13 Words – Review a party game about term combinations

“Say Captain, say what?” Captain Games (distribution: Asmodeus) is a fairly new publisher, which he runs repo download. The title of 13 Words by Roman Lucert is one of the first publications. party game. association game. guessing game. But are 13 words fun?

13 word expiration date

The rules are refreshingly simple. Basically, it’s about evaluating someone else at the table. However, now comes the special feature: if the action is successful, there are points for the team’s treasury. Because in the end, all your points add up. This produces a result whose quality can be read from the table. So it’s also clear: there are no classic winners here. It’s all about having fun as a team.

Two out of 13 – What terms does the captain choose?

Technically, it’s like this: There’s a round plate in the middle. Around these are twelve cards, each with a term. Another card in the middle. Now the leader of the round secretly chooses the card that he thinks best matches the card in the middle.

On the other hand, it’s everyone’s guess what the captain might have chosen. 1 point per person for a correct match.

The place is still empty

The selected card moves from the outside to the middle. The next person in the round must now choose a suitable match for this. But: the empty space remains empty. On the one hand, this limits the possibilities for suitable combinations, and on the other hand, it facilitates evaluation. This continues until all cards have been played.

Criticism of ridiculous associations

Reducing the screen completely also makes the linking sometimes downright ridiculous. For example, what would fit the term “makeup”: “billiards”, “Italy”, “pasta” or “medicine”? Logically, at some point it becomes nonsense …

This is exactly one of the greatest weaknesses of the League game. Some might like it. After all, the process is especially fun when everyone discusses the meaning and nonsense of the selected combinations and makes fun of them. It also works better as the group size increases. But …

In fact, this process is so random and unpredictable that 13 Words is hardly fun. What can be determined less by correlation than by conjecture. Because the terms – unless they fit perfectly – are simply too far apart. This is especially true when there are people in the group who like to divide things up. If “Wedding” is the perfect choice for “Love,” some clowns might take to the “Boat” after all, because it can happen in a purely social way…

Well, the group just has to coordinate. But then it becomes predictable or even arbitrary. There is rarely an intermediary. Oh, harmony: In the end, it’s the result that matters. But hardly anyone pays attention to them after the first card.

Top articles in 13 words

However, 13 Words convinces with particularly successful material. The center circle is made of sturdy cardboard and also includes an opening for the tour’s map. The people at the table enter their tips or associations via a three-way spinning disk, and use this disk to record their score. It was done excellently.

Conclusion: not for me

Finally comes the answer to the question posed at the beginning. Is the game fun? no not me. It is true that 13 words can be played down in a very convenient and subtle way and at the same time guess the meaning and nonsense of the captain’s choice of combinations such as “grandfather” and “ring” or “Las Vegas” and “prisoner”. But this passes surprisingly quickly.

Unfortunately, this title completely failed my rounds. And if one or two people from the group refuse, the spark will not be able to jump over everything. Nothing is ever created. Then rather Link or similar games. If you are looking for permanent fun of this kind, you may find it in our section Multiplayer More ideas.