Write to Win (Round 8): Creating a new board game, from design to rules and play

As a fan of Disney and cats, I would create an adventure-themed board game that incorporated both.

In “Jewel Cat Seeker”, players collect jewels scattered around the world by answering questions on mission cards. The player with the most jewels wins.

The game box would include a map with 13 checkpoints correlating to different Disney films, a spinner, 13 princess cards corresponding to their respective region, 13 blank cards, 39 mission cards – three per region – and fish tokens. Players “pay” with fish tokens to travel between checkpoints, with longer distances costing more fish.

Each region has five cards: three “mission”, one “blank” and one “princess”. Two jewel stickers are randomly placed on each region’s mission and blank cards. Players, or “cats”, spin to select cards and complete missions, gaining jewels and fish.

Blank cards are a chance to get creative, allowing players to ask personalised questions and develop deeper connections – great for friends and families.

Mission cards present region-related questions. For example, a mission card related to Norway – where the fictional kingdom in Frozen drew inspiration from – could focus on extreme weather, linking the question to the fictional blizzard in the movie and to the Norwegian Arctic getting warmer and wetter due to global warming in real life.

Princess cards do not award you with fish, but they are useful! Each princess gives one player a unique power in-game. For example, Ariel from The Little Mermaid lets you travel for free between checkpoints; as the daughter of the ocean, she can help you get to your next destination via water. Other princesses can help you “steal” other players’ fish tokens or jewels.

This board game is a great way to take a break from your jam-packed schedule, uncovering jewels with help from beloved fictional princesses. Are you ready to embark on an adventure?

Write to Win (Round 7): If you could have dinner with a stranger, who would it be?

Picture this: you and your closest friends want to blow off some steam together after a particularly challenging exam season. You want something that is equally entertaining as it is competitive.

But what can you do? Tired of generic board games, you struggle to decide on something everyone would enjoy. Here is where my board game comes into play.

In my Alice in Wonderland-inspired board game, everyone would play a different character, including a narrator. Based on the classic children’s story, the game’s main appeal would be how it develops according to a conflict of the narrator’s choosing. This keeps the game entertaining because there is no predetermined plan.

Players are divided into two teams, one trying to get Alice out of Wonderland and the other – led by the Queen of Hearts – trying to prevent Alice from ever leaving. The game is designed to make players think creatively and work as a team to finish tasks.

Gen Z is constantly looking for the next best thing – a trend to follow or an app to download. Sometimes, social media can cause us to lose sight of the children we once were. The sand in the hourglass is falling faster now than ever.

This board game is a delightful escape. Everyone gets a chance to reignite their childlike wonder and enjoy a few hours off the grid.

Imagine stepping into the shoes of the Hatter or Cheshire Cat, strategising with friends as you navigate the whimsical challenges of Wonderland. Would you dare to jump down this rabbit hole?

A blend of skill and pure luck, board games are versatile, interactive experiences everyone can enjoy, helping people connect across tense battlefields. It works time and time again, but for a board game to succeed, it must follow unspoken rules.

Family game nights at my home are rowdy, loud and full of laughter. However, tensions often arise when someone feels they are about to lose and subsequently “give up” on trying to finish the game properly.

That is why my new game would be a “blind” board game.

One gamemaster would have access to a simple, customisable grid with “penalties” that cause players to move backwards when stepped on and “rewards” that boost a player forwards – similar to a snakes and ladders board.

Players gain a certain number of steps based on their performance in various minigames. These can also be customised, whether players are in the mood for a dance-off or a quick round of “rock, paper, scissors”. After all, why choose one game when you can play them all?

The suspense of not knowing wherethey could land, combined with a strong focus on winning individual games, will motivate players to try their best, no matter their standing.

Best of all, the nature of separate minigames means this board game can be played over multiple nights. All the gamemaster has to do is take a photo of the current board and continue another night with new minigames.