Do You Really Know Your Family? Card Game Review
DISCLOSURE – THIS ITEM WAS GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW. ALL THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ARE THE REVIEWER’S OWN.
Reviewed by Kat Harrison
This weekend we’ve been playing a family card game called ‘Do You Really Know Your Family?’
The first selling point of this game is that it’s super easy to set up; all you need to do is get the cards out of the box and ta-dah, you’re good to go. No fuss, no faff. It’s the perfect rainy day game, one that you can just pull out of the cupboard and start to play immediately. It’s also the kind of game that I imagine being a real hit on Christmas Day, making it an ideal and welcomed Christmas present. And for £18.99, it’s a solid investment.
This interactive game really does what it says on the tin (or should I say, the box) – it determines how well the players know (or think they know) their fellow competitors. The title suggests it’s aimed at families but it would work just as well played by a group of friends. Laughs are guaranteed.
The aim of the game is to see who knows the family best, by taking it in turns to answer fun questions about each other. Do you know your dad’s favourite TV Show? Your sister’s favourite way to eat potatoes? Your Grandma’s most prized possession? Or which animal scares your cousin the most?
The rules are straightforward. Moving clockwise, players take it in turns to draw a card from the deck. There are two types of cards. If a player draws a Trivia Card, they must think of their answer to the question before reading the card out loud. The first person to guess the answer gets to keep the card. If no one is able to guess it, the player can give hints until someone does.
The first person to collect 15 cards wins.
This is a game that has been designed to bring the family together but beware, it could also drive them apart – particularly the younger siblings. Our game was one of giggles but there were a few occasions where the adults had to intercept – when cries of ‘that’s not true’ threatened to end play and start a fight! Keeping the competition friendly is key.
The second type of card in the deck which you’ll draw from at random, is the Challenge Card. These cards see the players performing silly tasks in order for them to keep them and work towards the target collection. These are the cards favoured by the younger members of the family. ‘Let the person to your right tickle you for 30 seconds to keep this card. Put your clothes on backwards and stay that way for the rest of the game to keep this card. Pick someone to name six fast food restaurants in ten seconds and if they do it they get this card.’
‘Do You Really Know Your Family?’ certainly sparks interesting conversations and is easy to get into. The game is recommended for ages 8 and up, which I feel is about right. My 7-year old did struggle with a few of the more deep and meaningful cards that asked questions such as, ‘What am I most grateful for? What motivates me to work hard? and what do I appreciate most about the person to my left?’ To help her stay engaged we let her read the card and put it to the bottom of the pile if she felt it was too difficult. There were plenty of cards that asked things like, ‘What is my favourite pizza topping, What would I buy first if I won the lottery and What do I wear most often?’ that really resonated with her.
Average game play is about 60-90 minutes and it’s a great way to take a little time out to reconnect. The combination of trivia and challenge cards offers a nice balance of thinking and action. You’ll definitely learn a thing or two about each other; who knew Auntie Gwen would like to do a bungee jump! And as for the challenges, judging who could make the best dolphin noise was a real highlight of the game for me.
To sum up, ‘Do You Really Know Your Family?’ is a clever, compelling card game that with minimum effort to set-up offers maximum fun for all.
Rating: 4/5
RRP: £21.99
Available to buy from Amazon here.