Much in the way that the makers of Cards Against Humanity created their “adult” version of Apples to Apples by putting a risque spin on the idea of filling in a blank with offensive, inappropriate responses, the makers of Game of HAM (Hating All Mankind) have done something similar but also expanded matters by including a board and an instruction manual filled with a plethora of variations to keep people entertained.
Needing a minimum of three players, 18 and older (but I guarantee teens getting a hold of this will play), the basic gameplay has everyone selecting 10 pink cards and the host decides who will be the first judge. The judge reads a gray card, either asking a question or reading a statement, which the remaining players respond to with a pink card. The judge selects the winner, who earns that hand or trick, and that person becomes the new judge for the next round. For those wanting to play just with the cards, the game’s winner can be determined by who wins a set number of tricks or since each gray card has either an “H”, “A”, or “M” on it, anyone able to spell out “HAM”.
GoH differs from the other games because it has a board component. There are four pieces with images on both sides, allowing for a variety of game boards. In addition to the aforementioned card play above, the gray cards have numbers on them, offering two potential ways to move a piece forward. The player either lands on a colored spot and takes the corresponding colored card, which will either offer something beneficial for the player or something negative to an opponent, or the player lands on a number and moves forward that many spaces without claiming the colored card of the new spot. The game ends when a player lands exactly on the gold spot.
The instruction manual is packed with all sorts of options, which signals that folks should use their imagination and make of the game and its accompanying paraphernalia what they will and have a good time with it and each other. For example, if a judge can’t decide between two responses, the manual suggests the respondents compete against one another, creating a game with the games. Suggestions include a stare-down, a dance-off, and a game of Never Have I Ever. The booklet also offers rules for people 21 and over (and surely those younger will ignore them) with game mechanics listed for potheads and drinks, which will assuredly get folks wasted, so party responsibly.
For those looking for a game to play with friends who are not easily offended, Game of HAM has a lot to offer.
