Since game play requires teams, Code Names, it is the perfect way to connect with your teen to work towards a common goal together (of course, by beating the opposing team). The highs and lows of this game are stark, which adds to the excitement—when you guess correctly it is exhilarating but when your team members gives you a horribly vague clue and you pick the assassin card you’ll all be throwing your hands in the air in frustration and (playfully) blaming each other for the loss.
Age
14 year or older
# of Players
2-8 players (works best with 4 or more, but I’ve never played with 2).
Play Time
15-30 minutes
Game Play
Players are broken into two teams and a “spymaster” is selected from each team. The spymasters are provided with a key card that shows them which word cards are assigned to their team. The spymasters then take turns providing one word clues with a number to indicate how many cards on the table relate to that clue.
Other team members must then discuss which words they think the spymaster is referring to. When they touch a card, the spymaster revels if that card is one of their cards, neutral, the other teams, or the assassin card (which immediately ends the game). Teams continue guessing until they guess wrong or they’ve made the maximum number of guesses for that clue. The team who reveals all of their cards first, wins.
Pros
- There are a lot of word cards included and the “board” changes every game, so no two games will ever be the same.
- Maximum of 8 players makes it great for large families
- The rules provide the option for additional “expert” clues that elevate game play once your group gets really good.
Cons
- Since the game requires players to sit opposite of each other, it can sometimes be annoying to read the cards. While the words are printed on both sides, on one side the words are lighter in color.
- The complex wordplay in this game probably won’t work for younger family members, but it’s worth a try.
Code Names has become fairly popular in the last few years, so I’ve seen it being sold at Target making it easy to access if you’re in a pinch for a rainy day or winter activity. I promise you won’t regret trying this one out at the next family game night!
