Game and Crab -- 2 of my favorites in the world

Instead of going to a bar in Quezon Avenue, we went to Game Crab Boardgame Cafe along Katipunan. People celebrate their entry to adulthood in such craziness as drinking alcohol until vomiting, grand parties that require decency, formal balls, shabu-shabu experimentations and--I was pinching myself while trying to articulate this--adult bars or watching R18 films.

I've convinced myself a dozen times ago to experience the heaven that's Game Crab. But I've never convinced anyone else. So when asked what to do for my birthday, I quickly said, "Game Crab!" It's a cafe that serves not only good food but entertainment through the boardgames. I've never heard of anything like it. So the mechanics is that you go there, you buy food, you pick a boardgame, you play, then play some more until you have to go, then go when you have to.

The hourly rate of 45 per head is cheap as compared to the lifetime poverty from purchasing these boardgames. Boardgames usually cost in grands, and they can go from a thousand to sixteen. The Cashflow boardgame costs 15999 in Toy Kingdom (This is one of the reasons the creators of Rich Dad, Poor Dad get rich). Nobody in their right underwear will be purchasing this unless they have a consistent influx of money, money, money. So, for those who are financially challenged, Game Crab Cafe provides the piracy, although more legally than film piracy. Arr!

What's more is that they provide you time to learn from their very friendly staff who are praiseworthily omniscient. You can also switch games anytime you want. Their games list consists of the classics as well as the unheard of. Although I have to admit, they still need to add more boardgames because I felt they lacked several.

We played Quelf and Acquire. We attempted Marvel Superheroes and Cranium WOW, but because we were six and only four can play Marvel Superheroes, and because Cranium WOW was very much like Quelf, we never really finished.

Quelf's objective is to reach the finish, like Snakes and Ladders. Simple? Not quite. Color-coded steps require you to act, sing, write, lose your dignity, answer trivia questions, and implement rules. The cards are Showbiz, Scatterbrainz, Stunts, Roolz and Trivia. Showbiz requires you to sing, act or dance. Scatterbrainz lets you choose a category. Each player, taking turns, has to say something in that category in ten seconds. Stunts makes you do some stuff. Roolz allows you to implement self rules or group rules. In Trivia, you have to answer questions. Penalties are implemented; these come in the form of going back spaces.

In Acquire, you have to be the richest by the end of the game. A grid with cells labeled maps out a place where you can found companies. Each company has stocks which you can purchase. The goal is to enlarge a company, in terms of land area, so that when two companies collide, the bigger company eats up the smaller company. It's too hard to verbalize. But anyhow, it's strategic, and I have to say, it's a dodecillion times better than Monopoly. That's how good it is.

Game Crab is a misnomer. They don't serve crab. Awww!

The beauty of being eighteen is freedom. No limits, no restrictions, no "Hey you need to show proof that you're over thirteen!" before watching an R13 movie. The freer I am, the younger I feel. The logical conclusion here is I am younger.