Blank Slate is a newer game, and it’s one that’s taken off in popularity in the past couple of years. It even sits on Amazon’s top 20 list of bestselling board games this holiday season.
But is it really all it’s cracked up to be?
I wanted to take a look for you and play at least 100 hours of the game before forming my opinion.
Take it all with a grain of salt, but here’s my Blank Slate game review.
Blank Slate is a quick game but a ton of fun for the whole family. With a simple word-association premise yet millions of options from 500 cue cards, you’ll play this easy game over and over again and rarely have the same experience.
Table of Contents
The Low-Down: Blank Slate Game Review
| Overall Score (Out of 10) | 8 |
| # of Players | 3-8 |
| Time To Play | 20-30 minutes |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Games Like: | Codenames, Master Word, Taboo |
| Designed By: | Robert A. Kamp |
| Published By: | The OP Games, USAopoly |
How To Play In 200 Words (Or Less)
The game ends when one player earns 25 points. Hand out a blank slate whiteboard and dry-erase marker to each player.
Get out the cue cards and select one player to be the scorekeeper.
Show one cue card. It’ll have one word on it; the other will be blank.
Each player writes down a word that fits the missing one on the card.
For example, if you get the cue “house blank,” some people may write:
- House party
- House rules
After everyone has a hidden answer, everyone reveals what they wrote. Look for matches.
One pair matching (two players) means those two people get three points marked on the scoreboard. Three or more matches of one word are only worth one point each.
If you don’t match, you don’t get points.
Tally the points and then erase your blank slates. Put the cue card into a discard pile and draw another one.
Repeat play until someone gets 25 points.
If there are any disputes, the majority rules, so take a vote.
Check out our guide on how to play Blank Slate for more details.
Positives Of Blank Slate
I like to focus on the positives first. Every game has some value, so take a look here for Blank Slate’s good elements.
If you like what you hear, check the game out and get it for yourself.
Get this quick and easy party game for hours of fun!
Learn and play the game within minutes.
Fun for the whole family!
Easy To Explain
My family are big into board games, but some members of my family aren’t big into complicated games. Of course, with practice, they pick it up, but it’s always a bit rough at first.
We didn’t have this problem at all with Blank Slate. My sister-in-law explained it to us in under 5 minutes.
From there, we were able to play the game for about 3 hours that first night. It was a blast!
I always test games and rules out on my young kids too. All three boys (6, 8, and 10) picked it up instantly.
Lots Of Variety
The cues themselves were big in variety. Each cue sent you in a different direction from most of the others, so we didn’t end up repeating many words at all.
Of course, the more people you have, the more variety you get too.
Fun With Kids And Adults
Not every game translates well between kids and adults, but this one is quite versatile. The cues may be bit tough with some age groups, but most of them are fine.
Just use your best judgment and skip some that younger kids may not know.
Of course, if you’re playing with all adults, some of the cues may lead to some…adult responses.
You don’t have to play the game this way. It’s geared toward family-friendly fun.
But if you’ve ever played open-ended games with my brother, you’ll know they don’t always end up so appropriate!
A Ton Of Cues
This game comes with 250 cards with a cue on the front and the back.
One side has all the cues with the blank second, and one side has all the cues with the blank first.
It’s best to mix these up for some better variety.
Eventually, you’ll start repeating words, but you shouldn’t do it so often you find yourselves with the same experience over and over.
I recommend keeping used cards separate from the rest for a while. It’ll help accidentally shuffling in cards you just did in your last play session.
A Fast Game
I love games that take hours and hours to play, but not everyone does. This game is in and out in 30 minutes, max. Sometimes it’s much less.
If you like quick games, this is one you should check out for sure!
Negatives Of Blank Slate
Not every game is perfect, and while this one is a ton of fun, there are little things you may want to be aware of before you buy.
Check out our list of answers to common Blank Slate questions at the link.
Little Strategy
There’s not a lot to think about when it comes to this game.
Since you want to pair your answer with someone else, you really only need to think about two things:
- What’s a common word that matches the given cue?
- What is a word someone at your game is likely to pick?
Outside of this, it’s all luck. But it’s still fun to play.
Not Complex
Some people like it when a game has a couple of different levels to consider, whether it’s different phases of a game or different ways to get points or an advantage.
With Blank Slate, what you see is what you get.
Some Repetition If Played A Lot
If you play a ton in a row, there’s a chance some of the cues may repeat or be similar to what you’ve played recently. This isn’t likely to happen in a single session, but it may happen if you play many days in a row.
Smaller Groups Are Less Fun
I’ve played with three players and eight players (even beyond too). Larger groups are a lot more fun.
You get more variety, and people play off one another more often.
With small groups, you end up with the same people matching or missing altogether. It’s much less fun.
The Verdict
Blank Slate is a must-have for your game collection. It satisfies casual players and makes for a fun, quick game for a lot of folks. It’s versatile and simple, but the game changes almost every time you play it.
