2018 - The Idea
In late 2018, Eliot and Ben from Game Kings set out to learn Te Reo Māori and began looking for a game that could support their journey.
When they struggled to find options - especially beginner-friendly ones - the idea for Tākaro was born. They teamed up with a friend studying Te Reo at Waikato University and Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, who helped turn their concept into a fully developed game.
2019 - Kickstarter Campaign
Game Kings launched a Kickstarter for Tākaro in 2019, aiming to have the game ready for Māori Language Week in September. The campaign exceeded its funding goal within the first 72 hours, and the team successfully delivered the game in time for the celebration.
2020 - Expansions
Tākaro! Bits & Bobs features everyday household objects to make it even easier to start using Te Reo in your whare.
Tākaro! Into the Wild explores the outdoors so players can korero about Aotearoa’s beautiful ngāi kīrehe (fauna) & ngāi tipu (flora).
2021 - Two more versions released
A further two new versions of Tākaro in 2021 expanded the range to 5 games.
2021 - Koha For Kura
Koha for Kura
In 2021, Game Kings ran an initiative called Koha for Kura (Gifts for Schools). The goal was for every copy of Tākaro sold, Game Kings would donate a Tākaro game to an NZ school. The aim was to reach all 2,556 schools across the country (per a list from the MoE).
The goal wasn't quite reached but Game Kings followed through on their mission sending Tākaro to all schools across the country.
2021 - Custom Made for BNZ
In 2021 we had the privilege of partnering with The Bank Of New Zealand to create a custom version of Tākaro. This was gifted to all their staff throughout NZ in Christmas 2021.
If you have an idea for a custom Tākaro or your organisation would like to partner with us we'd love to to hear from you.