A New Family Favourite: Taskmaster The Board Game
Let’s face it, our options for family entertainment over the past year have been a bit more limited than we might like. We’ve been able to go on walks, binge Netflix, and pick fights with each other. And, of course, there’s always the good old board game. But after a year of Monopoly, Scrabble and Cluedo, even those reliable sources of tabletop fun were starting to feel pretty dull. So we were delighted to find our monotony intruded upon by that ultimate of boredom-busters – a new board game courtesy of M&D Magazine!
We crowded around Taskmaster The Board Game with glee. The adults among us (that’s myself, my partner, and, by his own instance, my eldest child) are big fans of the BAFTA-winning Channel 4 TV show which the game is modelled on, so we had an idea of the kind of zany fun we were in for. The youngest two kids were still in the dark, but no less excited for it (although my 7 year old quickly lost his enthusiasm after being declared too young and packed off to bed). We were pleased to find that the game still worked well (with minor adaptations) even if some of the players were remote, so once we had Zoomed the grandparents in and balanced them precariously on the table, we settled down to our night of bizarre and brilliant tasks.
The premise of the game is simple: take turns playing the role of the Taskmaster and dishing out ludicrous tasks guaranteed to generate giggles (and points), while competing for the trophy. An abundance (200!) of imaginative tasks is included; they are separated into zones of the house (for example, kitchen and garden) making it easy to leave out certain types if, for instance, the weather is against you. The nuttiness of the designated activities knows no bounds, ranging from ‘make The Taskmaster a surprising cup of tea’ to ‘make up a lullaby and take it in turns to sing it to The Taskmaster’. There are even a few video tasks set by Alex Horne, legendary sidekick to the mountainous Greg Davies on the TV show.
Alongside the task cards, the game comes complete with a scoreboard, playing pieces, wipe-clean pen, perforated paper slips (for drawing self-portraits!) and that all-important trophy. The rules sheet is also included, of course, but we found that we hardly needed it as the game is very easy to follow, and can also be adapted for maximum fun and convenience – the grandparents, for example, had to team up as the board is only strictly designed for 5 players, and once the 10 year old had tried his hand at being Taskmaster we found that nobody else would be getting a turn at that particular role!
All in all, a hilarious evening of fun was had by all. The game was fast-paced enough to keep everybody entertained, and the creative tasks never failed to provide laughs galore. The rules were even flexible enough for us to declare the youngest the winner (based on little to no evidence), avoiding the usual tantrum which rounds off game night. The box goes back on the shelf for now, but I’m sure it won’t be long before we’re dusting it off for another session!
Suitable for up to 3 players and for ages 8+ Taskmaster The Board Game costs £19.99 from Smyths.
