Two friends, one card game, and a journey we never imagined!

Hi Dorene and Marilyn! While I have not seen you since POP Week 2024, I saw your game TAP4 in Walmart! Please share your journey with our readers! 

It all started with a game of Bunco!

We met at a friend's house while playing Bunco with a group of friends. Everyone kept telling us that we needed to get to know each other because we were so much alike and maybe a little crazy, too!

They were right! We became great friends, and little did we know that our friendship would eventually turn into a card game that would be played by families around the world.

From Friday Night Game Nights to Tapped Four

We loved getting together with friends for Friday night game nights in Meridian, Idaho. In 2018, we started creating our own card game. We wanted something that was easy to learn, fast-paced, competitive, and, most importantly, FUN!

We spent countless hours playing, changing rules, and trying new ideas until we finally had a game everyone loved.

But what should we call it?

We played around with all kinds of names and learned that the word "tapped" often means "flip over your card." We liked the sound of Tapped Four, written out just that way. And when we discovered that tappedfour.com was available, we knew we had our name!

In 2019, Tapped Four was officially published, and our adventure began.

From Our Game Table to Yours!

One thing we quickly discovered was that people really loved playing Tapped Four! They wanted to teach their families, share it with friends, and introduce it to everyone they knew.

We couldn't have asked for a better response.

We loved the game so much that we took it everywhere. Whenever we went out to lunch or got together, we would pull out the cards and start playing.

It wasn't unusual for complete strangers to walk up and ask, "What are you playing?"

Our answer was always the same: "Come sit down and play with us!"

Before long, we were inviting strangers, new friends, and just about anyone who showed an interest to join our Friday Night Game Nights.

That's what made Tapped Four so special to us. It wasn't just about playing cards. It was about bringing people together, making new friends, and having fun.

A Game in Every State!

As our little business grew, we started selling Tapped Four at Christmas gift shows, online, and wherever we had the opportunity to introduce people to the game.

We even had a map of the United States that we used to track where our games were going. Every time we sold a game in a new state, we marked it on our map.

One by one, the states started filling in.

And then it happened. We had sold a Tapped Four game in EVERY state!

We were so proud! What started around our game table in Idaho was now being played in homes all across the country.

Over the years, we expanded our product line to include the Original Game, Travel Edition, Expansion Game, and a special Limited Edition.

We attended gift shows, demonstrated the game, met thousands of wonderful people, and heard so many stories about families and friends enjoying Tapped Four together.

Then Came The Op Games!

In 2026, our little card game took a giant leap when The Op Games acquired the rights to Tapped Four and introduced a new edition called TAP4.

The game received a fresh new look, new packaging, and the opportunity to reach players around the world.

Seeing TAP4 on the shelves at Walmart, Target, Barnes & Noble, and other retailers is something we never imagined when we first started playing around that kitchen table.

We are especially excited that The Op Games has kept our names on the new TAP4 box. Seeing "A Game by Marilyn Dick & Dorene Mills" on a game being sold around the world is pretty special!

The Best Part of Our Journey

Looking back, the most rewarding part of this adventure isn't just seeing our game on store shelves. It's the friendships and memories that have come from it.

We have heard stories of families playing together for years, people giving Tapped Four as gifts to everyone they know, and even strangers meeting on cruises, playing the game, and becoming lifelong friends.

And to think, it all started because a group of friends thought two slightly crazy women should get to know each other!

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported us along the way, from our original Friday night game group to the thousands of people who have welcomed Tapped Four into their homes.

Our game may have a new name and a fresh new look, but the heart of it remains the same.

From our game table to yours, there's always time for one more round!

Marilyn Dick & Dorene Mills

Creators of Tapped Four / TAP4