What Is The Pencil Nose Game? Rules, Components, How To Set Up, Pricing, And More
The Pencil Nose Game is the perfect game to start a party.
It is a drawing game between two teams, and the artist wears glasses with a dry-erase marker poking out of the nose.
They, the artist will sketch on a clear board using their head movements.
As the artist sketches, their team members will keep guessing the picture being drawn.
Also, the sand timer will keep running.
Overall, it is a funny game with a bit of chaos, noise, and competitive spark.
Yes, it is similar to Pictionary, but way crazier!!
Designed by Wendy L. Harris and published by Fat Brain Toy Company in 2018, this board game is for four or more players.
Also, playing a round of the Pencil Nose Game takes around 20 to 30 minutes.
Hi, in today’s blog, I will talk about how to play the Pencil Nose Game, components, setup, and more.
Pencil Nose Game? Quick Facts
| Details | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Designer | Wendy L. Harris |
| Publisher | Fat Brain Toy Company (Board Game Oracle also lists Broadway Toys) |
| Year | 2018 |
| Players | 4+ (Up to 20) |
| Age | 8+ |
| Play time | 20–30 minutes |
| Difficulty/luck | Light/moderate-high |
How Does The Pencil Nose Game Fit The Pictionary Family Tree?
The Pencil Nose Game, or every other drawing party game, takes inspiration from Pictionary.
CNBC Make It covered a fascinating story about Rob Angel, a Seattle waiter, who launched the Pictionary game in June 1985.
He took a loan of $35,000 from his uncle and formed Angel Games, Inc. with his two friends, Everson and Langston.
Then, he sold the game to Mattel in 2001 for $29 million.
Now, the Pencil Nose Game fits the Pictionary Family because of the similar Win, Lose, or Draw methods.
My take is that once every table had pencils, the only thing left to take away was the hand.
Pencil Nose is that logical, slightly absurd endpoint.
Pencil Nose Components: What Is In The Box?
A box of the Pencil Nose Game has the following components.
- 90 Object Cards (Six Objects Per Card)
- Clear Erasable Drawing Board
- A Card Slot
- Scoring Dials
- 2 Pairs of Pencil Nose Glasses
- 2 Erasable Markers
- Eraser
- San Timer
- Instructions
- An Adjustable Strap
- A Nose Peg Shaped for Marker End
The card words are easy so that kids can draw them.
These words are wave, cupcake, sock, and stairs.
How To Set Up Pencil Nose
Setting up the Pencil Nose Game is easy, and you can do it in just two minutes.
- Split into two teams, as evenly as possible.
- Uncap each marker and fit it into the nose peg of the glasses.
- Set both dials on the clear board to zero.
- Pick one drawer per team.
- In round one, the youngest player on each team draws.
- Place the card stack and sand timer within reach of both teams.
Setup Tips You Must Note
Do a practice squiggle first.
Reviewer Amanda Hayes found it hard to keep her head steady enough to hold the pen on the board.
So her family ran practice rounds.
Also seat guessers facing the board.
Because it is clear, they see the drawing reversed, which does not matter since letters are banned.
Keep a cloth nearby for nose-end smudges.
That last one is my advice, not the manual’s.
How To Play Pencil Nose: Rules Explained
A round is one turn per team, and the rules fit on a postcard.
Taking A Turn
The drawer takes a card, slots it into the top of the board, puts on the glasses, and flips the sand timer.
They draw words in any order while teammates guess.
After a correct guess, they move to the next word, and they may pass a stubborn one.
Three limits apply.
No talking, no letters or numbers unless they normally appear on the object, and erasing mid-turn is allowed but wastes time.
Scoring And Winning
When both drawers have gone, the team with more correct guesses wins the round and turns its dial one space.
A tie scores nothing.
Guessing all six words earns a bonus point, two in total.
Rotate the drawer every round. First team to seven points wins.
House Rules Worth Trying
These are my suggestions, not official rules.
Let younger players pass freely while adults cannot.
Ban sound effects, because they are talking in disguise.
Award a bonus for the most unrecognizable masterpiece, voted by the losing team.
Pencil Nose Price: What You Will Actually Pay
The price of the Pencil Nose Game is $25.95 on the website of Fat Brain Toys.
However, if you are buying it from any other retail platform, there will be changes in the pricing.
For example, you will have to pay $29.00 if you are buying the game from Walmart.
Again, on the From Austria platform, it costs £21.85.
It has a Piatnik edition and a German-language card set.
What Players And Reviewers Say
Reception is warm for one-off family nights and lukewarm for repeat play.
I found no active hobbyist forum threads.
So, opinions live on retailer pages and family blogs.
What Works
Hayes says watching her son wear the glasses sent her into giggles, and calls the game deceptively difficult.
Her group noticed a boomerang looks like a banana when nose-drawn, while an elephant’s trunk gives it away.
The Toy Insider concludes the whole family can enjoy it.
What Does Not Work
Ostatnia Tawerna argues the novelty fades quickly and the gameplay is not very exciting.
Board Game Oracle shows a 5.3 out of 10 rating and a 1.0 out of 5 complexity score.
An undated retailer mirror lists an Amazon rank of #2,027 in Board Games.
So, it sells steadily without being a hobbyist darling.
Safety Notes And Real Risks
No game this silly should need warnings, but a few real issues exist.
Small Parts
The Piatnik listing warns against use under 36 months because of a choking hazard (From Austria).
Fat Brain rates its edition 8+.
Marker Near The Eyes
A rigid tip sits inches from the face. Supervise children, and only uncap markers for the active turn.
Shared Glasses
Wipe the nose peg and frames between players.
This is common-sense hygiene, not a manufacturer claim.
Spam Listings
Several regional reseller pages carry garbled, machine-translated copy.
Buy from established retailers and check which edition you are getting.
Is The Pencil Nose Game Worth It?
Pencil Nose is a party starter, not a collection centerpiece.
Buy it for birthday gatherings and mixed-age groups.
Expect an hour of laughter, then lend it out.
Its genius is that no one can be good at it, which levels every table.
