SEPTEMBER 2006
“OVERRATED”
A POTENTIALLY AWESOME NEW GAME
HOW TO PLAY

  1. Three-plus people make a bunch of cards with people, nouns, or gerunds on them. (Think: “Led Zeppelin,” “one-night stands,” “high-fiving,” etc.). Click here to download a PDF of 72 sample “Overrated” cards, illustrated by Andy Warner.

  2. A card is read aloud.

  3. Players silently contemplate the item’s true worth relative to its perceived worth.

  4. Everybody does a kind of rock-paper-scissors motion.

  5. And then simultaneously makes one of three gestures:

    • Hand in O-shape, held high: OVERRATED

    • Hand in — shape, held level: PERFECTLY RATED

    • Hand in inverted-U shape, held low: UNDERRATED

  6. Arguments ensue. Explanations are offered, and players are given an opportunity to change their vote. One point is awarded to any player who can convince another player to change their rating. Scores are recorded, and a new card is drawn. 

—Chris Baty

Chris Baty and his friends invented “Overrated” in a Winnebago. Chris lives in Oakland, where he runs the National Novel Writing Month project (NaNoWriMo.org).
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