MASH Game Categories: 50+ Ideas for Every Player

The 4 Classic MASH Categories (The Essentials)

Every MASH game starts with these. The acronym M-A-S-H refers to the first category - Mansion, Apartment, Shack, House - but you need at least three more to build a full story.

Common additions: Career (doctor, YouTuber, astronaut, professional dog walker), Location (your hometown, Paris, Antarctica, "in a van down by the river"), Pet (dog, cat, llama, pet rock).

MASH Categories by Age Group

For Kids (Ages 7–11)

Keep it lighthearted and imaginative:

• Superpower - Flying, invisibility, super speed, talking to animals
• Best Friend - Mix real friends with fictional characters
• Favorite Food You'll Eat Every Day - Pizza, ice cream, broccoli (the dreaded option), chicken nuggets
• Pet's Name - Fluffy, Sir Barksalot, Mr. Whiskers, Sparkle
• Color of Your House - Rainbow, invisible, glow-in-the-dark, polka dot
• What You'll Be Famous For - Video games, singing, inventing something, world's biggest bubble

For Tweens & Teens (Ages 12–17)

Add some drama and social relevance:

• Social Media Followers - 100, 10K, 1 million, "account deleted"
• First Date Location - Movie theater, fancy restaurant, awkward family dinner, escape room
• College / Future School - Mix real universities with fictional ones (Hogwarts always gets a reaction)
• Side Hustle - Babysitting empire, TikTok star, tutoring, professional gamer
• Age When You Get Married - 22, 30, 45, never
• Honeymoon Destination - Hawaii, Disney World, camping in the backyard, space

For Adults (Nostalgia Night Edition)

Lean into real-life humor:

• Retirement Age - 45, 65, 80, "what's retirement?"
• How You'll Meet Your Spouse - Dating app, grocery store, work, "they rear-ended your car"
• Mortgage Status - Paid off, underwater, renting forever, living with parents
• Work-From-Home Days - 0, 3, fully remote, "what job?"
• Midlife Crisis Purchase - Sports car, boat, questionable tattoo, alpaca farm
• Number of Streaming Subscriptions - 2, 7, 15, "still using someone else's password"

Themed MASH Category Sets

The Celebrity Edition

• Celebrity Spouse - Current heartthrobs and unexpected picks
• Celebrity Best Friend - Who's in your squad?
• Celebrity Neighbor - Dream neighbor vs. nightmare neighbor
• Award You'll Win - Oscar, Grammy, Nobel Prize, "World's Okayest Employee" mug

The Travel Edition

• Country You'll Live In - France, Japan, Australia, your home country
• Vacation Style - Luxury resort, backpacking, staycation, cruise ship
• Languages You'll Speak - Spanish, Mandarin, emoji only, pig latin
• Airline Status - First class for life, middle seat forever, private jet, road trips only

The Career Deep Dive

• Salary - Minimum wage, comfortable, millionaire, "paid in exposure"
• Commute - Walking distance, 2-hour nightmare, work from bed, helicopter
• Boss Personality - Best mentor ever, micromanager, absent, "you ARE the boss"
• Work Bestie - Instant BFF, "it's just a job," drama llama, no coworkers (solo operation)

The Home Life Edition

• House Style - Modern, Victorian, treehouse, houseboat
• Backyard Feature - Pool, garden, trampoline, parking lot
• Kitchen Situation - Chef's kitchen, microwave only, takeout every night, personal chef
• Chore Division - 50/50, you do everything, robot does it, hire someone

The Wild Card Categories

• Theme Song That Plays When You Enter a Room - Epic orchestra, sad trombone, pop hit, silence
• Unusual Talent You'll Develop - Juggling, speaking backwards, competitive eating, predicting rain
• Ghost That Haunts Your House - Friendly, mischievous, none, "you become the ghost"
• Conspiracy Theory You'll Believe - Aliens, Bigfoot, birds aren't real, "none, you're normal"

Quick-Start MASH Category Sets

Need to play right now? Use one of these ready-to-go sets:

Classic Set

1. Future Spouse (4 names)
2. Number of Kids (4 numbers)
3. Career (4 jobs)
4. Car (4 vehicles)
5. Location (4 places)
6. Pet (4 animals)

Modern Set

1. How You Meet Your Spouse (dating app, mutual friends, work, random encounter)
2. Combined Income (struggling, comfortable, wealthy, "we don't talk about money")
3. Work Situation (office, remote, hybrid, unemployed)
4. Vacation Frequency (never, once a year, quarterly, permanent vacation)
5. Pet Situation (dog, cat, exotic animal, "landlord says no")
6. Weekend Activity (Netflix, hiking, brunch, side hustle)

Silly Set

1. Unusual Pet (dragon, invisible horse, swarm of bees, sentient houseplant)
2. Weird Hobby (competitive napping, collecting belly button lint, yelling at clouds, professional hide-and-seek)
3. Unexpected Skill (burping the alphabet, predicting elevator arrivals, finding parking spots)
4. Random Claim to Fame (viral video, world record for something weird, "that's my cousin" about a celebrity)
5. Unusual Fear (butterflies, the letter Q, people who chew quietly, escalators)
6. Secret Identity (vigilante, alien, time traveler, "actually a cat")

Tips for Creating Great MASH Categories

• Balance is everything. Each category should have a mix of good options, bad options, and wildcard options. If every choice is great, there's no suspense.
• Know your audience. Playing with kids? Keep it silly and age-appropriate. Playing with college roommates? Go for inside jokes and real-life references.
• Add one "chaos" option. Every category benefits from one answer that makes everyone groan or laugh - the shopping cart car, the 17 kids, the "paid in exposure" salary.
• Use specific names and details. "Fancy restaurant" is fine, but a specific memorable place is funnier and more personal.
• Update for the times. Classic MASH used careers like "doctor" and "lawyer." Modern MASH can include influencer, content creator, or remote worker.

For even more ideas, see our full list: Best MASH Categories: 50+ Ideas for Every Player.