As an enthusiastic board game group, we are always on the lookout for new, exciting gaming experiences. When the Teburu board was announced by Pegasus Spiele, we were immediately curious: an electronic game board that digitally recognizes our physical game actions and links them to an app? That sounded like a real game changer. A few days ago, the time had finally come – we tried out “Teburu: The Bad Karmas and the Curse of the Zodiac”. And what can we say? It was a game night we won’t forget in a hurry.

First impressions: Technology meets table

The excitement was palpable when I unpacked it. The Teburu board looks high-quality and is surprisingly easy to set up. After connecting it via USB-C and starting the app, our figures were recognized immediately – a little highlight for technology fans. Especially cool: Each miniature has an RFID chip on the underside so that the board knows where each character is at all times. The connection to the app on the tablet worked smoothly and we were ready to go within a few minutes.

The game principle: Boss fight with depth

“The Bad Karmas” is a cooperative game in which we fight together against overpowering bosses – the so-called Zodiacs. Each character has individual abilities and cooperation is the key to success. In our game, we fought against Sagittarius, a giant, snake-like enemy with deadly ranged attacks. The app guided us through the story, explained rules in context and took care of all the administrative tasks, from counting health points to the initiative order.

Gaming experience: pure immersion and interactivity

What makes “The Bad Karmas” truly unique is its immersion. The app shows animations, plays matching music and reacts immediately to our moves. When a player moves a piece, the board recognizes the movement – and the app reacts: Enemies turn in our direction, traps are triggered and new events pop up. This direct feedback feels almost like a video game, only with real figures in your hand.

We particularly liked how much time this saves: no tedious looking up special rules, no calculating damage points – the technology takes care of all that. Nevertheless, the tactics remain challenging. Each boss has different weak points that change during the fight. Our group had to constantly adapt their strategy to stay alive.

What inspired us

• Technology and haptics in perfect balance: The game remains a real board game, but at the same time feels modern and digitally supported.
• Dynamic gameplay: The fight against Sagittarius was challenging, but never frustrating. The learning curve is pleasantly steep.
• Storytelling: The app tells a coherent story with small decisions and consequences – a real plus for anyone who likes to immerse themselves in game worlds.
• Cooperative experience: We have rarely had so much discussion about tactics, movements and priorities as on this evening.

Points of criticism? Only a few

Of course, the Teburu board is a technical product – and you can tell. You should make sure that your tablet or smartphone is well charged, and occasionally we had to restart the app. The figure base with chip also takes some getting used to at first, as it raises the miniatures slightly. For purists who want to play completely analog, the system may not be the ideal game.

Our conclusion: A look into the future of the board game

Our conclusion is clear: “The Bad Karmas” on the Teburu board is one of the most innovative board game experiences of recent years. It combines the best of two worlds – tactile play and digital support – and creates an experience that is more than just a game. We are already looking forward to the upcoming titles for the system and are excited to see how the concept develops.

If you want to combine an affinity for technology with a passion for board games, you should definitely give Teburu a try. We are definitely hooked!