Gum-sized Microgames: An Interview with Chris Handy of Pack O Game: Page 2 of 2

CGR: Pack O Game looks like it includes a lot of really fun casual games. Could you tell us a bit about each game that will be included in the set?

CH: There are 4 games in the main KickStarter campaign. But, we’ve funded, so now each new stretch goal is a new Pack O Game to add to the numbered series. The rest of the games will “unlock” and be sent for free to backers that contribute at the $20 pledge level or higher. The value of a pledge at the end of this campaign is going to be crazy. There could be 8-10 games rewarded to a person that pledges just $20. That’s like…2 bucks a game! Each game in the series has a difficulty rating of 1, 2 or 3. In the “Core Four” there are:

• HUE is a tile-laying game in which players secretly choose 3 colors and build areas of color sections together in the center of the playing area. The winner is the player who chose the most valuable 3 colors. (2-5 players, Ages: 8+, Playing Time: 10 min., (LEVEL 2) Intermediate)
• TKO is a 2-player boxing game in which players simultaneously choose a punch or a block to gain points. Each boxer has unique strengths, so players will need to carefully track the motivation and likelihood of their opponent choosing certain actions. It’s a great twist on the Rock-Paper-Scissors mechanism. (2 players, Ages: 8+, Playing Time: 10 min., (LEVEL 1) Casual)
• GEM is a tense auction game of asset leverage and wit in which players are jewel collectors vying for the most prestigious and valuable jewel collection. (2-4 players, Ages: 10+, Playing Time: 20 min., (LEVEL 3) Challenging)
• FLY is a 3D, set-collecting dexterity game that’s perfect for families on the go. Players take turns dropping the fly swatter card on the table to swat flies with like colors and symbols. You'll need at least 3 of the same color or symbol in order for a fly to count. (2-4 players, Ages: 8+, Playing Time: 10 min., (LEVEL 1) Casual)

A few of the games we’re hoping to unlock, print, and ship to our backers are:

• TAJ (ALREADY UNLOCKED!), a voting, secret-motive game based around a Taj Mahal theme.  (2-4 players, Ages: 10+, Playing Time: 20 min., (LEVEL 3) Challenging)
• LIE, a bluffing game with a new twist on the “Liar’s Dice” mechanism. (2-6 players, Ages: 8+, Playing Time: 20 min., (LEVEL 2) Intermediate)
• SHH, a cooperative word game that is played in silence. (2-4 players, Ages: 10+, Playing Time: 10 min., (LEVEL 3) Challenging)
• BUS, a “Pick Up and Deliver” game of efficiency and speed. (2-4 players, Ages: 8+, Playing Time: 20 min., (LEVEL 2) Intermediate)

And, there are even more that we haven’t announced!

CGR: These games seem great for social and casual gamers. What have you done to ease the learning process for new players?

CH: The barrier to entry on the Pack O Games are unlike anything I've seen. Even when I was running GatePlay.com and putting some of our hobby's flagship "Gateway games" in front of non-gamers, I got some pushback on price-point, size, learning curve, artwork, and that unavoidable RULE BOOK!  There's something about the size of Pack O Game, and perhaps that it's a deck of cards, that puts people at ease. Each Pack O Game includes a single sheet of rules (front and back/full color) that is clear, and easy to read through. And perhaps what I'm most excited about in the area of "rules" is that each rule sheet prominently features a URL link to learn the rules in about 3 minutes, via a professionally made video. Most of us have smart phones, so to be able to bring up a video for all players to watch, saves a ton of time and hassle. And "learning the rules" is probably the biggest hurdle for casual and non-gamers, so we're thrilled to have a huge aid in this process

CGR: Is there one game that stands out as your personal favorite? Which one is it, and why?

CH: HUE is probably my favorite because it’s so approachable, it looks like modern art at the end of the game, it has great layers of strategy and only takes 4-5 turns per player to play.  It’s also the first game that I designed for the series.

CGR: After just over 1 week, your campaign surpassed $30,000! This is quite an accomplishment, especially for casual games. You make Kickstarter look easy — how did you do it? Do you have any tips for other game designers?

CH: Prepping for the KickStarter was hard work, with long, non-stop days of constant focus. However, this was quite easy compared to the task of prepping 10+ micro games all at once! That was total insanity! It’s still early in my KickStarter process to give out tips. But, we almost launched in JUNE, and I’m glad we had extra time to prep and send preview copies out to previewers. So, make sure you’re ready when you hit that green launch button!

CGR: A lot of successful Kickstarter games fizzle out after the campaign is over. What are your post-campaign plans? Will we see your games in stores?

CH: I’ve been considering a KickStarter campaign for the last few years. I’ve got several middle-weight euro-style games ready to publish, but I felt this particular category is a bit crowded at the moment on KickStarter. When the Pack O Game line came to me, I felt it was the perfect project to launch my first KS campaign with, and all my play-testers felt the same way. In bringing this whole project public though, I was just as focused on proper retail distribution once the campaign was finished. I met with several distributors at GAMA this last spring and got some great feedback from them. Their reaction to the product line was thrilling. There are some challenges we face in getting this to retailers, but we’ve got some really good ideas on how to package the set in a “Point of Purchase” display box that will help retailers inform and present the product to customers. I’m committed to design and publishing full-time, so I’m confident this card game line and all future projects will get the attention they need in order for them to be fully realized at all retail levels.

CGR: Do you have any other games in the works? What can we expect from you down the road?

CH: I have a huge list of more games for the Pack O Game series, so I’m excited that the line has been so quickly embraced. These packs may be tiny, but I’ve come up with some pretty interesting ways to utilize the components to create great interaction and interesting decisions. So, I’ll be busy with this line of games for a while.  Who knows, maybe we’ll see a reprint of Long Shot with new horses, or the release of my Wild West game that has had such a good reception at Cons over the the last few years. I hope I can create a game brand that people trust and build a line of games for casual and hardcore gamers throughout the rest of my game career.

CGR: This all sounds great! We wish you the best of luck with the remainder of your campaign and all your future designs. Thanks again for speaking with us and we hope you'll continue to keep in touch.

CH: Thank you! I appreciate the opportunity and love Casual Game Revolution!