Brian Hersch Interview About Boom Again

Brian Hersch, the co-owner of Hersch Games, is the inventor of Taboo, Hilarium, Outburst, and others. These are the games everyone has in their cabinet and that keep popping up at parties with friends and families. His games are known to give you real value for money, there is always a little extra added to them, and the quality of the materials used is above standard. All his games are true party games that will give you an evening filled with laughter. Brian released a new game in 2022 called Boom Again.

Boom Again is a game designed for two people or two teams that face each other on their knowledge of the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s. The absolute perfect game for baby boomers! A true conversation starter that will have them reminisce about that awesome time. Get them to spill the beans about their adventures and experiences.

We had the opportunity to talk to Brian. From the very beginning, it is clear why he is in the board game business. He is a very jovial and pleasant person that will make everybody around him smile. Always up for a joke and is very easy to talk to.

How Boom Again works

Boom Again is designed for two people or two teams. Each team or player tries to win as many tokens as possible in a tug-of-war. Specifically, you pull a token towards you on the board by answering a question correctly. There are more than 2,200 questions drawn from advertising slogans, jingles, politics, social movements, movies, music, television, and fashion from the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s.

All questions are divided into relatable Boomer categories, meant to reorganize your mental file cabinet, including:

• Things We Heard
• Things We Saw
• Stuff We Learned on the Street
• Things We Learned in School
• Shout (collaborative responses)

Boom Again isn’t just going to test your trivia knowledge, it is going to invoke fond memories from your past and make for some great conversation amongst friends.

Boom Again components

Boom Again comes in a “cigar box” just like the ones Baby Boomers used to stash their prized possessions. The box has a magnetic flap and organizer that neatly stashes and stores all the fun.

The game tokens are full-sized memorabilia inspired by the Baby Boom era, such as a metal skate key, a “Students for Kennedy” metal election button, a metal dog tag, a yellow plastic 45 rpm record insert, and more. Also included is “Boomer’s Little Helper” (a play on the Rolling Stones’ “Mother’s Little Helper”), a magnifying glass in disguise to help those that need it to read the cards with questions.

All components are also very solid. The box feels like it could survive almost anything, and the cards have a great weight and finish. All elements make the game feel unique and not like just some generic trivia game.

Brian Hersch on designing social games

Brian creates games that he calls “social lubricators.” The idea is to get people together and give them a good time while socializing. Boom Again is his first trivia game. Brian did some market research into Trivial Pursuit and found that the target demographic of baby boomers has been hugely overlooked. But Boom Again is a game that players of all ages will enjoy since a lot of the baby boomer experiences are universal.

Why team play matters

Brian states that there are basically two types of gamers: casual players who just want a good time, and more competitive players that are out for the win. Thus, playing on teams will balance silliness and competitiveness for all players. Teamplay will also help more introverted people to avoid the direct spotlight. Furthermore, even people that lack bravado will feel part of the group. Additional memory power is also unlocked through your teammates. Often, one player’s partial memory triggers a teammate’s correct answer. And of course, a whole dimension of social interaction is added with teamplay.

Boom Again trivia style

Brian admits he is a smart-ass and doesn’t take anything too seriously. Boom Again is filled with tongue-in-cheek questions that generate a laugh without being crude. In other words, Boom Again is a trivia game, not an SAT test. Everyone will know a lot of these answers, whether you are of the boomer generation or not.

Boom Again is out to get people to do something they don’t do every day. Without any time limit or buzzers, there is no stress in this game. But be prepared to burst into song, strike a pose, or show off how much you know about this era of history.

Why Boom Again works for groups

Boom Again was positioned as a holiday gift and conversation starter when we covered it in 2022. The strongest part of the concept is that the questions are designed to spark stories as much as correct answers, giving families and groups something to talk about beyond the score itself.

For more family game ideas, see our Cool Toys and Games for Families roundup.