Repeat Yourself With These Time Paradox Games
We’re waking up and repeating the day with these Groundhog Day style time paradox RPGs, board, and card games.
Groundhog Day is this Sunday, and I’d like to think that spring is coming. It snowed this morning where I live, and honestly, I’m over it. This week we’re taking a look at some games that remind me of Groundhog Day… That’s to say, 1993 modern classic Groundhog Day. Some of these are a little more groundhog based, others are a little more timey-wimey and repeating. But they’re all a fun way to spend a few hours this Sunday. And then spend a few hours this Sunday. And then spend a few hours this Sunday.
T.I.M.E. Stories Board Game
In Time Stories you are a T.I.M.E. agent, and with your team you must move forward and backward in time to prevent cataclysmic events. Seconds and strategy count, and if you fail, you’ll be thrown back to the beginning of the mission to try try again. This game combines mystery and sci-fi into a “decksploration” game with tons of unique scenarios to work through with your team.
The Groundhog Gambit
Another time-loop based card game, this one more directly inspired by the movie Groundhog Day, but with less of a sci-fi or impending doom feel and more of a goofy one. Holiday Hijinks is a series of holiday themed puzzle games, and this one has a very district ‘doing it again’ sort of game play. It’s also a little more difficult and involved than some other games, so this may not be the one to introduce newer game-players too if you don’t want to scare them off from the hobby.
Thursday
I haven’t seen a ton of RPGs incorporate the time repeating trope into their games. In fact, when I do see this plot device turn up, it’s usually GMs working it into whatever system they happen to be running already. Like The Adventure Zone and the Eleventh Hour arc. But Thursday is a system where the “next reset” is fully baked into the game. Players try to discover their characters’ hidden backstories and unmet desires while escaping the “fatal time loop” with in a No Dice No Masters style system.
The Loop
The Loop is another card cooperative board game that has you joining forces with your fellow temporal agents… But it has less of a series vibe and more of a “A platypus? Perry the Platypus?!” vibe. Temporal agents are trying to stop the evil Dr. Faux throughout space and time by gathering artifacts and sabotaging his machine. Four different game modes and lots of different gameplay options leave you with a ton of replay opportunity.
Chrononauts
This is a card game of fast-paced time travel action with constantly changing dynamics and multiple paths to victory. Chrononauts is full of time ripples and paradoxes for players to overcome along with alternative realities and constantly changing history as you go back and forth in time.
Bonus: Groundhog Day
Yeah, the movie. Who says physical media is dead? Not me! Game nights love having a movie to throw in and only half pay attention to in the background. So why not this one while you’re playing some Groundhog Day style repeating time games?
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