Dinosaur Tea Party is a delightful deduction game where players take on the roles of refined, well-mannered dinosaurs attending a sophisticated tea party. The goal is to deduce which dinosaur each player is by asking polite questions, much like in the classic game of Guess Who?. Here are a few cards as an example.

Each player receives a hidden character card, representing one of the dinosaurs at the tea party. The character cards include fun illustrations and details about each dinosaur’s likes, dislikes, and distinguishing features.

There is a central display of trait cards that show various characteristics, such as “wears a hat”, “has glasses”, “drinks tea”, “Is in a purple room” and more. These traits correspond to the different characteristics of the dinosaurs. Each player is also given a set of tokens or markers that they will use to keep track of the answers they receive during the game. These are the tokens above.

Once everyone has their character card and the traits are displayed, the game begins with players taking turns asking questions to deduce the identity of the other dinosaurs.

To play, on your turn, you ask another player a yes-or-no question about their dinosaur’s traits. For example, “Are you wearing a hat?” or “Do you have spots?” The other player must answer truthfully according to their character card.  Based on the answers, you use your tokens to keep track of which traits have been confirmed or ruled out for each player.

When you think you’ve figured out someone’s dinosaur, you can use your turn to make a formal guess. If you’re correct, that player reveals their character card, you put the card in front of you, indicating you’ve successfully identified them. If you’re wrong, play continues, and you can try again on a later turn. The first player to correctly identify three other dinosaurs wins the game. The tea party continues with plenty of guessing. 

Overall, Dinosaur Tea Party is a perfect choice for a light, family-friendly game night, where players can enjoy a mix of deduction, humor, and a touch of prehistoric elegance.  The only downside is that it takes plenty of table space.  I have found it best to play using a large lazy Susan in the center of the table.