How to Play Rock-Paper-Scissors-Lizard-Spock

Here’s a twist on the classic game of “Rock Paper Scissors”. It’s called, “Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock” and was originally created by Sam Kass in the mid 1990’s and has also been seen on TV recently. Once you start playing this version of the game, you’ll probably never go back to the original.

Instead of the classic three options of “rock paper scissors”, this version of the game has five options for each player to throw. So logically, there are more possible outcomes, and thus added interest AND potential to keep your children busy and occupied for a longer period of time.

To play this two-player game, each player holds their hand in a fist and counts 1 – 2 -3 ! After the “3” count, they make one of the hand signals such as a rock (fist), a paper (flat open hand), or scissors (index and middle finger extended as scissors). Add the lizard (thumb on bottom of the four straight fingers that held together like a lizard head), and Spock (make the Vulcan greeting with a “V” between ring and middle finger).

As an alternative to counting, you can shout “rock paper scissors lizard Spock!” and throw your option when you say “spock” or right after it (players should decide this ahead of time). The winner is determined immediately, and kids think it’s fun to act this out — for example, put your paper hand over the rock fist, or have the lizard pretend to bite Spock.

Each of the options has two ways to conquer, and two ways to be defeated.

Rock crushes Scissors or crushes Lizard
Scissors cuts Paper or decapitates Lizard
Paper covers Rock or disproves Spock
Lizard eats Paper or poisons Spock
Spock vaporizes Rock or smashes Scissors

Still don’t get it? Here’s a diagram that you might need to print:

Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock
*(CC – Creative Commons )*

Each round has a clear winner and a clear loser, so the more rounds you play, the more opportunities both players have to win.

I almost can’t bear to acknowledge the tragedy that there are probably some children who may not know who Spock is. If this is the case, and your children have been deprived of the joy of Star Trek, then you’ll need to explain. They’ll probably get it if you just describe him as a half-alien (Vulcan)/half-human super-scientist who has amazing strength, logic and mental powers. You could also throw in that he traveled the galaxy with his crewmates aboard a Starship … in an ongoing mission to visit strange new worlds, seek out new life and new civilizations and to boldly go where no man has gone before…… Um, Ok you can leave out that last part if you want.