Have board game customised in 4 steps - Case De Prins van Hola Pola + FAQ
Having a custom-made board game made is one of the most powerful ways to make collaboration and culture tangible. In a game, you experience scenarios in a short time that would normally take weeks or months of experience: you simulate situations as if they were real, you experiment safely with choices and behaviour, and you create a shared experience that is much easier to discuss afterwards.
In this case, we show how, for the De Prins van Hola Pola developed a customised board game for their international guide team. You will discover 4 concrete steps to make your own game (or have your own game made): from goal and concept to game structure, guidance and reuse. At the very end, you will also find an FAQ with frequently asked questions about game making, own game design and card game development - ideal if you want to start your own.
In this article
The demand from De Prins van Hola Pola: making their travel DNA extra tangible together with their adept guides
Hola Pola organises active discovery holidays for families and adults who want more than classic group holidays. With The Prince of Hola Pola, they bring families together around adventure, nature and culture. With The Baron of Hola Pola, they do the same for adults outside school holidays: off the beaten track, with room for encounters, experiences and fun.
What unites all their trips is the same philosophy: playfulness, humanity, respect for each other and genuine connection.
That same atmosphere is also felt very hard in their guide team.
Every year, Hola Pola brings guides from all over the world together in Belgium. That moment is not a classic consultation, but a meeting place where stories are shared, cultures come together and their unique guide culture is strengthened.
For the second day of their programme, they deliberately wanted to break away from standard formats.
Their question was concrete and relatable:
- we want something that authentic
- playful, but with substance
- room for real conversations
- respect for differences
- an experience that enhances the feeling: we are colleagues, no hierarchy
Not: “we want a board game”.
Well: “We want an experience that feels like our travels: connecting, playful and human.”
That became the starting point for developing a tailor-made game.
Participant
Hola Pola Guide from Mexico
Step 1 - Don't start with game material, but with meaning
Those who want to create their own game often immediately think of pawns, cards and rules. In reality, good game design starts with something else: understanding what lives.
Together with Hola Pola, we deliberately took a “sponge period”: record first, listen and deepen.
We examined, among other things:
- what this day was supposed to bring
- what guides are proud of
- which sometimes challenges them or makes them insecure
- What surprises them in their work
- What typifies the DNA of Hola Pola
- which values they want to promote
We did this through:
- multiple brainstorming sessions
- surveys and input from guides
- content coordination with the Basecamp team
👉 Tip for those who want to have their own game made:
A strong customised board game always starts from content and context, not form.
Step 2 - From input to game concept: working with recognisable metaphors
For the game, we chose one central metaphor:
A fictional journey through the “Land of Hola Pola”.
A land full of wonder, playfulness and magic. Just like the experience Hola Pola wants to create for its travellers.
This metaphor provided:
- recognition with their role as guides
- distance to reflect safely
- playfulness without superficiality
- space to look at situations in a different way
The game included:
- travel provinces as a game board structure with the stages of a real journey
- persona and group maps to empathise with your travel companions
- activity and contention cards that raised questions such as: What do we do in this situation?
- dice and pawns
- time management elements to enhance the sense of travel
- a visual travel diary for each team
These are formats that we have tested before in other contexts, but which we adapt each time to the identity of the organisation.
This made the game simultaneously fun, relatable and relevant in terms of content.
👉 When designing your own game, a strong metaphor forms the backbone of your concept.
Step 3 - Flexible design within a workshop context
The Hola Pola game did not stand alone. It was part of a half-day workshop, in which play, reflection and group discussions alternated.
This meant that the game not only had to work well as a game, but also had to fit within a broader coaching flow. So we deliberately built the concept flexibly.
We anticipated:
- modular card sets that could be quickly adapted
- a game structure that was scalable over time
- reflection moments that could shift depending on group dynamics
- various inputs to start conversations
- scope for tailor-made guidance
The framework and game explanations were worked out visually clearly so that everyone was quickly on board. At the same time, there remained enough freedom within that framework to respond to what arose in the group.
That flexibility was crucial: in an international group with different cultures, personalities and energy levels, you need to be able to adjust without losing the sense of security.
In addition, the game was also designed with an eye on reuse. The card sets, character elements and game mechanics can be redeployed in various ways afterwards:
- as a conversation starter during team moments
- in smaller workshops
- as a reflection tool for new guides
- or as input for further cultural work
👉 Those who have a game developed for teams or organisations are best to choose a design that not only works in the moment, but also continues to create value afterwards.
Step 4 - Play as a starting point for dialogue
The game was not followed by a classic post-game discussion, but a guided reflection phase.
The focus was on awareness:
- What did we notice during the game?
- Where are there still questions?
- What themes are important to grasp further as a group?
Thus, the game was used for what it is really meant for:
not as an end point, but as a starting point for conversation.
Through visual mood and open conversations, themes that were strongly felt by the guides emerged. The game thus became a catalyst for real dialogue.
👉 Developing strong play always means: thinking about what happens after the game stops.
Result: more than a game-changer
The Hola Pola project delivered more than one day of playing together.
It brought:
- reusable card sets
- content input for culture and charter
- internal communication material
- stronger connection between guides
- a shared language around collaboration
Participants indicated:
- being surprised by the playful depth
- feel recognition in the game situations
- experience more connectedness
- understand colleagues better
That's what game development is really about: making people grow together.
Frequently asked questions about customising a game
For Hola Pola, the full development time was about 30 days.
This included:
- intake and content matching
- brainstorming sessions
- concept development
- elaborate game mechanics
- card designs
- preparing game material
- final fine-tuning
When there is more space in the schedule, we ideally also foresee a test phase with a smaller group. This often provides additional insights.
No. This is a benchmark, no set rule.
Timing depends on:
- complexity of the game
- group size
- level of personalisation
- visual effect
- test moments
- available input from the organisation
On average, we see:
- rapid prototypes: 2 to 3 weeks
- customised board game: 4 to 8 weeks
Extended trajectories: 2 to 3 months
The price depends on:
- complexity
- duration of the journey
- graphic elaboration
- number of game sets
- degree of support
Developing a simple card game requires less budget than a fully developed board game with custom visuals.
Yes. That's just a great added value of customisation.
At Hola Pola, map sets and persona elements were designed to facilitate conversations again later too - so you can “set off on a journey” again and again without actually moving.
No. Possible forms are:
- physical board game
- card game
- hybrid formats
- digital support
- workshop-based games
The choice depends on your goal.
No. Game concepts are also used for:
- onboarding
- leadership
- cultural development
- strategy
- communication
- change processes
Absolutely. Co-creation increases engagement and recognition. At Hola Pola, input from guides was translated directly into game material.
Also have your own game made?
At Mussels from Brossels, we design:
- customised board games
- card games
- interactive team formats
- playful methodologies for organisations
Always starting from your people, culture and story.
👉 Want to develop a game yourself or have a game designed?
Then we would love to build your next gaming experience together.
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