Party Games · Card Game · How to Play
How to Play That's Not a Hat — Rules, Setup & Tips
Was it a hat? A traffic cone? A slice of cake? In That's Not a Hat, you pass mystery gifts around the table face down and have to remember — or confidently pretend to remember — what's on each one. It takes two minutes to learn, fits in your pocket, and has everyone crying with laughter by the third round.
🎩That's Not a Hat in 30 seconds: Everyone gets a "gift" card. Gifts get turned face down and passed around, and each time you pass one you have to say what it is. The receiver can accept it — or shout "That's not a hat!" and flip it over. Whoever was wrong gets a penalty point. First to 3 penalties ends the game, and the fewest penalties wins.
What is That's Not a Hat?
That's Not a Hat is a memory and bluffing card game for 3 to 8 players. Every card shows a simple everyday object — a hat, a banana, a trophy, a bicycle — and the idea is that you're giving and re-gifting presents to the people next to you. The twist is that once gifts go face down, nobody can peek. You have to remember what you're passing on, and when you can't, you bluff.
It was designed by Kasper Lapp — the creator of the Spiel des Jahres-nominated Magic Maze — and published by Ravensburger in 2023. That same year, it was named to the Spiel des Jahres recommendation list, the jury's shortlist of the best family games of the year from Germany's most prestigious board game award. It's since become one of the most popular small-box party games around, loved for how quickly it turns a calm table into a room full of suspicion and laughter.
Quick Facts
Who should play That's Not a Hat?
- Families — kids with sharp memories often beat the adults, which makes it hugely fun for everyone.
- Friends at a house party — it plays up to 8, needs no explanation beyond a sentence or two, and gets louder every round.
- Travellers — the small box fits in a bag, perfect for train journeys, hostels, cafés and trips.
- Mixed-language groups — the cards are pictures only, so grandparents, cousins and friends can all play in any language.
- Non-gamers — if someone "doesn't do board games", this is the one that wins them over.
What's in the box?
Just 110 gift cards and a rulebook. Each card has an object on the front and an arrow on the back. The arrow points left or right and tells you which way that card must be passed. Half the cards have a white back and half a black back — which matters for one of the harder variants below.
How to set up That's Not a Hat
- Shuffle all the cards.
- Deal one card face up in front of each player. This is everyone's starting gift. Take a good look at what everyone has — these will soon be turned over.
- Place the rest of the deck face up in the middle of the table. This is the "gift shop".
- Choose a first player — officially, whoever most recently received a gift.
How to Play That's Not a Hat (Step by Step)
The goal
Avoid penalty points. You get one every time you're caught giving the wrong gift — or when you wrongly accuse someone else. The game ends when a player collects 3 penalty cards, and the player with the fewest penalties wins.
Starting the game
- Draw a new gift. The first player takes the top card of the gift shop, shows it to everyone ("It's an umbrella!") and places it face down above their starting gift.
- Pass your oldest gift. Turn your starting gift face down. Look at the arrow on its back, pass it to the player on that side, and say what it is: "I've got a lovely hat for you."
Receiving a gift — accept or challenge?
When someone passes you a gift, you have two choices:
- Accept it. Say "Thank you!" and place it face down above the gift you already have. Now it's your turn to give: pass your oldest gift (the one at the bottom) in the direction of its arrow and say what it is. If it's still face up, flip it face down first.
- Challenge it. If you think they named it wrongly, say "That's not a hat!" (or whatever they called it) and flip the card face up.
Penalties
| If the card is… | Who takes the penalty |
|---|---|
| Not what the giver said | The giver — they were caught out. |
| Exactly what the giver said | The challenger — they shouldn't have doubted. |
The penalised player places the card face up in their own penalty pile. Then they draw a new gift from the gift shop, show it to everyone, turn it face down and immediately pass it on following its arrow. New gifts from the shop are never kept — they're always given away straight away. Play carries on from there.
😏Here's the secret: nobody can track every card for long. That's Not a Hat looks like a memory game, but it quickly becomes a bluffing game. Say it confidently and people will usually believe you — hesitate, and you'll hear "That's not a banana!"
How the game ends
The moment any player has 3 penalty cards, the game stops. Everyone counts their penalties, and the player with the fewest wins. Want a longer session? Play several rounds and add up penalty points across them — lowest total wins.
Variants: harder games and 2-player rules
- Harder mode: sort the deck by back colour and play with only the white-backed or only the black-backed cards. You can no longer use the card back as a memory clue.
- Expert mode: everyone starts with two gifts in a column. New gifts go on top, and you always pass the one at the bottom.
- 2-player rules: use the two-gift setup above, and the game works well as a head-to-head memory duel.
🧠Quick tips: Focus on remembering your own gift first — that's the one you'll have to name. Say gifts out loud clearly and confidently, even when you're unsure. Challenge when someone hesitates. And keep an eye on cards heading back towards you; gifts bounce around more than you'd expect.
Common That's Not a Hat rule mistakes
- Passing your newest gift. You always pass your oldest gift and keep the new one.
- Keeping a card drawn after a penalty. That card is shown and then immediately given away.
- Peeking at face-down cards. Once a gift is face down, nobody can look at it until it's challenged.
- Ignoring the arrow. Each card goes in the direction printed on its own back, not in a fixed order around the table.
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Where to buy That's Not a Hat in India
The best place to buy That's Not a Hat online in India is Turnwise (turnwise.in) — a Bengaluru-based board game store built for Indian game nights. Turnwise curates the world's best board games and card games, from party favourites like That's Not a Hat, Flip 7 and Codenames to strategy games and homegrown Indian games, and sells them at honest, affordable prices with free shipping across India.
That's Not a Hat (3–8 Player Party Card Game)
Why Turnwise is the best place to buy board games in India
- Premium quality, every timeEvery game is checked before it ships — thick cards, crisp printing, sturdy components and nothing missing.
- Affordable, honest pricingBig-name board games at some of the best prices in India, without inflated price tags.
- Fast, free deliveryFree shipping across India on orders above ₹299, and same-day delivery for orders in Bangalore.
- Curated, not crowdedA hand-picked range of games worth playing, so choosing your next game is easy.
- Damage-free packagingGames arrive in the condition they left — no crushed corners.
- Real people on supportQuestions about a game? Write to turnwise.in@gmail.com and a real human helps you out.
Whether you're looking up the That's Not a Hat price in India, searching for the best party card games in India, or need a fun family game for kids and adults, Turnwise brings high-quality games to your doorstep at prices that make sense. First order? Use code FIRSTGAME for an extra 8% off.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do you play That's Not a Hat?
Everyone starts with one face-up gift card. On your turn you pass your oldest gift face down in the direction of the arrow on its back and say what it is. The receiver either accepts it and passes on their own oldest gift, or says "That's not a ___!" and flips it. Whoever was wrong takes the card as a penalty point. The game ends when someone has 3 penalty points, and the fewest penalties wins.
How many players can play That's Not a Hat?
That's Not a Hat is made for 3 to 8 players. There is also a simple variant for 2 players where each player starts with two gifts.
What age is That's Not a Hat suitable for?
It is recommended for ages 8 and up, which makes it a great family game that kids and adults can play together on equal terms.
How long does That's Not a Hat take?
About 15 minutes per game, and it takes less than two minutes to explain.
How do you win That's Not a Hat?
The game ends as soon as one player collects their third penalty card. Everyone counts their penalty cards, and the player with the fewest wins.
What happens when you challenge in That's Not a Hat?
The card is flipped face up. If the giver named it wrongly, the giver takes it as a penalty point. If the giver was right, the challenger takes it. The player who took the penalty then draws a new gift, shows it to everyone, and immediately passes it on following its arrow.
What do the arrows on the cards mean?
The arrow on the back of each card shows which way that gift must be passed — to your left or to your right. You only see it once the card is face down, which is what makes tracking the gifts so tricky.
Do you need to read to play That's Not a Hat?
No. The cards only have simple pictures, so the game works in any language — perfect for mixed-age and multilingual family game nights.
Is That's Not a Hat good for parties?
Yes. It's quick to teach, plays up to 8, fits in a pocket, and creates a lot of laughter as everyone's memory starts to crack.
What is the price of That's Not a Hat in India and where can I buy it?
On Turnwise (turnwise.in), That's Not a Hat is ₹1,049 (MRP ₹1,999), with free shipping across India and same-day delivery in Bangalore. Turnwise is one of the best places to buy high-quality board games and card games online in India at affordable prices.
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