From the Toysit archive
Apples to Apples
Make a comparison, read the judge and enjoy different interpretations of the classic red-and-green card game.
The play at a glance
The best comparison depends on who is judging
Apples to Apples asks a group to connect a descriptive word with a person, place, thing or event. One player judges the choices; the next round gives someone else that job.
The interesting decision is not simply which card is true. A literal match, a surprising association or a joke may appeal to different judges. The early set pictured here belongs to Toysit’s original coverage.
Follow the comparison around the table
The judge reveals a green descriptive card. The other players choose a red card from their hands and submit it face down. The judge mixes and reads the submissions, then chooses a favorite. Its player wins the green card, and the judging role passes on.
Use the rules in your own box for dealing, replenishing hands and deciding when the game ends. The pictured edition’s inventory differs from the later To Go rules linked below.
Try a small example
Imagine the description is “unexpected.” One player offers “a surprise visitor,” another “snow in summer,” and another “a quiet alarm clock.” These are invented examples, not a list of cards promised in the box.
The first choice fits directly. The second depends on the setting. The third turns on a contradiction. Discussing why a choice works can be more interesting than settling on one supposedly correct answer. Let the judge make the decision, then move to the next round.
Make room for unfamiliar words
Before a game, look through a few cards together. Reading the words is only part of the demand: a player may also need to know a public figure, event or expression. Familiarity with those references can differ even among confident readers.
As an optional house rule, agree that someone may ask for a neutral explanation or exchange an unfamiliar card. Decide that before play and offer it to everyone. Pairing a reader with a younger player is another adaptation; it changes who knows the hand, so use it openly.
Choose the kind of conversation you want
Keep jokes aimed at the comparisons rather than at someone around the table. A judge can enjoy an unusual connection without asking the person who played it to defend a personal belief.
For a relaxed finish, agree on a small number of rounds with everyone judging equally. That is a house rule, not the published winning condition. Keep the red and green decks with their own box instructions when packing up, especially if several editions share a shelf.
The historical record
Original Toysit coverage
All three original paragraphs remain below, including the awards, attributed endorsements, four-to-ten-player description and 324-red/108-green-card inventory. Those details describe the earlier coverage; they are not specifications for every later edition.
Award winning game.
Don't judge a book by its cover, or an appealing little card game by its box. This game of comparisons is receiving rave customer reviews and was a national competition winner with Mensa, the high-IQ organization. This simple game is designed to be played by 4 to 10 people, making it a good choice for parties or family groups. It comes with a card tray and two sets of cards: red apples and green apples. The red apple cards name a person, place, thing, or event, and the green apple cards feature a characteristic (from adorable to zany). The judge (who rotates on each turn) reads a green card, and all the players have to slap down their choice of red apple cards for that characteristic. Some juicy choices and comparisons are bound to emerge--along with some fruitful lessons in famous people and events. It's an apple barrel full of laughs!
Awards: PARTY GAME of the YEAR, MENSA Select, and National Parenting Center Seal of Approval. Herb Levy, Gamers Alliance: one of the best new family/adult/party games around! Vicci Cook, Games Retailer Magazine: a superior party game. Apples to Apples was the big hit of the night! John J. McCallion, Games Magazine: This ap-peel-ing little game will provide evenings of fruitful fun. Carol Johnson, Editor, Games Games Games Magazine, UK September - 1999: A hoot and a half. Addictive, silly, wonderful and wickedly thought provoking. David Katzner, The National Parenting Center: one of the most ingenious and fun games you will ever play.
Apples to Apples was named Party Game of the Year (1999/2000) by Games Magazine. It also received the Mensa Select Award for 1999. Apples to Apples is the wild, award-winning card and party game that provides instant fun for four to ten players. Each round is filled with surprising and outrageous comparisons from a wide range of people, places, things and events. Fast moving and refreshing, Apples to Apples is perfect for any get-together with family and friends. Box Contents: 324 Red Apple Cards; 108 Green Apple Cards; Card Tray; Quick Play Rules.
Sources and editorial notes
Reviewed October 15, 2026 against the original source and image. Mattel’s N1386 rules describe Apples to Apples To Go, not the pictured older box. They support the core comparison-and-judge sequence, but their hand size, ages, card totals and winning thresholds are not assigned to this set. Historical awards and quotations remain attributed in the archive. Examples and optional adaptations are editorial suggestions; no physical set was tested.
- Mattel: Apples to Apples To Go rules (PDF) — Later edition, used for the core judging sequence rather than the older box inventory.
Images and descriptions are retained as historical material. How Toysit covers toys.
Created for Toysit by Tabbloza — the artwork in our header.