Taboo board game

by Bob
(Boston)

Game:
Taboo
Board game manufacturer:
Hasbro
Number of players:
4-20

Quick verdict

The Taboo board game is a classic party game played with any size group of people divided into two teams.

The game and gameplay

Taboo is a game played with two teams. It is best played with a group of at least four people, but more people are usually better.

A member of one team takes a stack of cards. On each card is a word that the person has to describe and below it a list of words they cannot use in their description.

A timer is started and the object of the game is for the person to get their teammates to correctly state the most target words in the time period.

Meanwhile, a member of the opposite team looks at the cards as well and is armed with a buzzer to ring whenever one of the taboo words is used, making that card null and void.

Pros and cons

Taboo is a great board game on many levels. First of all, it helps build your oral vocabulary.

You have to really think about the words you use to describe the target word, because the whole point of the game is to not use the common words associated with the person place or thing that you are trying to describe to your team.

It also builds teamwork, as members of the team work together to communicate and problem solve.

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It is a great party game and a great ice breaker. It's fun to see how gameplay is very different when old friends are paired together or if the teams are made up of complete strangers.

As a teacher I have used this in my classes to promote better use of vocabulary and to build classroom camaraderie. The students like it because it is a game and it gets them out of class. Their favorite part of the game is getting to hit the buzzer when a member of the opposite team uses one of the taboo words in their description.

One of the best aspects of this game is that although the game comes with a timer and a buzzer, all you really need is the cards. It is even a great road trip game if you have a car full of people.

The verdict

The Taboo board game is a really fun game to play with a group of people. When everyone gets into it, is can be very exciting and can get very competitive.