| File:Malarkey board.jpg The Malarkey game board | |
| Publishers | Parker Brothers Hersch and Company |
|---|---|
| Players | 3-6 |
| Playing time | Approximately 45 minutes |
| Chance | High (involves dice) |
Malarkey is a board game published by Parker Brothers and Hersch and Company of Los Angeles, California starting in 1991.
Description
Malarkey is an adult-themed word game for 3–6 players.
Components
The game box contains[1]
- rule sheet
- 200 cards that contain themes such as "Get-Rich-Quick Schemes" or "Signs of Middle Age"
- 20 six-sided alphabet dice
- sheet of felt for rolling dice
- plastic gavel and gavel pad
- score pad
Setup
The sheet of felt is placed in the center of the table. Players decide how many rounds the game will last. (The rules recommend a number of rounds equal to the number of players or twice the number of players.) The players decide who the first Judge will be.[1]
Gameplay
The Judge rolls all the alphabet dice on the sheet of felt, and turns over the first question card. The player to the Judge's left has a few seconds to choose a single die from the table and say a word or phrase that both matches the theme and starts with the letter chosen. For example, in answer to "Get-Rich-Quick Schemes", the player could pick up an "R" die and say "Real estate." Subsequent players cannot repeat this word or phrase.
The Judge instantly decides whether the word or phrase is acceptable. If it is judged acceptable, the player keeps the die. If the Judge bangs the gavel and declares "Malarkey!", the player returns the die to the center of the table.
Play continues clockwise around the table until either all the dice are picked up or no player can think of a word or phrase for the letters remaining. At the end of the round, total dice gained are scored.
The player on the left becomes the Judge for the next round. The game continues until the agreed upon number of rounds have been played.[1]
Victory conditions
At the end of the last round, the player with the most number of points is the winner.[1]
Publication history
Malarkey was designed by Brian Hersch and published in 1991 by Parker Brothers.[2][3]
Reception
The review website Roll for Sanity examined the contents of the box and called the quality of the components "a mixed bag." The quality of the dice and the plastic gavel was judged to be outstanding, but the very thin cardstock of the cards was called "cheap."[4]
Reviews
References
- ^ a b c d "Malarkey (1991)". boardgamegeek.com. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
- ^ "Board Games Score Points with Baby Boomers". Orlando Sentinel. 1991-12-09.
- ^ Fullerton, Tracy (2014). Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games. CRC Press. p. 335.
- ^ "Malarkey Board Game (1991, Parker Brothers) -- What's Inside". Roll for Sanity. 2019-11-08. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
- ^ https://archive.org/details/Games-Magazine-December-1991-images/page/n51/mode/2up