A fast-paced twist to this classic card game. The aim is to get rid of the cards that you’re dealt as quickly as possible, guided by command cards telling you when to trade hands, discard, reverse play or skip a player. The main objective is to avoid the ‘Hit’ command as the battery operated card launcher fires out a stream of cards that you have to collect – prompting much giggling from younger players! Suitable for two to ten players, this family game is great fun for all ages. Fun factor rating: 7/10 We loved: The card dispenser made for plenty of frenzied fun and got the thumbs up from the kids! Downside: The instructions were not the most comprehensive of all the games tested, taking two adults a long time to figure out, even though the minimum player age is seven years.
The concise instructions were grasped in a flash and the simple concept is brought into the 21st century with an electronic word generator – the Guesmo – strapped to a player’s head while their teammates give clues to help guess the famous name, movie, animal or thing that appears on the LED screen. The dial on the game board is spun, dictating how many can shout out the clues – all or one. The Guesmo-wearer has to give a correct answer within 90 seconds. Played with four to 16 people, the aim is to be the first to the finish point. Fun factor rating: 8/10 We loved: The sheer entertainment factor and laugh-out-loud fun created. Downside: None, unless you count the silliness of wearing the Guesmo with
your Christmas party outfit!
Articulate Your Life, Drumond Park, £34.99
A new take on the classic fast-paced description game, this has new categories, new bonuses and a random electronic timer. Designed to be played in teams with at least four players aged 12 and over, you can involve the whole family. The objective is to be the first team to get around the board, guessing as many words as possible before the random timer – set to 27, 32 or 37 seconds – runs out. We found the instructions difficult to grasp and opted for the simplified version as the ins and outs seem a bit too tricky. Fun factor rating: 7/10 We loved: The timer makes the game exciting to play with plenty of opportunities to embarrass yourself! Downside: It doesn’t come with the two AA batteries it needs for the timer, which is annoying.