OBJECTIVE OF YOU LAUGH YOU’RE OUT: Make the group laugh while keeping a straight face yourself. If you laugh, you lose tokens.
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 4 to 6 players
MATERIALS OF YOU LAUGH YOU’RE OUT: 125 prompt cards, 36 laugh tokens, 1 sand timer, instructions
TYPE OF GAME: Party card game
AUDIENCE: 14+
OVERVIEW OF YOU LAUGH YOU’RE OUT
You Laugh You’re Out is a hilarious party game all about self-control. Or, well, lack of it. As you might be able to guess from the name of the game, your task is to try your best not to laugh. No matter how funny something might be. This is a fast-paced, chaotic game that’s perfect for game nights and families with older kids. Anytime you want to play a simple game that might make you laugh uncontrollably, this is it! So without further ado, here are the rules for You Laugh You’re Out.
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- You Laugh You're Out is a lively addition to family party game. Act out...
- Includes 125 prompt cards, 36 laugh tokens, and 1 sand timer
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SETUP FOR YOU LAUGH YOU’RE OUT
Before the laughter begins, let’s get everything ready:
- Have everyone sit in a circle facing each other.
- Give 6 laugh tokens to each player.
- Place the deck of prompt cards face down in the center of the table.
- Create a space in the middle of the play area for discarded laugh tokens (more on this later.)
That’s it. No complicated setup here to play You Laugh You’re Out, which is part of what makes this game so fun!
HOW TO PLAY YOU LAUGH YOU’RE OUT
Now that everything is set up, are you ready to test your poker face? Here are the You Laugh You’re Out game rules to know.
CHOOSING THE JOKER
Pick the funniest person in the room to start. Yes, we know this is highly subjective, so argue it out if you must. That player is the Joker.
The Joker draws a card and reads it silently.
THE JOKER’S TURN
Once the Joker has read the card, flip the sand timer. They now have 30 seconds to do whatever the card instructs.
Their goal is simple: Make the rest of the group laugh.
To achieve this goal, they can:
- Interact with other players
- Use facial expressions, voices, or gestures
- Laugh themselves (yes, that’s 100% allowed)
Basically, anything goes, as long as it’s within the rules of the card.
Here are some examples of what you might find on the prompt cards:
- Sing “Baby Shark” like an opera singer
- Do your best impression of Shrek on a roller coaster
- Hold a squat and mutter to yourself, “Don’t poop. Don’t poop.”
TRY NOT TO LAUGH
Now for the hard part… everyone else must keep a straight face. We know… it’s easier said than done in this game. And that’s the point!
If any player laughs, giggles, snorts, or clearly cracks, they must place one of their laugh tokens into the center of the play area immediately.
END OF THE ROUND
Once the 30 seconds are up, the Joker collects all laugh tokens that were placed in the center.
Then, the player sitting to the Joker’s left becomes the new Joker. And a new round begins.
END OF GAME
The game ends as soon as one player runs out of laugh tokens. When that happens, everyone counts how many tokens they still have. The player with the most tokens wins the game!
FAQ
How Long Does a Game of You Laugh You’re Out Take?
Most games last about 10 to 20 minutes, depending on how good everyone is at keeping a straight face.
Can the Joker Laugh During Their Turn?
Yes! The Joker is allowed to laugh as much as they want. The pressure is on everyone else.
Is You Laugh You’re Out Kid-Friendly?
Not really. You Laugh You’re Out is rated for players aged 14 and up. Younger kids may have a hard time understanding the prompts.
What Counts as Laughing?
If the group agrees you laughed, even a little, you lose a token.
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