First Look: Greeting Card Games
It’s hard sending your child off to college. There’s so much I want to do to make her college experience better including the occasional campus visit and regularly sending cards or care packages. But I’m fully aware that there’s a fine line between being intrusive and quelling the homesickness. When she left, I said, “I’m going to come visit you weekly for lunch.” She thought I was serious, but I was actually joking. Yes, I wanted to visit sometimes, but only when she needed me. Going away to school is about spreading your wings, not having lunch with the bird cage. As a family with a focus on gaming, we were excited to send Madison off equipped with a handful of board games. We figured it would provide opportunities for her to meet and easily break the ice with new people. We were pleased to find out that she did exactly that and GM’d a game of Werewolf for around 35-40 people within the first week or so of living on campus. But during the last two trips to visit her, she has sent other items home because there simply isn’t room for everything. That was confirmation that she didn’t need me to send care packages filled with trinkets that would take up space.
Of course, there’s no harm in sending cards to her. It’s fun to get mail whether you’re living at home or away. But I’ll be honest, I’m not a fan of spending five bucks a pop on a card that gets sent to the recycle bin once it has been read. I would rather put a $5 gift card in a plain envelope. But I was recently introduced to an idea and realized Greeting Card Games from The Dark Imp are a perfect combination of communication, a small gift and a functional (yet space-conscious) game.
In preparation for the Greeting Card Games Kickstarter, they sent us a some samples to check out and it was a total “A-ha!” moment. Why send an impersonal-ish card from the discount store when I could send a card that doubles as a game? The Kickstarter will include six games that vary from single player to multi-player competitive and cooperative.
It’s worth noting that these are not the final versions and there will definitely be some changes in the print quality of the cards as well as revisions to how the components are presented. But in general, these photos should give you an idea of what you’ll receive if you back their Kickstarter. The campaign includes games such as: Guess How, a cooperative legacy game for up to four. Enemy Lines, a 2-player battle game. In the Drawing Room with the Hatchet is a programming game for 3-6 players. “Snakes, Ladders & a Pogo Stick” is a 3-5 player take on the popular children’s game, but movement and bonuses are generated by a worker placement mechanic.
The pieces aren’t anything fancy since they’re part of the game, but that’s part of the novelty of it. At first, they’re a greeting, then the recipient can enjoy the game once or multiple times. When they’re done, it’s easily discarded or can be stored inside the original envelope.
So what about the games? As I mentioned before, there are a variety of different types of games. In addition, they vary in complexity from 1-3 stars in addition to ranging in player count from 1-10. You don’t need to have someone in mind for each one. You can keep them in a drawer with other greeting cards and you’ll have them on hand for last minute, “Oh, I forgot it was your birthday” or “Thought you could use a pick-me-up” messages.
Greeting Card Games provide us an opportunity to let our college student know we’re thinking of her while at the same time offering a break from the stress that accompanies a difficult workload. Writing letters is a dying form of communication yet something that brings joy to those who participate in it. If you have people in your life that could use a pick-me-up in the form of a compact game, check out the Greeting Card Games Kickstarter. Visit The Dark Imp’s website to find their coaster games and other products that promote family fun and quality time. You can find out what else they are up to by following them on Facebook and Twitter.
When was the last time you sent a meaningful letter or card in the mail?
