Say It Different or Thirty-One?
Both games come with Gather. Here’s how they differ and when each one fits better.
The key differences
- From 10 players on, only Say It Different works: it goes up to 12 players, Thirty-One only up to 9.
- Say It Different needs a TV, or an iPad or Mac as the table; Thirty-One also runs on phones alone.
- Say It Different needs at least 4 players – with fewer people, only Thirty-One works.
- Say It Different is louder than Thirty-One (very loud vs. lively).
- Only Thirty-One can be played against the computer – Say It Different needs real players.
- Say It Different has more interaction than Thirty-One (constant debate vs. you react to each other).
- Say It Different is played in teams; in Thirty-One everyone plays for themselves.
- Say It Different rewards skill more than Thirty-One (mostly skill vs. skill and luck).
At a glance
| At a glance | Say It Different | Thirty-One |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Party games | Card games |
| Players | 4–12 players | 2–9 players |
| Length of a game | 10–20 min | 10–20 min |
| Age | ages 10+ | ages 8+ |
| Luck or skill | mostly skill | skill and luck |
| Noise level | very loud | lively |
| Learning curve | explained in a minute | quick to learn |
| Interaction | constant debate | you react to each other |
| TV | needed | not needed |
| Against the computer | no | yes |
| Teams | yes | no |
| Bluffing | no | no |
| Reading needed | yes | no |
Which one suits you?
Say It Different
Two teams, 60 seconds, one word after another – and the obvious words are off limits. A watcher from the other team sees the same card and hits “Forbidden!” the moment one slips out.
Pick Say It Different when there are four or more of you and it’s allowed to get loud.
Thirty-One
Three cards in your hand, three in the middle: swap until one suit gets as close to 31 as you can. Whoever knocks ends the round – and the worst hand then loses a life.
Pick Thirty-One when a bigger group wants a fast card game with a bit of a thrill.
What they have in common
- Both work for 4–9 players.
- In both, everyone has secret information on their own phone.
- Both come free with Gather and need no account.