Overview: It's not often that you can associate a box of trivia questions with high replay value, but with the benefit of a few interesting twists, Joe Name It makes a strong case to be played over and over again. Questions are all incomplete, with the missing word of each filled in using the numerical result of a die roll. Players race to answer ten questions to win the game. However, if a wrong answer is given, "Joe" scores the point and can eventually beat all of the actual players at the table.
Players: 2 or more
Ages: 12 and up
Playing Time: 15 minutes, give or take a few depending on the number of players
Retail: $9.99
Rating: Light and fun.
Who Will Like It? Joe Name It is a good choice for those seeking a good warmup or ice-breaker game. The game is also well-suited for travel play and in "while you wait" situations where the whole group hasn't shown up yet.
Components:
- 200 cards
- Custom die
- Rules booklet
This is without a doubt a case of "less is more." Joe Name It does not attempt to be more of a game than it really is, and as a result it can fit in such a small package. The box's largest dimension is 3.5 inches and it weighs exactly one pound. It doesn't quite fit into your pocket, but the size still suits the game well.
The in-game components, of which there are few, sport a clean and functional design but are not otherwise noteworthy. The cards' minimal design allows the reader to focus on the trivia at hand. As for the "bang for your buck" factor, 200 cards for $9.99 may sound too good to be true, but thankfully Joe Name It delivers with respectable card quality. The cards are not immune to creasing and warping, but generally return to their shape after some smoothing out. Overall, the quality of the cards is average but well above expectations.
Gameplay:
The goal ofthis gameis to be the first player to correctly answer ten questions. In a game of Joe Name It, players take turns drawing trivia question cards from the box and attempting to score one point by providing the correct answer. Each question is either printed on an "Any Joe" card (anyone can answer) or "Just Joe" card (only the player drawing the card can answer). The only other difference is that "Any Joe" cards ask questions that require a single answer, while "Just Joe" cards require a list of multiple answers.
Joe Name It's unique twist on each question is that one key word is always missing, such as "Name __ US Vice President(s) who became President" or "Name a vehicle with ___ wheel(s)." To complete the question, the active player rolls a six-sided die and fills in the gap with the numerical result. The questions provide a good mix of historical, pop culture and general knowledge trivia. There are even some GeekDad favorites mixed in, such as "Name the full title of Star Wars Episode ___" although that could prove troublesome for those parents who have hidden Episodes I-III from their children.
Players at the table aren't the only ones in the game, though. Joe himself will join you in every game of Joe Name It. If an incorrect answer is given, Joe will get the point instead of the player. If Joe is the first player to reach ten points, he wins! If players are confident that a question cannot be answered, they can still claim the point by yelling "No Joe!" instead of an actual answer. Of course, any player who can prove a "No Joe" answer wrong will win the point for themselves.
Do not mistake it for anything else; Joe Name It is a light game. However, the rules are thorough enough that they hold up well in the face of even the pickiest players. For instance, I respect a trivia game that explicitly states you should use your smartphone to resolve debates. Half of the players are going to wind up running to their mobile browser anyway, so why not legitimize the result? Also, for players who would have you waiting for a half hour while claiming the answer is on the tip of their tongue, time can be limited to a number of minutes as determined by a die roll.
The only part of this game that felt as though it would benefit from tighter rules is the "Any Joe" card reading. For these questions, it is simply a race to be the first player that shouts out the answer. The problem here is that even the player reading the card can answer, and it is hard to get around the advantage gained from being the first to see the question. The rules also don't specify whether to roll the die before or after the question is read. Rolling the die afterwards does help reduce the advantage in being the card reader. In some of our games, we created a house rule where players would take turns sitting out to be the reader of "Any Joe" cards. Ultimately, the goal is simply to allow Joe Name It to be played as the light and fun experience it was meant to be.
Conclusion: Joe Name It bridges the gap between party games and trivia games while incorporating a few twists. From the variable questions to the incorporation of a Joe character, these additions keep the game from being just another stale trivia experience.
The true success of this game is that it is easy to convince a group to play. No matter the genre or strategic weight of a game, it is worthless if you cannot ever get it to the table. Joe Name It is easily played in almost any setting, and a generally tight rules set keep the game appealing to everyone from casual players to the more serious strategy gamer set. Overall, Joe Name It is a bite-sized game that is difficult to not like.
Wired: Portable, inexpensive, and filled with trivia questions that can be answered several times before becoming stale.
Tired: Small advantage given to the card reader when all players are allowed to answer.
Disclaimer: Wired GeekDad received a complimentary review sample of this game.
