Let’s play Dominoes

Handcrafted Jaipur Blue Pottery tile pieces

We are always on the lookout for non-screen activities to save us from scrolling fatigue and Netflix bingeing. So when we recently came across Ceraminoes, a game of ceramic dominoes, we had to give it a try. First impressions struck with the look and design of the game. The play tiles are made from Jaipur Blue Pottery with different delicately designed patterns. It comes in a wooden box with a transparent top cover to show off the 35 ceramic tiles, making this a game you can have on display. Handcrafted by artisans in Jaipur, this is a limited-edition game that can become a neat collector's item.

Nikita Mathur Zatakia

While shaped like dominoes, the game is far from about simply lining up the tiles and knocking them down. There are three different games - classic, express and path-breaker - that can be played by two or more players. The first game includes creating a winding chain of tiles while matching its design pattern with the previous tile. Classic includes seven rounds to collect the most points while being the first to use all the tiles. Express is played the same way in one round. But trust us, once you begin, it's hard to stop at one or seven rounds. Path-breaker throws a dice into the mix to see which player makes it the furthest along their winding formation as they use up their share of tiles. This isn't a game of luck alone. Within a few rounds, each participant we played with began strategising, planning and predicting their wins. And after three games, no one wanted to stop.

Three games from the makers

What we liked about Ceraminoes is that it doesn't require anything more than a little common sense to ace the gameplay, which ensures you can play it multiple times and for a long duration without having to rack your brains. Nikita Mathur Zatakia, founder, NMZ Games and The House of Pop-Up, and a game designer, reiterates an observation we made while playing the game, which is that it is quite therapeutic, especially the touch of the cool ceramic tiles and the clinks they make against each other, making it the perfect way to wind down after work or a stressful day. Ceraminoes was released last month and is the third game from NMZ Games and the first from The House of Pop-Up; the latter is Zatakia's parallel platform for cute and quirky ceramic artworks and custom-made collectables.

Dive Master and Mission Pawssible are NMZ Game's first two card games that combine Zatakia's passion for diving and animals. The ongoing Diwali sale makes an attractive offer on this limited-edition handcrafted item. Grab it now and make it an addition to your next Diwali taash party.

Log on to: nmzgames.com or thehouseofpopup.com, also available on Amazon
Cost: Rs3,500 without the discount

Keep playing

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