By, Sandy Rashty
1 min read
BySandy Rashty, Sandy Rashty
Seven Yavneh College boys have designed a board game that is set to go global.
As part of a business and enterprise challenge, the year-eight pupils at the Borehamwood school came up with the strategy-focused “Buzzing Battle Bees”.
They worked with the Happy Puzzle Company to develop the game, which was released on Monday, in time for the Christmas market. It involves two-to-four players moving bee pieces across the board with the goal of capturing the rival queen bees while protecting their own.
Happy Puzzle Company managing director Gavin Ucko said it had the potential for “worldwide success. “In the 20 years I’ve been working here, I’ve struggled to find a product like this — it blew me away.
“It’s such a clever, original idea. It’s hard to believe that it was created by such young minds.
“There are plenty of excellent strategy games on the market and some great physical challenge games too.
“For the boys to have combined both kinds like this is incredibly clever.”
The game is being sold for £16.99 and the company has manufactured 3,000 copies for the initial UK run. More than 400 have already been shifted.
One of the young inventors, Isaac Fahidi, 13, said: “Our group of friends designed everything from the game to the sales pitch. Mr Ucko said our product had lots of gaming aspects in it and would sell well in the UK. The school gets royalties and we each got a £50 voucher to spend at the Happy Puzzle Company.”
Another of the creative team, Samuel Kelly, 12, added: “I really like design and enjoyed working on the game. I’d love it to go global and see it sold in Israel and America.” George Gross, Joel Freedman, Judah Jackson, Sammy Reeves-Smith and Nathan Stuart were the others involved.
Yavneh head Dr Dena Coleman was “very proud of what this group of year-eight pupils have achieved. Their game is fantastic and is already flying off the shelves.”