Here is a domino game that does the opposite of what you expect. In Kumata you do not lay tiles end to end, you stack them, building up a 3D jungle canopy where only the tiles still visible at the top score. Bury your symbols and they count for nothing; keep them on top and in the light and they win you the game. It has just landed free to play on Board Game Arena, which is the easiest way to try it without hunting down a physical copy.
Stop juggling Meetup, WhatsApp, and spreadsheets. One platform for your gaming group's events, RSVPs, and member management.
See how it worksAnimal clans compete for the high ground. Each turn you place a domino to push your clan's symbols up into view while sinking your rivals' beneath the canopy. Only visible clan symbols and your totem marker count when the dust settles, so it all comes down to timing: when to climb, when to block, when to strike.
Kumata is the work of Claude Leroy, something of a living legend among abstract-game designers. He invented the two-player classic Gyges and has a long shelf of well-liked abstracts behind him, including Hokito, Mana and Pantarei for French publisher Cosmoludo, who also publish Kumata. Quick to teach, mean to master is very much his house style.
Looking for board gamers near you? Browse local communities and find your next game night.
Find events near youThe Board Game Arena version is free for everyone, with the usual Premium extras on top. It is sharp at two players and gets livelier with a full table, which makes it an easy warm-up before the main event on game night.
Sources: Board Game Arena | Board Game.fr | Cosmoludo
