‘Kids in Capes’ Wants you to Love Superheroes Again
Kids in Capes brings the rules-light, heart-filled gameplay of Kids on Bikes to a world of superheroes just on the verge of greatness.
Kids on Bikes may be one of my absolute favorite RPGs. It is a truly rare gem of a game. It can handle both one-shot play and longer campaign-style gameplay extremely well. You don’t feel like you’re missing out whichever version you’re playing. That, and it’s easy to pick up and play, but still has a lot of depth to it.
But what really makes the game shine are the immaculate vibes of it all. It isn’t just a great rules-light system, it’s one that knows exactly what it’s trying to do. It gives you that 80s kids on bikes movie feel. Or if you’re playing Kids on Brooms, that magical school vibe.
Which is why I’m personally excited that Hunters Entertainment is back on Kickstarter with a new book: Kids in Capes.
Kids in Capes
As the name suggests, Kids in Capes is a take on the superhero genre. But specifically, to the halcyon days of being excited by superheroes, instead of bitterly complaining online that nobody understands what makes Calendar Man an actual threat to Gotham City. The game’s goal is to capture the wonder and joy of superhero adventures.
Giving a bunch of nerds their own personal Antoine Ego moment.
Just something that takes you right out of whatever present moment you’re in and lets you play. I think the “Powered by Kids on Bikes” games do that exceptionally well. You just get to mess around and have fun and it works. I have never had an easier time delivering a good session to people than with these games. I’ve done more for less with other systems.
But how does Kids in Capes do this? Well, the answer lies in the premise.
Kids in Capes is a game about teens discovering their superpowers and coming together as a team. In this game, they will learn about their new powers, team up with other like-minded heroes and use their abilities to defeat villains wherever they may strike! The focus of the game is not only on the teens special powers, but also on the relationships they’ll soon build with their teammates, and their community!
The key for me is that moment of discovery. You don’t start the game with a superpower or as a part of a superteam. You can select both, eventually. You might pick a power like Energy Control or having exceptional Body Control, which you can customize to some degree. And then pick a role on the team, like the Brawler or Tactician. All of which you have to figure out in play.
It’s a great way to ground the superhero genre in that sense of wonder and discovery. You live through it alongside your character. That’s something that RPGs can do that other media just can’t. How many times have you seen Spider-Man’s origin story by now? We all know it basically by heart. So much so that movies these days kind of skip through that part.
But you get to decide what your origin story feels like. You get to focus on all those little moments that make up your character. I think its a great way to do that. The system features a new combat system as well, because, as the genre dictates, a lot of the focus is on superheroic action. That means fighting bad guys. I’m excited to see how that plays out.
Kids in Capes is on Kickstarter for the next 20 days, and has some amazing exclusives. So be sure and check it out. This is one I wouldn’t want to miss.
