VoxPop - The Card Game

Foundation for Democratic Youth

The board game was created by the Demokratikus Ifjúságért Alapítvány (Foundation for Democratic Youth). According to their website, the foundation's goal is for young people to possess the knowledge and skills necessary for a well-functioning democracy: debate culture, critical thinking, cooperation, and creative problem-solving.

One tool to achieve this is VoxPop, for which a home-playable card game version was completed in 2022 alongside its large-box training game variant. The card game showcases a small element of a complex debate game, introducing players to logical fallacies and sound arguments.

Three Unique Game Modes

VoxPop offers 3 different game modes, each offering a unique gameplay experience to practice the knowledge to be gained. All three versions aim not only to be educational but also entertaining.

Draw Your Argument

The "Draw Your Argument" version is a pair game where one partner quickly understands whether an argument is flawed and, if so, what kind of logical fallacy it is, then has to draw the corresponding "argument monster" with their finger on the other partner's back, who, recognizing it, selects the appropriate card.

Argument Monitoring

In the "Argument Monitoring" mode, players interpret and memorize stacked argument cards, as the first to notice that two cards of the same category have been visible earns points.

Reasoning

"Reasoning" is a drafting variation where you can acquire high-scoring argument monsters by correctly interpreting the multitude of argument cards turned face up in the center of the table.

Envisioning Societal Change

Thus, the game does not aim high, trying to capture a small segment of something as complex as debate culture development. However, it does so entertainingly, with a short playtime and rules that can easily be brought to the table at home, thereby increasing the chance for debate culture to become a topic in our everyday lives.

Note from Máté

I find VoxPop particularly valuable because it makes complex concepts like logical fallacies accessible through play. The three different game modes ensure that players with different learning styles can all engage with the material. It's exactly the kind of game that can spark meaningful conversations at home about how we communicate and think critically.