Hasbro Electronic Catch Phrase Game - Second Edition Reviews

• some flaws in the electronic version

  
  By A33TVT31M6QLUT on 2002-09-26
  I first played this game on the standard card version and had a blast playing it. The only flaw with it was that after you've played for a while, you might start remembering words you've seen before and the order in which they come.

  So I bought the electronic version thinking it would be a simple improvement - more words in a random sequence. It's not that simple.
  Pros:
  - The size of the word list, and the fact that you can choose categories is a great addition.
  - The portable design. You only have to carry around 1 unit, rather than a box with the unit, the cards, and the buzzer.
  - Still the same great game.

  Cons:
  - The fact that there's no "off" switch hampers the portability. Since the game turns on if you press one of the buttons, if you just pack this in a bag, it can easily turn itself on, and start making that LOUD beeping sound. You need a screwdriver to remove the batteries, so that's not really an option either.
  - There's no volume control and the default is very loud.

  - Restrictive gameplay. The original card based game was pretty loose. You could split up into teams, or you could keep score in some other way. You could play up to a number, or you could keep playing until you got bored. The electronic version forces you to split into 2 teams and play up to 10 points. There's a voice calling out the score after each point, which is annoying. Also, there doesn't seem to be a way to reset the game- if you end in the middle of a game, it'll pick up in that game the next time you play, whether you want to or not.
  
  I think the basic strengths of the game outweigh the problems with the electronic version, but if you're someone used to the offline version, don't assume that the electronic version is exactly the same.
  
  

• A Nerve-Wracking, Yet Highly Contagious Game

  
  By AT1GMH2UHYROT on 2001-11-27
  "Catch Phrase" is one of the many cool things I have discovered since being in college. I'll bet hardly anyone has heard of it (no one had heard of it where I come from anyway), but it is one of the most contagious games around.

  The premise of the game is simple: After setting the timer, your team has to guess what word or phrase is visible on the screen. The unit cannot be passed until someone says exactly what is on the screen. When someone does guess correctly, you pass it on to a member of the other team.

  For example, if the word was "pumpkin," you could say something along the lines of, "Okay, guys, Peter-Peter-blank-eater!" If someone has been keeping up on their nursery rhymes, he or she will know that the word in place of "blank" is "pumpkin." Make sense?

  This game is a blast when you get a huge amount of people to play. About a month ago, around 20 of us were playing it at the same time. Good times there, folks!

  Fun: Fun, fun, FUN. I can't reiterate it enough. It's interesting to see how nervous people get when the timer starts beeping faster; hence, the buzzer is about to go off. For some reason, people get really panicky when the pressure starts to build. It's only a game, people! Of course, you don't realize that at the time. Everyone is yelling out answers, and with all the excitement going on, your heartbeat can rise in a hurry.

  Educational Value: This is a thinking game. That's the only way I know how to put it. You have to think about what it is your teammate is trying to say without he or she actually coming out and saying it. And they're not all as easy as "pumpkin." There are some real stumpers in this game, and that only adds to the fun (or frustration depending upon what side you're on).

  Durability: This game is very durable. Just don't drop it! It probably wouldn't hold up very well since this is the electronic version.

  In short, "Catch Phrase" is a very cool game. It's great to play with a lot of people, and it never gets boring. I've played this numerous times, and I always have interesting stories to tell the next day.
  
  

• Fun Party Game!

  
  By A1PKVTIIRVJC6L on 2001-12-11
  Remember the old $100, 000 Pyramid game that still reruns on the Game Show network with Dick Clark? This game is sort of like that. There's no silly cardboard cards to fiddle around with, and it's fast paced and fun. You describe the various words that pop up on your screen without saying it to your fellow team member, and you should see the look on people's faces when they try to pinpoint the word. It's comical - and the shouting never stops. But unlike the old pyramid game, you can get a lot of people to join in on the fun, by dividing it up into two teams.

  There's a really loud beeping noise that accompanies the game - and it grows more intense minute by minute, until the device buzzes, and the person left holding the unit is the one who gets the 'raspberry' sound. (There's no volume control by the way, but if you're playing this with a lot of people, and there's tons of noise, you'll have a hard time even hearing the beeping)

  Great party game, and good fun!
  
  

• One of my favorite games!

  
  By on 2001-08-16
  Catch Phrase may not be a popular game, and few have heard of it, but in reality, it is extremely fun for all ages. I've played with a 9 year-old and a 40-year-old before, and no one got bored! And not only is it fun and entertaining, but it improves vocabulary skills. One of the best parts of this game is, once you've had it for a week, your kids will still be playing it. It never loses its fun. So I recomend you try this game. If you liked this game, you should also try Cranium. A game that focuses on many different talents and is fun for everyone.
  
  

• Good game overall

  
  By A2NGW99F2RZDJV on 2002-10-28
  This game is like $25,000 pyramid on tv. You have a word and you try to get others on your team to guess the word.
  
  Minor problems are:
  1. If you make a mistake with the electronic scoring you have to go all the way through to the beginning. There is no "undo" button.
  2. The buzzer is hard to hear if people are yelling too loudly.
  3. There is no "off" switch. The game turns itself off after no one plays with it for awhile. But, it also turns itself on when a button is pressed. So when you're on your way to grandma's, and something in the luggage starts ticking, sometimes people get a little nervous. Then you realize it's just Catch Phrase, having a nice joke on everyone.
  4. Some of the topics are a bit risque for younger kids. They probably won't even know what the word is and will skip it, but still...
  
  Good things:
  1. This is a great game to play with people of mixed ages, such as at a reunion or wedding shower, because you don't have to share similar interests, even know each other, or be a trivia wizard to play.
  
  2. Any number of people can play. We played at a reunion and had about 30. That was nice because it was something that Gen X-ers, Gen Ys, and Baby Boomers could all do together. You just have to have two teams (so atleast 4) and even numbers. You sit in a circle and every other person is on a team. For odd numbers we have two people who are alternates.
  
  3. Everyone ends up laughing a lot, especially if you have some funny personalities involved. Sometimes people say really dumb (and therefore funny) things when trying to get you to guess an answer. "It's something red...," and that's the only clue they give, while waving their arms and shouting, "...something red!"
  
  K, I've said enough. Great game!
  
  
• More phrases, please!
  By A2UQJOIRVWWNJF on 2004-11-18
  I wouldn't be asking for MORE if I didn't love this game and find it totally addictive. The speed, quick thinking, and competition make it fun for anyone...I have a group of friends in their 30s and 40s and we have a blast playing it over a few bottles of wine. The most fun part (to me) is watching different people's thought processes and interactions throughout the game. Superb. Hilarious!
  
  That said, I wish they sold additional phrase cards, downloads, or something, or would at least come out with a "genus II" edition like Trivial Pursuit did when people started memorizing the answers to the first edition's questions. I would be perfectly happy buying an additional unit to get more phrases.
  
  Also, the scoring, reset, and power buttons aren't intuitive for new users or people who have consumed a bottle of wine.
  
  I hope the product engineers at Hasbro are reading this. Hey, that's what you get for creating a game that appeals to intelligent, inquisitive people!
  
  
• catch phrase fun
  By A6HWC4LRA9J6A on 2001-07-20
  we love this game. I have four girls from 6-13 and we all play together. The little one needs some help reading. It's also great fun for adults. We played it as an ice breaker before a workshop. It's a sleeper. No one's ever heard of it but when they play it they all go buy it.
  
  
• A laugh a minute!
  By on 2002-11-18
  This is the best game we own, by far! We love it. It's portable, it's hassle free, it's hysterical! The timer is both annoying AND the reason we laugh so hard - people are trying to get their teammates to guess what the word or phrase is and that timer is going crazy and the noise is increasing and the people are yelling... it's fun, fun, fun. I've read the reviews for this game and some people have mentioned you cannot clear the scores or start over... well they just didn't read the instructions - you CAN start the scoring over and reset the game by holding both score buttons down at the same time. The computer is easy to learn and easy to use, at any level of "computer literacy" and the rules are easy to follow. There are only 3! Of course the one thing we find starts a few heated discussions is how to interpret the rules and you'll find it necessary to have "house rules" to settle them as fairly as possible. It's an awesome game! Now we just wonder... what will we do if we use all 10,000 words?!
  
  
• THE MOST FUN YOU WILL HAVE IN A LARGE GROUP
  By A1UHNVD7KHR24H on 2002-03-23
  Whenever my family gets together at my house for dinner, this is the game everyone wants to play. It is a blast, very fast paced. It is kind of like the game hot potato we all played as kids. Don't get caught with it in your hand when the buzzer goes off or the other team gains a point.
  It usually is just one word you are trying to get your team members to guess and you can do just about anything to get them to guess it. For example if the word is pencil and one happens to be laying on the table, you can pick it up and say, " what is this?" You just can't say, "it rhymes with" or "it is opposite of" other than that, go for it.
  It is so much fun for young and old!
  
  
• Electronic Version Pros and Cons vs. Older Version
  By A38X43COSTB3BM on 2002-06-26
  We first played the older, non-electronic version of this game with relatives, and we LOVED it! We liked it so much that we got one of our own, but since the older version has been discontinued, we bought the electronic one. PROS-the electronic version has 10K words, vs. the older one's cards with limited words. But there are more cons than pros. CONS:The electronic version has a scoring "bug" in it's system, that my husband (a software engineer) brought to the attn. of the company. The system adds 2 points to team 2's score, not one, if they get the point in the first round. HASBRO said they will get the bug fixed ASAP, but that doesn't fix OUR game. The buttons on the new version are also confusing when you are playing fast, since they are both exactly the same size and shape. Ergonomically, the old game is better, as you hit the edge of it to advance to the next word. The new game would have done better to keep that type of design. Still, overall it is a great, educational game for the entire family!
  
  
• limited gameplay
  By A191QD8SGUZPJ6 on 2007-05-05
  I loved this game at first. I played the card version a few time, then got the electric one. I agree with another reviewer that this is a lot more portable. Instead of lugging around a box, I can just toss this in a bag and bring it along. Unfortunately, there is no off button and it is easily set off on accident. I can live without the loud noises coming from my bag. Poor design. It also has a limited number of words. Although the game is a lot of fun, you can run through the words pretty quickly and there is no way to update the list or add an expansion.
  
  
• Like the Pyramid Game Show
  By A1KKL0LOU99BCW on 2001-11-19
  This game is light-hearted and fun to play with a group of people. It's just like that old game show with the pyramid, and the questions. I suggest playing it with couples b/c it's fun to see how they describe things to eachother. You can make it a quick game or a long one. It's very easy to catch on to-you don't have to read the directions and explain them a million times.
  
  
• Not as boring as the commercial; is great fun.
  By A3SUUMQ93SNKQX on 2001-12-10
  No one has really ever heard of this game but a select few, and until now has been very hard to find.

  For several years now I have owned the one that is not electronic. If you want to get a party or gathering hopping this is the game to do it. Would be great family entertainment for the holidays. You will find the energy level and sound to elevate quickly.

  Read the word the game gives you and get your team members to guess it as fast as you can. If you are caught holding the game when the buzzer goes the opposite team scores......bummer huh. You will find yourself playing the old "hot potatoe".

  Give the correct answer and pass until the end of the game.

  I love this game so much I have purchased about 6 so far, for family and friends, young and old.
  
  

• Stick With The Non-Electronic Version If You Can!
  By A3FMOZH18RXP7 on 2002-01-04
  Catch Phrase is a great game, perfect for parties, excellent for large groups. It is a terrific game to play before Taboo, because it encourages the very kind of clue-giving that is outlawed in Taboo. This means your Taboo game will be trickier to play immediately following.

  But, this electronic version is a pain. Keeping the timer and the word advancer buttons on the same device is cause for occasional confusion and player mistakes. And, the scoring requires you to hit a button (that doesn't really look like a button) on the device marked either "1" or "2" meaning team 1 or team 2. The weird part is that "2" button is at the top, and the "1" button is at the bottom. Very confusing.

  During a forty-five minute period of play, we had to stop the game about five or six times to correct someone accidentally hitting a wrong button for one reason or another.
  
  

• So much fun!
  By on 2003-12-11
  This game is great. I have played with friends and family. In fact this past thanksgiving we had a men vs. women match including everyone from my seven year old cousin to my 76 year old grandmother. I do recommend, however, NOT buying the electronic version. There is a second type with card stock-like discs that fit within a circular holder. Words are scrolled by pressing a button on the side. The reason is that I played the electronic version, and after about two hours words began repeating. The other type includes MANY more words, and if you play anywhere near as much as my family does, you'll need them!
  
  
• needs volume control and logical scoring
  By A39MUHKM7OUXSG on 2004-01-13
  Let me preface: very fun and portable game. Bad points: The oh so annoying beeping sound is intolerable. I put duct tape all over the speaker with little effect. It would be fine if you could turn the volume down, if the sound weren't so shrill, or if you could switch it to a small flashing light (another 20 cents in parts?) or have a counter in an area of the readout screen. It could then be a travel game or possibly hearing impaired accessible.

  Another minor point is the scoring is not 'fair'. It is scored by 'hot potato' method instead of by number answered in the alotted time. For example (only 2 teams allowed and you pass to the other team each phrase) Team 1 can burn 99% of the shared time on their phrase and then hand it off to Team 2 before they even really get a chance.
  Otherwise, it is a fun interactive game.
  
  

• fun fun game, but not happy with repeats!
  By A17D4ZQRPUBHAZ on 2006-12-29
  I absolutely love this game, it is really fun to play with friends and family. This is the first time of owning the game and of playing this specific version.
  
  I just got this for Christmas and that morning I played two rounds with my brother. Later in the day, i played a real game with two teams. Lo and behold, there were so many repeats! My brother and I were getting really annoyed, because the SECOND time of playing it we got at least 10 repeats. The third time we all played we got at least another 10 more.
  
  I'm disappointed in this because if there is 10,000 words to choose from why did we get so many repeats in just one day? I am thinking of writing the company, because that isn't right.
  
  Since this is such a fun game to play, I know i'll be playing it a lot, and that will get old really fast if I keep getting repeats.
  
  
• A funtastic game!
  By A34F833D4X5ZV1 on 2001-08-13
  Our neighbors brought this game to our cookout, and we loved it so much we bought! Now all my friends and family who play with us have gone out and bought it. It is a lot of fun!
  
  
• Loads of laughs
  By on 2001-09-30
  This game is a always a hit. It is one of my all time favorites. It involves the level of intensity found in musical chairs, with lots of laughs. This is a can't miss fun packed game. You will not be sorry you bought it.
  
  
• A wonderful team game, perfect for parties.
  By A33TBHM3O9AY17 on 2005-01-05
  This game combines elements of "Password", "Trivial Pursuit" and "Beat the Clock" for a fast-paced, exciting experience that is great for many hours of gaming fun. Simply choose a category and the game will give a random word or phrase. The player must give clues to his teammates to get them to say the word as quickly as possible, after which the game is quickly dumped off (rather like a hot potato) to a member of the opposite team, who repeats the process with a new word. It's not always easy, though, because some of the clues may be obscure and force the players to draw on their knowledge of trivia.
  
  What makes the game exciting is the ticking of the clock, which increases in speed and urgency as the game progresses. After a random amount of time has passed (usually about one to three minutes), the clock will stop and the game will buzz. The object is to avoid holding the game when the buzzer goes off. Whichever team is left holding the game when the buzzer sounds must give a point to the opposing team. Additionally, the opposing team can get a second point by guessing the losing team's word from their half-finished clues. The game is played to 7 points, at which time bragging rights are claimed (at least for now) and another game starts.
  
  We played this at our New Year's Eve party, six men against six women, and had a great time that lasted for several hours. The only downside to this game, and the only reason I gave it four stars instead of five, is that the memory has a limited "vocabulary", which means that words in a particular category may begin to repeat themselves. Aside from that one drawback, however, this is one of the better party games I have ever seen. Try it, and I'm sure you'll like it.
  
  
• Family Game Night Must Have.
  By on 2005-03-20
  In this game there are teams of two. You Pick a catorgory (like Sports, Food/Drink, History etc.) and useing words or actions you try and get your team-mate to guess the word (Like Shrimp, or Kentucky Derby, or pretty much any word.) And when you guess it, pass it to the other team quickly! Cause if it buzzes when you have, the other team gets a point. !st to 7 points win!
  
  This is a GREAT game to have on the shelf when friends come over for parties. Also it is a very fun way to sit the family down for some fun that you have to use your noggin for.
  
  I highly recromend this excellent game.
  
  
• A Whole Lot of clean Fun !!!!!
  By A10LJMK9LDR2KM on 2005-06-12
  One of the best group/party games on the market, in 7 years of owning this game and doing parties this game is usually the #1 choice from the group, anyone can play and their are different variations between splitting the group 50/50 or matching up in teams of two, its a must have, whish they would allow you to program in your own words.....
  
  
• our obsession
  By A3TQICSRNFQDGN on 2005-10-10
  My adult friends and I LOVE this game. We have even taken it on group vacations with us. It's easy to teach new people how to play, the games are quick so changing lopsided teams is painless. This is a good game for girls against the guys as it makes it easy to remember whose on your team (not sure how it would be handled in P-Town :) ). We usually stick to the "everything" catagory and rarely see duplicate words. ENJOY!
  
  
• Fun!
  By A1NRCOFHE09YJ6 on 2003-08-29
  I played this one night and we had a great time. We'd gone out to dinner and then we were all full and tired and this game woke us up and we played for hours. I bought this for a friend too.
  
  
• A Loud of Fun
  By A1IK6N5PSBEDR2 on 2004-08-04
  My freinds and I play this game whenever we get together. One time, a neighbor wanted to know what we were playing because it sounded like so much fun! A great game to play in the car. You can make up your own rules, too. Inside jokes are very useful in this game. Who else would guess that "THIS IS WHAT JOE WEARS!" meant Levi's?
  
  
• Lots of FUN! till your fifth time playing it...
  By A1B4W7B8P0P35X on 2007-06-26
  This will be the best game you've ever played till about the 5th time you play it. Then you realize that you know all the answers. There should be some sort of download where you can update the questions so that the game never gets old and repetative. Good for the price and good for a present. But dont expect to play this every weekend.
  
  
• Lots of fun!
  By AILBDL6ATVDCJ on 2004-10-28
  Ya pick the categories (sports, music, etc.) and give clues to get the person on your team to say the word. My family has played this game for years and we have enjoyed it a great deal.
  
  It is fun at parties, family get togethers, and just between a few friends.
  
  I highly recommend it.
  
  See ya next review.
  
  
  
  
• Great game especially for adults
  By A2WCPVPL19FQ5F on 2005-10-19
  This game is very fun to play with friends and couples. It is a great ice breaker with people you may not know very well and the energy produced while playing is infectious. I love it.
  
  
• The best game EVER!
  By A2043UZ0TMY6TW on 2006-11-16
  We were introduced to Catch Phrase at a family reunion two years ago using the board and disc version. We stayed up until or past midnight every night of the reunion playing this game and having a great time! Now, I have both electronic versions and my family and friends cannot play this game enough! It truly is the greatest game ever made! I am going to buy the board version too, because it offers some things that the electronic does not have (such as ease of score keeping!).
  We all enjoy this game so much that we don't keep track of scores! In fact, because keeping score can be a bit confusing and takes time (with the electronic version), not keeping score is more fun!
  
  Buy this game - you and your friends will NOT be disappointed!!!
  
  
• This one will make you shout
  By on 2001-10-31
  Even if you are usually a shy, retiring sort of game player, Catch Phrase will have you shouting with everyone else. The timer gets your pulse racing as you try to get your partner(s) to guess words based on your clues. My family loved it so much that I've bought gifts for every game loving person I know. The only downside is it is so much fun that you will use all the cards up in no time. Parker Brothers, if you are reading this, we need card refills with new words.
  
  

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