The Last Reel

Reel City, 1936. The brightest little town in the funny papers, where nothing could ever really die — until the projector jammed and the colour started going out of things.

You are Nib, a paintbrush-headed background extra. Nine hundred cartoons, not one single line. Nobody ever noticed her enough to forget her, which is exactly why she still has her colour. Everyone else has gone grey.

Hold three lanes against the Faded — shambling Extras, spindly Gag Men, square bulldog Heavies, flying Sprites, kick-line dancers and big-mouthed Crooners, all of them forgotten stars from the silent days. Spend Paint to play cards from your hand and paint reinforcements into existence. Paint trickles back on its own, but every Faded you knock down refunds more, so pushing forward pays and hiding starves. Clear a wave, draft a new card, and carry it for the rest of the run.

Three reels, fifteen waves, three bosses, and a colour rule you can read from across the room: everything on your side is full Technicolor, everything grey is trying to kill you. They're not evil, though. They're just hungry. And the one waiting in the projection booth only wants somebody to watch him one more time.