Official Hungry Hungry Hippos Rules
How To Play Hungry Hungry Hippos
2 - 4
Players
4+
Ages
10 MIN
Play Time
$20
Price
Hungry Hungry Hippos is a fast-paced, exciting game wherein players control colorful hippos and compete for "eating" as many marbles as possible. The game is played on a board featuring four hippos, each controlled by a player. The aim of the game is quite simple: to be the player who collects the maximum number of marbles before the end. It is an age-friendly game that enhances quick reflexes, so it is perfect to be played at family gatherings or in game night.
In playing Hungry Hungry Hippos, each player chooses a hippo and gets ready for action. The game starts with putting the marbles in the middle of the board. Each player then presses the lever of his hippo, making the hippo "chomp" and collect the marbles. The more that the player presses, the more likely he can get marbles. The open mouth of each hippo along with their forwarded head moves in order to roll marbles fast; thus, the environment might turn out pretty chaotic and really fast.
They quickly press down their levers to get the maximum number of marbles, while stopping their opponents from having them. The game has no turns, thus everybody can take part at any time, therefore increasing the moments of thrill and uncertainties. Playing goes on for some fixed period of time till all the marbles have been eaten up or a certain limit of time has expired.
The player whose hippo has the most marbles in his mouth at the end of the game wins. Most of the strategies that can be used in the game rely on quick reflexes, though positioning of the hippo and the timing of the chomps are some other ways strategy can be employed. But overall, Hungry Hungry Hippos is a game of chance, and most of the outcomes depend on how fast and strong each player reacts.
Hungry Hungry Hippos is a lot less complicated to learn, as it does not involve any complicated rules, and therefore is perfectly suitable for smaller children or for beginners. The simplicity of the game, along with fast action, keeps players entertained. That's just the perfect entertainment for those who want to have fun in the most energetic way without wasting too much time or setting anything up.
Are you interested in seeing more games themed like this one? Please check out our list of best toddler board games to see more games that are similar to Hungry Hungry Hippos. You'll be sure to find more games that you can learn how to play at your next game night.
In playing Hungry Hungry Hippos, each player chooses a hippo and gets ready for action. The game starts with putting the marbles in the middle of the board. Each player then presses the lever of his hippo, making the hippo "chomp" and collect the marbles. The more that the player presses, the more likely he can get marbles. The open mouth of each hippo along with their forwarded head moves in order to roll marbles fast; thus, the environment might turn out pretty chaotic and really fast.
They quickly press down their levers to get the maximum number of marbles, while stopping their opponents from having them. The game has no turns, thus everybody can take part at any time, therefore increasing the moments of thrill and uncertainties. Playing goes on for some fixed period of time till all the marbles have been eaten up or a certain limit of time has expired.
The player whose hippo has the most marbles in his mouth at the end of the game wins. Most of the strategies that can be used in the game rely on quick reflexes, though positioning of the hippo and the timing of the chomps are some other ways strategy can be employed. But overall, Hungry Hungry Hippos is a game of chance, and most of the outcomes depend on how fast and strong each player reacts.
Hungry Hungry Hippos is a lot less complicated to learn, as it does not involve any complicated rules, and therefore is perfectly suitable for smaller children or for beginners. The simplicity of the game, along with fast action, keeps players entertained. That's just the perfect entertainment for those who want to have fun in the most energetic way without wasting too much time or setting anything up.
Are you interested in seeing more games themed like this one? Please check out our list of best toddler board games to see more games that are similar to Hungry Hungry Hippos. You'll be sure to find more games that you can learn how to play at your next game night.
- Hippo Game Base
- 4 Hippo Attachments
- 20 Marbles
- Label Sheet
- The Hungry Hippo Game Rules And Instructions
The Hippo that "munches" the most marbles wins!
Please keep in mind that the official Hungry Hungry Hippos PDF rules listed below could be different depending on the version you have. They should be an exact copy of what came in your original packaging. Download them to view now or print them for later use.
Share with us your comments, funny stories, tips, advice, strategies, creative ways to play, questions about playing, problems with the directions, etc. All submissions will be reviewed within 24 hours.
mike says:
we have 19 red marbles and 1 yellow. Nothing the the rules about the yellow.
01-16-2018
we have 19 red marbles and 1 yellow. Nothing the the rules about the yellow.
Matilda says:
the rules basicaly are don't pick the marbels up with your hands and have fun.
12-02-2016
the rules basicaly are don't pick the marbels up with your hands and have fun.
Old School says:
I have an old school version with the red board. The 3 of the heads move out, but the jaws do not lift. Any advice on how to fix?
05-10-2016
I have an old school version with the red board. The 3 of the heads move out, but the jaws do not lift. Any advice on how to fix?
Allison says:
Denise, I had same problem. Put the hippo in place on the board, then press the head down flat, and the lever releases in the rear
04-19-2016
Denise, I had same problem. Put the hippo in place on the board, then press the head down flat, and the lever releases in the rear
Denise says:
I can't get the heads to move and don't want to force it in case it breaks What do I do
01-09-2016
I can't get the heads to move and don't want to force it in case it breaks What do I do
Kevin says:
This was the first game my daughter got really excited about and when her cousins came over they played it for about an hour (a long time in 3 year old land). The best part was there really were no rules so they didn't have to learn how to play other than start, stop, count your score and how to make your hippo bite. Love it!
08-10-2015
This was the first game my daughter got really excited about and when her cousins came over they played it for about an hour (a long time in 3 year old land). The best part was there really were no rules so they didn't have to learn how to play other than start, stop, count your score and how to make your hippo bite. Love it!
Here are some other games you might like to play at your next get together. Learning how to play new games can feel daunting at first but once you get the hang of it, it can be really fun to try out new games. You can also use our search feature at the top of the page to search for a specific criteria that might interest you. Who knows - you might just find your next favorite game.
