The Insults Game from George Michael takes the card game format and mixes it with some NSFW adult humour in quick fire rounds of Insults where the best and most brutal answer scores the points.
The premise of The Insults Game is ultimately quite simple but at the same time fairly brutal, each player takes it in turn as the “Target” of the other players concocted insults. The target draws a red card which sets the premise for the round with an opening statement followed by a blank.
The other players then utilise a number of the available green pool cards on the table which are all turned face up to make things easy. These are all connective or determinative words, you can use as many as you need to lengthen the abuse. Players then draw from their hand of ten blue adjective and noun cards to make up the details of their quip. Players can utilise as many cards from their hand and the table as they like and then get order their cards for the target to read out.
To make matters worse for the target, some of the red cards have a country or region printed around the outside edge with the idea that the target must then read their provided insults in a ridicule inducing attempt at a foreign accent. Once read out loud the target gets to choose the winner, who receives a point for their efforts. All the green cards are returned to the table and players replenish their blue hand from the ample stock provided whilst placing utilised cards into a “used” pile.
Rounds take anywhere between 5 minutes and 15 minutes depending on the rules being played, the skill in creating entertaining insults and whether or not the drinking rules have been employed. The Insults Game doesn’t limit players to a cap on the points needed to close the game and instead leaves it to the group to decide when they have had enough. This can change the game length although it was found that generally working to a “First to Ten” rule seemed to be an acceptable premise for the groups playing.
With just over 300 cards provided and the way in which cards are mixed, matched and then returned to the table; there are enough cards provided to deliver an extremely extensive mix of insults with it being very rare for delivering the exact match of cards in any given round. That keeps the games and rounds fresh and the players being fairly inventive, to the detriment of the target. The cards themselves are of a decent quality with a durable finish but they won’t stand up to any direct assault or being dipped in someone’s beverage so some care should be taken
Cards are provided in a box which is compact enough to hold them securely but more importantly small enough to be carried around to a friend’s house easily for an evening. It hopefully goes without saying the game is specifically made for adults over the age of 18 and although some games can be played with less than the recommended number of players, The Insults Game really needs a minimum of 4 players or teams, any less and the point award system doesn’t really work well.
Rather than just offer a standard rule set, The Insults Game also has an optional set of drinking rules included for alcohol fuelled evenings around the table. Managed to smash an insult with over 6 cards? The target drinks. If the Insult is based on reality then again, take a swig. A few games into the session we found ourselves getting dangerously close to paralytic laughter since one “friend” couldn’t even remember what Russian sounded like with it coming out closer to Brummie (Midlands UK for those reading from afar).
Not satisfied with only releasing the physical tabletop game, George has also packaged up a digital variant available soon on both the Apple AppStore and the Google Play market. Don’t have the room to place the cards ? Can’t actually get your closest and dearest within insult distance ? Don’t fret, the digital variant allows for virtual game rooms where players can join and get in on the action without the “52 Card Pickup” at the end.
The Insults Game is currently closing out its Kickstarter and with all being well it should be available in all reputable game stockists by New Year. You can also check its progress history right now on BackerKit.
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