Poetry for Neanderthals by Exploding Kittens
In caves of old, where shadows dance,
A tale of Neanderthals, perchance,
With heavy brows and primal grace,
They lived their lives in ancient space.
A world of stone, where fires glow,
They spoke in grunts, their voices low,
Yet in their hearts, a spirit bright,
A quest for knowledge, shining light.
With wooden clubs and sharpened spears,
They faced the wild, their greatest fears,
But in their midst, a game took hold,
A challenge new, a story untold.
“Poetry for Neanderthals!” they cried,
A clever game of words applied,
To guess the phrase, with utmost care,
But only words of one syllable there.
A mighty quest, a mental fight,
To keep it simple, keep it tight,
With every guess, a laugh did ring,
As minds engaged in guessing’s wing.
So gather ’round, you modern souls,
And let us play, let laughter roll,
In honor of our ancient kin,
With Poetry for Neanderthals, let’s begin!
What is Neanderthal Poetry?
“Poetry for Neanderthals” is a wordplay-based party game combining charades and language comprehension elements. It was created by Matthew Inman, the founder of the popular webcomic “The Oatmeal,” and was released in 2020.
The game is designed for four or more players, and its main objective is to encourage players to communicate using only single-syllable words while trying to guess multi-syllable phrases.
The game is set in a fictional world where players take on the role of Neanderthals who have a limited vocabulary and can only understand and use one-syllable words.
Each player is given a card with a multi-syllable phrase (usually a line from a well-known poem or a literary work) that they must convey to their team using only one-syllable words. The other team members then try to guess the original phrase based on the simplified clues provided by the player.
The challenge lies in creatively expressing complex phrases using basic vocabulary, often resulting in humorous and nonsensical interpretations.
The game encourages players to think outside the box, use gestures, and devise clever ways to get their teammates to understand the target phrase.
“Poetry for Neanderthals” is a lighthearted and entertaining game that tests players’ communication skills and wordplay abilities while generating laughter and enjoyment through the humorous and often absurd scenarios that arise during gameplay.
Is Poetry for Neanderthals a Good Game?
What are the Rules for Neanderthal Poetry?
The rules for Neanderthal poetry are as follows:
- You can only use single syllables.
- You cannot say any word, part of a word, or any form of a word that is on the Poetry Card (unless someone on your team has already said it out loud).
- You cannot use gestures/charades.
- You cannot use “sounds like” or “rhymes with.”
- You cannot use initials or abbreviations.
- You cannot use other languages.
The game’s goal is to get your teammates to guess the word on the Poetry Card by giving them clues using only single syllables. If your teammates think the word correctly, you score one point.
If you break any rules, the other team will hit you with the NO! Stick, and you lose a point.
What Type of Game is Poetry for Neanderthals?
“Poetry for Neanderthals” is a word-guessing party game created by Matthew Inman of The Oatmeal, a popular webcomic. In this game, players take on the roles of Neanderthals trying to communicate and guess words by speaking in single syllables.
The catch is that players can only use one- and two-syllable words, mimicking the simplified language that Neanderthals are often portrayed as having used.
The game aims to get teammates to guess a target word or phrase without using words with more than two syllables. This often leads to hilarious and creative descriptions, as players must find clever ways to convey complex concepts using limited vocabulary.
“Poetry for Neanderthals” is designed to be a lighthearted and humorous party game that challenges players’ communication skills and encourages them to think outside the box.
It combines elements of wordplay, charades, and team-based guessing games, making it a fun and engaging activity for groups of friends or family.
Who Created Poetry for Neanderthals?
Poetry for Neanderthals was created by the same team that created the popular card game Exploding Kittens. The group consists of:
Elan Lee is a game designer and entrepreneur. He is the co-founder of Exploding Kittens and the former CEO of The Oatmeal.
Matthew Inman is a cartoonist and entrepreneur. He is the creator of The Oatmeal and the co-founder of Exploding Kittens.
Shane Small is a game designer and writer. He is the co-founder of Exploding Kittens and the author of the book “The Art of Game Design.”
Chris Hanley is a game designer and software engineer. He is the co-founder of Exploding Kittens and the game’s lead developer.
The idea for Poetry for Neanderthals was born when two friends of the Exploding Kittens team introduced them to a word game they invented, where each player had to describe a life experience using only single-syllable words.
The Exploding Kittens team loved the game and decided to develop it into a full-fledged product.
Poetry for Neanderthals was launched on Kickstarter in June 2020 and raised over $8.7 million in funding. The game was released in October 2020 and has been a critical and commercial success. It has been praised for its creativity, humor, and challenging gameplay.