Rise Up: The Game of People & Power
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Rise Up is a board game about building people power and winning together to create social justice—even when the cards are stacked against us. All players are on the same team, collaborating to build a movement and fight an opponent that is trying to crush your efforts. You'll have to strategize creatively about the actions your movement takes to win. Get inspired about the social change possible to make the world you want to live in, and learn tactical skills for how we can get there.
Rise Up was super fun! Loved that it encourages cooperation, creativity, and strategic thinking in a super chill way. Can't wait to play it with my friends!
"We all looooove your games, especially Rise Up!
Rise Up Overview
Rise Up comes with two versions in the box!
Rise Up Standard is a strategy game great for game nights and experienced game players. Rise Up Simplified is quicker to learn and has simpler rules for younger kids, less experienced game players, and educational settings. Everything you need for both versions comes in the same box.
Players have to gain supporters in order to play Movement Cards like “We organize a massive march!”, “General strike,” “Building strong communities,” and “Protest song.” These cards allow players to build their movement, take on the System, and help their fellow players gain supporters and resources.
But “the System” is hard at work too, maneuvering to crush your movement through tactics like setting up surveillance, making arrests, or causing infighting.
At the start of each game, players come up with a movement they want to build. It can be serious or silly. (Such as “fighting for a living wage” or “free pizza for everyone.") Then the game naturally teases out the story of your movement as you go.
Players have to gain supporters in order to play Movement Cards like “We organize a massive march!”, “General strike,” “Building strong communities,” and “Protest song.” These cards allow players to build their movement, take on the System, and help their fellow players gain supporters and resources.
But “the System” is hard at work too, maneuvering to crush your movement through tactics like setting up surveillance, making arrests, or causing infighting.
At the start of each game, players come up with a movement they want to build. It can be serious or silly. (Such as “fighting for a living wage” or “free pizza for everyone.") Then the game naturally teases out the story of your movement as you go.
Reviews
-Jessica Stites, Executive Editor, In These Times magazine
"Rise Up is a blast for the gameplay alone. The cooperative element added a layer of novelty for even this hardened gamer nerd -- it takes a lot of group strategizing to beat The System! But the icing on the cake is the opportunity for activists to both poke fun at ourselves and engage with real tactical questions."
–Jeff Pinzino, Associate Director, Midwest Academy
“I train organizers for a living, and what's impressive to me about Rise Up is how closely the play of the game reflects the kind of situations that organizers encounter in real life. It's great practice for those who organize professionally, and great fun for those who don't.”
-Vanessa Fernandez, Chicago-based activist
“Rise Up is innovative and timely - we are facing incredibly difficult social and political struggles where we are asked to identify the systems that perpetuate inequality and how we can come together to fight back for ourselves and for our communities every day. Rise Up makes these conversations possible, effortless and brings levity by using storytelling/narrative based gameplay to encourage advanced gamers and novices alike to jump in and get involved. Thanks for making such a wonderful game, it's truly phenomenal.”
-Peter Hoy, Food systems educator
“Rise Up is a great game for teaching about social movements. Not only does it cover various strategies and tactics used to create social change, it does so in an inviting and creative manner. I would recommend this game to anyone who wants to learn how to make their voices heard on issues that are important to them.”
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