Think of a color. Okay, now think of one word to describe that color without using a common color name itself. Not so easy, is it? If you’re prepared to put your color brain to the test, then get ready for a great time with Hues and Cues – a game of colors and clues! Let’s check it out.

What Is It?

A party guessing game where players take turns giving clues about the colors of a huge board of hues. Each round the cue giver draws a card and secretly selects one of the 4 color options to describe. Once chosen, they give a 1 word clue to get everyone else to guess. After guesses are in, the cue giver can give a second 1-2 word clue to help players hone in on the appropriate color (they can also skip the second cue if they feel they earned enough points with the first). Once all cues are given, the giver lines the scoring frame up on the board, with the correct color in the center. Guessers earn 3 points for being correct, 2 for being elsewhere inside the frame, and 1 for being just outside the frame. The cue giver also earns 1 point for each piece inside the frame. Once everyone has been cue giver 1-2 times (depending on player count), the player with the most points wins!

Who Is It For?

I love how approachable this game felt, and think it will appeal to a lot of different people. We all see color a bit differently, so don’t be afraid if you think you won’t be good at it; you might be surprised! But, I will say that if you’re fully colorblind, it’s not for you. You need to at least be able to see some colors.

There are few rules, and they’re very straightforward, so it’s great for a wide range of ages (8+) and for families. Additionally, new gamers will likely enjoy the simple rules, but seasoned gamers will also appreciate the challenge. The box says 3-10 players, but I really recommend it mostly for 5-10 players, as you’ll get the most out of it then.

Components + Quality

There’s not too much to this game, they kept it simple. The board is huge and colorful, of course, and just really aesthetically pleasing, unless of course you hate rainbows…but I hope that’s not the case. It is glossy though, which isn’t my favorite because there can be glare, making it hard to see some colors. Cards are average quality. They are, of course, printed on different material than the board, so just keep that in mind when you’re describing something – it might look a bit different. The scoring frame is simple, average cardboard, easy to put together. I like that you can keep it together when you store the game too. The player pieces are simple, small wooden cones in various colors and they’re pretty nice. A few are close in color, and hard to tell apart from a distance, but not bad overall. The rules are short but thorough, and easy to learn/teach from. Finally the box is a nice size for what’s in it, and the insert holds everything in well.

Variants

No Cards – If you don’t want to use the cards for any reason, just have the cue giver choose any color’s coordinates (secretly write them down before giving the first clue). The rules recommend this variant for younger gamers, but really it can be for anyone who might struggle to give clues for certain colors, especially if some hues are harder for them to discern than others.

PROS

  • There are 480 colors on the board, giving you plenty of variety!
  • Just so appealing to look at on the table
  • Plays a large number of players – can pull it out at small and large gatherings alike
  • If you’re a little tech savvy and have a good way to set it up, it’s honestly a great game for virtual play since there’s minimal rules and components. I have played like this, and while I’d always prefer it in person, it was a nice option for a virtual game night.
  • Simple set up/clean up and rules
  • Can play with a wide range of gamers (all different ages and experience with games)

CONS

  • The box/rules say 3-10 players, but I feel like the game kind of breaks at 3 because when the cue giver maximizes their points, they have to give away the same amount, if not more points, to a single player. 4 is the minimum I would play with, but the game really starts to shine at 5
    –UPDATE!: I was informed by the game designer that the 3-player rules were accidentally left out of the rulebook. (View those and the FAQ HERE). The cue giver actually gets 2 points per cone inside the box instead of only one (for a possible 8). They would still be giving away 4 points to each other player if they did though, so personally, I still wouldn’t necessarily recommend it at 3, though this is a slight improvement. I still prefer it at 4 minimum, with a resounding notch up at 5.
  • Can’t necessarily play with colorblind gamers. You can certainly try the variant if they can see at least some colors, and keep in mind that you’re trying to match how they view a color, rather than the color itself, but it’s obviously a bit more of a challenge

Final Thoughts

I thought this was a really unique game, and while I don’t get party game/big player count games to the table a lot, especially nowadays, this is definitely one I’ll be hanging on to and pulling out whenever I have enough people. I think that the look of the game is very inviting and because it’s also pretty simple to learn and explain, I think it’ll be great to get a lot of families and newer players more into gaming. You can have a lot of fun with the clues you give, and it’s going to be a little bit different every time, no matter what, which is a bonus. I highly recommend this if you’re looking for your next larger player count game and you love colors and clues!

My Final Ratings:
Overall Game – 8/10
Aesthetics – 9/10
Replayability – 8/10
Difficulty – 3/10

Additional Information:
Designer – Scott Brady
Publisher – The Op
MSRP – $24.99
BGG
BGA
Website

*I was provided a copy of this game to do this review*

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