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Highlands and Islands · Scotland

Send a playable postcard from Shetland

Shetland is closer to Norway than to Edinburgh, and it shows: Viking festivals, Fair Isle knits and puffins on the cliffs. In summer it barely gets dark; in winter they set fire to a longship.

Every “Greetings from Shetland” game ends with a postcard flying in: the place in big retro letters, your message on the back, a stamp and your signature. What goes in the jokes is up to you: Jarlshof, Sumburgh Head and St Ninian's Isle, Up Helly Aa, the Viking fire festival in Lerwick, or the thing that happened on day two that nobody is allowed to mention.

Make a Shetland postcard See 3 ideas

Who sends a postcard from Shetland?

Visitors at Up Helly Aa

Torches, a galley and a town full of Vikings. A playable postcard is the only way to explain it to anyone who wasn't there.

Birdwatchers and puffin fans

Sumburgh Head is famous for puffins in early summer. Send a game postcard to the friends who think puffins are made up.

People working in Shetland

Long shifts and a long way from home. A quick postcard game is a warm hello to family on the mainland.

3 ideas for a Shetland postcard game

Idea 1

Simmer Dim Flyer

Summer seagulls in endless daylight suit a one-tap flyer from islands where June nights hardly happen.

Put this in

“It's midnight and still light. The seagulls never sleep here either.”

Idea 2

Up Helly Aa Rampage

Sparklers and stray rockets suit the fire and torches of Shetland's Viking festival.

Put this in

“Watched a whole longship go up in flames. On purpose. Brilliant.”

Idea 3

Long Way North

A climber with someone waiting at the top fits the long journey north and the warm welcome at the end.

Put this in

“Overnight ferry survived. Legs still wobbly. Worth it.”

What to write on a Shetland postcard

  • Name-drop a landmark. “Wish you were here at Jarlshof” works because it’s specific.
  • Mention what Shetland is known for: Up Helly Aa, the Viking fire festival in Lerwick, or Shetland ponies and Fair Isle knitting. One specific detail beats “lovely views” every time.
  • Use the local word: “simmer dim” (the long midsummer twilight when it barely gets dark). It instantly sounds like it was sent from Shetland.
  • Keep the ending message short: one detail, one feeling, one sign-off. It reads better on a phone screen.

Ending messages to steal

  • “Saw puffins at Sumburgh Head! They're smaller and funnier than I imagined.”
  • “It's eleven at night and still light. The simmer dim is real. Loving Shetland.”
  • “Up Helly Aa was incredible. Torches, Vikings and the warmest welcome. Home soon.”

Shetland at a glance

Where
Shetland, Scotland
Famous for
Up Helly Aa, the Viking fire festival in Lerwick · Shetland ponies and Fair Isle knitting
Local word
“simmer dim” (the long midsummer twilight when it barely gets dark)

Landmarks to name-drop

  • Jarlshof
  • Sumburgh Head
  • St Ninian's Isle
  • Mousa Broch
  • Shetland Museum and Archives

The game shows the place name and your message, not these landmarks: the Postcard look’s far-off silhouettes are generic. Your words do the sightseeing.

How to send it, step by step

  1. Pick the Postcard occasion. Open become.games and choose Postcard. You can try it free with our demo characters straight away, no sign-up needed. To send it, you put your own people in it (drawn from a photo, which needs a plan); publishing and the link are free.
  2. Choose a game style and a look. Any style and any look work. The Postcard look (pastel houses, bunting, chip-thieving seagulls and runaway suitcases) is the natural pick, and for Shetland we’d also try flappy flyer with the Summer look.
  3. Type “Shetland” as where it’s from. The “Where’s it from?” field takes up to 24 characters. Your game is titled “Greetings from Shetland”; rename it if you like, e.g. “Simmer Dim Flyer”.
  4. Make the jokes yours. The pre-written lines are postcard and holiday flavoured. Swap one for something only Shetland would explain, like a line about St Ninian's Isle.
  5. Write the message on the back and send it. The ending is a postcard flying in with the place in big retro letters, your message on the back, a stamp and your signature. Publish it (free, with its own permanent link) and share it on WhatsApp, as a QR code or by copying the link. It plays in the browser on any device.

Free to build and play with our demo characters. To send it, star your own people (drawn from a photo with a plan); publishing and the link are free. See pricing or read how it works.

Shetland postcard: questions

Will the game show Jarlshof?

No. The game is titled “Greetings from Shetland” and ends with a postcard showing the place name in big retro letters and your message, but it doesn’t draw Jarlshof. The Postcard look has far-off landmark silhouettes, but they’re generic, not Shetland’s. That’s what your jokes and message are for: mention Jarlshof in a line and they’ll picture it.

What should I write on a postcard from Shetland?

Keep it short and specific: one place, one moment, one sign-off. For example: “Saw puffins at Sumburgh Head! They're smaller and funnier than I imagined.” You could also throw in “simmer dim” (the long midsummer twilight when it barely gets dark).

Can I send a Shetland postcard to someone abroad?

Yes. It’s a link, so it plays in the browser on any phone or computer, anywhere in the world, with no download or app store. Send it on WhatsApp, by text or email, or as a QR code.

How much does a digital postcard game cost?

Making, playing and publishing it is free, and every published game gets its own permanent link. To turn your own photos into cartoon characters, or to give the game a custom link like yourname.become.games, you need a plan: £3.49 a month or £19.99 a year. Cancel any time.

More postcards from near Shetland

All UK postcard places · Digital postcard ideas · A holiday postcard you can play

Send your Shetland postcard

Pick the Postcard occasion, type where it’s from, write the message on the back and share the link. It plays on any device, no download.

Make a postcard