Quick Look: Stringamajig
Designer: Romain Caterdjian
Publisher: Fireside Games
Year Published: 2020
No. of Players: 4-10
Ages: 13+
Playing Time: 20 minutes (Unless you’re just having way too much fun!)
From the Publisher:
The action in the party game Stringamajig is part drawing and part charades with a string. Each player is given 60 seconds to draw a shape with a loop of string, move it around, and interact with it, trying to help other players guess that word, then as many other words as possible in the time allotted.
On a player’s turn, they draw the top card of the deck, with each card showing four numbered objects or phrases; the top card of the deck will show 1-4 numbers, and those numbers indicate which objects the drawer can choose to depict with the string.
When the drawer is ready, they flip the sand timer, grab the string, and start “drawing” — but they can interact with that drawing to help others guess the object, such as strumming a guitar, moving the tentacles on an octopus, or twirling the rotors on a helicopter. The drawer can’t make any noise, and part of the string has to remain touching the table while they animate their drawing. Otherwise, the drawer can get crazy with it.
The other players call out their ideas, and when a player guesses the word correctly, they receive the card, then the drawer quickly moves on to their next drawing. When time is up, the drawer scores 1 point for each word that was guessed correctly, and each player scores 1 point for each correct guess they made.
The game contains three types of challenge words that are harder to draw, but worth 2 points if guessed:
- 2-Player: Make the drawing in the air with another player.
- Don’t Look: Draw with your eyes closed.
- Forbidden Word: Guessing a certain word costs a card.
After everyone has had two turns as the drawer (or one turn in a game with seven or more players), the game ends, and the player with the most points wins.
Review:
I recently became an Aaronic Priesthood Specialist within my church. This means I get to help out at activities for 11-13 year old boys. They heard I work in board games, so naturally they thought I should be in charge of whenever we play games. We don’t have many party games, so I was glad that Fireside games provided one for just that!
Here’s what another church leader and some of the boys thought when we asked for their general impressions:
Brother Tysz (40 something): This game brought out the groups creative shapes, non-stop answers and competitiveness.
Boy: 2 Mistakes we kept making:
- Make sounds
- Picking the string completely off the surface
Boy: Good game, could have a longer string.
Wyatt (12): Good, I loved it!
Boy: I liked this game.
Boy: need more time
Boy: Pretty fun, but you should be able to make sounds and movements.
Boy: Good game, really hard to guess.
Rules & Setup:
Try to get other players to guess what you’re drawing using only a string and you imagination. It’s a tree-huggers version of Pictionary (except it isn’t fully, I’ll get to that later on). You have 60 seconds to draw and animate as many words as you can.
Theme and Mechanics:
It’s a drawing game without the drawing. The mechanic works well while saving some paper.
Gameplay:
What more can be said? Oh, it can get loud with a bunch of teenage boys!
Artwork and Components:
Artwork? What art work? It’s a string and some words on cards. Speaking of the string and cards they’re top notch in my opinion. But as stated by one of the boys a longer string would’ve possibly been nice. Oh and there are some score cards.
The Good:
It’s a fun quick game that works well with a lot of people. Even if you lack artistic ability as I do you can still have a fun time. I struggle at learning and teaching games, so it was very refreshing to have the rules and play be pretty much self explanatory and easy to follow.
The Other:
As stated above it is partially a tree-huggers improvement of the classic game Pictionary. Where was the mark missed there are score sheets that allow for paper to keep score. If this were to be a family game the misses would probably have us laminate one sheet and use it indefinitely. So that would be a nice addition. Also, some of the words the 13 year olds didn’t know what they were so there was no way they could draw them with a string let alone have others guess. Don’t worry the game wasn’t ageist as there were also some words some 40 year olds didn’t have a clue on either.
Rules to watch out for: The Boys kept forgetting to not talk or make sounds when it was their turn to draw, and also would forget to not pick up the string.
Final Thoughts: I felt that Fireside games nailed this game! It was a fun rendition of Pictionary with string and an all around great time. When it was time to play another game the boys all opted to just keep playing Stringamajig!
Players Who Like: Pictionary but can’t draw, shoelaces and just having a fun time will enjoy this one!
Disclaimer: The publisher provided the copy of Stringamajig. The opinions expressed in the review are completely my own.
Check out Stringamajig and Fireside Games on:
Lake Leafty – Owner
Lake was a pharmacy tech in just about every facet you can think of including as a veteran of the United States Air Force. He’s also a husband to his wonderful wife with whom he has been blessed to be the father of 5 great children. Due to circumstances beyond his control he got thrown into the world of Tabletop gaming. As an overachiever he couldn’t just sit there quietly playing games. So he started podcasting about games in May of 2017. Ever since then has been slowly trying to grow his evil regime starting with
The Giveaway Geek and now EBG.
See Lake’s reviews and interviews HERE.
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