Click to see how to play in just 45 seconds video

Aim of the game

To have more characters visible (prisoners or guards) than your opponent by the end of the game, or to spell out LIVE (prisoners) or EVIL (guard) before your opponent.

Back story

The Stanford Prison Experiment was a notorious psychological simulation in 1971, where volunteers were randomly assigned the role of prisoner or guard, and were then observed in this state. The experiment quickly derailed and was ended on the sixth day, after the guards were observed as being dangerously cruel.

Components

• 18 two sided cards.

Game set up

The two players sit next to each other. Shuffle all the cards, and place them in a pile with a space in front on them.

Starting condition and direction

Each player takes two cards. Add up the number of prisoners on all sides of their cards - whoever has the most prisoners will be collecting prisoners (and/or trying to spell the word LIVE), with the other person collecting Guards (and/or trying to spell the word EVIL).

Game play

The Prisoner player takes the first turn, laying one of their cards down, using either side. They pick up another card from the pile. The Guard then plays their card. It must sit horizontally next to, or on top of the first card, with the bars lined up. The Guard player picks up the next card from the pile, and the Prisoner player then begins their next turn.

Special conditions

Cards can only be two cards deep at any point. Cards have to be on top or next to other cards.

Winning/ Scoring Conditions

The game ends if either:

The player with the most visible characters after all cards have been played wins.

OR

The player who spells their word first wins immediately.

You are encouraged to play just the 'most characters visible wins' condition to begin with.

Solo Mode

Shuffle thoroughly, and add up the number of prisoners and guards of both sides of the top two cards before discarding these two cards. Whichever was the higher number is what you are aiming to collect.

To win, you need to collect four times as many of that type than the other, using the remaining 16 cards. For example, if you are collecting the most Guards, your total at the end should be at least four times as many Guards as prisoners when all the cards have been used.

Click to see how to play in just 45 seconds video

Aim of the game

Make the longest unbroken vertical line of marshmallows in your colour (either pink or white).

Back story

This is based on the famous 1970 experiment which tested children on their levels of delayed gratification, where they could enjoy one marshmallow on a plate in front of them, or if they held out, they could get more. This game uses the same principles of resistance - will you hold out to the end, or jump in quickly and try to protect your winning line?

Components

• 18 double-sided cards, each with varying patterns of marshmallow.

Game set up

Shuffle the cards and deal into two even piles. Players sit side-by-side, with their pile in front of them, with a large play space in front of them both.

Starting condition and direction

Whoever has the most pink marshmallows on their top card chooses to be pink or white, and also chooses who to start. Once decided, players pick up the top card from their pile.

Game play

The starting player places a card down, sitting landscape, in the middle of the play space. They then pick up the next card in their pile.

The other player can now play the top one card of their pile. They can place their card anywhere around the first card. Cards must always be touching, and must not overlap. Cards can be staggered vertically, so players can line up marshmallows best for them.

Special conditions

The game ends when all cards are exhausted, or if one player calls ‘Marshmallow’.

They can only call this after placing a card down, and must then give their remaining cards to the other player, who now has access to all remaining cards. They can play one more card from these.

Winning/ Scoring Conditions

Try to make the longest vertical line of your colour. At the end of the game, count up the longest line of unbroken colours. The player with the longest line wins.

Solo mode

Choose either white or pink. Using only the top side of the entire deck, make the longest line of your colour. A line of 15+ wins.

Click to see how to play in just 45 seconds video

Aim of the game

Make the most ethical decisions while laying tracks and end with the highest score.

Back story

This game is a version of the infamous Trolley Problem, where you are asked to choose between two morally ambiguous choices, and have to explain your decision making to save one person against someone else.

Components

• 17 double-sided track cards
• 1 rule primer and character card

Game set up

Sit next to or opposite each other, in front of a large flat space. Take out the rule primer card, and shuffle the remaining cards. Count out eight cards each, and put the remaining card away in the packet without anyone seeing it. Each player holds the cards as a mini deck below the table, where nobody can see.

Starting condition and direction

The first player is the last person to take public transport.

Game play

Take it in turns to lay down a track card, starting in the left of each of your player spaces, and with the single track side on the left, and twin tracks on the right. Players can lay the card using either side, but must follow one branch, adding their track card to the right (and connected to the one they had previously played).

Any character not on their branch is considered ‘saved,’ while every character on the branch is considered ‘trollied’ and may impact the score at the end.

Once all the cards are laid out, each player should have one continuous track, with seven victims (the eighth card will have a scoring condition, but nobody dies, thankfully).

Special conditions

Once a card has been placed, it cannot be adjusted, and is considered placed once a player has let go of it.

Winning/ Scoring Conditions

Each player begins with 0 points. Follow the path created from the left, reading out each condition (marked in the coloured circle). Scoring conditions only count for past decisions,

Share scores and discuss any moral quandries you experienced. Cleanse. Repeat.

As an example, if a condition refers to the dictator, the point gain/loss only counts if you have previously saved or trollied the dictator (ie, if the dictator is to the left of the condition).

Solo mode

Sit at a table, and shuffle the deck. Play each card, starting in the middle of the left most point of your table, working across. A successful game is one where you end with a positive score.