QuickWits is an adult card game designed for people who love to think fast and shout loudly. We got together with a group of friends to put this game through its paces. First, we tested its design, entertainment value, and level of difficulty. Next, we considered its price and age recommendations in comparison to other adult party games on the market. Read on to see what we learned and determine if QuickWits is a smart choice for your next game night.
Design: A learning curve followed by fast-paced fun
At first, we were a little intimidated by QuickWits’ instructions. Thankfully, they anticipated this and provided an easy-to-follow video tutorial which our group of seven watched prior to playing. Note that while we had a sizeable group, you can play with as little as three people. To begin the game, you shuffle the deck and put all the cards into one pile (dubbed the QuickWits pile) at the center of a table. Because each player can have up to three piles in front of them and all cards need to be visible to each player throughout the game, you’ll want to play this game at a larger table. The first player draws a card and places it face-up in front of themselves. Then, moving clockwise around the table, players draw one card at a time until the symbol on their card (you’ll see dollar signs, musical notes, martini glasses, etc.) matches with another already on the table. Once a match happens, it’s a race between the two to come up with an example of the category on their opponent’s card. So, if your opponent’s card said “Johnny Depp Movie” and yours said “Motorcycle Brand,” you should be yelling, “Pirates of the Caribbean” before your opponent comes up with “Ducati.” If you do, you win the card and add it to your score pile. Once that match happens, it means the card beneath is now fair game for matching to any other card on the table, so it can be anyone’s turn next. If there are no more matches, the clockwise turn-taking continues. Just when you’re getting into the swing of things, new types of cards appear like Link and Battle cards as well as Trivia and Charades cards to keep you on your toes. Link cards simply link two symbols together, meaning your $ card now also matches with a cocktail glass. The Link Card is a simple concept, but they throw the game into total chaos (the good kind!). Battle Cards allow for two players to wager any number of their previously won cards in a head-to-head competition that can drastically change the leaderboard in a single turn. Finally, the Trivia and Charades cards allow players to come up with their own questions or prompts for the entire group. Because players maintain a pile of their drawn cards, as matches occur and their previous cards become visible, new matches become possible and cascading turns can occur. This means several matches can happen, one right after the other, making gameplay dynamic and edge-of-your-seat exciting for the entire group. The game ends when all 150 cards have been dealt and the player with the most cards in their score pile is the winner. Rounds generally take 20 to 30 minutes to play depending on how quick-witted players are.
Entertainment Value: High energy and huge laughs
QuickWits truly delivers on its promise to make you think faster and yell louder than your friends. Our group of seven loved this game, and it was by far our game night favorite. Just keep in mind that the game moves quickly and is high-energy, so it can be hard to follow—especially if you’ve been drinking. We played with a group of people who have a relaxed sense of humor, but I could understand how some folks might feel uncomfortable or even offended by some of the topics, so just know your audience before you sit down for a game. If they like Cards Against Humanity, they’ll likely be comfortable with the content of QuickWits. If you find that you like QuickWits, but have played it so much that the game has grown predictable, consider buying QuickerWits. It’s a standalone game, but all the symbols match the original game, so it can also function as an expansion pack.
Age Range: 17 and up
While there are some topics that could work for a younger set, the vast majority of cards contain some serious adult content. We recommend sticking with the manufacturer’s suggestion of ages 17 and up and keeping it far away from family game night.
Price: It’s a steal
QuickWits retails for $18.99, but you can easily find it for less than $15 at online retailers. Not only is it priced lower than many other adult party games, but it also has great replayability, making it a superb value for the money.
Competition: In a league of its own
Cards Against Humanity: For raunchy humor and creative thinking, both Cards Against Humanity and QuickWits are solid choices. However, if you’re playing with more than eight people, you may want to choose Cards Against Humanity (since keeping track of all the QuickWits cards for a party that large would prove difficult). For groups under eight, we love the variety of gameplay offered by QuickWits.
5 Second Rule Uncensored: If you want a fast-paced game without all the rules, 5 Second Rule Uncensored is a great option. It can be set up in seconds and has no learning curve. However, because the game is so easy to play, it can get repetitive pretty quickly.
QuickWits is a hilarious party game that’ll keep players on the edge of their seats. It takes a little effort to learn, but you’ll be rewarded with a memorable and exciting game experience.
