Games Get a Dose of Reality

Question from June 22:

Three Cuban Americans recently put together a Trivial Pursuit-like game. Its goal? Getting to Miami. What other concepts would you like to see in a board game?

Dan Quayle Spelling Bee: Or is it Bea? Or B? Oh, hell, hand me a dictionary. Which Is Al Gore?: Players advance by distinguishing between our vice president and several well-known trees. Post Office Game: Each player has up to three hours to make a move. Teenage Boy Game: No instructions, no clues, no rules. Just leave it alone, OK?

--MARK MILLER, Los Angeles

Capture Capitol Hill. You’re the politician. Spin the Agenda Wheel (gun control, Hollywood, family) and legislate your way through Congress toward a moral America.

--ADAM TAYLOR, Studio City

HMO. When players risk spinning for specialized treatment, they may lose turns or return to go. The winner is the first to quit the HMO or die.

--VAL BUTLER, Irvine

Friday Night Commute. A driver races against the clock, dodging the dangers of L.A. freeways (traffic, road rage, Caltrans, etc.) to get home in time to prepare for a date. (Or would that make a better video game?)

--REBECCA BENITEZ

Huntington Beach

A marathon game called Hops-Scotch for Alcoholics Anonymous dropouts. Counters are beers with Scotch chasers. Any throw of the dice gives you one chug-a-lug. Whoever falls down first wins.

--WALTER E. HOPMANS, Santa Barbara

Sell Your House. The object is to sell your house for the market value by getting past all the obstacles--noisy neighbors, airport, etc.

--GRACE E. HAMPTON, Burbank

Question for June 29:

First, there were car alarms; now we have bicycle alarms (see story, this page). What else should come with an alarm?

Send replies of 25 words or fewer to Smart Aleck, SoCal Living, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053, or e-mail socalliving@latimes.com. Include your name and hometown.