The Official Hedbanz Rules (explained)

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Hedbanz box

Ready to ace the Headbanz rules? This guide is your quick ticket to turning game night into a guessing, laughing, winning spree! Whether you’re playing with family or friends, Headbanz is the perfect mix of fun and simplicity.

Let’s jump in and get you playing!

Table of Contents

Overview

Number of Players: 2 to 6 players.

Objective: Guess the card on your head and be the first player to get rid of all your chips.

Ages: 7 years and above.

Game Time: 15 – 30 minutes

Components

Inside the Hedbanz box you should find:

  • 72 Cards
  • 24 Chips
  • 6 Headbands
  • 1 Timer

Components vary slightly depending on which edition of the game you have.

Hedbanz components
Buy Hedbanz on Amazon

Setup

Each player wears a headband and inserts a card into it without looking at it. This card will have an image or word that the player has to guess.

Ensure each player is wearing their Headband correctly. The Headbanz logo should be above the eyebrows in the center of the head.

Each player is dealt three chips and the rest are placed in the ‘bank’.

Headbanz Gameplay

The youngest player goes first. On your turn, you start the timer and begin asking yes-or-no questions to figure out what’s on your card.

The other players can only answer with “yes,” “no,” or “I don’t know.”

If a player correctly guesses what’s pictured on the card before the timer runs out, they take a new card from the pile and put it on their Headband. They continue asking questions until the timer runs out.

After the timer stops, for every picture the player guessed correctly they place one chip back into the bank and the next player to the left takes their turn.

If a player gives up on a card they collect one additional chip from the bank. A player can give up at any point during a round and then draw a new card for their Headband.

Winning Headbanz

The first player to get rid of all their chips wins the game.

Remember, the key is to ask broad questions to narrow down your options quickly. Questions like “Am I an animal?” or “Am I a food item?” can be very helpful.

The only question a player is not allowed to ask is ‘What am I?’ Don’t fall for it if a player does try and sneak that question in! A player can ask ‘Am I a…?’ at any point.

There are sample question cards included in the pack that give players suggestions of which questions to ask if they get stuck. They are intended as a guide only and don’t have to be used.

Hedbanz Editions

Hedbanz has become a very popular game and subsequently new editions have been published including themed editions and updated versions with new features.

Here’s a breakdown of all the editions we’ve been able to find:

Hedbanz LightspeedBuy now on Amazon
Hedbanz Junior Paw Patrolhedbanz paw patrolBuy now on Amazon
Hedbanz Harry Potterhedbanz harry potterBuy now on Amazon
Hedbanz Blastoffhedbanz blast offBuy now on Amazon
Hedbanz Disneyhedbanz disneyBuy now on Amazon
Hedbanz PokemonBuy now on Amazon

If we’ve missed a version of Hedbanz that you’ve seen, let us know and we’ll get it included.

Conclusion

The rules for Hedbanz are incredibly easy to pick up. The only tricky thing to remember is that questions have to be answered with a yes or no. And in my experience, it’s often the adults in the group who slip up! The game can be extended easily by adding more chips to each player at the start of the game.

Enjoy the game!

FAQs

Can two people play Hedbanz?

Hedbanz can be played with just two people up to six maximum. It’s more fun with more players but two people can totally enjoy Hedbanz as well.

What’s the purpose of the game Hedbanz?

As well as having fun, Hedbanz helps children develop elimination strategies, verbal and non-verbal reasoning skills and expand their vocabulary. As with any game, children also have to learn how to win and lose and manage their emotions appropriately.

How long is the timer in the game Hedbanz?

A 45 second timer is included in the game contents for Hedbanz.

What are the best questions for Headbanz?

Questions have to produce a “yes” or “no” answer. Start with broad questions and then try to narrow down the clues. For example it’s better to start with “Am I an animal?” than asking “Am I a Dog?”

If you get confirmation that you are an animal then focus on sub categories of animals such as birds, reptiles or farm animals. Once you have nailed the sub category then start to ask about specific animals.

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