Will it work on Christmas morning on the family wifi?

The game is small and runs in the phone browser. Once the link has opened it keeps playing without a connection, so a slow one only delays the first load.

He does not do phones. Is that a problem?

He needs to tap one link. There is no app and no account. If he has a phone that opens web pages, he can play it, and the controls are two buttons.

What photo works best?

A clear head-and-shoulders shot on a plain background. Selfies are fine. Group photos are not, since we cut out one person.

Can I change it after publishing?

You can edit the lines and message from the same device you made it on. Sprites are fixed once published.

A Christmas game starring your dad

Christmas is when the thermostat war is at its worst, so Dad versus the thermostat is the Christmas present. His face on the hero, dad jokes for weapons, and taunts about the heating not being free. Dad vs The Thermostat on this page is the same fight; play it first.

Put the QR code in his card and let him scan it at the table with everyone watching. He will lose twice and blame the phone. The win message is from all of you.

Example: Dad vs The Thermostat, playing itself. Tap to take over. Yours has their face and your jokes.

Bosses that work for a dad

The Thermostat · 68 degrees is not a suggestion
The Self-Checkout · unexpected item in the bagging area
The Neighbour's Hedge · the fifteen-year war

Jokes that land

Three inside jokes become the taunts. For a dad, think the famous three-point turn, the barbecue he lit with a blowtorch, or the one route he insists is quicker. You can rewrite every line.

Start with a photo

Free to make and play. $9.99 only when you send the link.

On the day

Put the QR code in the card under the tree, or in the cracker, and let them scan it at the table with everyone watching. For a stocking, the printed postcard is the physical version: game on the front, your note and a scan-to-play code on the back, posted to a US or Canadian address. Order by mid-December to be safe.

The photo

Any photo where he is not squinting. The cut-out handles glasses and beards. If all you have is a group photo, crop to him first.

Difficulty

Normal takes a few tries, which is the point. Easy if they are likely to give up after one loss.

Questions people ask

Will it work on Christmas morning on the family wifi?: The game is small and runs in the phone browser. Once the link has opened it keeps playing without a connection, so a slow one only delays the first load.
He does not do phones. Is that a problem?: He needs to tap one link. There is no app and no account. If he has a phone that opens web pages, he can play it, and the controls are two buttons.
What photo works best?: A clear head-and-shoulders shot on a plain background. Selfies are fine. Group photos are not, since we cut out one person.
Can I change it after publishing?: You can edit the lines and message from the same device you made it on. Sprites are fixed once published.