BABA the Mahjongish, Board Game

They are all BABA!!
It’s just like Mahjong!!

A unique tabletop game that is…
Hilariously confusing to the eye! Will the KOBAN drop!
Think the cards are the same? A little different?
Confusion reigns in this Mahjong-like game!
How many times will your eyes fail you!?
Laugh as you trade bonus DORAYAKI chips and KOBAN coins AND jibes!
Fun for the first timer with “Beginners Rules” or “Expert Rules” for the serious Mahjong fan. Two sets of rules, two degrees of difficulty.

Players: 3-4

Time: 20-40 min.

Ages: 10+

BABA the Mahjongish

[Contents] 40 Cards (Kanji: 4 cards x 9 suits, Obaba: 4 cards), 9 DORAYAKI Chips, 32 KOBANs (Coins), 2 Instruction Sheets (JP, EN)

Board Game
JAN 4582540850148

2,750 JPY

Physical
| Don Quijote | Yellow Submarine |

｜ HAKUHINKAN TOY PARK Chitose ｜ *Worldwide shipping is available only through the Official Store. *No sales at physical stores outside of Japan.

Game play video (JP)

Excerpt from YouTube Live Streaming Archive: “BananaMoon@GameMarket Live: Day 2”, June 28, 2020 (*Please note: the special offers shown on the screen are only available on the day of the live streaming, and is no longer available)

Game components

All cards are BABA!

BABA is a family name, printed on the cards in 9 different ways. And the character OBABA, means ‘grandma’ or ‘old lady’ in Japan.
Don’t get cocky! Kanji may look the same but lookout for little differences! It’s confusing!
You may look carefully but the trap is lurking.
Call “PON” on a wrong card…..
O-kay…. that bungle will cost you! (Ha!)

DORAYAKI bonus chips

The comical component : “Dorayaki ” chip.
Collecting the same kanji cards as kanji on the “Dorayaki” chip makes a better hand.
Play your “Dorayaki” with gusto, complete the hand for doubly delicious bonus points!
A play on words of “dora” in Mahjong.

KOBAN coins for scoring

The comical component : Bonus coin (Koban)
Take the WIN! and get “Koban” (koban is an old Japanese coin). Depending on the strength of your hand, the Koban pile up, they jingle jangle, and the laughter may never end!
As called in Mahjong, the “scoring stick”.
(“Koban” are made of paper)

How to play

Instruction video: Beginner rules (in English, 4 min.)

‘Beginner rules’ for the inexperienced Mahjong player and ‘Expert rules’ for the more experienced player. 2 levels of difficulty!

Beginner rules

No experience of Mahjong needed!
Simple game play for beginners.

Pick up a matching card, ‘PON!’ Make 2 matching sets, ‘WIN!’
Play your KOBANS to the end!

All players start each hand with 5 cards.
The goal is to collect 2 sets of 3 matching cards.The OBABA card can be used as a wild card for any suit.
Players draw a card from the pile or pick up a card discarded (discard) by another player.Discard one unneeded card face up in the discard pile.
When a discard is picked up to complete a set of 3 matching cards, the player explains PON! The cards are then placed face up in front of the player.
When a player has collected 2 sets of 3 cards of the same suit the player exclaims WIN! That hand is concluded.
The winning player receives (a) KOBAN(s). When the DORAYAKI chip matches your card, you score bonus points!
Play until one player has no KOBANs remaining.The player who has the most KOBANs wins the match.

Beginner rules instruction sheet
→ Download PDF

Expert rules

More ways to WIN! More ways to a high score!
For the Mahjong connoisseur!

Incorporating beginner rules, Mahjong like hand can score.

Start with 8 KOBANs
Increasing DORAYAKI by KAN
Multiple ways to score WIN!
Scoring bonus points by Menzen and each Yaku (combination)

BABA Yakuman

Chin-itsu (ex. 馬 Chin-itsu)

Hon-itsu (ex. 場 Hon-itsu)

San-toitsu

Ba-ittsuu

Expert rules instruction sheet
→ Download PDF

Creative team

Game design: Banana Moon Studio Sapporo
Team leader: MAEDA Hiroshi
Graphic designer: YOSHIDA Kinuka, ISHIJIMA Haruna
Production manager: MAEDA Kumiko
Translator: Darcy LEWIS