There is a good bet you already have these two games in your board game library. However, just in case you have only one or neither and you are thinking of picking up one or the other, let's see what Chat GPT has to say on the breakdown between the two. As usual before we get to the overall analysis, let's take a look at the two games in question.
First we have Codenames which is currently on Amazon for $19.94. It has a 4.8 star score on over 30,000 ratings.
Next we have Taboo, currently on Amazon for $15.54 and it has a 4.7 star score on over 650 ratings.
On the head to head comparison, Codenames is more expensive. On the flip side it does have way more ratings than Taboo which is a sign that more people are probably going with Codenames over Taboo in the current market. Now let's go to Chat GPT and see what we got...
"Codenames and Taboo are both popular word-based party games, but they have distinct gameplay mechanics and objectives. Here’s a comparison to help you decide which might be more suitable for your group:
Codenames
Objective: Two teams compete to find all their agents (words) based on clues given by their spymaster.
Players: Best with 4-8 players, though it can accommodate more.
Gameplay:
The board consists of a 5x5 grid of word cards.
Each team has a spymaster who knows the identities of all the words on the grid.
Spymasters take turns giving one-word clues and a number (indicating how many words on the grid relate to the clue).
Teammates try to guess the correct words based on the clues.
The game involves a lot of strategy and deduction.
Duration: Typically 15-30 minutes per game.
Skills: Word association, strategic thinking, teamwork.
Taboo
Objective: Get your team to guess the word on your card without using the "taboo" words listed on the card.
Players: Best with 4 or more players, ideal for larger groups.
Gameplay:
Players take turns as the clue-giver, drawing a card and trying to get their team to guess the word at the top.
The clue-giver cannot use the forbidden "taboo" words listed on the card.
Other team members act as monitors to ensure no taboo words are used.
Points are scored for each correct guess.
The game is fast-paced and often results in funny and frantic moments.
Duration: Can vary, but usually around 20-30 minutes per round.
Skills: Quick thinking, creativity, verbal communication.
Comparison
Complexity: Codenames tends to be more complex and strategic, while Taboo is more straightforward and fast-paced.
Interaction: Codenames involves more silent thinking and teamwork, whereas Taboo is more lively and vocal.
Setup: Codenames requires a bit more setup with the word grid and spymaster roles, whereas Taboo is ready to go once you have the cards and timer.
Which to Choose?
For strategic thinkers: Codenames is a better choice.
For a lively, quick-paced game: Taboo is ideal.
For smaller groups: Codenames works well with fewer people.
For larger groups: Taboo can accommodate more players and tends to be more engaging in bigger gatherings.
Both games are great for different types of fun, so consider the preferences of your group when choosing which to play."
Great breakdown. The way we see it, you can't go wrong with either game or both if you are willing to spend a little extra money.
NOTE: All price and review info is based on the time of posting. The numbers may have changed since the creation of this article. Don't forget to always research everything yourself before you buy it, don't just take our word for it. All links to Amazon on this page are part of the Associates program which gives us commissions, thanks for your support!
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