Spills, Thrills, Laughs, and Games.

Hey, guys. A ninja is always aware of his surroundings. He knows that the rug you're standing on could be pulled out from under you with 95 Newtons of force. He knows that it would take three of your bedsheets tied together to get down from the fourth story of your building safely. He knows what's inside your fridge and every single meal he could make with those specific ingredients. That is why ninjas are very strange party guests/boyfriends. They'll make you dinner/roll you up in your own carpeting/and sneak out a window before you can say "Wait, I need those sheets."

How do they do it? The key is to stay sharp. As an explorer, I like to play games that hone my senses of perception. In the city I read license plates and punch strangers when I spy VW bugs. I eavesdrop on hustlebustlers walking past me and kids dining at outdoor cafes. I lick payphones. You know: explorer stuff.

Here are some games you can play to practice being a ninja (which is like being an adventurer but with more swords and sneakiness.)

--The Walmart Game--
Price: $1 - $ ???
No. of Players: 1-10
Pieces: A sense of humor, a Walmart, some money

The Walmart Game is simple and quick. It does require that you buy things, but the seasoned pro will know how to keep things cheap and still succeed. The game starts when you enter a Walmart (or other store where you can buy ANYTHING and EVERYTHING). Your only goal is to find a combination of three items that will make you look like the biggest creep at the checkout. The beauty is that you can decide what manner of creep you wish to portray. All you need to do is remain in character at the register and lead the cashier to ponder what exactly is your deal. Try to think of the weirdest thing you could be doing with such a strange array of items. Hopefully, she'll think you're doing something even stranger. Some potential winning combos?

A machete, a box of band-aids, and a gallon of Sunny-D.

A Bratz doll, bee repellent, a dart board.

A super soaker, an industrial sized bottle of tomato juice, a bedazzled bikini (ask if you can pay for just the bikini top. Claim that you "won't need the bottom.")

--Assassins--
Price: $[no. of players] x 2 (for start-up materials: can be reused over and over for future games)
No. of Players: 10-200
Pieces: Water pistols for each player, a gamemaster, killer instinct, internets

You've probably heard of Assassins before. All you need to do is get a bunch of people, give them water pistols, and tell them their mark. Every player is a hitman trying to off another player. Only the gamemaster knows who is trying to "kill" who. The key to the kill is discretion. A hit doesn't count if somebody sees the shot go off (and then your quarry knows you're gunning for him.) The game has to be managed cleverly so as to avoid stalemates and other sticky situations. Personally, I would enact a scoring system with style points. +5 if you make the kill in a tie. +10 if you use a pithy line before the kill ("Ice to meet you, Batman.") Typical rules regarding safety apply. Remember it's a game.

Rules: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassin_(game)
Hosting: http://www.sassins.com/


--Humans vs. Zombies--
Price: $[no. of players] x 3 (for start-up materials: can be reused over and over for future games)
No. of Players: 10-200
Pieces: Nerf pistols, bandannas, a gamemaster, a thirst for blood and brains or a will to survive, note cards, internets

Much like Assassins, Humans vs. Zombies is built to be massively multiplayer. An original zombie hunts down and devours every human player. Newly zombified players report their demise and switch sides on an internet server. The game is hosted live so you can always know the score. You might need to book it across campus when you're one of the last humans left alive. How many rounds can you fit in a Nerf revolver? Use them wisely.

Rules: http://humansvszombies.org/rules
Hosting: http://humansvszombies.org/hosting

--Tron--
Price: $ 0
No. of Players: 2
Pieces: GPS-enabled cellphones, freerunning skills or bikes

My physics T.A. told me about this last one. If you want to feel like a security program and you live in a city with decently defined streets, guess what? You totally can. There are a ton of satellites thousands of feet above your head just waiting to tell you where you are. All you need to do is log that information live as you run through the city and guess what you've got? A light trail. You just turned your fixie into a lightbike, friendo. What does that do? Does it blow your mind? So yea, you cut your friends off just like in the arcade. Only this time? It's personal.

Info: http://www.we-make-money-not-art.com/archives/2005/01/the-gps-applica.php