MATES: Unlock your mind!
Chess, Dominos, and Go combine to produce a strategy game where players build, block, capture, and steal to win. And with five different ways to play, MATES is designed to fit any age group.
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Developed by psychologist and creative consultant Luc Vors, this patent-pending game was born out of working with children and those with special needs to spark creative and strategic thinking while keeping things fun.
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What emerged was a game that begins with simple matching but grows in complexity each time you play. Click Here to see how MATES can help with special needs and physical/occupational therapy.
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FREESTYLE VS. TOURNAMENT
Chess and Go are serious strategy games. Even Dominos can get more than a little heated. And while the Tournament Version of MATES can reach that same level of intensity, the open-ended Freestyle Version allows more relaxed play.
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Freestyle Version:
4 ways to play!
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Unlike Chess and Go, the Freestyle version uses a draw bag and unlimited play space with four sets of rules. Depending on the number of players, sets of 45 tiles (one for every shape combination) are placed in the draw bag, preventing players from knowing which ones they will play with.
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There are four different ways to play -
MATES (The original rules. Medium difficulty level), Pyramid (Easy level), Reds (Difficult level), and Diamonds (Medium level).
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Tournament Version:
Eliminating chance means pure strategy.​
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Unlike the Freestyle version, tournament rules require a gameboard and discard the draw bag to eliminate chance. Two to Four players start with a full count of 45 tiles (one for every shape combination) and play on limited space (maximum difficulty level).​
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NOT YOUR EVERYDAY BOARDGAME
Originally a therapy game, MATES works well with physical and occupational rehabilitation, children, and those with special needs. The simple act of matching shapes has never achieved this kind of visual/spatial reasoning, yet it is easy enough to play with a five-year-old.
Its unique design and rules sets target multiple brain functions to improve cognitive/perceptual and sensory/motor performance, including visual scanning, hand-eye coordination, field analysis, and matrix reasoning.
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One licensed professional counselor had this to say: "What I discovered was patients experienced continuing gratification while planning and matching the shapes, which kept them invested in developing their skills. And as therapists of all trades agree, patient investment is crucial."
Most impressive, however, is how players can naturally progress into higher levels of complex and abstract thinking. The more you play, the more complex your decision patterns can become.
BACKING THIS PROJECT
In the instructions manual, there will be a special recognition page for those participating in this initial fundraiser. Funding will go toward achieving the highest quality Kickstarter program for introducing the game to the public. While the game itself is finished, we still need the following resources to take it to the Kickstarter level:
Video production, advertising, graphic design, photography, printing, molding, B2B, labor, manufacturing, shipping, and consulting.
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Contributions of $100 or more will also receive one signed and numbered copy of the game's first-ever manufacturing run. [Distribution date to be announced.]
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Those wishing to place large sponsorship logos, please contact Holly Heydenreich [HERE]
