Trivia buffs, start your engines. If you’ve ever thought, “Hey, I’d do great on Jeopardy,” or if you’re simply a know-it-all looking for an excuse to one up your friends, then Smart Ass, from University Games, is the game for you.

Grab two to six players and the instructions are simple enough: Roll the colored die to find out which category of cards you will be playing – the orange “Who Am I?” category, the green “Where Am I?,” or the blue “What Am I?” Each card has a set of clues that one player will read aloud while the others try to guess the answer, whether that be a well-known person, place, or thing. The clues start off extremely vague, like “I am a floating object,” but get more specific and colorful as the hints continue, like “90% of me is under water” and “The Titanic and I had a sinking relationship” (Did ya get it yet? It’s an iceberg!). Players have to be quick on their toes because the goal is to be the first to answer correctly, but guess wisely, because players only get one try per round.

The player who guesses correctly will roll the numbered die and move his or her playing piece (which happens to be a grinning donkey) across the board. Beware of the dreaded penalty spaces, labeled “Dumb Ass” and “Kick Ass,” which may cause the player to lose a turn or move backward on the board

While no one wants to be labeled a dumb ass, landing on the “Hard Ass” space is a good thing, as it triggers a special bonus question. Players who land on this coveted spot get to try their hand at a bonus round from the special “Hard Ass” category of cards, where they will guess the answer to one single question on their own without the threat of other players beating them to the punch. If the player answers correctly, not only does he or she earn bragging rights, but he or she also gets to roll again for an extra move around the board. The first player to land on “The End” space is declared the winner.

The name may suggest otherwise, but Smart Ass is safe for the whole family, recommended for players ages 12 and up. The cards range from fictional characters, celebrity icons, music, and literature across all eras, to topics as broad as food and animals. With healthy servings of pop culture, history, geography, and more, Smart Ass has something for everyone, no matter what your area of expertise. The categories are diverse enough that even if you don’t know one answer, chances are you’ll get your moment in the spotlight eventually. It’s a great release for those dying to show off all the random factoids they’ve collected over the years without bragging way too hard or being labeled a know-it-all. Bonus: even if you don’t win, you’ll leave a little smarter than when you began.

This review was originally published on the Toy Insider.

About the author

Jackie Cucco

Jackie Cucco

Jackie Cucco was a Senior Editor of The Toy Book, The Toy Insider, and The Pop Insider. She covered toy trends, pop culture, and entertainment news, and made appearances on national and regional outlets, including CBS, WPIX, News 12, and more. Jackie spends her time watching horror movies and working her way through every Stephen King novel out there.

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