Intent

The goal was to transform a low-agency children’s game into a system with meaningful player choice and interaction. I focused on introducing mechanics that increase decision-making complexity while preserving the accessibility of the original design.

Gameplay Overview

The game builds on traditional Go Fish rules by introducing ability cards that modify turn structure, player targeting, and information flow. These additions create opportunities for strategic planning, bluffing, and disruption of opponents.

Systems Design

My contributions centered on expanding the decision space through card mechanics:

• Designed ability cards that introduce new interaction layers between players and the deck
• Modified core rules to support expanded mechanics without breaking game flow
• Ensured all additions maintained clarity and quick readability during play

Design Examples

• Siren Card: Expands targeting from a single player to all players, increasing risk/reward and accelerating game pacing
• Fishing Rod: Introduces controlled randomness by allowing repeated draws until a condition is met
• Sonar: Adds information advantage through deck inspection, enabling planning and prediction

Rule System Design

I redesigned the ruleset to integrate these mechanics seamlessly into the base game. This included defining draw scaling, clarifying turn structure changes, and ensuring edge cases were resolved for consistent play.

Process & Iteration

• Conducted rapid playtesting cycles within a strict 2-week sprint constraint
• Iterated on balance and clarity based on player confusion and pacing issues
• Refined mechanics to ensure they enhanced—not overcomplicated—the base experience

Conclusion

This project highlights my ability to analyze an existing system and introduce meaningful complexity without sacrificing accessibility. I focused on designing mechanics that expand player agency while maintaining clarity, demonstrating strong systems thinking under tight production constraints.