Uploaded November 2022 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
For the 9th year in a row, the fight is on yet again in the battle of chain reaction art! This year, I go head-to-head with one of the most innovative minds in all of domino art: @micajodomino. Will Machines come out on top? Or have I met my match against the sheer insanity of these domino clips? You be the judge!
Support me on Patreon! patreon.com/jackofallspades98
LINKS:
Micajo Domino: youtube.com/micajodomino
Watch Rounds I - VIII! youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJc_biUk0i74UcS7_WMgibJ_tS6YncftP
Overall, I'm very pleased with the tricks I built this year. After losing the first half of September to my recent move, I was worried I'd have to cut corners to finish all my clips, but I think all of them turned out well, even (especially?) the ones that were "rushed".
Compared to last year, I think there are fewer crazy insane sudden motions, and more tricks that are cool for other reasons, but I think it's a change for the better. I'm especially proud of clips like the Zigzag Board Escapement Car and Collapsing Zigzag Tracks because of their concepts and execution, even if the motions themselves aren't blow-your-socks-off insane.
Another new thing this year are some clips with some additional arts-and-crafts decoration elements (the spikes/danger signs in Looping Pendulum and the hypnotic swirl in Resetting Circular Billiard Ball Chain). This is the kind of thing I'd like to add to my machines more often, and I'm starting to find more and more ways to do it. Keep an eye out for things like this to become more integrated into my style in the future!
If you're wondering what the miscellaneous objects are in the background of the Anagram Decoder clip, there are 3 other pairs of words that are anagrams of each other, one on each side of the decoder, just like how HEART turns into EARTH. The extra anagrams aren't easy, but they serve as a bonus puzzle for those who want to figure them out! (See bottom of description for the answers)
CLIP LIST:
Anagram Decoder (0:18) - 10 fails, 5 days
Up & Down Gear Tracks (0:33) - 31 fails, 2 days
Jump Rope Pong Shot (0:46) - 72 fails, 4 days
Looping Pendulum (1:18) - 13 fails, 3 days
Resetting Circular Billiard Ball Chain (1:32) - 12 fails, 4 days
Double Pendulum Planetary Gears (2:23) - 1 fail, 4 days
Zigzag Board Escapement Car (2:32) - 5 fails, 1 day
Collapsing Zigzag Tracks (2:48) - 3 fails, 3 days
CLIP STATS:
Most fails: Jump Rope Pong Shot (72 fails)
Fewest fails: Double Pendulum Planetary Gears (1 fail)
Most frustrating during building: Anagram Decoder (the stuff you can't see underneath the board, trust me...)
Most frustrating during testing: Anagram Decoder (see above) & Up & Down Gear Tracks
Most fun: Looping Pendulum & Zigzag Board Escapement Car
Favorite: Looping Pendulum
Longest Build Time: Anagram Decoder (5 days)
Quickest Build Time: Zigzag Board Escapement Car (1 day)
SPECIAL THANKS:
@BobbyBroccoli for the inspiration (and tutorial) on using Google Earth to animate (youtu.be/MfM7cqOlgds)
@RadicalReactions99 for suggesting this year's song, honestly such a perfect choice I knew I had to use it the *instant* I heard it
My friends over in Crosscord, the crossword community's Discord server, for suggesting anagram pairs for the Anagram Decoder clip. Some of your suggestions became Easter eggs in the background!
#DominoesVsMachines
MUSIC:
Z0 - Skyblock
youtu.be/0Qx_oUrItjA
Follow Z0:
YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCUCg85ZZCkNdkQz0lBR77-Q
SoundCloud: soundcloud.com/hi_im_z0
Twitter: twitter.com/hi_im_z0
Want to hang out with other chain reaction artists and enthusiasts? Join the official Domino & Machine Community Discord server! discord.gg/9x8trKhS8K
I am also interested in commissioned work, such as live events, commercials, or product placements. Contact me via e-mail at jackofallspades98@gmail.com if you have any questions.
ANAGRAM DECODER ANSWERS:
-GRAPES / PAGERS
-NOTES / STONE
-PLATES / PETALS
For the 9th year in a row, the fight is on yet again in the battle of chain reaction art! This year, I go head-to-head with one of the most innovative minds in all of domino art: @micajodomino. Will Machines come out on top? Or have I met my match against the sheer insanity of these domino clips? You be the judge!
Support me on Patreon! patreon.com/jackofallspades98
LINKS:
Micajo Domino: youtube.com/micajodomino
Watch Rounds I - VIII! youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJc_biUk0i74UcS7_WMgibJ_tS6YncftP
Overall, I'm very pleased with the tricks I built this year. After losing the first half of September to my recent move, I was worried I'd have to cut corners to finish all my clips, but I think all of them turned out well, even (especially?) the ones that were "rushed".
Compared to last year, I think there are fewer crazy insane sudden motions, and more tricks that are cool for other reasons, but I think it's a change for the better. I'm especially proud of clips like the Zigzag Board Escapement Car and Collapsing Zigzag Tracks because of their concepts and execution, even if the motions themselves aren't blow-your-socks-off insane.
Another new thing this year are some clips with some additional arts-and-crafts decoration elements (the spikes/danger signs in Looping Pendulum and the hypnotic swirl in Resetting Circular Billiard Ball Chain). This is the kind of thing I'd like to add to my machines more often, and I'm starting to find more and more ways to do it. Keep an eye out for things like this to become more integrated into my style in the future!
If you're wondering what the miscellaneous objects are in the background of the Anagram Decoder clip, there are 3 other pairs of words that are anagrams of each other, one on each side of the decoder, just like how HEART turns into EARTH. The extra anagrams aren't easy, but they serve as a bonus puzzle for those who want to figure them out! (See bottom of description for the answers)
CLIP LIST:
Anagram Decoder (0:18) - 10 fails, 5 days
Up & Down Gear Tracks (0:33) - 31 fails, 2 days
Jump Rope Pong Shot (0:46) - 72 fails, 4 days
Looping Pendulum (1:18) - 13 fails, 3 days
Resetting Circular Billiard Ball Chain (1:32) - 12 fails, 4 days
Double Pendulum Planetary Gears (2:23) - 1 fail, 4 days
Zigzag Board Escapement Car (2:32) - 5 fails, 1 day
Collapsing Zigzag Tracks (2:48) - 3 fails, 3 days
CLIP STATS:
Most fails: Jump Rope Pong Shot (72 fails)
Fewest fails: Double Pendulum Planetary Gears (1 fail)
Most frustrating during building: Anagram Decoder (the stuff you can't see underneath the board, trust me...)
Most frustrating during testing: Anagram Decoder (see above) & Up & Down Gear Tracks
Most fun: Looping Pendulum & Zigzag Board Escapement Car
Favorite: Looping Pendulum
Longest Build Time: Anagram Decoder (5 days)
Quickest Build Time: Zigzag Board Escapement Car (1 day)
SPECIAL THANKS:
@BobbyBroccoli for the inspiration (and tutorial) on using Google Earth to animate (youtu.be/MfM7cqOlgds)
@RadicalReactions99 for suggesting this year's song, honestly such a perfect choice I knew I had to use it the *instant* I heard it
My friends over in Crosscord, the crossword community's Discord server, for suggesting anagram pairs for the Anagram Decoder clip. Some of your suggestions became Easter eggs in the background!
#DominoesVsMachines
MUSIC:
Z0 - Skyblock
youtu.be/0Qx_oUrItjA
Follow Z0:
YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCUCg85ZZCkNdkQz0lBR77-Q
SoundCloud: soundcloud.com/hi_im_z0
Twitter: twitter.com/hi_im_z0
Want to hang out with other chain reaction artists and enthusiasts? Join the official Domino & Machine Community Discord server! discord.gg/9x8trKhS8K
I am also interested in commissioned work, such as live events, commercials, or product placements. Contact me via e-mail at jackofallspades98@gmail.com if you have any questions.
ANAGRAM DECODER ANSWERS:
-GRAPES / PAGERS
-NOTES / STONE
-PLATES / PETALS
