Boney Benny
A board game poking fun at the annual tourist invasion of Seaside Park, NJ, through playful competition, secret signals, and a humorous take on summers at the Jersey Shore.
Year
2025
Scope
Board Game Design
Duration
2 Months
Designed for locals, the game acts as a playful metaphor for reclaiming Seaside Park from the invasion of the “Boney Bennys,” symbolizing the effort to bring life back to a community overrun by outsiders.
Challenge
This brief introduced the challenge of developing an original board game centered around the annual summer influx of tourists along the Jersey Shore. The concept needed to capture the humor and familiar frustrations of seasonal beach-town life while creating an engaging, interactive experience for its target audience. The final design was expected to be fully assembled, playable, and production-ready, incorporating everything from game mechanics and visual identity to packaging and physical components.
Research + Process
The research phase began with interviews involving individuals from different backgrounds and levels of familiarity with New Jersey and the Jersey Shore, gathering firsthand perspectives to inform the game's concept. I then studied existing board and card games to understand gameplay mechanics, visual hierarchies, card legibility, and packaging standards. The artwork and visual identity were developed digitally in Adobe Illustrator, allowing the game to establish its own distinct personality while remaining functional and cohesive. Throughout the process, I refined the game through digital and physical prototypes, testing gameplay with different players and incorporating their feedback. Final production involved establishing precise dimensions, print specifications, and assembly requirements to ensure the game was fully functional and ready to play.
Takeaway
This project pushed my understanding of graphic design as a structure of interconnected systems, where visual identity, functionality, and user experience must work together toward a common purpose. Designing specifically for a target audience reinforced the importance of understanding who a product is for and how its visual language can shape the overall experience. It demonstrated how thoughtful design decisions can bring a concept to life while maintaining a distinct personality and cohesive visual direction.
