Monkey Business

About this board game

Monkey Business is a 15-minute mime party game for 4–12 players, released in 2016, in which everyone but the Scammer knows the action being performed.

At the start of each round, every player draws a card. Most cards describe the same action, such as going grocery shopping or winning the lottery, while one card identifies its holder as the Scammer. At higher player counts, the game can include two Scammers.

1. On the count of three, everyone begins miming the action.
2. The Scammer watches closely and tries to work out what the other players are doing.
3. After ten seconds, everyone stops and simultaneously points to the person they believe is the Scammer.

Players earn points for correctly identifying the Scammer. Meanwhile, the Scammer scores based on the number of incorrect answers, creating a lively balance between performing convincingly and detecting suspicious behavior.

After six rounds, the player with the highest score wins. With its short rounds, simple premise, and opportunities for exaggerated physical comedy, Monkey Business is designed to get the whole family laughing while everyone tries to imitate the group without giving away what they know.

Also described as Keskifé?, the game can be played with players acting individually or in teams. In every case, one player—or more, depending on the player count—is left unaware of the shared action and must imitate the others without revealing their identity.