which includes the original hand-drawn artwork.
The project is funding now and is set to fulfill in May 2026.
