Shaping the Game: Majestic Circus’ Leap from Game Shows to Board Game Treasures

Introduction: Hey there, #circusfreaks, and welcome back to the exciting world of Majestic Circus! Today, we’re flipping the tent flap and inviting you on a backstage tour of our thrilling journey into card game creation. We’ll be breaking down the basics of game design, exploring key elements like theme, mechanics, player interaction, and game flow. And of course, we’ll show you how we’re using our expertise from creating captivating game shows to design mesmerizing card and board game experiences.

As Jake says, “A truly remarkable game show is one that captivates with its simplicity, instantly grasped in seconds, yet ignites a deep curiosity that compels passive viewers to actively participate and crave for more.” This nugget of wisdom has become the bedrock of our venture into card and board games. Our aim? To craft games that are quick to pick up yet offer layers of depth, inviting players to dive in and explore.

“A truly remarkable game show is one that captivates with its simplicity, instantly grasped in seconds, yet ignites a deep curiosity that compels passive viewers to actively participate and crave for more.”

The Leap: Majestic Circus has always been about stretching ourselves, dabbling in the unknown, and carving out new paths. We kicked off as a virtual company during the Covid era, creating a platform for unemployed Carnival Cruise Directors to entertain. From there, we leaped into making interactive game shows for Cruise Lines and Resorts, and now we’re on the exciting journey to card and board game design (we still do all three things mentioned here, they are essentially the three rings to our circus). While it’s been quite the adventure, there are shared elements between all of our projects: player engagement, competition, strategy, and fun, which have helped smoothen this transition.

Drawing from our past experiences, we’re applying the same principles of crafting an engaging atmosphere, compelling game flow, and intriguing mechanics to design our upcoming card game. After all, the secret to an unforgettable game is its ability to turn spectators into participants.

Theme: The first pillar of game design we’re honing in on is the theme. Just like in our game shows, we believe that a compelling theme is the heartbeat of any card game. It sets the stage, providing context for the unfolding game and offering the first spark of connection for players. Our goal is to craft games with themes that are not just unique and inspiring, but also cater to a wide spectrum of interests.

Mechanics: Next up, we’re bringing the game mechanics from our game shows into our card games. Mechanics are the rules that drive gameplay and shape player interactions. Our objective is to design mechanics that are easy to grasp yet layered, striking a balance between skill and chance. We’re applying our understanding of player psychology, gained from years of creating games, to craft mechanics that are challenging, engaging, and downright fun.

Player Interaction: Another aspect we’re zeroing in on is player interaction. We know that the social dynamics of games are key, whether it’s a high-energy game show or a cozy board game night. Our mission is to create games that spark interaction, collaboration, and healthy competition among players, enhancing the overall game experience.

Game Flow: Last but not least, we’re carefully crafting the game flow in our card games, just as we do in our game shows. We understand that a well-paced game keeps players hooked, so we’re paying close attention to the rhythm of tension and relief, the balance between action and downtime, and the overall progression of the game.

In Conclusion: As we embark on this thrilling adventure of creating board games, we’re thrilled to have you along for the ride. Our journey is a rollercoaster of trials and triumphs, moments of clarity, and bursts of creativity. We’re excited to pull from our past experiences, apply these learnings to our new venture, and share the final products with you.

Thanks for joining us as we create a game. Your support and enthusiasm fuel our creativity and drive our commitment to making every game night a Majestic Circus experience.

We’d love to hear your thoughts or any specific topics you’d like us to cover in future blog posts – drop them in the comment section below. We appreciate your input and can’t wait to embark on this shared journey in the thrilling world of game creation.

UPDATE: We also would like to update our supported Kickstarter projects that we talked about last week. Rise of the Gummies from Pillow Fort Games sadly had to cancel and refund their backers even though they had fully funded. What a bummer. If you want to read about that you can here on their kickstarter page . I did send Pillow Fort Team a message and they got right back to us. Seems like a solid group and will definitely support their next campaign.

Until next time,

The Majestic Circus Team