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There is always room for some good party games in the collection of every gamer. After all, isn't there always a time where we find ourselves with friends or family that are non-gamers, and where we're looking for a good game that both they and we can enjoy? It's also true that many people are getting tired of the usual party games like Trivial Pursuit, Scattergory and Pictionary, games I'd consider to be modern classics, but from the previous generation, and perhaps even somewhat dated. So the fact that publisher North Star Games is at the front line of a new generation of party games is welcome news indeed! Let's introduce you to some of North Star's greatest hits, and don't think too quickly that these are not for you - these are the kinds of games that get love even from folks who don't like traditional trivia games!
Game designer Dominic Crapuchettes began the company, and the party game Cluzzle was his first real step forward into the world of publishing. But it was with the release of the popular title Wits & Wagers that he really hit the big time, and that North Star really began to shine. You can read his own account of the adventure here: North Star Games: it all started on a sinking ship in Alaska. Recently Dominic beat out movie star Daryl Hannah for the Rising Star Game Inventor of the Year award at the 2010 TAGIE Awards, a splendid recognition of his contribution as a designer, and a fitting testimony to the rising success of North Star games.
So what are the more popular games in the North Star lineup? Perhaps you've often come across mention of Wits & Wagers on BGG. And perhaps like me for a long time you've been dismissing it as "just another trivia game". Well now is the time to become enlightened, and acquaint yourself with this and the other hits from North Star Games! Here's a short overview of some of North Star's games, and what they offer.
Wits & Wagers
The big success for North Star was Wits & Wagers (2005), which even now has managed to find its way into big box stores like Target and Walmart. It puts a whole new spin on the trivia genre, by not making the trivia element play a lead role. After all teams have submitted their answer to a particular trivia question, you may bid on an answer that another player/team guessed. This is a great concept, because it means that you stand a chance of earning points even if you don't much idea about the real answer. Is Aunt Joan a history buff? Then let's see what her answer was to this question about the date of this battle, because she's the one most likely to get it right.
Skill and knowledge is still rewarded, but the questions have been designed with just the right level of difficulty to keep the playing field more level, and inject an element of tension and excitement that is not present in most trivia games. Being able to bid chips can increase the risk as well as the rewards, and so there's room for both high risk and low risk players to have a great time - and perhaps eek out a win! It's this bidding/betting mechanic that really makes the game shine, and gives it a game-show feel. As a result, Wits & Wagers rises beyond the mundane that we have come to expect from a trivia game.
It's also ideal for large groups, because players can team up. The essence of gameplay is so easy to explain, making it ideal for having new players on board and enjoying themselves from the get-go. It's quick to play (under 30 minutes), and perhaps best of all, it's buckets full of fun! How many other trivia games do you know that you can honestly describe with the word fun? I'm sure there are some, but "fun" isn't usually the adjective of choice that most people associate with trivia, but it certainly is true of Wits & Wagers!
North Star later came up with the excellent idea of making a family friendly version of their original hit, which they released as Wits & Wagers Family (2010). The Family Edition of the game removes some of the "betting" elements and gambling feel of the original Wits & Wagers, by adding meeples as a simpler scoring system which is more suitable for families - some even prefer this method above the original. The trivia questions are also less obscure, and ideal for a broader audience which can include children from as young as 8. Even though it is geared towards a younger crowd, it's still fun for adults as well!
The Family Edition of Wits & Wagers was the first North Star game we played, and it continues to be well received and see table time on occasion.
Want to learn more? See my full reviews:
 The Most Award Winning Party Game in History - not just a trivia game, but a game show in a box! (Wits & Wagers)
The winning Wits & Wagers formula goes family friendly with the arrival of the meeple in trivia land! (Family Edition)
Say Anything
Dominic teamed up with Satish Pillalamarri to create Say Anything (2008), the next big party game hit from North Star. Just like its predecessor, it went on to win a string of awards. It's also a party game, but borrowed elements from Wits & Wagers that helped make it stand apart from most traditional party games.
In Say Anything, players write answers to a question asked by another player, and score points by trying to guess which of the answers they think he'll pick. Think: Apples to Apples meets Balderdash meets Wits & Wagers. Questions are ones like these: "What would be the dumbest thing to say in a job interview?" "What would be the weirdest thing to collect?" "What's the most important quality a person can have?" Now comes the fun part: Can you think of an answer that the person whose turn it is might pick as the best one? And when everyone has written their answers, can you guess which one you think he'll pick once you see the answers others have written? This bidding/guessing mechanic keeps everyone in the game, and is what makes the game fun for gamers and non-gamers alike.
Say Anything is flexible, very interactive, highly social, and once again it has a huge fun element.
The most recent title from North Star is Say Anything Family Edition (2011), which brings their popular Say Anything game to the family crowd. Say Anything Family has more kid-centric questions (which work fine for adults in a group too) than the original game. And just like Wits & Wagers Family, it features family-friendly meeples on the reverse of the answer boards. One down side is that it caters up to 6 players instead of 8, but a noteworthy positive is that this game makes a massive technological leap from Say Anything's Select-o-matic 5000 by upgrading to the Select-o-matic 6000!
The differences from the original are not huge, which is a good thing, because the successful formula that made Say Anything fun is retained. But overall this is an ideal choice for families and groups with children.
Want to learn more? See my full reviews:
The perfect gift to buy for your non-gaming family and friends (Say Anything)
A perfect party game for the family (Family Edition)
All the above North Star games are excellent, and I recommend them highly. They all come with dry erase markers and answer boards, and the company is most generous in sending replacement markers. One highlight of the answer boards that come with the family editions of both games is that the reverse sides feature meeples, and since they're designed to be used with dry erase markers, kids will have great fun decorating and customizing these meeples! If you've never played any of North Star's party games, then do yourself a favour - now is the time to get into this exciting new world!
Join the discussion: Has the previous generation of party games run its course, or will they continue to be popular? Have you played any of North Star's games, and how much "fun" did you find them to be? Which is your favourite title, and why? What is it that sets these games apart from most other party games?
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