Publisher Spotlight April: Looney Labs
  • Apr 1st 2021
  • Posted by DEE CHAPLEAU

Publisher Spotlight April: Looney Labs

Looney Labs is the publisher who brought us fan favorites like Fluxx and Get The MacGuffin. Andrew and Kristen Looney are the husband and wife duo that have consistently design and publish innovative, attractive, and above all, really fun parlor games. The Looneys met during their time as aerospace engineers at NASA and in 1996 decided to pursue their hobby full time. Since then, Looney Labs has been more than successful in committing to their mission “To Create Fun”. Keep reading for a quick rundown on some of their most popular titles.

Fluxx

Designer: Andrew Looney & Kristen Looney
Artist: Raul Castellanos, Michael Hays, Naomi Kageyama, Andrew Looney, & Barbara Spelger
Player Count: 2-6 players
Suggested Age: 8+

The rules of Fluxx are simple… until they’re not. At the beginning of the game players draw one card and play one card. Sounds easy, right? However, that won’t last for long. Playing Rule and Goal cards quickly alter the objective of the game, while playing Keeper cards adds winning conditions to the players’ hand. When a player’s Keeper cards match with the Goal in play, they win. For example, If the Goal is “chocolate milk”, the player who has the “chocolate” and “milk” Keeper cards on the table wins! Fluxx is easy to learn with over 30 variations ranging from Fairy Tales to Anatomy and even includes licenses like Star Trek and Spongebob.

Pyramid Arcade

Designer: Andrew Looney, Kristen Looney, & John Cooper
Artist: Eileen Tjan
Player Count: 1-10 players
Suggested Age: 5+

Pyramid Arcade isn’t just one game, it’s 22 games in a single box! Pyramid Arcade has been 25 years in the making and finally released in 2016. The games offers a vast selection of difficulties and mechanics, ranging anywhere from dexterity challenges in Verticality to pattern building in Color Wheel. The replayability of Pyramid Arcade is off the charts, and with so many options the perfect game for your group is sure to be inside.

Martian Chess

Designer: Andrew Looney
Artist: N/A
Player Count: 2-4 players
Suggested Age: 8+

If you’d rather master one game, check out Martian Chess. This board game is included in Pyramid Arcade, but is also sold individually and in a collection of four titles from the main game. Much like the name suggests, Martian Chess is a grid based game where players attempt to capture individual pieces. Color and board control don’t matter in this game. Players score points by capturing pieces of varying point values determined by their size. In the end, whoever has the most points wins.

Get the MacGuffin

Designer: Andrew Looney
Artist: Alexander Bradley
Player Count: 5-10 players
Suggested Age: 8+

Get the MacGuffin is a deduction and elimination game where players will vie to be the last person with cards in hand. Players are dealt an even number of cards that they play to prolong their time in the game. Often the player with the MacGuffin card will win, but each of the 23 cards in the deck will give players different opportunities to stay in the game. A quick, 5-10 minute game, Get The MacGuffin is a perfect party game or intro to any game night.

Loonacy

Designer: Andrew Looney
Artist: Jacoby O’Connor
Player Count: 2-5 players
Suggested Age: 8+

How quick can you find the match? Loonacy is a dominoes inspired card game where players race to empty their hand by playing cards with matching symbols. If no one can play a card, each player draws a new one and play continues. Loonacy is a quick to learn and play card game that is right in line with the Looney Labs mission.

Stop by Mox and Pick up a Game!

Come check out our amazing selection of games throughout the month of April, and enjoy 10% off all Looney Labs titles as well as a special Fluxx promo card (while supplies last). Our concierge level staff will ensure you’re walking out with the perfect game for your next gathering. If you’re in the Seattle area, take advantage of our Personal Shopper Pilot and shop from the comfort of your own home. This service features a one-on-one consultation with one of our staff and curbside pickup from our Mox Seattle location. Check back in later this month when we interview Kristen and Andrew Looney to find out more about what makes Looney Labs so successful.

-See you at Mox!