List of fictional games

This is a list of fictional games, that is games which were specifically created for works of fiction, or which otherwise originated in fiction.

Many fictional games have been "translated" to the real world by fans or ludophiles by creating pieces and rules to fit the descriptions given in the source work. For example, unofficial versions of Fizzbin can be found in reality, and Mornington Crescent is widely played in online forums.

Billiards games

Dom-jot - Star Trek: The Next Generation
Grav-Pool - Red Dwarf
Pond - Discworld
Quantum Pool - Cosmonaut Keep by Ken MacLeod

Board games

110th congress the games - Last Call with Carson Daly
Azad - the novel The Player of Games by Iain M. Banks
Citizenship - The Simpsons
Clam Traffic Jam - "Grift of the Magi" episode of The Simpsons
Cobra Pult - Homestar Runner
Color Wheel Roulette Stupid Home Edition! - Homestar Runner
Counter-Feet - Magyk board game played in the Septimus Heap series.
Coupling - "Bed Time" episode of Coupling
Crapple - "The Five Diamonds (aka A Hard Act to Follow)" episode of Stroker and Hoop
Cyvasse - George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series
Dejarik - played on the Millennium Falcon by R2D2 and Chewbacca in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Rules (fan-created),
Don't Whiz on the Electric Fence - Ren and Stimpy
Doplimcy (a parody of Diplomacy) - File 13
Dotcomopoly - from the "Dotcomopoly!" article by Dave Itzkoff in the Ferbruary 2001 issue of Maxim magazine.
Double Cranko - a game made up by Hawkeye Pierce and B.J. Hunnicutt on the TV series M*A*S*H, combining checkers, chess, poker and gin rummy. A checker cannot be "kinged" (as in checkers) if it is "in check" (as in chess), and if a player has a gin hand, both players have to drink from the distillery in their tent, "the Swamp." When Radar O'Reilly asks how to play, Hawkeye says, "Bishops are worth three jacks, checkers are wild, and you have to be 21 or over to open." When Hawkeye plays Colonel Potter, he uses an apparently strange move, and the Colonel asks B.J., "Is that in the rules?" B.J. replies, "What rules?" Hawkeye then says, "I think you're ready for Triple Cranko!"
The Dutchman's Treasure Hunt - SpongeBob SquarePants
Edna Krabopoly (a fictionalised version of Monopoly) - The Simpsons
Eels and Escalators (similar to Snakes and Ladders) - SpongeBob SquarePants animated TV series
Energy-Shortage Game - The Simpsons
Escape from Zyzzlvaria - the futuristic board game played in many Duck Konundrums
Euthanasia - Robot Chicken animated TV series
Exclusive Possession (a fictionalised version of Monopoly) - Discworld
Flounder - File 13
Founder - File 13
Frisk (a parody of Risk) - File 13
Gallipolopoly (a fictionalised version of Monopoly) - The Simpsons
The Game of County Seats - "Grift of the Magi" episode of The Simpsons
The Game of Fencing - The Shockwave Rider by John Brunner
The Game of Lent (parody of The Game of Life) - The Simpsons
Gobble - a word game, File 13
Goblin's Teeth - Who's Afraid of Beowulf? by Tom Holt
Grounder - File 13
Handyland (a parody of Candy Land) - File 13
Hippo in the House - The Simpsons
Hungry, Hungry Oprahs - The Man Show (redesigned Hungry Hungry Hippos game with the hippos replaced by Oprah Winfreys)
Icehouse - The Empty City by Andrew Looney (an example of a fictional game that now exists as a real-world one)
Immigrants out - MadTV
Interstellar Pig - in the novel of the same name by William Sleator
Jetan - a chess-like strategy game from the Edgar Rice Burroughs novel The Chessmen of Mars
Jumanji - from the book and movie of the same name
Jurvy-Skat - Homestar Runner
Kadis-kot - Star Trek: Voyager
Kaissa - Kaissa - and related variants - is a chess like game described in John Norman's (Dr. John Lange) World of Gor. Various rules exist, but the object is always to capture the opponents Home Stone, a non capturing piece that is limited to one space moves and is placed on the board after play has begun.
Klin Zha - Klingon game from the Star Trek novel The Final Reflection (not considered part of the current canon)
Klunk - Smallville
Land Baron (a fictionalised version of Monopoly) - DC Comics
Latrotabuli - Pastel Defender Heliotrope
LIVING (parody of LIFE) - South Park
Logos - "Bad Words" episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (a pseudo-Scrabble game)
Manopoly (a parody of Monopoly) - File 13
Marshgammon - from How I Met Your Mother episode Game Night
Misery Date - mentioned on Ren and Stimpy (parody of Mystery Date)
Monotony (a parody of Monopoly) - Green Acres TV series; also mentioned on Ren and Stimpy
No Go (a parody of Go) - File 13
No Mo Homo - MadTV
Pai Sho - Avatar: The Last Airbender
Personality Chess - from The Tar-Aiym Krang, by Alan Dean Foster
Plunder - File 13
Polish Checkers (a parody of Chinese checkers) - File 13
Pounder - File 13
Ravenous, Ravenous Rhinos - The Simpsons (thinly disguised version of Hungry Hungry Hippos)
Regicide-[A strategy game within the Warhammer 40,000 background, particularly in Dan Abnett's Eisenhorn series]
Rice-a-Roni - MADtv
Scot Free - board game based on the Kennedy assassination, The Kentucky Fried Movie
Scrabbleship - A combination of Scrabble and Battleship a game Lisa claims makes no sense. The Simpsons
Scramble (a parody of Scrabble) - File 13
Scribble (a parody of Scrabble) - Green Acres TV series; also mentioned on Ren and Stimpy
Sounder - File 13
Spank the Monkey - Rockos Modern Life
Stealth Chess - chess variant played in the Assassins' Guild, in which pieces move invisibly, Discworld
Taasen - Unicorn Jelly
THE SHOW! Stupid Home Edition! - Homestar Runner
Three Cornered Pitney - Mad magazine
Throws - The White Rose novel by Glen Cook: Throws was essentially four-player checkers. The board was four times the usual size. Players played from each side. An element of chance was added by throwing a die before each move. If a player’s throw came up six, he could move any combination of pieces six moves. Checkers rules generally applied, except that a jump could be declined.
Tool Time - Home Improvement
Tower of Cows - Arthur
Travel-Up - Starship by Brian W. Aldiss (1958) (Non-Stop in British editions)
Trivet Pursuit (a parody of Trivial Pursuit) - File 13
Truck Dodgers (a parody of the Buck Rogers board game) - File 13
Two Decades of Dignity - Family Guy episode Petarded
Uncle Wriggly (a parody of the Uncle Wiggly board game) - File 13
Vivisection - Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories - An Operation-like game where the player dissects real rats
Vlet It's a strategic sort of game involving a complex landscape board, small figurines, rolls of dice and card draws to determine fates and outcomes, etc. - Triton (novel)
Waterloo - Psychonauts
Welfare - MadTV Parody of Monopoly
Who Killed Who? - The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy Parody of Clue.
Wizard Chess - Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
Zaggle! The Fun Phonics Game - from the Missing School installment of the webcomic Perry Bible Fellowship
Zathura - from the book and movie of the same name

Card games

Alliances - Beggar's Banquet (1997, ISBN 0-441-00434-2 ), by Daniel Hood.
Cabbage (a parody of Cribbage) - Green Acres TV series
Crabbage (a parody of Cribbage) - File 13
Cripple Mr Onion - Discworld (Note: Fan rules have been created, but are not official, and use ordinary playing cards rather than a Discworld "Caroc" deck.)
Cups - game invented by Chandler as an excuse to give money to Joey - Friends TV series
Diamondback - Cerebus by Dave Sim
Dos (a parody of UNO) - File 13
Double Fanucci - Zork computer game
Dragon Poker - The MythAdventures books by Robert Asprin
Duel Monsters - Yu-Gi-Oh!
Exploding Snap - Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
Fizzbin - Star Trek
Go Johnny Go Go Go Go - The League of Gentlemen
Pazaak - Star Wars. Played in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords.
Pyramid - Battlestar Galactica (1978) series
Sabacc - Star Wars (Note: Fan rules have been created, but are not official.)
Speed Card Game - a card game featured in the game Xenogears
Tall Card - a card game played in the TV series Firefly.
Tegwar - Bang the Drum Slowly (the novel by Mark Harris, also a film) It is a game basically designed to separate a sucker from his cash. The letters stand for "The Exciting Game Without Any Rules." When the characters in the film play the game, they appear to be making things up as they go along.
Tetra Master - a card game in Final Fantasy IX played with cards depicting monsters and characters from the game. (An interesting sidenote: This game was eventually produced as a real collectable card game in Europe. But makes its first appearance as a fictional game in FF9)
Three-Dragon Ante - Dungeons & Dragons
Tongo - Star Trek: Deep Space Nine TV series
Tonk - The Black Company series by Glen Cook
Tragic: The Garnering (a parody of Magic: The Gathering) - Fallout 2
Triad - Battlestar Galactica (2004) series
Triple Triad - a card game in Final Fantasy VIII played with cards depicting monsters and characters from the game.
Whis - a card game in Tales of Eternia played with cards depicting the five elements.

Electronic games

See List of fictional electronic games

Role-playing games

Battlin' Bakeries (a "roll-playing" game) - What's New
Black Dog - (A parody of White Wolf, a popular role-playing game within the universe its based on) - World of Darkness
Bunchin' & Bankin' - File 13
BURPS, the 'Boring Universal RolePlaying System' (plus the BURPS Blue Collar worldbook and the supplements BURPS Mundane Tech, BURPS Itty Bitty Bestiary, and BURPS Folks) - Roleplayer #23
Clunkin' & Clankin' - File 13
Coin Toss Dungeon - What's New
Crunchin' & Baggin' - File 13
Dungeon of Soap - What's New
Dungeons & Dinobonoids - The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy
Dungeons & Dungeons - Zork
Dunkin' & Gaggin' - File 13
Dwarflord: The Conquest - Lizzie McGuire
Escape From C'thulu - What's New
From Space - Absurd Notions
Goryhawk (a parody of Greyhawk) - Dork Tower
Gunships & Galleons - File 13
HackMaster (and its many spinoffs) - Knights of the Dinner Table
Hobby Shop of Doom - What's New
Home & Hearth - What's New
Hunchin' & Braggin' - File 13
Luncheons & Flagons - File 13
Mage: The Ascription (a parody of Mage: The Ascension) - Dork Tower
Mazes and Monsters - novel/TV movie of the same name
Monster World - Yu-Gi-Oh!
Munchin' & Draggin' - File 13
Nudgin' & Taggin' - File 13
Ol' Quadim (a parody of Al-Qadim) - Dork Tower
Painscape (a parody of Planescape) - Dork Tower
Pixie: The Stomping (a parody of Changeling: The Dreaming) - Dork Tower
Punchin' & Packin' - File 13
Spongin' & Slackin' - File 13
Stanchions & Wagons - File 13
Sunken & Saggin' - File 13
Traps & Treasures - Absurd Notions
Vampire: The Groveling (a parody of Vampire: The Masquerade) - Dork Tower
Vampires: The Game About Vampires (ditto) - Absurd Notions
Vegetable Wars - What's New
Warhamster (a parody of Warhammer) - Dork Tower
Werewolf: The Apothecary (a parody of Werewolf: The Apocalypse) - Dork Tower
Wizards and Warlords - The Anodyne Necklace by Martha Grimes
Wizards & Warriors - DC Comics
The World - a very popular MMORPG in the .hack anime series.

Sports

43-Man Squamish - fictional college sport from Mad Magazine
Aargrooha - Troll football, traditionally played with a human head, Discworld
Aeroball - futuristic version of basketball played with jet packs in the 2000 AD strip Harlem Heroes
Anbo-Jitsu - from Star Trek: The Next Generation
Apopudobalia - encyclopedia fictitious entry
Assassin's Guild Wall Game - " a cross between squash, urban rock climbing and actual bodily harm", Discworld (named after the Eton Wall Game)
BASEketball - from the movie of the same name
Blernsball - 30th century version of baseball, Futurama
Blitzball - Final Fantasy X, also a game created by Phineas in the novel, "A Separate Peace."
Blood Bowl - Warhammer Fantasy
Brockian Ultra-Cricket - The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
B'tduz - A game in which two dwarfs stand a few feet apart and throw rocks at each others' heads. Discworld
Calvinball - Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson
Centrifugal Bumble Puppy - Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Churling - Kids in the Hall
Croquet using flamingos as mallets - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Crossball - a tennis-like game from The Vorkosigan Saga
Electro-Magnetic Golf - from Brave New World
Escalator Squash - from Brave New World
Eschaton - the novel Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace
Farnarkeling - created by John Clarke, in the 1980s Australian TV comedy show The Gillies Report. It was played on a field called a grommet in periods called umlauts, with players 'warbling vigorously' with 'the bevelled orb'. Dave Sorensen was 'the hope of Australian farnarkeling'.
Fightball - the basketballish game played by the gangs in the Fightball card game
Fizzball - Involves hitting beer cans with bats or other sticks, with no points or competitive elements, popularized in Sam & Max comics
Frungy - played by the Zoq-Fot-Pik in Star Control II
Futuresport - from the movie of the same name.
German batball - from Kurt Vonnegut's novel The Sirens of Titan
Guyball - Ball game invented by Green Wing's Dr Guy Secretan.
Hadaul - from Jack Vance's Demon Princes book The Face
Hussade - from Jack Vance's Alastor series.
Jiggly Ball - from Scrubs' My Jiggly Ball episode.
Jugging - from the movie The Blood of Heroes
Killball - referenced several times in the book The Running Man, but not described much
Kohlii - from Lego's Bionicle franchise.
Kosho - from the TV series The Prisoner
The Game - From Piers Anthony's Apprentice Adept series of novels. Includes almost all known games and competitions; winners of the yearly Tourney get to become Citizens.
Laserball - from the movie The Fifth Element
Lifting - Popular extreme sport, similar to surfing, but in the air; practitioners ride "reflection boards" on waves of "Transparence Light Particles". From anime/manga series Eureka Seven.
The Maze (or Glide) - from The Maze Game by Diana Reed Slattery
Motorball - from the Battle Angel Alita manga
Nib - an exceedingly violent sport mentioned in the Starship Titanic novel and computer game.
Parrises Squares[1] - an athletic, full-contact sport in Star Trek
Podracing - violent vehicular racing sport from Star Wars
Pokémon Battle - tactical battle between two trainers and their teams of Pokémon. Pokémon attack with various moves until the other is KO'd or unable to battle.
Pokémon Contest - beauty pageant-like offshoot of Pokémon Battling that focuses more on appealing to a panel of judges with visually-dazzling moves.
Pro Thunderball - from Upright Citizens Brigade
Pyramid - a ball game played on a pyramid-shaped court in the new Battlestar Galactica series
Quidditch - from Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
Quodpot - from Quidditch Through the Ages by J.K. Rowling
Real Foosball - from I Am Weasel
Riemann Surface Tennis - from Brave New World
Rollerball - from the movie of the same name
Sky-surfing - appearing in numerous Judge Dredd stories.
Spheda - A golf-like game from the PlayStation 2 adventure game Dark Chronicle (Dark Cloud 2).
Springball - Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Racing - low-to-medium altitude hovercraft racing sport from Oban Star-Racers; superficially similar to Podracing
Thunderball - Full contact basketball with a hockey-like playing area, and encouragement of wrestling, fighting and general manhandling of other players.
Timmyball - Fairly Odd Parents
Triad- a contact sport with elements of football and basketball from Battlestar Galactica (1978) series
Troll Ball - from supplementary material published for the RuneQuest roleplaying game and other Glorantha references.
Ultimate Robot Fighting - "Raging Bender" episode of Futurama
Wizard Squash - also called Real Squash (similar to real tennis), a much more leisurely game than ordinary squash, except that the ball may rebound off a wall it hasn't hit. Discworld
Zero-G Football - Red Dwarf sitcom
Zero-G Kickboxing - Red Dwarf sitcom

Other games

Barbarian Invaders (a clockpunk arcade game, paroding Space Invaders) - Discworld
Chula - in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode Move Along Home
Cock, Muff, Bumhole - in Nathan Barley, a variation of Rock, Paper, Scissors
Dabo (a roulette-like game at Quark's) - Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
"The game" in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Game" - head-mounted virtual reality game
The Glass Bead Game - Hermann Hesse's novel of the same name
Gobstones - Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, a marbles-like game where players are sprayed with foul-smelling liquid when they lose.
House Rules Parcheesi - Ozy and Millie, a game similar to Calvinball but with predefined rules (only it's never explained what they are). The Zen idea that one must learn to let go of concrete ideas and objectives is very close to the dragons' hearts, so a game of House Rules Parcheesi only ends when a player accepts the current location of the roll of duct tape as being equally valid to the "goal," and serenely stops trying to move it. Whether the player then wins or is being rewarded for not-winning is ambiguous.
Mornington Crescent - I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue radio comedy programme
Moules ("a game of skill and dexterity, involving tortoises") - Discworld
Pooh Sticks - Winnie-the-Pooh
Questions - Verbal game played in Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead. [2]
Quis - a building game from the Saga of the Skolian Empire novels by Catherine Asaro involving the laying down of geometric solid shapes (dice) in various combinations. The game rules contain encoded knowledge of one of the former empires in the novel series.
The Quizzing Device (a water-driven, clockpunk quiz machine) - Discworld
Roshambo - while RoShamBo is actually rock-paper-scissors, in South Park, two male competers kick each other in the testicles as hard as they can. The last competer standing is the victor.
Shibo Yancong-San (Tile-based Agatean game, similar to Mahjong, name translates as "Cripple Mr Onion") - Discworld
Sim Sandwich - The Simpsons (A parody of the omnipresent "Sim" games)
Sink: A game generally played by Discordians (and people of much ilk). The rules are defined in the Principia Discordia. ^[1]
Sphere Break - Final Fantasy X-2, a mathematical game in which coins of differing values are used to break a numbered sphere.

References

^ Sink (Principia Discordia). Retrieved on 2007-02-11.

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