Electronic Catch Phrase

by Hasbro

Product Features

• The grab it, guess it, pass it game makes you think quick, talk fast, and keep it moving!
• 2 Teams alternate turns guessing the answers to clues in 11 categories
• Unit's clock counts down and buzzes when time is out
• More than 10,000 words built-in
• Electronic Catch Phrase is the game of a million laughs. Perfect for taking on vacation.

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 2.9 x 8.1 x 10.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B00005BY4I
• California residents: Click here for Proposition 65 warning.
• Item model number: 41461
• Our recommended age: 18 years and up
• Manufacturer recommended age: 18 years and up
• Batteries: 3 AAA batteries required.
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,136 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (200 customer reviews)

Product Description

Editorial Review

Ever play "Hot Potato" with a spud that ticks and talks? Welcome to Electronic Catch Phrase, the battery-powered (three AAA, not included) blend of clue deduction and race against the clock. Two teams of two or more players each alternate turns, guessing the answers to clues in 11 categories, from Food & Drink to Tech & Inventions. Set the timer on the discus-like game unit, and the clue-giving countdown begins; if a team's guess matches the response on the game's readout, pass the unit to the opponents. Just don't get caught holding this potato when the buzzer sounds (after about a minute of increasingly insistent beating), as the other team will score a point, possession being nine- tenths of the "Awww!" With its infectious mix of fast, nerve-wracking, high- pressure passing the buck, Electronic Catch Phrase spreads a serious case of fun. --Tony Mason

Product Description

For 4 or more players in teams, Electronic Catch Phrase is the game of 10,000 words and a million laughs. The self-contained electronic unit has words, categories and a timer and scorekeeper. Perfect for taking on vacation. Requires 3 "AAA" alkaline batteries (not included).

See all Product Description

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

346 of 357 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars some flaws in the electronic version, September 26, 2002

By 

R. Myung - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Durability:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Electronic Catch Phrase (Toy)

I first played this game on the standard card version and had a blast playing it. The only flaw with it was that after you've played for a while, you might start remembering words you've seen before and the order in which they come.

So I bought the electronic version thinking it would be a simple improvement - more words in a random sequence. It's not that simple.
Pros:
- The size of the word list, and the fact that you can choose categories is a great addition.
- The portable design. You only have to carry around 1 unit, rather than a box with the unit, the cards, and the buzzer.
- Still the same great game.

Cons:
- The fact that there's no "off" switch hampers the portability. Since the game turns on if you press one of the buttons, if you just pack this in a bag, it can easily turn itself on, and start making that LOUD beeping sound. You need a screwdriver to remove the batteries, so that's not really an option either.
- There's no volume control and the default is very loud.

- Restrictive gameplay. The original card based game was pretty loose. You could split up into teams, or you could keep score in some other way. You could play up to a number, or you could keep playing until you got bored. The electronic version forces you to split into 2 teams and play up to 10 points. There's a voice calling out the score after each point, which is annoying. Also, there doesn't seem to be a way to reset the game- if you end in the middle of a game, it'll pick up in that game the next time you play, whether you want to or not.

I think the basic strengths of the game outweigh the problems with the electronic version, but if you're someone used to the offline version, don't assume that the electronic version is exactly the same.

127 of 132 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Nerve-Wracking, Yet Highly Contagious Game, November 27, 2001

By 

Lee DeWald (Nebraska) - See all my reviews

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Electronic Catch Phrase (Toy)

"Catch Phrase" is one of the many cool things I have discovered since being in college. I'll bet hardly anyone has heard of it (no one had heard of it where I come from anyway), but it is one of the most contagious games around.

The premise of the game is simple: After setting the timer, your team has to guess what word or phrase is visible on the screen. The unit cannot be passed until someone says exactly what is on the screen. When someone does guess correctly, you pass it on to a member of the other team.

For example, if the word was "pumpkin," you could say something along the lines of, "Okay, guys, Peter-Peter-blank-eater!" If someone has been keeping up on their nursery rhymes, he or she will know that the word in place of "blank" is "pumpkin." Make sense?

This game is a blast when you get a huge amount of people to play. About a month ago, around 20 of us were playing it at the same time. Good times there, folks!

Fun: Fun, fun, FUN. I can't reiterate it enough. It's interesting to see how nervous people get when the timer starts beeping faster; hence, the buzzer is about to go off. For some reason, people get really panicky when the pressure starts to build. It's only a game, people! Of course, you don't realize that at the time. Everyone is yelling out answers, and with all the excitement going on, your heartbeat can rise in a hurry.

Educational Value: This is a thinking game. That's the only way I know how to put it. You have to think about what it is your teammate is trying to say without he or she actually coming out and saying it. And they're not all as easy as "pumpkin." There are some real stumpers in this game, and that only adds to the fun (or frustration depending upon what side you're on).

Durability: This game is very durable. Just don't drop it! It probably wouldn't hold up very well since this is the electronic version.

In short, "Catch Phrase" is a very cool game. It's great to play with a lot of people, and it never gets boring. I've played this numerous times, and I always have interesting stories to tell the next day.

51 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun Party Game!, December 10, 2001

By 

Howard Lee (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Durability:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Electronic Catch Phrase (Toy)

Remember the old $100, 000 Pyramid game that still reruns on the Game Show network with Dick Clark? This game is sort of like that. There's no silly cardboard cards to fiddle around with, and it's fast paced and fun. You describe the various words that pop up on your screen without saying it to your fellow team member, and you should see the look on people's faces when they try to pinpoint the word. It's comical - and the shouting never stops. But unlike the old pyramid game, you can get a lot of people to join in on the fun, by dividing it up into two teams.

There's a really loud beeping noise that accompanies the game - and it grows more intense minute by minute, until the device buzzes, and the person left holding the unit is the one who gets the 'raspberry' sound. (There's no volume control by the way, but if you're playing this with a lot of people, and there's tons of noise, you'll have a hard time even hearing the beeping)

Great party game, and good fun!