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Ever had one of those moments where you’re absolutely certain you’ve nailed it, only to find out you’re wildly off? That’s pretty much the spirit of Genius Idea, a word and deduction game where clever clues and second-guessing are all part of the fun.
In this game, you’ll take on different roles, try to guess secret words based on abstract hints, and more than once you’ll catch yourself thinking, ‘How on earth was that supposed to help?’ If you enjoy games like Codenames or Dixit, this one might just feel like a familiar cousin, but with a cheeky twist.
👥 2-6 players, ages 7+
⌛ Playing time: 15 minutes
📝 Designer: Zong-Ger
🏢 Publisher: Good Game Studio (review copy provided)
So, what’s it about?
Each round, players take on different roles. There’s the riddler, who picks a secret word and five clue cards from their hand. Then there’s the disruptor, who presents the clues to everyone else, but with the subtle goal of misleading them. The rest are solvers, doing their best to guess the riddler’s original word before the disruptor leads them completely astray.
The riddler’s chosen answer is shuffled into a display of sixteen word cards, so the table ends up with a nice little gallery of possibilities. As each hint is revealed by the disruptor, the riddler can rearrange the order to make the connection clearer. No swapping cards though. What you picked is what you’re stuck with. Good luck.
Solvers can guess at any point, but only get a limited number of chances, based on the player count. If someone guesses correctly, the round ends and points are handed out to both the riddler and the solver. Any unused hints give bonus points too. But if a guess is wrong, that’s a win for the disruptor, who earns points whenever confusion reigns. The disruptor keeps going through the remaining clues until all five have been played. At that point, the solvers are forced to use up whatever guesses they’ve got left.
Once the round ends, everyone passes their role token to the left. This way, everyone gets a chance to try being clever, sneaky or just plain baffled. The game ends once everyone has been the riddler. Whoever has the most points at the end wins.
If you’re playing with just two, there’s a cooperative variant where the disruptor role is skipped entirely. The hint cards are shuffled and revealed randomly, and the solver gets three guesses. After both players have taken two turns each as riddler and solver, you check your combined score. Anything above fifteen is a success. If not, well… you tried your best.
Design and Components
Before you’ve even opened the box, the art gives you a good idea of what you’re in for. It has a playful feel, which fits the tone of the game perfectly. Inside, the visual style continues with over 200 word cards, each showing a simple word paired with a clear and easy-to-recognise illustration. Most are quite straightforward, like a winter scene, a basketball player, or common animals and objects. The illustrations are clean and intuitive, helping players quickly make associations during gameplay without any unnecessary confusion.
Scoring is done with round tokens in one- and five-point values. These are decorated with animal illustrations that match the style of the rest of the game. They’re pleasant to handle and easy to read. And let’s be honest, there’s something oddly satisfying about stacking little point tokens.
The roles are shown using chunky wooden meeples, each printed with cute animal characters wearing suits and sunglasses. It’s slightly ridiculous in the best way. They’re bold, colourful and clearly distinct from each other, so you’ll always know who’s doing what. That helps keep the game running smoothly, especially when the pace picks up.
The game looks good on the table, but more importantly, everything makes sense, even when your guesses don’t. It’s fun and friendly without being cluttered. The illustrations are clear and memorable, the text is readable, and the layout makes it easy to scan the table quickly. Nothing feels overdone or too busy. That’s a big plus once the clues start flying and your brain starts melting.
Our Experience
We found that Genius Idea works best with a bigger group. Four to six players feels just right. That’s where the tension between the riddler, disruptor and solvers really comes alive. Every new clue sparks a mini-debate, and you get this great rhythm of doubt, overconfidence and sudden realisation. It’s the kind of game where everyone’s involved, even when they’re just spectating, usually with arms crossed and an eyebrow raised.
The rotating roles keep things moving, and no one is stuck doing the same thing for too long. Rounds are quick, the laughter flows easily, and the scoring system keeps things friendly, but no one’s letting points slip by without a fight. Even wrong guesses feel fun, because the disruptor is secretly cheering for every mix-up.
At lower player counts, say three or four, the game still works well, but it becomes a bit more thoughtful. Players start guessing later, trying to squeeze the most out of each clue. There’s a touch more strategy, but it doesn’t slow things down too much.
We also tried it with family, and it landed nicely. It’s easy to explain, and the mix of roles keeps everyone engaged. Younger players might need a little help understanding the more abstract connections, but the art makes it easier to interpret than text-only games.
With the right group, it also works as a light party game. You just have to let go a little. The fun really comes when people start tossing out unexpected associations, bluffing as the disruptor, or making hilariously confident guesses that miss the mark by a mile.
Our Thoughts
To be clear, this isn’t a game about precision or airtight logic. It’s about interpretation, timing and sometimes just sheer luck. If your group enjoys deduction games with a bit of unpredictability and humour, Genius Idea fits nicely.
We really liked the balance between structured gameplay and creative thinking. The roles give it replayability, and there’s something very satisfying about cracking the right answer just in time. The bluffing element with the disruptor is especially fun if your group enjoys a bit of cheeky sabotage.
That said, it’s not perfect. Choosing hints from a hand of ten cards can sometimes feel limiting. There are rounds where none of the clues quite match, and you’re left trying to force a connection that barely exists. It can also be a bit tricky when the display of sixteen words contains a few similar-looking or similarly themed cards. Suddenly everything seems like a possible answer, and solvers end up hesitating too long.
But honestly, that unpredictability adds to the fun. It keeps the tone light and leads to some great table banter. If you go in expecting serious logic puzzles, you might be slightly disappointed. If you go in expecting a creative social game where your “genius idea” is just as likely to be a disaster, you’re in the right place.
We think fans of games like Codenames, Just One or Wavelength will feel right at home here. It’s not trying to reinvent anything, but it does offer something fresh with its rotating roles and quirky presentation.
📝 We received a copy of Genius Idea from Good Game Studio for review purposes.
