Name Burst
Name Burst Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
Nameburst contains over 3,000 celebrity names on 200 Game Cards, Mechanical Card Viewer, Score Pad Holder, Score Pad, 2-sided Assignment Cards, One Minute Timer and Label (peel this off and place on the Card Viewer).
Object of the Game
To win!!! (Okay, I know...but if you can't joke around in game rules, where can you?) The object of the game is to identify as many names as possible within 60 seconds. (There, are you happy now?)
How to Play
Each 60-second round features two players, one serving as "Giver" and one as "Guesser." These players are temporarily "teamed" by the Assignment Card. During the game, all Players will have an equal number of turns "Giving" and "Guessing."
The "Giver" holds the Card Viewer and sees the names that are in play. He or she gives clues to the "Guesser" so that the "Guesser" can correctly identify the names, one by one. New names are played until the timer runs out.
At the end of each 60 second round, 1 Point is awarded for each name correctly identified. This score will be added to the total scores for BOTH the "Giver" and the "Guesser." After all the rounds are played, the winner is the individual player with the highest score.
YOU NOW HAVE A GENERAL WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF HOW TO PLAY NAMEBURST. BIG DEAL! IF YOU WANT TO PLAY WITH EASE, GRACE, WIT AND CHARM, YOU NEED TO FINISH READING THE RULES. LET'S FACE IT, YOU'LL NEVER BOTHER READING THESE RULES AGAIN, SO...KEEP READING!
Preparing to Play
"What is all this stuff?"
- The large device is called the Score Pad Holder. It has two distinctly different purposes. (Big surprise, huh?)
First, it holds the Score Pad. So put a Score Pad into the large opening (See Figure #1). Then write down the name of each Player to the right of the number in each large square.
For the duration of the game, you will be known as Player #1, Player #2, etc. depending on the number. Remember your number!
The Score Pad Holder is also responsible for indicating who plays when. Every Player will get to play with each and every other Player. Find the Assignment Card for the number of players who will be playing. Insert it into the slot on the top of the device. (See Figure #1.) The "order of play" now appears in the window. Slide the moveable arrow to the top so it is pointing to the top pair of numbers. If it shows 1-2 (for example), then Player 1 gives clues and Player 2 receives clues and guesses. In game-speak, that would be "One gives to two."
- The Card Viewer (Figure #2) is that handy dandy device that allows you to play the game. Slide a Game Card into the long plastic "sleeve" at the top of the Card Viewer. Each card has 10 names listed on it. Through the magic of game creating, we've obscured the names so that you can't see them too well. When the card is in the Card Viewer, one name will be clearly seen in the window. By pressing the lever down on the side of the Card Viewer, the card (and the "sleeve") will advance to the next name. When the round ends, hold in the small reset button and push the "sleeve" back down into the device. Now the Card Viewer is reset to either review the card just completed, or to start a new card and a new round.
Playing the Game
- The "Giver" takes the Card Viewer and faces the "Guesser." The "Giver" inserts a card into the Viewer.
- Someone turns over the timer.
- The "Giver" immediately begins to rattle off clues to help the "Guesser" identify the name in play.
Clues are given in whole sentence form. They can be direct:
"He was the President after Kennedy."
Or clues can be leading:
"Same first name as President Reagan." (Ronald)
then, "The biggest fast food chain." (McDonalds)
RONALD MCDONALD!
Finally, even someone unknown to the "Giver" can easily be played when broken down:
"A nickname for your little linger." (Pinky)
then, "Iacocca's first name." (Lee) (the source prints "lacocca's"; read as Iacocca)
PINKY LEE!
Scoring
When the timer runs out, push the reset button on the Card Viewer and reset the sleeve in its original position. Then you can run the Card back through the Viewer and count up how many names were correctly identified during the round.
For each name correctly identified, 1 Point is awarded to both the "Giver" and the "Guesser." Add the points up for each round, and write each player's score in their box on the Score Pad.
After you have run through all the rounds on the assignment card, each player adds up the numbers in the boxes under their name, and puts their total in the TOTAL SCORE area. The player with the largest TOTAL SCORE wins!
On each round, the first time the "Giver" decides to "pass" on a tough name, there is no penalty. But the second "pass" has a 1 Point penalty, so be sure to deduct it from the total points being awarded for the round.
Continuing Play
When it's time for the next round, move the arrow down one notch on the Assignment Device, hand over the Viewer, put in a new Card, and go.
When Is a Name Correctly Identified?
The Guesser must identify both the first name and the last name (if they are both on the card). This is true even when a person was only known by one name. You must say Napoleon Bonaparte, not just Napoleon; or William Shakespeare, not just Shakespeare.
The Guesser does not have to mention middle names, initials, titles, degrees or suffixes, even if these are commonly used in the name. Martin King is sufficient for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
YOU NOW KNOW WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY NAMEBURST, SO SIMPLE, SO FUN. AND THESE RULES...SO OBNOXIOUS! FOR A FULLER UNDERSTANDING OF THE "HOW TOS" OF RULE GIVING, READ THE FOLLOWING DOS AND DON'TS FOR CLUE GIVING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH! (POLITENESS COUNTS.)
Rules for Giving Clues: Dos
- Describe the person ("He invented the telephone.")
- Mention the person's relatives or associates ("She sings and is married to Steve Lawrence.")
- Sing ("Thanks for the memories.")
- Mime (Moonwalk for Michael Jackson)
- Mention another person with the same first name ("He has the same first name as President Kennedy.")
- Say the middle name (unless it's on the card) ("His middle name is Amadeus.")
- Give the nickname (unless it's on the card) ("They called him "Ike~ ")
- Say the person's title (unless it's on the card) ("Captain of the Starship Enterprise.")
- Give homonym clues ("The first syllable sounds like the loose stuff on a beach.")
- Mention Jr., or "the 3rd" or "M.D." etc. (unless it's on the card)
YOU MAY GIVE AS MANY CLUES AS YOU LIKE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR A RESPONSE FROM THE GUESSER. BE CREATIVE.
Rules for Giving Clues: Don'ts
You may not mention anything relating to letters. For example:
- "The last name starts with B."
- "The last name starts with an early letter in the alphabet."
- "The last name starts with the second letter in the alphabet."
- "The last name has six letters."
- "The last name starts with the same letter as the first name."
NO MATTER HOW CLEVER, LETTER CLUES ARE COMPLETELY PROHIBITED.
You may not say any part of the name. For example:
- "His first name is Paul."
- "He was the son of Joseph P. Kennedy."
- "She was married to Franklin D. Roosevelt."
- "His last name endc [sic, as printed] with 'ton.'"
- You can't say "Robert" for "Rob."
You may not use direct rhyming clues. For example: if the name is "Paul," you cannot say, "His name rhymes with 'hall'." Though you could say, "His name rhymes with the other word for 'corridor'."