Reading Development + Games

Board Game + Education

Board Games

Tomorrow's Heroes

The Game of Everyday Difficult Situations

The Heroes' Square Foundation clearly states on its website, "Our mission is to empower and motivate people to act and stand up for each other, making solidarity and empathy a societal norm." The board game "Tomorrow's Heroes" was designed to carry this message, aiming to show players that they too can be everyday heroes. The game explores whether a card game can indeed inspire players to embody the values of solidarity and empathy in their daily lives.

Contents of the box

Review

The game aims to tackle common yet challenging situations, enhancing gameplay with individual goals alongside a shared ultimate objective of resolving tasks. It presents scenarios anyone might encounter, which often lack intervention for various reasons. Situations like a man heckling on a bus, someone slumped against a wall, or hikers leaving trash behind are all too familiar. Despite seeming like moments to step in, intervention is rare due to misconceptions or a reluctance to interfere. The game rewards players for resolving these scenarios through the play of cards containing positive messages, encouraging collective action.

Every round centers on an event. Players deploy cards with positive or negative effects—the latter when no other option is available or individual goals demand it. A marker cube is moved on the event card based on these cards' impacts, indicating at the round's end whether the event has been resolved. The game also includes event-modifier tokens to enhance gameplay.

It can be played simply by operating the mechanism or with extensive discussion and awareness, depending on the goal and target group. In the former case, the game lasts about 20 minutes, while in the latter, it can span up to two class periods. This flexibility makes the game particularly valuable in educational settings, where the foundation uses it as a teaching and sensitization tool.

Comment

10+ yrs

20-90 min

4-6 players

Develops: cooperation, problem-solving, solidarity

Review

The game aims to tackle common yet challenging situations, enhancing gameplay with individual goals alongside a shared ultimate objective of resolving tasks. It presents scenarios anyone might encounter, which often lack intervention for various reasons. Situations like a man heckling on a bus, someone slumped against a wall, or hikers leaving trash behind are all too familiar. Despite seeming like moments to step in, intervention is rare due to misconceptions or a reluctance to interfere. The game rewards players for resolving these scenarios through the play of cards containing positive messages, encouraging collective action.

Every round centers on an event. Players deploy cards with positive or negative effects—the latter when no other option is available or individual goals demand it. A marker cube is moved on the event card based on these cards' impacts, indicating at the round's end whether the event has been resolved. The game also includes event-modifier tokens to enhance gameplay.

It can be played simply by operating the mechanism or with extensive discussion and awareness, depending on the goal and target group. In the former case, the game lasts about 20 minutes, while in the latter, it can span up to two class periods. This flexibility makes the game particularly valuable in educational settings, where the foundation uses it as a teaching and sensitization tool.

Comment

10+ yrs

20-90 min

4-6 players

Develops: cooperation, problem-solving, solidarity

Note from Máté

When this game was being developed, I was specifically interested in how we could effectively conceal its challenging theme. I wanted the game to remain engaging and exciting, even if the focus wasn't on the underlying message. The game's purpose is to provide enjoyment, while it falls upon the trainer using the game to extract as much value from this situation as possible. Given the game's scenarios and slogan-like positive affirmations, it can prime a children's group for a more serious discussion.

Note from Máté

When this game was being developed, I was specifically interested in how we could effectively conceal its challenging theme. I wanted the game to remain engaging and exciting, even if the focus wasn't on the underlying message. The game's purpose is to provide enjoyment, while it falls upon the trainer using the game to extract as much value from this situation as possible. Given the game's scenarios and slogan-like positive affirmations, it can prime a children's group for a more serious discussion.

Note from Máté

When this game was being developed, I was specifically interested in how we could effectively conceal its challenging theme. I wanted the game to remain engaging and exciting, even if the focus wasn't on the underlying message. The game's purpose is to provide enjoyment, while it falls upon the trainer using the game to extract as much value from this situation as possible. Given the game's scenarios and slogan-like positive affirmations, it can prime a children's group for a more serious discussion.

Games for Change

The world of educational and awareness-raising games is becoming more colorful, more exciting, and increasingly learning from the world of modern board games, while their message is extremely important.

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Love our content? Show your support by sharing our page with your friends and help us inspire more families and educators with the joy of learning through play! Your shares truly make a difference. Thank you for being a wonderful part of our community!

Spread the Fun of Learning!

Love our content? Show your support by sharing our page with your friends and help us inspire more families and educators with the joy of learning through play! Your shares truly make a difference. Thank you for being a wonderful part of our community!

Spread the Fun of Learning!

Love our content? Show your support by sharing our page with your friends and help us inspire more families and educators with the joy of learning through play! Your shares truly make a difference. Thank you for being a wonderful part of our community!