THEMWAVES the Card Game is a true passion project. About a year ago, I decided I wanted to explore the idea of making a game. I’ve always been interested in understanding the process and figuring out all the little details. And, if I’m being honest, I really just wanted to design some cards. :)
I started with a surfing theme, built around the different conditions and factors that come together to make a wave. From there, I put together some basic recipe cards and a rough concept, followed by countless rounds of edits and tweaks. There were plenty of pencil marks, erasing, and trial and error before things started to come together into something playable.
Working through the mechanics was a fun challenge. Every time an issue came up, I had to figure out a solution, test it, and see how it affected the overall experience.
Next came the fun part: designing the cards and developing the overall look and feel of the game. This went through several variations, with each version bringing something new to the table. Along the way, I did plenty of testing and gathered feedback from friends. Sharing something I’d been working on for so long was a little nerve-wracking, but their input on playability, readability, and the overall experience was invaluable.
There was a lot of printing, playing, tweaking, and printing again. I taped paper cards back to back, cut out samples, and worked through different versions by hand. It was a hands-on process, but honestly, a lot of fun.
After months of work, testing, and refining, it was finally time to make the real thing. Following some research and conversations with friends, I ordered the first edition of THEMWAVES the Card Game. And that brings us to today!
It’s been a rewarding experience taking an idea from a few rough cards to a finished game. I hope everyone enjoys playing it as much as I’ve enjoyed making it, and I’m looking forward to sharing future editions and updates along the way.
So, how does it work?
The goal is simple: be the first to catch a wave at all four surf spots, in order, and you win!
To catch a wave, you need to collect the cards required for each spot: Wave, Board, Wind, and Tide. Once you have everything you need, draw a sunny card from the weather deck to catch your wave and move on to the next spot.
