Anticipation combines gameplay elements from Pictionary and Trivial Pursuit board games. The player is represented by one of four game pieces on a board: a pair of pink high-heeled shoes, a bugle, an ice cream cone, and a teddy bear. The game slowly draws a picture, and the first person to buzz in may try to guess it. A die counts down from six to zero while the picture is being drawn. As soon as a player buzzes in, the die and the drawing both freeze and the player has 25 seconds to spell out the answer. Making two mistakes, or running out of time, locks the player out; the drawing and the die countdown both resume, and the other players can then buzz in.