WiT Stories: Gaming Vacation with Non-Gamers

by DEIRDRE CROSS, Senior Vice President of Games, Moose Toys

You might have 1,000 games in your collection if you’re like me. And even if you don’t, if you’re reading The Toy Book, you’re likely exposed to a multitude of games across every category. Being in the industry, everyone seems to expect you to be the master of play, so here are some tips to make sure that you’re ready to pack the fun into any adventure!

Choosing which games to take on your next vacation is a bit like developing the product itself. When I mentor young inventors, I often share a crucial piece of advice: Consider who your audience is. Think about them and envision yourself in their shoes; this perspective will help you craft the right game to connect with them.

What are the ages of the people you might be vacationing with? When was the last time they learned a new game? Are they seasoned gamers? Resist the urge to introduce non-gamers to your most complex game, even if it’s your favorite one!

The age of the players is an obvious criterion for children, but with adults, the gaming selection requires more nuance. We’ve found that older generations often prefer the familiar terrain of classic games over the uncharted waters of new or unusual play patterns. They might enjoy classic card games or slight variations on familiar themes.

If you’re embarking on a journey by air, you’ll need something portable — that’s a given. Should it also be sand- and water-resistant for beach days? When considering “vacation life,” I also think about screen-free activities and how a game can fit into those brief windows of time, like between when they close the airplane doors and when the Internet kicks in at 30,000 feet.

When we travel to our family cabin — an off-grid adventure with no Internet — it feels like we have all the time in the world. In reality, I can usually get people to join me for a game for about an hour or so. But without distractions, their appetite for gameplay innovation is surprisingly high!

It’s easy for board games to overstay their welcome on a vacation. Try setting a specific time for gaming — a time-boxed afternoon or evening — and select a specific set of games to play. I often refresh myself on the rules before we sit down to play to reduce the time spent learning them. Being knowledgeable about the rules can help bring a table of players up to speed very quickly and make the experience less intimidating and much more fun!