Bomb Countdown
About the game and how to play
Bomb Countdown is a game of speed and nerve. A category is dealt and the bomb starts with one player. Name something that fits and pass the bomb on — fast. The fuse is a secret, and whoever is holding the bomb when it blows loses a life.
- Players
- 3–20 players
- Category
- Party games
- Price
- Free, no download, no sign-up
- Where to play
- In the browser on phone, tablet and computer
Can be played with friends in an online room
How to play
- A category is dealt and the bomb starts with one player.
- Name something that fits and pass the bomb on quickly.
- The fuse length is secret — whoever holds the bomb when it blows loses a life.
- The last player with lives left wins.
Tips
- Line up two or three answers before the bomb reaches you. In Typed mode repeats are refused — even as a plural or with a small typo — and the fuse keeps burning while you think again.
- The bomb cannot go off before the minimum of the fuse range. Once the screen switches to its warning state it can blow at any second, so from then on never hold on to it.
- The fuse gets shorter every round, so the pace picks up as the match goes on. A rhythm that felt comfortable early will cost lives later.
- For a mixed-age group, pick Easy categories: hard ones run a table dry, and players start losing to the category rather than the fuse.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the fuse in Bomb Countdown?
It is a random length within the chosen range: 10–25 seconds on Short, 20–45 on Normal and 35–70 on Long. The range shrinks every round, down to no less than 60% of where it started.
Can we play Bomb Countdown when we are not in the same room?
Yes — choose Typed mode, where answers are typed and repeats are refused automatically. In Out loud mode nothing is checked by the game, answers are spoken, so everyone needs to be together.
What happens when I run out of lives?
You are out and watch the remaining rounds. The host sets 1 to 5 lives per player when creating the room, and the last player with lives left wins.
Who starts the next round after an explosion?
The player seated after whoever just exploded opens the next round. That way the same person is not handed the bomb first every time.