Family Feud DVD game, This Survey Says....
Written: Jan 05 '05 (Updated Oct 05 '05)
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Pros: Easy and quick set up.
Cons: Doesn't give the feel of the real game.
The Bottom Line: Though this game plays somewhat different than the TV game, it is still fun and challenging.
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| popsrocks's Full Review: Family Feud DVD Game |
One thing that gets a lot of use in our household are games. We are a game family. That is meant both as a family who likes games and a family who thrives on the competition.
Family Feud fills both categories for us.
The Game
This is the first DVD TV game I have ever tried. I wasn't sure what it would be like or if it would make the flow of the game too structured.
For those few who have never seen the game played on TV, played the board game, or have been to a resort or cruise where this is a common game played, I will give some very basic rules.
The regular game pits two teams of multiple players, perhaps four or five against each other. We have also played one on one. A list of answers are behind a board. They are listed in most popular order from top to bottom.
The teams are asked the question and they must, to the best of their ability, match the answers that were asked of one hundred people who were surveyed at an earlier time.
Some examples of questions are. "Name five items you might see in a limo that you would not see in a regular car." Another question might be, "Name five items a man may have in his pocket".
The team that gets the most matches, that also involve points, will win at the end of the game. The game has six rounds. Some differ from each other. There are Standard rounds, Team Play-off rounds and a Fast Money round that are all explained in the instructions. A bit more later.
Inventory
The bright red box is approximately 8"x12x21/2". The cover highlights Richard Karn the Host of this Game Show. You may remember him as Tim Allen's, the the tool man, side kick in the popular TV show Home Improvement.
The game comes with just a few pieces. A DVD that will give you rules and holds eight hundred actual Family Feud questions is the heart of the game. Two small wipe-off boards with lines and spaces for writing answers and keeping score come with applicable fine-line dry markers.
Instructions also come printed on the inside of the DVD jacket.
That's it! Nothing more. I like that.
A Comparison
It's my feeling that most people would purchase this game because they are familiar with the game show. I believe it's important to note that there are differences between the game show and this DVD game.
A couple of fun elements of the game, as played on the regular TV show, are not in the DVD game and cannot be duplicated. The first is where the team representatives with hands on lock out buzzer/lights go one-on-one against each other. In the TV game the winner decides whether their team will pay the game or give it over to the opponents. This is not done at all in the DVD version.
The second missing element is the part where team-mates give their answers one at a time and either get it correct or they are buzzed. Three buzzes and the team loses their chance at further guesses in the category and the other team has the opportunity to win the game with the correct guess. Again, this is also eliminated.
In the DVD version every round, Standard, Team Play-off or Fast round, has five possible answers. Bonus points are given to any team that happens to get all five answers in the proper order. I haven't seen this happen yet.
Though some rules are changed for the DVD version of the game, it is still fun and exciting. After placing the DVD into the player we see Richard Karn who invites us to play the game. You may press the option to hear basic rules at this point or get right into the game. The directions are given in an easy to understand and quite concise fashion.
The game continues to each part as you prompt the DVD with your DVD remote control. If you are stopping the game for any reason, be sure to either keep the play were it is or hit pause. DO NOT hit Stop. If you do the game automatically reverts back to a fresh new game of questions.
When playing as teams it's a good idea to have team mates sitting next to each other.
Our Experience
We have played the game a good number of times. With 800+ questions in it, we haven't seen a repeat yet. The game is fun both one on one or as teams who gather together to get answers in the allotted time automatically controlled on the DVD.
Writing the answers on the cards works well. I suggest a dry and a dampened tissue to erase the board between games and rounds. After playing a while the markers do dry out. I suggest having some extras on hand purchased at a stationary store. I did not see any place to order items via the company on the box, instructions or DVD. In a pinch paper and pencils can be used duplicating the structure that is printed on the boards.
The Fast Money round is particularly exciting. This is when a series of questions must be answered quickly. Each team has an opportunity to play this and all the different rounds. It's fun to take time to compare answers at the end of the rounds.
Final Thoughts
The markers don't last long. Five or six night so of play was all they lasted.
This is an easy game to take traveling if you have a DVD player. If you are packed tight just take along the DVD in its jacket with a rubber band holding the two small boards and markers and you are ready to play. No extra room is needed to transport this game.
I like that set up and clean-up are done in an instant. Within fifteen seconds or less everything could be packed and ready for the next day of play.
I felt that a bit more interaction from the host Richard Karn would help liven up the game as far as a TV show feel. Most of his hosting is canned and repetitive. Except for a brief view at the opening of the DVD, we do not see an audience or hear audience sounds. I would have liked to have seen and heard more of that kind of background.
All in all it is a fun and exciting game that brings out the challenge in all of us in our game family.
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Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): gift
Type of Toy: Game
Age Range of Child: Whole Family
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