Imposter game

Among Us is a popular online computer game. Bring the fun into your unit meeting with an Among Us themed game. Can our crew complete all their tasks and save the spaceship, or will the imposter hinder their chances?

This game has been based on the version included in the Activate section of our Guiding with Code challenge pack.

Download the printable resource to play.

Setting up

Set up lots of tasks around your unit meeting place using whatever you have available. It’s possible to duplicate them. You’ll need at least 1 for each player. Keep them relatively simple and make them easy to check that they have been completed.

Divide the tasks equally between the 5 colours provided in our printable resource. Red, blue, orange, green and purple. Use the cards to label what colour each task is. If you have duplicate tasks, make sure they are different colours. Don’t forget to include some written instructions to explain what each task is.

As one of the tasks, a simple puzzle has been included for each colour.

Give each player an ‘access pass’ card. These have a coloured character and a secret access code. Each code is unique. For each access pass given out, place the corresponding ticket, with the matching code, into a hat or box. Ensure players keep their colour and code a secret.

Provide each player with a starting point or chair. Write each player’s name on a piece of paper and provide them with a beanbag or token for voting.

Starting the game

Before you start each game, select a secret code from the hat or box at random. Read the code aloud, but not the colour, and ensure everyone heard it. The player with the matching code is the imposter. They should not reveal this.

Set a timer to play the game. All of the tasks must completed within the allowed time, and players must be back to their starting point before the time runs out. You may need to experiment with the amount of time given, but keep in mind how long an individual task might take to complete, and if a player will need to do more than 1.

Basic rules

Players must only complete tasks matching their colour.

The imposter must discretely undo tasks of any colour.

Once the time has run out, check the tasks. If they are all complete, the imposter has lost. They must reveal themselves. They will no longer be the imposter (unless chosen again) and the game can be reset for another go.

Any player who has failed to return to their starting position is out of the game. If they are the imposter they should reveal this and the game can be reset.

Voting

If the tasks have not all been completed, it is time to vote. Each player must place their beanbag or token onto the name of the player they think is the imposter. The player with the most votes must leave the game. At this point they reveal if they were the imposter. If they were, the game can be reset, they can re-join and will no longer (unless chosen again).

If the player with the most votes is not the imposter then the game will be replayed without them. A new, additional, imposter will be chosen at random, increasing the number of imposters in play. Don’t forget to reset the tasks before restarting the game. If the players do not identify any, we suggest allowing up to 3 imposters before starting from scratch.

You may wish to adapt how many votes you carry out, when there are multiple imposters, or indeed if you will add additional imposters. You might also want to adjust the time based on performance to create the right balance of challenge.

If the group completes all the tasks, they win. If the imposter manages to prevent this and remain undetected, surviving the votes, they win.