Check-in game

🐑 Herd Mind

“Name a breakfast food.” Most people write cereal – or is it toast? In Herd Mind, the most original answer doesn't win – the one everybody else gives does. Whoever stands completely alone gets the black sheep 🖤 – until it lands on someone else. A game you can explain in one minute that reliably gets laughs.

• 2–20 players
• approx. 1 minute per question
• Free, no app

Play Herd Mind for free

How Herd Mind works

1. An open question appears on the stage, e.g. “Name a breakfast food” or “A typical meeting word”.
2. Everyone types the answer on their phone that they think most others will give too.
3. Identical and similar answers are grouped automatically – “donut” and “doughnut” count as the same.
4. The biggest group scores points; whoever is the only one with their answer gets the black sheep.

Why Herd Mind works

• Super short – ideal when you only have three minutes.
• The reveal shows at a glance how your team thinks.
• The “Lone Wolf” variant flips the game: you only win if nobody else gave your answer.

Great for

• Daily stand-up
• Weekly
• Large groups
• Workshop opener

Examples

• Name a breakfast food
• Name a pet
• Name a color
• Name a type of pizza
• Name something you find in an office

Tips for hosts

• Three questions in a row make a perfect five-minute check-in.
• The host can merge similar answers by hand if the automatic grouping is too strict.

FAQ

What does the black sheep mean?

Whoever is the only person to give a particular answer gets the black sheep. It moves on as soon as someone else stands alone – a little running gag for the whole meeting.

Is there a variant without majority thinking?

Yes: in “Lone Wolf” mode, you win if you're the only one with your answer. That rewards creative thinking.

More check-in games

• 🧠 Mind Reader – One clue, one secret position – how well do you know each other?
• 🔢 Number Duel – One number, lots of tactics – who can outthink the rest?
• 📖 Bluff Dictionary – Invent an answer everyone believes is real.
• 🎯 Majority Bet – Answer anonymously – and guess how your team ticks.