Wits and Wagers

by Jon Kopp

(Gilbert, AZ. USA)

Game:
Wits and Wagers
Board game manufacturer:
North Star games
Number of players:
5-20
Ages:
7+

Quick verdict

All you need to know about Wits and Wagers is that it’s addictive. In every case where I brought it out, with experienced gamers, family or casual friends alike, everyone wanted to play more than one game.

The game and gameplay

This game plays quickly in about 20 to 30 minutes.

This game is fun, fast and easy with broad appeal and a shallow learning curve. Perfect for a party game, but having a bit more meat than the usual roll and move grind of Trivial Pursuit and Scene It?

Rather than placing emphasis on what YOU know, Wits and Wagers allows you to “bet” on other players’ answers.

So if you know your uncle is a whizz at physics, then you’d back his answer if that subject came up. There is no obligation to bet on your own answers!

Wits and Wagers also has a limited playing time – unless you are not doing things right, games will almost always be over within 30 minutes, and 20 minutes is more common.There’s virtually no down-time (as there can be in other trivia games where a player can continue to move with several successfully answered questions) and there is a certain level of excitement (generated by the timers) to the betting and answering.

Pros and cons

I highly recommend this game for anyone who likes party games. It is definitely in my top three of manufactured party games.

In the case of my extended adult family (father, mother, uncles and aunts) we actually played for eight successive games in one evening because everyone was enjoying it so much. This was surprising because this particular group is not much of a gaming-oriented bunch. My father, who was most sceptical, ended up as one of its more enthusiastic players.

One of the most telling aspects about the game is that every time I’ve introduced it to a new group of players, they’ve asked where they can buy a copy. I’ve enthusiastically recommended local gaming stores in my area where I know the game is carried.

The verdict

If you need a party game that you can pull out and play anytime with almost any group of players, Wits and Wagers is one to have.