[Review] Pictureka!

Looking for a small object hidden in a pile of other objects is a fun
task, which explains why the Where's Waldo series of books sold so
well. My children (and myself - I must admit) spent hours looking for
that elusive nerd and his glasses, as well as a host of other things.
Waldo was the first thing to come to mind when I opened the game
Pictureka! (Hasbro, 2007 - Arne Lauwers), and a reading of the rules
confirmed this. Pictureka! is simply a game for two or more players
in which they must find specific pictures amongst a host of drawn
objects.

Pictureka! is a great kids or family game, as folks will highly enjoy
finding the different pictures amongst the very cartoony artwork.
There's a decent amount of replay ability in the game, although
veterans of many games will likely have an advantage over those who
are new, since they'll know the general vicinity of many pictures.
It's fast and entertaining, often involving all players at the table.
There is one major rules annoyance in auctions, although this is
mitigated by a common sense rules change. I like the game and
relegate it to my teenage game club pile, as they will be the ones
most amused by the pictures and concept.

Nine large, double-sided tiles are randomly arranged in a three by
three square to form a large board with hundreds of random pictures
printed across it. Three decks of cards (red, blue, and green) are
shuffled and placed near the board. One player is chosen to go first,
taking a six-sided die with the colors of the cards printed on it, and
play passes clockwise around the table.

On a player's turn, they simply roll the die and choose the top card
of whichever deck it indicates. Before turning the card over, the
player looks at the back of the card - some have symbols on them that
require the player to flip a tile on the board, rotate any tile, or
switch the locations of two tiles. They then draw the card...
- On a green card, the player rolls a number die, which tells them how
many of the objects listed on the card (i.e. women, ropes, stains,
etc.) they must find in thirty seconds. Another player flips a thirty-
second timer, and the person must quickly point out that many
objects. If they do so, they receive the card, otherwise it is
discarded.
- On a blue card, as soon as it is revealed, all players
simultaneously search for the object shown on it on the board. The
first player to find it and shout "Pictureka!" receives the card.
- On a red card, before revealing it, the drawing player must announce
how many of the item they will find. Players can "bid" higher, and
this continues until one player is the highest bidder. This winning
bidder then flips the card and has thirty seconds to find the objects
listed there. If they find the number they bid, they win the card;
otherwise, it is discarded.

This continues until one player has won six cards, at which point
they win the game!

Other comments...

1.) Components: I keep hearing all the time how Hasbro's games are
shoddy and poorly produced, and yet I rarely find this to be the
case. Pictureka! isn't a super high quality game, but the boards are
very well done, thick and easy to maneuver around. The cards are
smaller (with white borders - thank you!) but clearly delineate what a
player is looking for (in English and Spanish). The cartoonish
artwork is similar to much of that found on the Cartoon Network these
days - in other words, I would typically despise it - but it really
works well in this game. Glancing at a single section of the board, I
would imagine that it would be easy to remember everything that's on
it, but it's put together in such a clever way that I found myself
many times befuddled to figure out where everything was. The two
different sides of the boards are quite different, although they have
several of the same pictures on them (for the blue cards). There are
lots of cartoon action lines going on, and it's very busy - while only
in a few colors (red, blue, black, and white). The box is thinnish
but holds everything easily, including the thirty-second timer and two
dice.

2.) Rules: The rules are written on one *** of paper and are
understandable instantly; especially since the only thing players have
to remember (the difference between cards) is printed on four small
reference cards. The rules are fine, but there is a serious flaw with
the "bidding" phase.

3.) Red: When using the red cards, a player can simply bid an
astronomically high amount. Sure, they won't win the bid, but neither
will anyone else. A quick fix on this is to simply have the winning
bidder LOSE a card if they make a mistake -- this will cut out the
silly bidding. Gamers are likely the only folk who will attempt such
nonsense; I haven't seen teenagers doing this.

4.) Blue: I personally like the blue cards best, as I like hunting
down one specific picture. The picture on the card has no color, and
you would be surprised at how adding a bit of color makes them that
much more difficult to find. Players who have played the game before
will know the general vicinity of pictures they've seen before, and
this can be a bit of a problem. This shouldn't be a problem for
players who have all played the game before, as it simply comes down
to speed.

5.) Green: I like these cards; they're the same as the red, without
the bidding. There may be some argument over whether an object is the
same as what is written on the card (i.e. "stinky things" is likely an
argument waiting to happen.) I haven't run into too many problems,
though, and likely the group can simply vote.

6.) Fun Factor: If you like quickly scanning a mosaic of hundreds of
little pictures, then you'll love Pictureka!. Most of the fun comes
from looking at all the little cartoon details and finding the one
thing everyone is searching for. Luck is certainly evident in the
game (with all the die rolling), but it's fast enough that no one will
mind much.

Pictureka! Is a party game - no doubt about it - it can accommodate
large groups (although going over six people starts to push it}.
Anyone who has found delight hunting for Waldo or such books will find
a great deal of glee from this game. I wonder just how much replay
ability it has, and the auction rule still bothers me; but it's one
game that I can play with my children on equal footing, as we both
hunt down that elusive lawn gnome.

Tom Vasel
"Real men play board games"
www.thedicetower.com
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