New Clue board game incorporates text messaging

There’s no shortage of real-world games that use technology to add a virtual element, as we’ve already seen in such examples as Treasure World, The Hidden Park, LocoMatrix and Swinxs. What’s less common is to see classic board games add technological features to their game play, yet that’s just what Hasbro has done to its decades-old game Clue. Clue: Secrets & Spies is a new twist on the classic board game that adds text messaging to its game play. Players in the game are challenged to stop the nefarious Agent Black, who is plotting an assortment of evil capers. To do so, they must go undercover as international agents, complete missions and attend secret meetings. An included “spy light” can be used to reveal secrets, while players’ cell phones can be used to receive Spy Text messages that could help or hinder their game. Players need only text the word “SPY” to 90445 to start receiving messages, which will number six in total during the course of a game. Participating mobile operators are AT&T, T-Mobile US, Nextel, Boost, Virgin, US Cellular, NTelos, Dobson, Sprint, Verizon Wireless and Cincinnati Bell Wireless; the cost of text messages is not included in the game’s USD 24.99 price. By adding a thoroughly modern twist to a classic game, Hasbro not only stands to attract a younger crowd of mobile-minded users, it also provides yet another illustration of what our sister site calls the OFF=ON trend, whereby the lines separating the online and offline worlds are increasingly blurring. Other game makers: what about you…? Spotted by: nytimes via Judy McRae