Two teams compete over multiple rounds to reach 60 points by guessing items listed on a Topic Card within a time limit.
Outburst Junior, a version of the game for children aged 4–10, was released in 1989 and featured colour-coded trivia cards with different levels of difficulty.
In 1997, a CD-ROM version was released which added additional variations and the ability to play over the internet.
Each round, one of the two teams, with all of its players free to speak at the same time, attempts to guess as many of the 10 listed items as it can before the timer runs out.
[5] In a review for Issue 89 of Games, Scott Marley praised Outburst for its clever topics and team-based gameplay.