A group of Cowboys have decided to leave behind life on the ranch in pursuit of fame and fortune in the form of a cowboy boy band. One problem: they haven't decided who the lead cowboy is going to be.
The boys have to kiss up to the owner of their record label, competing to become the lead and fulfill their dreams!
Kissin Cowboys is a roleplay card game I made in 10 weeks. The game consists of character cards, event cards, and a rule book. As a solo project and a physical game, I learned a lot making this game!
Clyde
Butch
Levi
West
Boone
Record Label King
The game is played by at least 3 but no more than 6 players. Each player chooses a character card, ensuring at least one player pulls the Record Label King card.
Character cards designate role (cowboy or King) and give each player an appearance and personality to guide the roleplay.
Negative Event Card
Negative Event Card
Negative Event Card
Positive Event Card
Positive Event Card
Positive Event Card
Cowboy players then take turns pulling event cards, which dictate either a positive opportunity or a negative scandal in their career.
Players use these cards to guide roleplay and build game narrative. At the end of each round, the Record Label King player eliminates a cowboy from the running, until only one is left and the lead cowboy is decided.
Character Card Front
Character Card Back
Event Card Front
Event Card Back
Cards were designed to be quickly distinguishable between types as well as front from back.
Card were designed through an iterative process.
Check out an early version of the event card back next to the final version!
The boot design was exchanged for a quilt pattern to make them more quickly readable as card backs.
Having a consistent visual language throughout the work was a priority for me.
On the left is a mood board I made at the start of the project, and it served to inform each decision made.
Every aspect of the work is referential to this early foundational piece, from the quilt pattern card backs, to the cowboy rock band fashion, to the rule book's cat mascot.
Above are some pictures from play. Kissin Cowboys often leads to wacky situations and passionate discussions.
This game's so special to me! It's great to see folks laughing over cowboy mishaps. As the only card game and solo game I've developed, I learned through meeting my own aesthetic and play expectations how to be flexible while maintaining a vision.
I'm excited to keep making aesthetically driven games!
