Party game
Pictureka!
Hunt the crazy picture tiles and shout Pictureka first
- Set-up
- About 2 min
- Reading
- Little
The quick verdict
Full verdict ↓Great for Families with children of 6 to 10, where a quick-eyed child can beat the grown-ups
Think twice if You want a calm, quiet game; races to shout 'Pictureka!' get loud
How we rate it
Learning curve. Each card colour has a one-line rule, and the first game teaches itself. It sits at 1 on our scale with UNO and Jenga.
Luck & skill. Sharp eyes and quick reactions win most cards, while the cards drawn, the die and where tiles land add luck.
Interaction. Everyone searches the same tiles at once and races to shout first, so it is loud and lively.
Set-up. Lay out the nine tiles in a square and sort the cards into their three colour piles; that's it.
Reading. Some mission cards name what to look for, so non-readers need an adult or older child to read them out.
Learning curve: 1 = UNO or Connect 4; 3 = Catan; 5 = a heavy strategy game. These describe the experience, not an overall score.
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Is Pictureka! right for you?
Great if
- Families with children of 6 to 10, where a quick-eyed child can beat the grown-ups
- Noisy fun with cousins at a get-together, since everyone searches at the same time
- Children who enjoy 'I spy' or Where's Wally-style picture books
- Mixed groups, because it needs sharp eyes, not maths, strategy or much reading
Skip it if
- You want a calm, quiet game; races to shout 'Pictureka!' get loud
- Your group is mostly adults looking for strategy; it is a light family game
- Your child is under 6 and not yet reading; they can play blue cards, but need help with the others
How Pictureka! plays
Set up: lay the nine square tiles in a 3-by-3 grid in the middle of the table. Every tile is covered on both sides with hundreds of small, silly drawings. Shuffle the mission cards and keep them in their three colour piles: blue, green and red.
- Time to teach: about 5 minutes.
- Reading and language: The game is about finding pictures, so most of it needs no reading. Some mission cards name what to look for in English, so a child who can't read yet needs someone to read the card out; the hunting itself works in any language, and families can call out answers in Hindi or any home language.
How to Play Pictureka! The Fun, Easy Way · Tabletop Duo
Choose a video · Watch right here
If this creator doesn’t allow embedded playback, watch on YouTube ↗.
A turn, step by step
- 1Draw
Turn up a mission card from the blue, green or red pile, depending on whose turn it is and the rules you are using.
- 2Hunt
Blue: everyone races to find the one picture shown. Green: the active player rolls the die and must find that many things before the sand timer runs out. Red: in the current rules, players bid on how many things they can find.
- 3Win
Whoever completes the mission keeps the card. When the cards run out or the agreed rounds are over, the player with the most cards wins.
The full explanation: how a game of Pictureka! goes
Blue cards are the race everyone joins. A card is turned up, and all players search the tiles at once for the one picture on it, which appears only once. The first to shout 'Pictureka!' and point at it wins the card.
Green cards are a solo challenge. The player whose turn it is rolls the die to see how many things they must find, then flips the sand timer and has to point them all out before the sand runs out. Succeed and you keep the card.
Red cards work differently in different boxes. In Hasbro's current rules, players bid on how many matching things they think they can find, and the highest bidder must find that many to win the card. Older versions of the game use red cards for other challenges, such as each player searching their own tile, so read the leaflet in your box.
When the cards run out, or after an agreed number of rounds, the player with the most mission cards wins. For a big family group, play in teams and let teammates shout hints to each other. Turning or swapping tiles between games keeps the pictures fresh.
What's in the box
- 9Picture tiles
square, double-sided, laid out in a 3-by-3 grid - 106Mission cards
blue, green and red; Hasbro's count for the 2021 edition (one Indian store lists 105 for E8270) - 4Reference cards
2021 edition - 1Sand timer
- 1Die
photos of the older box design show two dice - 1Instructions
Box: 27 × 27 × 5 cm, 0.685 kg. Handy to know for gifting and travel.
Counts are from Hasbro's contents list for the 2021 edition (item F2564), which is also printed on the 2021 box back. An Indian store's listing for Hasbro India's E8270 says 9 two-sided gameboard tiles, 105 cards, dice, a timer and instructions. The older 'Find it first' box design looks to have two dice and a different card mix; its exact contents were not confirmed.
Where to buy
Paid link · We may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
How to make sure you get a genuine copyEditions and the details worth checking.
What reviewers and players say
Reviewers describe Pictureka! as a quick, noisy family game that mixes Where's Wally with Dobble-style racing. The big draw is that it levels the field: adults have no real advantage, and young children with sharp eyes often win. The double-sided tiles and three kinds of mission give it plenty of variety, and it is easy to adapt with teams or simpler rules for little ones. It is light, though, and a game for families rather than adults looking for strategy.
What people love
- Children and adults compete on equal terms, and children often win
- Lots of variety from double-sided tiles that can be moved, flipped and swapped
- Three kinds of mission keep each round different
- Easy to adapt: play in teams, or simplify the rules for younger children
Common complaints
- Racing to shout first can lead to arguments about who pointed first, so agree house rules before you start
- Green missions are solo turns against the timer, so the other players wait and watch
- The busy drawings can overwhelm younger children, who may need an adult to help with some cards
Based on 4 reviews and discussions
- Review Pictureka review (Pete Douglas, March 2019) · Zatu Games blog
- Review Pictureka (Bernie DeKoven, November 2008) · Major Fun
- Video How to Play Pictureka! The Fun, Easy Way (Tabletop Duo) · YouTube
- Reference Pictureka! instructions page (Hasbro item F2564) · Hasbro
Summarised in our own words from the sources above. We don't use Amazon reviews or ratings.
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Why consider it | This game Hunt the crazy picture tiles and shout Pictureka first | A different fit Another fast 'spot it first' picture game, in a pocket-sized tin | A different fit A loud, quick reaction game for the same family crowd | A different fit A picture-card guessing game for children who like questions and clues |
| Players | 2–6 | 2–8 | 2–8 | 2–6 |
| Best with | 3-5 | 3-6 | 4-8 | 4-6, in two teams |
| Play time | 20–30 min | 15 min | 10–15 min | 20 min |
| Age | 6+ | 6+ | 8+ | 6+ |
| Rules | Easy | Easy | Easy | Easy |
| Indian edition | Available | Available | Imported | Available |
| On this page | Explore Dobble | Explore Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza | Explore Guess in 10 |
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Questions people ask about Pictureka!
Why do Pictureka boxes in India look different?
Hasbro redesigned Pictureka in 2021. The older 'Find it fast, find it first!' box has blue-grey tiles, and the newer 'Find it fast, shout out first!' box has bright, colourful tiles. Indian stores sell both under Hasbro India's item E8270; the game is the same idea, with small differences in the mission cards.
What age is Pictureka suitable for?
Hasbro says 6 and up. Children of 6 to 10 enjoy it most, and because it is about sharp eyes rather than strategy they often beat adults. Younger children can join the blue 'find it first' races, but need help reading some cards.
How many people can play Pictureka?
Hasbro says 2 or more players. With a big family group, it works best in teams, so that more people can crowd round the nine tiles.
Is Pictureka like Dobble?
Both are about spotting pictures fast. Dobble is a card game where you race to find the one symbol two cards share. Pictureka spreads nine big picture tiles on the table and gives you missions, such as finding a single object or as many things as you can before the timer runs out.
Is Pictureka made in India?
Yes. Hasbro India's Pictureka (item E8270) is listed by Indian stores with India as the country of origin and Hasbro India Toys Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, as manufacturer.
Game facts
- Designed by
- Arne Lauwers
- Publisher
- Hasbro (Hasbro India Toys Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai)
- In India
- Hasbro India Toys Pvt. Ltd. (Mumbai)
- Players
- 2–6
- Barcode
- 195166190907
- Language
- Little reading – The game is about finding pictures, so most of it needs no reading. Some mission cards name what to look for in English, so a child who can't read yet needs someone to read the card out; the hunting itself works in any language, and families can call out answers in Hindi or any home language.
- Box size and weight
- 27 × 27 × 5 cm, 0.685 kg
Sources & photo creditsThe references behind this guide.
Facts on this page come from the publisher, the Indian maker or distributor, and the sources below. Photos are credited under each one.
- Hasbro - Pictureka! instructions page (item F2564)
- Hasbro Consumer Care - Pictureka! (F2564) contents
- Toycra - Hasbro Pictureka (E8270-Classic)
- Hamleys India - Hasbro Pictureka! (E8270)
- Crossword - Pictureka FS Classic (E8270)
- Zatu - Pictureka review (Pete Douglas, March 2019)
- Major Fun - Pictureka (Bernie DeKoven, November 2008)
- Board Games India - Pictureka! Card Game (Funskool)