Apples to Apples

Infobox Game
title = Apples to Apples
subtitle = "The Game of Hilarious Comparisons!"
image_link =
image_caption = The cover of the "Apples to Apples Party Box"
designer =
illustrator =
publisher = Mattel
players = 4-10
ages = 12 and up
setup_time = 1 minute
playing_time = 30-60 minutes
complexity = Easy
strategy = Medium
random_chance = Medium
skills = Social skills
footnotes =
bggid = 74
bggxrefs =

"Apples to Apples" is a party game published by Mattel. It is designed for four to ten players. The name is a play on the phrases "apples and oranges" and "ashes to ashes".

There are several versions of "Apples to Apples" including: "Apples to Apples" (2001), "Apples to Apples Junior 9+" (2002), "Apples to Apples Kids", "Apples to Apples: Jewish Version", and "Apples to Apples: Bible Edition".

The game was chosen by Mensa International in 1999 as a "Mensa Select" prizewinner, an award given to five games each year. [cite web
url=http://mindgames.us.mensa.org/participant/past_winners.php
title=Mind Games (select year in menu)
publisher=American Mensa Ltd
accessdate=2008-03-11]

"Apples to Apples" was named "Party Game of the Year" in the December 1999 issue of "Games" magazine [cite journal
title=Industry News: Apples to Apples Named Party Game of the Year
journal=Pyramid (online)
publisher=Steve Jackson Games
date=1999-10-07
accessdate=2008-03-11] and received the National Parenting Center's seal of approval in May 1999. [cite web
url=http://www.tnpc.com/soa/spr99soa_d.html
title=1999 Seal of Approval: Spring 1999 Seal of Approval Product Testing Report
publisher=The National Parenting Center
accessdate=2008-03-11]

Rules

Each player is dealt seven "red apple" cards; on each is printed a noun or noun phrase (such as "Madonna", "Canada", "The Spanish Inquisition", etc.).

The judge (a chosen player) draws a "green apple" card on which is printed an adjective ("scary", "frightening", "patriotic", etc.), and places it face-up on the table. From amongst their red-apple cards, each player (except the judge) chooses a card that they think is the best match for the green apple card, and places it face-down. The judge shuffles the red apple cards, reads them (often aloud), and decides which noun is the best match for the adjective. The player who submitted that red apple card wins the round, and takes the green apple card to signify the win. All players then draw red cards until they have seven again, and the role of "judge" may pass to another person (generally going to the next player in line, though some rules have the round's winner becoming "judge"). Some editions of the game suggest discounting the last red-apple card played, to encourage players to place their cards down more quickly.

The judge's decision is completely subjective; the official rules encourage the judge to pick the match that is "most creative, humorous or interesting". Some might think it humorous if Helen Keller is played for "senseless" or "touchy-feely", and might give that player the point. However, what is funny and what is not is a subjective matter, and judges therefore might not give a player a point for a card that is, for them, not amusing, but simply untrue (eg. Carl Sagan for "delicious"). Cards that start with "My" apply to the judge: a card reading "My 16th Birthday" would be based on the "judge's" sixteenth birthday, rather than the birthday of the person who played the card (who, in any case, should be anonymous).

The winner is the first player to accumulate a pre-designated number of green-apple cards; the more players, the lower the total.

Equipment

The original boxed set contained:
*108 green cards (green apples) each of which has an adjective such as "frightening" or "fresh" printed on one side. Several are blank so that the players may create their own card.
*324 red cards (red apples) each of which has a noun such as "Eleanor Roosevelt" or "armed robbery" printed on one side. Several are blank so that the players may create their own card.

*A tray for holding the cards.

Four expansion sets were available adding 72 extra green apple cards and 216 extra red apple cards each. In 2002, "Expansion Set 3" won the Origins Award for "Best Card Game Expansion or Supplement of 2001".

As of|2005, the original set and its expansions have been retired and replaced by a "Party Box" with the combined contents of the basic set and its first two expansions, and "Party Box Expansion 1" set with the combined contents of the third and fourth expansions, and a "Party Box Expansion 2", which contains new cards. A junior edition is also available. There are also Bible, British Isles, German, Jewish, and Yiddish versions available.

On September 7, 2007, Out of the Box Publishing sold the rights for "Apples to Apples" to Mattel. [ [http://www.otb-games.com/listmanager/archive_about.asp?id=661 Out Of The Box Publishing ] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.otb-games.com/apples/apples_partybox.html Official site]
*bgg|74|"Apples to Apples"