Hearing Things, Another Winner for Family Game Night
We got this game on a whim and it turned out to be more fun than we dreamed. Hearing Things is a game based on lip reading. It’s actually harder than it sounds, no pun intended.
You put on these headphones, which make a lot of weird noises so you can’t comprehend what others are saying. Then you make guesses as to what the others are saying. As long as you can laugh at yourself, this game is a lot of laughs.
The crazy, off the wall guesses that come from the person wearing the earphones is the source of all the laughs. You’d think lip reading a common phrase or word being said right in front of you would be simple, but it isn’t.
We had so much fun playing this we went through all the premade cards. Then we just made it up as we went along. It works especially well if your friend or family group has many common expressions or sayings.
Hearing Things is a great game for parties or game nights. We had so much fun with the earphones, we stopped keeping score and just kept passing them around.
I should point out the noises in the earphones are somewhat unsettling at first. It’s just several overlapping conversations on repeat, but it’s something out of a horror movie the first time you hear it. After the initial shock, I hardly gave it another thought. Especially once everyone starts laughing.
Why Hearing Things?
This is an ideal party game. Hearing Things is bound to be a hit at any party amongst friends or family. Unless, the people you’re playing with are extremely sensitive or self-conscious. In those cases they can just pass on being the guesser while still enjoy playing along.
Hearing Things an ideal game for large or small groups. You can play whether you’re gathered around a table or gathered around a campfire. It’s playable with just two people or a whole crowd.
How We Tested Hearing Things
We tested this game with 5 people sitting in our living room. We had no problem taking turns looking absolutely silly guessing what everyone else was saying.
Comparable Games
Hearing Things is unique but I would place it in the same category as Charedes, Pictionary, or 20 Guesses. All are fun party games. One is involves guessing from drawings, another guessing from actions, but Hearing Things is all about lip reading.
No matter how each game is played, they’re all a group activities. Which is ideal for any get together with friends or family. Anyone can learn to play quickly.
While no exceptional skill or talent is necessary to play any of these games, I think Hearing Things is the easiest to play. Some people feel awkward acting things out or drawing in front of other people.
For Hearing Things, you just have to make guesses what the others are saying. If you can endure the noise from the earphones or people laughing at you, then you’ll have a great time.
Pros and Cons
Hearing Things is compact. It’s just the earphones, a small pack of cards, and something to keep score on. If you’re creative enough you don’t need the cards and keeping score is optional in my opinion.
The only bad thing about this game is the eerie feeling you get when you first hear the sounds coming from the earphones. If you ever want to give yourself a good scare, listen to these earphones alone in a dark room. As long as you don’t think about it, it really isn’t that bad.
Summary
Hearing Things is one of the best party games I’ve come across. It definitely has earned a place among classics such as Charades and Pictionary. If you’re looking for a great party game give Hearing Things a try.
Hearing Things Another Winner for Family Game Night brought to you by: David M.
I’m David M. I’ve been playing video games a long time, my pong game was fire. Now, my kids run circles around me but we always have a good time. We mostly play party and family games. Strategy and battle games are still among my favorites. I like writing about games almost as much as I do playing them. My favorite games are: Moving Out 2, Out of Space and Overcooked All You Can Eat.
