There’s never been anything quite like it: Log Hob Games, a new game design studio in Malta, is launching its first game – Politicks – on the crowdfunding platform Indiegogo at the ICT Building of the University of Malta tomorrow at 7pm.

Politicks will be a new way for people to engage with politics in a fun but meaningful way.

The game is a fun-packed card game with a tongue-in-cheek take on Maltese politics, featuring many popular politicians from the present and recent past.

The game was designed by Gordon Pace, a professor in computer science, and illustrated by Mark Scicluna, a well-known local illustrator and cartoonist.

Politicks is a two- to four-player card game. As a player, you take the role of a newly-appointed strategist of the party. Your task? Win the upcoming election. You get to hand-pick politicians to gain the support of lobby groups and, when they are not convincing enough, you can engineer events to your advantage.

Your objective is always to help the party win the next election.

The game is full of references to Maltese politicians such as Dom Mintoff, Eddie Fenech Adami, Arnold Cassola and Żaren ta’ l-Ajkla; political events – think of “Niġi għalik u nifqgħek!” and “Qasam il-kamra” (Panama does not feature in the game yet, but Log Hob Games plan to include it in the final version of the game); and interest groups, including Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin, the Curia and Front Ħarsien ODZ.

Although there are many inside jokes which require some knowledge of local politics to induce a laugh, the game can still be enjoyed if one doesn’t know anything about local politics or even speak Maltese.

www.LogHobGames.com