It's a classic game, really. Totally fun, and totally ridiculous. We laughed our pants off. You know how to play, right? Two players, both holding a board with flip-up tiles, each tile with a different face. Choose a card from the deck of faces, and take turns asking descriptive questions to determine which face your partner is holding.
Seeing the face tiles again for the first time brought back a lot of memories. There's Max, the Mario-esque character; Bill, the jaunty red-head; Susan, who wears too much make-up; Richard, the sinister prick; and my favourite, Herman.
While the premise of the game is totally simple, you can really shake things up based on the questions you ask. The way I see it, there are three ways to play Guess Who:
1. Take the classic route, and ask the generic questions that, provided your brain-to-trigger finger synapses are functioning properly, will win you the game in the most direct manner possible. If it's the thrill of the win that fuels your fire, take this path of least resistance and you'll surely capture the Guess Who cup. Stick with questions like:
- Are you a man?
- Do you wear a hat?
- Are your eyes blue?
2. If you're a gambling wo/man, walk the wild side. Seriously consider the tiles on your board, and make note of their unique physical attributes. If you're smart, you'll pull out those differences that will eliminate the largest segments of the population first, while challenging your partner to take a closer look at their person. Consider questions like:
- Do you have free hanging lobes?
- Does your person have crows feet?
- Does your person appear genuinely surprised?
3. Unleash the gauntlet and move beyond the physical. Really "consider" your tiles... Think of the man behind the face, and the life they lead outside of the
Guess Who game board. This is my preferred method of play, and while more subjective and thus substantially more likely you'll encounter differences of opinion between your partner and yourself, thus increasing the chances of your making a monumental mistake, it's decidedly more fun. Questions might include, but are not limited to:
- Was your person ever part of the military? If yes, consider flipping down those tiles wearing a beret (obviously), those with a snarly face, and those with a moustache (I'm just sayin'...)
- If your person was in an orchestra, would they sit in the brass section or the string? If your opponent says "string", consider flipping down those persons with large lips, puffed cheeks, and/or a red face ( from blowing on those horns...)
- Does your person have a substance abuse problem? If yes, consider flipping those tiles with shifty eyes, those who appear either too happy or too sad, and the dishevelled (David)
All in all, if you're looking for something to do this weekend, consider
Guess Who. I'm pretty pumped to pick it up again tonight, and can only imagine how a wobbly pop or two will improve the event.
p.s.
THIS clip made me laugh. A lot...
