Customer Reviews

Cranium Super Showdown

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I can't believe this game doesn't have more reviews or isn't more popular. I've had the pleasure of playing Super Showdown several times in small groups of parents with their kids... and this Thanksgiving I played it with just adults and every time it's been a smash hit generating lots and lots of laughter

Apparently it's a lot like "Apples to Apples" which I've never played.

Basically, there's a contest at stake - like "who would best win a snowball fight" or "could stay the longest in a haunted house." First you select from a bunch of fictional characters and archetypes, such as Harry Potter, or A Grandma. Then you add a "Twist" like "After 1 month of practice" or "With a time machine." And then you all argue your case before one player who sits out who acts as the judge. You need to come up with reasons why, for example "Prince Charming with the ability to run faster than a speeding bullet" would beat "Dora The Explorer with a Shopping Cart" at a scavenger hunt.

What's great is that even though the situations and characters are kid-like, you can still make very reasonable, impassioned and hilarious arguments; the childish nature of the subjects just adds to the silliness.

If you've got smart verbal friends, hilarity will ensue! And kids will come up with surprising and silly reasons as well. The designation on the box says 8 and up, and that proved to be true. Also, there's an element in the game that lessens the competition a bit and allows/forces 2 people to wind up arguing for the same combo - this is a great aspect too; these unexpected alliances add to the fun factor and keep feelings from getting too hurt.

One tip - consider setting some parameters on the argument stage, or it could drag on.

GREAT GAME!!! GET IT!!!

I'm a college prof and am now using this game in my debate and persuasion class. It teaches basic invention skills and helps relax nervous students at the beginning of the course. And it's not wasted time! They actually learn how to argue. I'm sold.

I have three kids, ages 4, 8 and 11. My husband and I had a 60 year old widow friend over for brunch and we played this game at the table. Everyone was in stitches! My 11 year old has played this game at his sleepovers and we've taken it to get-togethers of all sorts. The actual process of thinking through which contestant, helped or hindered by the assigned twist, would be likely to win that particular contest, is entertaining all by itself! It's not a game you play to win. You play because it's fun!

Fun! We simplified the rules a little bit, letting each person choose their own character and twist to submit for judging and we had a ball playing this game. It is similar to Apples to Apples, which we like too.

I first saw this being played at a gaming convention in Clarks Summit, and was immediately impressed with the simple premise - everyone plays a competitor in a random challenge, and then gets to secretly add a twist to another card. Then there's a round of debating to make your case to who'd win. The judge, which changes every round, decides based on the arguments presented, and the player(s) which played that challenger and twist card are awarded a point.

The game assumes and is fueled by the notion that people will "get into" the game, which is true of most Cranium games. It's driven by the players' desire to make their own fun and really adopt the outgoing and charisma-driven mentality of the game, and if people don't, this will almost instantly flop. This is probably it's biggest flaw; there is no game outside of what people bring to it, and it requires people to participate on more than a superficial level. Still, it has slightly less set up than a game of poker, so it's not a huge deal if people play a round and don't like it.

That said, if you have a group of people who will get into it, like I do, then you instantly have a game with a great sense of pacing between rounds that will provide instant and sustainable merriment and entertainment. To this day, we're not sure what beats Darth Vader with a secret plan.

The game itself is colorful and enjoyable to look at, and the tin it comes in gives it some durability to an otherwise paper and plastic game. It comes with enough point tokens and plastic sleeves for 5 players, but it's very easy to accommodate more; you'll just need deck protector sleeves with a non-transparent back, like the kind people use for games like Magic: The Gathering (or something else which can hold a small paper card and hide one side of it), and some plethora of tokens to award to people for their cards winning (pennies, buttons, a pencil and paper tally even).

In short, a great game for the right crowd, with fast set up, easy to pick up rules, and very entertaining dialogue. Unless you hang out with a bunch of duds and sticks in the mud, this will become a party staple, if not a party classic.

My kids (boys ages 13, 11, and 7) played this game at their cousins' and just had to have one of their own! As soon as it arrived promptly on the delivery date promised, they ripped it open and started playing! Great game!