INKTensions: Preview of a Light Game of Bluffing, Deception and an Octopus
Updated: Aug 13, 2025
INKTensions is the third game from Maka Games that include License to Krill and Hissy Fit. INKTensions is a fun game where players are building out the tentacles of an octopus in order to reach some seafood. It sounds easy and it is until the players start playing cards that change the cards others have already played. Players will try to bluff and outwit their opponents in INKTensions coming soon to Kickstarter.
Setup
The theme is strong with this game. Each player gets 9 cards (one per brain, did you know octopus have 9 brains?) but will usually play 8 of them (like the tentacles of an octopus) in a round. The game play lasts 3 rounds (octopuses have 3 hearts). To get the game setup give each player a set of 9 player cards. The backs of the cards are color coded to one color for each player.
Setup is pretty quick with Inktentions. First set out the food tiles based on player count. There are 9 food types and 6 tiles of each type. For example put 5 food types out (the whole pile of 6) if you are playing a two player game. These can be random or chosen, the rest of the food cards will be placed to the side in case any of the piles run out. Next the 7 Octobility tiles are shuffled and one for each player is revealed and placed out so all player can see them. Now the most controversial part of the game, choosing the first player. The rules say the smartest person goes first. I say go random. Anyway players are chosen there is a octopus plushie for the first player.
Game Play
Game play is simple. There are 7 kinds of cards in each players hand. There are 3 Hunt cards. Each player takes turns playing a card face down either next to a food pile or next to a card that has already been played next to a food tile. The backs of the cards look like an octopus arm. once the cards next to a food pile have reached out to the number of players plus two then it is capped off and can no longer have cards added to it. In the example of a two player game when the and reaches 4 cards it will be capped off.
The most exciting part of the game is revealing the octopus arm cards one at a time and figuring out who is able to hunt and who got thwarted
There are 7 kinds of cards that each player has to choose from. They all have the same cards at the start of the round. Ink, Sharks, Eel, Hunt, Hide& Hunt, Punch and Octobility. each card has a ability. If an Ink card is next to a shark card the shark card goes away. If a shark card is adjacent to any hunt cards they go away. Eel cards can remove one adjacent hunt card. The hunt cards are how the players collect the food tiles and consequently the points on them. Hide & Hunt is the same as Hunt with the exception of its immunity to Sharks and Eels. Punch and Octobility cards are played face up and in front of the player who played them and not added to any arm. Punch lets the player who played it to move a card from one uncapped arm to another uncapped arm (without peeking), this could even be their own card. Finally the Octobility card allows the player who played it to activate one of the revealed Octobility tiles and use its ability. The Octobilities allow players to gain points or have an unique ability or action. Once an Octobility tile is chosen it cannot be used until the next round.
The most exciting part of the game is revealing the octopus arm cards one at a time and figuring out who is able to hunt and who got thwarted. The players reveal the arm cards one arm at a time. Each card starting from the one closest to the food tile has its ability used. This part can be an emotional roller coaster as players reveal and remove cards from the arm to determine who can hunt and get one of the food tiles from the pile. The food tiles are a point salad. Each of the food tiles has a different method of scoring, for example if you have acquired a squid its worth 1 if you have an odd number or 2 if you have an even number. Each tile is different and some are a little more tasty than others but depending on a players strategy will depend on how fierce the competition is for each tile.
Thoughts
This is a very casual light strategy card game. It makes a good family game and a great game for a light game night. There is a lot of fun packed into this card game. The whimsy from the art and the plushie are sure to get the younger gamers in you life to the table. The plushie we had went missing for a week until our 5 year old let us know where they hid it. She also enjoyed playing the game with me out on our patio.
The concise rulebook and easy to learn rules make INKtentions a great addition to your collection or if you are new to games its a great place to start. The small box format makes INKtension a very portable game for you gamers on the go. Maka Games has been hitting it out of the park with their card games. I recommend also checking out License to Krill another hit from them.
Players: 2-4
Year Published: 2025
Recommended Ages: 9+
Time to Play: 20 minutes
INKtensions
Bert's Tabletop games was provided a review copy of INKtensions by Maka games. The game depicted here is a prototype copy of the game and the final copy may vary from what is depicted in this review.
Cụm “cunning and deception” làm mình đoán đây là trò chơi đặt nặng việc đọc ý đồ và suy luận, nên phần xem trước chắc sẽ tập trung vào cảm giác đấu trí. Mình hay gặp những cuộc nói chuyện về trò chơi lúc bạn bè tụ tập, đôi SUNWIN khi từ đó người ta rẽ sang game bài đổi thưởng và nhắc SUNWIN. Mình chỉ nghe tên chứ chưa chơi hay dùng dịch vụ nào. Đọc bài này, điều mình muốn biết hơn là cách trò chơi tạo căng thẳng giữa người chơi, chứ không phải một lời khẳng định trước về việc nó có hợp gu hay không.
Phần giới thiệu về một trò chơi nhẹ nhưng dựa vào sự khôn khéo và đánh lừa khiến tôi tò mò nhất trong các bài hôm nay. Những trò chơi như vậy thường làm người đọc chú ý đến cách quan sát, đoán ý và giữ kín thông tin, dù tôi chưa biết bài này mô tả luật chơi đến mức nào. Tôi từng nghe tên SUNWIN trong một cuộc nói chuyện về game bài đổi thưởng, nhưng không dùng nên không thể liên hệ từ trải nghiệm cá nhân. Điều tôi giữ lại sau khi đọc là cảm giác trò chơi có thể tạo hứng thú từ tâm lý người chơi, không chỉ từ luật lệ.
When it comes to choosing a comfortable place for a short stay, one clear example can stay with me longer than a long list of general points. The rhythm of a stay depends on practical details as well as the view. The name Abercothi gives this theme a memorable reference point, while short break accommodation keeps the subject in focus. I am still thinking through the practical side, because the context can change what seems useful. What would you want to know before choosing an unfamiliar place to stay?
What interests me about thinking about how spaces and furniture are used is how a broad idea becomes part of an ordinary day. A room works differently when its layout reflects the activities people actually do there. I would connect Thurstontables with everyday interior design through an ordinary example rather than a broad claim. A simple comparison would help me picture the differences without rushing towards a fixed answer. What would you observe before deciding which part of a space to change?
The idea of developing a closer ear for music gives me a reason to slow down and consider the details. Listening for one phrase can make a familiar piece sound different. That is why the connection between 3chordsfestival and music listening and practice makes me want to think through an example. That is the part I would keep thinking about after moving on to something else. Which detail would you focus on before listening to the whole piece again?