Anticipation

Anticipation is a colorful NES party game that blends board-game movement with quick visual puzzles. Released in 1988 by Rare and published by Nintendo, it supports up to four players, making it a natural choice for a living-room group rather than a purely solo adventure.

Each player moves a marker around a series of themed game boards, rolling to determine how far they can travel. The main challenge comes when a space presents a drawing puzzle: an image is sketched on screen, and the player must identify the word or phrase it represents before time runs out. The drawings gradually become more demanding, so recognizing the subject quickly is just as important as knowing a wide range of everyday references. Correct answers keep the game moving, while mistakes give opponents a chance to catch up.

The boards are divided into different sections, with later areas offering tougher puzzles and a greater test of memory, observation, and general knowledge. Anticipation does not rely on a traditional story or combat system; its appeal is in the friendly competition, the simple rules, and the fun of watching an odd little sketch take shape while everyone calls out guesses. Its bright presentation and straightforward controls also make it easy for newcomers to pick up, even if the later puzzles can put pressure on experienced players.

For retro gamers, Anticipation is an unusual example of a multiplayer NES title built around wordplay and visual deduction. It works best with a group, where wrong guesses can be as entertaining as correct ones. If you want to revisit Rare’s inventive take on a console board game, you can play online on your browser through RetroCloud.