Geek Out! Pop Culture Party
Geek Out! Pop Culture Party Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Object of the Game
Out-geek your opponents by out-bidding and completing challenges in different categories of geekery! Steal and score points by being able to complete bigger lists than your opponents, but don't bid too high or you could end up losing points in the end.
Contents
- 205 Geek Out! List Cards
- 54 Penalty Chips
- a 6-sided Category Die, including a blank "wild" side
In Geek Out! each topic conforms to one of these categories:
- Red: Games
- Blue: Comics
- Yellow: Sci-Fi
- Green: Fantasy
- Black: Miscellaneous
Game Play
Players may play one-on-one, or divide into teams. Teams are suggested with games of 8 or more players, and you can play with any number of teams.
Select one player (or team) to go first, who then rolls the die to determine their challenge category. In the case of a blank roll, that player gets to choose any category that they desire. The opponent to the player's right, then draws the top Geek Out! List Card and reads aloud the corresponding challenge. The player states clearly if they accept the minimum bid as listed on the card, or if they would like to increase it by bidding a higher total. "Bluffing" is encouraged!
Once the original player has made their bid, the option to bid passes to the next player, clockwise. That player may pass or bid higher, but may not bid the same number stated by the previous player. This continues in clockwise order until all players have passed, except for the last player to bid. The bidding process may take several rounds to get to this point. That player must then attempt to successfully complete the challenge.
Example: It is John's turn, and he rolls the die getting the blue Comic Books category. Bill, the player to John's right, draws a List Card, and reads John his challenge: "Four Iconic Comic Book Weapons." John can state, "I can list four," but being a comic book fan, he decides instead to raise the stakes, claiming, "I can list six." The option to bid higher passes on to the next player in either case. This bidding process continues until all players have passed except one.
Once bidding is complete and the challenge has been accepted, the last player to bid may now attempt to list the required amount of items indicated on the card. No serials are allowed in a valid list. For example, if Back to the Future is listed, then Back to the Future, Part 2 cannot be listed. For more details about appropriate lists, refer to the House Rules and the Glossary, below.
If the challenge is completed successfully, the player who accomplished it receives the List Card, which is worth 1 point. The player places that card on the table in front of them. If the challenge is failed, the player who attempted it takes a Penalty Chip, which is worth -2 points. The player places the chip on the table in front of them (see Scoring, below).
On the rare occasion that no one bids above the minimum number listed on the card, no penalty will be given if the challenge is not completed successfully. The original player can still attempt to list the minimum number, but won't be penalized if they fail. If they succeed, they still take the List Card as a point.
Play then passes to the left (clockwise) of the last player to roll the die, and the process is repeated.
End of the Game
The game ends once any player reaches a total score of 5 points. For a shorter or longer experience, you can adjust the amount of points needed to win the game.
Scoring
Players will earn 1 point for each List Card they receive and -2 points for each Penalty Chip they receive. The first player to reach a total of 5 points has successfully out-geeked their opponents to win the game!
House Rules
Geek Out! is a party game that encourages debate and discussion. Players may campaign as to why they believe an answer is valid. Some challenges on the List Cards are more vague than others, specifically to elicit a wider range of possible answers. Players are encouraged to get creative when answering! Below we have included a glossary with some of the terms that pop up frequently in the game. We recommend that you use this only as a general guide, however, and let your group decide amongst itself which answers it deems appropriate. We also suggest that you set up parameters regarding the bidding process before your game begins, such as allowing players only 10 seconds to either bid or pass, or to only write lists on paper when working as a team.
Glossary
Games: Unspecified, "Games" can refer to games of any sort, including traditional tabletop board and card games, role-playing games, or video games. If specified, however, the list given must comply with the specification. For example, if the challenge is to list video games, then a tabletop card game may not be included.
Tabletop Games: A "Tabletop Game" is a game that can be played in person with other opponents without the use of a computer or console, regardless of whether or not a table is used. This designation is to mark a distinction between traditional tabletop games and video games (or online role-playing games) and console games. See Games for more information.
Comics: For the purposes of game play, Comics include Comic Books, Graphic Novels, Comic Strips, Manga, and Anime. For the purposes of game play, the term "Comic Book" includes any "US," "European," or "western" comic book or graphic novel and "Manga" includes any "Asian," or "eastern" comic book, graphic novel or animated cartoon. A "Graphic Novel" is a fictional story that is presented in comic-strip format and published as a book.
Sci-Fi: For the purposes of game play, this genre contains materials, books, television shows and films set in a Science Fiction setting that includes futuristic themes and technology, space travel, alien races, undiscovered fictional technology and the like. Examples of "Science Fiction" would be: Star Trek, The Time Machine, Dr. Who and Red Dwarf. A debatable Science Fiction franchise would be Star Wars, but for game play purposes, we would place it as Science Fiction to comply with the above rules. All debates should be settled by a vote of the players and committed to future house rules.
Robots: Any robotic creature, including "Droids." A "Cyborg" is not a "Robot."
Fantasy: For the purposes of game play, this genre contains materials, books, television shows and films which take place in a Fantasy setting that includes recreationist/fictional history, magical elements, fictional creatures and the like. Examples of "Fantasy" would be: The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, King Arthur, and Dragonlance. A debatable Fantasy franchise would be Masters of the Universe, but for game play purposes, we would place it as Fantasy to comply with the above rules. All debates should be settled by a vote of the players and committed to future house rules.
Series/Serials: A "Serial" is any series of films, books, etc. that belong to each other in parts, sequels, trilogies or more. No serials are allowed in a valid list. For example, if Back to the Future is listed, then Back to the Future, Part 2 cannot be listed. Spin-offs are allowed in a valid list (see Spin-offs, below). Reboots are considered part of a serial. For example, the film Batman and the film The Dark Knight Rises are considered serials and may not be used together in a valid list.
Spin-offs: A "Spin-off" is a book, television show, or film that is derived from another with an alternate storyline and/or cast. Spin-offs ARE allowed in a valid list. For example, if Buffy the Vampire Slayer is listed, then Angel may be listed too.
Franchise: A "Franchise" is any well-known intellectual property that has been created into a combination of books, films, television shows, games and merchandise.
Named: A "Named" item is one that actually has a name. For example, if the challenge is to list a named fantasy sword, then "Excalibur" would be valid and "the swords the Orcs carry in The Lord of the Rings" would not.