for any number of players, using no equipment
This is an ideal game to play in the car on a trip with kids.
(Didn't learn the Pseudonumerals? Learn to pseudospell now!)
In Pseudonumerology®, a phantasmagoria is a sequence of images that is used to remember a long string of pseudonumes. (Click here to see an example of a phantasmagoria for the first 500 digits of pi.) In FUNtasmagoria, each player takes a turn in building such a phantasmagoria. By playing this game, children and adults learn an ancient memory technique, and gain confidence in their own amazing memory abilities.
Play:
The first player says a visual noun, such as "tiger", and then
pseudospells it "174". This pseudonume now forms the first image
in a phantasmagoria, and these digits are the first of a number sequence.
Each player in turn adds a visual pseudonume, building up the phantasmagoria
and number sequence. To begin each turn, the player must say the
complete sequence of pseudonumes from memory. For beginners, it is
also best to say the complete phantasmagoria aloud.
Example:
*player 1: thinks of a visual noun, such as TIGER. He says "tiger 174"
*player 2: says "tiger", to start his turn. He then thinks of a new visual
noun, such as ROCKET.
He says "rocket 471" and builds this onto the phantasmagoria, saying:
"The tiger rides on a rocket"
*player 3: says "tiger, rocket" to start his turn. He then thinks of a new
visual noun such as MOUNTAIN. He says "mountain
3212" and builds this onto the phantasmagoria, saying: "The rocket crashes
into a mountain."
*player 4: says "tiger, rocket, mountain" to start his turn. He then thinks of a new
visual noun such as BLANKET. He says "blanket
95271" and builds this onto the phantasmagoria. "The mountain is
covered by a blanket"
*player 5: says "tiger, rocket, mountain, blanket" to start his turn. He
then thinks of a new visual noun...
Winning:
Any player who cannot repeat the complete sequence of pseudonumes from memory
at the beginning of his turn is out of the game. The last player
remaining has remembered the longest phantasmagoria and is the winner.