Simon says (game)
Simon Says [ 'saɪmən'sɛz ] ( English for "Simon says") is child's play . It is similar to the German Pfänderspiele Kommando Pimperle and Alle Vogelflug hoch . The French version is called Jacques a dit , the Swiss Schagg a dit .
Rules of the game
The player whose turn it is takes over the role of Simon: He gives the other players instructions, e.g. B. "Jump up" or "Touch your toes". The other players have to follow these instructions, however, and this is the central element of the game, only if the captain says “Simon says” beforehand.
If a player does not follow an instruction without “Simon says” or one with “Simon says” or takes too much time, he is eliminated. The latter is handled rather loosely in terms of correctness, as it is more about understanding the instructions than about correctly executing them. For example, a player who, when given the instruction, “Simon says: touch your toes”, makes a visible effort to touch his toes, but does not come down that far with his hands, is usually not eliminated. The captain, in turn, is not allowed to give any instructions that cannot be carried out (e.g. lift the right leg when the left leg is still lifted) or which must necessarily lead to the elimination (e.g. "Simon says: jump up") and then "Come down" without "Simon says"). The last player left wins.
Distribution in the German-speaking area
In German-speaking countries, the game is mostly only known from films or music from American pop culture, especially from:
- Simon Says , a million-selling song (1968) by the 1910 Fruitgum Company that describes the game of the same name (see Bubblegum )
- Police Academy 4 - Let's Go , Movie (1987)
- Die Hard: Right Now , a 1995 action film with a plot based on the game
- Demolition Man , an action film (1993) in which many of the monologues by the character Simon Phoenix allude to the game
- Senso / Simon Says , an electronic toy from MB inspired by Simon Says ; after its appearance in 1978 it was initially sold in Germany as Senso , but recently also under the original English title Simon
- Full House , a family series that features this game a lot
- Supernatural , a mystery series in which a character appears who can force people to obey his instructions. There are several allusions to the game
- The Gift , a psychological thriller in which the protagonist took over the role of Simon in his past and tortured a schoolmate who is now looking for revenge
- Love, Simon , a coming-of-age film in which the main character Simonusesthe game's French name ( Jaques a dit ) as a pseudonym
- Heldt , a crime series, subject of the double episode The Longest Day: The Breakout
The game is also often played at juggling conventions. Here the tasks have to be mastered while juggling .