Previous Next

Bet you can't draw a picture of 'Unanimous'! How about "Permanent Press', then? Tough isn't it? These are the kind of challenges that face any would be Pictioneer, which - before you ask - is anyone who's playing Domark's latest board game conversion, Pictionary.

The original Pictionary was a word-based charades game, where you went racing around the board not answering questions but sketching words to be guessed by your team. The trouble was that you had just one minute in which to produce a legible picture that used no words, letters, numbers or writ-ten symbols. Millions of people went half crazy trying to define 'caffeine' and 'grandfather' with pen and paper.

But how could such an involved game be bought to the computer? Domark's answer is a custom-designed quick-draw art package. Board and pieces are shown on-screen, and when the time comes to sketch out a word a canvas unfurls for you to fill with your semi-intelligible scribblings.

Playable with any number of people/teams from one to four, the aim is to finish first in a chase around the board. Either everything can be looked after by the computer, or you can share in the workload yourself. Team play's most fun, given players' total inability to agree over what 'that circle' means (try guessing the words without look-ing at the captions and you'll get the general idea).

The time limit is up to you, as is the the choice of picturist - the CPC does the drawing if you're playing alone. This drawing stage is where Pictionary stands head and shoulders - possibly torso too - above other 'game' conversions. There are rubber band lines to bend, ready-made squares to stretch, circles that can be squashed and triangles -all there to help you draw quickly. It's even possible to fill in pictures with a variety of backgrounds to help that unfortunate soul who has to try and decipher what exactly you mean by two lines and a cube. (Eat yer heart out Mondrian!).

The word which you have to describe is determined by a set of colour-coordinated cards which are divided into categories: per-son or place, object, action, 'difficult' and 'all-play'. The computer tells you to look up cell G7, say, and there's your word. Using the joystick you guide a pointer first to the type of line/shape you want and then put it on the 'paper'. The fire button starts or stops a line, as well as being used to determine which function you want. Using the cursor keys is more accurate but takes too much time in a game situation. The whole package is very friendly, which means that you won't be limited just to crude cartoons and crossings out.

You can of course always cheat, because to make maximum use of the machine, you have to say whether the word was correctly defined or not. But even the slightest deception destroys the whole point of the game. Your aim is to have fun and maybe win in the process, not to achieve victory at any costs.

The major drawback is the dependence of the game on team play for it to be fun. The real enjoyment arises from the interaction of comrades who completely misunderstand each other. Then Pictionary takes on life of its own and becomes as much a test of friendship as of artistic skill!

Pictionary ought to be hindered by the complicated nature of the art package, but that actually makes it more fun. The very fact that nobody can draw fast enough is a great leveller. It may mean you can't play the game with the whole family - the Aunt Mabels of this world never will come to terms with an joystick-driven art package - but between clever computer types the pen will be as mighty as any laser cannon. And you have to be quicker on the draw, too.

If this was sold as a genuine art package, I'd be horrified, but as a game it's quite a laugh for a crowd. Looks great, but then at that price it ought to.

Picture perfect.

Draw something recognisable.

Graphics 90%
P. Brilliant custom art package.
P. Good board game tie-in.

Sonics 25%
P. Twee tune.
N. Just blip effects.

Grab Factor 83%
P. Charades with a joystick.
P. Great intro to art packages for novices.

Staying Power 72%
P. Thousands of things to draw.
N. Best played in teams.

Overall 73%
P. A board game, not a bored game.
N. Quickdraw fun for all - but pricey.