Over the Christmas holiday, I played one of the hottest games out on the market right now. Although not super excited at first to give it a try, I knew I had to at least experience Speak Out.
The first full day Sidney and I were in Spokane, we went to Fred Meyer to purchase some groceries. We found ourselves diverted to the entertainment section where we encountered Speak Out. Sidney really wanted to try it out and because it was only $20, we threw it into the cart.
During the holidays, we played Speak Out.
Later that night, Sidney and I played on a team versus my cousin and her boyfriend. Sitting in the middle of my parents’ living room, we had an enthusiastic crowd as my aunts, mom, and dad cheered us on.
Well, not exactly. The phrase “laughed at us hysterically” might be more accurate than “cheered us on.” Yes, that is the calling card of Speak Out. If you have seen the videos on Facebook or heard your friends telling you about it, then you know what I am talking about. However, if that is not the case, let me briefly explain the game to you:
Sidney and I played Speak Up against my cousin Abby and her boyfriend, Nathan.
Each player is given a mouthpiece. Think of it as the contraption your dentist or orthodontist gives you to keep your mouth open. You are then given a card with a phrase on it. The object is to speak the phrase to your partner so he/she can clearly understand it. If the partner correctly identifies what the player with the mouthpiece is trying to say, the team keeps the card and moves on to the next one. The team works to identify as many phrases as possible until the sand in the hourglass runs out.
After the hourglass runs out, the next team goes. Once the sand runs out, the original team goes again with the person who guessed the first time now doing the talking. The other team then reverses roles and goes again. All of this constitutes one round. The official Speak Out rules state that the game should just last two rounds. The team that earns the most cards wins.
So did I like it? Ummmmmmmm…
I think it was a fun game to play once. To be honest, the mouthpiece was a bit taxing on my mouth. I also don’t know how I felt about everyone watching me struggling to say silly phrases with dentist equipment muffling my speech.
At the very least, we did manage to get our Speak Out selfies.
To be honest, unless I was given a brand new mouthpiece to use for subsequent games, I couldn’t do it. When you play the game, that mouthpiece is definitely all up in your mouth. To have the vision in my mind (let alone the actual germs in my mouth) that the piece was once used by someone else just doesn’t sit well with me. Even with Sidney’s great counterpoint (Don’t you use the silverware at restaurants? Same thing!) I would not reuse a mouthpiece.
But Speak Out definitely brought everyone in my family who either played or watched some quality entertainment. And, even though I think all Speak Out selfies are hideous, I am still glad I got one. Also, even though the equipment is very minimal, I think the value is pretty decent.
So have you played Speak Out? If so, speak out (haha) and tell me about your experience. Don’t Blink.
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