The holidays are coming up! The time to find good company, catch up and play games! Still looking for an original present under the tree? I give you 26 game tips.
B of Bezzerwizzer
Bezzerwizzer is a knowledge game that is a thousand times more fun than Triviant! Like Triviant, Bezzerwizzer is also about the battle of who knows the most.
‘In which German city was the crime series Derrick set?’ (check here)
What makes Bezzerwizzer so much more fun is that you can steal questions from each other. You also get to give categories to another team. All these actions make a dry knowledge game a lot more dynamic (and meaner).
‘How many companies are included in the AEX index?” (Ah yes!)
Moreover, Bezzerwizzer as a manageable game duration (remember in Triviant, those pie-collecting games could take forever…..). When you or your team reach the end square on the game board, the game is over. The game board has 20 squares. Just enough for an exciting battle and still be ready in time for Christmas dinner.
‘What is the part of the retina called where the optic nerve leaves the eye and where there are no sensory cells?’ (Really!?)
Grabbing and organising categorieën
Bezzerwizzer has 20 categories. Those categories are on tiles that are in a bag. Each team takes, without looking (!), 4 tiles from the bag. Then they arrange them on their game board. The dots on the board give the number of points for an answer.
Each team now gets the question read out for the category corresponding to 1 point. If your answer is right, then you move 1 step forward with your pawn. If it is not correct, you stand.
‘Which European language, similar to none other expected, is also called Euskara?’
Then each gets his for for the 2 points read out, then for 3 and finally for 4 points. If your answer is right, you advance the number of points. If it is wrong then you stay put.
Has nobody reached the end point at the end of the round? Then this round is over, all stones go back into the bag and you may make another grab for categories.
‘Which Scottish dish is traditionally served in a sheep’s stomach or beef intestine?’
Play it tactically
Should you, like me, think, “Oh yes, I knew that!” after answering every question, then play tactically.
There are two tiles in the game that make Bezzerwizzer a dynamic and tactical party game. Each team gets those two tiles: a B (Bezzerwizzer) and a Z (Zwap).
Bezzerwizzen and Zwappen
You deploy the B-tile when it’s another team’s turn. You put it in when you think it can answer their question. Of course, you can wait until you are sure they cannot answer the question themselves. But it is much more fun to strike quickly and steal a question right in front of them.
‘In which country does the national anthem consist of words in Xhosa and 4 other official national languages?’
You play the Z-tile on your own turn. You may then swap two tiles. This may be one tile from yourself and another, or it may be two tiles from two different opponents.
If you have played a tile, you lose it this round. Played tiles only come back at the end of the round. For those who want to read the rules: they are clearly laid out on 1 A4.
Have you memorised the 3,000 questions of Bezzerwizzer by now? Then take a look at these other two games that make the Trivia game a lot more fun.
Want more inspiration for beautiful, fun, funny and original games? Then check out the complete A-Z for the holidays. You still have plenty of time to buy gifts that will impress soon! If you buy through a link in this review, you will also support Pen & Pion!
General information on BEZZERWIZZER
- number of players:from 2 people or 2 teams, which means the number of participants is actually unlimited. Keep in mind that there are 4 pawns in the game.
- time:we played it with friends in just under an hour. This included grabbing drinks and refilling chips.
- from: the box says from 15+. If you play it in teams, I recommend making a mixed team. Bezzerwizzer is full of historical as well as hip questions that any age can contribute to.
- price of the base game: € 30 (Dutch price, update najaar 2023)
This review was updated in November 2023. You will find affiliate links in the text. If you purchase the game (or anything else) through these links, you support the website and the work of Pen & Pion ♟️🧩🎲
