I consider card games to be imbued with a relic-like quality, providing one with a tinge of novelty and nostalgia when played amongst friends and family. Yet, it still feels lacking when compared to its digital counterparts. Maybe it’s the flashy graphics or fluid gameplay offered by Activision’s Call of Duty Mobile, or the collaborative aspect highlighted in multiplayer options like Among Us, but have traditional card games since been rendered obsolete?
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Perhaps not; make way for Singapore’s newest addition to the card game family, Teabbles. Joining the ranks of Exploding Kittens and The Singaporean Dream (another homegrown rendition), Teabbles stands out in our little red dot’s most prominent national symbol: food. More specifically, bubble tea.
The brains behind the operation are husband-and-wife-duo Aaron and Jolene Tan. Aaron, who is a self-proclaimed card game geek, mentions that the idea came to him in the shower.
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Taking a look beneath its adorable packaging, the cards are clad in the signature beige and black of boba milk tea. Forget your jacks, queens and kings, for Teabbles features all your favourite beverages. Be it taro milk, oolong, or matcha milk tea, you are bound to recognise a few of your favourites in the unique card illustrations, all done up by Ansley Toh.
Aesthetics aside, how is the gameplay? This is where things get a little more interesting. Teabbles presents not one, not two, but three innovative ways to play the game. Splitting the pile into the Inventory Deck and the Drink Stack, players are required to fulfil drink orders by matching cards from the drink stack to their respective ingredients. Bluff and Boba The Builder are the two other methods to play. To learn more about the rules, do check out their website.
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Teabbles is made for groups of two to five players, so yes, it’s social distance-friendly (I suppose). If you’re looking to get your hands on a set (S$28), pay a visit to their booth at the Capitol Kempinski Christmas Market, which runs from 5 to 25 December 2020. There is also a giveaway on their Instagram page which ends on 11 December 2020, so act quickly if you want a chance at a free set of Teabbles. The company is also looking to expand its shop onto online platforms soon.
Date & Time: Now available at Christmas Fair @ Capitol till 25 December 2020
Price: S$28 per set
 with our love for card games and what do you get? Teabbles features boba and card games all in one deck.){kind=link}