The short version
Taboo is a forbidden-words party game. One player sees a target word and a short list of clues they are not allowed to say. Their teammates shout guesses. The other team watches the forbidden list and buzzes if a banned word slips out. Correct guesses score; forbidden words cost you. Rounds are short on purpose: in Tadado each turn is 60 seconds: so the energy stays high and nobody monopolises the phone.
If you grew up with the boxed Taboo board game, the feel is the same. The difference with a taboo app is that the timer, the buzzer and the card pile already live on one phone you pass around the table. No pens, no loose cards, no arguing about who is keeping score.
Setup that actually works with friends
Four or more players is ideal: split into two teams. Two people can still play if one describes and the other guesses, but the buzzer rivalry is what makes a taboo game night stick. Sit so the opposing team can see the phone screen while the describer talks: that is how they catch forbidden words without hovering.
Pick a deck that matches the room. Classic works for mixed groups. Cinema or Sports works when everyone already shares the same spoilers. If your group chat has its own lore, generate a custom deck with AI and play that first: those rounds tend to end louder.
What the describer can and cannot do
You can talk, gesture, sound things out and use any clue that is not on the forbidden list. You cannot say the target word, any listed forbidden word, or a clear variant that is obviously cheating (first letter plus syllable count is the classic grey area: decide a house rule before round one).
When someone on your team guesses correctly, move to the next card immediately. Do not celebrate mid-timer. Speed is the whole sport.
Scoring and house rules worth stealing
Standard scoring: one point per correct guess, minus one if you say a forbidden word or get buzzed. Play to a fixed number of rounds so both teams get the same number of turns, or play a timed match (twelve minutes is enough for a full table).
House rules we like: skip once per turn with no penalty; no proper names for the first three cards of a new deck; and “phone stays face-up for the opposing team” so disputes die instantly. The goal is a fair fight, not a courtroom.
Play it in Tadado tonight
Tadado is a free taboo game for iOS and Android with the Classic deck included. Expansion decks are one-time purchases from $0.99, and the AI engine builds full custom decks from your own topics. No subscription, no ads, and it works offline: which matters when the wifi at the table is worse than the jokes.