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Mark Larson

@mrklrsn.bsky.social
159 followers 182 following 146 posts

Freelance board game, puzzle, and interactive experience designer from Minneapolis. Design portfolio: mrklrsn.com 🏳️‍🌈🦆

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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
I wrote a pair of article for Room Escape Artist about creating large convention games, focusing on this year's RECON game. Please check it out, and then again next week for part 2! roomescapeartist.com/2026/10/04/r...
roomescapeartist.com
The RECON 26 Game: A Walkthrough - Room Escape Artist
This article walks through the goals of the large format ARG style game in RECON 26, plus its puzzles and interactions.
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Another episode of PG's Playhouse I was on! This was so fun to record - give it a listen!
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
I finished a puzzle game jam! Scoo Scoo! is a set of 48 puzzles, no instructions, focused around programming. I have ideas for more content and commands, but this was what I was able to accomplish during the jam. I'd love for you to take a look! mrklrsn.itch.io/scoo-scoo
mrklrsn.itch.io
Scoo Scoo! by mrklrsn
A rule-discovery and programming puzzle book.
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Just saw credits on #BigWalk. What a phenomenal masterpiece. If you haven't played it yet, find 1-7 friends who you just want to vibe and hang out with for 10-20 hours playing a video game. One of the most beautiful, unique, and down-right fun games I've played ever. A masterclass of design.
My 6 friends playing Big Walk, one AFK in a golden head, and the other 5 forming a stack of people looking out into the horizon.
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
So, a crazy thing happened a while ago. I consulted for this fun little show called Game Changer...
A screen shot of closing credits of Game Changer. This is the first episode in the most recent season, Season 8. In the credits, my name listed under contributing writers.
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The Bulwark @thebulwark.com · 21/02/2026
"Minnesota, especially the Twin Cities, has been—and still is—under a paramilitary occupation in which the federal government is at war with the population. 'War' is the operative word here." @jvl.bsky.social on what he saw in Minneapolis: lnk.thebulwark.com/46kVMuT
lnk.thebulwark.com
Special Saturday Triad: What I Saw at the Battle of Minneapolis
The national media has moved on. Minnesota is still under siege.
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Mara 👻 aBOOlish I.C.E. @mauratwit.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
MPS is extending online classes into April and even though this is good for students in hiding WE CANNOT KEEP THIS UP FOR TWO MORE MONTHS SOMEONE WITH REAL POWER DO SOMETHING DEMOCRATS YOU FECKLESS ASSHOLES STOP FUNDING THIS TERRORISM
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
Thank you to everyone who has reached out to check in on me these past few weeks. Seeing the outpouring of support across this country and around the world means so much to all of us in Minneapolis. I'm so immensely proud of my city. Abolish ICE. Prosecute ICE. Get rid of this fascist trash.
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 27/01/2026
I got the best response in my meeting today. We were discussing different input methods for a immersive game I'm developing, and one of the clients asked, "Can we get one of those pull things on a pinball table and use that?" Mind blown. Never would have thought of that. Brilliance.
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Fight in a Box @fightinabox.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
Here's what moving forward looks like for our Minneapolis based tabletop games company. #gamepublisher #lgbtq #tabletopgames #minneapolis #protest #bipoc
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Mischief Toy Store @mischieftoy.com · 26/01/2026
This is excellent.
ohdionne.substack.com
Why is Minneapolis like this?
A Minnesotan's opinion on what's got us fighting the feds in the streets.
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 25/01/2026
This warms my heart. ❤️
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Reposted by Mark Larson
max nesterak @maxnesterak.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
It’s -9 degrees. Downtown Minneapolis is packed for the anti-ICE rally and the crowd keeps growing
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 22/01/2026
I love having meetings with clients from across the country during the winter. I get to hear how cold it is for them. "It is supposed to get down to 40 tonight! And we might get an inch of snow!" Meanwhile, in Minneapolis, I'm just giggling cause that'd be shorts weather!
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 20/01/2026
Shh. Don't tell anyone I'm using Tinkercad in a weird way, with entirely the wrong units.
A mock-up of a room layout, with toothpaste green counters, in Tinkercad.
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 19/01/2026
The MIT Mystery Hunt this weekend was outstanding - a perfect hunt for a small remote team like Luigi's Death Stare! And, it was a wonderful distraction from the events happening in my city. To my fellow neighbors - take time to recharge and please take care of yourself. It's so important.
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
It’s MIT Mystery Hunt weekend! So far, we’re loving the hunt!!
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
I love Minneapolis. I love this city. I love this community. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. And, I'm so proud of how our community comes together in times of crisis. It gives me hope. I'm angry, and I'm tried of our lovely city again being the focus of national political theater.
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
Despite sleeping horribly, a brainstorm meeting with creative people first thing in the morning is magical.
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
Starting to write rules for a game, no mater how large or small the game, is the worst. It's a hurdle I have to force myself to get over every time.
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
There's something fun about dreaming up a concept for a game, and then testing the first version and seeing both how spectacularly bad it is and how much potential it has. Prototype fast and try things!
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 11/12/2025
While battery life on devices can be frustrating, it also serves as a great reminder for me to take a break! Can't work on my iPad when it runs out of power, so I guess I'll stretch and stare out the window for a while...
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 08/11/2025
We’re starting day 2 of King’s Dilemma and one of our players got everyone the perfect accessory.
The cover of the game The King’s Dilemma. On top of King’s Dilemma, a Burger King cardboard crown.
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 28/10/2025
It's a 4-meeting day, so I put a couple of personal tasks on my list and decided to take a day off from writing. Ended up writing 3k words in between meetings and other tasks. The solo RPG is coming along nicely!
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 22/10/2025
I'm writing a solo journaling RPG and I have the last 10% of the rules to write. It's amazing how much other work I can get done to justify putting off tackling this last bit! Extraneous graphic design, editing and reworking other parts, brainstorming...
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 18/10/2025
Playing Cubemelt - such a delightful push-your-luck roller. Simple, cute, lots of yelling at dice. Basically perfect!
Cubemelt - a game about finding adventure and love as an ice cube… before you melt.
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 17/10/2025
THIS IS A GAME!?! ITS SO SILLY!! Game: Yubibo. We were terrible at it. So much fun. So silly. Do recommend. Thanks @proptartmn.bsky.social for bringing it!!
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 16/10/2025
Started my semi-annual board game retreat last night and we’ve already played Money! twice. I love this game!
The box of the game Money!, published by AllPlay , designed by Reiner Knizia.
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 13/10/2025
A reminder to check out the Ministry of Lost Things Kickstarter, if you haven't yet! I'm really delighted with how this one turned out - it's a tabletop puzzletale suitable for all skill levels. I promise you'll love it! www.kickstarter.com/projects/pos...
kickstarter.com
Ministry of Lost Things - Case 2: Finders Keypers
Embark on a whimsical tabletop adventure full of beautifully illustrated tactile puzzles.
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 09/10/2025
Hot debate topic from a design jam last night: Which way do the dots on the 6 go on a standard d6? Vertically or horizontally? I didn't realize that I had such a strong opinion on this, and that my opinion was so abhorrent to others! 😄
Two six-sided dice showing the six face. The left die has the dots arranged in two vertical columns, while the right die has the dots arranged in two horizontal rows.
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 04/10/2025
Today I had the third conversation in a week about making fun things. What is the worth or value of that in today's landscape? I feel the pressure of making something "meaningful" to push against the horrors of the world. Something that speaks to the core of humanity. (1/3)
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 29/09/2025
Another awesome review of our upcoming Kickstarter. I'm so thrilled with how this one turned out - the pair at PostCurious is amazing and an absolute delight to work with! Link to the Kickstarter: www.kickstarter.com/projects/pos...
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 28/09/2025
Playing Bomb Busters today for the first time. It’s a real winner. The last time I was this hooked into a game was The Crew. I could play this for hours non-stop.
The box of Bomb Busters with my rack of tiles mid-game.
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 22/09/2025
I have another puzzle game Kickstarting next week, working again with the amazing duo at PostCurious! Check out this stellar review of the first game in the series.
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 20/09/2025
We’ve found the best card in Wavelength and are playing it over and over. Sandwich to not sandwich. Where does lasagna fit? How about a single slice of French toast with berries on top? Best game!
The board game Wavelength with the card Not a Sandwich to Sandwich.
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 11/03/2025
Needed a burst of goodness the last couple of days, so I've been listening to the Welcome to Mountport soundtrack (Game Changer: s4ep5) on a constant loop. It's SO GOOD. I'm singing and whistling along and it makes me gleeful at my core.
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 10/03/2025
Mr. Trapp has it right. "Gray duck" is absurd. My fellow Minnesotans, we need to fix this. This isn't the thing we want to be known for.
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 06/03/2025
If you're into puzzles, you should definitely check this one out!
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 22/02/2025
I’m in LA for a long weekend playing 12 escape rooms. They’ve all been good to great. But, Hope End at the Ministry of Peculiarities was transcendental. The two actors we had were absolutely brilliant. If you’re in the area, you should absolutely go. www.theministryofpeculiarities.com
theministryofpeculiarities.com
The Ministry of Peculiarities | Azusa, CA
Not an ordinary escape room.
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 21/02/2025
My husband has a magic power. Whenever we’re at a restaurant and we’re waiting for our food to arrive, he leaves to use the restroom, and then our food arrives while I’m sitting there by myself. Every time. Without fail.
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 18/02/2025
A new season of Game Changer?! SO EXCITED!!
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 13/02/2025
There is no LGBQ+ without the T. This is insulting. How dare they try to split queer folk up or carve out the ones that are flavor of the month. This isn't allyship - this is erasure.
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 04/02/2025
I don't think I've ever activated something in a video game before that has printed me something from my printer. I don't think I need that magic to happen again, but this time, it was pretty cool.
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 14/01/2025
I have always had one pedantic grammar thing - less vs fewer. Today, I found another one - every vs each. I promise to use this power only for good, and not for pedantry.
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 08/01/2025
If you like fun wordplay, you should definitely check out PG's Playhouse! It's a lot of fun and very clever! roomescapeartist.com/pgs-playhouse/
roomescapeartist.com
PG's Playhouse - Room Escape Artist
Each episode of the podcast PG's Playhouse features: a guest, a theme, a set of puzzles, a discussion pulling all of these things together.
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 28/12/2024
My husband and I have had a long standing (fun) argument about what constitutes a Christmas movie. He claims if it takes place during Christmas, or features Christmas iconography, it counts. I think it's wild. Today he asked if I thought Batman Returns was a Christmas movie. Absurd. Absolutely not.
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 10/12/2024
All aboard the USS HYPErion!! So excited to get this to the table!! 🚀
The box for Wandering Galaxy, by Plaid Hat Games.
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 08/12/2024
Playing The Great Split for the second time in two days. Every decision feels agonizing in the best way - loving this little gem!
A picture of the components of The Great Split mid-game.
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 05/12/2024
I'm doing the early stages of planning out my third board game concept in the past 4 months, and I just noticed that all three of them have a core mechanic about the passage of time. They all also create worlds I want players to inhabit, and I want "then", "now", and "eventually" to have impact.
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Mark Larson @mrklrsn.bsky.social · 05/12/2024
It's the last day for the Storyfold: Wildwoods Kickstarter! Check it out - I'm really proud of this one! www.kickstarter.com/projects/ope...
kickstarter.com
Storyfold: Wildwoods
A solo narrative adventure game with dynamic card play, beautiful visuals and a haunting story.
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