5 Second Rule has been my favorite party game for years, so I was excited when PlayMonster recently released a 10th-anniversary edition to make it even better.
If you’re not familiar with 5 Second Rule, it’s a card game for kids ages 10 and up. Each player takes a turn in the hot seat with only 5 seconds to name three things based on a card prompt. There are literally hundreds of prompts covering an insane amount of topics, such as naming toy companies, cereals, museums, kids’ TV shows, book series, items in Grandma’s purse, carbs, boy bands, muscles, teams that wear blue, pet peeves, brands of pet food, types of dinosaurs, etc.
Someone else will read the prompt, turn over the 5-second timer, and the person in the hot seat has to think on their feet and spit out three answers. If the player can give three answers, they get a point. It may sound easy, but doing it under pressure can be challenging — and hilarious because you never know what kind of wacky answers are going to slip out.
The anniversary edition follows the same rules as the original, with the addition of 25 new cards with 50 questions that are all related to topics and events from the past decade, such as naming three streaming services, Starbucks beverages, TV or movies remakes, social media platforms, and more. These bonus cards also feature “fun facts” about pop culture, which the original version of the game does not have, such as how a woman was removed from a flight after her support animal was revealed to be a squirrel in 2018, and how 2014’s Flappy Bird became the most-downloaded free game in the App Store.
The variety of topics that the game covers makes it appeal to so many different demographics. It’s perfect for family game night because even if you have preteen kids, older siblings, parents, and grandparents all playing together, there will be cards that cover everyone’s interests. Some of the prompts are incredibly specific, like naming three Pac-10 universities, while others are more general, such as naming three animals at the zoo. That’s what keeps the game exciting!
It’s a fabulous ice-breaker if you’re playing with people you don’t know that well and it also creates engaging conversation starters for parents who are trying to get to know their kids on a deeper level. Watch out, because some cards might even cause a fight if you hit too close to home, such as naming things that smell bad or ways to alienate someone. I noticed a few repeat cards from the original game, but most of them seemed new and fresh, so you could totally purchase this game if you already own the original and still have a lot of fun with it.
5 Second Rule 10th Anniversary will make a great addition to any family game night and it will become one of your go-to party games as soon as group gatherings become a thing again.
