Games with Inside Jokes for Gamers: A Definitive Pictorial List
-
Several games contain jokes that are specifically about games or target gamers. Inside jokes, that the non-gaming community just wouldn't catch. Some of us, on the other hand, will catch on right away. That's what this list is about: a pictorial gallery of such "inside jokes".
Note, this list is not about games with jokes or humour in general, but only games that have jokes about games or gaming.
What are some good examples? I've done some research and come up with over 50 entries, but I'm sure this doesn't exhaust the potential games that qualify. Feel free to add to this list, with pictures if possible!
-
 -
Designer Jack Darwid approached Aldie and Derk before including these two fantastic cards that feature the two BGG admins in his game.
It's a marvellous inside joke for BGGers to enjoy! Job well done!
Master Ernie: (NB: Ernie is the BGG mascot pictured on Aldie's clothing on the card)
Master Derk:
-
-
 -
The dread pirate Christian Marcussen (designer of the game) makes an appearance as one of the characters in Merchants & Marauders:
Another inside joke is that the captain's special power is that he "ignores effects of storms" - Storm is also the name of the designer's son. Love it!
-
-
EXTRA AVOCADO!
United States
California
-
Exactly one of the camels has a dead panda on its saddle, and that is a reference to the friendly rivalry between Sébastien Pauchon and Michael Schacht- with Schacht being teased via his iconic panda on Zooloretto.
-
-
 -
Friedmann Friese has included several inside jokes in the names of the characters of this game. To begin with, here's a nod to Aldie & Derk (Scott Alden and Derk Solko, who run BGG):
These next two characters are a clear allusion to the Knizia games Medici & Strozzi.
Some of the other characters use the names of gaming personalities, designers or active BGGers (e.g. Tom Lehmann, Eric Brosius), refer to names of beer (Coors & Miller) or the Mario Bros (Luigi & Mario), and parody Adidas (see the artwork on the Rjabow card).
There's probably more jokes in these cards that I haven't picked up on yet - can anyone add more specifics?
-
-
Poland
I'M TRAPPED IN AN OVERTEXT FACTORY SEND HELP
-
Look at the left suitcase:
Seems familiar... Must've been bought during a trip to Catan.
-
-
Kenny VenOsdel
United States
Saint Paul
Minnesota
-
With the Kickstarter bonus of being able to name a tech or planet yourself, Eminent Domain is shaping up to have several BGG or other gaming references.
-
-
Brenden Johnson
United States
Lakeville
Minnesota
-
Two of the character cards are named after the designer and publisher of the game, though they aren't made to look like them. The designer is Michelle Nephew and the publisher is her husband, John Nephew, owner of Atlas Games.
-
-
Mike MacMartin
Canada
Ottawa
Ontario
-
One of the tiles in Earth Reborn features what appears to be a bulletin board ad for Dungeon Twister (by the same designer)
-
-
 -
Movie Alien in action:
I am sure there is also a feature that refers ro Hitchhiker's Galaxy Guide as well in Galaxy Trucker!
-
-
 -
Look carefully at these dates on the game board calendar: 30th of July & 19th of November - birthdays of the designers of this game?
An unsolved mystery: what is the significance of the other circled dates?
Edit: For more about this one, see the following thread:
Inside joke: Happy birthday ... to who?
-
-
Andrea Angiolino
Italy
Rome
European Union
-
This is the map that almost got published by Days of Wonders:
As you can see, the capital of the island is called Kingsburg. Other cities are Catan, Carcassonne, Hermagor, Kaleidos, Key Largo...
Here the story:
http://www.faidutti.com/index.php?Module=mesjeux&id=669&fich...
The published games has kept none of these names.
-
-
163.
Board Game: Trool
[Average Rating:0.00 Unranked]
Andrea Angiolino
Italy
Rome
European Union
-
A card game designed to promote a correct use of the Web among kids and teeagers. It has been distributed for free in schools of the Tuscany region, Italy.
Three of the cards are called Angiolillo, Beniamino and Canguro to recall the three authors.
-
-
Andrea Angiolino
Italy
Rome
European Union
-
The back of the "things" cards feature a rabbit in the upper right, quite concealed in the Medieval-style decoration. This is a joke by Valeria De Caterini, the illustrator, to recall Il Mischiastorie: Osvaldo e i cacciatori that's a previous game of mine with a rabbit as a main character that she illustrated with not a slight effort (there are 56 different full color drawings in it). For the same reason, Il Gioco dei Minerali's board features a rabbit too.
-
-
Kenny VenOsdel
United States
Saint Paul
Minnesota
-
Unpublished game attempting to achieve funding through Kickstarter. This card will be included for Kickstarter backers.
-
-
Kenny VenOsdel
United States
Saint Paul
Minnesota
-
I sense an endless loop in one of the Painters hands....
-
-
Dominic Crapuchettes
United States
Bethesda
MD
This overtext is brought to you by the abstract strategy game Battle of LITS and the number 20.
-
Some of the cards included in Crappy Birthday were taken at the North Star Games office (in other words, my house). We put a hidden copy of Crappy Birthday in most of these pictures.
This is Satish Pillalamarri, one of the co-presidents of North Star Games.
Since this picture includes Crappy Birthday, we tried to sneak in a copy of Wits & Wagers.
This check is a $2,000 People's Choice prize that North Star Games won at a local business plan competition. Andrew Chen is the person in the picture. You might run across him on the BGG since he does customer support.
This picture was taken at the 50th birthday party of a BGG user named Tony Allen (tada). Both Scott Alden and I attended the disco themed event. I posted some pictures of the event on Tony's geeklist about it. That's Tony on the left, and let me tell you something, that guy knows how to disco! He used to go dancing "every night" when he was younger and it shows.
This is my wife's penguin collection. I'm not sure how it started, but I've witnessed how it continues... (she did not buy any of these items)
This slot machine is in the North Star Games office.
These neon signs are normally in the North Star Games office. We brought them up to the front window of my house for this picture.
-
-
Kenny VenOsdel
United States
Saint Paul
Minnesota
-
New game by Alan R Moon. The 10 different airline companies are all named after publishers and friendsof his. Also if you look close they seem to have a common president as well.
-
-
 -
Featured here is Dutchman Peter van Heumen, winner of a Rattus contest!
-
-
 -
I think we all recognize BGG's mascot Ernie here! Great inside joke from the publishers, and a lovely tribute to BoardGameGeek!
-
-
United States
Port Saint Lucie
Florida
-
Looks like the imps from the upcoming Dungeon Petz are busy playing Dungeon Lords!
-
-
[maˈtiːas]
Germany
Bamberg
-
on the card "Kino" (cinema):
"Wild Amigos" and "Bohnanza 2" at the movies.
on "Busbahnhof" (bus terminal):
A bus to Dietzenbach where Amigo is located.
on "Autobahn" (highway):
Exit Palo Alto where Tom Lehmann lives.
-
-
ethidium bromide
Germany
Potsdam
-
In the game you can build devious inventions and among them an Addictive Game. It is cheap to construct and brings you bags of money. The graphics on the card clearly suggests what it is.
Well, they are playing Nefarious. Who are the players I can't say but this might be another hidden reference.
-
-
[maˈtiːas]
Germany
Bamberg
-
Al Capone, Author (Czarnè) and Illustrator (Robert Nippoldt)
(I don't own a copy so no better pic available.)
-
-
|
|
). Brooms Bewitched refers to Andrea Meyer who owns the small company "Bewitched Spiele".
