Telestrations Rules: How to Play, Score, And Keep The Chaos Fun

Telestrations is a fun game, and it is very close to Chinese Whispers in vibe. 

Here, your sketchbook is your telephone.

You draw something according to the prompt you pick from the card box. 

Then, you pass the sketchbook to the player on your left. 

Once everyone is done passing the sketchbook, each player will see the drawing on the previous page.

They will guess what has been drawn by the other player. 

Thus, the guessing and sketching work goes on for a complete circle until it comes home. 

Suppose you have drawn “The Sky is Blue.”

In no time, you can have a completely new sentence and have a drawing that is unprintable. 

For the number of times I have played the game, I have found that artistic skill is a factor here. 

Games become funnier with the worst artists. 

Hi, in today’s blog, I have discussed the official-style rules, award records, and community chatter. 

I have also flagged the real risks. 

Quick Facts

Detail	Info
Year	2009
Publisher	The Op Games (formerly USAopoly)
Players	4–8
Ages	12+
Length	About 30 minutes
Luck	Moderate

Telestrations Honors 

BoardGameGeek (BGG) has listed the honor of the Golden Geek Best Party Board Game for Telestrations. 

It has also won the Fall 2011 Parents’ Choice Fun Stuff Award.

The Op Games, formerly USAopoly, is the official publisher of the Telestrations game. 

Its event page says that over a million copies of this game were sold in 17 countries by 2018. 

Recently, the game has been completely overhauled.

So, it now has new graphics and prompts. 

Moreover, it has won the laurel of the “Barnes & Noble Game of the Month for June 2025!” 

Op Games handpacked 9000 boxes and distributed them across all Barnes & Noble Stores in the USA. 

Where Did The Idea Of Telestrations Come From?

There is no official record of who owns the concept of Telestrations. 

However, as I mentioned, it shows direct inspiration from Chinese whispers.

Other games that are similar in spirit and in the absurdity part are éléphone arabe and Stille Post.

So, every culture claims it, and none invented it.

The pen-and-paper drawing version is called Telephone Pictionary or Eat Poop You Cat.

Also, the online Broken Picture Telephone ranked #62 on PC Magazine’s Top 100 Web Sites of 2009. 

Telestrations shipped the same year. 

Gartic Phone later made the format a Twitch staple.

Notably, BGG lists Telestrations’ designer as uncredited. 

So, do not trust any site that lists the name of the inventor of this game. 

Moreover, as an avid follower and player, I did not find Telestrations to be an invention. 

It was packaging, with erasable books, a timer, and a scoring system for a game that never needed one.

Setting Up The Game

You have to put the card box in the center. 

Then, each player will take a sketchbook and marker. 

They will write their name on the front and draw a card. 

Depending on the version of the game, you will do a die roll or have a free choice to pick the prompt. 

Write the prompt on the first page and then draw. 

However, in some versions, such as the Telestrations® After Dark® 6 Player (2nd Edition), you can pick the category and invent your own word. 

How To Play Telestrations?

The rules of Telestrations will depend on the version you are playing and the number of players. 

Step 1: Even Or Odd Players

Players	What you do first
4, 6, 8	Keep your own book and draw.
5, 7	Pass your book to the left before drawing.

To explain further, when you are playing with an odd number of members, you will have to pass the sketchbook to your left first.

It is done so to ensure that the final page of every book is a written guess and not a sketch. 

The After Dark rules use the same split for 5 or 7 players.

Step 2: Draw, Pass, Guess

You have just 60 seconds to complete your drawing secretly. 

Then, you will flip to the next page to hide your sketch and pass the open book to your left. 

You cannot draw numbers or letters. You have to draw something in a picture and do the guessing. 

The passing game continues at the same time, and when all the players are ready. 

The chain continues until each book returns to its owner.

Step 3: The Reveal

This is the funniest part of the game.

At this stage, the players will take turns to show how the original prompt has changed. 

Scoring

If you are playing a scoring game, you will have to play three rounds. 

The player with the highest total will win the game. 

Stages	Friendly	Competitive
Sketches	Favorite sketch in your book earns its artist 1 point.	Your drawing earns 1 point if it helps a guesser match.
Guesses	Favorite guess in your book earns its writer 1 point.	Your guess earns 1 point if it matches the prompt or previous guess.
Your Book	1 point if the final guess matches the original word.	Same

My blunt verdict: 

“We actually play Telestrations more without scoring.” 

It is especially important for mixed-age groups. 

Competitive scoring rewards clear drawing, which is the opposite of why people laugh.

Editions: Check Your Box

Edition	Notes
Original 8-player	The base game
12-player Party Pack	Supports up to 12 players
After Dark	Adults-only, NSFW version
80s/90s expansion	600 added words and phrases

Components also changed. 

For example, the 2012 edition had 142 cards, erasers, a 60-second timer, and a die.

On the other hand, the 2025 edition has 130 cards and no timer or erasers. 

BGG’s listing shows 142 cards and clean-up cloths. If your box lacks a timer, use your phone.

Pricing Of The Editions

Editions	Pricing
Telestrations® After Dark® 6 Player (2nd Edition)	$19.95
Telestrations® 6 Player (2nd Edition)	$19.95
Telestrations® After Dark® 8 Player (2nd Edition)	$31.95
Telestrations® 12 Player (2nd Edition)	$44.95
Telestrations® 8 Player (2nd Edition)	$31.95

What Players Say

BGG does not have a long rules thread.

So, here are some important community signals. 

• On Hacker News, a commenter recommended the “flip book and dry erase marker” version for casual family nights. 

The same thread catalogued lookalikes: Gartic Phone, Drawful, Drawception, and Telephone Pictionary.

• A comparison guide says Telestrations is the pick for a screen-free night, but skip it if half your group is remote.
• Gartic Phone is free with ads, if you need the online route.

Recurring rules disputes have clear answers.

Blank pages aren’t allowed, and letters and numbers are off-limits.

Spam And Real Risks

Callout: the biggest practical risk is grabbing the wrong box or the wrong lobby.

• After Dark Mix-Ups

The original is rated 12+, but After Dark is marketed as adults-only. 

Check the box before a family night.

• Public Online Lobbies. 

Many Gartic-style sites offer public groups with random players.

So, you may see strangers’ drawings. 

Use private rooms for kids.

• Sloppy Listings 

One eBay listing tags Telestrations with the game title “Pictionary.” 

Verify the publisher and edition.

• Marketing Resessed As Review 

One retailer blog calls it the “crown jewel” of its catalog. 

That’s brand copy, not evidence.

I found no documented counterfeit wave or fake-app campaign for Telestrations. 

Don’t believe anyone who says there is without a source.

Host Tips

• Use friendly scoring with mixed ages.
• With 5 or 7 players, announce the first-pass rule so nobody draws on the wrong book.
• Cap the timer firmly. Over-polished drawings kill the game.
• Rotate who reveals first so the funniest book isn’t always saved for last.

So, are you ready to play Telestrations?

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