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Jack Kountouris is the son of a Washington Park native and has developed a new board game, called “Invasion: The Conquest of Kings.” 

Invasion is a military strategy game whereby three to four players manage their resources and wage war against other players with the goal to have the most powerful kingdom by conquering two kings and obtaining two crowns. 

Kountouris said the approximately one-and-a-half hour long game is great for older kids because it teaches them critical thinking skills and it helps them learn how to manage resources which can lead to lessons like how to manage money. It also can teach kids about various types of environments and political science concepts.  

Board games, Kountouris said, have not fallen victim to video games. In fact, the COVID-19 pandemic showed families the value in spending time together playing board games. He shared that many articles were written during the pandemic about a resurgence of board games because they fostered quality time between family members. 

Kountouris and his business partner, Davis Gilbert, started as friends when they attended (and later graduated from) Wake Forest University. They and mutual friends enjoyed playing board games. It’s what inspired them to create Invasion as well as their own business, Dimension Board Games.

Kountouris and Gilbert spent two years right after graduation developing Invasion. Most of that time was spent writing and editing game rules as well as finding loopholes within the rules to prevent any cheating. 

They are promoting Invasion by hosting board game nights at local businesses and businesses throughout eastern North Carolina. Invasion is available for purchase ($39.99) on Dimension Board Games’ website.