From: peter@techbook.com (Peter Sarrett)
Subject: The Game Report V1.2 (7 of 7): Hedbanz
Organization: TECHbooks --- Public Access UNIX --- (503) 220-0636
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1992 08:23:23 GMT



 
Game: Hedbanz
Info: ~$20 from The Games Gang, 1107 
Broadway, Suite 1603 New York, NY  
10010 (check your local Toys 'R Us)
Players: 3-6
Playing Time: 45-60 minutes
Type of game: Party
Complexity: 4	Skill: 7
Summary: Goofy and amusing.  Often 
harder than it looks.
 
	Remember the old game of Indian Poker, 
where players hold their cards up against their 
forehead so everyone else can see them, but they 
can't?  Hedbanz marries this concept with Twenty 
Questions to form a silly parlor game of "identity 
crisis."
	As you might expect, Hedbanz comes 
with 6 plastic headbands for players to wear, each 
with a slot in the front for holding an identity card.  
These cards contain the names of people, places, 
or things, along with delighfully clever cartoon 
illustrations.  Players place a card in their 
headband without looking at the person, place, or 
thing illustrated on its face.  On their turn, armed 
only with the knowledge of whether they are a 
"who", "what", or "where," players have 60 
seconds to figure out their identity.  He does so by 
asking yes-or-no questions, which the other 
players answer in unison.  For instance, if the 
guesser knew he was a "who," he might ask, "Am 
I living?" "Am I American?" "Am I fictional?" etc.  
The guesser may try to guess his identity at any 
time and as often as he wants.  If he is successful 
before time expires, he advances three spaces on 
the board.  If not, he has a choice to make.  He 
can take another 60 seconds of yes-or-no 
questioning to try to advance two spaces, or he 
can call for an "identity crisis" round.
	In an identity crisis, players take turns 
giving one word clues about the guesser's 
identity.  The guesser can make one guess per 
clue until he guesses his identity or 60 seconds 
goes by.  If he is successful, both he and the 
player to give the last clue advance one space.  If 
he still doesn't guess his identity, his turn ends.  
Regardless of whether or not a player guesses his 
identity, he discards his card and replaces it with 
a new one at the end of his turn.  The first player 
to reach the end of the board is the winner.
	Some cards are marked with a star to 
indicate that they are easier than normal.  Players 
may want to skip these cards, or play with only 
these cards, so that nobody gets an unfair 
advantage.  Then again, unfair advantages are 
hard to avoid, since "what"s are generally much 
harder than the other categories, and "where"s 
tend to be easier.  As a result, Hedbanz works 
better if players view their turns as a self-
challenge to guess their identity, rather than a 
competition against other players.
	Flawed by the varying difficulty of the 
cards, Hedbanz is not a game for serious players.  
But really, how serious can you be with a red 
plastic band and huge paper card on your 
forehead?  The cartoons on each card are a great 
touch, adding to the silliness.  And if you're not in 
a silly mood when you start, you will be before the 
game is over.

(copyright 1992 Peter Sarrett, all rights reserved)

Newsgroups: rec.games.board