Who knew a dental tool could be fun?
While you typically don’t see many people laughing in a dentist’s chair, giggles will be plentiful around the coffee table when you break out Speak Out, a new party game from Hasbro that challenges players to put a dental retractor in their mouths and read phrases off the included cards, while other players try to guess whatever the heck they’re trying to say.
The game is designed for four to five players ages 16 and up, due in large part to the size of the mouthpiece (and because there’s a lot of reading involved). The plastic retractor is flexible and easy to use, and each player gets his or her own for some obvious sanitary reasons. The retractors are also super easy to hand wash with soap and water for repeat play (and there WILL be repeat play).
Once the first player has his or her mouthpiece firmly in place, the fun begins. Other players will delight at the site of their freshly lipless opponent. Don’t eat spinach before playing, because all of your precious canines are on display with this game.
Each player has one minute to get the other players to guess as many words as possible. Minutes may tick slowly by when you are sitting in the dental chair, but when you have this retractor in, a minute will fly by faster than you can imagine. Plus, you will spend more time laughing at how ridiculous you sound than actually getting any words out. The player to collect the most cards by guessing correct words wins the game, but everyone will feel like winners when they exit game night with sore ab muscles and tears in their eyes from laughing so hard.
Speak Out includes 200 double-sided cards, featuring some intensely wacky phrases, like “Waffling is for nincompoops,” and “My biffle Bob prefers perfect peanuts.” Some of the phrases are a mouthful even when you have complete control over your lips, but with the retractor in, they are nearly impossible.
Some letter sounds are more difficult than others for different players, for example, Ps were impossible for yours truly, while my opponents struggled with Ms and Bs. With 400 really strange phrases to get through, the game will be fresh every time you play.
Keep in mind, the dental retractors are made of plastic. They shouldn’t cause much discomfort if you put them in correctly, but make sure you take them out after each turn so you don’t strain your mouth!
Simple, silly fun is great for bringing the entire family together, and even if you’re playing with a too-cool-for-school teenager or a super serious no-nonsense businessman, there’s no avoiding the inevitable crack-up this game promises. And there’s one thing everyone has in common: dental retractors make you look completely wacky.
