Alias

About this board game

Alias is a team word-explanation game for 4–12 players, with an average play time of 60 minutes. First released in 1990, it challenges teams to move through a board by getting teammates to guess words under time pressure.

The game includes cards with six words each. Every word has a number from 1 to 6, ranging from very easy to very hard, and some describe multi-word terms such as “Silver Medal.” The board spaces are also marked from 1 to 6, linking the space a team reaches to the words it must explain.

Teams usually consist of two players, although larger teams are possible. Each team moves a figure along the board, and the explainer changes on every turn. After a team’s figure stops, the explainer secretly draws cards and describes every word carrying the same number as the team’s current board space.

• Use sentences and clues to make teammates say the exact word.
• Set the included hourglass before explaining, with a brief look at the first card allowed beforehand.
• Score progress by explaining as many matching words as possible before time runs out.

Clues must not simply repeat the answer. If the explainer accidentally says the word on the card, or the time expires, the team loses a turn. For added variety, some games may allow opposites and foreign words as clue options.

The success of Alias led to numerous re-implemented versions, including Fame Alias, Junior Alias, Family Alias, Party Alias, and others. Additional card decks have also been published since the early 1990s, giving this fast-paced party classic more words to explain and guess.