Say Anything
Say Anything Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Overview
- Setup
- Asking a Question & Writing Answers
- Choosing Your Favorite Answer
- Guessing Which Answer Was Picked
- Scoring the Round
- Preparing for the Next Round
- End of the Game
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Our Designer Games are Fresh & Exciting!
- Later Printing: How to Play (2013 Rules Booklet)
- Credits
Overview
(read to new players)
Say Anything is a light-hearted game about what you and your friends think. It gives you the chance to settle questions that have been hotly debated for centuries. For instance, "Who is the most overrated band of all time?" or "Which celebrity would be the most fun to hang out with for a day?" So dig deep into your heart or just come up with something witty - this is your chance to Say Anything!
Setup
Each player gets a Dry Erase Pen, an Answer Board, and 2 Player Tokens of the same color as their Answer Board. You'll also need some napkins to wipe off your answers in between questions.
Choose a Score Keeper. This player will write down the scores after each round. The Score Keeper gets the Score Board.
The shortest player goes first. This player gets the state-of-the-art SELECT-O-MATIC 5000.
Asking a Question & Writing Answers
If you have the SELECT-O-MATIC 5000, then it is your turn. Draw a Question Card. Choose any question from the card and read it out loud.
Everyone else writes an answer on their Answer Board and places it face-up on the table.
Choosing Your Favorite Answer
Once all of the Answer Boards are face-up on the table, you will use the SELECT-O-MATIC 5000 to secretly choose your favorite answer. When you are done, place the SELECT-O-MATIC 5000 face-down on the table.
Guessing Which Answer Was Picked
Everyone else uses their 2 Player Tokens to guess which answer you picked. Players can either:
- Place both Player Tokens on the same answer, OR
- Split their Player Tokens between 2 different answers. Players do not have to choose their own answer.
Scoring the Round
Once everyone else has placed their 2 Player Tokens, turn the SELECT-O-MATIC 5000 face-up.
- You get 1 point for each Player Token that was placed on the answer you chose, up to a maximum of 3 points.
- The other players get 1 point for each Player Token they placed on the chosen answer.
- The player who wrote the chosen answer gets 1 bonus point.
NOTE: The maximum that any player can score in a round is 3 points.
NOTE: Make sure players don't take back their Player Tokens until the round has been scored.
Preparing for the Next Round
Everyone takes back their 2 Player Tokens and their Answer Board. Erase your answer with a napkin, not with your finger (that leaves an oily residue).
Pass the Question Cards and the SELECT-O-MATIC 5000 to the left. Play the next round.
End of the Game
- 3 - 4 players: The game is over once everyone has asked 3 questions.
- 5 - 6 players: The game is over once everyone has asked 2 questions.
- 7 - 8 players: The game is over once everyone has asked 1 question.
Who Wins?
At the end of the game, the Score Keeper totals each player's score. The player with the most points is the winner. But remember - Say Anything isn't really about winning, it's more about having fun!
Tie-Breaker
In the case of a tie, the last place player chooses a song that everyone knows. Each of the players who tied for first place must sing a line from the song and do a short dance. The last place player picks their favorite performance and that player is the winner.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's my turn. Can I try to influence other players?
No! If it's your turn, you cannot influence what other players write. You also cannot hint at which answer is your favorite or help the other players guess which answer you picked. However, feel free to share all your thoughts after your favorite answer is officially revealed!
It's not my turn. Can I lobby for my answer?
Yes! If it's not your turn, you can lobby for your answer in an attempt to get the player with the SELECT-O-MATIC 5000 to choose it as their favorite. In fact, that's part of the fun!
What if 2 players write the same answer?
Only the first answer placed on the table counts. The other player must write a new answer. The player with the SELECT-O-MATIC 5000 resolves any debate about which answer came first.
What if 2 answers are similar?
The player with the SELECT-O-MATIC 5000 decides if similar answers are actually the same thing. For example, she may decide that "receiving a salary" is the same as "earning a paycheck". If similar answers are judged to be the same, see the question above.
Can I change my answer?
Only if someone else is still thinking of an answer to write.
Do I have to write an answer?
If you're the last person and can't think of anything to write, you don't have to write an answer. You still get to guess which answer was picked.
Our Designer Games are Fresh & Exciting!
No waiting for your turn. We think waiting for your turn is the most boring part of other games. So our games don't have turns! Everyone is constantly involved in the action.
Party-Tested, Party-Approved. At North Star Games, we play our games with 500 - 1,000 people before they are published. By the time you get your game, it has already been a hit at hundreds of parties.
Later Printing: How to Play (2013 Rules Booklet)
The following is the "How to Play" text as printed in North Star Games' later (2013) Say Anything rules booklet. It restates the same game, but a few details differ from the original rules above - the first player, the wording of scoring, and the length of the game. Use whichever version matches the booklet in your box.
Say Anything is a light-hearted game about what you and your friends think. It gives you the chance to settle questions that have been hotly debated for centuries. Who is the most overrated band of all time? Which celebrity would be the most fun to hang out with for a day? Dig deep into your heart or just come up with something witty - this is your chance to Say Anything!
Setup (2013)
Each player gets a Dry Erase Pen, an Answer Board, and 2 Player Tokens of the same color as their Answer Board. You'll also need some napkins to wipe off your answers in between questions.
Choose a Score Keeper. This player will write down the scores after each round. The Score Keeper gets the Score Board.
The youngest player goes first. This player gets the state-of-the-art SELECT-O-MATIC 5000.
Asking a Question & Writing Answers (2013)
If you have the SELECT-O-MATIC 5000, you are the Judge and it is your turn. Draw a Question Card. Choose any question from the card and read it out loud. Everyone else writes an answer on their Answer Board and places it face-up on the table.
If two players write the same answer, only the first answer placed on the table counts. The other player must write a new answer. The Judge resolves any debate about which answer came first.
Selecting A Favorite Answer (2013)
Once all the Answer Boards are face-up on the table, the Judge will use the SELECT-O-MATIC 5000 to secretly choose her favorite answer. Then the Judge places the SELECT-O-MATIC 5000 face-down on the table.
Guessing Which Answer the Judge Picked (2013)
Everyone except the Judge uses their 2 Player Tokens to guess which answer the Judge selected as her favorite. Players can either:
- Place both Player Tokens on the same answer, OR
- Split their Player Tokens between 2 different answers. Players do not have to choose their own answer.
Scoring the Round (2013)
Once the Player Tokens have been placed, the Judge reveals her favorite answer by turning the SELECT-O-MATIC 5000 face-up.
The scorekeeper awards points as follows:
- 1 point is given to the player that wrote the answer the Judge selected as her favorite.
- Players get 1 point for each Player Token they placed on the answer the Judge selected.
- The Judge gets 1 point for each Player Token placed on the answer she selected (Max 3 points.)
NOTE: The maximum that any player (including the Judge) can score in a round is 3 points.
Preparing for the Next Round (2013)
Take back your Answer Boards and Player Tokens. Erase your answer with a napkin (fingers leave an oily residue). Pass the Question Cards and the SELECT-O-MATIC to the left.
End of the Game (2013)
The player with the most points after 12 rounds is the winner.
Frequently Asked Questions (2013)
What if two answers are the same or similar?
If two cards have the same answer, only the first card placed on the table counts. The other answer must be removed and re-written. If answers are similar, the Judge decides if the they are the same thing (is "food fight" the same as "throw pies in their face"?). If the answers are determined to be the same, the judge decides which answer was written first. The other player must write a new answer.
Can I lobby for the answer I wrote?
Yes! You can try to get the Judge to choose your answer. In fact, that's part of the fun!
Can I change my answer?
Only if someone else is still thinking of an answer to write.
Do I have to write an answer?
No. If you're the last person and can't think of anything to write, you don't have to write an answer. You still get to guess which answer the Judge picked.
Credits
Thanks to all the peeps who Said Anything to make this game great!
Game Design: Dominic Crapuchettes & Satish Pillalamarri
Additional Question Development: Luke Warren, Matt Mariani, & the entire North Star team
Editing: David Lipman & Edoardo Kulp
Graphic Design: Jacoby O'Connor & Warren Kramer
Illustrations: Ali Douglas
Layout: Edoardo Kulp
Manufacturing: Tom Strom
Extensive Play Testing: Gina Cooper, Renee Camus, Alex Bradley, John Cooper, Izolda Trakhtenberg, and Petra Mayer.
Special Thanks To: Everyone who work-shopped the concept over several years at game designer conventions across the country including PowWow, Protospiel, Gathering of Friends and the weekly sessions at Looney Labs. Thanks to Dave Beltran Del Rio and everyone who tested the game at the White Whale and brain-stormed packaging concepts (Icky Icky Kaboom!). And extra special thanks to Dave Chalker for his groundbreaking work on the innovative SELECT-O-MATIC 5000.