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How To Make Your Own Rub-Off Games

Homemade display boxes

I enjoyed the Pac-Man rub-off games so much as a kid, I figured out how to make my own. I experimented with several different techniques. As you can see from the homemade display boxes above, I had a lot of fun. (I sold the packs in my "Pac-Man / Jedi Shop".) Below are three different ways you can make rub-off games.

Method 1: The Crayon Method

Example #1

Instructions:

  1. Design your own card, including what will be seen behind each dot when rubbed off.
  2. Rub a silver crayon over each dot. Use enough crayon to completely obscure what is behind it.
  3. Optionally, use a permanent marker on top of the silver. This makes it even harder for someone to see behind the dot. Black works the best.
You can also substitute a regular crayon (blue, green, etc.) for the silver crayon if you use a black permanent marker. The permanent marker won't ruin the card because the wax prevents the ink from seeping through. Instead, it remains on the surface, and it can be scratched off later.

Method 2: The Clear Tape Method

Example #2

Instructions:

  1. Design your own card, including what will be seen behind each dot when rubbed off.
  2. Completely cover the card with clear tape. The tape must be very shiny and slippery -- magic transparent gift tape will not work. Clear packaging tape will work, though.
  3. Make the dots using a black permanent marker.
To rub-off the dots on these cards, you need to use a rubber pencil eraser instead of a coin or fingernail.

Method 3: The Masking Tape Method

Example #3 Example #3 Inst.

Instructions:

  1. Design your own card, including what will be seen behind each dot when rubbed off.
  2. Completely cover the card with clear tape.
  3. Using a scissors, cut tiny 1/4" strips from 3/4" wide masking tape. Cut each strip into thirds, leaving tiny 1/4" squares. Use these squares to cover the spaces.
  4. Use a black magic marker to draw black boxes on the masking tape squares so what's behind them does not show through.
This is actually a "peel off" game instead of a rub-off game. (The "Rub-Off Game" title in the second picture above is a mistake.) They're more work to make, but they are nice in that the card is completely undamaged when the spaces are peeled off.

Document last modified 02 Feb 03 by Kevin Jay North