This is quite literally a storytelling game in that it involves its 2-7 players alternating between constructing and listening to stories that flow from the cards, illustrated with charming cartoon art from Chiara Galletti.
Les Fées Hilares' game comprises two decks of 60 numbered picture cards, a 60-second sand timer and a jigsaw board to accommodate the cards. One of the decks is suggestive of a magical fairytale theme and the other has images relating to a nautical tropical island and/or pirate story. Players choose one deck to use in the game, tho' the rules offer the option of mixing the top half of one deck with the bottom half of the other.
Each round, one player is designated as the listener. There'll be as many rounds as there are players so that everyone gets a turn as listener. The other player(s) take a hand of three story cards. They choose one and, without showing the card to the listener, they relate the start of their story. When you play with multiple storytellers, the next player picks up the story using one of the cards from their hand. One of the storytellers acts as recorder, making a note on the supplied pad of sheets so that there's a record of which cards have been used to create the story. When you play Team Story with young children, you'll probably want one of the older players to take on the recording role.
When storytellers contribute a card to the story, they draw another card to replace it so that when the story is complete (usually after eight cards have been used), the cards used in the story are shuffled together with the cards left in players' hands. The listener then has the task of selecting the cards that were used from the bundle of 20+ cards. They score two points for getting the right card in the right position; one point for getting a correct card in the wrong position. Storytellers score a point for cards correctly identified by the listener regardless of whether or not they are in the right position.
It's a simple enough game, drawing on elements of Dixit (Libellud), tho' at first glance the score sheet looks dauntingly complicated. The game is playable by adults but Team Story is primarily aimed at children. It's educational as well as fun because it encourages key speaking and listening skills, memory and reasoning. The game is also very scaleable: if you're playing with nursery-age children you can reduce the length of the story line; with older children you can extend it.
Team Story is published by LOKI and distributed in the UK by Coiledspring Games.
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