Ma Nishtana (game)

Ma Nishtana: Why is this Night Different? is a Jewish tabletop role-playing game centered on the Passover Seder, created by cousins Gabrielle Rabinowitz and Ben Bisogno and published in 2023 after a successful Kickstarter campaign. Players take on the roles of characters drawn from the Exodus story, using the structure of the Seder itself as the game's framework rather than a traditional board or battle map. Instead of dice rolls or other randomized mechanics, the game moves forward through structured storytelling prompts that guide players through the night's traditional questions and rituals, reframing them as scenes to be played out collaboratively. The title borrows its name from the Ma Nishtana, the Four Questions traditionally asked during the Seder, applying that framing device to an original game rather than reproducing the liturgical text itself. The game was recognized within the independent game design community, earning nominations for Best Rules and Best Art at the 2023 Indie Game Developer Network awards.