Have you ever stopped by the store on a Sunday evening and seen us around a table playing games?
What were we doing? Staff Game Night!
We all get together once a month on Sunday after the store has closed and play games. We do this so that we can explain them to you in much better detail than just reading the blurb off the back of the box.
Here is what we played this week:
Dixit
2010 Spiel des Jahres Winner
(prestigious German board game award)
We all had a lot of fun with this game!
Dixit is a party game best played with 5 or 6 players, but can be played with as few as 3. The manufacturers suggested age is 8 and up, but we felt like this game might be difficult for some, not all, eight year olds. The playing time is approximately 30 minutes. Dixit is in the same vain of party games as Apples to Apples. Each player has a hand of 6 cards with different images on them. One player is the storyteller each round, and the storyteller moves clockwise around the table with each subsequent round. The storyteller chooses an image from their had and expresses the idea of the picture to the other players. The instructions for the game state that the player is to give a sentence, but we prefer the alternate rules MUCH better. We played the game such that the storyteller could express the idea of the image in any way they wanted; sentence, one word, song lyrics, movie quote, interpretive dance, and in once case a really loud scream.
After the player has expressed the idea of their card, each of the other players much choose a card from their hand that they think could also, in some way, be described by what the storyteller just did. These cards are shuffled and displayed face up in a line for everyone to see. Each player uses their voting tokens to secretly vote for the card they think is the correct card that the storyteller was describing.
If the vote is unanimous, either all players vote for the correct card or the incorrect card, the storyteller receives no points and all other players score 2 points. The clue that was given was either too easy or too hard! The goal of the storyteller is to give just enough of a clue that some players get it, but keep it a little obscure so that it stumps some of the players. In the case that some players vote for the correct card and some vote for the incorrect card the following points are scored:
3 points for each correct vote to the storyteller
3 points for each player that votes for the correct card
1 point for the player that put down a card that receives an incorrect vote
The game ends when the entire deck of cards has been used. The player with the most points wins!
Quelf
The card game version
This is the card game version of one of our favorite adult board games, Quelf! It is played much like the board game but simplified. This would be a better version to play if you have less time or are camping and don't want the hassle of the board and game pieces. This game is for ages 10 and up and best played as a party games with all your best buddies. The sole purpose of this game is to look like an idiot and make your friends laugh so hard they cry. A game of Quelf can take anywhere from 30 minutes to all night.
There are 5 types of cards; Stuntz, Scatter Brainz, Roolz, Showbiz, and Quizzle.
- Stuntz cards make you perform ridiculous acts and daredevil moves.
- Scatter Brainz cards make you choose one of two topics and everyone gives answers until no one can think of a valid one like; "Ways to get your leg out of a spring-loaded, steel bear trap" or "Brands of Lipstick"
- Roolz cards give you a crazy rule to play by for the rest of the game. Kelly had to say 'Funny, I thought farming was outlawed in that part of the country!' every time someone drew a card.
- Showbiz cards make you mime, sing, tapdance, draw, do impressions, write poetry...
- Quizzle cards are trivia questions and brain teasers. These cards must be read by another player.
Each card has 3 options and players have to announce a number, one, two, or three, before drawing a card and cannot change their mind once they have seen all three options.
Some of our favorites from Sunday night were when; Pam, our resident grandma, had to give herself a wedgie and walk around the store, Debbie had to hum a Hawaiian song and do a hula dance, and Tricia had to poke herself in the forehead with her thumb every time someone drew a card.
