Guess Who? game

by The Beast!
(BoardgameBeast HQ)

Game:
Guess Who? game Extra edition
Board game manufacturer:
Hasbro
Number of players:
2
Ages:
6-12 years

Quick verdict

Guess Who? Extra adds a new dimension to the classic observation game. It's fun, though some of the additional rules are a bit spurious.

The game and gameplay

The original Guess Who game was a fairly limited two-player concept. The electronic Extra edition does add some new gameplay features and is well worth buying as a present for somebody who doesn't have the original.

The hinged red-and-blue plastic case is very similar in size and appearance to a laptop computer. It unfolds to create a two-sided play area, keeping each player's side hidden from the other.

The object of the basic game is to select one character, monster, kid, animal etc. from a choice of 30. Then, using observation skills and questions, you eliminate possible suspects from a visual display below by closing little plastic windows.

When you've finally narrowed down the choices to one, you will have deduced who your opponent chose and win that round, awarding yourself two points towards the suggested target of ten to win the match.

The main difference with Guess Who? game Extra is the Yes and No buttons on top of the unit.

Instead of answering verbally, you hit one of the two buttons, which flash coloured lights and play relevant sound effects. In the basic game, these are fun, if a little unnecessary, but they come to the fore in the time trial game.

Four different groups of character for a total of 120 possible faces makes for quite a strong replay value. But the game's lifespan is further improved with the addition of some more advanced games.

Wild is a fairly poor idea and isn't helped by the use of very tiny pegs, which are just begging to be lost in the first five minutes you use them. You stick a peg beside three of the faces and, if the solution is one of those wild shots, you get an additional point.

Time is a very, very challenging concept and even adults will have trouble with it! You set the counter to level one (hard), two (very hard) or three (you'd better be an ambi-dextrous genius) before play begins. Now the Yes and No buttons are very important, as they dictate how much time you have remaining to Guess Who the other person chose.

You ask your question, then the other player hits Yes or No. This triggers their countdown timer and freezes yours. There's no numbers, the timer is indicated by beeps which get faster as your time runs down.

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So the pressure is really on to be closing windows to narrow down the suspects and answer your own question at the same time! This game is a very stressful version, but it's also a way to keep it fresh and make it appeal to older players. It's a smart, well thought-out mode to the Guess Who? game that adds a lot of value.

Double is a really tough variation on the Guess Who? game theme and again, older children and even adults may struggle. You have to choose TWO characters and the other player has to gradually eliminate suspects based on questions about both of them.

Be warned, this can take some time and you need good eyesight, good lighting (colours can be changed when the top of the game casts a shadow) and to agree between you on definitions. Is that a wing or a tentacle? Is an octopus a predator? And so on. It does add a lot of challenge to the game, but not for younger players.

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Pros and cons

Guess Who? Extra is way better value than the basic game. The electronic add-ons are always amusing and often helpful, while the 120 characters are nicely drawn and fun to examine during the game.

It's good for smaller families, as it's a two-player game. For larger groups, draw up a league table or knockout tree and play a tournament.

Apart from the tiny pegs, which hamsters could probably use for toothpicks, the game is well made and robust.

Replay value of the Guess Who? game will be limited. Like any two-player repetitive game (such as Battleship), you need to play Guess Who? Extra in bursts. Take it out once or twice a month and it will be fun and fresh for a while again.

Some of the variations are too hard for younger players, but that does widen the target audience.

The verdict

Guess Who? Extra is bright, fun and challening. It will assist your kids in developing observation skills and sportsmanship. One of the better two-player games aimed at a younger audience.