Overrated

It is not a secret that I am absolutely obsessed with the magazine called The Believer. It's pretty much beyond awesome and super interesting, and also way more intelligent than your typical mag. It also always helps me increase my reading list exponentially. Now that I have a permanent address I have been able to sign up for a subscription. The first issue that the subscription starts with is November and it hasn't showed up, but that's ok because when I ordered the subscription, I also ordered the September and October issues, since I had not managed to track them down. It's actually kinda hard to find in DC. The only two independent book stores that carry it are Politics & Prose and Chapters, but you kind of have to hit them at just the right time, which I never seem to do. But problem solved now.

They showed up Friday. So obviously I have been in Believer heaven the past few days, with so much to read available to me. I have been pouring over the September issue, as I normally do when I get a new issue. The September issue this year was "the Games Issue", a special interest issue all about games (yeah I know, kinda self explanatory, but I enjoy exposition). It includes a surprisingly really interesting article about D&D, which I really enjoyed. It also includes rules for "a potentially awesome new game", Overrated. I think this game sounds more than potentially awesome, and I can't wait to wrangle some unsuspecting friends into playing with me. But I thought I would share it with all of your so you can do the same, and let me know what you think. The rules are as follows:

1. Three plus people make a bunch of cards with people, nouns or gerunds on them. (Think "Led Zeppelin," "one-night stands," "high fiving," etc.)

2. A card is read aloud.

3. Players silently contemplate the item's true worth relative to its perceived worth.

4. Everybody does a kind of rock paper scissors motion (you know, bumping fist against open hand).

5. And then simultaneously makes one of these 3 motions:

*Hand in O-shape held high: OVERRATED
*Hand in -- shape held level: PERFECTLY RATED
*Hand in U-shape held low: UNDERRATED

6. Arguments ensue. Explanations are offered, and players are given an opportunity to change their vote. One point is given to any player who can convince another player to change their vote. Scores are recorded. A new card is drawn.
(game created and rules written by Chris Baty, except the explanation of "a rock paper scissors motion" I added that since it took me a minute to figure out what he was talking about)

The Believer has also been cool enough to create an illustrated set of cards you can print off their website by clicking here. Use these to supplement your home-made ones, not to avoid having to make your own cards, because, well that would make you boring.