35-year-old pen-and-paper game Pictionary enters the digital age

[Cal Jeffrey]

In brief: If you have ever played the game Pictionary, you’ll recall frantically trying to convey common words through your crudely drawn pictures. Well, the game is about to get a lot harder. Mattel is launching Pictionary Air this Sunday at Target stores nationwide.

The spin on the pen-and-paper game has players using a bulky digital pen to draw the pictures in the air instead of on a tablet. The drawing is streamed to mobile devices through a Pictionary app, or to a TV through Chromecast or Apple’s AirPlay. To make it even more awkward, the person drawing is not allowed to see the image until the timer runs out.

It’s a technological twist on an old yet fun game. Pictionary Air will be available starting June 23 for $20, but only at Target stores. However, Mattel said it would roll out the game to other retailers later this summer.

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[Evernessince]

I'd say it's much harder to draw in the air then it is on a piece of paper. There's no feedback and you can't see what your are drawing. This would have been a lot cooler had they done an AR phone app instead. Would have solved all those issues.

 

[Panda218]

I'd say it's much harder to draw in the air then it is on a piece of paper. There's no feedback and you can't see what your are drawing. This would have been a lot cooler had they done an AR phone app instead. Would have solved all those issues.

I think it'll add an extra layer of frustration/fun. It kind of reminds me of Drawful, cause it's impossible to draw a decent photo on the phone screen with your finger. It'll be interesting to see how it turns out. I could see my family having fun with it.

 

[Cal Jeffrey]

I'd say it's much harder to draw in the air then it is on a piece of paper. There's no feedback and you can't see what your are drawing. This would have been a lot cooler had they done an AR phone app instead. Would have solved all those issues.

Yeah I think that was kind of the point. They aren't looking at it as a problem, more of a new more challenging way to play. I wouldn't buy it myself simply because I have a dozen games that no one in my family will play with me already, but I'd definitely play it at a party or whatever. It looks fun.