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Here is a game based on SpyFall, a game that I think has a neat concept but whose theme doesn’t make any sense. What kind of spy doesn’t know he’s at a circus? What kind of regular joe doesn’t just say, “Sir, you’re at a circus”?

In Alien Visitor, one player is a space alien in disguise to research human activities. The alien needs to identify the type of location where it has landed. The other players are humans who have been warned that there might be an alien in the area; they try to identify who is the alien.

An alien spaceship has been spotted in the sky! Every citizen should be on the lookout for space aliens who may be disguised as humans to study our society.

This is a deduction game for 5 to 8 players in which they try to guess who is the alien disguised as a human before the alien guesses the location. If you have 7 or 8 players, one can have the “special” role from the location.

The game requires some blank cards or notepaper. These must be identical.

The Locations

There are 16 locations, each of which has a special role associated with it. You may want to print out a sheet for each player. Ideally, you should print the locations on one side and the rules on the other side.

Download the PDF.

Setup

1. Each player gets a copy of the number key with the rules on the back.
2. Decide who the manager will be for the first round. Maybe have each player roll a die; highest roll wins.
3. The manager picks a location and writes its number on a card for each role, marking one as the special role, if it’s being used. There should also be one alien card, which does not get the number on it.
4. The manager keeps the manager card, shuffles the others, then passes them out randomly. The manager shouldn’t know who anyone is–visitor, special, or alien.

Play

1. The manager asks any player a single question about the location. That player must answer.
2. That player then asks a question of a different player. Play proceeds as each answerer becomes questioner.
3. You can’t ask a question of the player who just asked you a question.

Your answers should aim to assure the others you’re not the alien but be vague enough that the alien can’t guess the location.

If every player has asked a question, the manager can ask the next question. If you are playing with the special role, the manager should ask the special player to ask the next question. (The special player indentifies himself or herself.) The alien cannot pose as this role.

Winning

Accusations

At any time, any player (including the alien) can formally accuse another player of being the alien. If anyone (other than the accused) disagrees about making the accusation formal, the round continues. If the others agree to it, the alien is revealed.

• If correct, they win the round.
• If wrong, the alien wins the round.

Each player can only make one formal accusation per round (but they can encourage others to make another accusation). If all have done so (or if the alien is the only one who hasn’t made an accusation), the alien wins.

Note that a given player can be accused multiple times by different people, if the group doesn’t make it formal.

Guessing the Location

The alien can guess the location at any time and, if correct, wins the round. Otherwise, the alien loses the round.

The alien becomes the next round’s manager. This avoids feelings of suspicion and betrayal from one round carrying over to the next round.