I have a huge pile of unplayed RPGs that’s basically taking over my living room. I’m not allowed to buy any new games until I start playing the ones I’ve already bought. So, I’m planning to gather some friends for one-shot sessions to chip away at this backlog. My usual tastes are pretty vanilla, so I’m open to any themes, especially the most obscure, weird, or ridiculous ones you’ve come across or own. I want your wildest suggestions, whether they’re insanely esoteric, lewd, crude, or just out-there. What strange RPGs do you have collecting dust that’d be fun to see played?
5 Answers
Not exactly a system, but if you want something really quirky for a setting, try Crown of Candy. It’s pretty sweet and silly. Although, it’s basically just D&D underneath the candy coating, so if you’re after unique mechanics, that might not be the one. Still, could be a fun palate cleanser or side project.
One that I’ve wanted to see played forever is Noumenon — it’s sort of elusive and complex, so it feels like a white whale for me. Also, Songbirds 3e deserves more love; it’s a dungeon crawl with downtime activities that include dating and orgy mechanics, which is delightfully offbeat. If you want to try diceless and GMless options, Mobile Frame Zero: Firebrands and Dream Askew are both fantastic and have really unique approaches to storytelling.
If you’re okay with PDF-only and really nuts-from-the-roots esoterica, check out “We Are But Worms.” It’s a one-word RPG that’s about as niche as it gets. Another great pick is Vaults of Vaarn, a psychedelic science-fantasy game full of cybernetics and magic. It’s based on the Knave system and has some free SRD content online, plus zines you can buy. The physical book is sold out, but the zines and online materials capture the weird vibe perfectly.
Check out the games on tao-games.com for a variety of weird little titles, some tiny, some more expansive. Dog Eat Dog is a personal favorite that’s sadly underplayed. Also, for something diceless and fantasy-themed, look for “Sphynx l’Alcyon” — there’s a free English version and it’s quite unique. If you want French-speaking recommendations, I’m happy to drop some more titles too.
Language isn’t a big issue; my wife’s pretty fluent and she’s the one pushing me to get this started, so I’m down for French games too. Bring on the suggestions!
A one-shot that stuck with me was “The Chrono-Labyrinth of the Shattered Aeon.” It’s a maze where the puzzles revolve around real-life time, and my players really enjoyed figuring it out. Another classic one-shot that’s a solid time is Blancmage and Thistle—Troika’s atmosphere is always a treat.
I’m definitely hunting for the truly unplayable-level esoteric stuff, so “We Are But Worms” sounds perfect! Can’t wait to dive in later today.