Publisher: PopHaus Collective
Designer: Joe Boyle, Josh Kemper, and Robert Freeman Smith
3-10 Players
Playtime: 30-45 Minutes
Getting to know our friends intimately can be kind of overwhelming, but it should at least be fun, right?
It’s Kind of A Fun Story is a party game that focuses on storytelling and personal experiences. The game creates an inviting environment where participants can share their stories on topics that might not naturally come up in conversation. It emphasizes connection and reflection, encouraging players to open up about their lives while navigating a series of prompts.
Let’s learn more!
A Brief How To Play
In It’s Kind of A Fun Story, each player starts with a Nope card and two Hear Me Out cards. The deck is shuffled, and players take turns drawing from the top. The prompts on the cards come in various categories, including Story Cards, Left or Right Cards, Point a Finger Cards, and Everybody Answers Cards. Players share their answers or respond to prompts.
Story Cards typically ask players to recount personal experiences related to the prompt, while Left or Right Cards challenge players to identify who best matches a particular description among their peers. Point a Finger orders players to simultaneously point to the person at the table who best reflects what’s on the card. The Nope card provides a safety net, allowing players to skip potentially uncomfortable topics. The game can be played to a set point total or simply as a means to facilitate conversation, making it flexible enough for different group sizes and settings.
Pacing and Interactivity
The pacing of It’s Kind of A Fun Story is generally casual, allowing players ample time to think through their responses and share their stories. Of course, this can change from table to table depending on how patient players are. This slower pace creates an inviting atmosphere that encourages meaningful interactions if the players are willing to open up. Players engage with the prompts and each other, as they react to stories and often find themselves inspired to share their own anecdotes. There isn’t much interaction in the rules, but this naturally occurs as players react to stories. Some cards might push comfort zones, and this leads to players not opening up as much, stalling the game, or just hurting momentum. This is especially so when questions get intimate and the group doesn’t know each other well. Awkward silences aren’t good for tempo.
For groups that appreciate humor and lighthearted banter, It’s Kind of A Fun Story provides the right blend of prompts to keep the conversation flowing, making it a great choice for gatherings.
Replay Value
It’s Kind of A Fun Story has a solid amount of replayability due to its wide range of prompts and the varied responses they elicit. There are a lot of cards in this game, and each session can feel unique as players draw different cards and share different stories. If the player that owns the game has many groups to play with, the replayability skyrockets. If the game stays in the same group, there will be quite a few plays available, but this will eventually lose its appeal.
Theme and Components
There isn’t much of a theme here, except to get people together. There also isn’t much art, but the game is aesthetically pleasing with bright, inviting colors. The cards themselves are of good quality, and the text and colors are clear, making the game flow well and feel accessible.
It’s Kind of A Fun Story Is Great For Fans Of…
Fans of party games that focus on storytelling and personal connections will find It’s Kind of A Fun Story to be a delightful addition to their collection. The game is perfect for gatherings where the goal is to foster meaningful interactions and laughter among friends and family. If you appreciate games that encourage vulnerability and personal reflection, this title will resonate with you. I still prefer Polemic as my quick card game to get to know people, but it doesn’t naturally lead to as much vulnerability, so this comes down to what the table wants.
In the right setting, It’s Kind of A Fun Story can lead to memorable moments and deeper understanding among participants, and that is worth a lot.
It's Kind of a Fun Story
It’s Kind of A Fun Story is a lovely party game that encourages deep connections and storytelling among friends and family. It's not for everyone and it doesn't feel like a game all the time, but the right table will grow with it.
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Pacing and Interactivity
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Replay Value
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Theme and Components
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How Fun Is It?
