Quelf

Do you want to have some serious fun? Do you want to laugh like you haven't laughed for years? Then the game, Quelf, is for you! Looking at the game board for the first time you'll likely think to yourself, "I only have to go from start to finish? That doesn't seem like it will be that hard, or even take very long." And, oh, how wrong you will be.

The first indication that this game is not quite like all other games comes when you pick up the sheet of directions read: "OBJECT OF THE GAME- To have fun! Duh! Why else would you play a board game?" You garner further hints of what's to come as you choose a game piece. You will choose one of the following: The Platypus, Mr. Lugnut, Super Ninja Monkey, The Dude, The Biscuit Farmer, Queen Spatula (my-well endowed favorite), Batbileg Chinzorig or "BC" as he likes to be called, or Mrs. Pickle Feather. If needed, you can steal pieces from other games to add more players. They might wonder about this strange land they've wandered into, but really after you've hung around Queen Frostine, Grandma Nut, and Plumpy the Troll is there really much left that will shock you?

The game begins as do most games, with players rolling the die to see who will go first. It seems mundane enough. However once the player with the highest roll takes his or her turn, it becomes clear that this is not your average board game. On her first turn, a friend of ours who had never played before, found herself making an "X" with her body until her next turn. She grew weary and tried to make a lower case "x".

The colors on the board correspond with different color cards, which have players doing different things. Here is an example from each category:

Green (Trivia): "How many fingers does a one-armed thumbless woman have? Extra Credit- How many fingers and toes combined do four one-legged weathermen and three blind, armless retired submarine captains have?" (No pressure, but my 11 year old got the extra credit question)

Yellow (Stuntz): "Show your opponents your belly button. Pretend your belly button has a mouth, and talk with it in a scary old voice. Make your belly button say, 'I've seen a lot of strange things in my day, but this just beats all.' "

Purple (Showbiz): " You might not be wearing a tutu, but we'd still like to see your ballet moves. Set the timer and gracefully dance like a ballerina until the timer runs out. If you can actually find and wear a tutu for your dance, advance 2 spaces."

Red (Scatterbrainz): Players pick between two choices and then go around the table until a player repeats an answer already given, or can't come up with an answer. Example: " 'U.S. Presidents' or 'Things typically found floating in the bathtub'. You choose the topic".

Blue (Roolz): Some rules apply to everyone playing, some just to individual players. Example of an individual rule: "While it is not your turn, whenever another player speaks to you, you must play 'peekaboo' with them." Example of a rule for everyone: "When it is not your turn, you must end each sentence you speak with 'izzle'. Good luckizzle."

The game is labelled as being for ages 12 and up, but we have played with younger children who just get assistance from mom or dad if needed. There are a few more "mature" questions and challenges, but nothing that is overtly inappropriate-nothing where I have thought to myself "Wow...I sure wish my kids didn't just hear that!" There are some Scatterbrainz categories which younger children might not know, like "Heavy Metal bands"--but players can always just pick a new card. My three oldest kids (ages 11, 8, and nearly 6) have loved playing it, I think mostly because they get to see the grown-ups in their life acting like loons. The Epiphany is coming up, Valentine's Day is just around the corner...and I heartily recommend that you add this game to your collection. You might be humiliated and ridiculed- but you will not have had so much fun in a long time!

For more information go here. To buy the game go here.