Can you name three countries beginning with the letter M? What about three famous landmarks? These should be fairly easily questions to find the answers to. What about if I then asked you to name three ‘Paw Patrol’ Characters or three Reasons to Have a Passcode on Your Phone, would they be just as easy? For some, they wouldn’t have a problem, for others it might be a bit more difficult. What if I asked those questions again but gave you only 5 SECONDS to answer each question? And just for fun, what if I threw in a ticking and flashing countdown timer, would answering them still be just as easy or would the stress of the timer make you forgetful? Under pressure, a lot of questions become a lot harder to answer as you don’t have time to think or consider your answer. Whilst you may know the answer, getting them out becomes more difficult – you brain goes blank, and you tongue gets twisted in knots. Welcome to frantic, fast-talking naming game of 5 Second Rule. We have played several variations of the 5 Second Rule games and love them all. Now we are trying out another version of this very popular game, 5 Second Rule Spintensity – an electronic version with a timer, flashing lights and a spinner!
5 Second Rule Spintensity has the same premise as other versions of the game in the sense that players have 5 seconds to name 3 things, but Spintensity is more intense (as the name suggests). Spintensity has an electronic timer, with flashing and spinning lights and players rely on the outcome of the timer as to what to do next: do you pick another card, answer 2 or 3 more from the same card or move on to the next player? Players must answer questions to win points to move their playing pawn around the timer to the finish space. A fun and intense game for those game nights with friends and family.
5 Second Rule Spintensity is a tabletop game that is suitable for 2-6 players, aged 12+. With a playing time of around 30 minutes (depending on how many people are playing), it is a fast, fun and intense game. Can you name three things within 5 seconds whilst listening to the timer tick away and a big green light flashing with every tick?
In the box:
- 200 Doubled-sided Question Cards (400 Questions)
- 6 Pawns
- 5-Second Electronic Timer
- Start and Finish Markers
- Draw/Discard Card Box
- Instructions
Setting up the game is simple. As Spintensity uses an electronic timer it requires batteries. 3x AAA batteries (not supplied) need to be installed in the base of it (you will need a Phillips screwdriver to open/close the battery compartment). Once the batteries are installed, place the timer in the centre of the playing area. Next, place the Start and Finish markers around the end of the timer – the number of spaces between the markers determines how many questions need to be answered to win the game, this enables you to shorten the game if necessary (very useful when playing with a bigger group or just if you want a very quick game). With the timer and Start/Finish set up, select a colour of question cards that you want to use: one side is green, and the reverse side is blue. Don’t worry, there is no difference in the level of difficulty between the two colours. With the cards decided, place them face down on the table – in a pile, spread out or place them in the draw/discard card box. Players then choose a different coloured Pawn to play with and place it on the Start marker. All that is left is to decide is who is the starting player – the rules say that the owner of the game goes first but as this is a family game and not owned by one person in our house, we went with the standard youngest player first.
The game is played in rounds until a player reaches the finish line. When playing, a chime will sound from the timer to signal the end of a round.
To start, the first player presses the timer button and takes a question card. This person in play must read the card aloud so that everybody can hear it and then place it face up on the table so that everybody can see it. For example, if a card is picked up a card that reads, ‘Stephen King Books’, the person in play would say “Name 3 Stephen King Books”. Once the timer has been pressed it allows 5 seconds to read out the card (if more time is required to read the question you can press the timer button before it starts to flash green to pause the timer, press again to start) and when it starts to flash green the player has 5 seconds to name 3 Stephen King Books. If they answer successfully within the 5 seconds, they press the timer button again (before it turns red). The lights on the timer then start to ‘spin’ and randomly selects the next instruction:
- 2 MORE: you must quickly name 2 more things for that same question card, and then hit the button again.
- 3 MORE: you must quickly name 3 more things for that same question card, and then hit the button again.
- NEXT CARD: you must quickly draw a new card and name 3 things for that subject / category, and then hit the button again.
- NEXT PLAYER: your turn is finished and play moves to the next player (play goes to the right), and their turn begins.
If it isn’t answered in time and the buzzer sounds and goes red, the person in play loses that card and places it in the discard pile. Play then continues with the next player.
When a card is finished with (i.e. you have spun Next Player or Next Card), the player that answered it in time wins that card.
Play continues around the table until the end round chime sounds. When the chime sounds, all players count the number of cards that they have won and move their pawn that number of spaces around the timer. If no player reaches the Finish, play continues again with another round. The first player to reach the Finish marker is the winner.
Overall, we love playing the 5 Second Rule games, they all have some variation on the original game to make them that little bit different and interesting, but Spintensity is our favourite so far (we have played 5 Second Rule Jr, Electronic and Uncensored). It is a simple yet exciting and fun naming game that has the ability to leave your mind blank and unable to come up with an answer. It is great how players can’t name 3 simple things with the pressure of countdown timer ticking and flashing away.
Spintensity is a game for players over 12 years old and there will be questions in it that children will just not know, likewise there will be questions that adults will not know. For instance, if you never watch YouTube and you must name 3 YouTube ‘stars’, it can be very frustrating as you can’t even have a good guess. The instructions recommend coming up with house rules before starting to play. For example, if a player is really stuck, they can draw a new card – but this can only happen once per turn or twice per game, or whatever you decide – this is to stop players just trying find the easiest cards that they can answer. You agree these rules between all players as to what happens in these situations before any play begins.
We found 5 Second Rule Spintensity a fun game to play. It is great to play as a family game with the kids or as party game with a group of adult friends. The questions are wide and varied with something for everyone to enjoy. It is an excellent game of fast thinking, even faster talking and complete memory loss.
5 Second Rule Spintensity is fantastically fun game. Quick to set up, easy to play and fun for everyone. If you think naming things under pressure is easy, give Spintensity a try and see how easy it isn’t. You will also find out that you love playing the game as much as we do.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £9.99
Available to buy from Amazon here.
DISCLOSURE: All thoughts and opinions are my own. This review uses an affiliate link which I may receive a small commission from if you purchase through the link.
