If you have ever visited a library you will know that they are a place of knowledge, entertainment and enjoyment. A place with thousands of books that you can borrow for free (so if you can, make sure you and your children use your local library or they will disappear – you can search for your local library here). You will also know that they are synonymous with a place of silence. But as Exploding Kittens like to do things a bit differently, that is all about to change with Really Loud Librarians! No, the peace of quiet of libraries isn’t about to be shattered with the librarians raising their voices, Really Loud Librarians is the new merciless word-shouting board game.
Really Loud Librarians is a fast-thinking board game for 2 players or as a party game with 2 teams where players have to shout out words. It is suitable for players aged 8+ and has a playing time of around 20 minutes. It is a game of knowledge, or rather useless knowledge, that you have picked up in various places and managed to retain but all that useless knowledge will win you useful points to help you win the game.
In the box:
- Game Board
- 60 Category Cards
- 2 Librarians
- 20 Letter Tiles
- 14 Tokens
- 2 Score Markers
- Chain (3 plastic rings)
- Timer
- Instruction Manual
Before the librarians can start shouting, the game board has to be prepared. The board needs placing in the centre of the table. In the box you will find 3 plastic rings that require clipping together to make a chain with one larger ring at the end (there are arrow makers on the rings to show the direction that they need to be clipped together, you will hear them click into place when successful). The assembled chain is then placed on the game board with the large ring on letter E and the rest of the ring on the letters L, S and K. Then you will find 2 black and 2 grey U shaped pieces of cardboard, these need slotting together so that they look like an X, these are the score markers. Gertrude Birdwhistle and Wilfred Dankworth, the librarian playing pieces, are placed on the table next to the letter E on the game board. The score markers are placed on the scoring track in the centre of the game board. The category cards are shuffled and placed next to the board (before playing you pick a category number and this is the number you play with throughout the game, so that number must be face down on the draw pile of cards). The 20 letter tiles are placed face down next to the draw pile and the 12 bonus tiles (6 of each colour) are also placed next to the board. This only takes a couple of minutes so be quick about getting your drinks and snacks.
Now that the game board is set up, the librarians (or at least the players controlling them) can begin the process of loudly shouting out words!
Really Loud Librarians is played over several rounds. Each round consists of each player or team taking a single turn (a turn lasts 60 seconds). In this game, it is not the youngest player that starts, the ladies going first – and by ladies that is the librarian playing piece Gertrude Birdwhistle, not one you might have on your team. The librarian is clicked into place on the large ring on the chain, which is on the letter E. A letter tile is turned over and placed next to the corresponding letter on the board on the dot above the letter. Turn over the top card from the draw pile so everybody can see it and you will playing with whatever number you chosen before starting, e.g., category number 1 which might say ‘cat and dog breeds’. The other player/team then turns over the timer and you now have 60 seconds to shout out cat and dog breeds. Before you think that is too easy, the answers have to start with one of the letters in the rings on the board (L, S, or K). If you or one of your team members shouts out Shih Tzu (and it is a valid answer accepted by the other team) you move your librarian and the chain to the letter S on the board and then continue shouting out names that begin with the new letters displayed. You carry on until your 60 seconds are up. When your turn is up, remove your librarian from the chain and place it by the side of the board next to the letter that it was on (this marks how far you have got around the board). The chain is then moved back to E and Wilfred gets his turn, taking a new card and playing the same way. The next round starts from the position the previous round finished in. Play continues in this way until a player or team earns enough points to be declared the winner.
To win the game, players need to score points, 12 points are needed to win. After each round, the librarian that has moved the furthest around the board earns 1 point and moves their score marker (X) accordingly on the score tracker in the middle of the board. You can also gain an extra point if you have landed on any of the letters that a letter token has been placed next to.
As this is a word game, you are relying on the other players regarding words used, if they think a word is incorrect, they need to shout ‘Challenge’. If a challenge is declared, the timer is put on its side whilst this is discussed to determine if the word is allowed (you could use a dictionary of required).
Overall, we have absolutely love playing this game (even if it can get a bit loud). As a two player game it is great, but we enjoyed it a lot more when playing in teams as a family (the teams don’t even need have equal number of players). It is a loud and hilarious game, with some of the answers that are shouted out under pressure just pure comedy.
Really Loud Librarians is a very simple to set up. The rules are easy to follow, and the game play couldn’t be easier. The board is very well laid out and simple to move the chain and your librarian around. It is a fast and furious shouting word game that is fun and entertaining and certainly not a game you can play in a library! And you might even be able to improve your vocabulary whilst playing!
It is a loud and lively game that might leave you with sore ears, a sore throat and possibly a headache from all the shouting (especially when the kids are involved) but you will also have a sore stomach from all the belly laughs (if you have thin walls you might want to invite the neighbours to play).
A quick and fun party game that everyone with a voice and useless knowledge can play. It will leave the players giggling and laughing and it is excellent entertainment. Which librarian is going to have the loudest voice, Gertrude or Wilfred?
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £19.99
For more information, visit www.explodingkittens.com. Available to buy from Amazon here.
