The head is working! – review of the tactical quiz game “I know better”

When I was a bum with learning difficulties, my mom was always looking for some creative ways to learn. There were charades, puns, cards, puzzles and, of course, quizzes. A very interesting item has just appeared on the market that will appeal to freaks like me.

Scandinavia on the way

I know better is the Polish version of the world bestseller, which in Sweden, under the name Bezzerwizzer , won the title of the game of the year 2009. The title is so popular that practically everyone in Scandinavia has heard about it. The creator is Jesper Bülow, who has released several versions of the game over the years. Its main goal was to create a product that would ensure nice and simple fun. Bezzerwizzer was supposed to tempt even board-game laymen, providing an interesting competition. Our native version was taken care of by the Rebel, and Klaudyna Maciąg had a hand in creating the questions.

I Know Better is not just an ordinary quiz game in which you have to show off your own knowledge on many fronts. Equally important is tactical thinking and knowing the strengths and weaknesses of your opponents (awareness of your own would also be useful). Every move matters, and the lack of combining can leave the participant far behind.

Simple measure, many possibilities

Okay, but what’s the hype and how does it even look like? The whole thing is quite heavy and packed in a cardboard package. In the middle there is the main board, four party boards, tiles: twenty categories, eight I KNOW BETTER, four substitutions, four pieces, a box with one hundred and fifty cards, a bag and an instruction to get it all in.

To the battle!

Uczestnicy dzielą się na dwie do czterech drużyn, w zależności od ilości osób. Każda z nich otrzymuje pionek danego koloru, pasującą do niego planszetkę oraz płytki: dwie WIEM LEPIEJ i jedną ZAMIANY. Kategorie wrzuca się do woreczka, a zespół losuje cztery płytki kategorii i decyduje, w której jest najsłabszy, a w której najmocniejszy. Ma to znaczenie, ponieważ punktacja wynosi od jednego do czterech, czyli faworyta warto ułożyć na końcu. Jeśli ktoś jest mistrzem w dziedzinie sportu, to tę kategorię warto położyć na miejscu czterech punktów. Po ułożeniu wszystkiego na planszetce i postawieniu pionka na miejscu startowym zaczyna się gwóźdź programu, czyli pytania. Uczestnicy odpowiadają na nie kolejno, zaczynając od pola najniżej cenionego. Jeśli zespół odpowie dobrze, dostaje tyle punktów, ile znajduje się przy płytce na planszetce oraz przesuwa swój pionek na planszy głównej. Błędne odpowiedzi nie są premiowane. Wszystkie wygrane zapisuje się na bieżąco. Po udzieleniu odpowiedzi drużyna odwraca płytkę kategorii i od teraz nie jest już ona dostępna. Runda kończy się, kiedy każda z grup odpowie na czwarte pytanie, a jeśli nikomu nie udało się dotrzeć na pole końcowe, kategorie wracają do woreczka i zaczyna się nowa tura, w której bierzemy nowe karty z pytaniami.

A może by tak coś podkraść?

Żeby jednak nie było tak łatwo, drużyny mają do dyspozycji płytki taktyczne, które mogą zbić z tropu przeciwników i odebrać im punkty. WIEM LEPIEJ pozwala odpowiedzieć na pytanie rywali, jeśli nie znają oni odpowiedzi. Zagrywa się ją tylko podczas ich tury. Dzięki ZAMIANIE można się pozbyć niechcianej kategorii i podkraść pasującą z planszetki wroga, ale tylko podczas swojego ruchu. Płytka WIEM LEPIEJ jest oceniana inaczej, niż podczas zwykłej odpowiedzi. Jeśli drużyna zagra nią przed przeczytaniem pytania, zdobywa trzy punkty, jeśli po, tylko dwa, a kiedy nie zna odpowiedzi – traci jeden. Po zakończeniu rundy, płytki ponownie wracają do właścicieli. To taka forma rywalizacji z nie zawsze czystymi zagrywkami.

Mnogość możliwości

The whole has three thousand questions, and there are twenty categories: architecture, human, film, geography, history, languages, literature, music, nature, science, politics, food and drink, design, society, sport, art and theater, business world, technology and games, television and series, traditions and beliefs. The level varies widely, so you don’t know what you can hit during your turn. I must admit that there were some really trivial issues that I knew the answer to without stuttering, but there were also some to think about or about which I heard for the first time in my life.

It is worth looking for advantages …

So far I have played two people and fell in love without memory. I didn’t think I would have that much fun. Even my fiance, who is not a big fan of this type of entertainment, comes to me and says: maybe today I know better ? We chose the method of small hints so that the game does not go only on the following principle, because I do not know. It forces us to be creative and to combine the facts, i.e. the head works. The great advantage of the title is the variety of issues and unconventional approach to questions. Sometimes they are so complex that they have to be broken down into prime factors. You can also meet those that give a hint on their own or offer a choice of four variants.

We are after a lot of competitive evenings and we only have a third of the question cards behind us, so it’s not a position you just go through. Another advantage is the fact that you can play in pairs or create multiplayer teams, thanks to which a lot of people can play.

Visually, there is also nothing to complain about. Simple, subdued colors. A square, thick board that does not bend. The cards are packed in a rectangular box, perfectly accommodating them all. Thanks to this, nothing is damaged or bent. Uniform pawns and attention to every detail is something that draws attention. There is no place for fancy figures or complicated ornaments here. “Simplicity” is the perfect word to describe I know better . Nothing wears off, scratches, or breaks, and the whole thing looks as good as it did in the first game, so I think it’s a title that will last for decades.

But is this actually a flaw?

There are no major disadvantages. Maybe the weight of the whole thing makes itself felt, because I have to admit that I know better is not a light one and taking it to some party or trip will be equal to lifting. It could be argued that some of the questions are quite detailed and an ordinary Smith will not know the answer. Especially when you find several of them in a row, it can discourage you from playing. But that’s what it’s about to broaden your knowledge! Do you remember Learning through play. We have found that many facts that we have not learned before remain in our heads, because you never know what will be needed. You can always throw a curiosity in the company and see what effect it made. I’ve even started a bullet journal of facts with I Know Betterto come back to them from time to time and preserve them even better. Not to outplay someone, but for yourself, because even toilet paper is developing!

In conclusion: I recommend it! It is a great proposition for quiz enthusiasts like me, but also for those who avoid board games. For the latter, it gives the opportunity to discover interesting entertainment that will keep you busy for hours. Knowledge, fun, beautiful performance, interesting topics, laughter and competition, what more could you want?