Game Trade Magazine - GTM #208 - Cheapass Games Demo Monkey Program & Event Kits

GTM #208 - Cheapass Games Demo Monkey Program & Event Kits

by Cheapass Games

Does killing Doctor Lucky fill you with joy? Are you excited about using mad cows from England to detonate unexploded bombs in France? Perhaps you’re a zombie working in a fast-food restaurant with a brain to share? If so, we have good news; after over a decade of dormancy, the Cheapass Games Demo Monkey Program is back in action!

Comprised of dedicated Cheapass Games fans with a passion for demoing and/or free games, Demo Monkeys can be spotted worldwide in their natural habitats: friendly local game stores (FLGS), game cafes, libraries, conventions, and anywhere else games are played. Their mission is first and foremost to spread the ‘good word of gaming’, with a secondary mission of promoting Cheapass Games titles in particular.

Becoming a Demo Monkey is easy:

Sign up at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NewDemoMonkey.
Arrange an event. This is often as simple as talking to your library or FLGS. As long as your event is open to the public, you’re good to go.
Request an event kit. Wait anxiously by your mailbox until your box of free games and swag arrives.
Host your event (ideally without burning down the venue). Remember to take pictures; these are vital for the next step.
Send pictures of your events to Cheapass Games. Pictures are used as shameless marketing fodder and to confirm that verification games and promo items aren’t being sent into the aether.

Retailers are also welcome to request (completely free) event support directly by emailing cheapass.team@gmail.com!

Here are just a few of the available event kits:

MURDER MOST FOUL FUN

Featuring Kill Doctor Lucky and Get Lucky, two of our bestsellers, the Murder Most Foul Fun Kit includes demo copies of both games, Lucky Mansion patches for all players, and a set of custom meeples for the winner(s). Doctor Lucky coloring books can also be requested for venues with gamers too young to participate, or who simply enjoy coloring.

THE ZOMBIES OF FRIEDEY’S: FAST FOOD RESTAURANT OF THE DAMNED

Get to know the hardworking zombies of Friedey’s: Fast Food Restaurant of the Damned with two Cheapass classics: Lord of the Fries and Give Me the Brain! In Give Me the Brain, you and your coworkers are zombies with lots of chores to finish, but only one brain to pass around. To win, you must finish your work and empty your hand — but you’ll probably need to get your hands on the brain first. In Lord of the Fries, the zombies return in a menu completion game. It’s still pretty hard to get anything done, since everyone is dead, but don’t let that worry you. The dead can still assemble combo meals.

The Friedey’s Event Kit includes copies of both games, a random Lord of the Fries standalone expansion, a custom Give Me the Brain die, and brain erasers for all players. Lord of the Fries and Give Me the Brain coins are included as prizes for game winners.

LEARN TO PLAY PAIRS: A NEW CLASSIC PUB GAME

Especially suited to game cafes, the Learn to Play Pairs Kit includes a Pairs coin for each participant along with several Pairs decks and Pairs Companion booklets. A single Pairs deck can be used to play over two dozen different games, and is an ideal choice for playing at pubs and introducing traditional card game players to something new. Those interested in a Pairs Event Kit can check out the different decks available at http://www.playpairs.com.

EXPLORING TAK: A BEAUTIFUL GAME

Our newest title is already one of our most popular. Tak: A Beautiful Game is described in Patrick Rothfuss’s New York Times Bestselling series, The Kingkiller Chronicle, and made reality by James Ernest. Tak Event Kits include a copy of the game, keepsake Tak coins for all participants, and a digital copy of the Tak Companion Book, which includes more information about Tak in Rothfuss’s world as well as strategy notes and puzzles.

Please note all event kits are subject to availability. Graphics and printable signage are available.

Interested in trying something else entirely? Some of the most ambitious Demo Monkeys have crafted GIANT versions of Kill Doctor Lucky and Tak, run a Friedey’s night dressed as a zombie, or held game nights at local shelters and nursing homes. Contact us with your game night and event ideas, and we’ll do our best to make them a reality!

If you’re interested in becoming a Demo Monkey, or have questions, feel free to contact Demo Monkey Mistress Cassidy at cassidy@cheapass.com.