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Players: 4+
Playing time: About an hour, though it
depends on the number/skill of the players
I’ll admit that I was a bit
skeptical about Cranium at first. I’ve never been much of an artist, so I’ve always been
intimidated by Pictionary. And I’ve never been much of an exhibitionist, so I’ve always
avoided charades like the plague. But take the two of them and throw in a few things I’m
pretty good at (like word games and pointless trivia), and you’ve got yourself a game
that’s right up my alley. In fact, I think I can safely say that it’s right up just
about anyone’s alley.
The object of Cranium is to make your way around
the board, completing activities as you go. Depending on your position on the game
board, that could mean answering a trivia question, drawing with your eyes closed,
humming, acting, molding something out of clay, or even spelling words backwards. If
your team is the first to make it around the board and into the center and complete one
of each of the four activities (and one other activity, as chosen by your opponents), you
win.
I think the most appealing thing about Cranium is that it gives
each player his or her opportunity to shine. For instance, my husband is an incredible
artist—so when we had to do a drawing activity, he did the drawing. But when the
activity involved spelling, it was up to me. So I could do the things that I’m good at,
and he could do the things that he’s good at. And together, we made a pretty good team.
When we first played Cranium, our only complaint was with the Fast Track.
There are four special spots on the board, and if, while you’re on that spot, you
correctly complete the activity on your first try, you can take a shortcut. If you
don’t, you have to take the long way. While it’s a great reward for answering questions
correctly, it also can mean that one lucky team speeds around the board, while another
team, who got a few tough questions, is stuck far behind. To even things out a bit, I
might try playing without the Fast Track in the future.
That aside,
however, Cranium is an excellent party game. Because Cranium isn’t just a word game.
And it’s not just a trivia game. It’s not just a drawing game, either. It’s all of the
above. It’s great for everyone—the word whiz, the trivia master, the artist, the actor,
the exhibitionist, and even the wallflower. In fact, it’s my new favorite game. Pick up
a copy, and I’m sure you’ll find that it’s your new favorite game,
too.
Ed. Note: Once you’ve played so many games that you’ve
used all of your cards, don’t fret! You can order more! And if you want to make things
a little more personal, you can customize and print your own cards. Check out Cranium.com for details—or to try out some sample
activities.
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