Many people confess their love for the Netherlands, yet one man took it one step further.
A man recently posted in r/thenetherlands an awesome invention. Despite not knowing any Dutch, that did not stop these people from making a work of art/game using none other than Delft blauw tiles.
What are Delft tiles?
If you’ve been to the Netherlands, you’ve certainly seen Delft tiles, which are part of Delftware, or Delft pottery. Known by their blue and white colouring, Delft pottery is a quintessentially Dutch cultural artefact. It was developed during the Dutch Golden Age, inspired by Chinese porcelain brought to the Netherlands by the VOC (Dutch East India Company) and developed in Delft.
Tulip Mania
I am sorry I do not speak Dutch – but I did make this fully functional arcade game out of custom made Delft tiles. It is called Tulip Mania. I was told to post here! I want to go to the Netherlands very much! from thenetherlands
The fully functional game is called “Tulip Mania”. It is made out of 114 faux Delft tiles, with not one being the same as the other.
How to play
It’s a mechanical arcade game, so yes, it has a little ball that you must successfully throw in a hole in order to increase your score.
The maker of the game has said that it is hard to master game due to the tiles, and players have to be strategic about how they throw the ball, using bounce and spin techniques.
The main character on the tiles is called “Titus the Tulip”, and you follow him along on his Delft adventure. In the true spirit of the Dutch Golden Age, the purpose of the game is to steal the spice trade drive the market price of tulips as high as possible.
This is the third arcade game made by the author, and in his own words, it just may be his favourite. You can find more of his work on his Instagram account.
What other Dutch-inspired arcade games would you design? Let us know in the comments.
Editor’s Note: This article was originally written in January 2020 and was fully updated in January 2021 for your reading pleasure.
Feature Image: Allison Meier /Flickr