Spiderweb

Spiderweb is a single player logic game featuring rubber bands, published by ThinkFun in 2022.

Project Brief

Design and test a game board to look like a spiderweb and function for a set of challenges.

Gameplay and Theme

Spiderweb is a logic game played with rubber bands. Players stretch the bands across a circle of pegs with the goal of crossing over or 'catching' the bugs on the card below.

There are three rubber band colors, signifying how many pegs the band must stretch around. Players must correctly use all of the bands specified and cross over all of the bugs on the card to complete each challenge.

Options

Two directions were identified for testing:

Straight Pegs

Best for ease of use.

The blue bands form a loop around the bugs rather than a line through. Players must remember this difference

This difference creates a layer of deduction that can aid solving (ex: if a red or yellow band cannot cross directly over a bug from any position, that bug must be caught by a blue band)

Angled Pegs

More effort/difficulty to place the bands.

If a band is placed but not pinched, the challenge will not work.

All bands cross straight through the bugs

Fewer deductive layers to aid in solving the challenge.

Development

A variety of boards were play tested with children and adults.

Players liked the consistent look that the pinched board offered, but said they would rather play with the straight peg version for the ease of placing the bands.

Design Details

spiderweb design

center hole to grab cards

arrow for card alignment

card storage