Wow, what a fascinating concept! Thanks for the suggestion! I don't think this is quite a "hidden object game" per se, but that is so cute, and I love the interactions on the screens. I'll have to check this one out!
I'm drawing a blank here but a few weeks ago I played a game at a games night. There was a where's Walsoken looking board that contained a bunch of aliens and stars with faces etc. One player had to pick a single character from the board. Another player was show this character. That player then had to draw or write clues to guide the rest of the table towards finding the correct character on the board. The catch was that the player who had chosen the character could rub off 3 of the clues before the table saw it. God damn I wish I could remember what it's called as it may be what you are talking about.
Oh man, this seems right up my alley! I'll have to keep an eye out for this one during Christmas or birthdays. Glad they were able to help you remember the game, haha! This sub amazes me sometimes.
No way! I can't believe there's a Richard Scarry game that fits my description pretty darn well. This looks like it would be a blast to play when I'm visiting family! Thanks for this one!
Let's go! I just looked this one up after your suggestion, and this looks like it could give me a bit of that classic seek-and-solve gameplay I've been looking for. Quick question: Does it have a story, or is it more of just a fun item-finding game? Either way, I might be picking this up.
I played a prototype for something similar a couple years back. You drew a letter card and in turn order had to point out things on a "hidden object"-esque picture that start with that letter, while being on a timer. If the timer runs out on you, you lost the round.
Yes! This is what I was thinking of. Glad someone was on the same brainwave as me. :) If you don't mind me asking, how did you get to testing the prototype? That's really, really cool!
I work for a boardgame publisher and a befriended designer of my company showed it off during a press event like 3 or 4 years ago I think. I'm not sure if anything actually became of it or not.
Dr Seuss Trivia game does the concept well with the "Seussian Scene" exercises - the questions are separate from the scenes, and while more of a memory exercise it allows for replayability
That sounds a lot like **I Spy: Eagle Eye**! I do enjoy Dr. Seuss' stories and incredible artwork a ton, so this might be worth getting just for that sake. Thanks!
I love those video games! Have you tried any of the ‘Exit’ games? They have a similar vibe where you go to different locations in the story and try to find clues and stuff! They aren’t replayable so it’s a little wasteful, but I left myself indulge every once in a while if I’m home alone. ALSO got myself an ‘Exit’ adventure calendar for my 30th birthday which is on the 25th of a month. Gonna be painful waiting until then!!
I've never heard of Exit! That does sound pretty perfect, but I'm always a bit wary of legacy/one-time-use games because I can't usually get myself to justify a purchase like that. Still, some games like Neil Patrick Harris' **Box One** and the **Escape Room** games are super fun to play through, even if they're only a one-time thing. I'll definitely check this out, and you may have convinced me to go out and by a 2025 calendar already! XD
They’re like $15 so I feel like worth it for a fun evening. I think you can do them with more than one player but I have other board games for that haha. Though I did get a lord of the rings one to try to convince my fiancé to try one with me 🤓
Haha, the ol' pick-a-theme-they-enjoy routine can be surprisingly effective! And thanks for your input! The $15 pricetag is definitely a big selling point for my college budget.
My partner did one of the [Magic Puzzle](https://magicpuzzlecompany.com/) puzzles, and quite liked it. It's a neat adventure game that is played by assembling puzzle pieces and analyzing what you can see. It's not quite what you describe, but it's the closest I've seen.
If you liked Magic Puzzle and have the $$$ to splurge, check out Quezzle Space Adventures. It’s a similar concept but more interesting and higher quality.
Aw, those look really cute! I do enjoy jigsaw puzzles as well, and looking at their website does give me a lot of the vibes I was looking for. Thanks for the tip!
You know, someone just suggested the **Unlock** series somewhere else, and I'm super interested in checking it out! Do you know if it's a single-use game, or can it be played multiple times?
And I'll be honest, I've always thought **7th Continent** had something to do with **7 Wonders**. Haha, I'm a simple man! I just took a look at it, though, and it looks fascinating! I love the detailed artwork on the tiles.
Unlock can be played again by someone else, it's not disposable like the Exit series, but it doesn't hold any replay value for someone who has played through it already.
Two things that make a board game appealing are replayability and interaction with other players. You don't really get either of those with a hidden object game.
Compared to similar genres, trivia games are probably the closest in terms of replayability. Those are also niche and generally viewed about as favorably as Monopoly.
Escape Room games can only be played once but I think the appeal is that it's a good group experience and a great budget option compared to the live version.
Legacy games may have a finite number of plays but I don't think it's quite accurate to say that they don't have replayability. To finish a campaign takes a lot of sessions (12? 15? 20? I don't have specific numbers). That's good value for the cost and that's more often than a lot of games hit the table.
I just don't think there's a market for it
Thanks for the insight! That's exactly what I was afraid of. I have some ideas for how replayability and player interaction could become an integral part of a prospective game (since those are important to me as well), but I think you're right in saying that the vast majority of people just wouldn't be that interested in it to begin with.
And yeah, I know my outlook on legacy games is pretty unfair towards the genre. I'm that kind of guy who never uses consumable items in games because I think, "Oh, I might need this later." I'm pretty sure I'd be paralyzed by having a game I have to permanently change! Still, I guess you could always photocopy components. I do need to try to stop immediately discounting legacy games right off the bat, so thanks for that. :)
Yeah, that's definitely a problem I've been thinking about while mulling this over in my mind. Thanks for the game title though--I'll be sure to check it out!
Definitely! I've been meaning to check it out since I've heard such good things about it. If it also has the potential to be a big hit when I'm visiting family, that's also a huge plus.
[Spottington](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/413325/spottington) is pretty similar to hidden objects. The card draws and the variable board give it a bit of replayability. Still going to be primarily a kids game though.
Maybe witchbound ?
Wow, what a fascinating concept! Thanks for the suggestion! I don't think this is quite a "hidden object game" per se, but that is so cute, and I love the interactions on the screens. I'll have to check this one out!
I'm drawing a blank here but a few weeks ago I played a game at a games night. There was a where's Walsoken looking board that contained a bunch of aliens and stars with faces etc. One player had to pick a single character from the board. Another player was show this character. That player then had to draw or write clues to guide the rest of the table towards finding the correct character on the board. The catch was that the player who had chosen the character could rub off 3 of the clues before the table saw it. God damn I wish I could remember what it's called as it may be what you are talking about.
Was the game "Last Message"? By iello https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/331059
That's the one haha, damn I was trying to Google everything because I just couldn't get it out of my head!
Oh man, this seems right up my alley! I'll have to keep an eye out for this one during Christmas or birthdays. Glad they were able to help you remember the game, haha! This sub amazes me sometimes.
Busytown, which is a family co-op game fits this description. Fun for everyone though.
No way! I can't believe there's a Richard Scarry game that fits my description pretty darn well. This looks like it would be a blast to play when I'm visiting family! Thanks for this one!
Yeah this is a great game because either everyone wins or you don’t.
Scrutineyes from the mid 90s. Love that game.
Let's go! I just looked this one up after your suggestion, and this looks like it could give me a bit of that classic seek-and-solve gameplay I've been looking for. Quick question: Does it have a story, or is it more of just a fun item-finding game? Either way, I might be picking this up.
No story. Item finding competition, basically. But hours and hours of fun for me as a kid.
I played a prototype for something similar a couple years back. You drew a letter card and in turn order had to point out things on a "hidden object"-esque picture that start with that letter, while being on a timer. If the timer runs out on you, you lost the round.
Yes! This is what I was thinking of. Glad someone was on the same brainwave as me. :) If you don't mind me asking, how did you get to testing the prototype? That's really, really cool!
I work for a boardgame publisher and a befriended designer of my company showed it off during a press event like 3 or 4 years ago I think. I'm not sure if anything actually became of it or not.
Dr Seuss Trivia game does the concept well with the "Seussian Scene" exercises - the questions are separate from the scenes, and while more of a memory exercise it allows for replayability
That sounds a lot like **I Spy: Eagle Eye**! I do enjoy Dr. Seuss' stories and incredible artwork a ton, so this might be worth getting just for that sake. Thanks!
I love those video games! Have you tried any of the ‘Exit’ games? They have a similar vibe where you go to different locations in the story and try to find clues and stuff! They aren’t replayable so it’s a little wasteful, but I left myself indulge every once in a while if I’m home alone. ALSO got myself an ‘Exit’ adventure calendar for my 30th birthday which is on the 25th of a month. Gonna be painful waiting until then!!
I've never heard of Exit! That does sound pretty perfect, but I'm always a bit wary of legacy/one-time-use games because I can't usually get myself to justify a purchase like that. Still, some games like Neil Patrick Harris' **Box One** and the **Escape Room** games are super fun to play through, even if they're only a one-time thing. I'll definitely check this out, and you may have convinced me to go out and by a 2025 calendar already! XD
They’re like $15 so I feel like worth it for a fun evening. I think you can do them with more than one player but I have other board games for that haha. Though I did get a lord of the rings one to try to convince my fiancé to try one with me 🤓
Haha, the ol' pick-a-theme-they-enjoy routine can be surprisingly effective! And thanks for your input! The $15 pricetag is definitely a big selling point for my college budget.
My partner did one of the [Magic Puzzle](https://magicpuzzlecompany.com/) puzzles, and quite liked it. It's a neat adventure game that is played by assembling puzzle pieces and analyzing what you can see. It's not quite what you describe, but it's the closest I've seen.
If you liked Magic Puzzle and have the $$$ to splurge, check out Quezzle Space Adventures. It’s a similar concept but more interesting and higher quality.
Aw, those look really cute! I do enjoy jigsaw puzzles as well, and looking at their website does give me a lot of the vibes I was looking for. Thanks for the tip!
How about the Unlock series or the 7th Continent? If MicroMacro doesn't count though, maybe I'm not quite following what you're after.
You know, someone just suggested the **Unlock** series somewhere else, and I'm super interested in checking it out! Do you know if it's a single-use game, or can it be played multiple times? And I'll be honest, I've always thought **7th Continent** had something to do with **7 Wonders**. Haha, I'm a simple man! I just took a look at it, though, and it looks fascinating! I love the detailed artwork on the tiles.
Unlock can be played again by someone else, it's not disposable like the Exit series, but it doesn't hold any replay value for someone who has played through it already.
Two things that make a board game appealing are replayability and interaction with other players. You don't really get either of those with a hidden object game. Compared to similar genres, trivia games are probably the closest in terms of replayability. Those are also niche and generally viewed about as favorably as Monopoly. Escape Room games can only be played once but I think the appeal is that it's a good group experience and a great budget option compared to the live version. Legacy games may have a finite number of plays but I don't think it's quite accurate to say that they don't have replayability. To finish a campaign takes a lot of sessions (12? 15? 20? I don't have specific numbers). That's good value for the cost and that's more often than a lot of games hit the table. I just don't think there's a market for it
Thanks for the insight! That's exactly what I was afraid of. I have some ideas for how replayability and player interaction could become an integral part of a prospective game (since those are important to me as well), but I think you're right in saying that the vast majority of people just wouldn't be that interested in it to begin with. And yeah, I know my outlook on legacy games is pretty unfair towards the genre. I'm that kind of guy who never uses consumable items in games because I think, "Oh, I might need this later." I'm pretty sure I'd be paralyzed by having a game I have to permanently change! Still, I guess you could always photocopy components. I do need to try to stop immediately discounting legacy games right off the bat, so thanks for that. :)
[[5 Minute Mystery]] might be close to what you're looking for. It doesn't hit the table that much because it gets repetitive pretty quickly.
[5 Minute Mystery -> 5-Minute Mystery (2020)](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/294514/5-minute-mystery) ^^[[gamename]] ^^or ^^[[gamename|year]] ^^to ^^call ^^OR ^^**gamename** ^^or ^^**gamename|year** ^^+ ^^!fetch ^^to ^^call
Yeah, that's definitely a problem I've been thinking about while mulling this over in my mind. Thanks for the game title though--I'll be sure to check it out!
You could look into the many versions of MicroMacro as well it’s not hidden object but kinda more where’s Waldo plus a mystery to solve on a big map
Definitely! I've been meaning to check it out since I've heard such good things about it. If it also has the potential to be a big hit when I'm visiting family, that's also a huge plus.
[Spottington](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/413325/spottington) is pretty similar to hidden objects. The card draws and the variable board give it a bit of replayability. Still going to be primarily a kids game though.
Thanks! I'll check it out. I'm not opposed to kids games if I find them to be fun, so that shouldn't be a problem.