Everybody defines a holiday differently. To Alyssa Montelogo a holiday can be every time she sits down with her friends and plays Dream Phone.
Dream Phone is an old board game from 1991. The point of the game is much like Clue but for dating. Each love interest has their card, and every game there is one secret admirer that the players need to guess through the process of elimination.
You use the phone to call each character and ask them a question. The character will then give you a clue. Each person has the same secret admirer so whoever guesses who it is first is the winner.
“My favorite character is Tyler,” Montelongo said. “He’s kind of the staple character in my friend group. We all just love him.”
The game can be confusing to learn given all of its rules, features, and unique theme. It’s understandable why it eventually went out of style, but it has its appeal and Montelongo has been enjoying it since the summer of 4th grade.
Montelongo came across the game while watching Gravity Falls with her family. A scene including the game made them curious about whether it was real or not. They eventually found a copy on ebay and bought it, but it took weeks to arrive.
“We just got back from the beach and there was a package of it at our door,” Montelongo said. “We were all tired, but we wanted to play because we saw the show and wanted to see what it was about.”
The game soon became a family favorite, but it wasn’t until 6th grade that she began to play with her friends as well. To Montelongo, the game is a fun way to bond with the people she loves. As time went on, the game evolved as they added little stories and facts about each of the guys to make it more fun.
“The game grew up with us,” Montelongo said. “We always know that eventually time may slip away but the game won’t.”
It’s more than just a game to Montelongo, it’s a constant. She cherishes the game more knowing that there will never be a time when the game does not exist in one way or another.
Montelongo plans to leave the game at home when she leaves for college. She wants her sister and her friends to enjoy it while she’s gone but eventually wants to have it later in life.
“I just love [the game],” Montelongo said. “I want to keep it as long as I can.”
