Disclosure: Meeple Mountain received a free copy of this product in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. This review is not intended to be an endorsement.
It’s Sort of Like…
The majority of my friends are non-gamers. While we do all kinds of other hobby activities together, gaming simply isn’t one of them. I stopped bringing games to gatherings a long time ago because we all know they won’t get played, and that’s okay. The key to a balanced social life is knowing which friends are good for which activities.
Every so often, though, I’ll get my hands on a party game that’s easy to teach, accommodates a large group, and requires very little rules explanation. This, I CAN get my friends to play. It helps if I describe it as “kind of like Cards Against Humanity,” which usually earns a few oohs and ahhs of recognition.
Party Stories
Wing It! follows the pattern of many other party games, using preprinted prompts and cards to create some sort of offering for a judge to award points to. I can’t say whether Apples to Apples was the first game to popularize this system, but there are plenty of structurally similar titles out there. Just check the game aisle at your local Walmart or Target.
Here, players become improv-driven storytellers. One player acts as the judge and reads a scenario aloud, while everyone else must tell a story using three of the five resource cards dealt to them. The scenarios range from relatively normal situations, like escaping a deserted island, to something completely absurd like, “You’re bored. Cure it.”
Players are given about a minute to think up a story before presenting it, ideally in 90 seconds or less. The judge then chooses their favorite story, which is entirely subjective, and that player earns a point. The game continues until everyone has served as the judge twice or, more realistically, until the group decides it’s ready to stop.
Soapboxes for All
Wing It! Has been a hit with my group of non-gamer friends. It became an exercise in fast, witty thinking that led to entertaining stories and plenty of laughs (best played with some cocktails). The resources range from everyday household items to complete randomness. See: “Video of a Southern Baptist megachurch service.” Though the basic formula isn’t anything new, it rewards creativity and clever responses rather than relying on crass cards and predictable innuendos.
The cards provide just enough structure to inspire all kinds of interesting stories, and the game can be a surprisingly fun way to learn more about your friends. However, it’s also extremely group-dependent. My friends are all Type A personalities, so giving everyone their own temporary soapbox worked perfectly. If your group isn’t interested in improv or storytelling, or its members are simply a little shy, it may not be the best party game for them.
With simple rules and plenty of runways for the imagination, Wing It! is a great game to pull out with gamers and non-gamers alike. I will say that the more players you add, the longer each round becomes, and there’s a real risk of the judge forgetting key details from the earlier stories. I definitely recommend using strict timers for both planning and storytelling to keep everything moving.
Chuck your copy of Cards Against Humanity, or whatever mass-produced big-box-store equivalent you own, and bring this to your next party instead.
Wing It! Rebellion
Flying Leap Games was also kind enough to provide the small-box Rebellion expansion, whose scenarios revolve around political situations, often involving micronations, protests, and rebellions. It’s a neat little collection of additional cards that works particularly well with players who are politically knowledgeable or generally aware of world affairs.
It’s also a nice touch that some of the scenarios are directly inspired by real-world events in places such as Syria and the Maldives. The expansion offers a slightly more serious take on the game, but it can still encourage some entertaining and healthy political discussions around the table. The cards feel especially timely in today’s political climate, and I appreciated the occasional jab at the current administration.
Wing It: The Game of Extreme Storytelling details
- Designer: Molly Michelle Zeff, Molly Zeff
- Artists: N/A
- Publishers: Flying Leap Games
- Release Date: 2017
- Player count : 4 - 7
- Age range : 12+
- Time range : 15 - 90 minutes
- Mechanism(s): Storytelling
- BGG Geek Rating: 6.645 - converted to Meeple Mountain scale: 3.5.
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