Creating Games with Whimsy

by Curt Jackson
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Do you like puppets? I do! Especially when they are part of an exciting escape room game. That’s what I experienced when our teeam joined a heist with our puppet friend, Melvin.

Melvin was not just a cute companion, but also a clever helper. He could reach things that we couldn’t, squeeze into tiny spaces, and make noises to distract the guards. He was like a secret agent in puppet form!

We had a blast playing with Melvin and solving the puzzles in the escape room. It was a fun and unique way to enjoy a game with a puppet. It also gave a very family-friendly vibe to the game.

That got me thinking that designing games with a whimsical touch is a fantastic idea for those looking to create a game for families and/or young people. (Make your own puppet.)

Here are some ideas I had:

ELVES

Picture having Elves as the friendly helpers in the game! There’s a whole variety of elves, ranging from the human-sized ones in Lord of the Rings to the secretive elves from Iceland, and of course, Santa’s elves, just to name a few.

I love the concept of tiny elves residing in small homes. Picture this – they could excitedly shout hints from their cozy abodes, peek out of their windows with written clues, or even push out keys from their doors when you successfully answer their riddles.

Of course, you could also consider using fairies, trolls, or gnomes for a magical touch!

TREES

Imagine a game where enchanted trees come to life through the magic of sound. Instead of faces and animatronics, each tree could be equipped with a speaker, and diverse voices could be used to weave the story, provide hints, and add a touch of mystery to the adventure.

Players would find themselves immersed in a world where the ancient whispers of wise trees guide them through the enchanting journey.

SUPERHERO GADGETS

How about creating a superhero game where each player has a different gadget they can use to help them.

Here are some examples: there’s a mask with a special filter that lets you read secret codes, a cape with built-in RFID chips for cracking open boxes and doors, a ring that smoothly fits into locks, a mask with a built-in blacklight flashlight, and a special bracelet packing an RFID chip. It’s like a gadget wonderland for our superhero squad!

BIG BAD WOLF

In this whimsical adventure, players find themselves in three distinct rooms resembling fairy tale materials: one made of straw, another of wood, and the third of sturdy brick.

Uh oh! The players are mistakenly identified as pigs, and a mischievous big bad wolf is attempting to huff and puff his way in.

Their mission kicks off in the straw room, and they’ve got a tight 15-minute window to scurry over to the wooden room before the “house” gets blown down, and, well, you can guess the rest.

But the excitement doesn’t end there! Once safely nestled in the brick room, players must unravel puzzles to unlock a phone. Ringing up the authorities will ensure a wolf-free zone, making it safe not only for the players but also for the porcine pals and other residents of the charming fairytale town.

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These are just a handful of concepts! The possibilities for crafting enchanting game narratives are practically limitless. Whether it’s time travel, hunting for Bigfoot, making a daring escape from the 80s, navigating a candy factory, or aiding an extraterrestrial friend in finding their way home – the whimsical options abound.

Share your thoughts and any other fantastic ideas you might have in the comments below.

 

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