BIG POTATO GAMES
What Board Game will feature one distributer or publisher each month to take a look at some of their best games and discuss with the team what it's like to work in the wonderful world of board game distribution and publishing.
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Founded by Dean Tempest, Ben Drummond and Tristan Hyatt-Williams, Big Potato Games is one of the most successful independent board game companies in London, UK. Starting with Linkee, a game that allowed the three friends to start their own business, Big Potato Games have quickly established themselves as the go to place for family and party games.
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WBG reviews three of Big Potato Games best current games below, and you can also find out about P for Pizza here and Herd Mentality here which we also love! There are too many for a top three! The Chameleon, Don't Get Got and Colour Brain are amazing as well! This was an impossible choice!
WBG's Top Three Big Potato Games:
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If you are looking for the perfect party game then look no further! This is always one of my first suggestions when someone asks for a party game recommendation as it is just so fun!
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The game works from three players up to the mid-twenties! And the great thing about this is that if there is someone who is less excited about standing up and doing silly things, well, they can be the quizmaster instead! This game works for everyone! Even if you have more than one person who is less inclined to play the fool in front of others as there are some tasks that are more suitable for “sit-down” players and everything can of course be tailored.
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The game works so simply, another great reason for recommending this. You split into two equal teams. Give the first person in each team their coloured baton so everyone knows who is the active player that round. Then level out the supplied egg timer to be in the middle and decide which team is first. You then read out a question to the first person and away you go! That’s it.
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You lose if you run out of time when the timer is on you. So, the goal of the game is to get your task done as quickly as possible so the timer is flipped. You then hope the other team act slower than you over the course of the game!
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The tasks range from simple maths and language skills, to trivia, acting, running around like a loon or imitating sausages in a frying pan! It’s hilarious fun!
You can easily adapt for any player, age, ability or wishes by removing a few cards or changing the meaning of a few cards. Name a Disney character instead of name 5 actors for example. Think of an item in another room, rather than go and get one. There are hundreds of cards so this is simple to do.
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Every time I have played this game, I have had such a great time! Everyone always screams one more game! And I always agree! Great fun game. Highly recommended.
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Anyone who has played Scrawl will know how this game works, it is a very similar mechanic. But now with a Disney twist! It is essentially telephone. Have you played that? A popular party game in the 80’s where one person whispers a message to the person next to them, it goes around the circle until it gets back to the start. Typically, due to whispering, giggling and other factors the starting word has changed from something like “banana” to “banging a bottom” or some other such craziness! I am sure you played it, but perhaps it was called something else where you grew up?
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Well, this is similar to that. You start with a Disney character and action and you draw said character doing said action. You pass your drawing along to the right and then that person who has also done the same with their own character and action on their own board, does the same. Each player writes down on a card on the top of the previous players picture, whatever it is they think you drew! The next person then draws what this person wrote on another board, and on we go until it gets back to the starting player.
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When it reaches the original player, each person will lay out all their drawings and descriptions and tell the tale of how Ariel wearing a jar as a hat become fish in a bowler hat singing on the moon!
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Much fun is had and it is all very light-hearted and entertaining for ages. Each player can then award points for the best pictures or funniest descriptions. Scoring is a bit of an aside for a game like this but does work if you want it to. We generally just give points to everyone and enjoy the process rather than the scoring. All very “everyone gets a medal at school sports day” but this is hardly competitive!
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I have played this with quite a few people who would usually curl their noses up if I suggested playing game. But as this has no board and doesn’t feeling like a normal game; and so, everyone has so far excitedly agreed to play and all enjoyed it! There are no usual components, it’s more like an activity than a board game. Just some fun with Disney characters. Drawing them doing silly things! Who doesn’t want to try that? But the mechanic is smooth and works well, adding structure and keeping the game under some kind of control.
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This game comes highly recommended to anyone who enjoys getting your crayons out, is a Disney fan, or knows anyone who would find it funny to describe Baloo eating a rocket! That made me laugh for about five minutes the other week. No idea why?
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This game has a Kazoo round.
Oh sorry, I thought that would be enough. You want more?! Ok fine.
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This game is so fun! You don’t need to know loads about music, but a little knowledge is required, but other than that, it’s just good entertainment! If films are more you bag, then Blockbuster is a very similar game but focused on movies. Sadly, no Kazoo round though!
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To play, just split into two equal teams. Then draw a head to head card, read it out loud and start the timer. Two players, one from each team will try and answer in turn. Say your answer, hit the button and it resets for the next person. Keep going until one player runs out of time and or answers! It’s a great fun way to start the game.
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The winner then draws nine cards from which they must choose three. They pass the remaining six to the loser in the head to head, who now has just six from which to pick their three. The other three are simply discarded.
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Each card will have an artist or song title. Each player needs to pick one card to give a one-word clue to their team, one to offer a lyric, sung or spoken! And then one for the Kazoo round! Each correct answer from your team within the time limit (if you want to use that!) means you can keep the card.
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Using the timer adds a lot to the game, but does create more pressure, not everyone’s cup of tea. If you complete all three of your cards within the allocated time you can then try and steal your opponent’s cards. If successful they then have less cards to go for within their own time. We don’t play with the timer as it is so quick and we like to give each person the chance to try all three. It’s always a shame if they don’t get to have a go with all three methods as sometimes you can get stuck on one for a while and it’s a little stressful for all concerned if this is the case! Especially the one-word round. If you don’t get the answer, there is nothing more you can do other than pass!
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Each card is from a different category, 60’s, 70’s 80’s, 90’s, one hit wonders, pop stars of the future, that sort of thing. If you collect one from each category you win! You can also try and get 10 from one category if you prefer. Or mix it up. Pick cards that suit your tastes. We often remove the pop stars of the future being children of the 90’s ourselves!
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This is the beauty with all Big potato games. They are all so easy to learn. They scale brilliantly with all player counts. And you can adapt them to suit the people playing.
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I challenge anyone to not scream with laughter at their nan trying to play “I’m too Sexy” on the kazoo.
