Insider
JAPANESE SOCIAL DEDUCTION + QUESTION-AND-ANSWER PARTY GAME (2016) by JUN SASAKI (OINK GAMES). Players ask yes/no questions to a MASTER to guess a secret word before time runs out — but ONE PLAYER is the INSIDER who secretly knows the answer + is subtly steering the discussion. If guessed, group votes to identify the Insider. Signature: HYBRID OF 20 QUESTIONS + WEREWOLF. Tiny box (Oink signature), 15-min plays, 4-8 players. Award-nominated (Spiel des Jahres recommended list).
Quick facts
Category
Party Games
Type
Team sport
Players
4–8
Duration
~15 min
Where played
indoor
Country of origin
🇯🇵 Japan
Estimated origin
2016 Oink Games release; global distribution 2017+
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
How it works
Objective
Group must guess secret word before time runs out; then identify the Insider.
Rules
Basic rules
One MASTER + one INSIDER + several COMMONS
Signature 3 role types.
Master + Insider secretly see the secret word
Signature information asymmetry.
COMMONS ask YES/NO questions; Master answers truthfully
Standard 20-questions.
5 MIN TIMER: if word guessed → group must identify Insider by vote
Signature two-phase win.
IF INSIDER caught → COMMONS + Master win
Signature good-team win.
IF Insider undetected OR word not guessed → INSIDER wins
Signature Insider win.
Scoring
Team-based per round.
Win condition · Guess word + identify Insider (Commons+Master); or Insider survives detection.
Equipment
Word cards + role cards + sand timer
Signature tiny-box components
Terminology
- Master
- Player who KNOWS the word + answers yes/no questions honestly.
- Insider
- Player who ALSO knows the word + must steer discussion to victory secretly.
- Commons
- Non-role players who ask questions to guess word.
- Jun Sasaki
- Founder of Oink Games; designs tiny-box Japanese games.
- Oink Games
- Japanese publisher famous for compact 15-min games (Deep Sea Adventure, A Fake Artist Goes to New York, etc.).
Where it is played
Sources & provenance
- Oink Games — Insider— Oink Games
- BoardGameGeek— BGG