Boink Whiz: Rules for a Fun Group Game
In the last few weeks, I have received several requests for the “official” rules to Boink Whiz, and while I am neither the inventor nor the supreme master of the game, I’m pleased to present my version of this uber-fun group game.
Group Size: Boink Whiz is best played with between five and fifteen people; otherwise, it can get dull or overly confusing. Groups of eight to ten are probably ideal. It is a circle game, meaning that everyone sits or stands in a fairly tight circle. All Boink Whiz participants must be able to see and hear each other.
Concept: The idea is to pass an imaginary “ball” of energy from person-to-person. There are very specific rules for what constitutes an acceptable “pass,” and those are introduced one at a time. At the start of Boink Whiz, there is only one rule (introduced by the leader). As the game progresses, the leader adds news rules to the game, creating a complicated set of options for passing the imaginary ball of energy around the group. Players may pass the energy using ANY of the rules that have been introduced.
Boink Whiz is NOT an elimination game, meaning that participants stay in the game even after they make errors. A round begins with the first pass and continues until someone makes a mistake. The erring person then starts a new round of Boink Whiz. The leader just monitors the game and adds a new rule every few rounds, at his/her discretion.
The Ten Fun Rules of Boink Whiz
Fun Rule 1: Boink/Whiz
– Stick your hand out and “wave” the ball of energy to your neighbor by yelling “Whiz!” It should be a smooth hand motion, as though you are cupping air and gently pushing it to your neighbor. You neighbor now has the energy.
– To keep the energy going in this direction, the person who receives it can perform the same cupping wave and pass it on to their neighbor while yelling “Whiz!” âÂ?¦ORâÂ?¦.
– To change the direction, the receiver can “chop” his hand out (like Bill Clinton used to do when speaking) and yell “Boink Whiz!” This stops the energy and reverses it back to the person it came from.
– “Whiz!” or “Boink Whiz!” can only be used to pass energy to people immediately next to you. This is the only rule that requires you to pass to your neighbor.
– Also, each round of the game must always start with a Whiz. The next person can then pass the energy using any of the rules that have been introduced up to that point. Rules can be reused any number of times, and the same rule can be used back-to-back if desired.
Fun Rule 2: Bloop/Kerplunk
– Put up your hands like you’re making a basketball shot. Look at someone and say “Bloop.” That person has to pull the energy down and say “Kerplunk.” Now that person has the energy.
Fun Rule 3: Slapshot
– You stiffly chop your forearm out at someone like a hockey stick and yell “Shapshot!” The receiving person has to raise their palm and say “Glove Save, What a Beaut!” The receiver can improvise using other body parts (knee, ear, nose, elbow, butt, eyelid, pinky toe, heel, boob….whatever). Now the receiver has the energy.
Fun Rule 4: Fishing
– This is done without words so that you catch people who aren’t paying attention visually. You pretend you are casting a fishing line in someone’s direction and then you begin to reel them in. The receiver needs to see this and hook their mouth like they are a fish being caught. They now have the energy.
Fun Rule 5: Oh My God….You Killed Kenny!
– You point your fingers like a gun (in a Charlie’s Angels sort of way) and fire at someone. Sound effects are okay. Then, the person you aimed at has to fake being wounded for a second. But more importantly, the person to your victim’s RIGHT has to yell. “Oh My God….You Killed __ __.” It is this person to the victim’s right and NOT the victim who has to send the energy to another group member. See how fun and confusing it gets?!
Fun Rule 6: Vanilla Ice
– Hold out a fake mic to someone’s mouth and say: “Magnetized by the Mic…” The receiver has to say “While I Kick My Juice.” The receiver now has the energy.
Fun Rule 7: How Much Is That Doggie?
– Point at someone, put on a cute grin, and sing the line: “How Much Is That Doggie in the Window?” The receiver must then say “Arf Arf” or “Woof Woof.” The person to the LEFT of the so-called dog must then say “Good Boy” or “Good Girl”. It is this person on the left and NOT the dog who then passes the energy on to another group member.
Fun Rule 8: Zip Zap Zop
– This is done entirely with the eyes and involves no pointing whatsoever, making it much harder. If you point or use anything other than your eyes, you’ve messed up. You simply look at someone and say “Zip.” The person you look at has to look immediately to someone else and say “Zap” – and then that third person has to say “Zop.” The ZipZapZop cycle, once started, must always be finished. You CANNOT do Zip and Zap and then switch to Whiz or something else. Only the person who says Zop (completing the cycle) can then switch to a different rule.
Fun Rule 9: I, ______, do solemnly swear.
– Raise your hand as though you’re taking an oath, and then pick another player’s name. For example, Tina Yothers might raise her hand and say, “I, Corey Haim, do solemnly swear.” Hearing his name, Corey Haim would then have to raise his hand and say “To tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me Tina Yothers.” In other words, the receiver must then fill use the name of the person who sent them the energy. This one *really* confuses people, but by this point in the game, it’s hilarious.
Fun Rule 10: Invent It!
– As the leader, invent your own rules from here on out. Make Boink Whiz your own game.
Final Note: If you play Boink Whiz in a alcohol context, please be responsible. Use smaller portions of alcohol, designate a sober player for the group, set a time limit, etc.
