Kids on Bikes
Cover of Kids on Bikes
DesignersJonathan Gilmour and Doug Levandowski
Publishers
  • Hunters Entertainment
  • Renegade Studios
Genrestabletop role-playing game, adventure

Kids on Bikes is a tabletop role-playing game system, and a series of games that use that system. It has won multiple ENNIE Awards.

History

The first game in the series, Kids on Bikes, was inspired by 1980s coming-of-age movies like The Goonies. Cass Marshall for Polygon recommended it for fans of Stranger Things.[1] Kids on Bikes won the 2019 Gold ENNIE Awards for Best Family Game / Product, and Kids on Bikes: Strange Adventures! Volume Two won the same award in 2020.[2][3] In 2022, the second edition of Kids on Bikes raised $182,049 on Kickstarter from 2,793 backers.[4]

There are two other games in the series, the space-themed Teens in Space and Kids on Brooms, a game about a school for wizards and witches.[5][6] On February 10th, 2023, the designers held a charity sale of Kids on Brooms with all profits donated to transgender rights organization Sylvia Rivera Law Project. This was part of a larger boycott movement against Hogwarts Legacy due to the anti-transgender activities of author J. K. Rowling.[7]

Gameplay

Kids on Bikes character creation involves assigning standard roleplaying dice to each of six stats. Players and gamemaster construct the setting together.[5]

The game features a mechanic to allow for a "powered" character like those from E.T. and Stranger Things. While Powered characters are similar to non-player characters, players are able to exhibit some narrative control over the actions these characters take.[5]

The Kids on Bikes system has been featured on multiple seasons of the actual play series Dimension 20, including Misfits and Magic using Kids on Brooms[8] and Mentopolis using "a 'noir-ified' version of Kids on Bikes".[9]

References

  1. ↑ Marshall, Cass (2022-10-12). "Kids on Bikes' new edition adds more '80s adventure action". Polygon. Retrieved 2023-04-15.
  2. ↑ "2019 Nominees and Winners – ENNIE Awards". Retrieved 2023-04-15.
  3. ↑ "2020 Nominees and Winners – ENNIE Awards". Retrieved 2023-04-15.
  4. ↑ "Track Kids on Bikes: Second Edition's Kickstarter campaign on BackerTracker". BackerKit. Retrieved 2023-04-15.
  5. 1 2 3 Colleran, Meaghan (Jun 23, 2023). "Indie RPG Spotlight: 'Kids on Bikes'". Bell of Lost Souls. Retrieved 2023-09-04.
  6. ↑ Wieland, Rob. "Build A Better Magic School With The Kids On Brooms RPG". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-04-15.
  7. ↑ Glassman, Julia (2023-02-10). "Boycotting 'Hogwarts Legacy'? This Fantastic 'Harry Potter'-like TTRPG Is Raising Money for Trans Charity Instead". The Mary Sue. Retrieved 2023-04-15.
  8. ↑ Crider, Michael (Feb 3, 2023). "Skip Hogwarts Legacy and watch some Harry Potter-style D&D instead". PC World. Retrieved 2023-09-02.
  9. ↑ Zambrano, J.R. (Aug 22, 2023). "You Should Absolutely Watch the 1st Episode Of Dimension 20's 'Mentopolis'". Bell of Lost Souls. Retrieved 2023-09-02.


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