Now and again, a joke is simply too good to remain a joke.
Such is the case for Divorced Dads, a collectible card sport that has its origins in a viral video skit from comic Graeme Barrett, aka AudioOpera. You’ve in all probability seen one thing of his when doomscrolling Instagram or Tiktok; his most-shared video by my estimation is the skit information report a few group of live-action function gamers discovering a physique within the woods whereas mid-LARP.
My favourite little bit of his, nonetheless, was the recurring sequence of a collectible card gaming character opening up booster packs of ‘Divorced Dads’, a card sport the place each card represents one thing a Divorced Dad has, or needs. In varied skits, playing cards like ‘Bald Spot’, ‘Jam Band’, ‘Enchanted Forest’ (a kind of tree-shaped automotive air fresheners), ‘Retirement Plan’ (a fistful of lottery scratch-offs), and ‘Hacked Fb’. The rarest and most wanted card, in fact, is ‘The Home’ – as a result of she often takes the home.
It was a foolish, dumb gag. However then one thing magical occurred: this mini-meme took off with a small viewers, and Barrett took the step to make the playing cards actual. Not solely did the playing cards develop into actual – they turned an precise playable card sport.
I’m all for silly jokes made actual. As a playable sport, Divorced Dads is principally a Magic: The Gathering knock-off. Moderately than the extra conventional parts, play makes use of the highly effective DIY parts of Wooden, Metal, Leather-based, and Concrete. Beast playing cards face off, whereas you need to use Instruments (primarily spells) to reinforce the circulation of play and counter your opponent’s strikes.
Whereas the earliest video skit variations of the playing cards have been principally a reputation and a inventory picture, every card has now been lovingly hand-drawn with some kind of illustration of what it’s meant to be. The primary and non-playable playing cards, which additionally had a restricted launch, felt like a gag anyone had obtained printed at an area UPS or one thing. This new, playable iteration doesn’t fairly have the presentational aptitude of a ‘skilled’ TCG… nevertheless it’s not far off. There’s high quality right here.
‘New BBQ’ is depicted as a mini flamethrower, as a result of that may be a completely plausible mid-life disaster buy.. ‘Erectile Dysfunction’ includes a fantasy worm creature, seemingly doubled over and shriveled in ache. ‘In Legal guidelines’ is a pack of snarling, stinking trolls and goblins. Others are extra literal; ‘Stool Softener’ is a glowing pink drink with Japanese characters emblazoned throughout it. ‘Getting Cigs’ depicts an getting older muscle automotive in a mad sprint to the closest gasoline station, an explosion billowing behind it. Taste textual content additionally adorns every card.
It’s extraordinarily foolish, however I’m right here for it. Furthermore: it’s completely viable as a playable card sport. The sport’s reddit isn’t tremendously lively, however there’s already a string of mini-tournaments popping up and gamers providing card trades. The sport is resonating with folks; the joke of the playing cards being concerning the cliches of single dads within the grip of a mid-life disaster is simply the factor that cracks the door open to an precise playable factor.
“There’s some people who find themselves like ‘I don’t get it’ – and I’m like, okay, properly then this isn’t for you,” Barrett mentioned in an look on the Nearly Friday podcast.
Positive, the Divorced Dads meta isn’t going to be as balanced or as intricate as one thing like Magic – nevertheless it works, it’s enjoyable, it’s grass-roots. The playing cards and their illustrations are humorous, as is the sport’s common theme. And Barrett’s objective seems to have been precisely that.
“I made it for a sport the place anybody who has performed it as soon as can educate another person – and in the event you’re not into card video games like Magic or Yu Gi Oh it’s so easy that it’s a decide up and play factor,” Barrett continued on the identical podcast.
“The logic was that when persons are like ‘Hey Man, do you wanna be taught Magic’, everybody could be like ‘no dude, f**okay off’… however then it’s like ‘Do you wanna play Divorced Dads?’ Then they’re like ‘Positive, what’s that?’ It’s sort of a gateway into one thing.
“It was an fascinating problem to make it easy sufficient that individuals can play it with out data, however then additionally having sufficient room for technique that individuals who play technique video games can really really feel like they’ve a bit extra management.”
With this as a mission assertion, I truthfully assume that Divorced Dads is a little bit of a house run. The sport is enjoyable, the playing cards are humorous – and it’s fast and straightforward to play. There’s additionally one thing charming a few TCG that’s being made by just some folks versus some big company. I’m simply hoping the truth that I used to be keen to purchase a bunch of booster packs of this rattling factor isn’t an indication that the playing cards are a glimpse into my future.
Divorced Dads: Court docket of Chaos is on the market now – you will get into the sport by way of the official web site.