OBJECTIVE OF OFF TOPIC: Write as many unique answers as you can that start with a specific letter of the alphabet.
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2 to 8 players
MATERIALS OF OFF TOPIC: 20-sided letter die, 16 game cards, 8 whiteboards, 10 markers, 2-minute sand timer
TYPE OF GAME: Board game
AUDIENCE: 17+
OVERVIEW OF OFF TOPIC
Looking for a new adult party game to entertain you and your friends? If you’re getting tired of the same old games, check out Off Topic. This game is going to really test your creativity while you have a lot of fun. Expect the game to get dirty. This is one of our favorite games like Cards Against Humanity that you can easily play at any event, including a 21st or 30th birthday party.
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- Creativity Rules: Off Topic is a fun board game that gets the brain juices...
- How To Play: Draw a card to set the topics, and roll the die to set the letter...
- Defend Your Answers: Coming up with answers is only part of the game. Debating...
SETUP FOR OFF TOPIC
Before you start the game, give each player a whiteboard and dry-erase marker. Place all of the topic cards face down within reach of all players. And pick a player to start the game.
HOW TO PLAY OFF TOPIC
Here are the rules to play Off Topic.
STARTING THE ROUND
The first player draws a topic card and reads it out loud. Then, roll the 20-sided letter die to determine which letter each answer should start with. Finally, flip the timer, and you’re ready to begin a round.
WRITING ANSWERS
There are 8 topics in each topic card. Write down up to 2 answers per topic that start with the chosen letter.
The moment the 2-minute timer runs out, stop writing!
SCORING
Now for the fun part! The player who picked the topic card and rolled the die starts by sharing all of their answers one by one. All other players must decide together whether or not these answers are valid. Defend your answers when needed.
Like in the classic word game Boggle, if anybody else shares the same answer, that answer does not count for points and must be crossed out. So, when answering questions, try to be as unique as possible!
Each unique and valid answer equals 1 point.
Then, the next player reads out their answers minus any words that have already been crossed out. And so on.
PLAYING THE NEXT ROUND
Once everyone has scored their points, it’s time for the next round. Make sure to erase the board so that you can write your new answers. The second player now draws a new topic card and rolls the die to determine a new letter. Play as above.
END OF GAME
After five rounds (or another predetermined number of rounds), tally up all the points to determine the winner of the game.
TIPS FOR PLAYING OFF TOPIC THE PARTY GAME
Here are some of our top tips for playing Off Topic, the super hilarious card game for adults.
- Think fast and get weird: Off Topic rewards unexpected and creative answers. The sillier or more surprising your responses are, the more likely they’ll be unique, thus scoring you a point!
- Be persuasive: Half the fun comes from arguing your case. If you can justify why your answer fits the topic, you might win that elusive point!
- Read the room: This is a party game with adult humor, so play with people who appreciate that.
- Play with a house rule or two: You could shorten the timer for extra chaos or allow bonus points for the funniest answer.
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