Game Review: Bubble Talk

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Creative idea executed perfectly for big laughs

Cons: Only if you don’t like to laugh

The Bottom Line:

Funny pictures and

Funnier captions match for

Game filled with huge laughs

Match Pictures and Captions for Huge Laughs

I’m always up for new games, so when some friends mentioned Bubble Talk at a party they were hosting, I was anxious to give it a try.  Within minutes, I was laughing so hard I was crying, and I knew had to buy my own copy.  The game is really that fun.

In reality, this game is a variation on Apples to Apples (which is another game I love).  There are 75 double sided picture cards (so a total of 150 pictures).  These pictures feature things like a boy not so sure about getting his first haircut, a cow straddling a fence, a dog and a cat raiding a frig, somebody doing a sky jump in scuba gear…you get the idea.  Honestly, some of these pictures are hilarious on their own.

Then there are the 300 caption cards.  They are things that someone in the picture might be saying.  You get such captions as “Okay, this isn’t my first time,” “Wait…are we related?” “I hate the new dress code,” “I’m going to need a time out,” or “Let’s hope this looks like an accident.”

When you sit down to play the game, one person is the judge.  They flip over a picture card.  The rest of the players then have to select which of the seven caption cards in their hand they feel best fits the picture and play it face down.  Once everyone has played, the judge reads the captions, laughter ensues, and the judge picks the one they like the best.  Everyone draws a new caption card, and the potion of judge moves around the circle.  The first person to win 5 picture cards wins.

Obviously, there are times a picture comes up and you don’t have anything in your hand that comes close to fitting.  And then there are times that what you think is the perfect caption isn’t because the cards everyone else played are just as funny.  I’ve played this game twice now, and both times there was plenty of laughter.  Maybe not quite laugh until you cry laughter, but everyone was having a fabulous time.

The second time I played was over Thanksgiving with my family.  We had about 8 adults playing, and we played two games (first person to get 5 picture cards wins).  We went through all the caption cards by the second game so had to reshuffle that deck, but there were still plenty of picture cards we didn’t get to see.  Even once you’ve gone through them all, the way they mix and match will change every time, so the laughs will always be fresh.

The makers of the game recommend it for ages 8 and up.  Obviously, it will depend more on how good a reader your child is.  Obviously, I haven’t seen all the pictures yet, but from what I’ve seen, this is a family friendly game.

So if you are ready to laugh, this is the game for you.  Get a copy of Bubble Talk and enjoy over and over again with your family and friends.