When it comes to family game nights the choice of games to play can be overwhelming. But whatever game you choose you are guaranteed to have some great fun sitting around the table with your family and friends. But instead of sitting around the table moving pieces around a board or answering trivia questions, why not add a bit of fun movement to your night and shake what your mama gave you with Shake Off. And no, it’s not a dance off with Taylor Swift.
Shake Off is a fun, frantic and energic party game of shaking, jumping and moving. A game that not only helps players keep fit but will have you falling over with laughter. Shake Off is a game for 2+ players, aged 4 upwards and has a really quick playing time of approximately 10 minutes.
In the box:
- 2x Shake-o-meters (requires 2x LR44 batteries which are included)
- 2x Sweatbands (1x red, 1x blue)
- Spinner
- Electronic timer (requires 2x AAA batteries which are NOT included)
- Instructions
The premise of Shake Off is very simple: the more you shake, jump and move, the more points you score. And the player with the most points wins! It’s like Zumba meets Twister, with a dash of competitive spirit that’ll have grandma shaking her groove thing like it’s 1965 again!
Before you play, make sure that you clear some space in the room, away from anything that can easily be knocked over.
Set up is easy. Install the batteries in the Shake-o-meters and the electronic timer. Place the spinner on a flat surface (table or floor).
They board is broken down into four quarters. These tell you where to to wear the Shake-o-meter:
- Sweatband on the wrist
- Front waistband
- Back waistband
- Sweatband on the ankle
These quarters are then further broken down into four sections that tell you how to move:
- Freestyle – players can move however they like
- Jump – players must jump (hint: small jumps register a score quicker that big jumps)
- Run – players must run, on the spot or if run, run around!
- Target Play – target to reach as dictated by the numbers on the spinner.
Shake Off is as easy as pie to play – which, coincidentally, you might want to avoid eating before playing unless you want to see it again. Split into two teams; red team and blue team with each team taking the corresponding sweatband and Shake-o-meter. Start the timer by flicking the switch to either 15 or 30 seconds. Spin the spinner and where it stops dictates where the players for that round must wear their Shake-o-meter and how they must shake them; on their wrist and jumping or on their back waistband and running for example. Press the timer button and the shake-a-thon can begin! You’ll shake high, you’ll shake low, you’ll shake in ways you didn’t even know. When the timer sounds, the player with the highest number on their Shake-o-meter LCD screen wins that round and can move a notch up on their Shake-o-meter. The first team to gets five notches wins the game.
Overall, Shake Off is a fun and very energetic game that kids and families will love. It’s a game that transcends age, skill, and even rhythm. Whether you’re a toddler with energy to burn or an adult who’s convinced they have two left feet, Shake Off will have you laughing, sweating, and possibly questioning your life choices – all in the name of fun!
If you are looking for a game that entertains and gets kids off their screens (and let’s be fair, the adults too), Shake Off is it and it also gets everybody moving and getting some exercise. And like me, you will soon find out why 10 minutes game time is enough before a much needed break, whether that’s from all the exercise or from the stitch in your side caused by all the laughing.
It’s a very easy game to play and the Shake-o-meter seems to do an excellent job of recording movements (you can hear it click when it registers a valid movement) and displaying them on the small screen. The sliding scorer is easy to move up and down to keep track of the score. The sweatbands are a good size; small enough to fit the children while stretching enough to fit an adult wrist.
It’s a brilliant game that’s part workout, part comedy show, 100% unforgettable fun … and tiring. It’s fantastic fun and great at getting everybody off the phones and other devices for some screen-free energetic social interaction.
An excellent way to shake up your family game nights, so get up and jump around (just not straight after dinner).
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £16.99
Available to buy from Amazon here.
