Catch Phrase!
Catch Phrase Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
Game Unit
Ages 12+ 2 Teams
Object
Be the first team to reach 7 points. To win points, DON'T get caught holding the CATCH PHRASE game unit when the timer runs out!
Let's Get Started
- Divide into two teams. Alternate players in a circle so that each player is next to a member of the other team. Each player needs to be able to pass the game unit to a member of the other team as quickly as possible.
- Pick a team to start (Team 1) and a player to go first. Give the unit to that player.
To Start a New Game
Wake the game by pressing the Go / Stop button.
Check the screen to make sure the team scores are both set at 0. If they are not, press and hold both the Team 1 and Team 2 buttons at the same time to reset the scores.
Playing a Round
- Each game consists of several rounds of play.
- Choose a category by pressing the Category button repeatedly to scroll through the various options.
Pick from:
Entertainment, Everyday Life, Fun & Games, The World, Variety
- Press the Go / Stop button to start the 60-second timer. A word or phrase from the chosen category will appear on the screen.
- Get your team to guess that word or phrase by giving them clues!
DO
- Make any physical gesture and/or give almost any verbal clue to get your team to say the word.
DON'T
- Say a word that RHYMES with the word;
- Give the FIRST LETTER of the word;
- SAY A PART OF THE WORD in the clue (i.e. "shoe" for "shoehorn").
If the other team catches you committing any of these no-no's, press the Go / Stop button to shut the timer off. The other team gets one point for that round. (See "How to Score Points.")
Tip! If you don't recognize the word or phrase, try breaking it up. For example, if the word is "Mohawk," say "One of the Three Stooges!" "Mo!" "Plus a bird of prey!" "Hawk! Mohawk!"
Guessed It?
As soon as your team has guessed the word, hand the unit to a member of the opposite team. That person checks that the answer was right. Play continues with the next team pressing the NEXT button to reveal the next word.
The round ends when the buzzer sounds to indicate that time has run out.
Scoring
How to Score Points
When the buzzer sounds, time is up. The team NOT holding the unit gets 1 point. For an extra point, they can guess the word the losing team couldn't get. If their guess is correct, they get 1 BONUS point (scoring a total of 2 points for the round).
How to Enter Points
Press Team 1 or Team 2 to award 1 point to the team not holding the unit. Press it again if they got the BONUS point.
Tip! If additional points are entered accidentally, press and hold both the Team 1 and Team 2 buttons to clear the score; then reenter the correct scores and resume the game.
Starting a New Round
After you've scored for the round just played, the team holding the unit begins the next round.
Pick a category with the Category button and press the Go/Stop button to start the timer.
Winning
The first team to reach 7 points wins!
go / stop: If you want to play again, press the Go / Stop button and the scores will reset to zero.
Setup
Important: Battery Information
Alkaline batteries required (not included): 3 x 1.5V AAA
To Insert Batteries
Use a Phillips/crosshead screwdriver (not included).
Loosen the screw on the battery compartment, located on the back of the game unit, and remove the door. Insert 3 "AAA" size batteries (we recommend alkaline), making sure to match the "+" and "–" symbols with the markings in the plastic. Then replace the door, tighten the screw, and push in RESET.
Other Things to Know
- To clear the team scores when the timer is not running, press and hold both the Team 1 and Team 2 buttons at the same time until the scores erase.
- The game will go to sleep after 5 minutes of not being used. To wake the game up, just press Go / Stop. This will show the current word.
- The category can only be changed when the timer is NOT running. This is to ensure that the word on screen during gameplay is from the category the players intended to play.
- If the Team Score buttons do not appear to function, check to ensure the game timer is not counting down.
Troubleshooting
If the game malfunctions, press the RESET button to reset the game. If this does not solve the problem, replace the batteries.
Maintenance
- Handle the game carefully
- Store the game away from dusty or dirty areas
- Keep the game away from moisture or temperature extremes
- Do not disassemble the game