Join the AJH Newsletter!
Updates, contests, news, and insider news.
EVERY GAME
TELLS A STORY.
You’re not just playing an Average Joe Hero game — you’re stepping into a story. Your choices shape the world, echo through its past or future, and alter the lives of the characters you meet. The deeper you go, the more truths you uncover.
Your Story begins as pieces fall into place.
The crew had a way of dealing with mutiny — and it kept them rolling.
In the wild, pirate-themed card game Skarlybones, players are members of a rowdy crew placing bets on the roll of five “skarlybones” — skeleton-shaped meeples used as dice.
But the game’s story runs deeper. It draws from a chilling tale once told aboard an infamous pirate ship, meant to keep the crew in line. The skarlybones were said to be the remains of real mutineers, bound into wooden frames — called skarlies — and rolled down a hill. The crew a the bottom of the hill would place wagers on how the skarlies would land. Fun as this was, it also would be a constant reminder that the souls of the mutineers would never be allowed to rest while the game was played. Death didn’t end the mutineer's punishment...and neither does the game.
Every Piece
adds to
the story's mystery
Every Story
hides a puzzle.
Beneath the story there’s always more hidden just beneath the surface. Clues hide in the narrative, connections are buried in the details, and meaning is woven into the world itself.
If you’re paying attention, every story invites you to look closer — and rewards you when you do.
Can a skeleton’s pose reveal something more than bones?
Each Wager card in Skarlybones shows two skeletons — posed in one of seven positions, matching how the skarlybones might land on a roll. But look closer.
The backgrounds behind those skeletons aren’t just decorative — they’re clues. Each card features a unique setting, and players who pay attention will start to notice strange consistencies. Line them up just right, and hidden scenes emerge — aboard the ship, on the beach, and deep in the cave where the skarlies are made.
It’s not just a backdrop. It’s a breadcrumb trail — hidden in plain sight.
Every puzzle
holds a secret.
The pieces of the puzzle guide you toward a mystery buried deep within the story.
Do the secrets drive the characters?
Do they entangle you in the tale the game is telling?
You won’t know—
unless you choose to dig deeper.
Is this just a lonely pirate game...
or part of something bigger?At first glance, Skarlybones is a rowdy game of dice and wagers. But some players might recognize the arcane symbols scattered throughout the game — if they’ve seen them before
These symbols have a unique origin, tied to ancient forces and forgotten histories. They weren’t added by accident.
So the question becomes: are these symbols part of the pirates’ world...or is the pirate world just a piece of something deeper?
Not every player will notice.Even fewer will connect the dots.
But the ones who do? They’re already chasing the bigger story — digging deeper into a world unlike any other.
WE
LOVE
stories that pull you in, worlds that surprise you,
and moments that feel like you’ve discovered more than you expected.
Games that spark curiosity, reward attention,
and leave you smiling long after the pieces are packed up — that’s
FUN!
Dig deeper, and you’ll find there’s always more to enjoy
in every Average Joe Hero experience.
WHAT'S NEW
These are the current games and product just released for your entertainment.
Join the Hash Off — The Internet’s Ultimate Symbol Smackdown
The Hash Off is a one-of-a-kind battle where players fight for the true meaning of the hash symbol (#). Part game, part storytelling showdown, part cultural brawl — you pick a team, play challenges, and help decide how the story unfolds, one wild round at a time.
It’s wrestling, the internet, and viral chaos all smashed together — and you’re in the middle of it.
Average Joe Hero isn’t about just making stuff to sell — anyone can do that.
We’re about building creative portals to fascinating imaginary worlds you can engage with in a tactile, material way. Games are one of our favorite portals — and one of the most engaging ways to get there.
But they’re not the only ones we create.
Our goal is to craft experiences that surprise you — not just with clever mechanics, but with meaningful encounters: with ideas, people, and perspectives you might not meet otherwise.
We build worlds you can step into, characters with pasts they don’t always reveal, and experiences that reward curiosity, insight, and heart.
We believe fun is just the beginning.
The rest is waiting for those who dare to dig deeper.