Customer Reviews

Guesstures

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

In high school, I played this game with my friends all the time. However, we played the old version. I thought that the other day, I would go and get the game for myself. I was really excited when I got it and my friends and I went and played it that night. It was still a fun game to play and everyone had a good time. However...I was rather disappointed with the difficulty of the cards, the scoring, and the overall quality of the construction of the game. It seems like they tried to save money by making the cards smaller than regular playing cards, and the plastic used for the game was a little flimsier than the old one.

I think that they have geared this game towards younger kids now. By younger, I mean 8 - teens. The things you have to act out are significantly easier to do: Less abstract things, more physical objects. If the things are abstract, they're easy things to act out. Like waking up. Or something smelly. I also didn't like that the scoring in this version. The old one had easy and hard cards, just like this version, but for each card, one clue was worth 1 point the other 2 on the easier card, 3 and 4 points for the hard card. Now the easy card is worth 1 point, the hard 2, for both clues. When my friends and I played, we were doing all hard cards and we were guessing all four of them with plenty of time to spare. Needless to say, it was a really close game. Maybe since we're in college, we're just quicker at guessing the clues?

If you're looking for a game to play with kids, this would be great. I think that the clues are very appropriate for younger people. However, I was hoping for something a little more difficult, with a greater range of scoring for a more competitive game.

This version is by Parker Brothers (PB). I believe the original (Guesstures Game) is by Milton Bradly (MB).
The rules are slightly different, as are the cards. I can't find the MB version in any of the stores anymore, so I bought the one by PB. The main difference is the scoring. In the MB version, the cards had 2 words, one was worth more than the other. In the PB version, there are still 2 words, but they are worth the same amount (blue cards are 1 point and red cards are 2 I believe). There is also no place to keep the team's score (except for holding onto the cards, which is why I guess the points are by color instead of the variation like the MB version).

The game is still fun at parties and everything, but I preferred the old cards. The new ones just don't make it as fun and challenging.

So, some good things. The new timer feels a lot sturdier. The old one was flimsy and would start on its own too easily (although my old copy was older than me...). My friends seem more willing to play this version due to the new card setup. You can still try to write on the timer if you want (there's a blank area), but there's no labels and it might not come off... The box is a lot smaller than the old version.

The bad, nothing much except for my unwillingness to change. My biggest upset is the box though. It's hard to get the game open, and if you want to put it back in and keep it looking new in the box, it's hard to pull off as well. The packaging doesn't really effect the play of the game.

This game is awesome. At least one person in your set of friends should own it. If you do play, you can't be timid or afraid. You have to be out going. It's more fun that way, and it can enhance your friendship (because you start to feel less worried about doing something embarrassing and can be more outgoing with people).

Yeah... That's my review...

I purchased this new version of Guesstures, a game that my 30-something friends and I have enjoyed at many parties. I was a little leery of what I was ordering because the packaging has changed from earlier green boxed version. However, I checked several stores websites and it seemed that the only version of Guesstures on the market is this one. So I purchased it. It was a total flop at my party. This game is not challenging for adults. The timer seems to be extended from the earlier version and the words are very easy to act out. I suppose this is fun for the kids, but adults beware. Just stick to the green box.

My family and I used to play the older (Milton Bradley?) version of this game and loved it. We recently gave the newer (Parker Brothers?) version a try and it was ridiculous!

I courageously chose all HARD cards and was dumbstruck when I saw how simple they were. I thought, "Maybe it only SEEMS easy, but may be more difficult to act out," but my teammate and I knocked out every card without challenge and the timer had just started. We thought, "Maybe it's coincidence and only those particular cards were easy." The next team up did the exact same thing... we started flipping through the "HARD" deck and soon found they were all simple. I'm talking words like "balloon," "Jacket" and "Bruise." I'd hate to see the EASY cards.

If you're over the age of 10, steer clear of this updated version.

I've now played with three versions of Guesstures.

Guesstures is a fast paced version of charades. Players are given a set amount of time and try to get their team to guess as many words as they can.

The first version was the best. It had a timer where you lined up cards to perform. Once you hit start, the first card would drop after about 10 seconds, the second would drop after about 20 seconds, and so on until the 4th card. If your team successfully guessed a word as you performed it, you would grab the card before it dropped. Each card had two words for you to choose from, and you could arrange those words in any order you wanted. There were 4 difficulty levels of words with easy words worth 1 point, and the hardest words worth 4 points.

The second was electronic and a poor implementation of the game. It gave you no choice about the words you would perform and you had no idea if the next word would be hard or easy. It actually slowed down gameplay.

This third version returns to the original format of the timer with the dropping cards, bringing back the original and fun gameplay. There are two categories of cards - easy (1pt per word) and hard (2pts). It even introduces a new element - a bonus trophy - which is awarded and can be stolen by players who perform multiple hard cards successfully. Unfortunately, the words are a little too easy. Easy words (such as bow, spit, screwdriver, or lips) are simply too easy and each word can be performed and guessed in under 3 seconds. The hard words (e.g. time out, match, wing, light bulb) are only a little bit more difficult. After playing several games, it was not uncommon for players to achieve perfect scores (4 hard cards) every round.

This version is MUCH MUCH better than the electronic version of the game, but it loses a point for the lack of difficulty of the words. Still recommended.

Basically charades.

4+ players. Comes with a plastic stand that holds 4 cards and has timer. AS timer counts down, cards drop through the plastic stand 1 by 1 unless you grab them first if your teammate correctly guesses the word you're acting out.

It's a timeless sort of game and well worth the money although I got it on sale on Amazon. $30 list price is pricey for some cards and cheap plastic timer/card holder.

Negatives are fairly minor:

The included trophy is just a lightweight paper cardboard cutout. I mean how about a cheap golden hollow plastic trophy instead? I guess that might be have increased the cost $.25 though. Anyway we're already going to use our own little cheap trophy next time around.

No rules for less than 4+ players. WE made up our own rules for 3 players. But it would have been nice if they worked on some 3 player rules.

My children are spread out in ages so this was a great family game for us. Much more fun than board games. There are "easy" and "hard" cards and the "easy" ones are easy enough for my 7 year old to act out. Good game all around.

Shared this game with family and friends during the holidays. Everyone who played wanted to play it again and again. Now when I go to social gatherings, this game goes with me.

We purchased this game in hopes of finding a new family favorite. With 2 young adults in the house it is often hard to connect for some good old fashioned fun, but this game was a real pleaser. We laughed and played and then played and laughed some more. It is appropriate for all ages, even us adults.

Blending Charades with a little more urgency, choices, and strategy, both kids and adults will have lots of fun with Gestures.

- I like the idea of a ticking clock. Even if your teammates get the word, you'll still have to pick up the Card before it drops. It adds a dimension of urgency and desperation, which could be quite hilarious when the person performing the guesstures keeps missing the cards.

- The game isn't just about guessing and performing the words but also having as strategy. Strategies vary, but usually you'd want to put the easy words first and the more difficult words towards the end so you have more time.

Overall, it's a welcomed addition to any board game collection and great for all ages.