Every week a group of friends get together at my apartment. We keep the numbers relatively small; usually 4-6 people show up. On most evenings we enjoy a quick meal together – and then dive into a board game. Nearly every week we try out a different game. The Scattergories game by Milton Bradley is certainly one of the group’s favorite party games.
We’re all in our 20’s, and we have very distinct personalities. Some are new in the group, and some have known each other for years – but none of that matters when we get together to play Scattergories. It seems the game never fails to keep the group rolling in laughter. Not that the game itself causes the laughter – in Scattergories, you get out of the game what the group puts into it.
Scattergories Game
The purpose of the Scattergories party game is to try to match categories using words that start with the same letter. You earn points if your words are unique from the words chosen by other players. The game becomes particularly interesting if you’re with a group that has a creative mind and a large vocabulary.
So here’s how the game is played:
Everyone has a folder, an answer pad, and a few category cards. The play starts by the group choosing a category card (The category cards are numbered, so we usually start with the first card and move through the cards). Each category card has 12 unique categories listed on it. For example: “Things in a Dessert”, “Things in a Mystery Novel”, “Computer Lingo”, and “Loud Things” might be one of the 12 unique categories listed on a category card.
Once everyone is set up, and a category has been chosen – one of the players rolls the 20-sided letter die which determines the first letter used. The timer is set (the group can determine for how long) and plays begins.
The players now try to (as fast as they can) think of and write down a word (or a term containing a few words) that matches each of the 12 unique categories on the category card that starts with the letter that was rolled on the 20-sided letter die. For example – if the category was “Things in a Dessert” and the letter rolled was “S”, you might write down “sugar”, “salt”, or “spices”. “Sea salt” could also count (if your group approves it – what kind of dessert would include sea salt?). If they were to approve it, you’d receive two points: one for each word in the term.
So, for a few minutes the players are all quickly writing down their answers and contemplating the most unique term they can find (you don’t get a point if someone else writes down the same term you wrote).
Once the time is up, each player, following the category list, reads off their answer. Points are awarded for each point that no one else wrote down (it pays to use rare and creative words). The group can decide by vote if a word doesn’t fit in the category and throw it out.
After points are collected, play continues with a new category card and a new roll of the die. Play continues until you’ve run out of time – or you’ve run through all the cards!
I highly recommend the Scattergories party game for all ages. Youth can have a good time with the game just as much as adults – although some of the categories on the cards might not be easily understood by younger audiences. The pace of the game can be set by the group – shorter time limits for writing down terms help keep the game moving. Either way – enjoy a great family or friends game night with Scattergories!
Wholesale Board Games sells two versions of Scattergories – the standard Scattergories and the Bible Edition Scattergories both for up to 15% off retail prices. We also carry a complete line of other great Board Games, Party Games, and Card Games.