This was not a game made for profit, this was a game developed by a child who was lonely at school and who needed to keep himself entertained with few friends. It’s inspired by that kid’s mind spinning with fantasy and strategy - bits and pieces of games he knew coming together until KESS worked. Then adult Dave thought he’d give it a go and try push his project out into the world.
Dave is passionate about some things, but he’s also shy so I sort of have to ask him about them. Dave doesn’t like social media and in fact doesn’t have any social accounts. He also cares about the mental well-being of kids. He knows what a game can do when it comes to cheering a kid up, when it comes to bonding with others, and most of all, what an escape it can be for the troubled or concerned child (or adult!!).
So, here are the cornerstones of Dave’s thinking, and what KESS represents to him - what it affords not just children, but all who play it:
KESS is easy to learn and understand
You’ll be playing smoothly in less than ten minutes - no stuffy rule book required!
KESS games are fast
Under ten minutes - so you can always fit one in. Play repetitively for crazy amounts of brand new gameplays.
KESS being easy and fast does not detract from deep strategy opportunities
Strategize as deeply and as far forward as you like! That’s what having five moves per turn allows! Plan your onslaught with whatever degree of mental effort you happen to be able to muster - and have fun no matter that level.
KESS is for all!
This is the beauty of KESS - a newbie kid can play straightaway, so can a chess grandmaster - someone who craves that intellectual challenge. They could play each other - now the grandmaster is on new turf, the newbie, doesn’t-play-chess kid stands a chance.
KESS helps kids after Covid
Kess is a zero stress game, ideal to kick back and relax with. It makes sense to recognise that these children experienced something we haven’t seen globally since WWII: they were prevented, en masse and for a while, sometimes yo-yo’ing back and forth, from attending things that are, broadly speaking, good for their social, physical, emotional and intellectual development. KESS is the perfect remedy.
KESS brings children and parents together
Because you’ll both have so much fun playing it, it’s the perfect bonding game for the family. And because games only go for ten mins, it’s the perfect pick-me-up after a bad day (for either of you).
KESS is like a meditation break in a world that desperately needs more of them
Because KESS is both engaging and relaxing it has the effect of shutting out the outside world and fully pulling you in. You won’t be thinking about what your boss said to you at lunch, or what needs doing before you can go to bed. When you’re done you’ll be in a completely different mood, and things won’t seem so heavy.