Hear ye, hear ye: The Oregon Trail is now a tabletop card game. You heard right — if you go into a Target store, you can have nostalgic fun, like this person here:
It costs $13. And I want it super badly.
That got me thinking — with the last days of summer before school begins again and people taking those last camping excursions, beach trips or park picnics, card games are a really excellent thing to pick up. They’re super portable — no big boards to haul around, and great for playing at tables in bars. For the most part, they’re easy to learn. Grab your nearest queers, build a pillow fort and play a game. With the world being so stressful to exist in right now, you’ll be glad you did. Here are some of my favorites.
Chrononauts
When you play Chrononauts, you are a time traveler with a mission that requires you to alter history, a few objects you need to rip the fabric of space to gather, and the need to return to your home-time when all is said and done. But be careful! Don’t alter time too much without patching up your paradoxes — too many and the multiverse falls apart. And don’t, ya know, accidentally end the world. Unless you’re playing as Squa Tront, then bring about World War III all you like. This game is easy to learn, but requires a ton of strategy. And it has a ton of replay value because of that strategy — you’ll have to play differently based on your secret identity, your mission and the play-styles of those around you. Plus it’s super nerdy. There’s also expansion packs if you want ’em: The Gore Years, Early American and Lost Identities.
Bang
Bang is an Italian card game all about the caricature of the American Wild West. It’s one of my friend Catherine’s favorite games, and this year we played it for her birthday. Each player gets an identity that allows them to take certain actions on their turn, but they also get a role that they keep secret. Well, unless you’re the sheriff. Then everyone knows you’re the sheriff. And most people are trying to kill you. You do that by shooting people based on how far away from you they’re seated, if they’re on a horse and on your individual strategy. But don’t give away what role you are, or you might be the next one with a target painted on her back. This game is a fun, interactive version of a bad Western movie. Last time we played, my fiancée blew me up with dynamite. Also all the cards are in Italian and English. Once again, there are expansion packs if you want ’em: Valley of the Shadows and Gold Rush.
Coup
I feel like I may have mentioned Coup before because it’s one of my favorite games. And it’s no surprise it’s one of my favorites, because this game is all about how well you lie. If you know me in person, you know I can’t lie to save my life IRL, but as soon as you take away real consequences, turns out I can lie my face off. Coup takes place in a dystopian universe in which you’re trying to bluff your way into being the all-powerful leader. You can use the powers of either of the two identity cards in your hand, but you can also lie through your teeth and use the powers of any other identity card, just as long as no one calls you out about being a liar. I have a friend who plays this game without looking at the two cards in her hand until someone calls her out as lying. It’s a sight to see. This game also has one expansion pack available: Reformation.
Fluxx
Fluxx was designed by two NASA scientists and the rules are simple: each turn, you draw one card and you play one card. Except the things written on the card change the rules of the game. They change what winning means. They change what turns do. They change… welp… anything. The nice part about this game is that you disrupt the notion that having played before will get you anywhere. Since the rules are made with each card throwdown, no one has a gamer advantage. Last time I played this game, I used a lot of curse words. There are also a ton of different themed Fluxx games, among which are Star Fluxx, Pirate Fluxx, and Adventure Time Fluxx.
Sushi Go
Sushi Go is a set collection game where you’re a diner at a conveyor belt sushi restaurant, a thing I didn’t know existed until I googled it because I’m allergic to fish. The first player takes one from the set and passes it along to the next player, exactly like a conveyor belt. Some cards are worth points on their own, some are worth more points in a set, and some are only worth points in a set. Better hope the card you need is still there when the conveyor belt comes back around to you. I am real real bad at this game, but the cards are REALLY CUTE.
What about you? What portable card games are you and your queermo-nerds playing? And where are you playing them?
