Are you fond of fortune-telling games? MASH is a classic, fun, and imaginative game often played by teens or other family members to predict their future. The game makes humorous predictions about marriage, career, or lifestyle suspects.
The Mash game is super fun; all your friends can join the game at once. In this blog, we will learn how to play Mash game and the basic rules.
Mash Game Rules
Here are the basic Mash game rules to play with friends:
- Start with representing Mash at the top. The four possible future-level predictions arising from the initials i,e. Mansion, Apartment, Shack, and House.
- Based on your future choices, you can select additional categories and options for the game. For example, you can choose a spouse, career, number of kids, cards, vacation places, etc., as an option in each category.
- Provide at least 4-5 options in each category. Ask other players for suggestions to make the game more engaging.
- You can use a dice or spiral to generate the magic number. Use a random number generator to generate the number.
- Start eliminating from the top of the MASH list and count down all categories using a random number.
- Eliminate the options where you land and cross it off from the game.
- Continue counting and crossing off the options until there is only one option left in each category.
- Skip the options that are already crossed off in the list.
- Circle or note down each option left in each category.
- Give one of your friends the role of a fortune teller. Only one player can participate in the game at a time.
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How to Play Mash Game
Setup
To learn how to play mash game, you must first setup the game. It requires minimal things to start;
- A pencil or pen for writing and crossing out choices
- A piece of paper to write down categories and options
- Many friends or play solo
You can also download the printable Mash Fun Game worksheet to play with just a pen, paper, and a friend. You can also keep colored pens for decoration or multiple sheets for group play.
Game Layout
Create an innovative game layout by drawing a large spiral shape on the paper. Start at the center of the spiral and work your way towards the outer side of the spiral. Make sure you do not leave any gap in between the spiral rings. The Spiral rings help calculate the random or magical number in the game.
“MASH” is an acronym for Mansion, Apartment, Shack, House. These categories must be included in the game. You can also add other categories in the game, such as future job, spouse, car, dream visit, etc.
Choose a random number to cross off the options in each category as the game advances. For example, if the magic number is 3, then the game will cross off every fifth option.
Gameplay
Playing the Mash classic game with friends and family is a fun activity with all major Mash rules and gameplay easy to understand and implement. Let us understand how to play Mash game below.
1. Choose Game Categories
There are 4-6 game categories already present in the MASH by default. The four categories are listed in the name of MASH as it stands for Mansion, Apartment, Shack, and House. Players have to choose another 4-9 categories to keep them in future predictions. Some of the common categories used in the game are mentioned below.
- MASH (Mention, Apartment, Shack, and House)
- Marry
- Spouse
- Kids
- Car
- Place
- Job
2. Set your MASH Game on Paper
After choosing the additional categories in the game, write them down on a printable sheet of paper. Make sure to write MASH at the top of the paper and add other categories in the middle of the page. Make sure to leave enough space to add options in each category.
You can organise your game with a tic-tac-toe grid. Draw a large symbol in the form of a hashtag # across the sheet of paper. Write MASH at the top of the paper.
3. Fill Mash Game Categories with Options
After writing all mash game categories on paper, it is time to fill them with options. Provide at least 4 options in each category. You can add your favorite names in each category, such as your favorite car, famous people, the number of kids you have had after marriage, and any person from your school you have a crush on. Mention each one of them as an option in the categories.
4. Provide 4 Options for Each Category
Mention at least 4 options in each category that you want in your future. Mention all the silly things and wild dreams you have for your future. Your options are up to you, and make each category exciting and predictable.
Example for the Career category:
- Doctor
- Rockstar
- Zookeeper
- Pirate
5. Draw a Spiral number and Calculate the Magic Number
Find your magic number by drawing a spiral and stop only when the fortune teller tells you to stop. Then you have to count the number of gaps in between the spiral. The total number of gaps in the spiral is counted as the magic number. The magic number will help you narrow down options in each category.
6. Start Elimination with Magic Number
When you have the magic number, you can eliminate multiple options in the MASH game from each category and narrow down your future predictions in the game. Start counting from the MASH option and keep counting down through other categories in the game.
Eliminate the opinion you land magic numbers on. For example, if the magic Number is 5, then you will eliminate the option at position 5 counting from M.A.S.H.
7. Continue Counting and Crossing for other Options
You do not have to stop here; count with the same magic number and cross other options from each category as the game progresses. Eliminate other options from the game until only one option is left in each category. While counting, skip the number already crossed off in the game.
8. Circle the Last Remaining Option in each category
After eliminating each option from each category in the game, you are left with one option. Circle the last remaining option in each category in the game. The circle option is your future prediction.
For example, your fortune circled option looks like the below options
- MASH: Mansion
- Marry: Dua Lipa
- Number of Kids: 10
- Car: Jeep
- Place: Mount Everest
- Job: Banker
9. Read your Result
After circling all the Final options left in each category, you must read the results and convey them to the other players on the table.
You will have to read each circled option aloud in the series. “ I am going to marry Dua Lipa and live in a Mansion with 10 kids at Mount Everest. You will have a Jeep and a Banker Job.
Calculate the Magic Number
Determining the magic number is a key step in a MASH game. This number will help you eliminate or narrow down the options in the game and ultimately predict your future based on various categories and options in the game.
- Draw the spiral to find the magic number.
- Begin from the top and move clockwise as you draw the spiral.
- This spiral will help you count each option in each category.
- Each ring in the spiral represents one option in the category.
- Count each option in the spiral ring, starting from the bottom half layer and moving outwards.
- Sum up the number of rings in the spiral to get your magic number in the MASH Game.
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FAQs
How do you play MASH step by step?
You need to have a worksheet and pen to start playing MASH. Predict the future you want for yourself or your friends by listing different categories and options in the game.
- Write MASH at the top, which represents potential future livings, and create categories with 3-5 choices under each category.
- Pick a random number using a spiral or random number generator, or roll a die.
- Start counting from the MASH list and count down all categories using the random number.
- When you land on an option, cross it off in the game.
- Continue counting until only one option is left in the game.
- Eliminate all options and mark the name of each option in the last category.
- Read the predictions aloud in front of all players around the table.
How does the MASH game work?
The MASH game uses a plain sheet of paper and a pen. Eliminate all options in each category using a random number to find your future predictions related to money, spouse, number of children, and living apartments. Eliminate all options using a random number, also known as the magic number. After eliminating potential options in each category, read aloud the predictions.
What is the old-school game called MASH?
The old-school Game Mash is a future prediction game in which you and your friends can predict the future. Categories like marriage, residence, career, children, cars, etc., can be narrowed down and predicted using a magic number.
How do you pick the number for MASH?
A random number or magic number can be picked by rolling a die, using a random number generator, or drawing a spiral in a printable sheet. You can decide with your friends which option is applicable as per the MASH game rules.
How did the MASH game work?
The mash game works by eliminating the future prediction options from each category. At least 3-4 options in each category, such as living, car, career, children, place, etc. A future prediction is made by using a random number generator in the game. The random number eliminates all other future predictions except one in each category. At last, read aloud the predictions for your future based on the MASH Game.
How to count MASH games?
MASH number counting starts from MASH (Mansion, Apartment, Shack, and House) and goes down to other options in each category in a serial manner. Count each option and start eliminating each option you land on. Finally, read aloud the last options in each category left. Together, these options from each category form the future prediction.
What are the MASH game categories?
There are four main categories in MASH GAME listed below.
- Mansion
- Apartment
- Shack
- House
- 3-4 other categories are included in the MASH GAME
How do you play original MASH?
You can play a MASH game by using a pen, a worksheet and a random magical number. Count categories and eliminate options to predict the future options for each player in the game.
