Board Game Review: Befuzzled—Small Rules, Big Laughs
Befuzzled, the new party game from Fun Q Games, is a very simple concept that provides grossly disproportionate entertainment. In fact, upon opening the box and reading the two-page rulebook, I thought to myself, “That’s it?” But, upon playing Befuzzled, my arrogance was humbled and I was shocked at how wonderfully fun, interactive, and enjoyable this game was to play.
The Basics. Befuzzled comes with three decks of cards: shapes, flips, and actions. There are 24 action cards. The actions range from the easily accomplished, to the quite silly. They say things like, “Touch Your Nose,” “Say Your First Name,” or “Flap Your Arms.” Eight are randomly dealt out onto the playing area.
Then there are eight unique shape cards. Each has a different shape and is paired randomly to one of the eight action cards. So the square might be the “Make Bunny Ears” action.
Then there are the flip cards. Each has one of the eight shapes on it. The flip cards are put in a pile and the players take turns flipping them over. Whoever does the action associated with the revealed symbol first is the winner and gets the card. Hilarity ensues.
Actions matched with shapes
The Feel. I thought it would be a little too silly. Looking at the rules, it might seem a bit wacky for its own good. Believe me, though, this game leads to an awesomely good time. In my plays, the groups sometimes needed a turn or two to feel comfortable, but then even the reserved players started going all out.
The game has this fantastic feel of anticipation as each card is about to be drawn. There’s also the great suspense of many games where the information is revealed and you try to piece together all the steps as quickly as possible—and before anyone else. (1) identify the revealed shape; (2) Find that symbol on the board; (3) read the associated action; (4) perform said action. As simple as it sounds, it actually provides just the right amount of challenge for a party game.
A few more action examples
Also, because of the speed element, there are often hilarious goofs along the way. We’ve had players call out the wrong names, do the wrong actions, or even start to do one action, realize its wrong, then have it morph into another action. The result: a homunculus monstrosity of two actions that left the rest of us roaring with laughter. In fact, while doing the “Cover Eyes” action, one player would slap himself in the face to make a noise to show that he was the first to accomplish the action.
Importantly, Befuzzled is not a tense strategic endeavor where all the parties get together and pore over their moves. This game will not scratch that itch. But, taken as the party game it was intended, Befuzzled will provide loads of entertainment. Plus, it’s a good way to break the ice when introducing new people to a group.
Components: 3.5 of 5. The game consists of the three decks of cards. The shape and flip cards are large enough to be seen across the table by all players. The action cards have a cute, what we termed “Mr. Befuzzled,” character. The cards are slightly smaller than standard playing cards, but not so much so that shuffling is difficult. They do lack a gloss that I typically like to see, but are on sturdy stock and I’m not worried that they will be banged up easily.
Shapes, flips, and actions, oh my!
Strategy/Luck Balance: NA. There is minimal strategy in Befuzzled. The joy comes from watching the random element come up and then matching and acting it out. In our games, the only tactic we employed was to memorize and expect a shape. If it came, we’d be able to do it immediately and earn the card. But we were also at a disadvantage if any of the other seven came up. And, there’s no real luck either. While the game certainly has random elements, it’s random for all players together. Luck will not favor a player. Thus, no score here. The game relies on neither Strategy nor Luck, but just randomness and quickness. Also fun, there will be a lot of fun.
Mechanics: 4 of 5. The gameplay is brilliant. Like I said, I couldn’t believe that so simple a game would be so fun to play. And yet, everything just works. And once one or two people get into it, the whole group starts and the mirth grows quickly. The only negative is that Befuzzled has a somewhat fiddly scoring system if you play by the rules as given. The rules have the players track points over several rounds and keep a running tally. I’ve found that it’s best to treat each round as a separate game and move quickly, rather than stopping the game to score points. Especially since it can be difficult to catch up to a player that did very well in a round.
Replayability: 4.5 of 5. The random alignment of shapes and actions makes sure there can be no memorization. No matter how many times you play, you will have very little advantage over a novice. That will keep this game coming out again and again when large groups arrive (the game plays up to eight). Will a dedicated team of euro gamers play it every week? Probably not. But when the girlfriend or boyfriend or roommate or out of town relative shows up and you need a game for more, Befuzzled will not only entertain everyone, but also provide a shared experience so the new guy doesn’t feel like an outcast.
And, because of the simplicity of the rules, it’s an excellent choice for younger players. Children should be able to grasp and participate. Even if they can’t play as competitively as adults, they still get a turn being the “Judge” to decide who did the action the quickest. That gives them an equal seat at the table and kids will enjoy that as well.
Spite: 0 of 5. Spite is completely absent. There is no way to steal cards. No way to cheat. No way to reduce the scores of others. Everyone is out for the same task and only the quick survive.
That's the entire ruleset. The card is placed for size reference. Easy to pick up and play.
Overall: 4 of 5. Befuzzled is amazingly fun. I can already see myself bringing this out at family gatherings, during the holidays, and when new folks arrive. It will work great for gamers and nongamers, which pretty much means anyone with a pulse. It will get everyone laughing, enjoying themselves, and building camaraderie. This little gem is also a great way to start or end any gathering of friends and acquaintances.
(A special thanks to Fun Q Games for providing a review copy of Befuzzled)
