• Sun Moon Rising is an astrology-based party game from designers Priya Gill and Emily Nichol and publisher Hasbro — and I can’t recall seeing a Hasbro mass-market title that names designers and includes their image on the box, so maybe this is a first. (If not, let me know what I’ve missed.)
Here’s an overview of this 3-6 player game:
Choose to play with your sun, moon, or rising sign deck to test your friends on three different sides of your personality. Your sun sign deck is a great go-to for anyone, your moon sign deck works best with close friends and family, and your rising sign deck is a good pick for casual acquaintances.
• In October 2022, U.S. publisher Big G Creative debuted two party games on the shelves of the Target retail chain. In Glyphics, the active player for the round chooses a word or phrase from a card, then uses any or all of the forty plastic components to create an image or act out a scene so that another player can guess what you’re trying to convey.
In Verses, all players are presented with a moment card, then must choose a song card from their hand, after which they vote on which song much matches the moment.
• To celebrate Bananagrams‘ 15th anniversary, the publisher is releasing a Signature Edition of this design by Rena and Abe Nathanson that features deluxe components and special packaging that allows for proper storage of your banana on game shelves.
• Publisher Exploding Kittens has released a new game in partnership with famous liar Penn Jillette, with You Lying Sack available for purchase online from the publisher ahead of a January 2023 retail release through Walmart. Here’s how to play:
Each player starts the game with two “bad things”, these bad things being made of foam. A sack is filled with made more bad things, along with one good thing, which is made of hard rubber.
On a turn, roll the six-sided die, then place it on the “shrink your pile” space. Next, draw from the sack either the one good thing or as many bad things as is indicated on the central display, which starts at 2 and increases to 8, resetting to 2 anytime a 6 is rolled on the die.
Whatever you draw, hold your clenched fist (or fists) out to the player on your left and say, “My hand is full of bad things. Will you take them?” If they decline, ask the next player. If everyone declines, then you keep any bad things in your hands; if you had the good thing, however, give away to other players as bad things from your pile as the number shown on the die, then return the good thing to the sack.
If another player accepts your offer, they add the bad things to their pile or (if you held the good thing) they give to you bad things from their pile equal to the number on the die, then return the good thing to the sack.
If you ever have at least ten bad things in your pile, you’re eliminated from the game. When only one player remains in the game, they win.
