The world of tabletop gaming is always changing, but it's hard to find a recent example of a game more innovative than Blinks. Developed by Move38, a team led by MIT graduate Jonathan Bobrow and brought to life thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign, the board game system consists only of smart tiles – known as Blinks – that are individually programmed and interact with each other when placed side-by-side.

RELATED: Monster Hunter Board Game Stomps Onto Kickstarter In 2021

Each Blink is a tiny plastic disc embedded with LED lights, magnets, and an Arduino chipset. One side is flexible, allowing for user input via various clicks, and the other side is adorned with the included game's logo. Starting a game is simple – just turn on your Blinks, then long-press on the game you want to play until the LED lights start spinning. Then, connect all your Blinks together – which is always satisfying thanks to powerful magnetics – and let the game load. The LED lights on all the Blinks will start spinning, then turn solid once the process is complete.

For the most part, all the games included in the Core Set are a blast. The standout we played was Mortals, which sees two players compete to drain the lifeforce out of their opponent's tiles. Each tile starts with a lifespan of 60 seconds, and the goal is to deplete all your enemy's tiles and be the last one with a tile alive on the board. Players take turns removing one of their Blinks from the playfield and placing it at a new location, siphoning a bit of lifeforce out of any tiles it touches. It's incredibly easy to learn but has a surprisingly deep layer of strategy for high-level players.

via Move38

Blinks Core Set even includes a great single player experience in Puzzle 101. After setting up the game, each Blinks piece will display LED lights of various colors, and it's your goal to match each color together. Some of the randomly generated puzzles are ridiculously difficult and will have you scratching your head in confusion, while others can be completed in minutes. It would be great if there was a way to choose your difficulty, but other than that small complaint it's a great solo experience.

Savvy programmers can opt to buy a dev kit that allows them to create their own games and share them on the web – and we wouldn't be surprised to see Blinks make their way to the high school classrooms and electronics clubs around the nation. Many of Move38's previous projects have garnered the attention of educators, but Blinks might its best yet.

When you buy the Blinks Core Set you'll receive a pack of six Blinks, each with their own unique game pre-programmed. You'll also get a magnetic Sushi Roll to take them on the road, along with a brief instruction manual that covers the basics of each game. They're a bit steep at $99.00, but you're getting six great games and an innovative new tabletop experience unlike anything else on the market.

Blinks are now available on Move38's official website. The company is also releasing 6 new games for Blinks on Kickstarter beginning September 29th.

READ NEXT: Modiphius And FriaLigan Launch Nordic Horror RPG Vaesen