Bambam Kingdom: From Café Beginnings to Game Design

Bambam Kingdom started as a small IP-based café by Rizal and Verra in Indonesia. Their love for games soon led to designing their own titles, and in this interview, Rizal shares their journey and what drives their growing presence in the board game scene.

Q: Please give the readers a short introduction about yourself and Bambam Kingdom. What is your origin story?

Hello! My name is Rizal. My wife, Verra, and I started a small business in 2012, a café called Comic Café. To stand out from other cafés at the time, we decided to create our own original characters and stories. By building our own IP (intellectual property), we hoped to create something memorable that customers could connect with and recognize over time, something unique to us that couldn’t be found anywhere else. That’s how “Bambam and friends” came to life, and the world they live in became known as Bambam Kingdom. That is how the name of the studio was created.

Q: What were some of the challenges you faced when starting up Bambam Kingdom in 2012?

Our biggest challenge in the early days was creating a world, and a cast of characters, that people could truly connect with. We wanted our IP and its universe to be not just charming, but timeless... Something that could resonate across different age groups and generations. Just as important was figuring out how to introduce this world to a wider audience and choosing the right platforms to bring it to life.

Around that time, our good friend Wikan, a regular at our café, became part of the journey. The three of us: my wife, Wikan, and I, are all passionate gamers. We spent countless hours playing board games together at the café, and one day, my wife casually asked, “Why don’t we make our own games?” That simple question was the spark that led us down the path of game design, and that’s how our journey into creating board games truly began.

Q: Talk about the creation process behind games such as Bambam Race and Bambam Line - What inspired the themes and game design for these games?

Bambam Race began as an entry for the "18 cards game" challenge on boardgamegeek.com. After the initial concept, we continued refining it until it was ready for mass production.

Bambam Line was inspired by the simplicity and appeal of games like Candy Crush. We wanted to create an abstract game that was quick to learn but still satisfying to play.

Bambam Cooking Class is currently our flagship title and also the most challenging game we've made so far. It’s designed for players who enjoy a deeper and more strategic experience. On the other end of the spectrum, we have

Bambam Boom, a fast-paced, last player standing game that’s perfect for when you just want to be a little ruthless and take everyone else out.

Our creative process is never fixed. Sometimes we begin with a game mechanic, other times with a theme or idea. We go through many prototypes and focus our efforts on the ones that show the most promise as we develop and refine them further.

Q: Bambam Hide & Seek was created with children with dyslexia in mind. How do you approach designing inclusive games that are still fun and engaging for a broader audience?

The most important thing is that the game stays fun. Even when we create educational board games, we always remember that they are still games, and games should be enjoyable. Designing something that is both inclusive and educational can be more challenging than making a regular game, but we put in the extra effort through research and playtesting. Our aim is to find that balance where the game offers value while still being engaging for anyone who plays it.

Q: You have taken part in international events such as Spiel Essen in Germany and the London Book Fair in the United Kingdom. How have these experiences influenced the reception of your games?

The response was amazing. We sold hundreds of copies in just four days at Essen. We received positive feedback from fellow designers and well-known figures in the board game community. We also made many new friends who genuinely enjoyed our games. Essen is truly the place to be for board game enthusiasts.

Q: You were at the Asian Board Game Festival (ABGF) in Singapore in 2024, where you showcased your games. Talk about your experience during the event. How was the reception of Singaporeans to your game?

The reception was very positive. Convention participants enjoyed our games, spoke highly of them, and many ended up buying copies. We also had the chance to share meals with designers from Singapore and other Asian countries, where we played each other’s games, exchanged feedback, and shared our experiences and challenges in board game development. The global tabletop community is always warm and welcoming, and we feel grateful to have met so many passionate gamers from around the world and learned so much from their stories.

Q: After interacting with Singaporean gamers, how do you see the gaming trends differing between Singapore and Indonesia? What are some key differences and similarities in gaming tastes?

I believe Indonesian and Singaporean gamers have a lot in common, especially a shared fondness for card games. However, Singaporean gamers tend to be more influenced by mah-jong and puzzle games, while Indonesian gamers generally prefer party games.

Q: Singapore audiences are curious about the state of the tabletop culture in Indonesia. Any trends or unique characteristics you have observed over the years?

The board game scene in Indonesia has been growing steadily every year. Since we started in 2005, we continue to welcome many players who are new to board games. Most of our community consists of casual gamers who enjoy party and mini games that can be played casually while hanging out at our café, without requiring much time or effort. At the same time, there are also smaller groups who meet once or twice a week to dive into Eurogames and more complex games that can take several hours to complete.

Q: Talk about the recent collaboration with Let’s Play Indonesia, and how it will grow the tabletop culture in Indonesia?

Let’s Play Indonesia and Bambam Kingdom have a long-standing collaboration that continues to grow stronger! We meet every two weeks to play board games together, sharing ideas and inspiration. Let’s Play focuses on creating board games with a purpose, designing unique and engaging games that help students of all ages learn new concepts and develop important skills. Meanwhile, we concentrate on entertainment-focused games. This complementary approach makes it easier for us to work together in introducing and expanding the tabletop culture in Indonesia.

Q: Any future games or plans that you are excited to share with the audience in 2025?

Alongside revisiting and redesigning our older games and concepts, we are applying the skills and insights we have gained over the years to make them better than ever. Our experience has deepened our understanding of what makes a game engaging and enjoyable, allowing us to refine gameplay, balance, and presentation in ways we couldn’t before. At the same time, we are using these improved design abilities to create new concepts, including an exciting mecha battle board game called Bambam Bot. In this game, players build their own mechas and face off against each other. We have kept the gameplay simple and fun so that anyone can quickly jump in and enjoy the action. Bambam Bot has been submitted to Gameathon 2025, a board game competition in Indonesia. Wish us luck!

Q: Where can we find out more about your games?

Our website is https://bambam.id/studio/

We also have a small selection of our games with Singapore Boardgame Design. Do check out their shop!