Chai is a new Kickstarter project that will take you to the aromatic world of tea. The game is not revolutionary, but can be a great gateway game for many tabletop gaming newbies. Tea itself is most likely among the most popular drinks on earth, and colorful, easy-to-learn games work best with almost every group of new people. And that’s what Chai seems to go for.
The World of Tea
Chai will let players take on the role of tea brewers, who have to do everything they can, to make their drinks as delicious and aromatic as possible, to satisfy their clients. That’s the only way to gain rewards and money, that will allow you to win the game.
Dan and Connie Kazmaier, the creators of Chai, want their game to be the dream come true for all tea lovers. Here, you’ll find green tea, black tea, white tea, rooibos and oolong. Then mix them with things like lavender, lemon, mint, jasmine, ginger and strawberries. Finally, add some sugar, milk, honey, vanilla and spices. Anything to make the customers happy. The game comes dressed in a colorful, slightly cartoony artstyle, that will attract not only the hardcore group, but also some people interested by the topic itself and drawn by colorful pictures.
Geeknson Board Game Table | QUESTOWER Ads Sytsem
Prepare the Best Blend Imaginable
Each round a player can visit the market to get some new ingredients for their teas, go to the pantry and get some spices or choose a client to prepare a drink for. The last one will also allow us to use one of the additional abilities, that make adjusting to the needs of our clients easier. Finally, at the end of our turn, we can complete the order and earn some money.
The rules are simple and targeted at families and less demanding players. It seems though, that the gameplay is simple but not too simple.
“I don’t mind playing simple, gateway games once in a while. My usual picks are Takenoko, Love Letter and Carcassonne. I use these to teach new people how to play, or when I need a little rest from titles with 10kg boxes and brick-like manuals.”
It’s also worth mentioning, that Chai is color blind friendly. Despite being colorful, it’s highly based on icons and unique shapes.
Additionally, all elements are language independent. The box will contain a manual in English, but other ones will also be available.
The game is aimed at 1 to 5 players. Solo mode will make you compete with an AI of sorts, and is said to be quite the challenge. The game also has a co-op mode included, for players that prefer these.
Chai on Kickstarter
The core version of Chai is priced at $50. The Deluxe one, with 30 metal coins will cost you $59.
The Kickstarter campaign will last until January 7th. The creators have collected $59.000 in pledges so far. Some stretch goals have been unlocked, while others are still waiting for their turn. The game will be shipped in September 2019.
