THE METAGAME PRINT & PLAY HOW TO PLAY THE METAGAME
PRINT THE CARDS Print out the cards on pages 6 - 40 of this document, preferably in color on white cardstock (80lb or heavier).
PRINT THE BACKS (optional) Print page 41 on the back of the opinion cards (the colorful cards on pages 29 - 40). This will makes it easier to tell the decks apart.
Instructions for playing a whole bunch of different games with a single deck of Metagame cards. Friends not included. Local No. 12, 2015.
CUT THEM OUT Using scissors or a fancy papercutter, cut out each NOT JUST ONE GAME card. If you have a corner rounder, use it to make THE METAGAME is a deck of cards that can be used to play your deck even nicer. many different games. There are two kinds of cards:
PRINT THE RULES CATS THE INTERNET THE MULLET Finally, print the rules (pages 1 - 5) on regular paper. WHICH WILLWHICH WILL WHICH WILL SAVE THE SAVE THESAVE THE WORLD? WORLD?WORLD? HELP US OUT Singing felines inThe spandex. world belongs to the 1980s hairstyle. BusinessAndrew in Lloyd Webber’sInternet. 1981 We just live in it. You are getting early access to this exclusive print & play the front, party in Broadwaythe back. smash.First transmission, 1969. edition of The Metagame because you are one of our amazing Kickstarter backers. We need your help in culture cards opinion cards spotting typos - and any other feedback is welcome, too! Visit metaga.me/feedback and send us your thoughts. When the rules mention a hand of cards, it means keep your cards hidden from other players. CONNECT Visit www.metaga.me for more info about the game. WHICH GAME SHOULD YOU PLAY? Get social with The Metagame: If this is your first time, we recommend MATCHMAKERS.
HiSTORY 101 is great for two or more. HEAD TO HEAD is The.Metagame.Game #TheMetagame designed for three. Most of the games scale up well with TheMetagame @localno12 big groups of players - especially MASSIVELY MULTIPLAYER METAGAME, which works with hunreds or even thousands of players. THANKS Special thanks to: Ida C. Benedetto, The CASS Group, It also depends on how you like to play. DEBATE CLUB and Esopus Magazine, Max Temkin, our playtesters, and METAQUILT will get you arguing. HEAD TO HEAD is fast and most of all, our amazing Kickstarter backers intense. HISTORY 101 tests your knowledge.
TERMS OF USE The Metagame ©2015 Local No. 12 LLC. Permission to WHO GOES FIRST? duplicate the print and play edition of The Metagame is If a game asks you to pick a first player, draw a culture card limited to your personal use, for noncommercial purposes at random. Whoever most recently interacted with some only. That means you can't sell or make money from The version of what is on the card goes first. Metagame or from any part of it. But please play to your heart's content with all of your friends! YOU CAN CHANGE THE RULES If a game’s too short, play a few more rounds. If you want Designed by Local No. 12: more cards in your hand, let everyone draw a few more. Colleen Macklin, John If it’s too serious, make it a drinking game. Rules were Sharp & Eric Zimmerman made to be modded. Power to the players. MATCHMAKERS 3+ HISTORY 101 2+ try this one first!
Each round, match your hand of culture Get your dates straight. A Metagame for 2 or cards to everyone else’s opinion cards. more players about putting culture in the Recommended for your first Metagame. right chronology.
SETUP SETUP Deal everyone a hand of 4 culture cards. Each player also gets Start the timeline by putting a random culture card face-up 1 opinion card face-up in front of them. on the table. You won’t need any opinion cards.
For 3 Players: Each player starts with a hand of 7 culture cards PLAY instead of 4. And each player has 2 opinion cards face-up in Take turns clockwise around the table. On your turn, the player front of them – not just 1. on your left draws a card and reads it to you - saying “BLANK” for any dates. They can show you the card upon request - just PLAY be sure to cover the date! Each player reads their opinion card out loud. If yours has a blank: as you read the card, make up a word or phrase to fill Then you point at the spot in the timeline where the card the blank. Then everyone puts ALL of their culture cards face should go. If you’re right, the card goes into the timeline. -down next to the opinion cards of other players to make good If you are wrong, put the card in front of you as a strike. matches. (DON‘T play on your own cards!) You don’t have to play on every opinion card and you can put multiple cards in WINNING the same place. There are no turns - everyone plays at the When you have 3 strikes you are out of the game. same time. The last surviving player wins.
JUDGMENT FAQ One by one, each player shuffles the culture cards that were • If a card has no date: discard it and pick another. played on their opinion card, lays them face-up on the table, • If there are multiple dates: use the earliest one. and picks their favorite. The judge can explain their decision – • If it’s a decade or century: use the first year of the range. but keep quiet about who played which card during judging. If • If it has the same date as another card: it can go on either your card was chosen, you win the opinion card PLUS all of the side of the matching card in the timeline. culture cards that were played on it. Keep the cards you win in a scoring pile.
WINNING Play 1 round for each player. At the end, count all of the cards in your scoring pile - opinion cards AND culture cards. The player with the most cards wins! DEBATE CLUB 5+ HEAD TO HEAD 3
Loudmouths rule. Survive each round by A high-speed battle of wits for three. arguing for your card. If the critics don’t like You and an opponent race to put your what you say, you are knocked out and cards on the table. become a critic too.
SETUP SETUP One player starts as the critic. Deal everyone but the critic One player starts as the critic. The critic deals 7 culture cards a hand of 5 culture cards. to the other 2 players, face down in front of each of them in a stack. The 2 players put one hand behind their backs – they DEBATE can’t use that hand during the duel. Then the critic draws The critic draws 3 opinion cards, picks one to read out loud, opinion cards, discarding any with blanks and redrawing until and discards the others. If it has a blank, the critic decides the critic has a hand of 7. The critic says “READY - GO!” and how to fill it. Everyone else selects the best match from their the duel begins. hand and places it face-down on the table. The critic calls on each player one by one. That player reveals their card and DUEL argues for a minute or two why their card is the best match. The critic starts placing opinion cards face-up in a column. Meanwhile, the other players draw a single card at a time with JUDGMENT their free hand and play them face-down next to a opinion The critic picks the BEST and the WORST responses, then card, on their side of the column. They can only have one card collects all played cards and discards them. The losing player next to each opinion card - but they can swap the positions of discards all cards and joins the critic. On future rounds, the cards they have already played. The first player to place all of growing group of critics makes all decisions together (the their cards yells “DONE!” The slower player can only play 6 of newest critic breaks tie votes). All surviving players draw a their 7 cards - they must leave their last card unplayed. card. The winning player of the round draws an extra card. VERDICT WINNING The critic shuffles the 2 cards played on each opinion card, The final player remaining wins the game - and is the starting turns them over, and picks a winner. (Keep quiet about who critic for the next game. played which card during judging.) If you win a comparison, keep the opinion card. One of the opinion cards will be an Variation: THE HUNGER GAME automatic win (for the faster player who got all of their cards Players begin with a hand of cards equal to 2 less than the out). total number of players (i.e., a hand of 3 for 5 players). Deal that many opinion cards face-up in a row. The critic picks one WINNING of the face-up cards to use each round. Players do NOT draw Play 3 rounds - each player is the critic once. Whoever won any more cards. the most opinion cards wins the game. MASSIVELY MULTIPLAYER 5-25+ METAGAME
A highly social Metagame. Play it over dinner conversation, or at big parties and events. Like the name says, it works with hundreds or even thousands of players.
SETUP Players get a hand of 6 culture and 3 opinion cards. Your goal: win debates and collect the most culture cards.
START A DEBATE At any time, anyone can say “DEBATE THIS!” and reveal an opinion card and become the instigator of a debate.
If there is a blank on the opinion card, the instigator fills it however they want. The first 2 players to jump in and show a culture card will debate. Each debater has a minute to argue for their card. The instigator moderates.
JUDGMENT Anyone nearby can vote on who was more persuasive. The instigator’s vote breaks any ties. The winner of the debate takes the loser’s culture card.
WINNING At the end of the party or event, the player with the most culture cards is the victor. (Note: players are free to trade opinion cards however they want.)
Tips for big events: Yes, we really have played this with thousands of players - and it works! • Distribute cards to everyone as they arrive. • Demonstrate the game and hand out the rules. • Hold a final tournament to determine the champion. • Each main deck supports 33 players (+6 per expansion). METAQUILT 3-7 CHALLENGES When someone plays a card, if you think you have a better match for that particular spot in your hand, you can challenge. The first player to say “CHALLENGE!” and place their supposedly better card face-up on the table gets to make the challenge.
The challenger makes a brief argument for their card. Then the challenged player makes a counter-argument for their own card. On the count of "1-2-3-POINT!" the rest of the players simultaneously point to vote on a winner. On a tie vote, the challenge fails.
If the challenge fails: The original card is added to the quilt. The challenger discards the card they used in the challenge and as a punishment for the failed challenge draws 2 cards of either type.
If the challenge succeeds: The challenger’s card is added to the quilt. The challenged card is discarded and the player who played it draws another card of either type.
REDUCING YOUR HAND At the end of every turn (after any challenges are resolved), whoever successfully played a card into the quilt reduces It’s got strategy. It’s got debate. And it turns their hand. For every card that the new card in the quilt touches, you reduce your hand by one. So if you played your tabletop into a crazy-quilt of culture. a card that touches 2 cards, you discard 2 cards from Lose all your cards to win. your hand.
If a challenge was made, whoever won the challenge and SETUP successfully placed a card in the quilt gets to discard. If there Deal everyone 5 culture cards and 5 opinion cards. Keep was no challenge, then the player who put the unchallenged your hand hidden - but other players should be able to see card into the quilt gets to discard. how many cards you have. Your goal is to get rid of all of your cards. WINNING If you successfully play your last card into the Metaquilt you Draw and place a single opinion card sideways in the center win the game. You CAN win by making a challenge. However, of the table – this is the start of the quilt. If the starting you cannot discard your final card - you can only win by opinion card has a blank on it, draw another one. Begin playing your last card into the quilt. with the first player and take turns clockwise.
ON A TURN Each turn has 3 phases. When it is your turn: 1. PLAY a card from your hand to the quilt 2. One player can CHALLENGE your card 3. You or your challenger REDUCE your hand
PLAY A CARD On your turn, play a card from your hand into the quilt.
In the quilt, culture cards are played vertically and opinion cards are played horizontally. The two types of cards alter- nate, so culture cards only touch opinion cards (and vice- versa). For example, on the very first turn you can only play a culture card.
If you play a opinion card with a blank, fill it however you want. The blank is filled with your word for the rest of the game.
When you play a card, try and make it match every card it touches. To play in the lower-right corner of the example game in the illustration, you need a culture card that should be required in schools and is simply beautiful. The card doesn’t have to be a better match than other cards on the table – it just needs to somehow fit the cards it touches. THE THEORY OF TOFURKY BRIE CHEESE RELATIVITY
Mass is energy. Space is curved. A turkey of the rare tofu variety. Pairs well with White Zinfandel Mind is blown. Albert Einstein, Turtle Island Foods, 1995. and soft rock. Circa 8th century. 1905 (Special) and 1915 (General).
The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
BED BUGS A COSMOPOLITAN THE THUNDERDOME
Nature's teeny tiny vampires. First Vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, “Two men enter, one man leaves.” documented bite, 400 BCE. and lime. Plus a dash of hangover. - Fictional architecture from 1970s. George Miller and George Ogilvie’s film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, 1985 The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
NORTH KOREA THE STATUE OF HEROIN LIBERTY
What happens in North Korea Symbol for America’s freedom H. Smack. Horse. Brown. Black. stays in North Korea. 1948, and democracy. Imported from Tar. First synthesized 1874. Kim Il-sung. France. Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, 1886.
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ELVES ELVIS LEG WARMERS IMPERSONATORS
What Keebler and Tolkien have Like Elvis, but not quite. Adding that distinctive thick and in common. Circa 5th century. Originated 1950s. rumpled silhouette to fashion. David Lee, 1980.
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PABST BLUE RIBBON PARIS UNICORNS
“Heineken? Fuck that shit! Pabst In Paris you’re always surrounded The narwhal of the forest. First Blue Ribbon!” - Blue Velvet’s by French people.” - David Sedaris recorded mention 390 BCE. Frank Booth on the 1844 brew on the city, founded 12th century
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VASELINE MEDICAL MARIJUANA CORVETTE
Everyone's favorite petroleum- Side effects may include dry Chevrolet's 1953 car was molded based product. 1870, Robert mouth, loss of short-term from fiberglass to ensure sleek Chesebrough. memory and dry mouth. curves and impossibly expensive First legalized in the US, 1996. repairs.
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NYC SUBWAY SYSTEM PROZAC JELL-O
At 209 miles, the most extensive Cure for the common life. Eli Lilly A fun dessert extracted from and fragrant public transit system and Co., 1987. boiled bones, connective tissues in the world. 1904. and other animal products. Kraft, 1845.
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THE LITTLE BLACK TATTOOS LEVI’S 501 JEANS DRESS
One dress, every occasion. “ Be a good-looking corpse. 140 years of denim, rivets and Coco Chanel, 1920s. Leave a good-looking tattoo.” the hard-to-button button fly. - Actor Ed Westwick 1873, Levi Strauss & Jacob Davis.
The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
THE WONDERBRA THE MUSTACHE RAY-BAN WAYFARERS
Your breast friend. Invented in Timeless icon of ironic masculinity. Raymond Stegeman’s 1952 design 1935 by Israel Pilot. set the standard for cool sun- glasses. Not to be worn at night.
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THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE STARBUCKS COFFEE VIAGRA
Makes New York City’s 50 other By the time you finish reading Has been shown to make flowers bridges jealous. John Roebling, this, another Starbucks has stand up for more than a week. 1883. probably opened. Founded 1971, Pfizer’s 1998 wonder drug. Jerry Baldwin, Gordon Bowker and Zev Siegl.
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POST-IT NOTES THE HOME PREGNANCY LABRADOODLE TEST
Before Art Fry’s 1974 invention, Want to see the future? Pee on Genetic engineering, thy name sticky paper was only good for a stick. Judith Vaitukaitis and is Labradoodle. Dog breed by catching flies. Glenn Braunstein, 1977. Wally Conron, 1988.
The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
IKEA FURNITURE THE WHITE HOUSE DISNEYLAND
One Billy bookcase is sold every James Hoban’s 1800 presidential Adventureland, Frontierland, 10 seconds. Furniture company mansion is redecorated every four Fantasyland, Tomorrowland. founded by Ingvar Kamprad, 1943. to eight years, based on prevail- One mouse to rule them all. ing popular tastes. Walt Disney, 1955.
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THE GREAT WALL OF THE BERLIN WALL FACEBOOK CHINA
13,000 miles of neighborly fence. The most symbolic means The world’s most popular social 7th Century BCE. of dividing a people. Ever. network. Founded in 2004 by Constructed 1961. Mark Zuckerberg and some guys that now hate his guts.
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THE SOLOMON R. WALMART PORT-A-POTTY GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM
Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic 1959 $447 billion in revenue from Sam Insert scatological joke here. First museum is an inspiraling place to Walton’s 1962 retail chain would U.S. patent, George Harding, 1962. experience fine art. make it the 27th richest country in the world. (Sorry, Austria.)
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TWITTER THE INTERNET THE ELECTRIC SLIDE
#microblogging #2006 The world belongs to the Ric Silver’s 1976 dance craze. @RealJackDorsey Internet. We just live in it. Wedding receptions would First transmission, 1969. never be the same again.
The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
THE WORLD TRADE THE VIETNAM THE WIZARD OF OZ CENTER VETERANS MEMORIAL
Built in 1973 by architect Minoru Maya Lin’s 1982 Washington “...we're not in Kansas anymore.” Yamasaki and destroyed in 2001, DC monument makes a - Dorothy, in Victor Fleming’s the Twin Towers were first hated, powerful statement with only classic 1939 film then beloved and are now names and dates on a wall. missed.
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ET: THE EXTRA- THE ROCKY HORROR THE BREAKFAST CLUB TERRESTRIAL PICTURE SHOW
The story of a lost alien and his “I’m just a sweet transvestite Don’t you forget about me. John delicious Reese’s Pieces. Stephen from Transsexual, Transylvania.” Hughes’ 1985 film about five high Spielberg’s heartwarming film, - Frank N. Furter in Sharman and school teens brought together by 1982. O’Brien’s 1975 cult musical film detention.
The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
PSYCHO DIRTY DANCING TITANIC
After Hitchcock’s 1960 cinematic “Nobody puts Baby in a corner!” Boy meets girl. Ship meets thriller, the phrase “shower scene” - Patrick Swayze in Emile iceberg. James Cameron’s would never be the same again. Ardolino’s 1987 coming-of-age 1997 romantic disaster movie. film
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JAMES BOND FILMS THE SOPRANOS GONE WITH THE WIND
Where we learned how to order Mobster therapy for TV. When you play this card, you our martinis. Film series based 1999 series by David Chase. are NOT allowed to say anything on Ian Fleming’s secret agent about not giving a damn. Victor character, 1962. Fleming’s epic 1939 Civil War period film. The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
OPRAH THE MUPPET MOVIE TRON
All hail the Queen of daytime talk “Someday we’ll find it, the rainbow Don’t you hate it when you fall shows. First broadcast 1986. connection, the lovers, the dreamers, into a computer and have to battle and me.” - Kermit the Frog in Jim an evil Master Control Program? Henson’s original Muppet film, Steven Lisberger’s 1982 computer 1979 science fiction film. The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
I LOVE LUCY SEINFELD FOX NEWS
“Instead of divorce lawyers A show about nothing. (Not that “Fair and Balanced.” Roger Ailes, profiting from our mistakes, there’s anything wrong with that.) first broadcast 1996. we’d profit from them.” Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld’s - Lucille Ball on the television- long-running sitcom, 1989. defining 1951 sitcom The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
SURVIVOR THE SIMPSONS SESAME STREET
The tribe has spoken. Mark Matt Groenig’s 1989 animated A grouch in a trash can and a Burnett’s influential 2000 reality series is the longest-running giant bird teach kids to read. series has still not been voted show on television. In a word, Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd off the island. “eeexcellent.” Morrisset’s TV series, 1969.
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THE MOON LANDING MTV PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING
“One giant leap for mankind.” First video killed the radio star. Soap opera or sporting event? Because giant leaps are Then reality TV killed music You decide. Athletic spectacle, SO HARD in low gravity. videos. Robert W. Pittman, first originated circa 1830. NASA, 1969. broadcast 1981.
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THE BRADY BUNCH WONDER WOMAN AL JAZEERA
Bobby, Peter, Greg, Cindy, Jan, Wonder Woman conquered “The opinion and the other and Marcia, Marcia, Marcia! comic book Nazis in the 1940s, opinion.” - Tagline for the 1996 Sherwood Schwartz’s 1969 sitcom but couldn’t escape cheesy Qatari news network about a typical American family. television in the 1970s. Elizabeth and William Marston, 1941.
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BEETHOVEN'S FIFTH SGT PEPPER'S LONELY LIKE A VIRGIN SYMPHONY HEARTS CLUB BAND
Da da da DUM. 1808. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds is Madonna’s 1984 pop album absolutely not a reference to LSD. celebrated her Catholic The Beatles’ classic album, 1967. upbringing. For the very first time.
The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
THRILLER SMELLS LIKE TEEN HAPPY BIRTHDAY SPIRIT
One bejeweled glove, best- An anthem for generation ironic. Every time you sing this song selling album of all time. Nirvana’s grunge single, 1991. you are violating copyright law. Michael Jackson, 1982. Composed 1893, © Warner Music through 2030.
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ANY CELINE DION SONG RAPPER'S DELIGHT SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER
From boundless optimism to “I said a hip, hop, the hippie, the When disco-dancing and unquenchable hope, they hippie, to the hip hip hop and you white bell-bottoms were the cover the entire emotional don’t stop.” - Sugar Hill Gang’s definition of Brooklyn hipster. range. First single 1982. trailblazing 1979 rap single John Badham’s 1977 film.
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THE COSBY SHOW SMURFETTE SAVED BY THE BELL
Starring Bill Cosby, his television If you’re a Smurf, you can be Only on TV could a jock, a nerd, family and his shockingly ugly Brainy, Greedy, Lazy, Jokey, a cheerleader, a schemer, an sweater collection. Sitcom by Bill Grouchy, or... Smurfette. Toy activist and a fashionista be Cosby, Michael Leeson and Ed character by Peyo, 1958. best friends. Sitcom created by Weinberger, 1984. Sam Bobrick, 1989. The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
THE SUPERBOWL NEVER MIND THE POKER BOLLOCKS, HERE'S THE SEX PISTOLS
Advertisements and a halftime “I’m surprised we aren't in jail “You gotta know when to hold’ show with a bit of football for treason.” - Johnny Rotten em, know when to fold’ em...” in-between. The National on the Sex Pistols’ 1977 seminal - Kenny Rogers’ thoughts on Football League’s annual punk album the gambling card game, first championship, since 1967. documented 1829 The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
THE METAGAME ATARI 2600 THE OLYMPIC GAMES
This. Local No. 12, 2014. Long live the joystick. Atari, Inc., Every four years, the world 1977. settles its differences with Curling, Dressage and Synchronized Swimming. First modern games, 1896. The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
KNITTING LEGOS MS. PAC-MAN
A sewing technique from 3rd There are 62 Lego bricks for The first videogame sequel. century Egypt. Now used mostly every living person. Ole Kirk If only every sequel involved for iPhone cozies. Christiansen’s construction toy, changing the gender of the patented 1958. protagonist. Midway, 1982.
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SPIN THE BOTTLE NASCAR SOCCER
Teenage smooching game, 60% of NASCAR fans are men. This card should be called circa 1950. When kissing could 79% are white. 100% like cars that Football but it would confuse get you pregnant. go fast. The National Association the Americans. Ancient team of Stock Car Racing, founded by sport, formalized in 1863. Bill France, Sr. 1948. The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
PONG BARBIE DOLL TAROT CARDS
Hi-res graphics in 1972. Al Alcorn’s “ She was blonde, she was free Playing cards, 15th Century. pioneering videogame. and she was fun.” - Catherine Divination tool, 18th Century. Malandrino on the controversial Now a revenue stream for your doll, invented by Ruth Handler, neighborhood psychic. 1959 The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
HULA HOOP MONOPOLY SPACE SHUTTLE
“You know, for kids.” Parker Brothers’ 1933 capitalist Since the space shuttle was - The Hudsucker Proxy’s Norville fantasy boardgame was based grounded in 2011, how are Barnes on Richard Knerr and on Elizabeth Magie’s 1903 game astronauts supposed to get Arthur “Spud” Melin’s 1958 protesting economic conditions. to work? NASA, first flight 1981. circular toy Ironic. The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
SPACE SHUTTLE LASERS ENRON
Since the space shuttle was Light Amplification by Stimulated Taking creative accounting to grounded in 2011, how are Emission of Radiation. Now you new heights. Scandal-ridden astronauts supposed to get know. 1960. American energy corporation, to work? NASA, first flight 1981. 1985-2004.
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VW BEETLE THE GREAT PACIFIC HIGGS BOSON GARBAGE PATCH
Commissioned by Hitler, loved A continent-sized soup of plastic A subatomic particle with by hippies. Volkswagen, 1938. debris. Not humanity’s proudest positive parity and zero spin, moment. Discovered 1997. not to be confused with politi- cians. Discovered 2012.
The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
THE PYRAMIDS OF GIZA THE ELECTRIC CHAIR HELLO KITTY
Incredibly big houses for some Adopted in the 1880s as a The cat that defined cute. dead people. 2560 BCE. humane alternative to hanging. Correction: the kid in a cat suit Created by Harold P. Brown and that defined cute. Yuko Shimizu’s Arthur Kennelly. brand character, 1974.
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POWERPOINT SPEEDO BATHING SUIT BIKINI
Making the comprehensible Less is not always more. Men’s “The bikini is the most important incomprehensible. Microsoft, swimsuits from Alexander thing since the atom bomb.” 1990. MacRae’s company, 1928. - Diana Vreeland on Louis Réard’s 1946 invention
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HAMSTER WHEEL BIG GULP I LOVE NY
Rodent exercise machine or More liquid than the human Everybody loves Milton Glasier’s metaphor for modern life? stomach can hold. 7-Eleven, 1980. iconic 1977 logo. Except actual Circa 1949. New Yorkers.
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STARRY NIGHT THE SISTINE CHAPEL CAMPBELL’S SOUP CEILING CANS
“A star-spangled sky, for instance, “Ouch, my neck.” - Every tourist A can of Campbell’s soup: that’s a thing I would like to try who spends too long looking up 99 cents. Andy Warhol’s 1962 to do...” - Vincent Van Gogh on at Michelangelo’s masterful 16th series of paintings: $15 million. his 1889 painting Century frescoes
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THE TREACHERY OF LASCAUX CAVE THE SCREAM IMAGES PAINTINGS
This is not a Metagame card World’s oldest graffiti. 17,000 BCE. Art is terrifying. Edvard Munch’s about René Magritte’s playfully expressionist masterpiece conceptual 1929 painting. painting, 1895.
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AMERICAN GOTHIC A JACKSON POLLOCK DOC MARTENS 8-EYE PAINTING BOOTS
Man, woman and pitchfork. “ The painting has a life of its What London skinheads, grunge Just as god intended. Painting own. I try to let it come through.” rockers and postal workers have by Grant Wood, 1930. -Jackson Pollock on his drip in common. Klaus Märten, 1947. painting process, 1956
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THE NUTCRACKER SUITE SWING DANCING RIVERDANCE
When sugar plum fairies were sugar After we frisk the whiskers, The 1994 Irish dance phenomenon plum fairies and nutcrackers were we’ll bop on down to the juke that brought fancy footwork and nutcrackers. Tchaikovsky’s 1892 joint for some jumping and flouncy blouses to the world. ballet. jiving. Circa 1920s.
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THE VAGINA WOODSTOCK RENT MONOLOGUES
Eve Ensler’s 1996 feminist 1969 music festival that brought Five hundred twenty five play including these monologues: together hippies, bikers and thousand six hundred minutes. My Angry Vagina, Reclaiming dropouts for three days of mud, Jonathan Larson’s 1996 musical Cunt and Because He Liked to love and music. about life and love in NYC Look At It. takes up 165 of them. The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
WAGNER’S RING CYCLE A CIRQUE DU SOLEIL THE CABBAGE PATCH SHOW
Angry giants, vengeful gods This Canadian troupe dresses up 1987 dance craze involving and winged Valkyrie warriors. circus traditions from around the circular fist-churning. Transitions Singing. Wagner’s epic 1869 world in colorful spandex outfits. into a Running Man or an Alf. four-opera cycle. Founded 1984.
The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
THE MONA LISA FOUNTAIN PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
Leonardo da Vinci’s 1506 portrait: In 1917, Marcel Duchamp shocked Jane Austen’s 1813 novel chroni- the world’s most mysterious smile. the world by exhibiting a urinal cles Elizabeth Bennet’s coming of as art. age in British polite society. Featuring Colin Firth.
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HARRY POTTER CATS WAITING FOR GODOT
J.K. Rowling’s book series in Singing felines in leotards. Samuel Beckett’s 1953 play about which young wizards learn life Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1981 the absurd futility of existence. lessons and battle trolls. First Broadway smash. Spoiler alert: Godot never comes. conjured in 1997.
The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
THE BIBLE 4’ 33” WEST SIDE STORY
Either the direct word of god or Signature 1952 musical composition 1957 Broadway hit about written over a thousand years by by John Cage. Four minutes and warring NYC gangs by a bunch of dudes. Accounts vary. thirty-three seconds of silence. Bernstein, Laurents, Robbins and Sondheim. #sharksrule
The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
THE IPHONE THE MULLET CROCS
Apple’s 2007 camera, music 1980s hairstyle. Business in “It looks like a plastic hoof. How player, game console, Internet the front, party in the back. can you take that seriously?” communications device and - Tim Gunn on the ubiquitous occasionally, cell phone. 2002 foam shoe
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BRUNCH THE BIG MAC COMIC SANS
“ By eliminating the need to get Iconic 1967 McDonald’s burger. Microsoft’s 1994 typeface up early on Sunday, brunch Two all-beef patties, special sauce, by Vincent Connare is the would make life brighter for lettuce, cheese, pickles and onions business casual of typefaces. Saturday-night carousers.” on a sesame seed bun. - First mention, 1896 Hunter’s Weekly The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
HELVETICA GOOGLE THE LATEX CONDOM
The 1957 typeface by Max google.com/search?q=google Keeping sex safe since 1920. Miedinger. So elegant it’s Sergey Brin and Larry Page, 1998. almost invisible.
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SEXTING DOOM RUBIK’S CUBE
What 21st century politicians 1993 videogame by id Software. Ernő Rubik’s 1974 puzzle has do with cell phones. Originated The grandaddy of all first-person 43,252,003,274,489,856,000 circa 2005. shooters - if your grandaddy possible combinations. killed demons with a sawed-off shotgun. The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
EMAIL SPAM BASKETBALL DODGEBALL
Alert! Play this card now to Team sport invented by James Darwinian playground game fix your limp, overweight, Naismith in 1891. No longer played where the strong eliminate the cheating Metagame. First with peach baskets. weak by clobbering them with hit inboxes in the 1990s. rubber balls. Circa 1900.
The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
WORLD OF WARCRAFT SKATEBOARDING HUNGRY HUNGRY HIPPOS
Blizzard’s definitive 2004 The perfect symbol for punk “It’s a race. It’s a chase, hurry up massively-multiplayer online anarchy extreme sports and feed their face!” - Jingle for role-playing game. Horde suburban tweens. Invented 1940s. Fred Kroll’s 1978 game or Alliance?
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DUNGEONS & DRAGONS TWILIGHT CITIZEN KANE
Groundbreaking 1974 role-playing 2005 book series by Stephanie Orson Welles’ critically-acclaimed game by Dave Arneson and Gary Meyer about brooding, baseball- 1941 film about power, corruption Gygax. Nice charisma. playing teen vampires. and a sled named Rosebud.
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THE DAILY SHOW PROJECT RUNWAY WIKIPEDIA
TV news spoof that demonstrates Fashion reality TV series created Where most of these Metagame how fake the real news can be. by Eli Holzman in 2004. Like a factoids come from. Larry Sanger Madeleine Smithberg and Lizz cooking show for clothes. and Jimmy Wales’ communally- Winstead, 1996. authored Internet resource, 2001. The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
ANY JOURNEY ALBUM LOLCATS THE STAR WARS FRANCHISE
1973 rock band. Don’t stop 2007 meme proving once and for George Lucas’ epic 1977 space believin’. all that cats are funnier than dogs. opera film series gave us Luke On the Internet. Skywalker, R2D2 and enough action figures to fill a Death Star. The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE ROMEO & JULIET DEATH OF A SALESMAN SLAYER
Joss Whedon’s 1997 TV series in Boy meets girl. Boy dies. Girl dies. “I realized what a ridiculous which high school students fall in William Shakespeare’s theatrical lie my whole life has been.” love, cram for exams and destroy tragedy, 1597. - From Arthur Miller’s seriously ancient hellspawn. depressing 1949 play
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THE HUNGER GAMES DAS KAPITAL ATLAS SHRUGGED
2008 young adult book series In his 1867 book, Karl Marx “ There are two sides to every by Suzanne Collins, featuring postulated that capitalism issue: one side is right and the teenage death matches, evil exploits labor. Later proven other is wrong...” - From Ayn game designers and sweet, true by John Maynard Keynes, Rand’s 1957 aggressively sweet first love. Ronald Reagan and Walmart. philosophical sci-fi novel The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
ALICE IN WONDERLAND COSMOPOLITAN DIANETICS
We're all mad here.” - The vanish- “Slip a glazed doughnut around L. Ron Hubbard’s bestselling ing Cheshire Cat in Lewis Carroll’s his penis and nibble it off.” 1950s self-help book that shaped fantastical 1865 novel - Advice from the magazine, Scientology. (Snarky joke withheld founded in 1886 for legal reasons.)
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MOBY DICK PLAYBOY GRIMM’S FAIRY TALES
A novel narrated by a seaman “A woman reading Playboy feels Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm’s obsessed with a sperm whale a little like a Jew reading a Nazi catalog of Freudian madness and named Moby Dick. 1851, manual.” - Gloria Steinem on childhood terrors. First published Herman Melville. Hugh Hefner’s 1953 girlie mag in 1812.
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LORD OF THE RINGS PEANUTS ACTION COMICS #1
How do you say “genre-defining” Charlie Brown, existential Superman’s first appearance. in Elvish? J.R.R. Tolkien’s influen- philosopher. Charles Schulz, Original price: 10 cents. Now tial 1954 literary fantasy trilogy. classic cartoonist. 1950. worth $2.16 million. DC Comics, 1938.
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MAUS THE NEW YORK TIMES PLAYGIRL
Art Spiegelman’s groundbreaking The Gray Lady has been the Tasteful spreads, hairy chests, 1991 series showed that comics paper of record since Henry and scintillating interviews. can take on serious subjects. Jarvis Raymond founded it Douglas Lambert, 1973. And that cats are Nazis. in 1851.
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VOGUE THE DECLARATION OF AK-47 ASSAULT RIFLE INDEPENDENCE
The devil wears Prada and “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of Easy to use, cheap to produce definitely reads Vogue. happiness.” Not bad for a bunch and great brand recognition. Magazine first published by of old white guys. 1776. Plus it kills people. Mikhail Arthur Turnure in 1892. Kalashnikov, 1947.
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EAMES LOUNGE CHAIR THE SPORK COCA-COLA WOOD
The elegant 1946 plywood chair What happens when the fork runs Bubbly caffeinated caramel- by Charles and Ray Eames was away with the spoon. Cutlery colored sugar water. Just like meant to democratize design. implement, first patented 1874. nature intended. The Coca Cola Too bad you can’t afford one. Company, 1886.
The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
SPAM MARLBORO CIGARETTES HEINZ KETCHUP
A precooked meat product in a Sexy death-sticks. 1904, Philip Condiment with a bottle exit can. What's not to like? Hormel, Morris, USA. speed of 0.0125 miles per second. 1937. Henry John Heinz, 1869.
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THE RAINBOW FLAG THE NIKE SWOOSH
The gay agenda’s attempt to Carolyn Davidson’s 1971 logo, convert innocent young rainbows synonymous with speed, to an LGBTQ lifestyle. Gilbert elegance and the corporatization Baker, 1978. of sport.
The Metagame. The Metagame.
WHICH IS WHICH IS WHICH MOST MAGICAL? A BETTER TOOL REPRESENTS FOR DICTATORS? THE SOUL OF AMERICA?
The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
WHICH COULD MOST LIKELY WHICH BETTER BE THE BASIS TO BE FOUND CAPTURES THE OF A CULT? AMONG THE RICH ZEITGEIST AND FAMOUS. OF ITS TIME?
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WHICH IS WHICH WOULD WHICH FEELS A SIGN OF THE YOU WANT LIKE FIRST LOVE? APOCALYPSE? TO FIND IN BED?
The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
WINS THE MOST SALTY. WHICH IS MOST HEARTS AND MINDS. OPPRESSIVE?
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WHICH IS MORE WHICH IS IF YOU DON’T FABULOUS? MOST USEFUL ON KNOW THIS, YOU A DESERT ISLAND? ARE CULTURALLY CHALLENGED.
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WHICH SAYS EVERYBODY SHOULD WHICH WOULD MORE ABOUT HAVE ONE. FREUD WANT? GENDER?
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A TRADITION THE VOICE THE THING THAT HANDED DOWN OF AUTHORITY. EVERYONE LOVES FROM FATHER TO HATE. TO SON.
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COULD HAVE WHICH IS WHICH HAS BEEN MADE THE MOST META? THE MOST BY A CHILD. EMPTY CALORIES?
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WHICH WOULD BEST DRESSED. TWO WORDS: MARX APPROVE? UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
SHINY. INSTILLS WOULD MAKE A SENSE THE STRANGEST OF MALAISE. FETISH EVER.
The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
WASH PROOF THAT BEST DEFENSE YOUR HANDS ABSOLUTE POWER AGAINST BULLIES. AFTER USING. CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY.
The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
PURE EVIL. SQUISHY. MOST ENLIGHTENED.
The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
MORE STYLE THAN KID TESTED, WHICH GETS SUBSTANCE. MOTHER MORE ACTION? APPROVED.
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COMPLETELY IS WHICH IS BEST AT INAPPROPRIATE. FUNDAMENTALLY DECONSTRUCTING MISUNDERSTOOD. THE DOMINANT HETERO- PATRIARCHAL PARADIGM?
The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
MOST FUN WHICH GOES BEST REMINDER AT PARTIES. BEST WITH OF OUR MORTALITY. A BEER AND HOT DOG?
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WHICH MAKES MORE MYTH ¿QUE ES A BIG DEAL THAN FACT. MAS MACHO? OUT OF NOTHING?
The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
WHICH IS WHICH IS WHICH WILL MOST SQUARE? A LEADING CAUSE GET YOU LAID IF OF DEATH? YOU MENTION IT?
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WHICH IS WHICH SPEAKS WHICH WILL HOTTER? UNIVERSALLY OUTLIVE TO EVERYONE? US ALL?
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WHICH EXPRESSES WHICH HAS PEOPLE HALFWAY THE INEXPRESSIBLE? THE MOST AROUND THE WORLD SUBVERSIVE COULD CARE LESS POTENTIAL? ABOUT IT.
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EVIDENCE THAT WHICH IS WHICH IS OUR SOCIETY IS RESPONSIBLE SIMPLY THE MOST ALL SCREWED UP. FOR THE FRAYING BEAUTIFUL? OF OUR MORAL FABRIC?
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LOVED BY WHICH WILL SAVE WHICH HAS BEEN PIRATES. THE WORLD? MORE INFLUENTIAL?
The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
WHICH IS WHICH LULLS WHICH SHOULD IMPOSSIBLE YOU INTO BE REQUIRED TO UNDERSTAND COMPLACENCY? IN SCHOOLS? WITHOUT EXPERT GUIDANCE?
The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
BEST ENJOYED KILLS ______. THE IDEAL BY A ______ACCESSORY FOR YEAR OLD. PEOPLE WHO ______.
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BEST EMBODIES WHAT WOULD IF THIS WERE THE SIN OF ______DO? AN ANIMAL, ______. IT WOULD BE A ______.
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MAKES YOU CAN BUY THE CURE FOR ______PEOPLE THIS FOR ______. UNCOMFORTABLE. $______.
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THE BEST 4 OUT OF A SUITABLE EXPLANATION 5 ______SUBSTITUTE FOR FOR ______. RECOMMEND THIS. ______.
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MAKES YOU THINK CUTER THAN IS THE GOLD OF THE COLOR A BABY ______. STANDARD FOR ______. ______.
The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
SYMBOL OF MAKES MEN FEEL THIS IS THE LAST THE ______INSECURE ABOUT THING ______LIFESTYLE. THEIR ______. THINKS ABOUT BEFORE GOING TO SLEEP.
The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
YOU CAN FIND LADIES LIKE WHICH IS THIS UNDER THE THIS FOR ITS THE ICON DICTIONARY ______. FOR THE NATION DEFINITION FOR OF ______? ______.
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FILE UNDER VOTED MOST MAKES THE PERFECT ______. LIKELY TO ADVERTISEMENT ______. FOR ______.
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HOPELESSLY TASTES LIKE BELONGS IN ______. ______. A ______.
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A PERFECT MATCH UNSAFE AT BRINGS OUT FOR ______. ANY SPEED. _____ FEELINGS.
The Metagame. The Metagame. The Metagame.
WHICH IS SPARKS _____ WHICH IS THE BEST ICON AMONGST FRIENDS. WHISPERED FOR THE DECADE IN AWE BY OF THE ______? THE HIPSTERS IN BROOKLYN?
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WHICH KICKS THE MOST ASS?
The Metagame.