This looks interesting as I will have to have a look when I am at CES
Las Vegas, January 6, 2019
SquareOne by Wizama, the 1st Board Game Console!
Wizama, startup specializing in innovative gaming systems, unveils
SquareOne: the first board game console. Featuring a built-in touch
screen and pawns, cards, a dice and a track that act as controllers,
it enables both physical and digital interaction – which ultimately
opens players to a full experience of gameplay while preserving the
sense of traditional board games: fellowship and sharing. Wizama won
a CES Innovation Awards 2019 in “Gaming”.
Wizama unveils SquareOne: the first board game console. Born out of a
father’s exasperation of having to fight an iPad to get his
daughter’s attention, SquareOne offers the human experience,
fellowship and sharing of board games, as well as the gamefeel and
powerful rewards of video games, giving the whole a child’s play
spontaneity.
SquareOne by Wizama is the first connected board game to merge two
universes that never combined before: traditional board games and
video games. It allows families and friends to compete, collaborate
(and cheat) on a horizontal 19-inch screen, using connected toys
(pawns, cards, toys, sets, buzzers, dices). Each of these toys every
movement, effect, and interaction is calculated and illustrated in
real time by the console. This interactive support modernizes board
game and launches the era of the connected social game. SquareOne is
a “video and playful” device that reinforces ties between
generations, surpassing the screen generation by making the digital a
driver of sociability.
Franck Botta, CEO of Wizama explains: “By combining board game and
video game, SquareOne offers family and friends a way to experiment
tons of fun and excitement without the generation gap around
technology or having to learn a full rulebook. We provide a
multigenerational way to play where everyone can interact, immerse,
bond, compete, set challenges or cheat!”
SquareOne: a game not limited to the screen
Through patented technology, SquareOne solves the issue of
identifying objects, as well as the gameboard’s physical importance:
the traditional board games have been completely integrated into the
experience; SquareOne screen is bordered by 26 dedicated slots that
can be used by cardboard tiles and other connected toys to build
specific playing areas and enlarge the gaming surface.
When placed on the console, cardboard tiles are detected and allow to
automatically launch the associated game. Moreover, the console
detects every dice roll and sends its value to the console through
Bluetooth and NFC, while guiding players to their next move. The dice
is completely passive, with no integrated battery and has a low
production cost, which suits the needs of dice hungry board gamers.
The console’s brims are made of soft grip material that allows real
cardboard, for player’s play zone, to be easily positioned around the
console and, depending on the game, offer various gameplay insights
and information to the players, such as, where to place their cards.
These mixed materials distinguish the connected board game from a
tablet to achieve a complete and new stand-alone object, reinforcing
the unique mix of two universes: physical and digital.
Intuitive and interactive gameplay
Enhanced with artificial intelligence, the console adapts to the
player according to his age and knowledge. Interactive tutorials
avoid the reading of long game rules. The tedious tasks are made more
comfortable: the counting of the points, the setting up and the
running of the games. Games and universes can be changed at any time.
Games can be accessed directly through the board game console, which
also enables players to record games, restart a match at any time,
and set up profiles. During a match, each player can choose to play
in one of the 32 languages available, surpassing intercultural
barriers.
A catalogue of new interactive board games fits the emerging hybrid
gameplay. Wizama partners with leading board game publishers,
videogame studios and videogame schools such as Roberto Fraga,
Atypique Studio, Sanuk Games, IIM, Pixel Wizards and Les Gobelins to
offer a variety of experiences and the guarantee the release of
exciting novelties. Games on release day will include:
Oya Stones: inspired by Snakes and Ladders, the game is played using
a dice to advance and cards to attack or defend. Chromacy: tactical
game of conquest. Each player creates a strategy to move, attack
opponents to gain the board and gain territory. Krubera: tactical and
chance game. Each player must simultaneously shoot on the blobs to
acquire precious stones and win the match. Cosmo Squabble:
2 vs 2 shooter that works with connected cards and evolves in a
spatial and cartoon style universe. Fistful of Screws: role game
taking place in a junkyard where animals are the rulers. Players play
these bizarre creatures and explore the junkyard by moving the pawn
and using their action card.
Technical Features
19 x 16.62 x 1.22 inches / 482.4 x 422.1 x 31 mm 7 pounds / 3.2 kg
Multi-Touch display TFT-LCD active matrix 19-inch Wide-viewing
angle> 170° Hardless surface Anti-reflective Computing Hexa-Core ARM
Capacity RAM 2GB Disk 64/128GB Four speaker audio Cloud storage
Android stack Power and battery Built‐in rechargeable via power
adapter; passive dice 1 micro USB port Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n),
Bluetooth 4.2 Low Energy and NFC (Near Field Communication)
technology 32 languages: English (Australia, UK, U.S.), Chinese,
French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Arabic, Catalan,
Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi,
Hungarian, Indonesian, Malay, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese,
Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian,
Vietnamese
Availability
Wizama will be available early summer 2019 at a suggested Retail
Price of 499 $. The package includes 4 interactive pawns (blue,
green, red, yellow), 54 magic cards, one smart dice, one wireless
dice track and an AC power adapter.
