Some things are best when together: Batman and Robin, peanut butter and jelly, Shaggy and Scooby Doo, and now, chess and checkers.
Whether it’s deliberate or not, chess and checkers always get grouped together. Mostly because they’re both critical thinking strategy games that only the wisest and most cunning players are able to master. Twizmo! Games decided to take a much-needed leap and combine these two classics and add a modern twist with the new game, tak-tak. All I can say is, it’s about darn time.
In this two-player battle, opponents take turns as they move their pieces into the gray War Zone. Ultimately, players must aim to make it all the way across the board and onto their rival’s Safe Zone, which is the tan section on the board.
Before the game starts, kids will set 12 playing pieces on each of their Safe Zones. The pieces consist of three different colors—green, orange, and blue—and four different numbers. Once the board is set up, players will then go back and forth as they move their pieces across the board. Pieces can be moved straight ahead or diagonally.
Once the game really kicks into gear, the fun part comes: stack and attack. While pieces move across the board, players have the option to stack any of their pieces of the same color, which allows the stack to move as one piece in order to get across the board faster. When the inevitable happens and players meet in the war zone, they both may attack each other’s pieces. This happens when a player stacks any of their pieces that are the same color or number with the other player’s pieces. By doing so they take possession of those pieces and make a big advance in the game.
The player who accumulates the highest value on their opponent’s safe zone wins the game. Keep in mind, however, that even if a player has more chips on their opponent’s safe zone, if their opponent has chips with a higher value than them, that player will ultimately take the crown.
By combining two classic installments for the ultimate dynamic duo, tak-tak forces players to think critically and strategically. Note: Lots of mental muscle flexing will ensue.
