Teaches modeling and system science
The game is a model of segregation
Each crab wants at least three neighbors just the same.
To drum or strum with some the same is why they came.
Each tolerates as brothers up to five of the others.
To hive with a few the same’s no shame.
Strive for three or more same neighbors is the game.
Red and Blue take turns trying to make their crabs happy. Each crab only requires three neighbors like themselves to be happy, accepting up to five neighbors that are different. Sounds tolerant, right?
Yet segregation usually results. Thus, the game simulates an important social dynamic.
The first player to make most of their crabs happy wins. This is challenging because moving a crab to make it happy changes the whole neighborhood and gives opportunities to your opponent.
Included is a challenging variant of the game, Attraction, that shows a way to achieve integration. You also can explore with our online models how the simple rules lead to the complex results. Tolerance will interest parents, teachers, and budding scientists, and anyone wanting to stretch their minds.
Movie about the segregation emerging (click here)
Requirements: two players, ages 10 and up, 15-25 minutes
Components: board, 10 red crab tiles, 10 blue crab tiles, bag
Game and art by the Drs. Keane (copyright 2017). Thanks to several gamer families for play tests. Thanks to Cardboard Edison for multiple rounds of play testing and feedback. Thanks to several Game Crafter testers’ feedback on the rulebook.
Here’s a computer model of our Tolerance & Attraction. Here’s a model showing segregation emerging from the game. We based the game on a famous model of segregation.