Celebrating Hip-Hop’s Legacy: Wu-Tang Clan’s Influence Immortalized in New Board Game “Shaolin” 

Shaolin Display: In Shaolin, players take on the roles of students training in the 35 chambers of the Shaolin Temple, with the ultimate goal of creating the 36th chamber – a nod to the 1978 martial arts film The 36th Chamber of Shaolin.

By Benjamin Webster

As hip-hop celebrates its 51st anniversary , fans can look forward to a fresh and engaging way to honor one of the genre’s most iconic groups. Chill B Games co-founder Tiffany Campolongo has unveiled Shaolin: A Wu-Tang-Inspired Board Game, which blends Wu-Tang Clan trivia with a dynamic battle mechanic. This immersive experience takes players on a journey through over three decades of Wu-Tang history, all while educating them about the group’s profound cultural impact.

“The Wu-Tang Clan has been likened to the Rolling Stones or the Beatles of hip-hop,” Campolongo explains. “While there are board games celebrating these classic rock legends, none have explored the legacy of a hip-hop group—until now.”

Shaolin stands out as the first board game to focus exclusively on a hip-hop group or artist, filling a notable gap in the board game market. The project was a labor of love for Campolongo and her husband, Mike, who co-designed and published the game through their company, Chill B Games. Their mission is to honor classic hip-hop icons through creative and engaging board games.

In Shaolin, players assume the roles of students training in the 35 chambers of the Shaolin Temple, aiming to create the legendary 36th chamber—a nod to the 1978 martial arts classic The 36th Chamber of Shaolin. This film was a major influence on the Wu-Tang Clan and inspired the title of their groundbreaking debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers).

Players earn “cream” (a reference to the group’s anthem “C.R.E.A.M.”) by answering Wu-Tang trivia questions. These coins can be used to acquire fighting styles like Tiger Style and Shadowboxing. As players battle through the Temple, they can also challenge opponents to duels, all in pursuit of proving their worthiness to establish the 36th chamber.

The game boasts high-quality components, including metal “cream” coins and fully painted player pieces inspired by the iconic Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) album cover and martial arts poses sampled in the group’s music. The artwork features Chinese calligraphy by Shifu Shi Yan Ming, founder of the USA Shaolin Temple and a close friend of RZA, one of Wu-Tang’s founding members.

With adjustable trivia difficulty levels and a balanced gameplay system incorporating thematic action cards, Shaolin ensures an accessible and engaging experience for all players. Recently, Campolongo presented on the potential of board games to tell hip-hop stories at the 8th Annual Can’t Stop Hip-Hop Conference at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

“Board games offer a unique way to tell stories, bringing people together for an engaging and educational experience,” Campolongo notes. “By bringing this game to market, we hope to establish board games as a medium for sharing the stories of hip-hop artists, preserving the genre’s legacy as it moves into its next 50 years.”