ACT IT OUT! A Game of Charades

ACT IT OUT! supplies prompts, a timer and scoring for a local charades gathering. Two to eight people can compete individually, cooperate or form teams when enough players are present. Acting, singing, verbal clues and drawing make the same idea feel different from round to round, while optional settings let a group exclude methods it dislikes. The Wii U version has a particularly appropriate piece of hardware: the GamePad shows the secret phrase privately to the current performer while everyone else sees the countdown on the television. A stylus makes drawing a natural part of the game, and skipping a difficult prompt or pausing is straightforward. Bright menus and Miis fit the room without pretending the software is more important than the people playing. Some formats require a minimum group size, awkward prompts can halt the rhythm, and there is no meaningful solo substitute. With friends present, however, the private display solves the secrecy problem of shared-screen charades. Historical Miiverse sharing is not assumed to remain available today.

Who it is for: Groups of friends or family looking for guided local charades.

Play notes: Original Wii U edition; current Miiverse service is not assumed.