Review: Nookii, 'The Grown Up Game for Playful Adults'

The Toy: Nookii Board Game

The verdict: (out of five)

Monopoly takes hours to play, and Trivial Pursuit always ends in arguments. If you want to enjoy a special evening in with your significant other, try putting away those tired board games and indulging in a little Nookii.

Overview

Nookii is a simple game designed to put the sizzle back into your relationship. Just draw one card each from your color-coded piles of "mmm", "ooh", and "aah" cards, and the fun begins. Each card contains sexy directions and a sensual script to read aloud. These instructions become saucier as the game continues. You might find yourself being frisked by a sexy security guard, or blindfolded with the silky scarf provided. Rolling the pair of die indicates how long you’ll play each card. Then simply set the timer and bring each card’s instructions to life. (For more about how to bring bondage into the bedroom, check out Why Bondage Can Be So Much Fun.)

The Highs

Nookii is a game that encourages players to step outside their comfort zone and try new things. Rather than sending my husband and I to the bedroom, the game encouraged us to make out against a wall, in our dining room chairs and on the living room floor. The cards eased us in to light bondage and role play, and encouraged us both to take on dominant and submissive roles. The game also suggested scenarios we’d never have imagined, and the scripts took away the self-consciousness we may have run into if we'd approached them on our own.

The game also focuses on foreplay, an art that is often lost as couples settle into a routine. As the timer ticked away, I realized I couldn’t remember spending so long simply kissing. Rather than rushing to the finish line, Nookii forces couples to revel in the journey.

The Lows

While I appreciated taking time to really enjoy my husband, the Nookii timer can be distracting. Its tick tick ticking is obtrusively loud, and the final alarm is truly obnoxious. This can make it difficult to really give yourself over to the experience.

The variety of the cards in the game also means that you'll come across tasks that don't hit your sweet spot. I felt strange, not sexy, kneeling over my horizontal husband and kissing his upside-down face. And as the time ticked away, I sometimes found myself focusing on achy muscles held in uncomfortable positions rather than my partner. The diverse experiences that Nookii encourages are admirable, but it means some games will be hotter than others.

It’s also important to note that Nookii leaves little room for same-sex partnerships. Cards that refer to running hands over your partner’s breasts, lifting up her skirt and fondling his penis are very gender-specific. Gay and lesbian couples may be able to improvise on the instructions if they’re so inclined, but it’s a little disappointing that they have to.

The Verdict

A game of Nookii is a great way to add variety to your sex life. It doesn’t always strike the right note, but even when the exercises miss, they’ll likely bring you closer to your partner. As soon as we put the cards back in the box, we found ourselves discussing what worked for us and what didn’t, and what we’ll try again. Opening up that kind of dialog can never be a bad thing. My husband was a fairly reluctant participant, yet after playing one round he told me we’d have to pop Nookii in the suitcase on our next dirty weekend away. Something tells me we’ll drag it out of the cupboard long before that though!

I give it four hearts out of five. If you want to buy Nookii and try it for yourself, it's available on Amazon.com.

Check out more reviews from Kinkly here.