What started as a fun idea on my kitchen table turned into a marketing campaign being presented at one of the world’s largest gaming expos, PAX East 2025.

Mushinko is a family friendly, roll-and-move action game inspired by the handmade BG Mushroom Sculptures. The game follows the main characters, Hinko and Mushin, through the fungi forest as they collect resources and get ready to compete in the Mushroom Pachinko drop game.

• The Game

  Mushinko is a 3-5 player roll-and-move action game, where players travel the multiple board tracks collecting resources. At the end of the game, players compete against each other in the interactive Mushroom Pachinko drop game using the magnetic game box and resources.

  

  The magnetic game box includes a pin grid design that is used in the end game.

  The Mushinko Coloring book provides free designs to change the media and game layout each time you play.

  An iOS prototype companion app was created to support gameplay and virtual multi player

  Project

  Mushinko began development in the summer of 2024. Originally called ‘BG Mushroom Land’, the game explored the fantasy world surrounding my BG Mushroom Sculptures, which include colorful designs and magnetic attachments.

  Using a combination of my graphic design skills, web development, and generative AI technologies, I took on the challenge of designing a game of mini games which incorporated a magnetic game box into the gameplay.

  Mushinko was play tested through the winter of 2024 and launched at PAX East in May of 2025, with a corresponding Kickstarter campaign from April-May 2025.

  

  Challenges

  The most challenging part of designing a board game from scratch and building the supporting materials was digital marketing. Collecting information, repetitive messaging, and fundraising messaging was a weakness in the project.

  Tariffs
  During the game development and fundraising, international shipping risks were high. With much uncertainty around the viability of sourcing the game from china during the summer of 2025, digital marketing efforts were drastically reduced, hampering the success of the project.

  Game Design
  The Mushinko board game went through several game mechanic redesigns. In addition to the roll-and-move adventure, the game includes several mini games which were independently designed and play tested.

  Marketing
  Marketing for Mushinko included social media ads, a kickstarter campaign, and in-person marketing at trade shows and fairs.

  Design
  The board game itself has over 80 board spaces, 85 action cards, and multiple route game mechanics. The game box includes an innovative magnetic receptive sheet allowing players to play Mushroom Pachinko right on the box. The Mushinko Coloring book lets players use new designs each time they play.

  Digital Marketing
  Digital Marketing proved to be the most challenging aspect of the Mushinko project.

  

  Results & Lessons Learned

  While the Mushinko kickstarter ultimately failed to meet the fundraising goal, the project itself was a success. The project allowed me to explore various product, marketing, and user experiences, putting myself at the center of the one of the largest gaming conventions in the world.

• The Game

  Mushinko is a 3-5 player roll-and-move action game, where players travel the multiple board tracks collecting resources. At the end of the game, players compete against each other in the interactive Mushroom Pachinko drop game using the magnetic game box and resources.

  

  The magnetic game box includes a pin grid design that is used in the end game.

  The Mushinko Coloring book provides free designs to change the media and game layout each time you play.

  An iOS prototype companion app was created to support gameplay and virtual multi player

  Project

  Mushinko began development in the summer of 2024. Originally called ‘BG Mushroom Land’, the game explored the fantasy world surrounding my BG Mushroom Sculptures, which include colorful designs and magnetic attachments.

  Using a combination of my graphic design skills, web development, and generative AI technologies, I took on the challenge of designing a game of mini games which incorporated a magnetic game box into the gameplay.

  Mushinko was play tested through the winter of 2024 and launched at PAX East in May of 2025, with a corresponding Kickstarter campaign from April-May 2025.

  

  Challenges

  The most challenging part of designing a board game from scratch and building the supporting materials was digital marketing. Collecting information, repetitive messaging, and fundraising messaging was a weakness in the project.

  Tariffs
  During the game development and fundraising, international shipping risks were high. With much uncertainty around the viability of sourcing the game from china during the summer of 2025, digital marketing efforts were drastically reduced, hampering the success of the project.

  Game Design
  The Mushinko board game went through several game mechanic redesigns. In addition to the roll-and-move adventure, the game includes several mini games which were independently designed and play tested.

  Marketing
  Marketing for Mushinko included social media ads, a kickstarter campaign, and in-person marketing at trade shows and fairs.

  Design
  The board game itself has over 80 board spaces, 85 action cards, and multiple route game mechanics. The game box includes an innovative magnetic receptive sheet allowing players to play Mushroom Pachinko right on the box. The Mushinko Coloring book lets players use new designs each time they play.

  Digital Marketing
  Digital Marketing proved to be the most challenging aspect of the Mushinko project.

  

  Results & Lessons Learned

  While the Mushinko kickstarter ultimately failed to meet the fundraising goal, the project itself was a success. The project allowed me to explore various product, marketing, and user experiences, putting myself at the center of the one of the largest gaming conventions in the world.