I’ve played the original Anomia game many times, and have shared it with all of my friends. I love it. My board game groups always laugh and get tongue-tied and generally have a good time when we play. The game even won 2010’s Mensa Select award, which is when I first learned about it. But it only comes with two decks of cards, and you can quickly work your way through all of the topic combinations.
Anomia Press has now come out with Anomia Party Edition, which is even better than the original. The game play is actually the same, but Party Edition comes with six decks of cards, each different from the original two. (The backs are colored to tell them apart.) Not only does it have three times as many cards, but the topics on the cards are even more unusual and creative, requiring some pretty quick thinking.
As with the original, you can play with just one deck, or mix and match decks for a longer game. The game is for 3-6 players, and is best for people age 10 and up. To play, you put two main draw decks in the middle of the table, and players take turns flipping over a draw deck card in front of them. If the category pattern matches that of another player, or if the wild card categories match anywhere, the two players involved face off and must shout out something that fits the category on the other player’s card. The winner then takes the other player’s card. This reveals a card below, which sometimes causes a cascade effect, spurring other face offs.
Play continues until the draw decks run out. The game is as simple (and difficult) as that. You are under such time pressure to shout something out that often your mind goes blank, or you yell something that isn’t even a word, or something that fits the wrong category. Hilarity ensues.
If your particular game playing party has more than six people, Anomia Party Edition easily can accommodate more players. Just toss each group of 3-6 people a deck and have separate games.
Other than attention to detail and being quick on your feet, there is little skill needed to play this game, so it is fantastic for inter-generational play, or for families with a wide variety of interests. Try it at your next big family get together!
Anomia Party Edition costs $29.99. You can also get the original Anomia game for $12.78. It’s great for parties or non-parties. Great for families, teens, groups of adults, or inter-generational play. It will make you laugh, and encourage you to be able to find amusement in not always having the answers. It’s fantastic.
Note: I received a copy of the game for review purposes.
