What is it?

Tak is a beautiful game with simple rules and deep strategy. Two players take turns either adding one of their pieces to the board or moving a piece or a stack under their control. The goal is simple: make a road of your color connecting opposite sides of the board. Building on classic games such as Chess, Mancala, and Go, Tak joins a long tradition of games that take minutes to learn and a lifetime to master. With variable board sizes from 3×3 to 6×6, Tak offers challenges and excitement for players of all skill levels.

The Task at Hand

After proving my multi-tasking abilities with Medium, Greater than Games decided to throw a second “do-all” game my way. Tak was a reprint Greater than Games picked up after acquiring Cheapass Games in 2019, and took on the mission of bring a new light to the original productions of James Ernest. Because Tak is based on the fantasy fiction novel series, The Kingkiller Chronicles, I had the pleasure of working with Patrick Rothfuss on the art direction and layout…which was AMAZING!

Starting with Concepts and Sketches

This process had a tricky balance to consider. Because this game was based on a fantasy-fiction novel, inspiration for art rush my mind from beautiful colors and landscapes to cropped game pieces all whirling around an impressionist painting style. The twist — most strategy games like chess and checkers have a very straight-to-the-point box art theme without the whimsical accents. My art director and I wanted to make sure we created something that was, in fact, beautiful as the game title boasts, but we also wanted to make sure it would sell to the audience we intended to reach.

Pat Rothfuss, Art and Layout

Working with Patrick Rothfuss was an absolute honor. It was incredibly fun planning “Easter eggs” to add into the art from his novel that his fans would adore. Each board and the box art was carefully curated with him to ensure the pleasure of his fans, but also the visual communication of the game. We found that balance we were looking for, as a team, to inspire the fantasy-fiction fans, but also, to appeal to the strategy gamers in our world.

Final Product

The final product has made it to stores, from Amazon to local hobby game stores near you. I’ve only heard great things about the new edition so far, and I hope it continues to bring enjoyment to those who play it.