One local man’s creativity found in a deck of cards

Medeiros, who grew up in Lodi, and moved to Santa Cruz to attend UCSC a few years back, has been doodling Gubs characters for as long as he can remember. “They started off as very simple little guys—originally they didn’t even have arms or legs—just a little circle with eyeballs and antennas,” says Medeiros. “One night I really wanted to make a game out of it so I cut up some index cards and my brother Alex and I started playing.”

Since that fortuitous night, the game has evolved in myriad ways. First of all, it’s no longer hand-sketched on index cards—Medeiros has gone to great lengths to give the cards a professional, yet playful look, by enlisting the help of family and friends. “It’s definitely become a family affair,” says Medeiros. “My brother is the ‘invisible co-designer’ and my parents have helped out with countless revisions and are now in charge of all of the shipping.” Darin Quan, a college friend and artist, took Medeiros’ sketches “to the next level” in terms of design. A graphic designer by day, Medeiros used Photoshop to design the layout of the cards, rule sheet and box. As the game continued to evolve, Medeiros used his vast imagination and advantageous background as a creative writing major at UCSC to add color to the Gubs story. A few prophetic turn of “events,” “flop boats” and “sud spouts” later, the game was born.

Sounds confusing, but the game is actually really simple. Unlike other card games, which require several laborious readings of the rules sheet, Gubs rules are printed directly on the playing cards. To help the Gubs survive their harsh and unforgiving world overrun by “omen beetles” and “flash floods,” hazards and lures, players simply follow the instructions on their cards for a fast paced, light hearted game which can quickly turn into a heated battle of intrigue and strategy that could unexpectedly end on any turn.

But don’t expect to shuffle the deck and immediately play like a pro. It might take a few rounds to get a feel for the game and develop some strategy. Once you get the hang of it, though, you just may have a new party favorite. “I’ve played this game a million times and stuff still happens in games that I have neither seen before nor intended,” says Medeiros. “There’s so much room for improvisation and creativity—it’s even still fun for me.”

Considering it’s only been on the market a little over a year, the game has really taken off, a great testament to its entertainment value. Available in 30 different states and five countries, the Gubs game has recently been translated to both Spanish and Chinese by avid international gamers. If you’re looking to purchase it locally, it’s available for $14.99 in both Game-A-Lot on Front Street and Atlantis Fantasyworld comic book shop on Cedar Street.

Like his card game, Medeiros has relied on a lot of wit and a bit of good luck to transform a figment of his imagination into a reality. He has plans for the future—possibly a sequel board game—but for now, Medeiros is content to simply “go with the flow.”  

“I’m really not sure where it’s going at this point,” he says. “It’s somewhere between a hobby and a career—I’m just pushing Gubs and trying to see what kind of doors it will open.”

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