The Heroes' Square Foundation
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.
Mission Statement
Empowering people to act and stand up for each other, making solidarity and empathy a societal norm through everyday heroism.
Everyday Difficult Situations
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.
Common Scenarios
🚌 Public Transportation
A man heckling on a bus - a situation where intervention could help but often doesn't happen
🏘️ Street Situations
Someone slumped against a wall - moments that seem to call for help but are often ignored
🏔️ Environmental Issues
Hikers leaving trash behind - environmental situations requiring community action
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.
Positive Intervention Cards
The game rewards players for resolving scenarios through cards containing positive messages, encouraging collective action and showing that everyone can make a difference in everyday situations.
Gameplay Mechanics
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.
Event Resolution System
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.
✅ Positive Cards
Cards with positive messages that help resolve situations and encourage collective action
❌ Negative Cards
Used when no other option is available or when individual goals demand it
Flexible Game Duration
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.
⚡ Quick Play (20 minutes)
Focus on game mechanics and basic scenario resolution
💭 Deep Discussion (90+ minutes)
Extensive discussion and awareness-building sessions
Educational Tool
This flexibility makes the game particularly valuable in educational settings, where the foundation uses it as a teaching and sensitization tool.
Educational Applications
- • Classroom discussions about social responsibility and empathy
- • Youth group activities focused on community building
- • Training sessions for developing intervention skills
- • Sensitization workshops about everyday heroism
Game Information
Publisher
Heroes' Square Foundation
Age Range
10+ years
Game Duration
20-90 minutes (flexible)
Players
4-6 players
Game Type
Cooperative Card Game
Skills Developed
Cooperation, problem-solving, solidarity
Key Features
Development Philosophy
I'll check out the rest as well - explore more games for social change and everyday heroism.