When it comes to party games there is just something irresistibly fun about quirky guessing games. They thrive on chaos, creativity and the kind of clue-giving that makes you wonder, “What were you thinking?” – and that is the title of the quirky guessing game from those offbeat people at Exploding Kittens. It is a game that turns confusing weird clues into comedy gold, creative thinking is a must to play this game.
What Were You Thinking?, from Exploding Kittens, is a guessing game for terrible mind readers. Suitable for 3 or more players, age 10+, it has a playing time of around 15 minutes.
In the box:
- 36 Letter Tiles
- 100 Cards
- 1 Board
- Instruction Manual
So what is What Were You Thinking? Well, in quick and simple terms, it is a fast-paced, clue-giving party experience that challenges players to come up with two-word clues using a grid of letter tiles. The goal? Help your teammate guess a secret word before the opposing team does. But there’s a twist: your clue must use the starting letters from the grid, and if your team guesses correctly, you flip those tiles. The first team to flip five tiles in a row wins. It’s a simple concept, but one that quickly descends into delightful chaos.
The game can be played in Co-operative Mode, all players work as a team and win or lose together, or in Competitive Mode, where two teams battle it out against each other – there can only be one winner! The instructions are great for explaining each way of playing, but trust me, you will enjoy the video tutorial on the Exploding Kittens website much better.
There is very little setup to do to start playing. Unfold the game board (a 6×6 grid) and pop it in the centre of the table. Shuffle the chunky letter tiles and place one in each grid space with the letter showing. Pick a number from 1 to 4, this will be the clue number you will use throughout the game. Shuffle the cards (they have numbers 1-4 on each card) and place them with the number you have chosen facedown on the table. You are now ready to begin playing.
To play, first decide whether you are playing in co-op or competitive mode. Co-op mode will have everybody playing on the same team (a perfect introduction to get players used to the game), Competitive mode will have two teams of players going against each other (perfect for those with a competitive streak when they get used to the game mechanics). One player becomes the Guesser (or one player on each team) and they pick up a card and show it to everybody else (without looking at it themselves). The number selected beforehand is the item to be guessed. Players discuss between themselves the best clue to give the Guesser, then give a two word clue for the Guesser to try and work out the answer on the card. But hold up, it’s not that simple – the two word clue can only be by using letters on the board and you only get one guess. So for example, if on the card was the word “Waterfall”, you might give the clue of “Cascading Downpour” using the letters C and D from the board. If the answer is guessed correctly, flip over the letters C and D to the yellow side, if wrong remove C and D from the board so a pink square is displayed. To win you need to get five yellow tiles in a row (yellow or pink if playing in Competitive Mode – each team will be a different colour). You lose if 6 letter tiles are removed from the board.
Overall, we have loved playing What Were You Thinking? It is a simple game where players need to get creative with their clues, which creates copious amounts of humorous fun and laughter. It’s the perfect game for family fun, breaking the ice with friends and sparking spontaneous laughter – it’s offbeat, energetic and brilliantly bonkers.
The emphasis of this game lies squarely on creativity and shared understanding as most of us are terrible mind readers. Coming up with a clue that fits the letter constraints on the board while still trying to make sense to your teammate is a hilarious challenge. It is great for getting those brains whirling while encouraging lateral thinking, often resulting in wonderfully weird word associations. To demonstrate, the example given by Exploding Kittens of trying to get someone to guess “Penguin” with the clue “Waddling Tuxedo” is very clever and creative, while at the same time being silly and surprisingly effective. The game rewards quick wit and a shared sense of humour, making it as much about knowing your teammates as it is about vocabulary.
If you are a fan of the quirky Exploding Kittens games (or just like quirky games), What Were You Thinking? is a fantastic addition to the lineup. It’s fast, funny and fantastically silly fun. It offers a unique twist on wordplay and team-based competition. If you’re looking for a game that gets everyone talking (and sometimes shouting), this one’s a winner. Whether you’re playing with family at Christmas or friends on a Friday night, it’s guaranteed to get the room buzzing.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £19.99
For more information, visit www.explodingkittens.com. Available to buy from Amazon here.