Rock Paper Scissors Variations

While the classic three-throw game is the official competitive standard, dozens of creative Rock Paper Scissors variations have been invented over the years. Some add strategic depth, others add humor, and a few are mathematically fascinating puzzles in their own right.

Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock

The most famous RPS variation, popularized by the TV show The Big Bang Theory, was invented by Sam Kass and Karen Bryla. It adds two additional throws - Lizard and Spock - to reduce the frequency of ties from 33% to 20%.

How It Works

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

Each throw beats two others and loses to two others, maintaining the balanced circular structure of classic RPS while increasing strategic complexity. The gestures are: Lizard (hand shaped like a puppet mouth), Spock (Vulcan salute, fingers split in a V).

RPS-7 (Seven Elements)

RPS-7 extends the game to seven elements: Rock, Paper, Scissors, Fire, Water, Sponge, and Air (or Human and Gun in some versions). Each throw beats three others and loses to three. This further reduces ties to approximately 14% and adds significantly more memory and decision-making complexity.

While theoretically elegant, RPS-7 struggles with the same problem that affects all larger variations: the hand gestures become harder to distinguish quickly, making real-time play less clean than classic RPS.

RPS-25

Created by David C. Lovelace, RPS-25 uses twenty-five gestures, each beating twelve others and losing to twelve. Elements include classic throws plus additions like Gun, Lightning, Devil, Dragon, Snake, Monkey, Tree, Wolf, and more.

RPS-25 is primarily a thought experiment and party game - memorizing 300 win/loss relationships tests memory more than strategy. However, it demonstrates an important mathematical principle: any odd numberof elements can form a balanced intransitive game.

RPS-101

The extreme end of RPS expansion, also by David C. Lovelace: 101 gestures, each beating 50 others and losing to 50. This includes elements like Chainsaw, Vampire, Moon, Alien, Dynamite, and many more. It exists more as a mathematical curiosity and comedy project than a playable game, but it proves that the RPS framework scales to any level of complexity.

Regional and Cultural Variations

Bear, Ninja, Cowboy

A full-body variation popular at camps and team events. Players use their entire body to mime one of three characters: Bear (arms raised like claws), Ninja (karate pose), or Cowboy (finger guns). Bear mauls Ninja, Ninja defeats Cowboy, Cowboy shoots Bear.

Elephant, Person, Ant

Common in Southeast Asia. Elephant stomps Person, Person squishes Ant, Ant crawls into Elephant's ear. A humorous variation that works well with young children.

Mushi-ken (Japan)

An older Japanese variant predating jan-ken: Frog (thumb), Snake (index finger), Slug (pinky). Frog eats Slug, Snake eats Frog, Slug dissolves Snake. This was one of the original hand games that evolved into modern RPS.

Kitsune-ken (Japan)

Another traditional Japanese variant using Fox (both hands at ears), Hunter (hands aiming a rifle), and Village Chief (hands on knees, bowing). Fox bewitches Chief, Hunter shoots Fox, Chief outranks Hunter.

Creative and Modern Variants

RPS Tournament Gambits

Not a variation of the game itself, but a competitive technique: a gambit is a pre-determined sequence of three throws used in best-of-3 matches. Named gambits include the Avalanche (Rock-Rock-Rock), the Bureaucrat (Paper-Paper-Paper), and the Toolbox (Scissors-Scissors-Scissors). Learn more in our strategy guide.

Simultaneous Team RPS

Teams of 3-5 players all throw simultaneously. The team with the majority throw determines that team's "play." This creates a coordination game within a game - do you throw what you agreed on, or try to read the other team's plan?

RPS with Elimination

A large-group game where players pair up, play one round, and losers are eliminated. Winners find new opponents. The game continues until one champion remains. Used frequently as an icebreaker at conferences and events.

The Mathematics Behind Variations

All balanced RPS variants follow a simple mathematical rule: the number of elements must be odd. With an odd number n of elements, each element beats exactly (n-1)/2 others and loses to (n-1)/2 others.

In competitive play, the WRPSA uses classic three-throw RPS because fewer options maximize strategic depth per element. With only three choices, every decision carries maximum weight, making reads and counter-reads the core skill. More elements spread that skill thinner.