![A yellow, orange, and red flame next to a red exclamation point.](/img/games/rock-paper-scissors-fire/fire.webp)
- 2–6 Players
- 25ish Minutes
Rochamb—oh no!
![The game’s container, a custom-printed mint tin](/img/games/rock-paper-scissors-fire/mint-tin.webp)
Remember that old hand-flickin’ game of Rock, Paper, Scissors? This is a bit like that, but as a card game.
Each round, you’ll get a hand of cards, and your goal is to get rid of them as fast as you can. Some cards will be rocks, some will be paper, some will be scissors, and some might be… fire alarms?
Rock, Paper, Scissors, Fire is a bunch of strategy and a bit of chaos for 2–6 players.
![The distribution of rocks cards: 1 0-card, 2 1-cards, 3 2-cards, 3 3-cards, 3 4-cards, 2 5-cards, 1 6-card, and 1 7-card.](/img/games/rock-paper-scissors-fire/card-distribution.png)
How to Play
The fewest points after 3 rounds wins. Score fewer points by getting rid of your cards as fast as you can.
A New Hand Each Round
Most cards have a type of either
rock,
paper,
or
scissors
and a value from 0–7.
Your goal each round is to get rid of all your cards as fast as you can. Do this by using them to beat what’s on top of the pile — a discard pile of sorts in the middle of the table.
![6 cards: a fire alarm, a 0-value rock, a 1-value paper, a 6-value paper, and 2 3-value scissors.](/img/games/rock-paper-scissors-fire/hand-of-cards.png)
On Your Turn
Play a card from your hand to the pile that beats the card on top.
- Have multiple copies of the same card? Play’em all at once!
- Can’t beat the top of the pile? Draw from the deck ’til you can!
What Beats What
There are 3 ways you can beat the pile:
![](/img/games/rock-paper-scissors-fire/what-beats-what-types.png)
Standard rock/paper/scissors rules.
Rock beats scissors, which beats paper, which beats rock.
![](/img/games/rock-paper-scissors-fire/what-beats-what-values.png)
Play the same type with a greater value.
Note, a greater value. No tying.
![](/img/games/rock-paper-scissors-fire/what-beats-what-fire-alarm.png)
Play a fire alarm, which beats everything.
A bit like a wild card with extra effects.
The Fun of Fire Alarms
Fire alarms beat everything. Players then takes
a card at random from the player on their
left,
right,
or
both.
After that, the person playing the fire alarm draws 2 cards from the deck to their hand, then gives away any 2 of their cards to others.
Well-timed fire alarms can quickly change the course of a round!
![A fire alarm card, where players take from the left.](/img/games/rock-paper-scissors-fire/fire-alarm.png)
Ending & Scoring the Round
The round ends once someone plays their last card. They score a perfect 0 for the round. Everyone else adds up the values of the cards left in their hands to get their score.
- Get stuck with a fire alarm? Double your score for the round.
- Only have fire alarms? Score 10 points per alarm.
If it’s rounds 1 or 2, shuffle up and deal again. If it’s round 3, the player with the fewest points wins!
Learns Fast & Plays Quick
It only takes a turn or so to understand how things work. From there, it might take you a game to find a decent strategy.
There’s more strategy here than you might think, especially at the end of each round. Do you save your higher-value cards to ensure you can beat other cards? Or do you keep your lower-value cards to not get saddled with a high score? And then those fire alarms come in and switch up your plans.
It’s fun, it’s easy, and it all fits into a little mint tin!
Free Stuff
Available Now at The Game Crafter
I publish my games on-demand at The Game Crafter. That means no waste, and no boxes sitting in a warehouse somewhere. Perfect for how many games I sell!
But it also means:
- Each copy costs more to produce
- It takes a little time to make your copy
- Shipping isn’t free (though it’s only a couple bucks)
Don’t fret! The quality is great and their service is solid. Still have questions? Hit me up. Otherwise…
Buy Now for $17 Plus Shipping