
“Rock, Paper, Scissors” is one of the most popular games in the world that both kids and adults like to play. You can find many versions of this game.
The idea is that you will defeat your opponent by choosing one hand sign from rock, scissors, and paper.
The rule is simple, so people have changed it somehow. We will discuss all the most common ultimate “Rock, Paper, Scissors” (RPS) versions.
Let’s check and pick one to try with your friends!
Traditional Rules of Rock, Paper, Scissors
No matter what version you try, there is a rule for all:
- Rock defeats scissors by smashing them.
- Scissors beat paper by cutting it.
- Paper wins against rock by wrapping it.
We play the game with three hand signs that represent the rock, paper, and scissors:
- Rock: A closed fist;
- Paper: A flat hand with five fingers extended and facing down;
- Scissors: A fist with the middle finger and index extended.
If both players make the same hand sign, the game continues until there is a winner.
Ultimate Rock, Paper, Scissors
The rules of this game are so simple that even kids can learn within a few seconds. To make it funnier and more challenging, people have come up with ultimate versions.
Here are the three most popular and interesting ideas that you can try with your friends.
Version 1
This version, also called the “Slap game,” has three different rounds. It’s more suitable for adults, especially men.
Requirements
You don’t need to prepare any tools for this activity. Just invite one of your friends to join.
Rules
Since it’s a slapping game, the winner of RPS can slap his opponent. However, you can defend yourself to avoid getting hit.
Instructions
Round 1: “Rock, Paper, Scissors”
You two play RPS with both hands, each hand representing a sign. For example, if your left hand is a rock, the other hand must be scissors or paper.
Then, you have to pick one sign to battle with your friend.
The winner of this round is the one who slaps, which is a big advantage for the next round.
Round 2: Pointing
If you are the previous round’s winner, point your index finger to your friend’s face.
Say “Rock, Paper, Scissors,” then your finger and your friend turn to the left or the right.
If your pointer points the same way as the person’s face, your friend will lose, and we move to round 3. Alternatively, the game ends here and turns back to round 1.
Round 3: Slapping
The loser covers his cheeks with both hands.
Say “Rock, paper, scissors,” then you choose one of his cheeks to slap while he chooses to defend by keeping one of his hands on one cheek.
You win the game if you slap on the side that he doesn’t defend.

Version 2
This game goes like the traditional version with an additional twist.
Requirements
Unlike the “Slap game,” you need a group of people for this idea. After gathering your friends, divide them into pairs to battle with each other.
Rules
The key is that you will find one ultimate winner from your group by playing “Rock, Paper, Scissors.”
Instructions
Invite the players to play RPS in pairs.
The loser of the round will just cheer for the winner. Meanwhile, the winner pairs up with somebody new for the next round.
The game will go on until there are only two players left. The winner of the final round is the winner of the whole game.
Version 3
If you get bored with the three classic hand signs, you can upgrade the complexity and difficulty of your game to the next level with this version.
There are up to 15 signs for you to choose from, including rock, scissors, paper, fire, tree, snake, wolf, human, sponge, devil, air, dragon, water, lighting, and gun.
Requirements
Although there isn’t any necessary tool for this activity, make sure that you remember the rule as there are many more signs.
Rules
The most difficult part of this idea is remembering all the signs and which wins against which.
This picture shows you in detail how the game goes. Please pay attention to the arrows and their directions.

We will take the rock as an example. Its arrows point to the fire, snake, scissors, sponge, human, wolf, and tree. So, the rock can beat all these signs.
On the other hand, six arrows are pointing at the rock. They are paper, air, water, dragon, devil, lightning, and gun. Hence, these six signs can defeat the rock.
Instructions
Play in pairs. Choose one sign to battle with your friends and relate to the infographics if you don’t remember the rules.
Rock, Paper, Scissors Posse
This game shares the same idea as version 2 of Ultimate RSP. The difference is that you play RPS to confirm the winner of each round.
Requirements
This idea is a fantastic RPS adaption for a large gathering. Hence, gather your friends in a big enough space for them to move around.
Rules
The players battle in three rounds. The winner of the two rounds will be the leader of this team (two members).
The team finds another two-people team to fight and form a group of four players. The winning player is the team leader.
Instructions
To begin, review the rock, paper, scissors rules.
Ask that the participants spread out and choose a partner. Each pair competes in a best-of-three RPS tournament.
The defeated player then takes a position behind the winner and enthusiastically cheers for them.
This team of two people then seeks another team with whom to play another round.
Each time the team wins, it gathers the players from the other team and lines them up behind the undefeated leader.
There will be two big teams in the end, with the undefeated leader in front.
The two leaders will play the final round, and there will be a winning team.
Extreme Rock, Paper, Scissors
The extreme versions are wonderful ice-breaking activities in schools, group gatherings, and campings, especially for children.
Version 1
This version is really exciting. The game RPS occurs quickly so that you will be in a rush, making it more amusing.
Requirements
Set up the game by laying the hula hoops on the floor. There should be more than ten loops.
You don’t have to line up a straight chain if the space is limited. Making a zig-zag pattern is also fun.
Rules
This game aims to get through to the other side of the hula hoop chain. To make it, you have to beat whoever is moving on the course in the opposite direction by playing RPS.
Instructions
Players stay on the opposite ends of a hula hoop chain. Then, they hop through the chain, trying to get to the other side.

This is where they converge with other students. They do a quick RPS. Whoever wins gets to keep going through the course to confront someone else.
Who gets from one end of the course to the other without losing a game wins.
Another key to this activity is speed. Please note that there are only two players at the same time on the course. When they meet, they fight.
If you defeat one person, another player will start their turn from the other side of the course.
So, make sure you go fast enough. The faster you go, the fewer players you have to battle with.
You can watch this video to have a clear clue about how this idea works:
Version 2
Another activity for lighting up the atmosphere is this RPS extreme version. It shares the same idea with the RPS Posse, but there is a slight difference.
In the Posse version, the team gets bigger as the game progresses. Yet, we play individually in this version. The winner is, therefore, a player instead of a team.
Requirements
Like most RPS games, you don’t have to set up or prepare any tools for this activity. Just try to gather as many people as possible. The more, the merrier.
Rules
The players choose their opponents randomly. They play three rounds of RPS. Yet, instead of forming a team with the winner, the loser will move to one side and quit their game.
Instructions
Find a partner and compete in three rounds of RPS.
Losers move to the left side of the room, while winners go to the right. Losers form a ring around the winners and cheer for them.
Winners get a new partner and keep playing, following the same elimination process.
There should be a circle around the winners once they have formed a group of two or there.
When there are only two players remaining, they each make a fun decision that the losing person must follow at the end.
Ultimate Rock Paper Scissors Card Game
The traditional card game is as popular as RPS. How about combining the two ideas? It will be more fun than a barrel of monkeys.
The ULTIMATE card game is a roguelike deck builder that has the traditional RPS gameplay but with the opportunity to improve offensive and defensive attributes. The gameplay also keeps track of each tool’s hit points using multiple cards.
Requirements
The RPS ULTIMATE card set is available on the internet.
Rules
By putting cards in the tools’ representative panel spaces, you can modify your defensive and offensive abilities and your actions.
The four different types of cards are:
- Clubs: for enhancing your damage abilities.
- Spades: For affecting the defensive skills.
- Hearts: For representing hit points skills.
- Diamonds: For doing magic tricks.
The tools become much more powerful when you select the cards carefully based on SYNERGIES.
You can destroy your opponent within a specific number of rounds. Hence, play on synergies.
Instructions
Two players compete to put the corresponding card on their area by tossing RPS.
These cards have a variety of effects and cause damage to the opponent of the player.
The winner is the first player to lower his opponent’s life point to zero.

Frequently Asked Questions
These questions will bring you more ideas to play RPS. You can also learn some tips to master the game.
1. What is the most played move in “Rock, Paper, Scissors”?
The most common throws are rock (35%), scissors (35%), and finally, paper (29.6%). Picking paper may give a small benefit.
Rock, the most often picked sign, is the most testosterone-rich, most violent, and most popular with enraged players.
Because people link this sign with power and tenacity, it is a common starting move for beginners, especially men. As a result, a paper sign is usually a good starting move against a newbie.
2. How do you always win a “Rock, Paper, Scissors” game?
RPS is a game of luck, according to common belief. However, research has shown that this game involves psychology, such as the conditional response.
Here are some psychological strategies that give you more chances to win:
- Throw paper at a man if he plays for the first time. Inexperienced men often make their first move with a rock.
- Throw a rock at a woman because most women start with scissors.
- If your opponent uses the same throw twice, they are unlikely to do it again.
- Your opponent may not use the same throw if they lose in the previous round.
- Experienced players rarely make their first move with a rock.
- If you lose a round, the switch moves to the next one.
- Opponents frequently have clues in how they place their hands that unintentionally reveal what move they are considering.
- If your opponent loses repeatedly, they are more likely to move with rock, which is a symbolically aggressive approach.
3. What should you throw first in “Rock, Paper, Scissors”?
The answer depends on who you play against. Since most men tend to start with a rock, throw paper. Go for the rock if you play with a woman who often chooses scissors as her first move.
4. How do Korean people play “Rock, Paper, Scissors”?
Muk-jji-ppa, the RSP version of Korea, is a two-player game. Here’s how you can play Muk-jji-ppa:
- Start with the regular RPS game.
- The winner must share the next hand as well as switch to the one that matches by shouting.
- The goal is to have your opponent give a similar hand sign as you in order to win.
- If the hands don’t fit, the winner can call out the next move, and the procedure will start again.
5. How do three people play “Rock, Paper, Scissors”?
Traditionally, the RPS requires two players at the same time. If there are three people, you can also play it with two ideas.
- Use the classic idea. All three keep playing until there is one round where two of them throw the same sign. You can determine the winner then.
- Choose only two signs to play with.
Conclusion
You won’t ever get bored with “Rock, Paper, Scissors.” Its traditional version is already fun, and now you have many more interesting ideas to try.
Hopefully, you will find this article helpful. If you know any version of the game, do not hesitate to share it with us.
Thank you for reading!
Leave a Reply