Mirai Karate Club Takeover at Chaos Cards

Chaos Cards was brimming with energy when our Folkestone Tabletop Gaming Store welcomed some special guests: Members of the local Mirai Karate Club joined us for a morning of strategy, laughter, and even a bit of friendly competition, all whilst testing out some of the best games to play with friends and family.

Read on to find out more about the games they played and what they thought.

Founded in 2022, Mirai Karate Club has been teaching Kyokushin Karate to people of all ages in Folkestone, Kent. Their focus as a club goes far beyond competition; they build confidence, discipline, and inner strength all whist prioritising wellbeing. Something we value here at Chaos Cards too!

Because the club has such a strong family-friendly atmosphere, we knew they were the perfect group to put some of our top tabletop titles to the test. After all, a club that brings families together on the mats is the ideal judge for games that bring families together at the table! Speaking of Wellbeing, if you want to further explore how hobbies like this can benefit your mental health, check out our recent post on the Benefits of Tabletop Gaming.

We had a blast hosting such a great group! Before we reveal which games from our library were the biggest hits, let’s check out some of the feedback from the Mirai team about the venue:
 

• Jason (Senpai): “We were very grateful for the invitation. The Karate Club had a great time trying out a number of funny games that bought the students closer together.”
• Debbie (karate teacher): “I really enjoyed spending time with our Mirai family and finding out about each other's competitive streaks! We really enjoyed the setting of Chaos Cards.”
• Saira (parent): “Chaos Cards is a really lovely space for families to spend time together and to try out lots of different games.”
• Karl (parent): “Chaos Cards is a nice spot for families to come and play games, and also to come and learn new skills such as miniature painting and Dungeons and Dragons.”
• Christopher (Grandparent): “A great place to discover new games and activities to keep everyone happy for hours on end. I will definitely be back.”

Exploding Kittens

This absurd but fun card game was a massive hit with the club, so much so that several members bought a copy to take home! The goal to the game is simple: avoid drawing the "Exploding Kitten" card. Use your "Defuse" cards and betrayal tactics to stay in the game, all while maintaining a straight face. Plus there’s a few expansions available too!

• Debbie: “We weren’t too sure what we were doing at first, but soon picked it up. It was a great game!”
• Harrison (13): “A very fun game that is relatively short, but you will always have a good time.”

Herd Mentality

In this game, being "unique" is actually a bad thing! You win by giving the same answer as the rest of the "herd,” and hoping you don’t end up holding the pink cow.

• Debbie: “Nice and simple to set up. It was great that other Karate members joined in too!”
• Harrison (13): “This was my favourite. I found it very funny trying to guess what everyone else would say.”
• Julie (Grandparent): “It was very funny and much fun was had. The competitive streeak in us all kicked in but the game remained friendly and full of fun and giggles. The holding of the pink cow when the most random thing was said really added to the hilarity.”
• Christopher (Grandparent): “What a great social game, it brought the Dojo together and it was great to see everyone laughing. What a great game, would definitely recommend.”

Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza

This lightning-fast game caused plenty of giggles. It’s all about slapping the central pile when the card matches the spoken word. Think ‘Snap’ but more intense!

• Rachelle (parent): “Taco, Cat, Goat, Cheese Pizza is such a simple concept and fast to pick up. The special cards make it hilarious.”
• Perrie (9): “I really love this game. The pictures are so funny, I really like the cats!”

Gold Fever (From our Games Library!)

Selected from our in-store Board Games Library, this "press-your-luck" game was a winner for all ages.

• Rachelle (Parent): “My 6-year-old enjoyed it as much as the adults.”
• Harrison (13): “Great to play with younger siblings as you can’t predict what will happen next.”

Ticket to Ride: First Journey (Kids Edition)

The pre-teens and teens loved this tactile version of the classic train game, featuring a large, clear world map and simple rules. Ticket to Ride truly is a board game classic and probably one of the most popular titles in the Boardgame library!

• Feliks (10): “I really enjoyed playing this and found the instructions easy to follow.”
• Perrie (9): “It was fun to play with my friends. I like trying to get all the train routes!”
• Harrison (13): “I liked playing this, it was fun trying to make the train routes and remember where all the different places in the world are. I played it with people of different ages and we all found it easy to play. I think my Grandad would like this game.”

Flip 7

Don’t let the small box fool you—this is a "mighty" game of luck vs. strategy. The simple card game was a runaway hit at this years UKGE and we can definitely see why! The aim of the game is to collect 200 points without going bust. Players can stick or twist with cards, but beware of going bust.

• Perrie (9): “Easy and fun. I think it is a game for everyone! It is exciting to keep score of everyone.”
• Harrison (13): “My favourite card game ever. We laughed a lot.”
• Karl: “This is such a great game. Accessible for all ages and it is so good that you can play with a lot of people. I liked this game so much I bought it to take home.”

It was an absolute pleasure hosting the Mirai Karate Club. Watching the discipline of the dojo transform into the excitement of the tabletop was a highlight of our month. Whether you are looking for a fast-paced card game like Flip 7 or a classic like Ticket to Ride, these martial artists have officially given these games the "black belt" seal of approval!

Thinking of adding some of these to your ‘Must Play’ list? Pop into Chaos Cards Folkestone and try them out for yourself!