Unplugged Arcade, founded by CR native and LEGO Master Designer Dan Winger, is celebrating the debut of its first game, Baseball Shuffle—a fast, dice-flicking tabletop mashup of baseball and shuffleboard. The public launch party will be hosted at Big Grove Brewery & Taproom (Cedar Rapids) on Friday, Nov. 21, featuring Open House demos (3–5 p.m.) and the first community tournament (5–7 p.m.).
Baseball Shuffle is an all-ages, action-packed dice game played on a hand-crafted wooden ballpark that balances skill and luck. Every flick delivers wild twists, big plays, and the thrill of baseball like you’ve never seen before. It’s easy to learn, plays in about 20 minutes, and is built to bring two to 16 players together around the table. (Bonus: your drinks become part of the gameplay.) Attendees can drop in for open play, meet the designer, and compete for prizes during the evening bracket.
“We’re building a new category of hand-crafted barroom games that feel like a pastime from a past time. Beyond pool and darts, it’s time for games designed for today’s social venues and audiences,” said Dan Winger, founder of Unplugged Arcade. “Our goal is to bring people together in real life—playing, laughing, cheering—and turn strangers into friends.”
Winger, a Cedar Rapids native, spent nearly two decades on LEGO’s product innovation team before founding Unplugged Arcade. The studio blends modern design with timeless craftsmanship to create novel games that could have existed a hundred years ago.
Event details
When: Friday, Nov. 21 — Open House 3–5 p.m.; Tournament 5–7 p.m.
Where: Big Grove Brewery & Taproom, 170 1st St SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
Cost: Free to play; spectators welcome
More info: UnpluggedArcade.com
2025-10-28 19:00:00 -0500