Rules for the Family Alias Game

So, you want to learn how to play the Family Alias game? Excellent! I’m here to help you understand the rules and get you started on the path to an exciting game night with your loved ones.

Objective

The objective of the Family Alias game is to guess as many words as possible within a given time limit. The words are divided into different categories, and each team takes turns trying to describe or explain the word to their teammates without using the actual word or any of its derivatives. The more words you guess correctly, the better your chances of winning!

Setup

To set up the game, divide yourselves into teams of two or more players. You’ll need a game board, which contains the words you’ll be guessing, and a timer to keep track of the time. Each team selects a game piece and places it on the starting space of the game board.

Gameplay

Once you’re all set up, it’s time to start playing! The youngest player goes first, and the game progresses clockwise from there. On your turn, you’ll roll the dice and move your game piece forward. The number on the dice determines the category of the word you’ll be guessing.

When it’s your turn to guess, your team members will give you clues. They can describe the word using synonyms, associations, or explanations, but they can’t use the word itself or any forms of it. You’ll have to rely on their hints to figure out the word!

Your team has one minute to guess as many words as possible. If you guess the word correctly, you can continue to the next word in the same category until the time runs out or your team decides to move to a new category.

Scoring

The team that correctly guesses the word gets one point. The game continues until one team reaches the final space on the game board. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins!

Remember, the Family Alias game is all about fun and creativity. Encourage each other to come up with clever clues and enjoy the excitement of trying to guess the words within the time limit. It’s a game that brings families together and creates lasting memories!

Hey there! Have you heard of FAMILY ALIAS? It’s a super fun game where you get to put things in different words to help your partner guess them. You use synonyms, opposites, and other clues to give hints. The more words your partner guesses correctly, the more steps you both get to move forward on the board. Cool, right? Let me tell you a bit more about it.

What You Get

• 300 cards with “family” words
• 180 cards with “adult” words
• 20 special “WILD” cards
• A sand timer to keep track of time
• 8 pawns for each player
• A game board with a spinner base and arrow
• Instructions to help you get started

How to Win

The game is all about reaching the victory space. The first player to get there wins!

Setting Up

To get started, place the game board on a table. Then, separate the cards into different piles based on the type of words they have. Shuffle each pile and put them on the table.

Next, attach the spinner arrow to the spinner base. Place the spinner in the center of the game board, and you’re all set to start having fun!

First, I grab a pawn and place it on the start space. Then, we’re ready to begin!

Let’s Get Started!

The youngest player always starts, and we take turns going clockwise. The person whose turn it is will be the one giving the clues.

Who’s My Partner?

At the start of each turn, we spin the spinner to see who we’ll be partnering with for guessing. Just focus on where the arrow points, and if it’s pointing at you, everyone else will be guessing.

Choosing the Right Cards

Which cards should we use?

• If a kid is either giving clues or guessing, we use the family cards. And don’t forget to spin the spinner! If the arrow lands on the Alias sector, draw a kids card and follow the instructions. We also use family cards when everyone is guessing, but without using the spinner.

When you’re playing the game with another grown-up, you need to use the adult cards. And don’t forget to give the spinner a spin! If the spinner lands on the Alias section, grab a wild card and do whatever it says. But if there’s just one adult playing, you can skip the wild cards altogether.

Let Me Explain

So, you want to explain a word, huh? Well, let me break it down for you!

Which word should you explain?

If you’re using adult cards, each card has eight words with numbers on them. The game board also has matching numbers, so the number on your pawn tells you which word to explain.

Now, if you’re using family cards, things are a little different. These cards have one picture and four words. Each word has two different numbers surrounding it. So, depending on where your pawn is standing, you’ll need to explain the corresponding word. Keep in mind, the pictures on the family cards are only used if you’ve drawn a kids card.

Explanation Guidelines

• Here’s a rule to remember – you can’t mention any part of the word you’re explaining. For example, if the word is “hand bag,” you can’t say something like “a bag that women carry.”
• Oh, and another thing – the guesser has to say the word exactly as it is on your card. So if the word is “running,” they can’t just say “run.”

Alright, Let’s Get Started!

Ready, set, go! Flip the sand timer and let’s dive into the world of words.

When I start explaining a word, you have to try and guess it as fast as you can. If you get it right, place the card on the table, and we’ll move on to the next word with the same number on the next card.

But be mindful, there’s an end to this turn.

Once the sand runs out, everyone else shouts “stop”.

If I’m still mid-explanation, all players can join in on the guessing fun. The person who correctly guesses the word first gets to advance one space on the board.

Get ready for a twist in the finish zone!

Once you enter the finish zone, it’s a whole new game!

Once you reach the finish zone, you won’t be the one explaining words or playing the guessing game anymore. Instead, you’ll be trying to steal words from other players when it’s their turn. Your goal is to correctly guess the word being explained before the guessing player does. When the spinner arrow points to you, all players take turns guessing.

Remember: Once a player reaches the finish zone, the rest of the players will only use family cards.

Moving around is different in the finish zone!

The last player outside the finish zone

Deducting Points

• When you explain a word, put any part of the word you’re explaining face down on the table as a minus point.
• You get a minus point if you skip a word without trying to explain it.
• If the guesser is still clueless after about 10 seconds, you can skip the word without losing any points.

Scoring

Advancing on the board

How many words did you guess right? For each correctly guessed word, both the explainer and the guesser move their pawns forward.

If everyone is guessing, the explainer moves one step for each word guessed right, but the guessers only move for each word they guessed personally.

After moving the pawns, it’s the next player’s turn.

Let me give you an example of how the scoring works for two players:

When it’s your turn, you managed to explain 8 words. Your partner guessed 6 of them correctly, but you also made two mistakes.

Here’s what happens in this scenario: your partner gets to move 6 spaces forward, but you can only move 4 spaces because you made 2 mistakes. It’s important to keep track of your progress!

The Game Ends

The game continues until:

• a player reaches the victory space! This player wins!

OR

Victory space