If you haven't heard of the game Cards Against Humanity, then you're really missing out on an impressive piece of work. A game that takes a handful of cards with a handful of non sequiturs and invites the player to turn same into hilarity is hard to pass up, and this weekend, it will never be so easy to get in.
According to reports, "Cards Against Humanity" will be free for tablets, for smartphones, and for Windows PC this weekend following the launch of "Cards Against Originality", a Web app which will include all the original cards contained in the set as well as the five expansion card sets. The original game's Creative Commons license, at last report, allows for such work as long as it's offered at no charge. This has allowed a set of imitators like Xyzzy to step into the fray.
Those who download the app will be able to launch a URL that invites other players to join in. Once the URL is generated and passed around, those interested can step in from there, and the game plays in the same fashion as the original card game does. One player draws a black card that contains a question, or a statement, requiring filling in the blanks in the question or statement therein. The players in turn pull out a white answer card, which fills in the blanks, anonymously and hands in same. The asker then decides which answer is the funniest, and awards the point to the person who handed in the answer of choice. Since this is done anonymously, it can be anyone at any time. An example might be "The City Council recently voted to ban (blank)", and possible answers could be "Middle aged men in Lycra," "Urban spelunking," "The word 'Vibrant'," or "Citizens Lobbying for Urban Chicken Keeping."
The game itself is quite fun, and for those who haven't had a chance to enjoy it, you're going to have the perfect opportunity this weekend with the new app. So it might be a good time to clear your calendar, grab some friends, and try out the electronic equivalent of one of the best new card games around. But aside from this exciting concept, there's something else worth noting here: the idea of giving away a game--actually made possible under the terms of its Creative Commons license under certain conditions--as a way to draw attention to the game does make some sense. This is particularly important if the game is about to undergo an expansion or the like, getting more players in the door at just the right time to pick up the expansion.
It's going to be interesting to see what kind of response the app download gets, and what kind of sales the card game has in response. But one thing is clear: those looking for a "Cards Against Humanity" experience to go are likely to get all they could ask for with this.
