Designed by: Jun Sasaki
Insider takes place over two five minute rounds. In the first, the players are trying to work out what the Master’s word is by asking them yes-or-no questions. In the second, they’re trying to work out who is the Insider.
Before play starts roles are dealt to every player – one Master, one Insider, and all the others ‘Commons’. The Master immediately reveals who they are, whilst the Insider doesn’t. Everyone but the Master closes their eyes, then he or she selects a word from a pad supplied with the game (or writes one down). Then the Master closes their eyes too, and the Insider gets to see what the word is without revealing who they are.
Then play begins. Everyone questions the Master and tries to guess the word. You can ask (or guess) anything, as long as there is a yes or no answer. The Insider’s job is to try and help steer the Commons to finding the word out, without revealing their identity. If the word isn’t guessed in 5 minutes: everyone loses!
If the word is guessed, then the game’s second part begins: players (including the Master) can discuss who they think the Insider is, and why. At the end of five minutes (or before) players simultaneously point to who they think the insider is. If a majority get it right, they win. If a majority accuses wrongly, however, the Insider wins.
This is, at heart, Twenty Questions - and who doesn't like that? I do, and I also like hidden traitor games, as long as they're snappy and not too prone to slip-ups. Insider is both these things and is a brilliant after dinner game in a small, typically classy Oink package.
The game's currency is conversation, not combat. But it is very possible you'll be accused of being the Insider when you aren't. Or when you are. Either way, that's not good.
None. Everyone is involved at all times.
The rules are almost not there - figure out the word, figure out the Insider. Very simple. The brain-burning is in that deductive challenge!
Words and roles will change between games, but the replayability here is really about how much you enjoy the deduction.
4-8
Players
8+
Years
5-15
Mins
Sam says
Like all the games from Oink, this comes in a small yet beautifully designed package. And like the games we've linked to, it's suitable for those people who 'don't like games' - there's hardly any rules, it's exceedingly brief, and the game's currency is conversation. Monopoly or chess this is definitely not. I really like it.