That Sound Game Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Intro
  • In the box
• Set it up
• Let's play
• The score
• All-in
• Lifelines
• The end
• Go rogue
• Questions

Intro

In the box

• 325 Category Cards (65 each of five categories: Incident, Action, The P's, Nature, Object)
• 16 Lifeline Cards
• 4 Lowdown Cards
• 1 Dice
• 1 One Minute Timer
• 1 Dry Erase Marker
• 1 Scorecard (reuseable)

Set it up

1. Separate the cards into the 5 categories and place them face down.
2. Divide into a maximum of 4 teams, with at least 2 players on each team. The more people on a team, the more enjoyable That Sound Game is.
3. Give each team 4 Lifeline cards:
   • 2 x Uncuff me
   • 2 x Steal
4. Give each team a Lowdown card.
5. To decide which team goes first, the last person to have received a noise complaint becomes the first Sound Master. If no one in the group has had a complaint, pick who is the most likely to get one.
6. The game is now ready to start.

Let's play

1. The Sound Master rolls the dice to determine the category for the round:
   • Action - the process of doing something
   • Incident - an instance of something happening; an event or occurrence
   • Object - a material thing of any size that can be both seen and touched
   • Nature - naturally forming occurrences including plants, animals, and landscape
   • The P's - people, places and personas (characters)
   • All-in - all teams play at the same time
2. Take a card from the corresponding category pile, look at the answer and place it face down.
3. Start the 1-minute timer and get your team to guess the answer on the card by using sound and movement only.
4. The Sound Master MUST have their hands clasped behind their back as soon as the timer starts. Hint: It is easier to be the Sound Master if you are standing up.
5. Only onomatopoeia (words that imitate a sound) such as oink, bang, squeak, etc. are allowed. No other words are acceptable. This is a sound-based game, so make sound.
6. The Sound Master may not use onomatopoeia that forms part of the word/scene they're trying to describe. For example, if the answer is "Squeaky wheel" you can't say squeak.
7. The Sound Master can interact with things/people but can't indicate towards something that is the word/scene on the card. For example, if the answer is "toaster" you can't gesture towards a toaster.
8. You can only unclasp your hands from behind your back when flipping the next category card, or when the Uncuff me card is in play. (Uncuff me is covered later in the Lifelines section).
9. If your team successfully guesses the answer, a new card is taken from the category pile.
10. The Sound Master may pass on a category card at any time.

The score

At the end of the round, add up the points on the cards your team guessed correctly.

Each card has a score of 1, 2 or 3 points based on its difficulty. The score is shown on both the front and back of the card:

• 1 point - usually one or two simple sounds are required.
• 2 points - usually between one to three sounds required.
• 3 points - multiple sounds needed to convey a complex word/scene.

If you've made a mistake, 1 point only is given to the other team/s:

• for each card that was passed (not applicable during an All-in round).
• if you unclasped your hands from behind your back.
• If you indicated directly towards something that makes up the word/scene on the card.
• if you used a word other than onomatopoeia.
• if you used onomatopoeia that forms part of the word/scene on the card.
• if you didn't make a sound at all and only used movement (you are playing charades, just saying).

If the timer runs out while the Sound Master is still giving clues, that card is dead and does not count towards any scoring.

All-in

If the Sound Master rolls the All-in face of the dice, all teams can guess in that round.

1. The Sound Master gets to pick the category of their choice.
2. Flip the timer.
3. All teams can guess the answers.
4. No Lifelines can be played during an all-in round.
5. First team to guess correctly gets the points.
6. All teams continue guessing until the timer runs out.
7. If multiple teams guess the answer at the same time, the points get allocated to each team that answered correctly.
8. There is no 1 point penalty for passing in an All-In round.
9. Once the round is complete, play passes to the next team in line.

Lifelines

Each team is given 4 Lifelines at the start of the game:

• 2 x Uncuff me
• 2 x Steal

Lifelines can only be played once the timer starts.

Uncuff me - The Sound Master can use their hands for the ENTIRE round.

• Ask your team for consent to use this card by yelling "Uncuff me".
• If your team agrees, you can release your hands.
• Once the uncuff me card is played it can't be used again.

Steal - Guess the answer during another team's round, if you think you know what their Sound Master is doing.

• You must YELL "Steal" and make your guess immediately.
• You only get one guess attempt.
• If you are correct:
  • you get the points on the card.
  • you also get to keep the Steal card so that you can use it again (in the same round or another).
• If you are wrong:
  • the card is dead and can't be used again.
• The round continues until the timer is up.

The end

The first team to reach 30, 50 or whatever amount of points you decide, is the winner.

If two or more teams reach the final score at the same time, the game goes into a tie-breaker round. The next Sound Master in line plays an All-in round. The first team to guess the correct answer wins.

Go rogue

• Party Play - For some party action, choose a card at random and play Sound Master to the whole group.
• Like it hard? - Play a version where onomatopoeia is not accepted. If you really want to crank it up a notch, remove all the Lifeline cards from play.

Questions

What if I don't understand the rules? You might be a visual learner, did you try the QR code on the front of this rule book?

What's onomatopoeia again? Onomatopoeia are words that imitate a sound such as oink, bang, squeak, etc.

Is close enough, good enough? This is entirely up to the group and how anal you are. For example, if a clue is 'Allergic reaction' you can decide in advance if you will accept 'Allergies' as an answer.

How do I clean the Scorecard? Use a dry rag to wipe it down.

Why did you use the word dice when there is only one die? Because language has evolved and dice can be used as singular and plural. This is a hill we are willing to dice on!