This past September, a group of people gathered to play a game at the Grand Con Gaming Convention. The group ranged in age from 8 to 64 years old – men and women, boys and girls – but the common factor was that none of them had very much experience with the latest in tabletop gaming. The game they were playing was Menu Masters, a new release from Calliope Games that casts players in the roles of chefs competing at the local market over fresh ingredients to build the greatest menus for their restaurants. They found themselves enjoying the nuances of bidding their pawns, driving ingredient prices up, and choosing when to go for broke. When the game was over, the players had smiles on their faces, and one of them – a grandmother of three – was quick to offer her opinion. “I didn’t know there were games like this out there,” she laughed. “I have to play this with my granddaughters!” Without knowing it, she had just played a gateway game, and her eyes had been opened to a new frontier. The dictionary definition of a ‘gateway’ is “a means of access or entry,” and that perfectly describes what Calliope Games has been creating since 2009: games that offer newcomers or non-gamers a way to enter the wide world of tabletop gaming. “Our mission is all about relationships, camaraderie, and the laughter we share,” expresses Ray Wehrs, president of Calliope Games. “That’s what’s truly important.” Unlike game publishers that offer games of increasing difficulty and experience requirements, Calliope Games has specific guidelines for games they publish. Mirroring the appeal of their flagship game, Tsuro, Calliope Games titles play well with all ages and levels of game experience. They feature a shallow learning curve and games last an hour or less. To accommodate all families and play groups, the games require as few as two players or as many as six or eight. Finally, all players should be able to play on even footing. “Though our games are targeted at adults, they all share one unique feature: children can step into their parents’ world instead of their parents stepping into theirs,” Wehrs notes. “This ensures that all players are truly having fun.” Within Calliope’s ever-growing catalog, games like Tsuro, Got ‘Em, 12 Days, and Roll For It! have proven to bridge the generation and experience gap, allowing a wide range of players to have fun together. “It’s not just about being easy to play,” notes Wehrs. “Our games tell a great story, and allow players to share an experience that will build memories.” Before players even start playing, Calliope titles are built to evoke emotions and tell a story. Little touches matter, like the artistic rice paper that awaits players when they open a box of Tsuro, or the playful illustrations within Thieves! that get players feeling like they just robbed a bank and need to get away. Beyond that, Calliope goes the extra step to remove the tiny barriers to gameplay, such as punching coins in Running With The Bulls and pre-sharpening the pencils included in Hive Mind. “We want people to get into the game and start having fun together without the distractions of first-time setup,” says Wehrs. “So we make a real effort to have the game playable right out of the box once its unwrapped, so newcomers to the hobby can see what this ‘gaming’ thing is really all about.” Wehrs himself was a newcomer to the hobby seventeen years ago when he co-founded WizKids with his sister Dawne and brother-in-law Jordan Weisman. “I knew nothing about board games, and had no idea what to expect,” recalls Wehrs. “That year I found myself walking the floor at my first Origins Game Fair. I was clutching a Mage Knight concept mini and looking for someone — anyone — to talk to about how the combat dial could change the way tabletop miniatures games were played. I was amazed by the sheer number of people playing and enjoying games that I’d never even heard of.” Nowadays, Wehrs seeks to find people like he once was – completely unaware that tabletop gaming exists – and introduce them to the hobby. “When someone unfamiliar with today’s games tries Tsuro or Roll For It! and then gets excited and wants to go play more games, then we have done our job,” says Wehrs. “Whether those next games are by Calliope Games or another publisher, we’re just happy we helped open their eyes.” After a moment, a smiling Wehrs adds, “But we’re much happier if they try more Calliope Games!” *** Chris Leder is the Director of Fun at Calliope Games, meaning he has to pinch himself every day to see if he is dreaming. He is also the designer of Roll For It! as well as an avid fan of pancakes. |