Over the years, I've tried to leave my mark on society by introducing a new saying or meme that takes the world by storm. Stuff like making the phrase "boss" popular again or making it acceptable for men to wear skirts and carry a purse.
So far - no luck.
But Rhonda and I came up with a fun car game a couple of summers ago that we've found to be immensely fun and I think just maybe - this one is gonna stick.
The game is Bronco.
Genre-wise, Bronco is very similar to the classic 20th-century car game, Punch Buggy. The issue with Punch Buggy in 2024, is that production of the Volkswagon Beetle was discontinued in 2019, and the original style Beetles have been gone since 2003. That means fewer and fewer of these rotund jalopies are left to spot.
Like Punch Buggy, the goal of Bronco is to spot the target vehicle while out on a drive, in this case, the Ford Bronco, and shout out "Bronco!" when you see it. Being Millenials, and also two people trying to preserve a good marriage, we've taken out the requirement to punch the other player on the arm, but we are still quite verbally abusive while playing the game. If you're the first to call out the Bronco, you get a point.
But why the Ford Bronco? Why not a Rav 4 or Honda Civic? It all started in August 2022 when Rhonda and I went on a weekend camping trip to Candle Lake. On the drive, Rhonda noticed a LOT of Broncos on the highway, especially around Watrous. And as easy as that - the game began.
It took a few months of playing to realize just how perfect the Ford Bronco was for such a competition. At its very core, the Bronco is a meme car. Obviously, it all started with the OJ Simpson Bronco chase in 1994. A chase so famous that it kept the dying vehicle line alive for a couple extra years. But the newest lines of the Bronco, released since 2021 lean even harder into its meme status with the Bronco name emblazoned across the grill in 20,000-point lettering. You can read it from a quarter kilometre away.
That large name badge makes for a very low barrier to entry into the game. At first glance, there's little difficulty in identifying a Bronco because the name is right there. But that simplicity is deceptive and we've found that misidentifying other SUVs is more common than you would expect. The Toyota Land Cruiser's round headlights look much like the Bronco's from a distance, nearly every modern Ford SUV and truck has the same style of rims and newer Jeep ragtops look strikingly similar to a Bronco from behind. And if you get caught calling Bronco on a non-Bronco vehicle - you're deducted a point. This can really swing a game of Bronco.
We've added the odd rule to the game, mostly for fairness. You can't call Bronco if it's parked. This was mostly to avoid calling the same camped Bronco that you know is coming up - like the one parked on Dewdney Ave E every time we drive by. You also have to point out or describe where the Bronco is so that the other player can confirm.
We still haven't heard back from the control centre about what the scoring would be if we saw an original, pre-1996 Bronco. They're exceedingly rare these days so I haven't seen one lately. But I'm inclined to think that spotting one should be worth anywhere between 3 and 5 points. I'm leaning towards 5 due to its rarity and difficulty to spot - at least the early editions didn't have that gaudy grill lettering!
Much like Who's Line is it Anyway, the points don't count and the only time anyone cares is when a Bronco has been spotted. We keep a mental tally on a particular trip but it's forgotten as soon as the ignition is turned off. We do not carry points forward unless it's a long day of driving or doing errands - then we might keep a rough score the entire time we're out.
Perhaps one of my favourite side effects of this game is how it's wreaking havoc on my social media advertising. Keep Facebook or Instagram open on your phone while you play (but don't use your phone while driving) and soon your feeds will be full of ads for Broncos, tires, upgrade packages and more. Poor Ford Motor Products has spent a small fortune advertising a vehicle to me that I will never buy.
What is your favourite car game? What do you think the score should be for spotting a pre-1996 Ford Bronco? Will you try and play Bronco with your friends and family on your next road trip? Let me know in the comments!
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