Badger
This game can be played by anyone attending the 2013 Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, California.
The object of the game is to avoid being badgered.
The other object of the game is to badger badgers.
A badger is any person wearing their GDC badge around their neck OUTSIDE the Moscone center, on any street other than that bit of Howard running between the buildings, and 4th between Howard and Minna (see map).
If you spot a badger, go up to them and say “Badger!” (This is called badgering.)
If they give you a confused look, tell them you’re playing Badger, and explain the rules.
Confused or not, make sure they take off their badge.
If you’re badgered by someone who is, themselves, a badger, you can retort with “MUSHROOM!”
And then you should both highfive.
And then take off your badges.
(inspired by Adam Orth’s pet peeve)
BirthFace
This game requires Facebook to play, and can only be played on your birthday.
Your goal is to earn as many points as possible.
You earn one point for every birthday message that somebody posts on your Facebook wall.
You lose one point for every “Happy Birthday [your name here]!”
You lose two points for every “Happy Birthday!” (with one or more exclamation points).
You lose three points for every “Happy Birthday” (with no exclamation).
Eggs Bugs
This game requires an Xbox 360 with Kinect.
The object of the game is to issue commands to the Kinect’s voice recognition system, without ever saying any of the actual command words the Kinect is listening for.
For example, if you’re watching a movie on Netflix and you want to pause, don’t say “Xbox, pause” — say “Eggs bugs, boss.”
When you play this game, everyone’s a winner.
Chubby Bunny Kinect
This game requires an Xbox 360 with Kinect, and marshmallows.
The object of the game is to have as many marshmallows in your mouth while still being understood by the Kinect’s speech recognition.
The player with the most marshmallows wins.
Band Photo
If you’re walking down the street, and a group of three-to-six people are walking toward you, whip out your camera, yell “BAND PHOTO!” and then take a photo of them.
Look at the photo. If anyone’s face isn’t visible, tell those people they’re out of the band.
King of the World
This game must be played on a boat.
The object of the game is to become the King of the World.
To become the king of the world, be the first person, once the boat has left shore, to run up to the front of the boat and shout “I’M THE KING OF THE WORLD!”
Everybody else loses.
Bird, Omelette, Napkin
This variant of Rock Paper Scissors is about the tenuous relationship between outdoor brunch seating, hungry wildlife, and the means through which we protect our meal.
“Bird, Omelette, Napkin, shoot!”
Bird eats the omelette.
Napkin can be placed over one’s plate to keep the bird from getting to the omelette.
But the omelette dirties the napkin.
To summarize:
Bird > Omelette > Napkin > Bird
Illustrations by Bonnie Ruberg.
Sleep Dice
To play this game, you need Sleep Cycle for iOS.
(This isn’t an advergame, although dammit that would’ve been a really good idea.)
Set the Sleep Cycle alarm to 5:15 AM.
The object of the game is to wake up as close to 5:00 AM as possible.
Trauma Bomb
The object of the game is to drop the biggest trauma bomb possible.
Players compete by attending large public events. To play, locate a target, preferably within a densely crowded area.
Strike up a conversation with your target. Let the conversation progress and get familiar. When things feel comfortable, take an utterly banal comment made by your target and GET AS UPSET AND RILED UP AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN, treating the banal and trivial comment as the source of your trauma and outrage.
An Example:
Target: Yeah, they make this really great mac and cheese-
Player: MY PUPPY DIED FROM MACARONI AND CHEESE
You’ve just dropped a trauma bomb. The bigger the bomb, the more partygoers you’ll distract and leave feeling awkward and confused. Dropping multiple trauma bombs at the same party is not recommended.
Drama Bomb
The object of the game is to drop the biggest drama bomb possible.
Players compete by attending large public events. To play, locate a target, preferably within a densely crowded area.
When you’re ready, approach the target with an air of familiarity, and confront him or her (loudly) with a horrifying truth, sob-ridden confession, malicious accusation, or some other REALLY DRAMATIC THING.
You’ve just dropped a drama bomb. The bigger the bomb, the more partygoers you’ll distract and leave feeling awkward and confused. Dropping multiple drama bombs at the same party is not recommended.
