epinions.com
Joshua Glidden
March 2005
USA

That’s right, folks. Apples to Apples. My new favorite game. It’s a bold statement, but I’ll stick with it for the moment. I apologize if I’m being unfair to the classics. There’s a chance that my emotions have been misconstrued. There’s a chance that Apples to Apples has shot to the top of my board game charts simply because everyone I play it with seems to appreciate their friendship with me more. Maybe I love it so much because of the many diners I’ve been invited to because I own Apples to Apples. Or, maybe it's the popularity or prestige.

Maybe I sound like an annoying paid advertisement for the game. …well, I guess I do. The point I want to get across is that this is a super good game.

Super Good Thing #1 – Ease of Learning.

You can teach this game to your bridge club in 2 minutes. This means three minutes after pulling the box out from under the table you could be up to more exciting things than passing your clubs around the table…or whatever it is folks do at a bridge table.

Allow me to explain Apples to Apples to you…

There are green cards and red cards. Green cards have a “characteristic” on them. Red cards have a “person, place, thing, or event”. Everyone playing, at least 4 people, get 7 red cards. Each turn requires one person to be the “judge”.

Still with me? Now, the action starts...

The judge draws a green card and shows it to everyone. For, this example the judge drew the card that says: “Honorable”.

You look down at your hand and see these cards: Cheesecake, Conspiracy Theories, Glaciers, Glazed Donuts, Swiss Cheese, Buying a House, and Ginkgo Trees.

Hmmm, which one to pick? You have to pick one of your red cards that you think the judge will pick because it is described by the green card; Honorable, in this case. You know the judge’s second cousin was injured in a glacier accident, they’re allergic to cheese, their house was foreclosed on because of their ginkgo tree farm, and they have a subscription to “Crop circle Digest”. So, based on those facts you place your Conspiracy Theories card face down on the table.

The judge pulls all the red cards together, shuffles them, and then takes a look at what’s been dished out to him or her. A Used Car Lot, Conspiracy Theories, Exorcism, and Discos. The judge picks Conspiracy Theories…you have a point…and, the game is off and running. Since there are five people playing, the first person to have the judge pick their card 7 times is the winner.

See, it’s a pretty easy one to learn. And, it’s easy to play; so, for once when the family meal is over, some of the youngsters from the kiddie table can work their way across the room to the adult table and actually play a game with them.

I know it sounds too simple to be fun, but really it’s not. Its simplicity is part of what makes it so appealing. Everyone can be involved at the same time, because not too much is going on. This leads me to…

Super Good Thing #2 – NO WAITING FOR YOUR TURN!!!

Quite possibly my favorite aspect of Apples to Apples is that I don’t have to wait a half hour every time it’s Uncle Larry’s turn to place his Scrabble pieces. Instead every turn is my turn, because I’m either picking a card for the judge or picking a card as the judge.

Super Good Thing #3 – Poker Strategy

Now, there’s no great game that doesn’t involve some strategy. Apples to Apples doesn’t have a whole lot of strategy behind it, but it does have some. When everything else fades away, Apples to Apples is a game about reading your opponents. You have to get inside their brain and figure out how they are going to react to each of your red cards. Some people pick the obvious choice, some go for more subtle cards. Some people like picking what’s funny and others are sticklers for the facts. Figure out your opponents and you will do well at Apples to Apples.

But, let’s say you’ve played Apples to Apples until its thrill has started to soften a little. Let me introduce you to…

Super Good Thing #4 – Apples to Apples Variations

We have 6 variations suggested by the manufacturer, Out of the Box:
“Apple Turnovers”: …keep the green cards in your hand and the judge uses the red cards to judge with.
“Quick Pick for Four”: …you can play two cards if you are fast enough.
“Crab Apples”: …choose cards that are opposite of the category.
“Big Apples”: …wager your points, if you’re confident that your card will be picked.
“Apple Potpourri”: …pick your red card before the green card is revealed.
“2 for 1 Apples”: …two green cards are turned over. You have to pick the red card that is best described by both green cards.

There’s also another speed version that hasn’t been given an official name in the directions. In this version, the last person to lay a red card has to pick their card back up, because it doesn’t count.

One last point, before I close this review up. The rules say that “Lobbying and ‘table talk’ are encouraged!”. We choose not to play that way. Apparently, in Madison, Wisconsin, where the game is made, the level of competition is a tad lower than the Kansas City area. For example, if I’m the judge and you have 6 points, your seventh point will give you a win, I’m not going to pick your card. I don’t care if the category is Sluttiest Rock ‘n Rollers and you’ve laid a Courtney Love card down. I want to win. So, we play with the rule that you can’t tell anyone which card is yours, and we throw out the wild cards.

Beside for that very fixable shortcoming with the game, Apples to Apples is one that I wholeheartedly recommend. I was exaggerating about the appeal of this game at the beginning of this review. But, I can honestly say that I can’t remember teaching this game to anyone who didn’t ask to play again after we finished our first game.

So, before you head over for another boring meal destined for tired post-desert smalltalk, swing by Target, and pick up Apples to Apples. You will liven up the party, your self-esteem will skyrocket, and everyone will love you.

Why the Party Box?

Because you get “every card from the original APPLES to APPLES Core Game, Expansion Set-1 and Expansion Set-2…over 1000 cards.” That last sentence was pretty much from the box. …My personal advice is to get the Party Box, because you’ll be playing the game enough that you’ll need about 1,000 cards, so that you don’t get sick of seeing the same cards over and over.

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