Taboo
 |
| Publisher |
Hasbro |
| Publication date |
1989 |
| Genre(s) |
party game |
| Players |
4 or more |
| Age range |
13 and up |
| Setup time |
< 5 minutes |
| Playing time |
10 to 15 minutes |
| Skills required |
Team play |
| Website |
Taboo product page at Hasbro |
Taboo is a word guessing party game published by Hasbro in 1989.[1] The object of the game is for a player to have their partner(s) guess the word on their card without using the word itself or five additional words listed on the card.
The game is similar to Catch Phrase, also from Hasbro, in which a player tries to get his or her teammates to guess words using gestures and verbal cues.
Taboo was later the basis for a 2002 game show of the same name on The New TNN, hosted by comedian Chris Wylde.[2]
Equipment
- A few hundred cards with words on both sides (how many cards there are depends on the game version)
- Tray for holding cards
- Timer (in the form of a one-minute hourglass)
- Buzzer
- Pencil and paper for score
Some early editions include a board to track progress (as shown in the photo on this page), but current editions do not. [3]
Rules
An even number of players from four to ten sit alternating around in a circle. Players take turns as the "giver," who attempts to prompt his or her teammates to guess as many keywords as possible in the allotted time. However, each card also has "taboo" (forbidden) words listed which may not be spoken. Should the giver say one, a "censor" on the opposing team hits the buzzer and the giver must move on to the next word. For example, the giver might have to get his or her team to say "baseball" without saying "sport," "game," "pastime," "hitter," "pitcher," or "baseball" itself. The giver may not say a part of a "taboo" word;[4] for example, using "base" in "baseball" is taboo. The giver may only use speech to prompt his or her teammates; gestures, sounds (e.g. barking), or drawings are not normally allowed. Singing is permitted, provided the singer is singing words rather than humming or whistling a tune. The giver's hints may not rhyme with a taboo word, or be an abbreviation of a taboo word.
While the giver is prompting the teammates they may make as many guesses as they want with no penalties for wrong guesses. Once the team correctly guesses the word exactly as written on the card, the giver moves on to the next word, trying to get as many words as possible in the allotted time. When time runs out, play passes to the next adjacent player of the other team. The playing team receives one point for correct guesses and one penalty point if "taboo" words are spoken, and the opposing team receives one point each time the giver passes.
Refill Cards
In 1990, Hasbro sold packs of additional words, but it is no longer in production. Some fans have created new cards and words themselves for distribution on the Internet. [5]
See also
References
External links