Wits & Wagers: A Review

We managed about a dozen games of Wits & Wagers over the Christmas break with an assortment of friends and family. Generally the game was well-received, I think mainly because (a) people like new games, (b) it's quick to play, (c) it's easy to learn and (d) there's no downtime. I guess about 50% of people have asked to play it again and that's a good indication that the game is a good one, with decent appeal.

The only problem with the game is that it is incredibly American-centric. It's clearly an American game written for a US audience. As a result, the questions can be REALLY frustrating for UK/European players. 'European' questions are dumbed down for the US market (e.g. "In what year did the 'European Front' of WWII open?" aka "In what year did WWII start?" -- 5 out of 6 in our group knew it instantly), whilst some of the US sports, entertainment and politics questions are so obscure for Europeans as to be complete guesswork (e.g. "How many home runs did some player you've never heard of hit during his baseball career?"). The game is crying out for a European version/set of questions.

Although I like the game, it's US questions mark it down, and I think GiftTRAP retains its place as our current top family 'party game'. Wits & Wagers sits nicely alongside it and Apples to Apples on our hot family game shelf.

Verdict: 4 stars