Mantis is a new tabletop game from Exploding Kittens, the creator of the record-breaking Kickstarter game and it takes inspiration from the popular comic ‘Why the Mantis Shrimp is my new favourite animal’ by the Eisner-award winning cartoonist Matthew Inman. The game of family fun comes from a viral comic and it's easy to learn, quick to play and hard to quit.
The game is intentionally designed to be simple yet enjoyable for kids and adults alike and it's based on two foundational rules: steal or score. Players start with four face-up cards and players will reference the draw pile to determine whether to steal matching cards from an opponent or score all of the matching cards in hand; the first player to get 10 or more points wins.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Webcomic-inspired Board Games
- Creating tabletop games inspired by popular webcomics can tap into a niche market and attract a dedicated fan base.
- Simplified Game Design
- Designing games with a simple yet engaging format can appeal to both children and adults.
- Quick Play Games
- Designing games with a shorter playtime such as Mantis can offer both accessibility and replayability.
Where This Applies
- Tabletop Gaming
- Tabletop gaming companies can leverage popular webcomics to create engaging and accessible new games.
- Toy and Game Manufacturing
- Creating simplified and quick-play games like Mantis can offer opportunities to tap into a wider market for toys and games.
- Digital Comics and Games
- Developing digital adaptations of popular webcomics like ‘Why the Mantis Shrimp is my new favourite animal’ can bridge the gap between digital and physical entertainment mediums.
