Setup
Players
- 2-4 teams, each with 1-3 players.
- Ages 6 and up.
Materials
- Gameboard
- One-minute timer
- Standard die
- Challenge die
- 324 cards including four category cards
- 4 pencils
- 4 playing pieces
- 4 pads of paper
- Cardholder
- The rulebook; you can also refer to this PDF version of Pictionary rules by Hasbro
Additional Setup Notes
- Divide the players into teams equally.
- Remove the category cards from the deck to use for reference during the game.
- Fill the cardholder and ensure all cards of the same color face the same way.
- Place the timer, standard and challenge die, and cardholder within reach of players.
- Choose the Picturist or the first person to sketch the image that round for each team.
Objective
The object of Pictionary is to sketch your way from Start to Finish square and be the first team to guess the final sketch.
Gameplay
Once the game of Pictionary is set up, it’s time to draw the first card and show it ONLY to the Picturists, whose job it is to draw the word so that their teams can guess it. Teams have exactly one minute to guess, and the time is tracked with the timer. Everyone participates as the game begins on an All Play square.
The first team to guess the word correctly gets to roll the die and move on the board the number of squares rolled. Play then continues clockwise along the board.
There are different squares on the board that correspond to the cards in the deck:
- All Play where the word can be any type of word and everyone participates
- Difficult for challenging words
- Action for things that can be performed
- Person/Place/Animal (names are included in this category)
- Object for any things that can be seen or touched
If you don’t land on an All Play square, only the team playing participates by having their Picturist draw the word on the card, if they guess it correctly in the minute timeframe, they get to roll the die again and continue.
If the time runs out before the word is guessed, the next team clockwise gets to go. The teams go on in rounds until a team reaches the final square and correctly guesses the last word, winning the round.
Pictionary Tips
Don’t be afraid to try out-of-the-box ideas. Sometimes the most surprising and unconventional drawings can lead to hilarious guesses and ultimately, victory.
Use puns and homophones to get to the correct word while throwing off your opponents. For example, you could draw a “bear” for “bare,” a “sail” for “sale,” and so on.
Communicate well; Listen to your teammates’ shouts and reactions for additional clues, and work together to crack the toughest words.
FAQs
Are there special editions of Pictionary?
In addition to the classic Pictionary board game, there are editions for younger players, as well as special character ones like Star Wars and Harry Potter.
Can you play Pictionary online?
There are browser-based games that mimic Pictionary, such as Drawize and Skribbl.io. However, this game is the most fun when played in-person as a classic board game.
How to win a game of Pictionary?
Think fast, draw clear and concise pictures, and outmaneuver competing teams with unexpected clues.
