Balderdash
$19.99
Balderdash at a Glance
| Game Type Bluffing, Word, Pencil & Paper, Voting | Play Time 60 mins | Skill/Complexity (1.5 - 5) Light |
| Age 12+ | Publisher(s) Mattel and others | Published 1984 |
| Categories Party / Word / Family / Bluffing | Players 2 - 6 (6 is best) | Rules Manual Official Rules PDF |
| Our Rating 7/10 | Cost $19.99 |
About – Description
Versions of the Balderdash board game go back to 1970 that was a parlor game (Fictionary), although the first game was not released until 1984. It was designed by Laura Robinson and Paul Toyne.
The game is aimed at players who are 12 years and over and is often brought out at parties as it is guaranteed to get a laugh.
It is ideal for 2-6 players although it’s best played with 5-6 with the average game lasting around 60 minutes.
Who’s it best suited for?
Balderdash the board game does seem to be primarily aimed at older groups or parties but it could be a family game. It is more suited to those families with older children and it could be considered to be educational.
However, at parties is where this game is appreciated. It brings people together and certainly challenges players in a fun yet interesting way.
Skill – Complexity
The game has a low skill rating and as it is suitable for 12-year-olds. This means that there is not a lot of complexity to it, and it’s intended to be more about fun than anything too complex.
Bluffing is a skill worth using in Balderdash as you must try and get people to believe in your bluffed definition of the word.
Set Up – Playing Rules & Instructions
Set up of the Balderdash board game is very simple and it consists of a board, movers, die and cards.
Players start with the roll of dice. The person who rolls the highest number becomes the dasher who then chooses a card from the definition pile. They then roll the dice to determine the words that will be used, and begin to write down their own definitions before submitting them.
The definitions are then read out and players have to select which definition is the right one and gets scored on this and scores move a players mover forward on the board. The first player to get to the last place on the board is the winner.
Versions – Editions
The Balderdash board game was released in 1984 but since then it has remained unchanged.
Likes & Dislikes
Players of the Balderdash board game love the feel-good factor of the game. It definitely brings people together and always gets a laugh at parties and brings the bluffers of the group alive.
Balderdash does need the right people to play it in order to get the best results from the experience.
Final Thoughts
This is a game that is undoubtedly great fun to play. It is relatively short to play at only an hour but if it brings people together then that’s a good thing. It’s simple and requires very little skill which is always a bonus at parties.
The simplicity of set up and playing along with its inexpensive price tag makes the board game Balderdash a great party or word game option to join anyone’s board game collection.
