Jabuka: The Gift that is a Blend of Coffee and Games ☕

JABUKA is the new rotating letter word game that’s brewing up a lot of fun for coffee lovers this holiday.

Martin Russocki, inventor of JABUKA, explained, “When I got the idea for Jabuka, I was in a coffee shop fiddling with a coffee bean at my table, while I was waiting for my beverage. I witnessed how tech was interrupting social interactions and thought about the first coffee houses where people played interactive games. Noticing also how texting is becoming its own language, an idea took ‘shape.’ A new coffee inspired word game could address these issues! I drew my initial on a coffee bean and spun it. M is also an E and a W!”

A new alphabet was being born and Russocki was learning to speak Jabuka!

Coffee’s historic relationship with games made it the perfect platform for the fun and tactile shape of the pieces, the packaging and as an example of when and where you can play – just about anywhere.  Jabuka (MSRP $19.95 for 2-4 players ages 8+) is now the portable, quick and easy game that you can play on any flat level surface — such as a coffee or kitchen table.

The theme is fun and the game is even more fun, Russocki said. “Jabuka is the perfect gift for any coffee lover as a complement to their daily ritual of coffee, a dose of news or literature and a new brain teaser.  It can be a stocking stuffer and a great suggestion for fans of games like Scrabble, Bananagrams, and as an alternative to card games too.”

Recently, some of the nation’s top toy testers spilled the beans about Jabuka when the game received the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award 2020 and the 2020 PAL (Play On Words) Award, which are now added to its: Best Game of the Year Award from Creative Play Magazine, Moms Choice Gold Award, ASTRA Top Toy of the Year Finalist, and the National Parenting Publications of America Winner.

How to Play Jabuka: Players spill the beans and start a battle of words (official rules at www.jabukagames.com). No turn taking. Make words and steal words at the same time from other players with clever word scrambles and adding letters. Notice the yellow letters that can be twisted, such as:

• “E” is “m” or “w”
• “c” is “u” or “n”
• “r” can be “j”;
• “t” is also “x”;
• and more

When you first spill the beans, some land face down, leave those face down until everyone agrees to ”flip“and turns over 2 beans at a time to reveal new letters. Play. Repeat. Count beans when the last 2 are filled. The player with the most beans that make words wins!

Game on.