Actualol Newsletter - June 2024 (Patreon)

Well met travellers,

It’s been quite the month for Actualol - thank you to everyone for supporting the channel. Thanks to you, we are back on track.

And it’s been quite the month for me. I turned 40 years old on the 17th June. How’s that for a patron exclusive! 

Since the last newsletter we’ve had the Shoe Box collection, Shoe box alternatives and After Show video. Plenty more to come this month, including an Ultimate Couples Games guide.

Today we’re going to review three party games - Things In Rings, Stereo Mind and Hitster.

Actual Life

I celebrated my 40th birthday by having some friends over to play all the party games I never get to play. Loads of favourites that haven't seen my table in years. I was reminded how much I love Snake Oil. But decided it was time to say goodbye to Funemployed and Cash N Guns.

It was the first time we'd had a big game day in the flat since Aurelia was born. And she loved it because there were so many friendly faces for her to smile at. If I were to guess, I think she’ll become a party gamer 😁

Actual Games

On the hunt for good small games, I came across these three party games that run the spectrum from meh to fun.

Things In Rings 

This is a game of trying to work out what the rules are. One player knows the secret rules that governs each ring (e.g. Starts with a vowel). And you take it in turns to place a thing in a ring, hoping to meet the rules. If you succeed - you will place again until you make a mistake. The first player to place correctly five times wins.

If you fail, the knower will place your thing in the correct part of the venn diagram - so you hopefully start to learn why things are placed in certain rings - to establish the rules.

And it’s hard. We would get to the end of the game, having successfully placed many things - with no clue as to what the rules might be. Which was unsatisfying, because it felt like we won through luck.

It is reminiscent of Zendo. They’re both “induction” games- where you must induce the rules from the examples given. And I prefer Zendo - because I’ve never felt as lost in that game as in Things in Rings. It presents itself as a light, silly party game, but the ring’s rules are either immediately obvious (boring), or baffle everyone (unrewarding). 

I commend it for trying something different - it stands out from other party games for that reason. But I don’t think there’s enough fun there to come back to.

Stereo Mind

I love music - so I was excited to try Stereo Mind. You listen to a piece of music (by scanning a QR code) and then secretly pick a word from the five available. Such as:

1. Doll

2. Robot

3. Blocks

4. RC Car

5. Clay

Which of those does this piece of music make you think of? You’re all trying to think in sync (sadly, not listening to NSYNC), and pick the same word. If you all pick the same word - you win that round.

Each time you scan a different QR code, and use a different list of words - so sometimes the words will pair up really nicely with some jazzy lift music, other times with heavy metal. They’re all 30 second clips of royalty-free music, but each with enough character to try and find that connection.

And it’s fun. For a few rounds. It feels like playing Dixit with music. But the game itself is rubbish. We played a whole game and didn’t get a single point - because it’s highly unlikely that you’ll all pick the same word! You’re given this pointless pause button which ignores someone’s guess for that round - but how can you possibly know who to give it to? 

I’d absolutely play this again - but there’s not enough there to recommend it. A one note wonder with very little replayability.

Hitster

I love music - so I was excited to try Hitster. You listen to a piece of music (by scanning a QR code), and thankfully that’s where the similarities end. You have to guess where in the timeline this song was released - flipping the card over to reveal the answer.

So it works exactly like the game Timeline. As you add songs, the timeline fills up and it becomes harder to guess whether “Hit Me Baby One More Time” was released between 1996 and 1998 or 1999 and 2001. 

Timeline is a brilliant party game, and Hitster is just as good. The app connects to Spotify (premium subscription not needed) and brings up the songs instantly. The selection of songs is really good - I had heard of 98% of them, and for the ones I hadn’t it was still fun to guess based on their style. I believe there’s different versions of the games depending on your country. Ours felt very UK friendly - as if they’d put thought into what songs we’d like to hear. 

You don’t need to know the artist or the song name - just guess the vague year it was released - and that was an easy enough challenge for everyone for it to not be annoying or off-putting. Although, I’ve seen they’re bringing out Hitster Bingo this year which does involve knowing those things, and I’m keen to try it.

It’s a simple win of a party game - something anyone can enjoy. A rare mass market game that gets it right. If you don’t mind playing a game with an app - then I’d highly recommend it.

Video of the Month - that youtuber you don’t like but can’t explain why

Song of the Month - After Midnight by Chappell Roan

New Arrivals:

• MLEM: Space Agency

• Fractured Sky

• In The Footsteps of Darwin
  

Have a wonderful month you wonderful people!

Actually yours,

Jon