Play Anticipation Online

Summary

Anticipation was marketed as Nintendo’s “first video board game,” blending the quick‑draw fun of Pictionary with a trivia‑style race. Developed by Rare for the NES, it lets a single player take on computer opponents or a crew of up to four human competitors, who can share two controllers when needed (the game doesn’t work with the Four Score accessory). Players buzz in with the controller as the on‑screen picture slowly forms; a die counts down from six, and a correct guess lets the token move the shown number of spaces.

Each piece—pink high‑heeled shoes, a bugle, an ice‑cream cone or a teddy bear—travels around a colored board where categories are tied to the square’s hue. Solving all four colors on a level promotes the token to the next tier, with added “Feature” and “Drop‑Out” squares that shake up the race. The mix of drawing, timed guesses, and board‑movement keeps every turn feel fresh, making Anticipation a surprisingly strategic party game for its era.

Storyline

Anticipation, the NES party game, blends the guessing fun of Pictionary with the quiz feel of Trivial Pursuit. Players race to be the first to clear all levels, each requiring multiple correct guesses of pictures the computer draws. The drawings span four distinct categories, and the game offers several difficulty settings to keep the challenge fresh. Success hinges on quick recognition across the varied topics, turning every round into a frantic test of knowledge and visual wit.