Wholesale Board Games Blog

iMAgiNiff is one of the favorite party games among me and my friends. It’s great because it’s so easy to play and there really isn’t any learning curve. You basically just have to know how to read.

The iMAgiNiff Game

The game starts out by writing the names of players or other communally-known people around the edge of the board (normally we like to stick to the names of the people playing the game, but if there aren’t enough players we try to choose names of people whom everyone knows fairly well). These names will be the subjects of the questions to come.

Next, players take turns drawing a card from the deck. Each card asks a question such as, “Imagine if __________ were an explosive device, which would he/she be?” A die is used to determine which of the names around the edge of the board will be used with the question. The die is rolled and a marker token is moved that number of places in either direction at the player’s choice. Normally, I like to choose a name that hasn’t been used for a while. That name is inserted into the question and it is read aloud to the rest of the players. Some answers for that question could be: a firecracker, TNT, a nuclear bomb, a dud, etc.

All the players then decide which they think is the best answer and place an accordingly-numbered card face-down on the table. Once everyone is ready, the cards are turned over and the number that shows up the most wins! (Sometimes, more than one number can win if they each have the same count show up). Those players move their tokens one space closer to the finish. It’s really funny when someone turns out to be the “dud” by popular demand. Questions can range from asking about types of dwelling, cartoon characters, and super heroes to food and vegetables, books, clothes and more.

Consider this: If the question asked which fruit Amber would be and Amber chose kiwi, she would still lose if the majority of everyone else though she would be a melon. So, to win this game you have to think, “What would everyone else think Amber is?” and not just “What would Amber herself think she is?” This can be tricky at first since you may know right off what the person herself would think, but you have to imagine what everyone else would think she is. This strategy is harder since you have to take into consideration the perspectives of everyone in the group. For me, that’s one of the most enjoyable things about iMAgiNiff.

Another really fun thing about iMAgiNiff is the CHALLENGE space. When the marker token is being moved to select which name will be used for this question, sometimes the choice to choose CHALLENGE may come up. A challenge question is only between the player whose turn it is and a second player of their choice. A player may choose whether or not to take the challenge question. If he or she does, they choose the player that must then participate with them and the die is then rolled again to determine who the challenge question will be about.

A card is then drawn and the question is posed to the two challenge question players. (Usually, everyone else likes to play along with this question too, even though their votes don’t count. Only the two challenge players’ votes actually matter). If both of the challenge players come up with the same answer, they both get to move their piece TWO spaces closer to the finish. If the two players chose different numbers, they must both move their token back two spaces.

One of the sneaky things that my group of friends likes to do when playing the iMAgiNiff game is that if someone is far ahead of everyone else, another player will challenge this player and try to purposely lose in order to make that player move their token back two spaces (of course, he or she would also have to move back also, but sometimes it’s more fun to make the other guy lose).

The iMAgiNiff game is a barrel of laughs and it’s always surprising to find out what other people think of you and about themselves.

Wholesale Board Games sells iMAgiNiff for 20% off MSRP. We also carry a complete line of other great Board Games, Party Games, and Card Games.

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.

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Apples to Apples Review (329 words $23.03 store credit - This article has an enticing heading, is personal, and explains the game).
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/314374. (While a little longer than we’d like, this article has a good heading that gets your attention. It adds a personal feel to the article, then goes on to explain the general setup and play of the game. The article finishes by giving opinion on the game.)

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Apples to Apples

I’ll never forget the first time I played Apples to Apples. I was with some friends, my oldest brother, and his wife - and my sister-in-law recommended we play this apple card game where you match cards. The minute we started playing, I starting learning things about my friends and family I’d never known before!

Apples to Apples is a party game for all types and personalities. There are two decks of cards: The red apple deck has noun or noun phrases (President of the United States, Elvis Presley, or Iraq) and the green apple deck of cards contains adjectives (lazy, clever, evil).

Each player takes a turn as “the judge” and draws a green apple card (i.e. funny) and the other players choose from their hand of seven red cards which card they think is the best match (i.e. Eddie Murphy, George Bush, or Canada). The judge then chooses which red apple card is the best match for his green apple card, and the player that played the winning card earns a point. Play continues until a player earns a certain amount of points.

The judge’s choice is 100% subjective - and in my family - is usually based on whichever is the most humorous or creative. If I were the judge, I might choose “George Bush” or even “Canada” - depending on if I’d heard someone say the word “eh” in a Canadian accent that day.

When I get together to play Apples to Apples with my close group of friends and family, it’s always a time full of laughing - and crying (sometimes we laugh so hard it hurts). It’s always a great time, because we’re a creative group - and full of nonsense. I’d say both young and old can enjoy the game - friends and even strangers (if you’re ready to break out of your shell). If you find yourself in the same category of personality, I’d highly recommend you buy Apples to Apples.

Wholesale Board Games sells several versions of the Apples to Apples game for up to 30% off retail prices. We also carry a complete line of other great Board Games, Party Games, and Card Games.